Heart Charity offers Nutritional Tips for a Healthy Heart!

Local heart charity Croí’s ‘Heart Smart’ Mayo Programme which is a collaboration with HSE West’s Mayo PCCC is hosting a series of FREE public talks on ‘Eating for a Healthy Heart’ in different locations throughout Co Mayo over the coming weeks.

Nutritionists from HSE West’s Mayo Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service will give a series of talks as follows:

Thursday November 26th – Speaker: Ms Mairead Walsh
Venue: Ramada Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo at 7pm

Thursday December 10th – Speaker: Ms Siobhan Quigley
Venue: TF Royal Hotel, Castlebar, Co Mayo at 7pm

Speaking at the launch of this series of public talks, Croí ‘Heart Smart’ Mayo co-ordinator, Ailish Houlihan said, “The aim of this initiative is to raise levels of awareness on how one’s risk factors for heart disease can be managed through dietary changes. Each speaker will address issues such as reducing cholesterol levels, the link between salt and blood pressure, the impact of weight and obesity, and food labelling – all of which are hugely relevant to the prevention of coronary artery disease”.

Croí who this year launched ‘Heart Smart’ Mayo as a cardiovascular disease prevention programme in association with Mayo PCCC has cautioned that due to the recession people are turning to unhealthy processed foods which are often perceived as cheaper to buy, but which actually increase the intake of empty calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt – all of which are bad for heart health.

Croí Dietician, Claire Kerins says that recent research on food buying behaviour has revealed some interesting findings. “Staying in, is now the new going out” says Kerins. “It is understandable that people are now far more conscious of what they spend on food due to changing economic circumstances, however, some trends are a cause for concern” she says.

A recent UK retail study has shown that
- Sales of comfort food (snacks, chocolates etc) has significantly increased.
- People are buying more cheaper cuts of meat, particularly processed meats.
- Expensive imported tropical fruit is decreasing in popularity.
- Home baking is catching on in a big way but with it comes the potential to increase sugar, fat and calorie intakes.

Kerins says that “when you are on a tight budget, shopping for food can be a daunting experience, however, reducing your food bill does not necessarily mean that you do not have to sacrifice good nutrition. With careful meal planning, shopping and cooking, you can trim both your waistline and your food budget! The old cliché of ‘we are what we eat’ is very true, so the challenge is to ensure that any cost saving measures taken with our shopping do not result in higher health costs later on.”

To find out more about ‘Heart Smart’ Mayo contact Ailish Houlihan on 094-9049055 or for further information on your heart health contact the Croí Heart Health Centre on 091-893500