Nutrition: Heart Healthy Diet Tips

Heart Healthy Diet Tips

EATING TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE AND BOOST HEART HEALTH

Weight control and regular exercise are critical for keeping your heart in shape—but the food you eat may matter just as much. Experts say that eating a heart-healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke by 80%. With heart disease still the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, this is important—and heartening—news.

By understanding how your food choices impact the health of your heart, you may be able to prevent or manage heart disease and high blood pressure. Learn which foods and methods of cooking are healthiest for your heart, and you can take greater control over the quality and length of your life.

You can take steps to prevent heart disease

Heart disease may be the leading killer of men and women, but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself. In addition to exercise, being careful about what you eat—and what you don’t eat—can help you lower cholesterol, control blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and maintain a healthy weight. If you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease or have high cholesterol or blood pressure, a heart-smart diet can help you better manage these conditions, lowering your risk for heart attack.

Improving your diet is an important step toward preventing heart disease, but you may feel unsure where to begin. Take a look at the big picture: your overall eating patterns are more important than obsessing over individual foods. No single food can make you magically healthy, so your goal can be to incorporate a variety of healthy foods cooked in healthy ways into your diet, and make these habits your new lifestyle.

Heart healthy diet tips: Cut out saturated and trans fats

Of all the possible improvements you can make to your diet, limiting saturated fats and cutting out trans fats entirely is perhaps the most important. Both types of fat raise your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol level, which can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. Luckily, there are many ways to control how much saturated and trans fats you take in. Keep these culprits in mind as you cook and make food choices—and learn how to avoid them.

• Limit solid fat. Reduce the amount of solid fats like butter, margarine, or shortening you add to food when cooking or serving. Instead of cooking with butter, for example, flavor your dishes with herbs or lemon juice. You can also limit solid fat by trimming fat off your meat or choosing leaner proteins.
• Substitute. Swap out high-fat foods for their lower-fat counterparts. Top your baked potato, for example, with salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter, or use low-sugar fruit spread on your toast instead of margarine. When cooking, use liquid oils like canola, olive, safflower, or sunflower, and substitute two egg whites for one whole egg in a recipe.
• Be label-savvy. Check food labels on any prepared foods. Many snacks, even those labeled "reduced fat,” may be made with oils containing trans fats. One clue that a food has some trans fat is the phrase "partially hydrogenated.” And look for hidden fat; refried beans may contain lard, or breakfast cereals may have significant amounts of fat.
• Change your habits. The best way to avoid saturated or trans fats is to change your lifestyle practices. Instead of chips, snack on fruit or vegetables. Challenge yourself to cook with a limited amount of butter. At restaurants, ask that sauces or dressings be put on the side—or left off altogether.

Not all fats are bad for your heart

While saturated and trans fats are roadblocks to a healthy heart, unsaturated fats are essential for good health. You just have to know the difference. ìGoodî fats include:

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Fatty fish like salmon, trout or herring and flaxseed, canola oil or walnuts all contain polyunsaturated fats that are vital for the body.
• Omega 6 Fatty Acids. Vegetable oils, soy nuts, and many types of seeds all contain healthy fats.
• Monounsaturated fats. Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and butters made from these nuts, as well as avocadoes, are all great sources of “good” fat.

Heart healthy diet tips: Choose foods that lower cholesterol

Unhealthy cholesterol levels increase your risk for heart disease, so keeping yours low is key to a healthier heart. Your diet is central to controlling your cholesterol. Some foods can actually lower your cholesterol, while others only make matters worse. You can learn what to incorporate into your heart-healthy diet—and what to avoid.

• Avoid saturated or trans fats. Foods containing high levels of saturated fats or trans fats—such as potato chips and packaged cookies—can boost cholesterol levels in your body much more significantly than cholesterol- containing foods such as eggs. Saturated fat and trans fat both increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Even worse, trans fat lowers your levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
• Make smart choices. Choose foods rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, and protein. Fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds are all great cholesterol regulators. The best foods known for lowering cholesterol are oatmeal, fish, walnuts (and other nuts), olive oil, and foods fortified with sterols or stanols—substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
• Remember that labels can be deceiving. It can be complicated to navigate labels, since packaged foods with labels like “cholesterol free” or “low cholesterol” aren’t necessarily heart-healthy; they might even contain cholesterol that’s heart-risky. And stick to basics whenever possible: fruit, veggies, nuts, and lean proteins.

