American Heart Month: How to Show Your Heart Some Love

It’s fitting that Valentine’s Day falls in February—it’s American Heart Month. While our favorite Hallmark holiday has passed, we’re still turning your attention to the heart—and for a good reason: to help raise awareness about cardiovascular health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans. But the good news is that healthy lifestyle choices—including diet—can help offset your chances of developing of developing what 1 in 4 Americans face.

We encourage you to make heart-healthy choices each day, and are here to support and empower when it comes to your diet. We’re celebrating by sharing our top heart-healthy Kitchen Market offerings:

1. Wild-Caught Sockeye Salmon: Salmon is a heart-healthy superstar that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids which help keep your blood flowing, and lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Try our frozen, individually vacuumed-sealed fillets (recipe included with purchase), or our slow-roasted, ready-to-eat option that’s available for pre-order and pickup on select Thursdays of the month when featured with our weekly salad.

Not a fish person? Try taking a fish oil supplement instead. We recommend Nordic Naturals as a readily available brand for purchase.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup: Tomatoes contain lycopene that help rid the body of bad cholesterol and organic cashews lend to the creaminess of this soup while providing a good dose of healthy fats known to reduce cholesterol levels. Purchase this a la carte soup or as part of our One-Day Soup Cleanse.

3. Organic Antioxidant Coffee – Science demonstrates that coffee has many healing benefits when you choose the right kind! Unfortunately, many benefits are lost in mass-produced varieties due to the way the coffee beans are processed.

Give your morning a healthy upgrade and opt for a brand that’s loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants. Our gut-friendly Antioxidant Coffee is USDA certified organic, 100% mycotoxin-free (lab verified for no mold) and made with sustainably grown, pure Arabica beans that are hand-selected and roasted in small batches. The HealthyRoast® patented roasting process reintroduces polyphenols back into the roasted coffee beans through a chemical-free water extraction process.

The result is a PH balanced coffee with 50-100% more antioxidants than comparable Arabica beans. These increased antioxidant levels support the heart, gastric tract and help lower acidity that comes with drinking coffee. ⁠It also provides a smoother, less bitter taste!

Let your coffee work for you and provide a cleaner more balanced buzz! ⁠Available in ground or whole bean bags, get brewing by shopping our organic Kitchen Market!⁠

4. Cranberry-Walnut, Orange & Oats Round: Made with sprouted, old fashioned rolled oats, these rounds are high in soluble fiber that help eliminate “bad” LDL cholesterol from the body.

Plus, walnuts are a good source of fat, fiber and vitamin E that can help improve cholesterol levels, while dried unsweetened cranberries rich in polyphenols help prevent blood clots, reduce blood sugar levels, and lower the risk for heart disease.

5. Bone Broth: With many healing properties including reduced inflammation, boosted immunity and better gut health, research also shows that nutrient-dense bone broth—often referred to as “liquid gold”—is good for the heart, too.

Traditionally made with only pastured and organic ingredients, our Pastured Chicken Bone Broth can help lower blood pressure from the natural collagen found within. When consumed regularly, the essential amino acids it provides can help to decrease your risk for heart disease and stroke, and have even been found to reduce the size of heart attacks.

Made in small batches with pastured chicken bones, 100% organic ingredients and iodine-rich kombu to support the thyroid, Our low-sodium ready-to-drink Garlic & Ginger Infused Bone Broth (sold frozen) is so tasty you can sip it like a cup of tea, while our Traditional Bone Broth (sold frozen) makes for a great base when cooking soups, stews, grains, beans and sautés. ⁠This same bone broth is also the base to many of our soups including our best-selling Chicken, Herb & Sprouted GABA Brown Rice Soup.⁠
⁠
Looking for something to sip on the go? Try our Hot Bone Broth To Go sold in 10oz insulated cups. Each month we offer a new infusion—always packed with nutrients and a health-boosting benefit! ⁠

6. Mexican Sprouted Bean Burgers: Made with sprouted black beans that are easy to digest, these popular veggie burgers are also packed with heart-healthy nutrients: folate and magnesium help lower blood pressure; fiber helps control cholesterol and blood sugar levels; and antioxidants protect the cells in your body and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Made from 100% organic ingredients, these quarter-pound burgers are free from gluten and dairy as well as soy, fillers, additives and preservatives.⁠

⁠Just cook from frozen (about 4-5 minutes each side), add your favorite fixings and sides (hello, guacamole!), and you have a weeknight dinner in a flash!⁠

7. Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Almond Bark: Satisfy your sweet tooth and support your ticker—all with this client-favorite bark! Made with antioxidant-rich, organic bittersweet dark chocolate that’s imported from Italy (with 70% or more pure cacao) this bark is high in flavonoids called polyphenols that help reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, and the chance of clotting.

Plus, nutrient-rich almonds are high vitamin E, protein, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and healthy fats—all which are all useful for good cardiovascular health.

8. Heart-Healthy Seasoning Blend: The newest of our Health-Boosting Seasoning Blends, this new herb and spice mix boasts organic onion, garlic, ginger and cinnamon—all which provide heart-healthy benefits such as reducing high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

We also include a touch of black pepper for its piperine—this lowers bad cholesterol and increases the production of good cholesterol in the body (thus, preventing cardiovascular disease). Even more? We add dulse flakes! This dried, wild seaweed contains high levels of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids which support heart health and brain function.

Our Health-Boosting Seasoning Blends are sold in 4oz jars and come with a free recipe with purchase!

While genetic factors do play a part in heart disease, the good news is 80% of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented with education and action—and simple lifestyle changes can make a big impact when it comes to heart health.

Show your heart some love with these 8 diet recommendations—but don’t forget that exercise, sleep, and stress also play a part. Want more guidance? Consider a 30-minute Q&A Session with our Nutritionist. Alternatively, for a deeper dive into things, invest in a 90-minute Custom Consultation to assess your nutrition and wellness goals in-depth, and work together to meet them with personalized tips and techniques.

To shop the above products, visit our organic Kitchen Market Monday-Friday, from 9am-5pm!