First off, let’s get to know your numbers so you have a goal in mind throughout the challenge.
Total Cholesterol:
Borderline to high: 200 mg/dL or above
Goal: less than 200 mg/dL (this puts you at a lower risk for heart disease)
HDL Cholesterol:
Low HDL level: less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women
Goal: 60 mg/dL or above (this is considered protective against heart disease)
LDL Cholesterol:
Borderline to high: 130 mg/dL or above
Goal: less than 130 mg/dL
TC/HDL Ratio (Total Cholesterol divided by HDL Cholesterol):
Borderline to high: more than 5.0 for men and 4.0 for women
Goal: 3.5 or less (this is associated with a lower risk for heart disease)
Nutrition Guidelines
The key to a heart-healthy diet is watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake. Processed foods and animal products are going to contain the most of these artery-clogging culprits.
Consider reducing or eliminating meat and dairy during the challenge.
- Substitute omega-3 rich fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and fresh tuna at least twice a week.
- Try grain or nut milks as a substitute for cow’s milk. These can be found in the natural aisle of your market. There are also non-dairy yogurts and cheeses available that are delicious alternatives.
- Nuts, seeds and dark green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of protein. These make great in-between meal snacks too!
Load your plate with whole grains, fresh vegetables, heart-healthy nuts and seeds, and fiber rich fruits. Here is a list to get you started:
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats, millet, wild rice, barley
- Recipe ideas: use as a base for steamed vegetables, toss into a cold salad, pack into a veggie burrito
- Recipe ideas: use as a base for steamed vegetables, toss into a cold salad, pack into a veggie burrito
- Vegetables: dark leafy greens like spinach, chard, kale and mesclun salad greens; broccoli,
- Recipe ideas: sauté with a little bit of minced garlic and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes; steam and finish with olive oil and a pinch of Celtic sea salt; substitute the dark leafy greens for your salad greens and eat them raw with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
- Recipe ideas: sauté with a little bit of minced garlic and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes; steam and finish with olive oil and a pinch of Celtic sea salt; substitute the dark leafy greens for your salad greens and eat them raw with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds
- Recipe ideas: chop and add to morning oatmeal, garnish for salads and grain dishes, add to fruit smoothies, or a small handful on their own!
- Recipe ideas: chop and add to morning oatmeal, garnish for salads and grain dishes, add to fruit smoothies, or a small handful on their own!
- Fruits: grapefruit, watermelon, apples, blueberries, blackberries
- Recipe ideas: stir into oatmeal, blend into smoothies, delicious alone!
- Recipe ideas: stir into oatmeal, blend into smoothies, delicious alone!
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the following guidelines should be followed for a heart-healthy diet:
- 8-10% of the day’s total calories from saturated fat
- 30% of less of the day’s total calories from fat
- Less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol a day
- Limit sodium intake to 2400 milligrams a day
- Just enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight and reduce your blood cholesterol level (ask your doctor or registered dietitian what is a reasonable calorie level for you)
Learn more at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/cgi-bin/chd1/step1intro.cgi.
Exercise Recommendations
Physical activity is critical to a heart-healthy lifestyle. The body needs movement to transport nutrients and energy to your cells.
It is recommended by the
If you prefer walking and have a pedometer, track your progress and make 10,000 steps a day your goal which is equivalent to about 5 miles.
Below are some simple suggestions of how to work this into your work day:
- Before you eat lunch, walk for 15 or 30 minutes.
- Walk or bike to work if possible, or park further away from the office to get in some additional steps on your “commute”.
- Suggest a walking meeting to catch up instead of sitting in a conference room. Everyone thinks better with fresh air!
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk in place while watching TV.
- Get your family involved and make it a group activity!
Read about those taking the challenge on the Corazonas Challenge Blog here.
Need to purchase some Corazonas chips? Go to our store finder here.
Looking for a cholesterol test? We recommend this one available at Walgreens.