What is Belly Fat?

Belly fat, tummy fat or beer belly; you name it any way it means excessive fat around your abdominal area.

This is the type of fat which comes first when you exceed your required calorie intake and the last fat to go; when you start doing exercise to reduce your weight or excess body fat.

Belly fat is also a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.

Reducing belly fat can be achieved with positive approach and planning of Sensible eating and regular exercise.

Think positive, visualized yourself with the healthy body you deserve and take action to actualize your dream…

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, 2-3 servings of low fat dairy such as milk or yoghurt and drinking lot of water is the key in all well balanced diets including this one.

Eating frequent small quantity of meal will keep your sugar levels in balance and thus avoiding sugar cravings and reaching for unhealthy highly processed snacks

Snack on healthy stuff; like fresh fruits which has lots of nutrition, dietary fiber and few calories.

Limit your intake of fats especially coming from animal sources like red meat.

Watch out before reaching for pop and sodas which has empty calories; calories without nutrition.

Alcoholic drinks are full of calories, drink in moderation. It’s best to avoided.

Include good sources of protein in you diet like beans and legumes, low fat dairy, fish and poultry; unlike meat these are without much saturated fats.

Drink plenty of water it’s a natural purifier and removes accumulated toxins from the body. Water also carries nutrition to every cell of your body.

Exercising such as strength training is most effective in reducing belly fat. Get guidance from personal trainer or gym instructor to find suitable fitness plan for you.

Also some yoga postures like Bhujangasan, Dhanurasan, and Pashchimottanasan are helpful in reducing belly fat and increasing flexibility. It is advisable to learn these from qualified yoga teacher.

Write a fitness diary everyday; write about how you feel, how much you are achieved and what actions you have taken to reduce your belly and be fit.

Reward yourself with healthy food, health gear or nice spa treatment for following your plan.

Be patient, don’t go for quick fixes… plan for slow and steady weight loss, the chances are more to maintain your healthy weight when you reduce it slowly like about 1pound per week.

Maintaining healthy Weight is a life long commitment…Make healthy dietary modifications and lifestyle changes, your lifelong friend.

Asthma Diet

Asthma is a condition where there is acute bronchial spasm, increase bronchial mucus secretion and inflammation of bronchi leading to severe difficulty in breathing.

Although dietary triggers is less common factor leading to asthma symptoms. Healthy dietary modifications are helpful in preventing or minimizing severity of asthma symptoms.

Foods to eat:

Fruits and vegetables:

Eating plenty of fresh fruits (unless you are allergic to it) and vegetables will provide lots of Vitamin C, beta carotene, and many other essential vitamins and minerals which are responsible for increase immunity against infections and respiratory problems.

Omega 3 fatty acid rich foods:

Fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines and plant sources like flaxseed, hempseed, canola oil, and walnuts are very rich sources of Omega 3 fatty acids; can be helpful.

Vitamin A rich foods:

Lack of vitamin A is related to increased susceptibility to bronchial problems. Include a lot of carrots, tomatoes, spinach, apricots, strawberries and foods rich in vitamin A in diet.

Vitamin C rich foods:

Vitamin C is extremely beneficial for asthma patients who experience exercise-induced hyperactive airways. Foods such as grapes, tomato, pineapple, watermelon, citrus fruits, kiwis fruits, green mustard leaves, raw cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and parsley are rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin E rich foods:

People who consume large amounts of vitamin E have a lower risk of developing asthma. Increased vitamin E intake has been shown to improve lung function significantly. Turnip, mustard, sunflower seeds are excellent sources of vitamin E.

Foods to Avoid:
 

Trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids:

There’s some evidence that eating omega-6 fats and trans fats, found in some margarines and processed foods, may worsen asthma.

High calorie food:

Foods such as sugary desserts, deep fried foods need to be avoided. People who are obese are more likely to have more severe asthma symptoms.

Foods causing allergies:

Some Food substances can cause asthmatic attack in some people, if such food is identified it is best to be avoided(depending upon your susceptibility) Only about 2% of adults with asthma have true food allergies to milk, eggs, shellfish, peanuts, or other foods

Tobacco and smoke:

Smokers and secondary smokers are more prone to suffer asthma and other respiratory disorders due to the damage caused by the smoke.

