Ensure you’re always moving! Consider going for a stroll during your lunch break or exercises in your spare time.
Visiting your doctor and checking your vitals is important for your heart-health. Schedule regular check-ups with your doctor.
Eaten in moderation, dark chocolate can actually be good for you. It can help lower the risk of heart disease.
1) What is a MIKEY?
A MIKEY is a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD), also called an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). Defibrillators can hard to spell and even harder to say, so we call them MIKEYs.
An AED is a portable user-friendly electronic device that automatically diagnoses potentially life-threatening heart rhythms. If the AED detects a problem that may respond positively to an electric shock, it permits a shock to be delivered to restore a normal heart rhythm
2) How many people have been saved by MIKEYs so far?
Because of the quick thinking and decisive action of people on the scene, and the fact a MIKEY was available, 44 people have been saved by a MIKEY defibrillator! You can read all about their stories on our Saved By A Mikey page.
3) Do I have to be a professional to use one?
You don’t have to be a medical professional to use a MIKEY and save a life!
AEDs provide simple audio and visual instructions and are designed for use by laypersons. Some AEDs advise the operator to press a button to deliver the shock. Other AEDs automatically provide a shock if the heart is in a fatal rhythm.
4) Where can I find a MIKEY?
Since its formation, The Mikey Network has placed over 2700 life-saving MIKEY defibrillators. You can find a map of every MIKEY location on our MIKEY Locations page.
5) How can I help The Mikey Network save lives?
You can start by joining Team Mikey, a dedicated group made up of staff, volunteers, and community organizations who care deeply about saving lives. We participate in a variety of events throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, to raise awareness and funds for our cause.
You can also help place a MIKEY directly by donating to The Mikey Network. Let’s all help those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest have a second chance at life!
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by healthy eating, but your overall health will benefit if you can stick with healthy basics during this trying time. That means filling half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with protein-rich foods, and a quarter with whole grains, as described by Canada’s Food Guide.
Preparing meals can seem complicated though with hard to get ‘superfoods‘ seeming like the only way to cook nutritiously. But this is simply not the case — heart healthy foods are hiding in plain sight at every grocery store across the country. Fresh, frozen, shelf-stable and more, these delicious whole foods benefit your total body health. Below are some of our tips that you can use, without breaking the bank.
Plan your meals ahead of time, so you can shop once and get groceries for the next week or two. When you plan your meals, make sure to use your perishable vegetables, fruit and protein options first, and save the canned, frozen and shelf-stable food for later.
Buying foods in their close-to-natural state will always save you money. A one kilogram bag of whole unpeeled carrots costs about one-third the price of the same size bag of pre-cut baby carrots. Convenience comes with a higher price tag.
Pick one or more days per week to go fully meatless, focusing on the highly affordable protein found in beans, legumes, eggs and tofu. Transform humble edamame beans into an edible masterpiece with this Carrot, Parsnip and Edamame Salad, ideal for lunch or dinner on the days you go meatless, or any day.
Shopping in season is a simple way to enjoy a healthy diet on a budget, without even thinking twice. Head to your local farmers’ market or grocery store each week with growing seasons in mind. For instance, buy asparagus in April or May (not December!) and strawberries in June. In the summertime, you’re spoiled for choice, though this way of cooking and eating works year-round.
Picked at the peak of freshness and flash frozen, these ice-cold health foods are often just as nutritious as they are fresh. Choose frozen produce free of sauces, salt and sugar, and keep your eye out for sales during the week. They’ll keep for months, allowing you to buy in bulk and add to stews, stir-fries, salads, sides and soups.
Oftentimes, we all enjoy a meal that is unhealthy but did you know that while it’s quite common to adopt an unhealthy diet about 90% of us are not getting the proper daily amount of vegetables?
For this reason, we want to highlight the importance of a diet that is full of fruits and vegetables and the benefits they contribute to your heart health. Which vegetables and fruits are the most heart-healthy though?
To help, we’ve shared below some of the best fruits and vegetables that you can have for a heart-healthy diet, as well as when they’re in season.
Berries such as strawberries and blueberries are believed to carry antioxidants that help to decrease blood pressure and dilate blood vessels. This is attributed to the benefit of compounds known as anthocyanins, and flavonoids.
When they’re available:
Although potatoes can be more challenging to your heart-healthy dining, if you don’t deep fry them, they can be extremely good for your heart. They’re rich in potassium and high in fiber (if the skin is left on), which again, can help lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
When they’re available: year-round
Similar to potatoes, tomatoes are high in heart-healthy potassium. Plus they’re a good source of the antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene is a carotenoid that may help to get rid of “bad ” cholesterol, keep blood vessels open and lower heart attack risk.
When they’re available:
When it comes to your heart health, you can’t go wrong with vegetables. Green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, or kale can give an extra boost to your heart. These are high in carotenoids, which act as antioxidants and can free your body of potentially harmful compounds. They’re also high in fiber and contain lots of vitamins and minerals.
When they’re available:
These soft, tasty fruits will provide your body and heart with plenty of healthy fats. They’re composed of monounsaturated fats, high in antioxidants, and also contain potassium to help lower heart disease factors.
When they’re available: (commercially) generally year-round
One of the most important heart-healthy ingredients that are found in asparagus is vitamin B6. This vitamin can lower homocysteine, a form of amino acid that has been linked to heart disease.
When they’re available: May and June
Bell peppers contain folate, another nutrient that can reduce homocysteine.
When they’re available:
Carrots are rich in carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants that can combat free radicals that cause heart disease.
When they’re available: February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, and December
Garlic contains phytochemicals that boost immunity and protect the heart against diseases.
When they’re available: February, July, August, September, October, November, and December
Onions are a rich source of sulfur-containing phytochemicals. These phytochemicals can reduce cholesterol levels, and therefore, prevent heart disease.
When they’re available: year-round
If you’re interested in learning about other heart-healthy foods, check out our post on Ten Essential Foods For A Heart-Healthy Diet; And if you’d like to know when other fruits and vegetables are available, check out Foodland Ontario’s page.
With the summer season upon us, it means that many Canadians will be taking full advantage of the outdoors. Summer allows us to enjoy activities that we wouldn’t normally have the ability to do the rest of the year as the environment is often too cold.
For these reasons, Canadians tend to gravitate towards BBQing and eating outdoors as primary summer activities.
The change in climate doesn’t always provide you with the best benefits though, as foods that you reserve for summer can also bring a lot of risk to your diet. Many of us are prone to gravitating towards less healthy choices that might be higher in fat, such as burgers and hot dogs.
Here are some heart-healthy food ideas for you to consider this summer:
Summer Fruit Smoothie Ice Pops
Recipes From Our Resident Expert, Marsha Rosen, RD
Here are some heart-healthy recipes provided by Marsha Rosen, RD (Registered Dietitian). Marsha is Mike Salem’s sister and in addition to offering private nutrition counselling, Marsha provides group lectures, seminars and cooking demonstrations.
If you have a nutrition question for our dietitian, you can email Marsha here…
Do you have a heart-healthy recipe that you would like to share? Send your recipes to info@mikeynetwork.com
