HEART-HEALTHY DIET:8 STEPS

TO PREVENTHEART DISEASE

JOHN PAUL RUNYON

EVEN THOUGH YOU ’REPROBABLY AWARE

THAT EATING CERTAINFOODS CAN INCREASEYOUR HEART DISEASE

RISK , IT ’S OFTENTOUGH TO CHANGE

YOUR EATING HABITS .

WHETHER YOU HAVEYEARS OF UNHEALTHYEATING UNDER YOURBELT OR YOU SIMPLYWANT TO FINE -TUNEYOUR DIET , HERE ARE

EIGHT HEART -HEALTHY DIET TIPS :

ONCE YOUKNOW WHICHFOODS TO EATMORE OF ANDWHICH FOODSTO LIMIT,

YOU’LL BE ONYOUR WAYTOWARD AHEART-

HEALTHY DIET.

1. Control yourportion size

A good trick that youcan use if you have ahard time realizingexactly when you arefull, and when it’s timeto stop eating is todrink a glass of waterafter you finish your

meal, BEFORE you haveany more food, and letyour food digest forabout 10 minutes. If

you’re still hungry afterthis, then it’s probablysafe to eat more.

2. Eat more vegetables and fruits

Eating more fruits andvegetables may help youeat less high-fat foods,

such as meat, cheese andsnack foods.

Keep vegetables washedand cut in your refrigeratorfor quick snacks. Keep fruitin a bowl in your kitchen sothat you’ll remember to eatit. Choose recipes that havevegetables or fruits as themain ingredients, such asvegetable stir-fry or freshfruit mixed into salads.

3. Select whole grains

Whole grains are goodsources of fiber andother nutrients that

play a role in regulatingblood pressure andheart health. You canincrease the amount ofwhole grains in a heart-healthy diet by makingsimple substitutions forrefined grain products.Or be adventuresomeand try a new wholegrain, such as whole-

grain quinoa or barley.

4. Limit unhealthy fats

Limiting how muchsaturated and trans fatsyou eat is an importantstep to reduce your bloodcholesterol and loweryour risk of coronaryartery disease. You can

also use low-fatsubstitutions whenpossible for a heart-

healthy diet. For example,

top your baked potatowith low-sodium salsa orlow-fat yogurt rather thanbutter, or use sliced wholefruit or low-sugar fruitspread on your toastinstead of margarine.

5. Choose low-fatprotein sources

Lean meat, poultry and fish,

low-fat dairy products, andeggs are some of your bestsources of protein. Fish isanother good alternative tohigh-fat meats. And certaintypes of fish are rich in

omega-3 fatty acids, whichcan lower blood fats calledtriglycerides. You’ll find thehighest amounts of omega-3fatty acids in cold-water fish,

such as salmon, mackerel andherring. Other sources areflaxseed, walnuts, soybeans

and canola oil.

6. Reduce thesodium in your food

Although reducingthe amount of saltyou add to food atthe table or while

cooking is a good firststep, much of the saltyou eat comes fromcanned or processedfoods, such as soupsand frozen dinners.Eating fresh foods

and making your ownsoups and stews canreduce the amount of

salt you eat.

7. Plan ahead:

Create daily menus

Create daily menususing the six strategieslisted. When selectingfoods for each mealand snack, emphasizevegetables, fruits andwhole grains. Chooselean protein sourcesand healthy fats, andlimit salty foods.

Watch your portionsizes and add varietyto your menu choices.

8. Allow yourself anoccasional treat

Allow yourself anindulgence every nowand then. A candy bar orhandful of potato chipswon’t derail your heart-healthy diet. But don’tlet it turn into an excusefor giving up on yourhealthy-eating plan. Ifoverindulgence is theexception, rather thanthe rule, you’ll balancethings out over the longterm. What’s importantis that you eat healthyfoods most of the time.

Incorporate these eight tips into your life, and you’llfind that heart-healthy eating is both doable and

enjoyable. With planning and a few simplesubstitutions, you can eat with your heart in mind!