"Eating smart for healthy heart" by Priya Kal

It would not be wrong to say that one must fall in love with one's heart so much, so as to go to great lengths in taking care of it. Though there are other factors such as sedentary lifestyles, minimum manual work and high stress that are not CARDIAC FRIENDLY, food habits contribute greatly to accelerate the heart degeneration process.

Following are some sensible and realistic choices you can make in forming a heart-healthy lifestyle.

1. Use nonstick utensils instead of steel, aluminums, etc. to reduce the quantity of cooking oils or fats used.
2. If you are a fried food or junk food freak, don't starve or give up, because the craving pangs will build so much, then you will cave in ultimately. Taper the intake, example: If you eat 4 samosas a week make it 2, eat slowly & relish every bite.
3. Substitute deep fry with shallow fry/baking.
4. Save those Shakes & Ice creams for special occasions.
5. Instead of giving up, rather find alternatives.

Examples:

Instead of.....	Use this.....
Whole milk	Low fat paneer
Whole milk paneer	Low fat milk / Soya Milk
Calorie dense fruits like mango, chickoo, custard apple and banana	Fiber rich fruits like guava, orange, sweet lime, papaya, apple etc.
Starchy vegetables like potato, suran (yam) and sweet potato	Fiber rich vegetables like cluster beans, French beans, green peas, bitter gourd etc.
Sweetened Fruit juices	Whole fruits & Freshly squeezed juices.
Sugar and refined flour based desserts like pastries	Fruit based low calorie desserts
Ghee and butter	Oil (use sparingly, esp. Canola or Olive)
Sodium rich canned beans & soups	Freshly cooked

Finally, if you’re one of those people who think “Nutritious” & “Delicious” couldn’t mix, you are in for a happy surprise. If you take an interest in what goes into your stomach, eat with relish and enjoy every bite you will find that nutritious foods are in fact tasty! Also remember that when you are managing your diet, it is for the rest of your life, not a crash course wherein you will get fed up before you even start.

These small changes could make wonders for your heart’s health. Remember, it’s never too late… or too early to commit to a healthier life. Enjoy great tastes and climb your ladder to lifetime of good health TODAY!