Maintaining a Healthy Heart

Strategies for a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming countless lives each year. February is recognized as American Heart Month and a good time to reflect on the importance of heart health and the steps we can take to protect this vital organ. This is important for everyone but especially if you are living with diabetes. Diabetes doubles your risk of developing heart disease. The tips below will provide you with valuable information on ways to maintain a healthy heart. 

Understanding Heart Disease

Heart disease encompasses a range of conditions that affect the heart, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure, and arrhythmias. 

Risk Factors

While some risk factors for heart disease, such as age and our family genetics (heredity) which are beyond our control and not modifiable, many risk factors can be managed through lifestyle changes and prescribed medical interventions. Here are some key risk factors:

• Diabetes: Diabetes doubles your risk of heart disease by causing damage to blood vessels and nerves.

• High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can damage the arteries, leading to heart disease.

• High Cholesterol: Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol and Triglycerides can cause plaque buildup and hardening in the arteries. 

• Smoking: Smoking damages blood vessels and lowers oxygen levels in the blood. 

• Obesity: Excess weight on your body puts an added strain on your heart.

• Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity can contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Heart

Implementing the following strategies can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and promote overall cardiovascular health.

Control Your Blood Glucose

For people living with diabetes, controlling your blood glucose level is essential for preventing heart disease and other complications from diabetes. For most people, the target range for fasting blood glucose is 130 or less. And the target range for post meal (also known as post prandial blood glucose) or any other time other than fasting is 180 or less. You’ll want to check with your doctor as there can be exceptions and different target ranges for some people.

Make sure you follow your healthcare provider's guidance regarding taking your medications and any other advice the give you regarding your lifestyle and health.

Maintaining stable blood glucose levels and staying within the recommended ranges can reduce the risk of complications from diabetes, including the development of heart disease.

Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle involves a combination of controlling your blood glucose, getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting quality sleep, reducing stress, not smoking, taking medications as prescribed medications. If you lead a healthier lifestyle, it can help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Exercise Most Days of the Week

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to keep your heart healthy. Aim to engage in physical activity most days of the week. Make it fun and choose activities you love, such as dancing, cycling, swimming, or playing a sport. Even simple walking for 30 minutes a day can make a significant difference. *I love to get my exercise by dancing, hiking and birdwatching, along with resistance training. 

• Cardio Workouts: Activities like dancing, running, brisk walking, and aerobics help to strengthen the heart and lungs and improve circulation.

• Strength Training: Building muscle through resistance training helps you burn calories more efficiently. 

• Flexibility and Balance: Exercises such as Tai Chi and yoga help with flexibility, balance, and stress reduction.

Image of Carole Jakucs. Hiking, 2025. Image subject to copyright. 

Maintain a Healthy Diet

A balanced diet rich in nutrients is essential for heart health. Focus on eating whole foods and minimizing processed foods:

• Vegetables and Fruits: Choose a variety of colorful vegetables to ensure a range of nutrients. Eat fruits instead of cookies and pastries to satisfy a sweet tooth.

• Whole Grains: Choose whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread and crackers over refined grains.

• Lean Proteins: Include sources of lean protein such as fish, poultry, beans, and legumes.

• Healthy Fats: Incorporate sources of healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts, while limiting saturated and trans fats. 

• Limit Sodium: Reduce your intake of sodium to help reduce your high blood pressure.

• Sugar: Avoid sweets and added sugars to help control your blood glucose, weight and  inflammation.

Get Quality Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for heart health. Poor sleep can contribute to the development of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, all of which increase the risk of heart disease. Try to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. Ways to achieve this are by establishing a regular sleep schedule, cutting off the use of electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime and engaging in a relaxing bedtime routine.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can negatively affect your heart health by raising blood pressure and causing unhealthy behaviors, such as overeating, smoking, drinking alcohol and more. Implement stress-management techniques you find comfortable doing such as:

• Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

• Physical Activity: Exercise daily as exercise helps to release endorphins, known the “feel good” hormones which act as natural stress relievers.

• Hobbies and Interests: Engaging in hobbies and activities you enjoy.

• Social Connections: Carve out time to spend with family and friends you like being with. Work to maintain strong relationships with friends and family for emotional support.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your heart health. Seek support from healthcare professionals, support groups, or smoking cessation programs to help you quit successfully.

Take Medications as Prescribed

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or any other condition that affects your heart, it is crucial to take your medications as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Make sure to get regular check-ups. Follow the advice of your doctor or other health provider and get the labs and other tests they suggest for you. 

It's Never Too Late to Start 

If you feel you've neglected your health, it's not too late to take steps toward a healthier heart. Today, on the last day of American Heart Month, take a bit of time to reflect on your heart health and lifestyle and commit to making positive changes for your health now and for the future.

New Focus of this Blog: Diabetes Self-Management Tips

Spring is here and that means warmer weather, spending more time outdoors and change.

As a healthcare journalist and RN, my passion is to help others lead a healthy lifestyle and achieve improved wellness.

