JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Do you know an easy way to get your fill of fruits and vegetables? How about how much sodium you're actually supposed to consume?
February is American Heart Month and a great time to learn some easy ways to a healthy heart. The First Coast YMCA is doing webinars every Monday where you can ask questions.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week, which is 30 minutes five days a week, but you can also get started in the kitchen.
First Coast YMCA Registered Dietician Jessica Ortiz says an easy place to start to keep your heart healthy is with a smoothie for breakfast.
"All foods fit into a healthy lifestyle," she said. "You just have to know your portion sizes. I know most people can get overwhelmed with having to eat five cups of vegetables a day. No one's gonna do that. So just kind of start small and just gradually increase from there."
If you live in a food desert or just far from an actual grocery store, Ortiz says buying frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are just as good.
"I've had people who absolutely never ate a vegetable in their life," she said. "And that's how they started, they start with smoothies, for example, for breakfast. They usually don't eat breakfast. So we said, 'Okay, let's try smoothies and see how that goes.' And from there they just started loving it and they said, 'Well, let me try an actual strawberry, not in a smoothie.' And they go from there. And now they're eating vegetables every day, fruits and vegetables every day."
The American Heart Association recommends a limit of 1500 milligrams of sodium per day, which is about a 1/3 teaspoon. Ortiz says when it comes to heart health to lean more towards healthy fats like avocados, salmon, sardines, nuts, seeds and nut butters.