What kills Americans most? Heart disease. It’s the No.1 cause
of death in this country.
You can lower your chances of getting heart disease. One way
is to choose foods carefully. For a healthy heart, eat:
Some fats are more likely to cause heart disease—saturated fats
and trans fats. These fats are usually found in foods from animals,
such as meat, milk, cheese, and butter. They also are foundin foods
with palm and coconut oils. Eat less of these foods.
Avoid Smoking
Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death due to smoking.
Hardening of the arteries is a process that develops over years,
when cholesterol and other fats deposit in the arteries, leaving them
narrow, blocked or rigid. When the arteries narrow (atherosclerosis),
blood clots are likely to form.
Smoking accelerates the hardening and narrowing process in your
arteries it starts earlier and blood clots are two to four times more
likely.
Cardiovasular disease can take many forms depending on which
blood vessels are involved, and all of them are more common in
people who smoke.
Eating less sodium can help lower some people’s blood pressure.
This can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Sodium is something we need in our diets, but most of us eat too
much of it. Much of the sodium we eat comes from salt we add to
our food at the table or that food companies add to their foods.
So, avoid adding salt to foods at the table.
When we eat more calories than we need, we gain weight. Being
overweight can cause heart disease. When we eat fewer calories
than we need, we lose weight.
Eating fiber from fruits, vegetables, and grains may help lower
your chances of getting heart disease.
|
Instead of: |
Do This: |
|---|---|
| whole or 2 percent milk, and cream | use 1 percent or skim milk |
| fried foods | eat baked, steamed, boiled, broiled, or microwaved foods |
| lard, butter, palm, and coconut oils | cook with unsaturated vegetable oils, such as corn, olive, canola, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower, or peanut |
| fatty cuts of meat, such as prime rib | eat lean cuts of meat or cut off the fatty parts |
| one whole egg in recipes | use two egg whites |
| sour cream and mayonnaise | use plain low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or low-fat or “light” sour cream |
| sauces, butter, and salt | season vegetables with herbs and spices |
| regular hard and processed cheeses | eat low-fat, low-sodium cheeses |
| salted potato chips and other snacks | choose low-fat, unsalted tortilla and potato chips and unsalted pretzels and popcorn |
The food label can help you eat less fat and sodium, fewer calories,
and more fiber.
Look for certain words on food labels. The words can help you spot
foods that may help reduce your chances of getting heart disease.
The FDA has set rules on how these words can be used. So, if the
label says “low-fat,” the food must be low in fat.
Look at the side or back of the package. Here, you will find
“Nutrition Facts.” Look for these words:
Look at the % Daily Value listed next to each term. If it is 5% or
less for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, the food is
low in these nutrients.
That’s good. It means the food fits in with a diet that may help
reduce your chances of getting heart disease.
You can lower your chances of getting heart disease. One way is
through your diet. Add a high quality fish oil like Nordic Naturals and
also more green leafy veggies along with Aloe Vera.
Ask your doctor to check your cholesterol level. This is done with a
blood test. The test will show the amount of cholesterol in your blood
with a number. Below 200 is good. The test will also show the amount
of “good” and “bad” cholesterol. Your doctor can tell you more about
what these numbers mean.
If your cholesterol is high, your doctor may suggest diet changes,
exercise, or drugs to bring it down.
Regular exercise–such as walking, swimming, or gardening–can
help you keep your weight and cholesterol down.
Or call the FDA’s toll-free Food Information line at (888) SAFEFOOD (723-3366).
Or look for the FDA on the Internet at www.fda.gov
