Taking care of your heart can feel hard, but it doesn’t have to be. A great place to start is with the foods you eat. Items high in saturated fat, trans fat and sugar can increase your risk of heart disease. But don’t worry, you don’t need to give up all your favorite foods. Small changes can make a big difference over time.
Try these three easy heart-healthy food swaps to get started.
1. Swap out sugary cereals for oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great swap for cereal because it has less sugar, fat and sodium than most cereals. Eating cereal that has a lot of sugar and carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike. Over time, high blood sugar can cause damage to your blood vessels and strain your heart.
Oatmeal is loaded with fiber, antioxidants and several important minerals that keep your body and heart running smoothly.
2. Use olive oil instead of butter
Butter can be high in saturated fat, which is not the best choice when it comes to your heart. Having too much saturated fat in your diet can raise your LDL cholesterol (that’s the “bad” one!), which can lead to clogged arteries, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Instead, reach for olive oil where you would use butter. Olive oil has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help lower your LDL and improve your HDL cholesterol (that’s the “good” one!) levels.
3. Grab crunchy snacks instead of chips
Potato chips are a processed food that has a lot of sodium, unhealthy fats and refined starches. These can increase your LDL and cause buildup in your blood vessels.
Crunchy snacks like air-popped popcorn, nuts and veggies like carrots and cucumbers give you the satisfying crunch while adding nutrients to your diet. A tip to keep these snacks healthy is skipping butter and limiting the amount of salt you add.
Making the swap doesn’t have to be hard!
A lot of people find it hard to make changes in their daily lives, and it can be even harder when it is changes to their diet. However, when you have the right support, making changes to what you eat can be simple.
At HealthLinc, our medical providers can help you find out if you have high cholesterol or are at risk of developing it. They can then help you find small changes you can make in your daily life, like your diet, that can lead to big changes to your health.
Your provider can also refer you to one of our behavioral health therapists (BHTs). BHTs can help you create a plan and build healthy habits.
Don’t wait to make changes to your diet. Even if you don’t have high cholesterol or other heart issues, these small swaps can help your overall health. Get started on your heart health journey today by scheduling an appointment at HealthLinc! Call 888-580-1060.
