·          Eat less fat (especially butter, coconut and palm oil, saturated or hydrogenated vegetable fats like Crisco, animal fats in meats and fats in dairy products).

 

·          Use nonstick vegetable oil cooking sprays instead of oils.

 

·          Buy lean cuts of meat, eat fish, skinless chicken and turkey instead of beef.

 

·          Try low-fat snacks that have been baked instead of fried, such as pretzels.

 

·          Choose low-fat dairy products, like skim milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt and margarine.

 

·          Limit how many sweets you eat.

 

·          Limit egg yolks to no more than 4 a week (use egg whites or egg substitutes).

 

·          Bake, broil, steam or grill foods, instead of frying.

 

·          Eat fewer “fast foods” that are high in fat.  Eat more fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates (rice, pasta, breads, grains).

 

·          Drink low-calorie beverages, like unsweetened tea or diet soda pop.

 

Losing weight will help your heart stay healthy.  If you lose just 10% of your body weight you will reduce your risks of diabetes and heart disease.

 

Combined with a healthy diet, exercise can speed up weight loss.  Exercise is also the best way to maintain weight loss.  Regular exercise can help you burn calories faster, even when sitting still.  Exercise strengthens the heart, helping it pump more blood with each heartbeat, delivering more oxygen to your body, helping it function more efficiently.  Exercise can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

 
Aerobic exercises like walking, running, jogging, swimming, and bicycling can make your heart work harder to pump blood, raising your heart rate which burns calories.  If you haven't been exercising, work up to 30 minutes, 4-6 times a week.  Your health care provider may make a different recommendation based on your current health. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Topics:

Heart Health

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The Heart Truth for Women: An Action Plan

The Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease

When Delicious Meets Nutritious: Recipes for Heart Health

The Heart Truth: It’s Ageless

The Heart Truth: Women and Heart Disease

Lighter Step Challenge

Top 10 Smart Foods

Patient Education Handouts

 

 

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Medicine

Tips for a “heart~healthy” diet.