subject: Eat What's Right: A Heart-Healthy Diet [print this page] Eat What's Right: A Heart-Healthy Diet Eat What's Right: A Heart-Healthy Diet
There's a lot of concern about eating the right foods and living well. For many in this country, losing weight is a necessary goal that often starts with struggle. From heart-healthy foods to food that improve your eyesight or skin, there's a wide world full of the best nature has to offer. Go natural. That's the simplest piece of food advice. That tip about not eating ingredients that you can't pronounce is pretty accurate. Whole and fresh foods are best. Unprocessed vegetables and fruits are great for fighting off free radicals in your blood and keeping your heart strong. If you want variety in your fruit lineup, think about trying some tropical fruits. Cranberries, blueberries and raspberries all have a potent mix of vitamin C, calcium, beta-carotene and more. 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. Meat and fish often get a bad rap when it comes to healthy eating. There are plenty of healthy protein choices for you to eat and enjoy. The three best protein options are fatty fish like salmon that are full of omega-3's, tofu and lean cuts of meat. In fact, black and kidney beans are good sources of these fats, and almonds and walnuts have plenty of plant omega-3's. The nutrients in these proteins should be part of a well-balanced diet because they help protect your heart. Finally, remember to enjoy a few indulgences. 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. So long as you practice moderation you can enjoy most desserts, snacks and foods that you crave. If you enjoy your food guilt-free, you're less like to overdo it. It's much easier to maintain a healthy diet when you make simple lifestyle changes. That includes a healthy balance of different foods as well as exercise and other activities that help you enjoy life.