Food triggers:

Some food triggers are identified which may cause asthmatic attack in susceptible individuals. These are:

• Foods containing the additives benzoates(E210-19), sulphites (E220-8) or gallates (E310-12) 
• Cider
• wine
• beer 
• Foods containing yeast or mould, such as bread and blue cheeses  
• Foods, drinks and snacks containing colorings E102, E104 and E110 
• Cow's milk
• cereals (wheat)
• eggs
• fish
• soy
• nuts (especially peanuts)

In general follow well balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry and avoid highly processed, highly salted, sugary and fried foods.

Fat free- Low Fat Foods

Because of increasing obesity rate world wide everyone is looking for fat free foods. As fat consumption is considered to be marker for obesity.

Removing fat from diet is not the only way to weight loss as calories also count. Obesity is directly related to increase calorie consumption; it can be through fats or carbohydrates (especially sugary food).

So fat free does not necessarily means calorie free.

Other aspect is whether removing all fat from diet is good idea?

Research states that we do required some amount of fat for healthy functioning of all our body system including nervous system and brain. Fat is our second source of energy and thus to be taken in required amount.

So eliminating all fat is no good.

What you can do is opt for food fats like fats from vegetable sources like nuts and seed oils instead of read meat.

Here are some foods which help to reduce weight without any bad effects

Fresh fruits and vegetables:

These are full of vitamins and minerals and other essential nutrients. Fiber content in these keep you full so you won’t overeat.

Fruits and vegetables have very minute amount of fats; if fats is your concerned

Diary products:

Newest research states that 2-3 servings of low fat dairy such as milk and yoghurt will help to reduce your weight by burning stored fat calories as your energy source for various activities.

Multigrain:

Multigrain food products such as pasta, bread, and whole grains such as rice, barley, wheat are full of dietary fiber and contain very less fats. These can keep your blood sugar levels stable thus keeping you away from hunger pangs and reaching out for sugary snacks.

Spices and herbs:

Various herbs and spices used in proper combination and quantity while cooking; help in stimulation of digestive juices and proper digestion of food and burning of calories through their thermic effect. Thus aid in weight loss.

Diabetic Diet

Diabetes is chronic disease where Glucose which is a primary source of energy remains in the blood in excess amount instead of getting used by the body.

Although there are many factors involved like Insulin treatment, anti- diabetic medications, exercise and lifestyle modifications in the treatment of diabetes; diet plays a major role in prevention and treatment of Diabetes.

Diabetic diet mainly consists of low calorie, low carbohydrate and low fat diet. It may sound too much to restrict these energy sources, but with simple guidelines it’s easy to follow diabetic diet without starving or depriving yourself with food you like.

Healthy food can be tasty…

When considering diabetic diet 3 things are important

What to eat:

Eating whole grain containing food like whole grain pasta and bread will keep the sugar level balance.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are considered to be healthy as it provides fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.

Lean meat, poultry and low fat dairy can be consumed in moderate amounts as to provide sufficient protein and calcium.

Highly processed foods such as bakery products, sugary desserts, and fried and salted foods are best to be avoided.

Red meats and steaks should be avoided as far as possible as they have large amount of the saturated fats which hamper the insulin metabolism thus triggering raise blood sugar levels.

Alcoholic drinks and cola drinks are high calorie beverages therefore should be consumed in moderation or avoided as far as possible.

Foods to eat:

·        Whole grains

·        Beans and Legumes

·        Fresh Vegetables

·        Fresh Fruits

·        Low fat Dairy

·        Poultry and lean meat

·        Fish & Shellfish

·        Vegetable oils

Foods to avoid:

·        White flour

·        Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar

·        Processed grains, such as white rice

·        Red meat

·        Sugary foods

·        Commercial prepared fried foods - crisps, battered fish and chips

·        Ready made commercial foods - cakes, biscuits and snack foods.

·        Hard margarine

 When to eat:

Eating small frequent meals is beneficial for avoiding sugar level fluctuations

Eating high protein and high fiber breakfast is very important as it will gradually increase sugar levels which are very important to avoid insulin stress. Breakfast is breaking of fast after 8-10 hrs of gap after sleep

How much to eat:

Calorie should be counted and considered for meal planning

Small portion sizes of even healthy food substance are advisable as a calorie restricted diet.

Here are some examples for portions to be considered:

Fats (Limit to 1 serving per meal) 1 serving is:

• 10 Peanuts.
• 1 Tbsp Salad Dressing
• 2 Tbsp light salad dressing or sour cream.
• 1 Tsp margarine, Oil or mayonnaise.
• 1/8 Avocado.

Sweets (Substitute for starch or fruit serving occasionally) 1 serving is:

• 2 Small Cookies.
• 1 Small Cupcake or Muffin
• ½ Cup Ice cream.
• 1/3 Cup Frozen Yoghurt.
• ¼ Cup Sherbet.
• 1 tsp Syrup or Honey.

