7 Healthy Heart Food Swaps

Heart disease is one of the top killers in the nation -- but you don’t have to become a statistic. You can dramatically improve your heart health with one habit: swap out the foods that harm your heart and replace them with heart-helping foods. Practice consistently, and by the end of the month, you will have a new eating habit that will pave the way for a long and heart-healthy life!

This is the sixth habit in the 2011 Longevity Program, a yearlong plan of monthly activities that comes from the habits of centenarians from around the world. The idea of this program is that by choosing a simple activity and doing it every day, you will gradually develop 12 new healthy habits by the end of the year. Would you like to do the whole year program? Look at my previous Yahoo! Blog “The Longevity Resolution: Live to 100”.

If you are interested in a more formal longevity program, check out my new book Secrets of Longevity 8-Week Program, a journal that will transform your health and lengthen your years.

June’s Habit: Make one heart-healthy food swap every day

Here’s why: Aside from genetic predisposition, the most common causes of elevated cholesterol and heart disease are poor diet and too little physical activity. Our Western-style dietary habits are shortening our life spans! Meanwhile, heart disease is far less common among people living in rural areas of Brazil, China, and African nations, where the diet is very different. It’s true that you should get plenty of exercise for heart health, but you can also protect your heart with the food you eat. Take almonds for example: a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association demonstrated that eating almonds significantly increased vitamin E levels in the blood while lowering cholesterol. Also, mono- and poly-unsaturated fats contain cardio-protective components to reduce inflammation. Here are seven food swaps that will keep your heart pumping strong, one for each day of the week. Start with just one every day!

7 Heart Healthy Food Swaps:

1.  Swap out butter for hummus or almond butter
2.  Swap out trans fats and other unhealthy oils for olive, flaxseed, sesame, and organic coconut oils
3. Cut the salt and replace with fresh or dried herbs
4. Swap out the greasy fries and fried snacks for an apple or nuts and seeds, especially almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds
5. Swap out the white flour foods, such as white bread, white rice, and pasta for whole grains, such as whole grain bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa, and wheat bran
6. Cut back on heavy meat and eat more fish, especially halibut, mackerel, salmon, sea bass, and tuna
7. Swap out fake foods for fiber-filled beans, vegetables, and fruits

Reward Yourself

If you stick to the plan nearly every day, think of a way to reward yourself. You will be more likely to follow through with your goal when there is a perk in sight.

Stay on Track

To stay on course, ask yourself these questions each day. Keeping a written record of daily answers will help you stick to the plan and may offer insights to keep you inspired.

• Are you making at least one heart-healthy food swap every day? What has the experience been like for you? Do you encounter a lot of resistance when you try to give up certain foods? Which ones and why do you think you resist?
• How do you feel today compared to the previous day? How about to one week ago? You may notice that you feel a little lighter and perhaps less sluggish.
• What obstacles are keeping you from making at least one heart-healthy food swap every day? What can you do to remove the obstacle?

Make it happen! An answer for every excuse

Miss a day? Sometimes during a busy week, you may miss a day or two. This does not mean you are a failure! Forgive yourself and consider the reasons for missing a few days. What could you do differently for more successful results? Then, recommit, make adjustments, and continue where you left off. Don’t ever give up!

Too hard! Rome wasn’t built in a day. This month’s plan gives you options so that you don’t have to change your whole diet overnight. If you aren’t ready to part with your white pasta, start small with swaps you can make. At your next midday snack, choose an apple instead of the chips. Make it easier by preparing your pantry for success. Get rid of the butter and make sure you have a jar of almond butter or hummus on hand. Don’t buy fatty snacks -- instead, stock up on trail mix, carrots, and wheat bread.

Food cravings too strong. Breaking a habit is often much more difficult than creating the habit in the first place. Once you have already built a habit through repetitive practice, you do it automatically, almost without thinking about it. If you usually munch on a bag of chips and sip a soda at 3:00pm every day, it will take extra vigilance and effort to overcome the unhealthy habit. The trick here is to be aware and to be prepared. When you feel a snack craving coming on, notice it, and ask yourself “what will happen if I don’t get the chips?” You may be disappointed or maybe even irritated -- but you will live. Be prepared by making sure you have a heart-healthy snack that is appetizing to you. And make sure there are no chips in sight! 

On June 30: If you have been making at least one healthy food swap a day, it is likely that you have created new healthy dietary habits. Keep up the good work and stay tuned for July, where you learn how to keep your brain in tip-top shape! Look for my monthly articles to guide you through a healthy and happy 2011.

You can find more ways to live a long and healthy life in Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, which is now available on Kindle. In addition, The Natural Health Dictionary makes a great companion to your quest for longevity. It is a comprehensive guide that answers all your questions about natural remedies, healing herbs, longevity foods, vitamins, and supplements.

I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

—Dr. Mao

This blog is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

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