Boulder Heart providers share their favorite nutrition tips
- Category: General, Cardiology, Patients & Visitors
- Posted On:
- Written By: Boulder Community Health
Our Boulder Heart team is here to care for you and your heart health needs. In honor of National Nutrition Month, we’re sharing some of the heart health nutrition tips our cardiology providers follow themselves each week.
National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign started in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is “Fuel for the Future.”
Eat as many fruits and veggies as possible!
Some great heart-healthy fruits and vegetables include broccoli, peas, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, collard greens, kale, sweet potatoes, strawberries, citrus and avocados. Dried fruits and canned fruits and vegetables with no added salt or added sugar are always a great option, too.
Dr. Ware is board certified in cardiovascular medicine, echocardiography and nuclear cardiology and has a special interest in heart valve problems, preventive cardiology, and cardiac issues in women and athletes. She is known to be kind, open and curious by those who know her and work with her. To pair with healthy portions of fruits and veggies, Dr. Ware advocates for daily movement. “Exercise is the absolute best medicine we have,” she says.
Skip processed foods – fresh is best!
This heart-healthy tip involves limiting salt, saturated fats, trans fats and added sugars in your diet. By skipping packaged chips and cookies (anything in boxes and bags) and opting for whole foods such as nuts, fruits and vegetables, you will naturally limit these additions to your diet. Banerjee’s other tip is: Cook your own meals using the plate model: ½ plate for veggies, 1/4 for lean or vegetarian-based protein, and 1/4 for complex carbohydrates.
Dr. Trujillo is board certified in cardiovascular medicine, nuclear medicine and internal medicine and recently celebrated his 25th Anniversary with BCH in 2022. He is an energetic cardiologist with a love for recess, cooking and martial arts. Dr. Trujillo advises everyone to take a 20-minute recess break twice a day. “Set your alarm to stop what you're doing and move,” he says.
Moni Banerjee is a nationally certified physician assistant who enjoys helping her patients make the best healthcare decisions possible for improved quality of life. Her colleagues know her to be thoughtful, dependable and smart. “The best advice I ever received was to stay positive – you are the agent of your own happiness,” she says.
Fiber in every serving!
Dr. Anderson advises: “Work to have everything you eat have at least 4g of fiber per serving.”
This helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, prevent heart attacks, and treat diabetes. Choose breads and pastas made from whole grains, and incorporate brown rice, beans and lentils into your regular recipes.
Dr. Anderson – a board-certified electrophysiologist – is passionate about cooking and evidence-based lifestyle choices to maintain or improve overall health.
Looking to take steps to improve the foods you eat?
Keep your heart healthy with advice from our Patient Education Resource Library or connect with a BCH provider here.