Several years ago, while pursuing my Master of Science in Nursing degree, my field work and studies lead me to another nursing specialty…that of a diabetes nurse educator.

Diabetes nurse educators provide strategies and education to people living with diabetes so they can achieve improved blood glucose control. 

With better glucose control, it increases the likelihood of preventing and/or delaying the risk of developing complications from diabetes.

So, I just changed the title of this blog to reflect its new focus on diabetes self-management tips. 

While these tips are evidenced-based and work for many, they are for informational purposes only. ALWAYS consult with your doctor for any questions or concerns about managing your diabetes and any health condition you may have.

Until my next posting, make time for exercise, healthy eating (watch those portion sizes), getting quality sleep and safely enjoy the warmer weather :-)

Easy Black Bean Taco Recipe

Tacos anyone? If you’re looking for a heart healthy and quick meal, look no further than these black bean tacos. In addition to the black beans, these tasty wraps are also made with low fat cheese, romaine lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, and salsa. 

And if you have diabetes or prediabetes and trying to eat a diabetes diet, the protein and fiber in these black bean tacos help reduce the blood glucose spike from the flour tortillas. 

Black beans are packed with fiber and also contain protein, folate, magnesium and iron. By using reduced fat cheese, you’ll eat less saturated fat, so it’s more heart heathy than if you ate regular (full fat) cheese. Cheese also provides you with protein and calcium.

The veggie toppings add fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as Vitamin C, lycopene, and potassium which are in tomatoes.

Ingredients

• One 15 ounce can of organic black beans

• 4- 6 small flour tortillas 

• Shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (one half cup)

• Romaine Lettuce: 4 to 6 rinsed and dried large leaves (cut up or whole – your choice)

• Tomatoes (one half cup chopped)

• Green onions (scallions): 2 to 4, chopped in small pieces.

• Salsa of your choice and to taste.

• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste.

Directions:

• Warm the tortillas (as per the package directions). Place on a serving platter once cooked.

• Warm the black beans as per the can’s directions (place in a serving bowl once warmed).

• Chop all vegies, place each vegetable in a small bowl on the table.

• Have salt, pepper, and garlic powder on the table for each person to use to taste.

• Place salsa on the table for each to use as desired.

If you want to reduce your exposure to pesticides and food additives and preservatives, consider buying organic. 

Why wait only for Taco Tuesday? These are great for meatless Monday too, or any day of the week. Stay healthy and enjoy!

The Benefits of Exercise

I practice what I preach as a diabetes nurse educator and health writer. Exercise is one of the best medicines at our disposal. I was hiking and birdwatching in these recent photos below but any exercise will do. 

Daily exercise and spending time enjoying the outdoors does wonders not only for our bodies, but also helps to maintain a sense of well being. 

Did you know that exercise helps your body respond better to the hormone insulin? Because of this, daily exercise is one of several ways you can help control your blood glucose.

Make it fun and you're more likely to do it. What exercise do you like to do?

Point Dume, Malibu, California by Carole Jakucs. (Image subject to copyright).

Carole Jakucs, 2022. (Image subject to copyright).

Baked Ziti – A Great Italian and Vegetarian Dish

A Great Italian and Vegetarian Meal 

If you’re trying to reduce your intake of meat or looking for a great Meatless Monday dish, try my family recipe for homemade Baked Ziti. Baked Ziti makes a healthy, delicious meal. Just add a fresh, organic salad to get your daily dose of greens and… you’re all set with a nutritious dinner.

You can use traditional ziti pasta or if you want more fiber, a whole wheat ziti pasta could work too; however, it will change the flavor somewhat.

High in Nutrition

This recipe uses tomato sauce. Tomato sauce, when cooked in a healthy way with olive oil, garlic, and herbs (to taste) will provide you nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C and lycopene.

Ziti Pasta by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image Subject to copyright. 

And you’ll get protein and calcium from the cheese in this dish. Baked Ziti makes for a healthy and filling meal that’s packed with nutrients and is also easy to serve if you’re having guests. 

Marinara Tomato Sauce by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Ziti style Pasta

• 2 pounds of Ricotta Cheese (use part-skim if you want less saturated fat)

• 2 eggs (organic, free-range is the healthiest choice)

• ½ pound of Grated Mozzarella Cheese (use reduced fat for less saturated fat)

• ½ cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Salt, Pepper, and Parsley to taste

• Tomato Sauce of your choice (if using canned tomatoes, you’ll want to prepare 2-large cans (28      ounces each) of crushed tomatoes in puree, use organic for less exposure to pesticides)

Ricotta, Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheeses and Herbs by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright. 

Instructions:

Cook or heat the Italian Tomato sauce of your choice and season to taste. Once cooked, you’ll need to make and heat enough sauce to use at the bottom of the baking dish, and for spreading across the pan the middle layers. You’ll need to have some extra sauce on the side when serving and eating the baked Ziti, so each person can add sauce to their plate as they wish (some like more sauce, and some prefer less sauce).

