
Heart health in winter: Tips for staying ahead of the curve

Simone has lived in many placesβEngland, Trinidad, New York, and now Maryland, where sheβs been for over 20 years. She loves the area, but most of all, she loves food. βIβm a foodie,β Simone said with a smile. βI love sushi, Indian food, soul foodβreally, I love it all.β
She also shops at a nearby Amish market for fresh produce, nuts, grains, and lean meats. βYes, it can cost more,β she admitted. βBut Iβve had surgeries. Iβve seen the hospital bills. Eating healthy now is worth every penny.β
That became even clearer when Simone was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
βIt was scary. At first, my doctor wanted to rush me into surgery. I needed a minute,β Simone said. She got three opinions and chose to start with chemotherapy before surgery. It was toughβespecially because it took away her appetite. βI love food, so losing my appetite was the worst. Even a small protein shake took me two hours to finish, and sometimes Iβd throw it up.β
Still, she kept going. βMy faith carried me,β she said. βI had peace, even when it was hard.β
That cancer diagnosis changed everything. βI realized I canβt control the environment or my geneticsβbut I can control what I eat,β Simone said. She made a promise to drink more water, cut back on sugary drinks, and eat more vegetables.
Simoneβs love for veggies has helped her stay strong. βIβve never met a veggie I didnβt like!β she laughed. She roasts themβlike beets and Brussels sproutsβto bring out their flavor. βEven if you donβt like all veggies, find the ones you do like and eat more of them.β
Now, Simone shares her story to inspire others. βNo matter what youβre going throughβdiabetes, high blood pressure, cancerβwe all need support. A community helps. It keeps us accountable.β
Her advice? βYou donβt have to be perfect. I still enjoy treats sometimes. But every healthy choice matters. Start small. Be intentional. And donβt give up.β
β
Simone has lived in many placesβEngland, Trinidad, New York, and now Maryland, where sheβs been for over 20 years. She loves the area, but most of all, she loves food. βIβm a foodie,β Simone said with a smile. βI love sushi, Indian food, soul foodβreally, I love it all.β
She also shops at a nearby Amish market for fresh produce, nuts, grains, and lean meats. βYes, it can cost more,β she admitted. βBut Iβve had surgeries. Iβve seen the hospital bills. Eating healthy now is worth every penny.β
That became even clearer when Simone was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
βIt was scary. At first, my doctor wanted to rush me into surgery. I needed a minute,β Simone said. She got three opinions and chose to start with chemotherapy before surgery. It was toughβespecially because it took away her appetite. βI love food, so losing my appetite was the worst. Even a small protein shake took me two hours to finish, and sometimes Iβd throw it up.β
Still, she kept going. βMy faith carried me,β she said. βI had peace, even when it was hard.β
That cancer diagnosis changed everything. βI realized I canβt control the environment or my geneticsβbut I can control what I eat,β Simone said. She made a promise to drink more water, cut back on sugary drinks, and eat more vegetables.
Simoneβs love for veggies has helped her stay strong. βIβve never met a veggie I didnβt like!β she laughed. She roasts themβlike beets and Brussels sproutsβto bring out their flavor. βEven if you donβt like all veggies, find the ones you do like and eat more of them.β
Now, Simone shares her story to inspire others. βNo matter what youβre going throughβdiabetes, high blood pressure, cancerβwe all need support. A community helps. It keeps us accountable.β
Her advice? βYou donβt have to be perfect. I still enjoy treats sometimes. But every healthy choice matters. Start small. Be intentional. And donβt give up.β
β
Simone has lived in many placesβEngland, Trinidad, New York, and now Maryland, where sheβs been for over 20 years. She loves the area, but most of all, she loves food. βIβm a foodie,β Simone said with a smile. βI love sushi, Indian food, soul foodβreally, I love it all.β
She also shops at a nearby Amish market for fresh produce, nuts, grains, and lean meats. βYes, it can cost more,β she admitted. βBut Iβve had surgeries. Iβve seen the hospital bills. Eating healthy now is worth every penny.β
That became even clearer when Simone was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
βIt was scary. At first, my doctor wanted to rush me into surgery. I needed a minute,β Simone said. She got three opinions and chose to start with chemotherapy before surgery. It was toughβespecially because it took away her appetite. βI love food, so losing my appetite was the worst. Even a small protein shake took me two hours to finish, and sometimes Iβd throw it up.β
Still, she kept going. βMy faith carried me,β she said. βI had peace, even when it was hard.β
That cancer diagnosis changed everything. βI realized I canβt control the environment or my geneticsβbut I can control what I eat,β Simone said. She made a promise to drink more water, cut back on sugary drinks, and eat more vegetables.
Simoneβs love for veggies has helped her stay strong. βIβve never met a veggie I didnβt like!β she laughed. She roasts themβlike beets and Brussels sproutsβto bring out their flavor. βEven if you donβt like all veggies, find the ones you do like and eat more of them.β
Now, Simone shares her story to inspire others. βNo matter what youβre going throughβdiabetes, high blood pressure, cancerβwe all need support. A community helps. It keeps us accountable.β
Her advice? βYou donβt have to be perfect. I still enjoy treats sometimes. But every healthy choice matters. Start small. Be intentional. And donβt give up.β
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