Welcome to Heart Healthy Recipes' monthly newsletter. In this issue we are featuring some of the top foods that seem to help lower blood pressure and recipes that contain these foods. There are over 40 top foods that we have researched that significantly help lower blood pressure. In the next couple of months we will be highlighting different ones. In this issue we are focusing on avocados, broccoli, onions, olive oil, romaine lettuce and tomatoes.

Also, below in our "Heart Healthy Tips" area, we are focusing on a high quality nutritional supplement that may help in reducing high blood pressure.

Broccoli Melts

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped green or yellow onions

2 English muffins, split

3 tablespoons mustard

1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese

Recipe Instructions:

Place English muffin halves on baking sheet and heat in oven for 4-5 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and spread each half with approximately 2 teaspoons of mustard. Top with broccoli mixture. Lightly sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Return to preheated oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until Parmesan is melted. Serve immediately.

Make 4 servings.

Avocado-Chili Salsa

Recipe Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup minced red onion

1 jalapeño pepper or Serrano chili, seeded and minced

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley

juice of one lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe Instructions:

Mediterranean Greek Salad

The romaine lettuce is high in potassium which again helps lower blood pressure. Potassium helps kidneys get rid of more sodium, which in turn lowers high blood pressure.

Tomatoes are a heart healthy source of the nutrient lycopene, which researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel have linked to significantly reducing blood pressure. In some cases, tomatoes have been so effective at lowering blood pressure that there is not a need for other drug treatments. The most effective results are noted when tomatoes are eaten raw such as in this Mediterranean Greek Salad. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C and blood pressure lowering quercetin.

The onions in this recipe are another great source of quercetin, which researchers at Germany’s University of Bonn have also found effective at lowering blood pressure.

Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats and is important to include in a regular, heart healthy diet. In 2015, a scientific review conducted in Spain found that olive oil significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. It contains polyphenols which are inflammation-fighting compounds that can help reduce blood pressure. Olive oil dates back to Biblical times and is a major ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, which is a well-known diet associated with longer life spans and less instances of heart disease.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, coarsely chopped

1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe Instructions:

Makes 6 servings.

Heart Healthy Tips:

If considering supplements, we recommend USANA for high quality. USANA has an antioxidant that is formulated with OLIVOL®. OLIVOL® is an olive fruit extract ingredient unique only to USANA that is rich in hydroxytyrosol and verbascoside. A study from Spain showed that hydroxytyrosol may be effective in reducing levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol. Oxidized LDL cholesterol is considered a cause of atherosclerosis and general cardiovascular disease. OLIVOL® also contains the benefits of olive oil mentioned earlier in this newsletter.

USANA offers a 10% discount with first-time orders, plus an additional 10% if signing up for their monthly Preferred Customer auto-order program.

For current prices and to become a Preferred Customer, which is free and can be cancelled at any time, please visit:

https://shop.usana.com/shop/spring/enrollment/start/215405?tagLang=ENU&tagCountry=&doPlacement=0&shopperSource=pwp&isPC=on

USANA also offers quality Omega-3 and CoQ10 supplements which studies have shown to help keep the heart healthy.

Here are the specific product numbers:

Vita-Antioxidant™ - multi-vitamin containing heart-healthy Olivol® - Product number 103 (106 is without Vitamin K)

BiOmega™ - Omega-3 - Product number 122

CoQuinone® 30 - CoQ10 - Product number 123

For more heart-healthy recipes, please visit: