Do you know what you can do to lower your risk for heart disease? According to the leading heart experts, a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons to fight heart disease. February, American Heart Month, is a good time to learn the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) for diet and lifestyle.
Get enough physical activity to maintain your weight. Your ultimate goal should be to get at least 30 minutes of activity 5 or more days of the week. Start out slowly and gradually increase the amount of time. You can divide it into many small sessions over the day. Record your activity so that you have a visible reminder of your achievements and goals. Try wearing a pedometer to see if that helps motivate you to get in more steps using the stairs, parking further away or going for a walk at lunch or after dinner.
Aim for a healthy weight. Go to the National Heart Lung Blood Institute’s website http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm to determine your body mass index (BMI). If you find that your BMI is greater than 25, it becomes even more important for you to make changes in your diet and activity.
The recommended foods are those less concentrated in calories, sugar and salt. These include whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean meats, poultry and fish. Aim for 4 cups of fruits and vegetables, 3 ounces of whole grains, 3 cups of dairy and a maximum of 5 ounces of meat, poultry or fish each day. Vegetarians may want to check the Vegetarian food pyramid .
Because the findings of studies are showing such a strong benefit of eating fish, the AHA is recommending including fish at least twice a week or a total of 6 ounces. The fish that provide the most benefit are those rich in omega-3 fatty acids: salmon, trout, sardines, tuna and herring. Prepare fish and all meats by grilling, baking or poaching. If you want to sauté them, use a small amount of oil like olive, canola, peanut, corn or safflower.
Decreasing foods that are nutrient poor or concentrated in calories will help you maintain your current weight or even lose weight. These include foods and beverages that have added sugars and/or fats. Liquids are often overlooked as a source of calories, sugar and fat. Take an inventory of the amount of coffee with added ingredients, soft drinks, and juices that you drink each day. Do you need to decrease the amount?
Alcohol, another source of calories, should be limited to 1 drink per day for women and 2 per day for men. If you don’t currently use alcohol, it is not recommended that you start using it.
Trans fats are also addressed. Research is showing that hydrogenated fats (shortening and stick margarines) that contain trans fats are just as problematic as the saturated fats (butter, whole fat dairy products and fatty meats and poultry skin) for heart disease risk. To decrease trans fats in your diet use oils or trans fat-free margarines. Since baked goods are also major sources of trans fats, cut back on these foods.
The new guidelines are also recommended for when you eat out. Eating out occurs on an almost daily basis for most people when you consider the prepared meals bought at the grocery, work lunches, and stops at fast-food restaurants on the way home. Suggestions include purchasing foods that have been grilled, baked, steamed or poached in place of fried, sautéed, smothered or au gratin. Ask for sauces and dressing on the side to decrease the quantity of these items. Portions have become much larger than most anyone needs at one meal. Try splitting it with someone or dividing it into portions for another time. Save those splurges for when eating out is truly a special occasion.
February 2 is Go Red for Women. Wear red that day. Get your red dress pin by calling 1-888-MY HEART or logging on to http://www.goredforwomen.org. AND start making the above recommendations a part of your lifestyle to prevent heart disease in your household.
