Trendy diets come and go, and while many promise great results—such as weight loss or improved energy—they also require careful attention and, ideally, help from a healthcare provider. For many people, these diets are also difficult to sustain over the long term, so the positive results gained can be lost when going back to a “normal” diet.
WHAT DOES A LONG-TERM HEALTHY DIET LOOK LIKE?
When it comes to making healthy eating a part of your lifestyle, there are many changes you can make to lose weight, feel better, and live longer. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet are focused around building a large selection of healthy foods from all food groups, rather than avoiding specific macronutrients (such as carbohydrates or fats).
For example, the Mediterranean diet focuses on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as the base of your diet, with healthy fats coming from foods such as avocados, nuts, and fish. Dairy, meats, sweets, and alcohol do have a place in the diet, but should be consumed in moderation. Keeping to this diet for the long term will not only help you lose weight, but will also improve your heart health by reducing your risk for issues such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. For healthy recipes that follow the Mediterranean diet, check out our Healthy Foodie collection of recipes at: chistvincent.com/betteryou
ARE HIGH PROTEIN DIETS HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE?
One diet that you may have heard of recently is the Keto diet, which is a type of low-carb diet that can help you shed pounds quickly.
While losing weight reduces your risk for diabetes and high blood pressure, some low-carb diets encourage eating more fats and meats, which could have an impact on your cholesterol level. However, that doesn’t mean the diets are dangerous. In fact, CHI St. Vincent offers a medically managed diet program based on the principles of the Keto diet, called Ideal Protein. To find out if this might be a good option for you, talk to your provider, or call 501.255.6087.
Heart healthy meals for your family don’t have to be complicated. Pledge to become the heart of your home today and get a copy of CHI St. Vincent’s Healthy Foodie magazine: chistvincent.com/moreheart