Is Your Kitchen Heart Friendly?

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Is Your Kitchen Heart Friendly?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/177992.php

Lurking in your kitchen may be a killer. According to Saint Louis University

cardiologist Melda Dolan, M.D., the fast, convenient and processed foods that

fill American's freezers and pantries are bad news for your heart and waistline,

as well as your taste buds.

This February, in honor of American Heart Month, Dolan is encouraging the SLU

community to give their kitchen a heart-healthy makeover.

" Maintaining a heart healthy diet is easier than you might think, but it does

require a life-style change, " Dolan said. " Once you learn how to shop for and

cook with fresh ingredients, you'll see that it's easy to do. "

According to Dolan, one's diet plays a major role in the development of heart

disease the No. 1 killer of Americans. Unlike your genes, your diet is something

you can control to directly impact your heart health.

Dolan offers 10 tips for giving your kitchen and diet a heart-healthy makeover.

1. Shop the perimeter of your local grocery store. This is where you will

typically find fresh produce, dairy, seafood and meat.

2. Say goodbye to processed foods such as frozen meals and canned goods. These

items are often very high in sodium and simple carbohydrates.

3. Use fresh herbs to add flavor to your cooking rather than salt. Fresh basil,

mint, rosemary and garlic are among Dolan's favorites.

4. Replace butter with olive and vegetable oil, which are both healthier and

tastier. Instead of serving butter with bread, try olive oil topped with fresh

thyme or basil.

5. Quit frying your foods. Baking, broiling and grilling are much healthier

options. Dolan also recommends slow cooking to get the best flavors out of

vegetables, chicken and fish.

6. Welcome fish and chicken into your diet. While both are low in fat, fish

contains omega fatty acids, which are important in lipid management.

7. Limit red meat and pork. They are higher in fat and speed up the

atherosclerosis process, or hardening of the arteries, which leads to heart

disease.

8. Enjoy fresh fruit for dessert rather than high-calorie options like cake or

ice cream.

9. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink per day (12 oz. beer, 4 oz.

glass of wine or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits). Red wine contains heart-healthy

flavonoids and antioxidants, but that does not make it safe to drink in excess,

Dolan says. Excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism, high blood pressure,

obesity and stroke.

10. Watch your serving size. The key is keeping portion sizes small. Dolan

suggests " tricking " yourself by replacing big plates with smaller,

appetizer-size plates.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the

distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River.

The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical

research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level.

Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer,

infectious disease, liver disease, aging and brain disease and heart/lung

disease.

Source: Saint Louis University Medical Center