HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Sodexo Regional Dietician and Wellness Manager Cristina Caro works with universities across the Southeast to provide expert nutritional advice that guides students' health and well-being. Caro said the heart needs to be fed with proper fuel and definitely maintain proper hydration. "People forget that your heart is, in fact, a muscle. Our blood and our energy are pumping for us to be able to do what we need to do each and every day," she said.
Throughout Caro's experience at various universities, it is obvious that student life can be very busy. "Right now, their extracurricular activities, their studies and projects, etc. And so really, if we can make some helpful choices, tying in with what we want, what we need, then that can be a nice symbiotic relationship where that you're healthy and happy and you don't feel deprived and you're still able to do the things that you want to do," she explained.
Crestwood Medical Center Cardiologist Dr. William Schneider said if you are experiencing any chest pain, discomfort or pressure these are common heart disease symptoms. "Running on energy, being more short of breath, filling up with some extra fluid or seeing swelling in their legs. They should certainly contact their primary care physician or an urgent care in that situation."
Some other small things we all can do every day is be more active, said Dr. Schneider. "Taking the stairs at work, parking a little bit farther away in the parking lot, getting in a little walk when the weather is warm on your lunch break," he expressed.
Caro said another important thing to note is when you're going from coffee to energy drink, to something else, that combination can create the possibility for a toxic caffeine level. "Where it negatively impacts heart function," she stated.
Mostly importantly when incorporating heart healthy foods into your diet, have foods that are rich in potassium. "So instead of regular potato chips, maybe you can have kale chips or sweet potato chips. So that's going to give you still a little bit of the salty and the crunch," said Caro.
You'll also get your antioxidants, which is great for total health and immune function. "Not just your heart. And then we also want to have fiber in our snacks...," which aids in digestion and helps lower cholesterol, she explained.