Spring Cleaning...

How about ditching some foods?  These are the three basic food groups that I really concentrate on and at this point it has become almost second nature to me!  I do have my “moments”, but these are some helpful hints to start ditching!

Adieu, added sugars!

Why? Added sugars are linked with risk factors of heart disease, including increased risks for high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels. And, for me, eating sweetened foods seems to be linked with craving more sweet foods. How? If you need something sweet - reach for fruit!

Sayonara, sodium (or as much as possible)! 

Why? Most Americans, on average, eat 3,400 milligrams of sodium in a day, about 1,000 mg more than we should. So, if we cut that much out of our daily diets, we’d lower our risk of heart disease by up to 9 percent.

How? Skip as much processed foods as possible!  I go so far as to cook dried beans instead of canned! Ditch all packaged snacks. Eat loads of  fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in sodium.

So long, saturated fats!

Why? Most experts agree that saturated fats raise levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the blood, which can damage the heart and arteries. How? Yes, CHEESE!  This was one of the hardest things for me to give up!  It was, by far, the biggest source of saturated fat in my diet!  And of course don’t forget about butter and fried foods.  Stick to some healthier fats, the occasional avocado in your salad, snack on almonds, but be careful of how many, these are also high in calories!