Lowering your cholesterol with fish or fish oil supplements

By adding fish like salmon or herring to your diet twice a week, you can significantly lower your cholesterol, and thus your risk for heart attack. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which work like superheroes, doing good deeds for your heart—and your whole body.

Heart healthy diet tips: Steer clear of salt and processed foods

Eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Reducing the salt in your food is a big part of a heart-healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends no more than about a teaspoon of salt a day for an adult. That may sound alarmingly small, but there are actually many painless—even delicious—ways to reduce your sodium intake.

• Reduce canned or processed foods. Much of the salt you eat comes from canned or processed foods like soups or frozen dinners—even poultry or other meats often have salt added during processing. Eating fresh foods, looking for unsalted meats, and making your own soups or stews can dramatically reduce your sodium intake.
• Cook for control, using spices for flavor. There is a whole world of creative and delicious alternatives to salt. Try fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or chives. In the dried spices aisle, you can find alternatives like allspice, bay leaves, or cumin to flavor your meal without sodium.
• Substitute reduced sodium versions, or salt substitutes. Choose your condiments and packaged foods carefully, looking for foods labeled sodium free, low sodium, or unsalted. Better yet, use fresh ingredients and cook without salt.

Heart healthy diet tips: Rekindle home cooking

It’s very difficult to eat right for your heart when you’re eating out a lot, ordering in, or eating microwave dinners and other processed foods. The good news is that you can learn to make quick, heart healthy meals at home. It’s easier and less time-consuming than you may think.

Heart-healthy grocery shopping and stocking

Creating a heart-friendly diet starts with stocking your fridge with healthy and accessible foods. Prepare a list before you head to the store or farmer’s market, and leave a little time after your trip to set yourself up for success during the week.

• Look at labels. While perusing the aisles of your grocery, look for foods displaying the American Heart Association's heart-check mark to spot heart-healthy foods. This logo means that the food has been certified to meet the American Heart Association's criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol. 
• Make healthy substitutions. Choose substitutions like 1% milk instead of whole, soft margarine for butter, and lean meats like chicken and fish in place of ribs or ground meat. These substitutions can save you an entire day’s worth of saturated fat.
• Make foods ready-to-eat. When healthy food is made easy to grab during your busy week, you’re more likely to stay heart-healthy. When you come home from grocery shopping, cut up vegetables and fruits and store them in the fridge, ready for the next meal or when you are looking for a ready-to-eat snack.
• Use your freezer. Make healthy eating easier by freezing good-for-you foods in portions. Freeze fruits such as bananas, grapes and orange slices to make them more fun to eat for children. Be careful with portion sizes: the recommended serving of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards, while a serving of pasta should be about the size of a baseball.

Heart-healthy cooking tips

When you prepare and cook meals at home, you have better control over the nutritional content and the overall healthfulness of the foods you eat. An added bonus: you can also save money. 

• Create a library of heart-healthy recipes. Stock up on heart-healthy cookbooks and recipes for cooking ideas. The internet is full of food blogs and websites devoted to healthy cooking methods and recipes, and the library can be a great source for cookbooks as well.
• Use heart-healthy cooking methods. Just as important as picking healthy foods at the grocery store is how you cook those foods into healthy meals. Use low-fat methods: you can bake, broil, microwave, roast, steam, poach, lightly stir fry or sauté—using a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, reduced sodium broth, and spices.
• Cook just twice a week and make food for the whole week. When you’re cooking healthful meals, make extra helpings. Store as meals in reusable containers—or directly on plates—for easy reheating and ready-to-eat food the rest of the week. Cooking healthy food ahead this way is perhaps the most time-saving, money-saving, and heart-saving strategy out there.

