9 February 2026

Happy American Heart Health Month! Heart disease remains the number one killer worldwide, representing 13% of total deaths. In the United States, cardiovascular disease costs our healthcare system $318 billion annually, and that figure is expected to rise to over a trillion (that’s 12 zeroes!) by 2035, if lost productivity is included.

Taking data from decades of research, the American Heart Association came up with Life’s Essential 8™, behaviors that reduce your risk. There are no guarantees - we are each individuals with unique genes, environments and behaviors. But we do know that there are factors within our control that could reduce risk significantly (some say by up to 80%). These are the eight: Eat better. Be more active. Get healthy sleep. Manage weight. Control cholesterol. Manage blood sugar. Manage blood pressure.

These are proven strategies, and more like a web than a checklist. Eating well (more information is needed - “eat better” is NOT a SMART goal, but I’ll get to that in a minute) and being more active can help with sleep, weight management, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. They are intertwined without a doubt (and I’m not suggesting there is no place for medicine in this), especially when it comes to heart health.

In the best possible world defined by cardiovascular research on lifestyle medicine, we’d all be consuming a heart healthy whole foods plant predominant diet, but as it stands, many lack the ability to do so - whether due to knowledge deficits, economic challenges, environmental access, time constraints or some other factor. The carrot is not apparent.

The stick often comes up as a reaction to a health scare. Bill Clinton famously gave up animal products after undergoing two heart surgeries. Most at-risk people choose NOT to think about their lifestyle behaviors until they [or a friend/family member] suffer consequences.

I propose that the carrot is a much better option (an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, quite literally). As soon as I decide to not eat chocolate, you can bet that will be all I’m thinking about! But give me some delicious alternative (it doesn’t have to be a carrot, although I do love carrot cake) and the chocolate is forgotten.

Carrot cake may not be the answer, but fiber in all forms could be. When you hear that word, I don’t want you to think of the muffins we used to make out of All-Bran cereal (no offense meant if you love those). Nature had fiber figured out long before the cereal was ever introduced by Kellogg’s in 1916!

Focusing on plant predominance - adding more legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds to your dietary pattern - has the potential to make your heart happy, both physically and emotionally. Plant foods add the colors and flavors that make food interesting. Trying new foods and incorporating them into your routine cultivates a confidence that won’t happen with the same old stuff. Knowing that your meal is not contributing demand to a cruel factory farming system protects heart-felt compassion.

The physiological part - in addition to being protective against heart disease, plant predominance may help prevent both cancer and diabetes - is the icing on the [carrot?] cake.

What would be the carrot for you to incorporate more whole plant foods into your life? Finding tasty heart healthy meals? Saving money on food? Convenience or time savings? Social support?

Don’t wait for the scare. Choose your carrot this month.
Add just one plant‑forward habit this week (feel free to reach out for ideas and resources) - one new vegetable, one bean‑based meal, or one fiber‑rich swap - and notice how your body responds.

Happy Heart Month and Happy Valentine’s Day! I appreciate you!