(BPT) - Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body. It provides your body with the necessary oxygen and nutrients vital for daily survival. If you want to improve your overall health and protect your heart, simple changes in your lifestyle and diet can make a big impact.

For these changes to stick, focus on adding more healthful foods, rather than just taking things out of your daily diet and routine.

1. Add more seafood

Seafood is not only a good source of protein, but also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The Seafood Nutrition Partnership, citing the American Heart Association, advises eating at least two servings of seafood per week for enough omega-3s and nutrients to show improved health. In particular, fatty fish such as salmon, trout, pollock, barramundi, mackerel, herring, sardines and albacore tuna have the highest amounts of the heart-healthy nutrients that help prevent cardiovascular disease.

To incorporate more fish into your diet, start with the recipe for Easy Lemon Pepper Salmon from The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

When selecting fish, whether fresh, frozen or canned, look for the MSC blue fish label to know you’re choosing sustainable seafood that’s good for you and good for the ocean. The MSC is a global nonprofit dedicated to protecting wild seafood for generations to come. By taking the simple step to look for the MSC label when purchasing seafood, you can help protect oceans from overfishing, support fishermen and fishing communities, and promote traceability — from the ocean to your delicious seafood dish.

2. Seek healthy fats

Not all fats are created equal. With all the fad diets that come and go, the Mediterranean diet continues to top media and nutritionists' lists of best plans for healthy eating. It's also been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The most commonly used fat in the Mediterranean diet is olive oil, which is great for cooking, salad dressings and more. Other healthy fats come from the foods themselves, like the unsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, seeds or avocados.

The Mediterranean approach is also plant-based, adding proteins like fish, lean meat, poultry and dairy (in moderation).

3. Opt for whole grains

Also featured in the Mediterranean plan are whole grains like brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat bread, oats and quinoa. Less-processed grains are healthier because they have both higher nutritional value and better fiber content.

The nutrients in many whole grains — including potassium, iron, phosphorus and more — help boost your heart health. The higher fiber in whole grains aids digestion and can help you keep your weight down, which can also improve your heart's function.

4. Focus on plants

You've probably heard a lot about plant-based eating recently. That's because of the growing awareness of both the health and the environmental benefits of focusing a larger portion of your diet on plants. Including a wider range of differently colored fruits and vegetables — plus nuts, seeds, beans and legumes — will give you the greatest nutritional benefits.

Plants offer tons of nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber — and many contain more protein than you might expect. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that eating more plant-based proteins is associated with lower heart disease risk in middle-aged adults.

5. Amp up your movement

Another vital ingredient in a heart-healthy lifestyle is exercise. Adding more daily movement helps you look and feel better, inside and out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, plus muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week. It's always best to consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise plan.

Choosing whole foods over processed foods will improve your heart health. Using herbs and spices can also make your meal plan easier to stick to. Not only do some seasonings — like ginger, garlic and turmeric — offer positive health benefits, but they can also reduce unhealthy cravings by satisfying your taste buds.

What’s good for your heart also can be good for the environment. When you make looking for sustainably-sourced, heart-healthy products part of your routine, you create a win-win for your health and for the health of the planet.

Men’s Health Matters

5 tips to maintain overall wellbeing

(Family Features) While family history and age cannot be changed, there are everyday steps men can follow to take charge of their health, including prostate health, and maybe even prevent problems down the road.

Consider these tips to help lead a healthier lifestyle.

Get checked out regularly. Just because you’re healthy doesn’t mean you should eschew routine checkups, and that includes self-examinations. While regular visits to your health care provider can keep you up-to-date on preventative screenings and immunizations, getting to know your own body can have similar benefits.

Care for your prostate. If you’re experiencing frequent urination, a weak or slow urine stream, incomplete bladder emptying, difficulty or delay in starting urination or a urine stream that stops and starts, these may be signs you may be suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), otherwise known as enlarged prostate.1 Enlarged prostate, which is non-cancerous and affects more than 40 million American men, can also cause loss of productivity and sleep, according to research published in the “Journal of Urology.”2,3 Medication is often the first line of treatment, but some patients may suffer uncomfortable side effects including dizziness, headaches and sexual dysfunction, which can prompt them to quit using their medications.4

“Many men living with BPH symptoms take prescription medications after they have been diagnosed, but relief can be inadequate and temporary,” said Dr. Peter Walter, M.D., urologist and paid consultant for Teleflex Incorporated, the manufacturer of the UroLift® System.

As one alternative to medication, an option like the UroLift System treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t require any cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue.5 A urologist places small implants to lift and move enlarged prostate tissue so it no longer blocks the urethra and can allow for normal urine flow. Most common side effects are mild to moderate, and patients generally can return to their normal routines with minimal downtime. For more information about treatment options, or to find a urologist near you who treats BPH, visit UroLift.com.

Focus on a more nutritious diet. Aim for a pattern of healthier eating that includes more fruits, vegetables and leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale and broccoli, which can help keep you – and your prostate – healthy.6 Also try to cut back on consumption of red meat – specifically processed meat – as well as salt and sweets.

Know your numbers. Be sure to discuss your family history and lifestyle with your doctor as he or she may recommend screenings for diseases and common ailments. Be sure to keep up with these screenings and check in with your doctor to make sure you’re accounting for milestone ages and common ailments associated with aging.