Heart healthy diet tips: Focus on high-fiber foods

A diet high in fiber can lower “bad” cholesterol and provide nutrients that can help protect against heart disease. By filling up on whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, you can get most of the fiber you'll need, which means you'll also be lowering your risk of heart disease.

Go for whole grains

Refined or processed foods are lower in fiber content, so make whole grains an integral part of your diet. There are many simple ways to add whole grains to your meals.

• Breakfast better. For breakfast choose a high-fiber breakfast cereal—one with five or more grams of fiber per serving. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
• Try a new grain. Experiment with brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta, and bulgur. These alternatives are higher in fiber than their more mainstream counterparts—and you may find you love their tastes.
• Bulk up your baking. When baking at home, substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour, since whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. Try adding crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to muffins, cakes and cookies.
• Add flaxseed. Flaxseeds are small brown seeds that are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your total blood cholesterol. You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor and stir a teaspoon of them into yogurt, applesauce or hot cereal.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, making them heart healthy. You can use some of the following strategies to make eating fruits and veggies part of your diet every day.

• Keep fruit and vegetables at your fingertips. Wash and cut fruit and veggies and put them in your refrigerator for quick and healthy snacks. Choose recipes that feature these high-fiber ingredients, like veggie stir-fries or fruit salad.
• Incorporate veggies into your cooking. Add pre-cut fresh or frozen vegetables to soups and sauces. For example, mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce or toss fresh baby carrots into stews.
• Don’t leave out the legumes. Legumes are fiber-rich, too. Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad.
• Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and whole-grain crackers are all good choices for adding fiber at snack time. An occasional handful of nuts is also a healthy, high-fiber snack.

Heart healthy diet tips: Control portion size—and your weight

Gaining or carrying excess weight means that your heart must work harder, and this often leads to high blood pressure—a major cause of heart disease. Achieving a healthy body weight is key to reducing your risk of heart disease. Reducing portion sizes is a crucial step toward losing or maintaining a healthy weight. Try the following tactics to control your portion sizes:

• Understand serving sizes. A serving size is a specific amount of food, defined by common measurements such as cups, ounces or pieces—and a healthy serving size may be a lot smaller than you’re used to. The recommended serving size for pasta is ½ cup, while a serving of meat, fish, or chicken is 2 to 3 ounces. Judging serving size is a learned skill, so you may need to use measuring cups, spoons, and a food scale to help.
• Eyeball it. Once you have a better idea of what a serving should be, you can estimate your portion. You can use common objects for reference; for example, a serving of pasta should be about the size of a hockey puck, while a serving of meat, fish or chicken is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards.
• Beware of restaurant portions. Portions served in restaurants are often more than anyone needs. Split an entrée with your dining companion, or take half your meal home for tomorrow’s lunch.                                                                                                             

PS: Article Courtesy: HELPGUIDE.org 

How to Calculate your Body Fat percentage

Please follow the link below to know your body fat percentage and body fat chart..

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/


PS: Article courtesy: bmi-calculator.net

Types of Workout

Workouts

If you're looking for free, comprehensive strength and cardio workouts, you've come to the right place. There's great information out there, but it's hard to know how to set up an exercise program to get the best health and weight loss results. This extensive database of workouts fills the gap, offering a huge variety of workouts for all fitness levels, goals and schedules. The workouts cover every aspect of exercise including cardio, strength training, flexibility workouts, yoga and Pilates and you'll also find plenty of options for timesaver, travel and no equipment workouts.
Details related to each, will be posted daily:

1. Strength Training Workouts
2. Cardio Workouts
3. Flexibility, Yoga and Pilates Workouts
4. Specialty Workouts

Strength Training Workouts
These strength training workouts offer new and interesting ways to build lean muscle tissue, lose weight and get stronger. They include total body routines, ab workouts, butt, hip and thigh workouts, upper body training and even timesaver and travel workouts for all levels of fitness. Each workout includes pictures, full descriptions and detailed instructions so they're easy to follow.
• Ab Workouts
• Butt, Hips and Thigh Workouts
• Total Body Workouts
• Upper Body Workouts
• Timesaver Workouts
• Workout Center
• Workout Finder
• Beginner Strength Training

