There is an overwhelming amount of information regarding what you should and should not eat available to you. Many times I see people try new diets or special foods to promote heart health. However, they don’t have the basics in place to promote a healthy heart. Therefore, making one particular change, such as eating more walnuts, won’t have as great an impact.

Here are five foundational pieces you need to have in place to promote heart health.

1. Reduce your intake of unhealthy fats

There are different types of dietary fats – saturated and unsaturated. Trans and saturated fats have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, such as elevated cholesterol levels, and should be consumed in moderation. You want to replace the majority of the saturated fats in your diet with more heart healthy unsaturated fats.

How do you do this?

Continue reading ‘Heart Healthy Diet’ »

Potatoes tend to get a bad rap since this vegetable is processed in so many different ways (think French fries and potato chips). However, there are some redeeming nutritional values provided by potatoes. Let’s do a little comparison.

Serving Size: 1 medium potato with skin

Calories: 128 white potato; 103 sweet potato

Fat: 0.2 g white potato; 0.2 g sweet potato

Continue reading ‘White potato vs. Sweet Potato – Which is better?’ »

The DASH Diet has been proven to lower blood pressure in as little as two weeks. Researchers are interested in the impact of the DASH diet on other aspects of heart health.

A new study looked at the DASH diets effect on heart failure in women. Out of over 36,000 women between the ages of 48-83, those who followed a diet closest to the DASH diet were 37% less likely to develop heart failure. Heart failure is when the heart becomes unable to pump enough blood to meet blood and oxygen needs, typically leading to an enlarged heart. It’s estimated that 5.7 million American’s are living with heart failure. This recent study shows that the DASH diet may decrease heart failure due to reduced blood pressure and lower LDL cholesterol levels.

The DASH diet is reduced in total and saturated fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods can significantly lower blood pressure.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com