As we celebrate Heart Health Month and Valentine’s Day, I decided to focus on the obvious: your heart.  Here are my five tips to do something good for your heart:

1. If you’re getting less than 25-30 grams of fiber in your diet per day, set a goal to add five more.  Fiber binds with cholesterol to carry it out of your body.  It can also help you to feel satisfied from your meal for longer.
2. Do get in 10,000 steps a day?  If not, start small and set a goal to walk an extra 1,000 steps per day doing your daily activities.  It takes less than 15 minutes—and the faster you walk the more calories you burn and the less time it takes.  Park far away, take the stairs… you know the drill.  Steps will add up in no time.
3. Are you exercising regularly most days of the week?  If not, add in 10 minutes of exercise three days a week (this will also increase your steps).  If you’re doing some exercise, increase it by ten minutes each session.  Why ten?  While you can certainly add more, ten is do-able for anyone.       
4. Experts say that up to 90% of visits to primary care physicians are stress related to some degree.  Take just two minutes a day for deep breathing.  Close your eyes and breathe slowly.  Focus your mind only on the action of inhaling and exhaling.  It might be the best 2-minute investment you make all day.
5. Try the mashed cauliflower recipe below.  You’ll get extra fiber and eating it in place of traditionally cooked mashed potatoes (you know, butter and cream) will reduce your intake of saturated fat.  I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t like it.

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I can hardly believe it but now I’ve added a Thursday morning step class to my gym routine and I’m exercising more than ever.  Uh oh.  What if I actually begin to like exercise? 

I’ve exercised regularly for more than 20 years and while it’s become a habit, it’s a conscious habit.  I have to think about it and plan it or I don’t do it.  It’s like my school work or anything else important. 

To your health!
Heather Moreno

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Yes, cauliflower.  It’s a wonderful alternative to mashed potatoes (I love those too) when you want to use less cream and butter, and it adds variety to your diet.  Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, containing compounds that may help prevent cancer and detoxify the body.  I just tried this over the weekend and will definitely make it again!

Ingredients
1 pound chopped cauliflower
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1.  In a medium saucepan, combine 1 quart of water and cauliflower.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Turn off heat and drain cauliflower. Add cauliflower back into warm saucepan and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to dry cauliflower (drying is essential so that it doesn’t become watery).
2.  Place cauliflower into mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Beat with electric mixer until fluffy.

SERVING INFORMATION
Makes 4 (1/2 cup) servings, each containing approximately: 80 calories, 6 gm. carbohydrate, 6 gm. fat, 16 mg. cholesterol, 2 gm. protein, 434 mg. sodium, 2 gm. fiber

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