Cardio Workouts
If your goal is to lose weight or improve your health, cardio is essential for burning calories and conditioning your heart. It's a good idea to incorporate a variety of activities and intensities to keep your body challenged and your mind engaged. If you need some ideas for how to spice things up, try one of these cardio workouts which cover everything from the treadmill and elliptical trainer to home cardio workouts that require no equipment at all.
• Cardio Machine Workouts
• Home Cardio Workouts
• Interval Training Workouts
• Cardio Basics
• Beginner Cardio Workouts
• How to Monitor Your Exercise Intensity
• Target Heart Rate Calculator
• Activity Calculator

Flexibility, Yoga and Pilates Workouts
Flexibility is just as important as cardio and strength training, especially when it comes to keeping your body injury-free and relaxed. Stretching, yoga and other mind/body activities are also great for reducing stress. These workouts offer a wide variety of routines: basic stretching, Pilates for both flexibility and core strength and different types of yoga.
• Flexibility Workouts
• Yoga & Pilates for Abs
• Yoga on the Ball
• Morning & Evening Yoga
• Pilates & Yoga Fusion
• Yoga Fusion
• Relaxing Stretch on the Ball
• Total Stretch with Resistance Bands

Specialty Workouts
The following workouts offer a variety of choices for seniors, beginners, obese or overweight people, travelers or those who want ideas for office exercise and no equipment workouts. You'll also find workouts using unique types of equipment including the foam roller and resistance bands.
• No Equipment Workouts
• Total Body Strength for Seniors
• Strength Training for Obese People
• Beginner Strength Training
• Beginner Cardio
• Office Exercise
• Total Body with Resistance Bands
• Foam Roller Strengthen & Stretch



PS: Article Courtesy: About.com 

Nutrition: Nocturnal cravings (GOOD or BAD)

Nocturnal cravings
Often have a strong urge to grab some midnight snack? this article tells you why you shouldn’t give into the temptation...


It’s past 12 at night, you’re either watching television or working on some presentation. All of a sudden, you realise that your stomach is growling and you feel a strong urge to eat something (even though you already had dinner few hours ago!). You march straight into your kitchen and start raiding your refrigerator for anything you can find, whether its the remaining pasta or pizza that you had for dinner or some leftover chocolate cake that’s sitting in your refrigerator for the last 24 hours.
In other words, you plan to demolish anything in sight! You carry your edible booty back to your couch or the bed and start chomping to glory. And this little midnight snacking ritual of your’s that started as an occasional, one-in-a-bluemoon stint, has lately become a regular habit. Next thing you know, you’ve put on extra weight and still feel confused as to what did you do wrong. The answer is straight in your face but you are unable to see and understand how. Read on to find out why...
YOU’LL PUT ON WEIGHT
Gorging on food under the garb of having a midnight snack is unhealthy. That’s because whatever you’re pigging out on, and the subsequent calories that you consume along, does not get burnt out, simply because you are not immediately indulging in any physical activity besides sleeping. This will make you pack the pounds even before you realise it.
IT’S BAD FOR DENTAL HEALTH
Yes, its true that midnight snacking is harmful for dental health. And this should not come as a surprise to you simply because, you never tend to brush your teeth after your midnight fiesta, especially if you eat sweets and desserts. Not only will you develop halitosis or bad breath, you might also end up with cavities with the passage of time.
IT’S BAD FOR DIGESTION
Eating yummy but highly fattening food especially at midnight can take a toll on your digestive system, too. Did you know that the human stomach takes about an hour and a half to digest an apple? Now think about the sandwiches, cookies, chips, that you feast on. Though, midnight snacking seems comforting to your palate, it takes a toll on your digestive system.
However, if you feel you must have your midnight snack, remember these things:
Instead of pigging out on junk food and heavy meals, eat fresh fruits. Fresh fruits are your best option for midnight snacks. They will satisfy your sweet cravings and are packed with vitamins and minerals too.
Eat five small meals throughout the day at regular intervals, instead of the usual three large meals to prevent getting hunger pangs at midnight.
Do not make it a habit to sleep late at night. When you are awake at night, there are more chances to feel the urge to eat to curb boredom or to eat in order to stay awake.




