Becoming Heart Healthy

By Marsha Rosen

Marsha Rosen is a Consulting Dietitian. In addition to offering private nutrition counselling, Marsha provides group lectures, seminars and cooking demonstrations.

Eating well doesn't have to mean rice cakes and alfalfa sprouts. With the kaleidoscope of foods and beverages available today, you can make healthful choices that are tasty and filling. Remember the three C's -choice, commitment and common sense. Having an occasional rich dessert is harmless within the context of a wellbalanced eating plan- but every passed-up potato chip is a step toward heart healthy living. Here are some suggestions that can help your heart to do its job for as long as possible.

EAT REGULAR MEALS AND SNACKS

Food is your body's fuel, and breakfast starts your morning in a positive way. Some people do well with three main meals a day and two or three well-balanced snacks; others prefer six smaller meals. In order to keep your blood sugar level on an even keel, eat something every three-and-a-half hours. Meals and snacks should contain foods from the vegetable and fruit, grains and protein (meat or milk products and alternatives) categories to provide your body with timed-release energy boosts.

LOWER FAT AND SODIUM INTAKE

"Low fat", for example, refers to a milk product containing under 1% mf or mg (milk fat). The 30% heart healthy rule of thumb is that for every 100 calories of food, there should be no more than 3 g of total fat. Look for a main course that contains less than 500 mg of sodium. Cut down on the salt you use when you cook, avoid using salt at the table, and choose foods that have less added salt. Avoid canned soups and prepared frozen foods. Check portion sizes before you read the numbers on that label.

RAISE YOUR FIBRE INTAKE

A complex carbohydrate, dietary fibre is found in plants such as beans and fruit. Among its important functions, it helps to lower cholesterol and control diabetes. To increase fibre, look at the way our great-great-great grandmothers cooked and ate. The closer food is to its natural state, the better it is for you.

CHECK PORTION SIZES

One-quarter of your dinner plate should have the protein, half of the plate, fruits and/or vegetables, and the other quarter the grain products. Your recommended 3-ounce cooked protein portion (chicken, fish, beef, for example) should be the size of the palm of your hand. A half cup of fruits or vegetables is the size of a closed fist. The tip of your thumb is as much fat as you need on toast.

DRINK WATER!

Water is important for hydration, and for helping fibre do its job. If you take in fibre and don't hydrate it, that substance will sit in your stomach like a dry sponge. We need 6 to 8 cups of water a day, part of which we get in foods.

USE COMMON SENSE WHEN EATING OUT

Rather than Noodles Alfredo, order an appetizer serving of pasta with a light tomato sauce. Avoid brown, crispy food. Look for dark green and orange vegetables and fruit. Order salad with the dressing on the side. At special events, have a snack before you leave the house, don't stand near the buffet table, and keep a glass of water in one hand.

CONSULT A DIETITIAN

A registered dietitian is a licensed professional who can help you achieve heart-healthy living. You are more likely to stay on an eating plan that incorporates what you like, and a dietitian will guide you in developing a personalized meal plan based on your preferences.

EXERCISE FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH

Eating in a healthy way is one of the steps towards heart healthy living, but food intake should work hand-in-hand with exercise. We have an epidemic of obesity today, and diabetes and heart disease are on the rise - so your life has to be about more than cottage cheese and good intentions.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Remember, food should never be medicinal; it should be enjoyable. Healthy eating is for a lifetime.