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NEWS
Guidelines
For Heart Healthy Living
 Whatever
your blood cholesterol level, you can make changes to help
lower it or keep it low and reduce your risk for heart disease.
These are guidelines for heart-healthy living that the whole
family (including children ages 2 and above) can follow.
Choose
foods low in saturated fat
All
foods that contain fat are made up of a mixture of saturated
and unsaturated fats. Saturated fat raises your blood cholesterol
level more than anything else you eat. The best way to reduce
blood cholesterol is to choose foods lower in saturated fat.
One way to help your family do this is by choosing foods such
as fruits, vegetables and whole grains,-foods naturally low
in total fat and high in starch and fiber.
Choose foods low in saturated fat.
Since many foods high in total fat are also high in saturated
fat, eating foods low in total fat will help your family eat
less saturated fat. When you do eat fat, substitute unsaturated
fat-either polyunsaturated or monounsaturated-for saturated
fat. Fat is a rich source of calories, so eating foods low
in fat will also help you eat fewer calories. Eating fewer
calories can help you lose weight-and if you are overweight,
losing weight is an important part of lowering your blood
cholesterol. (Consult your family doctor if you have concern
about your child's weight.)
 Choose
foods high in starch and fiber
Foods high in starch and fiber are excellent substitutes for
foods high in saturated fat. These foods-breads, cereals,
pasta, grains, fruits, and vegetables-are low in saturated
fat and cholesterol. They are also lower in calories than
foods that are high in fat. But limit fatty toppings and spreads
like butter and sauces made with cream and whole milk dairy
products. Foods high in starch and fiber are also good sources
of vitamins and minerals. When eaten as part of a diet low
in saturated fat and cholesterol, foods with soluble fiber,
like oat and barley bran and dry peas and beans, may help
to lower blood cholesterol.
Choose foods low in cholesterol.
Remember,
dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol, although
usually not as much as saturated fat. So it's important for
your family to choose foods low in dietary cholesterol. Dietary
cholesterol is found only in foods that come form animals.
And even if an animal food is low in saturated fat, it may
be high in cholesterol; for instance, organ meats like liver
and egg yolks are low in saturated fat but high in cholesterol.
Egg whites and foods from plant sources do not have cholesterol.
Be
more physically active
Being more physically active helps improve blood cholesterol
levels: it can raise HDL and lower LDL. Being more active
also can help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure,
improve the fitness of your heart and blood vessels, and reduce
stress. And being active together is great for the entire
family. Maintain a healthy weight, and lose weight if you
are overweight. People who are overweight tend to have higher
blood cholesterol levels than people of a healthy weight.
Overweight adults with an "apple" shape--bigger
(pot) belly--tend to have a higher risk for heart disease
than those with a "pear" shape--bigger hips and
thighs. Whatever your body shape, when you cut the fat in
your diet, you cut down on the richest source of calories.
A family eating pattern high in starch and fiber instead of
fat is a good way to help control weight. Do not go on crash
diets that are very low in calories since they can be harmful
to your health. If you are overweight, losing even a little
weight can help to lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol.
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