Milk (2-3 Servings per day) 1 serving is:

• 1 cup Milk.
• 1 Cup Low Fat.
• 1 Cup Artificially Sweetened yogurt (No sugar)

Meat / Fish/Chicken (2-3 Serving per day) 1 serving is:

• 2 oz Cooked Lean Meat/Poultry/Fish.
• ½ - ¾ Cup Tuna or Cottage Cheese.
• 1 Egg or 4 oz Tofu or 1 oz cheese.
• 2 Tbsp peanut Butter.

Vegetables (3-5 Serving Per day) 1 Serving is:

• 1 Cup Raw Vegetables.
• ½ Cup Cooked Vegetables.
• ½ Cup Tomato or Vegetable Juice.

Fruits (3 Serving per Day) 1 Serving is:

• 70 gm small fruit.
• ½ Cup canned fruit.
• ¼ cup Dried Fruit.
• ½ Cup Fruit Juice. (No sugar)

Grains, Starchy Vegetables and Beans. (6 plus Servings per Day) 1 Serving is:

• 1 Slice of 1 oz bread or ½ (1 oz) Bagel or 5 Crackers or 1 Granola bar.
• ½ Hamburger or Hot dog Bun or a tortilla of 6 inch or 2 tacos.
• ½ Cup Cooked Cereal, Cooked beans, Lentils, Corn, Peas, S. Potato, Potato or Pasta.
• 1 Cup winter Squash, 1 Cup Soup.
• 1/3 Cup Rice or 3 Cup Plain Popcorn (Fat free)

Cancer Fighting Foods

Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of our times…

Even though with today’s advanced medical treatments some cancers can be cured; there is still taboo attached to cancer word; cancer means death is near…

The good news is some foods are proven to be cancer fighters or can help prevent cancer. These are called anticancer foods.

As the saying goes… prevention is better than cure; it’s better to boost your immunity with these anticancer foods in first place…

Some well known cancer fighting foods are:

Tomatoes:

It is loaded with vitamin C; also tomatoes are one of the richest sources of the flavenoid lycopene (which gives them their red color) In various studies it has shown to work, against cancers of the lungs, cervix, prostate and mouth. important health benefits it conveys.

Avocados:

It is rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that attacks free radicals in the body by blocking intestinal absorption of certain fats. Avocados also supply potassium more than bananas and are a strong source of beta-carotene. Scientists also believe that avocados may also be useful in treating viral hepatitis (a cause of liver cancer), as well as other sources of liver damage.

Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower:

These have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective variety.

Broccoli, especially sprouts, also have the phytochemical sulforaphane, a product of glucoraphanin - believed to aid in preventing some types of cancer, like colon and rectal cancer. Sulforaphane induces the production of certain enzymes that can deactivate free radicals and carcinogens. The enzymes have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors in laboratory animals.  However, following various plant studies it appears that the more bitter the broccoli is, the more glucoraphanin it has.

Carrots:

It contain a lot of beta carotene, which may help reduce a wide range of cancers including lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestine, bladder, prostate and breast.

Some research indicated beta carotene may actually cause cancer, but this has not proven that eating carrots, unless in very large quantities - 2 to 3 kilos a day, can cause cancer. 

In fact, a substance called falcarinol that is found in carrots has been found to reduce the risk of cancer, according to researchers at Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS). Kirsten Brandt, head of the research department, explained that isolated cancer cells grow more slowly when exposed to falcarinol. This substance is a polyacethylen, however, so it is important not to cook the carrots.

Chili peppers and jalapenos:

These contain a chemical, capsaicin, which may neutralize certain cancer-causing substances (nitrosamines) and may help prevent cancers such as stomach cancer.

Figs:

They have a derivative of benzaldehyde. It has been reported that benzaldehyde is highly effective at shrinking tumors.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture figs, which contain vitamins A and C, and calcium, magnesium and potassium, may curtail appetite and improve weight-loss efforts. Fig juice is also a potent bacteria killer in test-tube studies.

Flaxseeds:

 These contain lignans, which may have an antioxidant effect and block or suppress cancerous changes. Flax is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to protect against colon cancer and heart disease.

Garlic:

It has immune-enhancing allium compounds (dialyl sultides) that appear to increase the activity of immune cells that fight cancer and indirectly help break down cancer causing substances.

