1. Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Veggies
Why it’s heart healthy: Aside from being low in calories, high in fiber and chock full of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables provide the body with antioxidants. As part of everyday metabolism, the body produces something called oxygen free radicals highly reactive molecules that can negatively affect cells and tissues in the body, including the blood vessels. Antioxidants offer protection by helping to keep the production of free radicals to a minimum.
How to: Eat a fruit or veggie at every meal or snack. Add fruit to your Herbalife® Formula 1 shake; have a salad and/or steamed veggies at lunch and dinner, and snack on fresh whole fruits and vegetables. When you make a point to have a fruit or vegetable every time you eat, it’s easy to get all your servings in for the day.
2. Choose Heart-Healthy Proteins
Why it’s heart healthy: Protein is important for taming hunger, but your protein sources should below in fat. Meats naturally contain more saturated fat and cholesterol than poultry, and poultry has more fat than seafood, and if you eat dairy products, it’s best to choose fat-free or low fat. Plant proteins like beans (including soy) and lentils are naturally cholesterol-free, and low in saturated fat. Fish is a good source of heart-healthy Omega-3 fats.
How to: Aim for a few fish meals per week. Canned tuna, salmon and beans are convenient and can be tossed into a salad for a quick, balanced meal. Use non fat or low fat milk in cooking and in your shakes. If you eat red meat, choose the leanest cuts and trim visible fat. Replace high fat ground meats with ground poultry breast.
Recommended Supplements: Herbalife® Formula 3 Blended Soy and Whey Protein Powder
3. Eat Plenty Of Fiber, Especially Soluble Fiber
Why it’s heart healthy: There are two main types of fiber known as €œsoluble€ and €œinsoluble€. Insoluble fiber is found primarily in vegetables and whole grains, and it speeds the rate at which food passes through the digestive tract, so it’s helpful in promoting regularity. But the soluble fiber (found in apples, oranges, carrots, oats, barley, and beans) traps water as well as cholesterol in the digestive tract. In doing so, it promotes fullness which helps with weight management.
How to: Snack on apples and carrots; add beans to soups and salads, or blend into a dip for raw vegetables; try barley instead of rice as a side dish; try a small dish of cooked oats as a filling snack.
Recommended Supplements: Herbalife® Mixed Fibres with Inulin Powder Drink
4. Choose Heart-Healthy Fats
Why it’s heart healthy: Foods like fish, tree nuts, avocados and olive oil are considered heart healthy because they contain very little saturated fat and are good sources of polyunsaturated fats.
How to: Reduce the total amount of fat you use in cooking and at the table, and use olive oil when you cook. Sprinkle nuts and seeds on salads, yogurt and cooked veggies. Mashed avocado can replace fats like mayonnaise in tuna salad, and makes a great spread on whole grain bread. And aim for a few fish meals a week.
Recommended Supplements: Herbalife® Omega 3 Fish Oil
5. Find And Stay At A Healthy Weight
Why it’s heart healthy: If follow the other tips above for a heart healthy diet and include regular exercise chances are good that you’ll find and maintain your healthy weight, which is one of the key factors in maintaining a healthy heart.
How to: In addition to following the heart healthy guidelines above and getting plenty of exercise, another key issue to weight management is portion control. By keeping your portions moderate, you’ll control your overall calorie intake as well as the total amount of fat that you eat.
Recommended Workout: Join the FREE session of Fit Camp at TTDI every Saturday 8.30am. Call 012-6159165 for more info.