Nutrition is a key for a healthy body and healthy mind as well as the cornerstone to decease prevention and healing.

Good Nutrition is needed in any stage of our lives, healthy or sick.

If you are suffering from heart disease or feel you might be at risk the good news is that there are not specific requirements for your diet. The bad news is ….there are not specific requirements for your diet… Basically work on improving your eating habits and make it a priority. Yes, the emphasis for nutrition requirements for a healthy heart is how fast you need to get there. Here you have 5 tips for inspiration:

1.  Work on ways to decrease that saturated fat intake. Think healthy and nutritious before convenient foods. Be creative, have you tried veggie patties? really really try them? Different brands taste different, after you add some organic ketchup and some “Veggionaise” that makes for a delicious hamburger. I have tricked the most stubborn meat lovers with this.
2. Hate veggies? Me too! When people think about vegetables they think of steamed vegetables on a plate. I love veggies but hate them that way. If you take a piece of chicken into boiling water without adding anything else, will that be tasty? Well, the same goes with vegetables, they need to be prepared to be attractive and tasty, look for recipes and try them out. I have not found a man that didn’t like my cheeseless broccoli soup (yes, no cheese on it, et me know if you’d like the recipe).
3.  Start to eat fruits and vegetables. Baby steps; I remember my first fruit resolution “Eat one apple a week” before I knew it I was doing my 5 servings a day without even realizing it. Cucumber slices (very thin) are easy to nibble on. Avocados, with a little bit of salt can be eating on slices or as a spread.
4. Want fries? Think baked potatoes, even with the butter on top it makes for an smarter choice. Want bread? be adventurous, just this time ask for whole wheat, or oat bran, white bread is boring and not heart friendly.
5. Juice it! Fruit and Veggie juices are a great way to complete those daily servings, Juicing is used even for cancer treatments and it should be used on health as well. Just remember not to go over 5-6 servings; fruits loose their fiber when juiced and they become too high in sugar.

Do I need to say it? Don’t smoke, period! If you feel this is a vice you can not break, think again, look for help, use gum, use patches, get a hobby, and just stop it. You owe it to yourself and the ones who care about you. Besides if you get in the path of good nutrition, stop smoking will not make gain weight.

All you have to do is to start making changes, here and there, one day at a time.
Live a little! They tell me when they see me eating healthy.  I rather live a lot and feel good while I am at it.

I was a fast food, meal skipper, always sick person. I was there, so I know it is difficult to change and rebuild yourself. But if you come over to the healthy gang, you will build a healthy happier you. It really rocks!

To your heart (and the rest of you body)