These substances also help block carcinogens from entering cells and slow tumor development. Diallyl sulfide, a component of garlic oil, has also been shown to render carcinogens in the liver inactive. Studies have linked garlic to lower risk of stomach and colon cancer.

 It is believed garlic may help prevent stomach cancer because it has anti-bacterial effects against a bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, found in the stomach and known to promote cancer there.

Onions & Leeks:

According to the National Institutes of Health, studies of people from Southern Europe who eat a diet high in garlic and onions show a direct relationship between high consumption of "allium" vegetables (all types of garlic, onions, and leeks) and reduced risk of many common cancers.

Grapefruits and oranges:

These contain monoterpenes, believed to help prevent cancer by sweeping carcinogens out of the body. They also contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid.

Red grapes:

It contains bioflavonoids, powerful antioxidants that work as cancer preventives. Grapes are also a rich source of resveratrol, which inhibits the enzymes that can stimulate cancer-cell growth and suppress immune response.

They also contain ellagic acid, a compound that blocks enzymes that are necessary for cancer cells thus help slow the growth of tumors.

Green and yellow leafy vegetables:

Studies show that consumption of green and yellow leafy vegetables has been associated with lower levels of stomach cancer.

Kale:

It has compound called indoles, nitrogen compounds which may help stop the conversion of certain lesions to cancerous cells in estrogen-sensitive tissues.

In addition, isothiocyanates, phytochemicals found in kale, are thought to suppress tumor growth and block cancer-causing substances from reaching their targets.

Licorice root:

It has a chemical, glycyrrhizin that blocks a component of testosterone and therefore may help prevent the growth of prostate cancer. However, excessive amounts can lead to elevated blood pressure.

Mushrooms:

There are a number of mushrooms that appear to help the body fight cancer and build the immune system. These include Shiitake, maitake, reishi, Agaricus blazei Murill, and Coriolus Versicolor. 

These mushrooms contain polysaccharides, especially  Lentinan, powerful compounds that help in building immunity. They are a source of Beta Glucan. They also have a protein called lectin, which attacks cancerous cells and prevents them from multiplying. They also contain Thioproline. These mushrooms can stimulate the production of interferon in the body. Thus help blocking cancer cells.

Papaya:

It has vitamin C that works as an antioxidant and may also reduce absorption of cancer-causing nitrosamines from the soil or processed foods. Papaya contains folacin (also known as folic acid), which has been shown to minimize cervical dysplasia and certain cancers.

Raspberries:

They contain many vitamins, minerals, plant compounds and antioxidants known as anthocyanins that may protect against cancer. Research reported in the journal Nutrition and Cancer in May 2002 shows black raspberries may also thwart colon cancer. Black raspberries are rich in antioxidants, thought to have even more cancer-preventing properties than blueberries and strawberries.

Red wine:

It has polyphenols that may protect against various types of cancer. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize disease-causing free radicals. 

It appears that resveratrol inhibits cell proliferation and can help prevent cancer. However, alcohol can be  toxic to the liver and to the nervous system, and many wines have sulfites, which may be harmful to your health. Note:  some research indicates that alcohol is considered a class "A" carcinogen which can actually cause cancer.

Rosemary:

It may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary, termed carnosol, has inhibited the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals.

Seaweed and other sea vegetables:

These contain beta-carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fiber, and chlorophyll, as well as chlorophylones which is a important fatty acids that may help in the fight against breast cancer. Many sea vegetables also have high concentrations of the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine.

Soy products like tofu:

These contain several types of phytoestrogens which is weak, nonsteroidal estrogens that could help prevent both breast and prostate cancer by blocking and suppressing cancerous changes. There are a number of isoflavones in soy products, but research has shown that genistein is the most potent inhibitor of the growth and spread of cancerous cells. It appears to lower breast-cancer risk by inhibiting the growth of epithelial cells and new blood vessels that tumors require to flourish and is being scrutinized as a potential anti-cancer drug.

Some precautions to consider when adding soy to your diet as excessive consumption of soya products and extract may lead to hormonal imbalance.

Sweet potatoes:

It has anticancer compund, including beta-carotene, which may protect DNA in the cell nucleus from cancer-causing chemicals outside the nuclear membrane.

Green Tea:

It contains certain antioxidants known as polyphenols (catechins) which appear to prevent cancer cells from dividing. Green tea is best, followed by our more common black tea

Dry green tea leaves, which are about 40% polyphenols by weight, may also reduce the risk of cancer of the stomach, lung, colon, rectum, liver and pancreas, study findings have suggested.

