WEBVTT 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:03.660 You know what's surprising? Most heart -healthy 00:00:03.660 --> 00:00:06.200 eating doesn't start in the kitchen. It starts 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.019 in the grocery store. Today I want to show you 00:00:09.019 --> 00:00:11.560 how to shop for your heart in a simple, realistic 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:15.539 way. No special diets or expensive foods. Just 00:00:15.539 --> 00:00:18.100 smart choices that protect your heart and still 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:21.559 taste good. I'm Robin Schiltz, a senior home 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:24.359 safety specialist. I've spent years helping older 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:27.339 adults stay safe, strong, and independent at 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:30.100 home. And I've seen how everyday food choices 00:00:30.100 --> 00:00:33.420 can support heart health or quietly work against 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:36.920 it. Here's what I mean. When you walk into a 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:39.780 grocery store, the layout matters. The healthiest 00:00:39.780 --> 00:00:43.219 foods are usually around the outside edges. Fresh 00:00:43.219 --> 00:00:47.259 produce, lean proteins, dairy, whole foods. The 00:00:47.259 --> 00:00:49.500 middle aisles are where the ultra -processed 00:00:49.500 --> 00:00:51.840 stuff lives. Now, that doesn't mean you can't 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.179 go down those aisles. It just means you go in 00:00:54.179 --> 00:00:58.079 with a plan. Let's start with fruits and vegetables. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.439 Aim to fill about half of your cart with them. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:05.319 Fresh is great. Frozen is also great. Canned 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:07.780 can work, too, as long as you look for the no 00:01:07.780 --> 00:01:11.120 -salt added versions or the ones that say packed 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:15.400 in water. Color matters here, too. Dark greens 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:18.620 like spinach, bright reds like peppers, deep 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:21.859 blue like berries. These foods help lower blood 00:01:21.859 --> 00:01:24.260 pressure and reduce inflammation, which is big 00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:28.340 for heart health. Now let's talk about proteins. 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:32.840 Your heart likes lean protein. Think fish, chicken, 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:36.730 turkey, beans, lentils. When you're looking at 00:01:36.730 --> 00:01:40.069 fish, salmon, sardines, and tuna are good choices 00:01:40.069 --> 00:01:42.569 because they have healthy fats that support your 00:01:42.569 --> 00:01:46.349 heart. If you buy canned fish, look for the water 00:01:46.349 --> 00:01:49.390 -packed and low -sodium versions. If you eat 00:01:49.390 --> 00:01:52.590 red meat, that's okay. Just keep it to occasional 00:01:52.590 --> 00:01:56.989 and try to choose lean cuts. Eggs come up a lot 00:01:56.989 --> 00:01:59.879 in heart health talks. Eggs are fine for most 00:01:59.879 --> 00:02:03.299 people, just watch what you cook them with. Butter 00:02:03.299 --> 00:02:05.859 and processed meats adds more strain to your 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:09.919 heart than the egg itself does. Next stop is 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:13.439 grains. This is where labels really matter. Look 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.860 for the word whole as the first ingredient. Whole 00:02:16.860 --> 00:02:21.000 wheat bread, brown rice, oats, barley. These 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.680 help manage cholesterol and keep blood sugar 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.199 steady. White bread and refined grains break 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:29.780 down fast and don't help your heart much at all. 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:33.360 Now let's slow down and talk about labels for 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.520 a minute. You don't need to read everything. 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:39.479 Just focus on three things. Sodium, added sugar, 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:43.659 and saturated fat. For sodium, aim for lower 00:02:43.659 --> 00:02:46.560 numbers. High sodium can raise blood pressure, 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:49.900 which puts extra stress on the heart. Canned 00:02:49.900 --> 00:02:53.280 soups, frozen meals, and sauces are all big sodium 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:57.159 traps, so look for low sodium or no salt added 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:01.039 whenever you can. For sugar, watch for added 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:04.020 sugars hiding in cereals, yogurts, and snacks. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.280 Sugar shows up under different names like corn 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:10.599 syrup or cane sugar, and less sugar is better 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:14.349 for your heart. For fats, your heart prefers 00:03:14.349 --> 00:03:18.129 unsaturated fats, which means olive oil, avocado 00:03:18.129 --> 00:03:21.949 oil, nuts, and seeds. Saturated fats are the 00:03:21.949 --> 00:03:25.189 ones to limit. Those are found in processed foods, 00:03:25.509 --> 00:03:29.729 fried foods, and fatty meats. Now let's talk 00:03:29.729 --> 00:03:33.849 about dairy. Choose low -fat or reduced -fat 00:03:33.849 --> 00:03:37.789 options if they work for you. Milk, yogurt, and 00:03:37.789 --> 00:03:40.469 cheese can be part of a heart -healthy plan. 00:03:40.990 --> 00:03:44.150 Just keep portions reasonable and avoid products 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:48.189 loaded with added sugar or sodium. Snacks matter, 00:03:48.569 --> 00:03:51.830 too. Instead of chips and cookies, think nuts, 00:03:52.090 --> 00:03:55.469 fruit, yogurt, or whole grain crackers. Nuts 00:03:55.469 --> 00:03:58.110 are especially heart -friendly, but portion size 00:03:58.110 --> 00:04:02.449 matters. A small handful goes a long way. One 00:04:02.449 --> 00:04:05.069 thing I really encourage is not shopping hungry. 00:04:05.409 --> 00:04:08.110 When you're hungry, everything looks good, and 00:04:08.110 --> 00:04:10.490 your heart -healthy plan goes right out the window. 00:04:10.620 --> 00:04:13.479 Eat something small before you go because it 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:16.600 makes a difference. And here's something else. 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:19.720 Heart -healthy eating does not have to be perfect. 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:23.240 It has to be consistent, and one good choice 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:26.720 at a time, one better swap at a time. That's 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:30.300 how real change sticks. If you're shopping for 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:32.660 yourself or for someone you care about, remember 00:04:32.660 --> 00:04:36.569 this. Food is not just fuel. It's support and 00:04:36.569 --> 00:04:39.509 protection, and it's one more way to stay independent 00:04:39.509 --> 00:04:42.689 and strong at home. So thanks for joining me 00:04:42.689 --> 00:04:44.889 today. Please share this episode with someone 00:04:44.889 --> 00:04:47.009 you care about who could use the information 00:04:47.009 --> 00:04:50.329 to make their life safer. You'll find more resources 00:04:50.329 --> 00:04:52.970 for seniors and caregivers on our website at 00:04:52.970 --> 00:04:55.990 seniorsafetyadvice .com. And if you're searching 00:04:55.990 --> 00:04:58.550 for an aging in place specialist, please visit 00:04:58.550 --> 00:05:02.149 our sister website at aginginplacedirectory .com. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.399 Also, if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:08.379 channel or to this podcast yet, go ahead and 00:05:08.379 --> 00:05:10.920 do that right now. Then come back tomorrow for 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.480 another Daily Moment of guidance and encouragement, 00:05:13.899 --> 00:05:16.720 right here on the Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:20.639 Until next time, take care, thanks for listening, 00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:21.720 bye!