Diet
Try to incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains into your daily diet. Also, try to increase your daily fiber intake which helps with cholesterol management as well as your appetite because it’s been shown to help you feel fuller longer.

Helpful Hints! Incorporate foods that help maintain a healthy heart…

1. Apples— A good source of pectin that help maintain healthy cholesterol levels as well as potassium for blood pressure maintenance and fiber for satiety.
2. Beans/Legumes— High fiber content in combination with folic acid promote healthy levels of homocysteine which has been linked to increased risk of developing arteriosclerosis.
3. Garlic— A proven aid for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health. Garlic and garlic extract supplements help maintain cholesterol health and healthy blood circulation.
4. Grapes—Contain powerful OPCs and resveratrol, which lend antioxidant support to heart cells and strengthen the vascular system.
5. Nuts— Great sources of magnesium and monounsaturated oils, which are the good kind of fats that promote cholesterol balance and cardiovascular health.
6. Oatmeal— Don’t skip breakfast, and better yet- make breakfast a heart healthy bowl of oatmeal. It helps keep cholesterol in check with fiber and a polysaccharide called beta-glucan. And for an added boost to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, include a ½ to 1 tsp of cinnamon on your oatmeal everyday. New research shows that cinnamon sprinkled on your favorite foods or taken as a supplement helps to keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels in check.
7. Pomegranate Juice— Contains more heart healthy polyphenols than the equivalent amount of red wine or green tea. Helps keep arteries clean and cholesterol levels healthy.
8. Salmon— Best source of critical Omega-3 essential fatty acids.  For some easy and fun food recipes with Salmon go to The Food Network.
9. Soy— There is substantial scientific evidence behind the link of dietary soy protein consumption and managing cholesterol levels as well as reducing risk of cardiovascular disease. The strong consistency of the clinical results prompted the FDA to allow a health claim on food labels stating that 25 grams of soy protein as a part of a daily diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
10. Try to increase your daily consumption of polyphenols, the antioxidant compound found in all plant-based foods. Increasing the amount of polyphenols consumed from an assortment of fruits and vegetables will help your body’s cells resist damage and have been shown in laboratories to have cancer prevention qualities. Strawberries have been identified as the fruits with the highest total polyphenol count, followed by lychees, grapes, apricots and apples. Among the vegetables, artichokes lead the way, with parsley, brussels sprouts, shallots and broccoli following.
11. For those who are watching their blood sugar levels closely, foods with a low GI value keep the body's blood sugar levels relatively steady throughout the day, regulating appetite and reducing the tendency to snack. Although there is no evidence to show that a low-glycemic index diet is any more effective than a low-fat, high GI diet for weight loss, low GI foods are increasingly being positioned as weight management foods, partly because they may also have benefits in preventing obesity related diseases like Type II diabetes.

Visit our Wellness & You section for Healthy Lifestyle tips you can easily incorporate into your daily life.