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Heart Diet
August 30, 2007
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An estimated 62-million Americans suffer from some form of heart disease. Local
doctors say there are some simple ways to incorporate more heart healthy foods into
your diet.
Ramona Johnston is a southwest Florida resident who takes her family’s diet very seriously. She tries to incorporate hearth healthy foods every day. She says “Our
favorite thing to do is the little market on Thursday mornings; they have all fresh
vegetables and fruits.”
Getting the facts about fat is the first step to eating better. While some fats
like those found in olive oil have been found to be good for your heart, doctors
say you should steer clear of some high fat foods.
Wilma Kovacs is a registered nurse from Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center.
She says a good rule of thumb is that anything that ends with a Y or and I like
salami, baloney is usually processed and has a lot of nitrates and chemicals in
them. Those ingredients also make the foods high in fat. But you don’t have to do
a complete diet overhaul. Making small changes in your diet can decrease your chance
of heart disease.
Nurse Kovacs says you should “start with the lower fat cheese, light sour cream
before you spring on to the fat free versions. It’s a different taste, they’re not
bad, just different.”
Ramona agrees that change can be a good thing for your family’s diet. She says, “Once you change and you stick with it they adjust fine. It’s not as hard as people think. They will eat healthy if you let them.”
The key to eating a healthier diet is planning ahead. Doctors say that way you’re
less likely to grab fatty foods on the run. You may also want to keep in mind that
in a heart-healthy diet the total fat intake should be less than 30 percent of your
total daily calories.
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