PS: Article courtesy Times of India

Workout: 5 Bicep Exercises You Can Use To Get Muscly Arms

Pull-ups: This is one of the best bicep exercises out. It can be quite difficult to do many of them at first, but if you persevere, you will find they get easier and you get huge strength gains. This exercise has many variations so you never get bored. Are these too hard for you? Ask someone to help lift you up then try to lower yourself down slowly. If you can do a few of these it won't be long before you can do them by yourself. Find a bar. Hang from the bar with your palms facing towards you. Pull your body up until your chin is just over the bar. Lower yourself down slowly. Try to avoid swinging. Repeat.

Concentration Curls: Make sure you go through the full range of motion here. Don't shorten up the movement by only going halfway down. This will ensure that your bicep is strong in all positions. When you get towards the end of your set, the tendancy is to bring your shoulder down to meet the dumbbell halfway. Try to resist this. Make your bicep do the work! Get some weights. Sit down like shown in the picture. Rest your elbow on your leg. Lower the weight down until your arm is straight. Slowly bend your arm until it can't bend anymore. Slowly lower your arm again until it is straight. Don't let it just drop. Repeat. Dumbbell Hammer Curl: Try to do these slowly. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away and feel like you're running. Although this is fun you won't work your biceps as much as you could be. The more controlled the movement is, the better. Get some dumbbells and hold one in each hand. Hold the dumbbell the same way you would hold a hammer. Bend your right arm and straighten your left arm at the same time. Bend your left arm and straighten your right arm at the same time. Repeat. Double Dumbbell Curls: You can perform these bicep exercises with either 2 dumbbells or a barbell. You can also alter the grip. The grip in the second set of photo's targets more of the muscles in your forearms. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. (With your chosen grip) Lift the dumbbells up to your chest. Lower them back down to the bottom again. (Slowly) Repeat. Chainsaws: This exercise works both your upper back and biceps. Get into the position shown. Raise the dumbbell up to your chest and squeeze your upper back muscles. Lower it back down to the floor slowly. Repeat. Swap sides PS: Article Courtesy: Fitness-Training-at-home.com

Nutrition: Healthy Eating Tip 3 - 10

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat 

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better. 

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:

• Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
• Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
• Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.

Water—a vital part of a healthy diet

Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.

Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Fiber: An essential component of a healthy diet

Dietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
• Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.  Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

• Beans:  Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
• Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
• Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.

Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Complete, incomplete and complementary proteins

• A complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
• An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
• Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
• Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal?  Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
• Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.

Great sources of calcium include:

• Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
• Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
• Dried beans and legumes

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt, and refined grains

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.

Sugar and refined starches

It is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.

• Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.

Salt

Salt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.

• Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
• Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.

Healthy eating tip 10:  Plan quick and easy meals ahead 

Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month 

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

Cook when you can

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.

Have an emergency dinner or two ready to go

Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.

Stock your kitchen to be meal ready

Try to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:

• Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
• Recipe and soup starters such as garlic, onions, carrots, and celery.
• Healthy staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice.
• Whole wheat bread and tortillas for healthy sandwiches and wraps.
• Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.
• Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables to add to recipes or for a quick vegetable side dish.
• Frozen fruit and berries to make smoothies or frozen desserts.
• Dark greens for salads, plus salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, beans, and seeds.
• Fresh and dried herbs and spices.
• Healthy fats and oils for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. You can also try specialty oils like peanut, sesame, or truffle oil for adding flavor.
• Unsalted nuts for snacking, like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios.
• Vinegars, such as balsamic, red wine, and rice vinegar for salads and veggies.
• Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta, and soups

PS: Article courtesy: Helpguide.org 

Nutrition: Healthy Eating Tip

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key 

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation.  Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. 

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small.  Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.