One of the first plant-based chemicals to be studied for its anti-cancer properties, catechins, the chemicals in green tea  has been known for some time to prevent and reduce recurrence of breast and other cancers. Just two cups a day is enough to do the trick.

Spinach:
Spinach is consider to be the "gold standard" of green leafy vegetables.Packed with lutein and vitamin E, both powerful antioxidants, spinach helps ward off cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon, and prostate.

Spinach is also a rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene both are potent antioxidants. It also has folic acid. In several studies (University of Minnesota, Environmental Health Services, and others), it has been found that people who include two or more servings of spinach per week in their nutrition have considerably lower lung and breast cancer rates.

Pineapple:
Pineapple is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C. In addition; it contains the enzyme bromelain,which may protect against breast and lung cancer.

Apple:In addition to their antioxidant benefits, apples contain the plant chemical quercetin, which has been shown to reduce lung cancer risk and slow the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Turmeric:

Turmeric has an active ingredient, curcumin, which is  powerful antioxidant and has cancer fighting properties.Turmeric is also most powerful natural anti-inflammatory identified today. In the laboratory studies it enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy and reduces tumour growth.

Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus reviewed numerous animal studies and concluded that curcumin demonstrated anti-cancer effects at virtually all stages of tumor development. Researchers in France and Britain also support above findings

Whole Wheat:

 In a recent study at the University of Iowa, scientist found that the more whole grain there is in a woman's diet, the lower her risk of breast cancer, as well as heart disease.

In this study, as well as an analysis of 40 other studies on 20 kinds of cancer, investigators established that consumers of whole wheat products (bread, pasta, cereals) have a 33% lower risk of these diseases than those who do not eat whole wheat products.

Strawberries:

In a study tracking the diet and health of 1.271 people, researchers at the Harvard School of Health found that people who love strawberries have a 70% lower incidence of cancer.

The same holds true for all other colorful and deeply colored berries, such as cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red and purple grapes, and so forth.

Beans:

Much recent research in the food sciences has established that all kinds of beans are loaded with protease inhibitors, compounds that make it hard for cancer cells to invade adjacent tissue.

Fava beans contain much herein, which has shown to block carcinogens in the digestive tract. And soy beans are especially rich in isoflavones, which appears to reduce the risk of breast cancer by blocking the tumor-growing influence of estrogen.

 Lentils also belong to the bean family, and are one of the tastiest, most versatile, and easiest to prepare beans.

The best anti-cancer diet is rich in varieties of brightly colored fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with more emphasis on the foods highlighted above.

How to Loose Weight ?

Weight loss is a concern for many, as obesity and overweight rate is rising all over the world; even kids are not spared…

It is a part and parcel of the our modern lifestyle with less physical activity, more indoor time, our eating habits of eating more processed food and increase stress in life to cope up with society.

But as obesity is growing, we are becoming aware of factors that are responsible for it and trying to find ways to eliminate these side effects of modernization.

The truth is we can’t go back in to Stone Age or hunter-gatherer period…we have to find solutions in today’s life style.

Let’s understand the contributing factors for health. These include;

Our diet-food we eat

Activity we do

Rest we get

So to loose weight we have to consider how to improve on these to regain normal weight and be healthy.

Food we eat…

Know the basics-healthy and not so healthy foods.

Opt for healthy- whole grain, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, fish and low fat dairy are all good; they provide us energy and all essential nutrients.

Not so healthy foods include- highly processed bakery goods made with white floor, sugar and excessive salt. Deep fried foods and red meat are not so healthy as these are full of saturated fat and Trans fats.

Eat your breakfast everyday to boost up your energy for whole day. Combine fruit, cereal and milk for quick healthy breakfast.

Eat when you are hungry.

Take 4-5 small meals instead of 3 big meals this will eliminate hunger pangs and reaching for sugary foods when you feel low in sugar. As eating at regular short intervals will keep your sugar levels in balance.

Snacking is good just opt for healthy snacks as fruits and nuts. Avoid packed snacks-these contain most of not so healthy food as excess sugar, salt, Trans fats and preservatives.

Choose water as your health drink… it transfer the nutrition to every cell of our body, removes toxins and improve functions of the body

Avoid soft drinks and packed energy drinks; these contain lots of sugar and empty calories .i.e. calories without nutrition.

Go grocery shopping when your stomach is full, this way you won’t tempted to buy junk food

Go grocery shopping with the list buy only those items which are there on the list.

Be active after eating …

Keep a watch on what you eat… count the calories!

