A Heart-healthy Diet: How Easy Is That?

Something that's on the mind of many adults is eating a healthy diet

. It can be daunting to even consider how to go about losing weight or changing your habits. Familiarizing yourself with "health food" is the best way to get over the intimidation and begin helping your heart and body.

It may be a no-brainer but sometimes we forget: natural food is good, healthy food. The best foods are the ones that had the least steps from nature to your plate. When you eat unprocessed fruits and veggies, you help your body get rid of free radicals that can damage your blood vessels and heart. Apples and oranges are good for you, of course, but consider trying some tasty tropical fruits for a little variety. Papaya is full of calcium, potassium, magnesium and other healthy nutrients. Sweet potato is a good substitute for regular white potatoes because of its vitamins and fiber, and spinach is more nutrient-rich than Iceberg and other lettuces. Eating your veggies doesn't have to be boring when you add variety and don't mind looking for new and exciting cooking ideas.

The next step is meat and protein. Fish, beef and poultry aren't all bad for you. The truth is that there are numerous protein options that are actually good for you. Fish like tuna and salmon are wonderful for their omega-3 fatty acids, good fats. Beans and legumes are other good non-meat sources of protein as well as nuts like walnuts and almonds. Beans, fatty fish, nuts and whole grains are all important to a healthy diet because they add vital heart-protective phytonutrients.

If you think you have to skip dessert to be healthy, think again. You read that correctly; you should treat yourself. Rich dark chocolate and a bit of red wine can be healthy. Red wine and dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% or higher both have flavonoids that can improve good cholesterol and help lower your blood pressure. Even if you eat many less healthy foods, you can still enjoy them if you don't overdo it. Allowing yourself to eat foods you enjoy helps you not to feel as if you're punishing yourself.

The key to maintaining a healthy diet is to make easy-to-implement lifestyle changes. That includes a healthy balance of different foods as well as exercise and other activities that help you enjoy life.

by: Marlon Jackson

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