Make exercise a priority. Exercise is a key to maintaining quality of life. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for adults.7 Even shorter increments of physical activity multiple times a day such as a walking meeting, opting for the stairs instead of the elevator or parking farther from your destination can provide health and stress-relieving benefits.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

1. Speakman et al. 2014 BJUI International
2. Berry, J Urol 1984 and 2017 U.S. Census population estimates.
3. NeoTract US Market Model estimates for 2018 based on IMS Health Drug and Procedure data
4. AUA BPH Guidelines 2003, 2010, 2018
5. Roehrborn J Urol 2013 LIFT Study
6. Tips for Keeping a Healthy Prostate. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/tips-for-keeping-a-healthy-prostate
7. www.heart.org. (2019). American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. [online] Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

Beat Sugar Addiction for Better Weight Loss Results

(Family Features) If your weight loss goals keep falling flat despite your best intentions, it may be due to an addiction you don’t even know you have. An addiction to sugar doesn’t mean that you can’t resist a slice of chocolate cake; it’s a true physiological addiction.

World-renowned cardiologist and creator of the original South Beach Diet, Dr. Arthur Agatston, believes the secret is cutting out sugar and embracing a keto-friendly lifestyle. 

“Sugar addiction, resulting in insulin resistance, is a big contributor to obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” Agatston said. “‘The New Keto-Friendly South Beach Diet’ follows the proven principles of the low-carb South Beach Diet, includes the keto diet’s higher fat and increases lean protein to combat sugar addiction and improve health.”

Agatston’s book is unique in that it follows the proven principles of a low-carb, good-carb, good-fat, healthy-protein approach, layers in science-backed elements of a higher fat diet and modifies it to increase protein.

Consider these insights from Agatson to help a achieve a healthier lifestyle by blending the keto and low-carb approaches into one eating plan:

More carbs and protein than keto: A keto-friendly, low-carb diet does not require a person to be in strict ketosis to put his or her body into fat burning mode, lose weight and reap the health benefits. The heart-healthy eating plan is both low carb and high fat but allows for higher levels of carbohydrates and provide more protein than strict keto.

A different approach to burning fat: A keto and low-carb eating plan switches your body from “fat storage” to “fat burning” by decreasing blood insulin levels without going into ketosis, achieving essentially the same results with a more flexible diet that is low in carbs and high in fat and protein.

Clarity on good vs. bad fats: Research shows saturated fats are generally healthy, and the relationship between omega-6 vegetable oils and omega-3 fish oils has been better characterized. Omega-6 vegetable oils are now classified as bad fats while there is more evidence omega-3 fats are good for you.

Increased metabolism: Metabolism has been shown to increase with lower insulin levels.
When a person eats too much sugar or quickly digestible carbs, their insulin levels increase. If this happens over time, the body responds by going into fat storage mode. Low-carb diets reduce insulin levels, helping unlock that fat so the body can metabolize it at a higher rate.

Conscious timing of meals: Someone who adopts a keto or low-carb diet may also find benefits from intermittent fasting, or extending the time between meals, as an effective strategy to jumpstart weight loss or to get back on track after a plateau. The notion is not that one must fast, but that longer stretches between eating, specifically eating low carb, helps with insulin reduction. An example of this would be to eat breakfast as added food for lunch or eat breakfast for lunch and have lunch as a midday snack.

For more advice to help attain your weight loss goals, visit SouthBeachDiet.com.

Resolve to Make Real Nutrition a New Year Priority

(Family Features) A new year signals a chance to renew your commitment to healthier eating, but many of the most popular diets, like the keto diet and paleo diet, eliminate entire food groups, which can cause you to fall short on nutrients you need.

For example, a study in the “Journal of Clinical Lipidology” suggests low-carb diets may not have meaningful long-term benefits for weight or heart health compared to other diets and could actually restrict foods that are good for your heart.

This new year, instead of jumping on restrictive diet bandwagons, focus instead on consuming real, wholesome foods you can still enjoy, like dairy milk, that deliver benefits backed by decades of research.

Consider these tips for incorporating nutrient-rich foods into a few trending diets to make them work for you.

Intermittent Fasting: Skipping meals could do more harm than good if you’re not getting the nutrients you need to be your best. A better bet: balanced, flavorful meals that incorporate multiple food groups. If you really want to try intermittent fasting, consider not eating past a certain time in the evening so you can “fast” throughout the night, and make sure to eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning, like oatmeal made with real milk, topped with fruit and a handful of nuts.

Plant-Packed Plates: If you’re considering a vegetarian or plant-based diet in the new year, it’s important to pack the right nutrients into your meatless meals, particularly protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Make sure you’re getting enough by enjoying a variety of plant-based foods like beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables along with some other thoughtfully chosen options. Real dairy milk is a good choice in a vegetarian diet, providing as much as eight times more protein than many non-dairy milk alternatives. Each 8-ounce glass is also a source of vitamin D, and an excellent source of calcium and vitamin B12.

Focus On Fats: If you’re keeping closer tabs on your fat intake, it’s important to choose the right ones and know that a growing body of evidence suggests not all saturated fats are the same. For example, whole milk, which has more dairy fat than skim or low-fat varieties, may actually help raise “good” cholesterol and could be considered part of a diet that’s also good for your heart, according to research in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”

Calorie Conscious: Monitoring the calories you consume versus the calories you burn through exercise and everyday activity can help manage the fuel your body needs. When you consistently burn more calories than you eat, you are more likely to effectively lose weight. However, that doesn’t mean you have to forgo all your favorite foods. For example, when it comes to dairy, swapping full-fat options for skim or low-fat alternatives is one way to receive the same nutrient package with less fat and calories.

Make better nutritional balance a priority this new year and find more advice and recipes at MilkLife.com.

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