Nutrition & Wellness for Life

If you want to live a long healthy life, there are foods you should avoid or not eat so often.  Donuts, cakes, pies, cookies – none of these will help your heart or your waistline (obesity puts you at an increased risk for heart disease). However, there are also plenty of tasty, healthy foods that are great for your heart! 

Fatty fish – see my previous blog  about fatty fish.  This is a “must include” in your diet.

Tea – black, white, green or oolong.  Tea consumption is associated with a decrease in several chronic diseases including heart disease.  Tea is loaded in antioxidant polyphenols which may help prevent LDL oxidation and therefore blockages in our arteries.

Legumes (peas, beans, lentils) – anytime you can add these high fiber vegetables to your diet, do it!  Try tossing them in salads, adding them to soups and stews and eating fresh black bean dip or hummus.

Nuts – nut consumption is associated with a decrease in cholesterol and LDL oxidation.  Still watch your portion sizes though since they do contain quite a few calories and grams of total fat (though the fat in nuts is the heart healthy kind).

Olives and Olive oil – loaded with heart healthy monounsaturated fat, olives and olive oil are tied to a decrease in LDL oxidation.

Whole grains – Whole grains contain fiber and heart-healthy antioxidants.  Several studies indicate that whole grains can help lower blood cholesterol.

Low fat and fat free dairy – dairy contains both calcium and potassium which may help keep your blood pressure in check.  Watch out for those old recipes - they may contain more fat and calories that you think.  Read more here

Veggies – load up on vegetables.  From leafy greens to bell peppers to cauliflower.  Every vegetable contains a different mix of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D - a recent study showed their may be a connection between vitamin D deficiency and an increase in risk for heart disease.  Take a daily liquid vitamin D supplement to ensure you are getting 1,000 IU each day.

If you don’t like one particular brand of whole grain bread, try another.  If you hate greens, stick with cauliflower and broccoli.  Fortunately, there are so many wonderful foods out there that you’ll never get bored.  Variety is the spice of healthy nutrition, so dig in!