Lifestyle Vital to New Heart Diet

Practical Tips for a Healthy Heart

The AHA guidelines offer some very practical advice:

• Learn how many calories you need a day -- and know the calorie counts for the foods you eat.
• Track your weight and physical activity.
• Prepare and eat smaller portions.
• Track your screen time -- and try to cut back on time spent in front of the TV and computer, and playing video games.
• Add physical movement to your daily activities.
• Don't smoke.
• If you drink, no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. A drink is one 12-ounce beer, one 4-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof spirits. All contain ? ounce of alcohol.
• Read the nutritionnutrition information on the foods you buy.
• Don't add high-calorie sauces, salt, or sugar to your vegetables.
• Replace high-calorie foods with fruits and vegetables.
• Increase fiber intake by eating more beans, whole-grain foods, fruits, and vegetables.
• Stop using solid shortenings; use liquid vegetable oils instead.
• Cut down on sugared beverages.
• Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy foods.
• Cut back on pastries and sweet baked goods.
• Reduce salt intake by comparing the salt content of different brands, choosing lower-salt versions of processed foods, and using fewer salty condiments, such as ketchup.
• Choose lean cuts of meat. Remove skin from poultry.
• Instead of frying or sauteing meats and fish, try grilling, baking, or broiling them.
• Instead of fruit juices, eat whole fruits.
• Try using meat substitutes in your favorite recipes.

"It is the whole-package approach that really is necessary. Don't think about diet without thinking about physical activity," Lichtenstein says. "Don't fall into the trap of just focusing on one food. We're always hearing about the benefits of this or that specific food, but when we talk about diet and lifestyle, we really have to talk about the whole package. You cannot sprinkle wheat germ on a hot fudge sundae and get good results."

SOURCES: Lichtenstein, A.H. Circulation, July 4, 2006; vol: 114. News release, American Heart Association. Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, professor of nutrition science and policy, Tufts University; and chair, American Heart Association Nutrition Committee. Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, director of nutrition, WebMD.