February is American Heart Month

According to the CDC, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.  Heart disease is also the number one killer of women.
February is not only about chocolate and flowers; showering our loved ones with our gratitude.  It is also about loving ourselves and taking care of our bodies.  February is American Health Month and this month we are helping you on your path towards a heart healthy lifestyle.
Fresh produce is the best kick start for your heart.  Fruits and vegetables help wipe out free radicals in the bloodstream, protecting blood vessels.  Heart superfoods include Oranges, Kale and Lentils.  Oranges’ soluble fiber pectin acts like a giant sponge, sopping up cholesterol in food.  Kale contains glucoraphanin that activates a special protective protein called Nrf2 which (like Teflon) coats your arteries to keep plaque from adhering. 

Other helpful foods include almonds, sardines, and dark chocolate.  The good Omega 3 fatty acid in Sardines lower harmful triglycerides, raise protective HDL, reduce potentially fatal heart arrhythmias, and tamp down inflammation.  

Supplements for optimal health include CoQ10 and Resveratrol.  A polyphenol found in red wine, grapes and other plants (which is in Resveratrol) may help improve circulatory function. CoQ10 may help with heart-related conditions, because it can improve energy production in cells, prevent blood clot formation, and act as an antioxidant.

And of course, a regular exercise routine such as walking can help bring down stress levels and keep your body in optimal shape.

We look forward to working with you this February on your heart health goals!

New Year's Resolutions

The New Year rings in a new opportunity to reinvent ourselves.  We make resolutions to loose weight, be a better partner, exercise more, or change our diet. We each start off the tradition as young adults watching our elders make these little wishes for a new start.  As we grow older, we tend to make them less or for some, a secret pact we make and share only with ourselves.

Resolutions are a unique opportunity to not worry about whether we keep our promises to ourselves, but can be a moment of self-reflection.  If we take the time, we can hear that whispered promise of what our heart most desires or what our body needs.  The new year can be a time of compromise with our current habits and those which suit us best.

At The Healthy Grocer, we hold true to our yearly pact – to make a positive difference in your lives.  To us, 3800 Trindle Road is more than a building with 4 walls and a roof.  It is more than a place where people buy their meals.  To us it is a haven where you can come and learn about what being healthy truly means and how every person can start on this path.  We believe in cultivating relationships with our customers to nurture their hearts; offering them the healthiest (and best priced) products we can provide to nourish their bodies;  and free workshops during the month to feed the soul.

This new year, as always, we look forward to helping you find that space between resolutions and your best self.