King's Daughters' Health

Love Your HEART Spring is a great time of year to give your heart health a fresh start. HEART DISEASE CLAIMS more lives annually than all forms of cancer combined. Although you can't change certain risk factors, such as age and family history, you can take steps to reduce your risk by making healthy lifestyle choices, advises Heather Foy, Wellness Coordinator at King's Daughters' Health. "We tend to worry about the things we can't change," Heather says. "Really, we should focus on the healthy choices we can make every day." Those include: • Eating a balanced, heart-healthy diet. Focus on healthy fats, such as those in avocados and nuts, a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables, and high-fiber foods. Also, limit your sugar intake. • Exercising every day. Not only does it help you reach a healthy weight, exercise also helps ward off risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Plus, if high cholesterol runs in your family, Heather notes, exercise can help mitigate some of that risk. • Managing stress. Stress increases blood pressure, and it can drive you to unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and eating "comfort" foods high in sugar, saturated fat and salt. • Giving up tobacco products. Smoking doesn't just cause cancer. It raises blood pressure and promotes the buildup of heart attack-causing arterial plaque. "Finally, go in for your free wellness visits so you can talk to your doctor about any screenings you may need," Heather says. "Prevention is less expensive than a disease diagnosis." ■ ■ Stay on top of your heart health all year long with help from our wellness bloggers. Visit www.kdhmadison.org/blog. The hearty greens, chickpeas and whole grains in this salad make it the perfect healthy side for picnics and barbecues. Cherry Salad Fresh INGREDIENTS ∏ cup uncooked quinoa or farro ∑ cup olive oil ∑ cup lemon juice √ teaspoon kosher salt 1 large bunch (10 to 12 ounces) kale leaves, chopped 1 cup pitted cherries, halved 1 15-ounce can low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained ∑ cup finely chopped red onion 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and sliced into quarters ∏ cup toasted walnut halves, roughly chopped DIRECTIONS 1. Place quinoa or farro in a medium saucepan with 1∏ cups water and ∑ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and ∏ teaspoon salt until well combined. 3. Pour over grains and toss to coat. 4. Add the kale, cherries, chickpeas, red onions and artichokes. Toss to combine. 5. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top. 6. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the kale to tenderize. NUTRITION INFORMATION Makes 6 servings Calories: 386 Fat: 24g Saturated fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 38g Cholesterol: 0mg Fiber: 12g Sodium: 445mg Protein: 11g ■ ■ Recipe courtesy of Produce for Better Health Foundation and Borton Fruit, www.morematters.org Vital Signs // a publication of King's Daughters' Health 3

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