Healthy Lifestyles

Having a healthy life style, which involves eating a healthy diet, can help to maintain the health of the heart.? A healthy eating habit includes following a balanced diet and reducing the use of foods that can affect the health of the heart.

Follow a Balanced Diet
Eat a variety of grain products, especially whole grains, and fruits and vegetables; choose lean meat, skinless poultry, fish, beans, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products in moderate portions according to the recommendations of the Food Pyramid.? The steps to a balanced diet are as follows:

1. Eat More Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fibre.? Selecting a variety of vegetables and fruits can help to improve the appetite.? Examples of fruits and vegetables include:

• Vegetables, such as Chinese flowering cabbage, broccoli, spinach, carrot, egg plant, etc.
• Fruits, such as orange, apple, kiwifruit, banana, watermelon, etc.

2. Choose More High-Fibre Foods

Eating a diet that is rich in soluble fibre may help to reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). ?Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, such as oatmeal, oat bran, etc. and dried beans, such as soy beans, kidney beans, etc.? Fruit juice is low in dietary fibre and should not be considered as a major source of it.

3. Select Low-Fat Meat, Dried Beans, and Eat More Fish

Select lean meat, skinless poultry, and bean products that have not been deep-fried.? As for fish, select more fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.? The use of high-fat cooking methods, such as pan-frying and deep-frying and high-fat sauces, such as cream sauces or mayonnaise to prepare fish should be avoided.

4. Use Low-Fat Cooking Methods

• Use more low-fat cooking methods, such as steaming, stewing, blanching, grilling, and?? baking.? When pan-frying or stir-frying, using a non-stick pan or using only a little oil and stir-frying quickly can reduce the amount of cooking oil used.
• Use vegetable oil, such as canola oil, peanut oil, olive oil, etc. for cooking.? Avoid using lard, butter or chicken fat, which are high in saturated fat.? Using a measuring spoon when cooking can reduce the amount of oil used.

Reduce the Intake of Foods that can Affect the Heart:
Eating a lot of foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium can increase the risk of heart disease.? The following steps can lead to a reduction in intake of foods that can affect the heart:

1. Cut Down on Foods High in Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is found mainly in foods from animals and some plants.? Foods high in saturated fat include:

• Foods from animals:
  • High-fat meat and meat products, such as bacon, spare ribs, sausages, and canned meat, like luncheon meat.
  • High-fat poultry parts, such as chicken skin, chicken wings, etc.
  • High-fat dairy products, such as ice-cream, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, etc.
  • Fat and oil, such as butter, cream, lard, chicken fat, etc.
    
    
• Foods from plants:
  • Palm oil, coconut, and coconut products, such as coconut oil, coconut milk, etc.

2. Cut Down on Foods that Contain Trans Fat

• Majority of trans fat is formed when liquid cooking oils, such as peanut oil and corn oil, are turned into solid fats, such as hard margarine and shortening, through the process of hydrogenation during food production. ?Food manufacturers may use hydrogenated vegetable oils to prepare baked and fried foods, such as cookies, cakes, croissants, french fries, potato chips, doughnuts, etc. in order to prolong their shelf-life.

Ways to reduce trans fat in the diet include:

• Reduce the intakes of commercially baked and fried foods.
  Compare nutrition labels on prepackaged foods and choose foods lower in total fat and trans fat.

3. Cut Down on Foods High in Cholesterol

Increased dietary intakes of cholesterol can raise LDL (¡§bad¡¨) cholesterol levels. ?Foods high in cholesterol include:

• Offal, such as brain, liver, kidney, etc.
• Seafood, such as octopus, squid, fish head, and roe of shrimp and crab, etc.
• The egg yolk is high in cholesterol but also rich in nutrients and can be part of a healthy diet. ?If a person has an egg for breakfast, he/she might want to substitute some vegetarian choices for their other meals of the day.

4. Choose Foods with Little Sodium

Eating a lot of foods that are high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure.? Use more fresh foods instead of preserved foods and canned foods, such as pickles, sausages, luncheon meat, etc., which often contain a lot of sodium.? Natural, low-sodium seasoning, such as green onions, garlic, ginger, pepper powder, etc. can be used more to season foods instead.

5. Reduce the Intake of Foods and Beverages with Added Sugar

Excessive intake of sugary foods coupled with insufficient physical activities can lead to obesity and increase the risk of heart disease.? Reducing the intakes of foods and beverages with added sugar, such as cakes and soda, can help to lower energy intake and maintain a healthy body weight.

Other life style modifications to maintain the health of the heart:

1. Avoid the use of and exposure to tobacco products.
2. Maintain regular daily physical activity of ? hour or more.
3. Drink alcohol in moderation only if there is a drinking habit.
4. Stay relaxed and learn to manage stress.

References:

• The American Heart Association. www.americanheart.org
• Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations Revision 2006. ?The American Heart Association. www.circ.ahajournals.org
• Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. ?US Food and Drug Administration. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html

Other Related Topics:

Healthy Eating ¡V Food Pyramid

Coronary Heart Disease

Hypertension

Obesity

Smoking

Alcohol and Health