health: Diet and exercise are important to maintain total health

A common misconception—Fats!
There are many different types of fats, some are healthier than others. Did you know that unsaturated fats can actually help you lose weight when eaten in moderation?

Saturated fats are found naturally in animal products such as dairy and meats. This type of saturated fat sticks to the arteries and clogs them when consumed in high quantity, and can lead to cardiovascular disease, overweight, obesity or diabetes. Other saturated fats are found in nuts, seeds, oils, and fish; however the difference in saturated fat in animal products is cholesterol.

While animal products contribute to bad cholesterol (LDL) nuts, avocados, seeds, fish, and oils all help to decrease bad cholesterol and promote cardiovascular health (raising HDL, good cholesterol). Most of the total fat found in nuts, seeds, avocados, fish, and oils are from unsaturated fat, also known as mono- and polyunsaturated fat. These fats are full of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.

Helpful hints:

Try to eat leaner protein foods such as low-fat dairy, chicken, turkey, fish and pork chops or pork loin. If you are craving some red meat, try to get ground sirloin instead of ground chuck or round, and drain the fat after it cooks. Eat less cured or salted meats or fish such as ham, hotdogs, bacon, cod, salami or gravalo.

Incorporate more healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds or fish into your diet. Instead of using butter, try using oils that are liquid at room temperature. Safflower, sunflower, canola, grape seed and soy oil are all great oils for cooking and for salad dressing.

Try to keep total fat to 20-35 percent of your diet, comprised mostly of healthy fats.

Try to keep total cholesterol under 300mg per day and, if at risk for cardiovascular disease, 200mg per day to avoid complications.

Being active doesn’t mean you have to get bulky muscle. 30-60 minutes of physical activity five days a week is the recommended standard. Exercise helps increase bone density and general muscle and tendon strength to help support the body as it ages, decreasing the likelihood for injuries.

Exercise helps you:

Boost metabolism and increase blood flow to keep the brain awake.

Lose or maintain weight.

Balance out mood fluctuations with serotonin.

Combat diseases and health conditions from beginning, or improve your quality of life with a current condition.

Look and feel better about yourself and body image.

Improve your quality of sleep.

The food that we eat is what our body uses to survive. Choose nutritious foods over convenience or processed quick fixes. We eat to sustain our lives. We eat for energy. Use the energy that is consumed to stay healthy and fit!