How can I realistically change my diet?
Changing what you eat doesn’t have to be difficult. You can start by adding a few servings of fruits or vegetables, eating more fish, and limiting sodium. Across the globe, people are making these small changes all the time and discovering that they don’t have to be perfect in order to reap big rewards for their heart health.
Do you know if this is true? It’s not as hard as it seems! Changing what you eat doesn’t have to be difficult—you don’t even need perfect all the time. All you need is one or two small dietary changes at a time (adding more fruit and vegetables, eating more fish, limiting sodium). Across the globe, people are making these small changes and discovering that they don’t have to be perfect in order to reap big rewards for their heart health.
What is heart-healthy eating?
A heart-healthy eating plan is full of foods that can lower your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. This plan can help you stay at a healthy weight and manage cholesterol and blood pressure. It is part of a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes regular activity and not smoking.
You can choose from several eating plans to keep your heart healthy. They include the American Heart Association diet, DASH diet, Mediterranean diet, and MyPlate plan.
What is considered a heart healthy diet?
Small dietary changes are the best way to start improving your diet, but it’s also important to learn about the nutrients that are key for a healthy heart and how foods like fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains provide these nutrients. Knowledge is power! Fruits and vegetables are key sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation, promote a healthy complexion, delay the effects of aging and may even be linked to a reduced risk of cancer.
How can I get fruits and vegetables in my diet?
There are many ways to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet:
- Choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each week; don’t get stuck with one or two favorites.
- Choose fruits and vegetables that are colorful; the more colors, the better.
- Shop at farmers’ markets when available.
- Snack on fruits and vegetables whenever possible, not just at meals.
What is the healthiest food for your heart?
How much is enough? For a healthy heart, it’s recommended that you eat 1½ to 2 cups (6-7 ½ ounces) of fruit and 2½ to 3 cups (9-10 ½ ounces) of vegetables each day. One half cup dried fruit equals one cup fresh fruit. Dark green and red/orange vegetables are packed with vitamin C, which is important for your immune system and your heart.
Heart-healthy eating is for everyone. It is not just for people who have heart problems or who are at a high risk for heart problems. Choose from here Heart-healthy eating diets the best eating plan to keep your heart healthy.