Cook the Ziti pasta according to the package label for al dente, drain, place on the side, and let it slightly cool. Don’t overcook the pasta, as it will cook more when it bakes then become too soft.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, grated mozzarella, and grated parmesan – add salt, pepper, and parsley to taste. Keep on the side.

Grease (with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil) the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Place on the side.

Now – you’re ready to start layering…

Spread a thin layer of Tomato Sauce on the entire bottom of the baking dish.

Use one half of the cooked Ziti, to spread evenly over the sauce. (Save the other half of the Ziti for one more layer).

Next, spread a thin layer of Tomato Sauce over the first layer of Ziti pasta.

Then, spread the entire Ricotta Cheese mixture as your next layer, over the sauce.

Add a little more sauce now along the entire length of the pan, over the Ricotta mixture.

Use the rest of the Ziti pasta as the next layer of the pan.

Last, spread a little more sauce (to your liking) over the last layer of Ziti.

Baked Ziti - Ready for the Oven by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 – 55 minutes (depending on your oven). You’ll want to place the baking dish on a large, heavy baking tray or cookie tray for support and for greater ease in moving the heavy pan into and out of the oven.

If you want a slightly crispiness to the top, you can remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.

Buon appetito! Enjoy!

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN

Fall is here and with it our craving for warm, healthy soups. I created this recipe to have a hearty yet healthy soup for my family and I to eat when the cold weather hits.

This soup is dense with a variety of vegetables so packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Two examples are zucchini and spinach: They both contain Vitamin A and carotenoids which help maintain eye health.

The beans provide fiber and protein too. If you want more protein, you can use chicken "bone" broth. 

If you’re a vegan, just replace the bone broth or chicken broth with vegetable broth for your liquid. It will still taste great.

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN. 
October, 202. Image subject to copyright. 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (16-oz) bag of frozen spinach
• 5 large celery stalks, rinsed and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 medium to large sized green Italian zucchini
• 1 small to medium yellow squash (summer)
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken bone broth, chicken broth or 
         vegetable broth
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well. 
        (You can substitute with great northern beans)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (or 2, 15-ounce cans)
• 3 - 4 tablespoons Italian seasoning to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN. 
October, 2021. Image subject to copyright.

Instructions

• Heat olive oil for one minute over low heat in a 5 or 6-quart pot. 

• Add onions, celery, zucchini, and squash. Cook for 4 - 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add spinach and cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add broth, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and  garlic powder to taste.

• Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cover keeping at a gentle simmer. Cook  with the lid on for 20 – 25 minutes. 

Enjoy and stay healthy!

Fried Zucchini – The Healthy Way

Zucchini is so versatile – you can cook it in so many ways. It’s also nutritious: Containing fiber, magnesium, potassium, Vitamins A and C and more. Zucchini is also low in carbs and is fat free.

One of my son’s recently gave me a homegrown zucchini that was supersized. So, instead of my usual way of preparing it, which is to chop it up, then sauté with onion and tomato and Italian herbs (will post this recipe in the future), I decided to slice it, due to its large size.

It’s a simple recipe and all you need is:

One large zucchini (big enough to make long slices)

1-2 eggs

Flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 -2 tablespoons of Olive oil (for your pan)

Directions:

Slice the zucchini as evenly as possible so you end up with pieces of similar size.

Dip each slice in a bowl containing the beaten egg (have a 2nd egg handy, you may need it).

Dredge each egg coated slice of zucchini in flour.

Place the coated, sliced zucchini pieces in a frying pan that has already been prepared with olive oil and slightly heated.

Cook at a low to medium heat.

Turn over each slice after about 4 – 6 minutes, and cook the other side for the same amount of time.

Let cool and enjoy!

This is a great side dish, good in a sandwich, or makes for a great meatless meal, after topping it with some shredded mozzarella or grated Romano or parmesan cheese.

Peas and Eggs - A Nutritious, Tasty, Meatless Dish

Peas and eggs...who would think...but these two together make for a delicious combination and a quick, healthy, meatless meal. 

My mother and grandmother used to make this dish when I was growing up, so making and eating this dish brings back fond memories for me of both of them.

Peas and eggs are both packed with nutrition. Peas contain protein, fiber and vitamin C. Eggs are also a great source of protein and also choline, which is good for our brain.

Peas and Eggs

2 cups of organic frozen peas - cooked per package directions

2 organic, free-range eggs - whipped up in bowl

1 - 2 tablespoons of organic extra-virgin olive oil (to taste)

Salt, pepper and parsley to taste.

Directions

Place olive oil in am 8 - 10 inch skillet, on a low to medium heat for one minute.

Add the prepared peas. 

Mix and cook on a low heat for approximately 4 minutes.

Add the eggs (after slightly whipping them first in a bowl)

Cook for another 4 minutes, or until eggs are fully cooked.

Add salt, pepper and parsley (optional) to taste.

This recipe makes two servings. 

Enjoy!