Be proactive to protect your heart

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - When it comes to taking care of your heart, it's important to be proactive by making positive choices in your daily diet. Priority Health nutritionist, Amanda Behring, has three simple dos and don'ts to remember when planning your meals.

Three things to increase in your diet:
1. Fruits and vegetables. It's important to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
2. Heart healthy fats such as Omega 3 are important to lower your risk of heart disease. This can be found in fish, nuts and produce like avocado.
3. Make sure your bread and pasta choices are whole grain. This gives you the added fiber you need.

Three things to decrease in your diet:
1. Sodium is something you should look to decrease. Hidden sodium can be found in processed foods and  canned soups so aim to eat more fresh items.
2. Unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fats should be avoided. These are found in many fast food items, high fat dairy and red meat.
3. Try to avoid added sugar. Beverages like juice, soda and energy drinks all have a high content of sugar.

For more information visit www.priorityhealth.com.