If you didn’t grow up with healthy habits as a child, you may have a greater risk of bringing bad habits with you into adulthood, which can negatively affect your heart health.That’s why it’s so important to take a closer look at the food choices you’re making on a daily basis — you want to make sure you’re promoting good eating habits at home. However, making the right choices isn’t always easy. Here are three heart healthy tips to keep you and your family on track:
3 Heart Healthy Tips for Family
1. Educate yourself
Foods that claim to be “all natural” or “100% natural” may still contain processed sweeteners, colors and preservatives, so it’s important to read your labels. In general, the more processed your food is, the less healthy it will often be. Stick to the outside aisles at your supermarket and look for terms like “certified organic,” “cage-free,” “grass fed,” and “hormone-free.” However, keep in mind that these foods may be more expensive. If you’re on a budget, the Environmental Working Group has put together lists like “the dirty dozen” (foods with the most pesticide residue) and “the clean fifteen” (foods with the least pesticide residue) to help you make smart buying choices.
2. Get support
Join forces with friends and family members or look for health-focused groups online. Find someone who shares your health goals and aspirations — you’ll find it easier to stay on track when you have people around who know what you’re going through and are ready to support you. Plus, you can make healthy cooking a fun hobby by searching and pinning favorite recipes to Pinterest or creating a cookbook scrapbook!
3. Bring something new to the table
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Put a new spin on a familiar dish, try new flavor combinations or add an unexpected garnish. Make dinner a social occasion that brings everyone back to the table. Find inspiration on sites like Pinterest, Food Gawker and Food Network and look for discounted cookbooks at your local bookstore.
Cheers to Heart Health!
3 Heart Healthy Tips for Family
1. Educate yourself
Foods that claim to be “all natural” or “100% natural” may still contain processed sweeteners, colors and preservatives, so it’s important to read your labels. In general, the more processed your food is, the less healthy it will often be. Stick to the outside aisles at your supermarket and look for terms like “certified organic,” “cage-free,” “grass fed,” and “hormone-free.” However, keep in mind that these foods may be more expensive. If you’re on a budget, the Environmental Working Group has put together lists like “the dirty dozen” (foods with the most pesticide residue) and “the clean fifteen” (foods with the least pesticide residue) to help you make smart buying choices.
2. Get support
Join forces with friends and family members or look for health-focused groups online. Find someone who shares your health goals and aspirations — you’ll find it easier to stay on track when you have people around who know what you’re going through and are ready to support you. Plus, you can make healthy cooking a fun hobby by searching and pinning favorite recipes to Pinterest or creating a cookbook scrapbook!
3. Bring something new to the table
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Put a new spin on a familiar dish, try new flavor combinations or add an unexpected garnish. Make dinner a social occasion that brings everyone back to the table. Find inspiration on sites like Pinterest, Food Gawker and Food Network and look for discounted cookbooks at your local bookstore.
Cheers to Heart Health!