There’s more to good heart health than
reducing your dietary sodium and keeping your blood pressure within the normal
range (less than 120/80 mm Hg). A healthy heart also needs the right sources of
fuel to perform at its very best.

For optimal cardiovascular health—and your
general wellbeing—I recommend a diet high in whole grains, fruits and
vegetables, low-fat dairy choices, and lean proteins. Along with this, I
recommend that you limit your consumption of refined (white) grains; sugar;
processed meats; solid fats (such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated
oils, butter or shortening); and, of course, sodium.

It’s easier than you think to incorporate
heart-smart foods into your meals and snacks. The tips and resources below can
help you get started:

• Whole Grains: Many supermarkets now carry a
wide selection of whole-grain and whole-wheat pastas, breads, flours, and
cereals. These are the good complex carbohydrates that give our bodies
essential fiber, nutrients and energy. Look for microwavable brown rice in the
frozen-food section or for quick-cooking brown rice in the grocery aisle.
Choose breads made with 100 percent whole-wheat flour—and avoid breads that
list wheat flour or white flour alone.

Whole-wheat pasta can be used with good
results in many recipes. Add quick-cooking barley to homemade soups instead of
white rice or pasta. Many muffin and quick-bread recipes can be modified with
half whole-wheat flour and half unbleached white flour.

• Fruits and Vegetables: The 2010Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that we fill half of our plates with nutritious
vegetables and fruits. That’s why I advise my patients to “eat a rainbow” of
colorful fresh produce every day. Try a baked sweet potato instead of a baked
russet potato at dinner. Toss blueberries, raisins or sliced strawberries into
your (whole-grain) cereal at breakfast.

Look for pre-sliced carrot chips in the
produce aisle; they are great alongside a sandwich instead of salty potato
chips. At a restaurant, ask to substitute a green salad for French fries or
fatty side dishes such as mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.

• Low-Fat Dairy: Some of the best choices
from this important food group include skim or 1 percent milk, cheese with three
or fewer grams of fat per serving, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt (watch the
sugar content). The next time you make oatmeal or hot chocolate, swap some or
all of the water with skim or low-fat milk. Use plain low-fat Greek yogurt in
place of sour cream or mayonnaise in dips and sandwich spreads. Top coffee-shop
drinks with steamed skim milk instead of whipped cream or whole milk.

• Protein: The updated Dietary Guidelines
consider seafood and fish, chicken and turkey, lean red meats, eggs, beans and
peas, and seeds and nuts as beneficial sources of protein. When preparing
chili, burritos or tacos at home, replace some of the ground meat in your
recipe with extra kidney or black beans. Toss a handful of chickpeas, unsalted
sunflower seeds, or sliced almonds into salads. Dip apple slices into natural
peanut butter for a healthy bedtime or afternoon snack. Garnish a fresh spinach
salad with chopped boiled eggs and pecans instead of bacon.

In addition to keeping your heart in tip-top
shape, a well-balanced diet can ward off potentially serious health concerns
such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity/overweight. For more nutrition
advice and helpful tips, visit these websites:American Dietetic Association,MyPyramid.gov, andHealthFinder.gov.

* Joshua Feinberg, D.O., is a family medicine physician in
practice at the Crozer Health Pavilion, 145 Brinton Lake
Road, Suite 201, Glen Mills, PA 19342, 610-459-1619.

About Crozer Keystone Staff

Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment. Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425

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