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Training and Education Command

United States Marine Corps
Rev up cardiac health with proper diet, healthy lifestyle

By Sgt. A. Lyn Bell | | February 07, 2003

MCRD PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The number one killer of Americans is not some sneaky assassin with a gun. It is not a haphazard weapon of mass destruction - unless you think the U.N. Security Council should sanction fast food conglomerates.
The real number one killer in America is heart disease. The Food and Drug Administration, a government agency charged to ensure foods are safe, wholesome and honestly labeled, has been chastising more than burger joints over the growing threat which invades the heart, impacting it with cholesterol and hardening its arteries. 
The FDA is calling for Americans to be informed about how to monitor their own diets to help ward off this growing threat. That warning manifests in an easy list to follow: Eat less fat, less sodium, fewer calories and more fiber. The American Heart Association, a non-profit organization aimed at reducing strokes and heart disease, adds the need for exercise to that list.
Less fat
Fats come in different forms. While the body needs certain fats for energy and repair, too much of a good thing can be deadly. Bad fats are usually found in animal products like meat, milk, cheese and butter. They are also in palm and coconut oils. Not to say vegan is the way to go, but cutting back on the bacon cheeseburgers could reduce the cholesterols muffling your cardiac thump.
Hold the salt
Sodium adds a dollop of flavor to food and punches blood pressure through the roof. We need salt in our diet, just like fats, but food companies trying to enhance the flavor of their products do a good job of salting your dinner before you even get to the supermarket, so there's no need to tip that shaker to tantalize your taste buds. Added flavor can be found in a host of herbs and spices if you're not satisfied with the flavor.
No thanks to second helpings
Eat more calories than you need and you'll gain weight. Being overweight adds stress to your heart. Then you die.
The chain of events is matter-of-fact, either way you look at it. Eat less, you lose weight and the effects on your health take a positive turn. Even for high-energy athletes who need thousands more calories than the average person, eating in smaller quantities throughout the day provides a healthier alternative to the three squares piled high with extra helpings on the side.
Fiber fit
Fiber comes in more forms than a bowl of bran flakes. Fruits, vegetables and grain all contain fiber in various degrees and act as housekeepers in the temple. Fiber can help change the negative effects of a lifetime of bad dieting and can take up some space to keep the gluttons from overindulging. 
The basic breakdown
Saturated fat is bad. You can find it in red meat and pork, palm and coconut oils. Monounsaturated fat is good. It's in seafood, olive and canola oils. Polyunsaturated fats are good for you too. They are in seafood and plants oils, such as safflower and corn oils.
Say no thanks to the saltshaker and instead, add some spice to your diet with a wide range of spices and herbs. Reduce the amount you eat to improve and maintain your weight. Eat more meals, with smaller portions, to even out energy throughout the day. Fill up on grains, fruits and vegetables to satisfy your hunger, and provide some much needed fiber.
Just move
As for exercise, AHA suggests, just move. Lack of physical exercise could account for a 30 - 50 percent greater risk to your cardiac system. Regular activity, even if it's just walking 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your blood pressure. Doing anything it seems, is better than nothing.
Make a toast to heart health
The AHA also promotes the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. Having a single serving of wine or beer per day provides antioxidants and other heart-happy products to reduce cholesterol and heart stress.
They also suggest snuffing the cigarettes, which accounts for some of the worst effects on the heart and its arteries.
For more information on transforming your diet and upping your activity level, the FDA and AHA offer helpful tips at their respective Web sites at www.fda.gov and www.americanheart.org.


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