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Sodium

Sea salt: Is it any healthier than table salt?
Blood Pressure, What to Eat

Sea salt: Is it any healthier than table salt?

Cheryl Strachan
November 7, 2018

Since I published my guide to eating well after a heart attack , two people have emailed to ask this question. This FAQ will definitely be in the next version, but for now, I’ll answer it here: Nope. If you like the taste of sea salt better, go for it, but don’t be fooled by slick marketing. It’s…

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Watching your sodium? 5 surprising ways to boost flavour
Blood Pressure, What to Eat

Watching your sodium? 5 surprising ways to boost flavour

Cheryl Strachan
September 19, 2018

Did you ever notice that people think about salt, sugar, and other demonized foods in all or nothing terms? They’re either good or bad, in or out. So one of the most common questions I get when speaking about blood pressure is, “How can I make food taste good, now…

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7 summer salt swaps (say that ten times fast)
Blood Pressure, What to Eat

7 summer salt swaps (say that ten times fast)

Cheryl Strachan
July 24, 2018

Health Canada released a report yesterday, “ Sodium Intake of Canadians in 2017 .” Three guesses as to how well we’re doing. No surprise, it’s not pretty. And, uh, 19-30 year-old men? We need to talk. 96% of you are over the recommended sodium intake levels! (Compared to 58% of Canadians overall.) Ease up on the…

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Sodium: Do you really need to worry about it?
Blood Pressure, What to Eat

Sodium: Do you really need to worry about it?

Cheryl Strachan
February 13, 2016

Note from Cheryl: Thanks to media coverage of questions about the health effects of sodium, I’m running into more and more people who think it doesn’t matter, at least not for them. Unfortunately, controversy makes clickable headlines: “Everything you’ve been told about (topic de jour) is wrong!” Studies challenging the need for sodium…

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Believe it not, simple meal. All roasted in the ov Believe it not, simple meal. All roasted in the oven. Easy peasy!  #sweetspotfood 😋❤️
To tell if bread is really whole great or just pre To tell if bread is really whole great or just pretending, take a peek at the list of ingredients. They’re in order by weight, so there’s more of the first ingredient in the bread than anything else on that list. If the first ingredient is a whole grain, you have a winner. Look for terms like “whole grain” “sprouted grain” “quinoa” “brown rice” “whole rye” or “whole wheat.” Terms that indicate it’s not a whole grain: “Enriched wheat flour,” “wheat flour.” Swipe to see. 

This is another excerpt from my free video series, “How to Eat Well for Life After a Heart Event.” Link in profile to the entire series.

#heartmonth #eatwell #forlife #wholegrain #healthybread #hearthealth #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood #sweetspotfood
I do love a good pasta. White beans, (!) braised k I do love a good pasta. White beans, (!) braised kale, tomato, Parmesan, olive oil. Easy weeknight meal. #sweetspotfood ❤️😋
Do headlines like this make you want to give up on Do headlines like this make you want to give up on heart-healthy eating? Same news outlet, less than a year apart. First eggs reduce heart disease risk, then they raise it. 

Same with the next one (swipe). Wine is bad for aging brains. Wine could improve brain health.
It’s discouraging I know. Trust me, even clinicians like me get frustrated with the controversies!

Friendly reminder that a headline is supposed to grab your attention. The more controversial the better. “Everything you know about nutrition is wrong!” Yeah, probably not. 

Unfortunately, the nature of nutrition research leads to sometimes conflicting outcomes. Each study is a small piece in a big puzzle. 

When we put together all of the pieces we get a pretty consistent picture for food and heart health: Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish, olive oil, and some lean meat and dairy if you like. And other stuff is okay, if it’s not MOST of what you eat. 

#heartmonth #nutritioncontroversies #donteattheheadilnes #hearthealth #sticktothebasics #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood
I made a cheese soufflé! It’s been so long, it I made a cheese soufflé! It’s been so long, it definitely wasn’t one of my best ones, but still fun to do a little bit more of a cooking project on a cold weekend when we’re spending so much time at home. Have you been up to cooking anything new and interesting? #cook! #forfun #forlife 😋
Want to change your eating habits? Make sure you s Want to change your eating habits? Make sure you start with a strong foundation. I like to think of it as the 4 S’s: Sleep, stress, support, and schedule. If you can get all of those things working in your favour, you may find that food becomes less of an enemy.

Sleep - Hormonal changes drive hunger when you’re sleep-deprived. People who don’t get enough sleep eat hundreds of extra calories the next day, compared with those who have a good sleep. 

Stress - Similarly chronic excessive stress can drive hormonal changes that send us into the kitchen seeking comfort. Exhibit A: 2020! Not necessarily a problem, but if you’re doing it more than you’d like, perhaps it’s time to explore other coping strategies?

Support - Are your friends and family cheering you on and helping you, or do they sometimes tempt you with treats you’d like to avoid, or downright sabotage your efforts? Sometimes getting them onside, or recruiting other supporters, can help. 

Schedule - do you have time to plan, prepare, eat healthy food? If not, can you make time?

All of these are much easier said than done, trust me, I know! Addressing them may take time and effort, but lead to a much bigger payoff to your wellbeing than a new diet or meal plan. Ask for help. 

And if the solutions don’t come easily, go easy on yourself if things aren’t ideal in the food department. I bet you’re doing the best with the cards you’ve got. 

This is another excerpt from my free video series, “How to Eat Well for Life After a Heart Event.” Link in profile to the entire series.

#heartmonth #eatwell #forlife  #hearthealth #cardiacrehab #heartattack #cardiacnutrition #heartdisease #hearthealthy #cardiacrehabilitation #hearthealthyfood
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