Activity we do…

Opt for exercise program suitable and enjoyable by you…exercise for at least 30 min 5 days a week .Do warm-up and stretching before and after exercise.

Simple steps to Increase activity: choose steps instead of elevators go window shopping, park your car at far away end of parking lot, play with your kids, and go biking with kids.

Take a before photo and after photo when you follow any exercise program.

Reward yourself for achieving your goal of successful weight loss.

Add varieties of activities in your daily routine, doing everyday chores won’t be boring if you consider them as your weight loss tool.

Rest we take…

Getting good night sleep is equally important as diet and exercise; it is one of the major stress reliever

Most adult need 8-10 hour of sleep; make it happen and feel the difference when you get good sleep; you will have more positive approach towards day to day problems and worries.

Opt for some creative activity like painting, singing, dancing to freshen you up.

Take some time off for yourself to introspect or meditate, think about your dream coming true, visualized health and happiness for your family.

Balance of good nutrition, physical activity and proper rest will help you in your weight loss goal.

Heart Healthy Diet

Heart healthy diet mainly consists of low fat, low sodium diet where amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium in a diet is restricted.
According to American heart association Heart disease risk reduction can be achieved by following:

• Consuming an overall healthy diet.
• Aiming for a healthy body weight.
• Aiming for recommended levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides.
• Aiming for a normal blood pressure.
• Aiming for a normal blood glucose level.
• Being physically active.
• Avoiding use of and exposure to tobacco products.

Healthy diet consists of;


Eating variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups.
Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and they’re low in calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help control your weight and your blood pressure.
Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can help lower blood cholesterol and help you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.
Eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.

Eat less of the nutrient-poor foods.

Limit foods and beverages high in calories but low in nutrients, and limit how much saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Reading nutrition labels will tell you how much of those nutrients each food or beverage contains.

Daily food choices recommendations:

• Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat. Limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 7% of energy, trans fat to less than1% of energy requirement.
• Select fat-free, 1 percent fat and low-fat dairy products.
• Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
• Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
• Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.
  American Heart Association recommendations on portion sizes:
• Fruits and vegetables: At least 4.5 cups a day
• Fish (preferably oily fish): At least two 3.5-ounce servings a week
• Fiber-rich whole grains: At least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings a day.
• Sodium: Less than 1,500 mg a day
• Sugar-sweetened beverages: No more than 450 calories (36 ounces) a week
• Nuts, legumes and seeds: At least 4 servings a week
• Processed meats: No more than 2 servings a week.
• Saturated fat: Less than 7% of total energy intake

Eating wide variety of nutritious foods daily, simple, small changes in eating habits step by step can make a big difference in living a better life.
Practical Tips and Diet Recommendations

Food choices and preparation

• Use the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list when choosing foods to buy.
• Eat fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables and fruits without high-calorie sauces and added salt and sugars.
• Replace high-calorie foods with fruits and vegetables.
• Increase fiber intake by eating beans (legumes), whole-grain products, fruits, and vegetables.
• Use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats.
• Limit beverages and foods high in added sugars. Common forms of added sugars are sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrups,
• concentrated fruit juice, and honey.
• Choose foods made with whole grains. Common forms of whole grains are whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, corn, popcorn, brown rice, wild rice,
• buckwheat, triticale, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, and sorghum.
• Cut back on pastries and high-calorie bakery products (e.g., muffins, doughnuts).
• Select milk and dairy products that are either fat free or low fat.
• Reduce salt intake by

1. Comparing the sodium content of similar products (e.g., different brands of tomato Sauce) and choosing products with less salt;
2. Choosing versions of processed foods, including cereals and baked goods, that are reduced in salt; and
3. Limiting condiments (e.g., soy sauce, ketchup).

• Use lean cuts of meat and remove skin from poultry before eating.
• Limit processed meats that are high in saturated fat and sodium.
• Grill, bake, or broil fish, meat, and poultry.
• Incorporate vegetable-based meat substitutes into favorite recipes.
• Encourage the consumption of whole vegetables and fruits in place of juices.

DASH Diet:

It is a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet recommended by American Heart Association
The DASH eating plan is easy to follow using common foods available in your grocery store. The DASH eating plan includes daily servings from different food groups. The number of servings you should have depends on your daily calorie (energy) needs.

DASH plan Consider your physical activity level as follows:

• Sedentary means that you do only light physical activity as part of your typical daily routine. Moderately active means that you do physical activity equal to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus light physical activity.
• Active means that you do physical activity equal to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, plus light physical activity.

Details about DASH eating plan at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf