Ok, first and foremost I have to say how FABULOUS it is to see sunshine!!! Even when I know it won’t last…it still lifts my spirits! And I bet for Valentine’s Day you were expecting a red something or other…surprise! It’s grapefruit! Why will be obvious shortly…
How we can cram so many categories into 28 days is beyond me. (Sorry! 29 days this year.) February is Black History Month, National Cancer Prevention Month, National Heart Month, National Cherry Month, National Grapefruit Month, National Library Lover’s Month, National Snack Food Month…oh good grief. LOL! That isn’t even the full list I found online!
National Library Lover’s Month…I like it. I like it a lot. And for Black History Month, the February bonus category for the Des Moines Public Library’s reading challenge is to read a non-fiction book by a Black author. So I won’t be reading poetry by Langston Hughes, but maybe I’ll see about a copy of Nina Simone’s autobiography. If you have a February birthday…Hughes and Simone were both February kids. As was my grandmother. Strangely enough, so was her twin brother. (What? They weren’t Leap Day kids! LOL!) You’re in good company. ;)
But I digress. If you’ve been here before, I’m sure you’re shocked. :)
Cancer prevention, heart health, cherries, grapefruit, and snack food. I can absolutely tie all of those together. Ha!!
Big shock…I’ve written about heart health on Valentine’s Day before. I had to laugh at myself. Substitute broccoli for mashed potatoes with a steak? HOW did I consider that fun? Delicious, yes. Healthier? Yes, definitely. But fun? What was I thinking?
Cherries are stuffed with health benefits: vitamins C and B6, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Snack on those. They’re delicious and good for you.
We will take a small detour to emphasize that this does not necessarily include maraschino cherries, which, while delicious, have enough sugar in them to pretty much wipe out any nutritional value. ;)
Tart cherry juice (or eating tart cherries) may help you recover after exercise. Cherries can help reduce inflammation, and reducing inflammation reduces the risk of developing cancer or heart disease. (Reducing inflammation is a good goal!)
I am one of those folks who love grapefruit, although I don’t eat it as often as I did in the past. (One of my favorite ways to prepare it is DEFINITELY not necessarily heart-healthy: broiled with maraschino cherries and brown sugar. Sweet-tart and delicious!) Grapefruit, as a citrus, is clearly full of vitamin C, along with vitamin A, and, surprisingly, calcium and iron. Snack on a grapefruit. It’s good for you. (BE CAREFUL if you are taking certain medications, as grapefruit and some meds do not play nicely together. Talk to your pharmacist or physician!)
See? I can totally tie together cancer prevention, heart health, cherries, grapefruit, and snack food. ;)
How are you caring for your heart this Valentine’s Day?
Cheers! Here’s to your health!