Make February Your Healthiest Month Yet: Here’s How to Start

Happy February, the month known as "heart health" month in America, where 60 percent of people have decided to make being healthier their goal for 2021, according to a recent survey. Don't worry if your year didn't start out so well. Think of January as a "hangover" from 2020 when the news events and other circumstances conspired against our healthiest intentions. Dry January over? No worries, today is a new day and a fresh start.

Since February is only 28 days long, the good news is you only need to plan 4 weeks of eating healthier, getting up and out the door to run, walk, ride or even cross country ski if that's your thing and you're in the Northeast, getting pummeled by a blizzard.

First step: Make the healthiest decision you can in every situation. For most of us, that means eating more plant-based whole foods, adding greens to your plate whenever possible, and avoiding added sugar, processed foods, and animal products, high in heart-unhealthy saturated fats.

For exactly how to eat this month: Sign up for The Beet's 28 Day Plant-Based Plan for 3 recipes a day, a tip to be healthier, and a beautiful e-Book or guide that you can download and keep handy. We will send you a newsletter every morning to your inbox to make February your healthiest month yet.

To stick with ANY new habit, and especially your decision to eat heart-healthier and stay away from added sugars, animal fat (which is the heart-unhealthy saturated fat that causes high cholesterol, clogging plaque, and ultimately cardiovascular disease) read Chef Suzi Gerber's 5 Tips for Sticking with a Healthy Plant-Cased Diet. Even if you are just leaning into plants, she gives you great advice on how to avoid cravings and stay off the "sugar rollercoaster" that happens when you start your day with a high-carb breakfast.

Today is the perfect day to reboot your health goals, starting with diet and exercise.

Here are the 7 Best Foods to Eat for Heart Health

Walking Just 11 Minutes a Day is Enough to Undo the Unhealthy Effects of Sitting for Hours

Here are 6 Benefits to Eating a Mostly Plant-Based Diet

Learn more about the Dangers of Saturated Fat from Dr. Joel Kahn, the cardiologist