In honor of American Hearth Month, performance training coach Mike has created an interval workout that will strengthen the heart muscles, increase cardiovascular function, reduce stress hormones, all while improving your mood and reducing anxiety.
"You don't have to workout 60 minutes a day, every day, to see improvements in your heart health. Simply moving more and gradually adding exercise can help you make improvements."
Mike Summers, performance training coach
A heart healthy recipe that is easy to make, only needs a few ingredients, and is full of flavor!
Protein: We begin with a lean protein base, using lean ground turkey. Lean ground turkey is lower in saturated fat when compared to a ground beef. High saturated fat intake is directly linked to cardiovascular disease.
Fiber: The oats work as a binder for this meatloaf—keeping it all together. Oats are a complex carbohydrate, which means they’re a good source of fiber, and they take longer to break down or digest in the body. This results in lower blood glucose spikes after meals. Managing your blood sugars is also another good strategy when thinking about your heart health.
Sodium: We are using a low sodium V8 juice to minimize the salt content of this recipe. High sodium intake can have a negative impact on blood pressure. The goal would be to keep meals below 600mg of sodium. A serving of this meatloaf only contributes 135mg sodium.
Julia Summers, RD LDN
Special thanks to Mike and Julia Summers for helping spread the word about American Heart Month at SMTC!
