A balanced diet, please.

Newspaper stands, talk shows, billboards are plastered with ways to get thin from skipping meals to eating pounds of meat per day. Diet fads come and go along with the pounds they promised. When it comes down to the line, the end goal is health. If an individual is healthy they can contribute to society, enrich the lives of others, and live a good life. Nutrition isn’t all about what to avoid, it’s also about eating recommended amounts of vitamins, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and minerals. Public Health is about having a healthy diet.

Healthy People 2010 has 2 main goals: eliminate health disparities and increase healthy years of living. There are many ways to achieve these goals as broken down in their paper. Eating a balanced diet can help achieve these main goals. As certain nutrients are consumed, they can prevent against diseases, lower risk factors, and give the body the strength to fight off bacteria and viruses. With each day, we can all make small adjustments in our diets to align our food consumption to those recommendations put forth by the USDA. Through these small adjustments, we in turn can lead healthier lives.

A healthy heart, please.

As science continues to unfold her many mysteries, we learn important information about nutrition and how to keep our bodies, more specifically our hearts, healthy. As of December 31, 2009, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Last year alone it killed over 631, 636 people in the United States. The causes of heart disease  vary based on the type of heart disease. 

A common form of heart disease is atherosclerosis, the thickening of arterial walls from a buildup of fatty plaques such as cholesterol. It is caused by an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking.

Another form of heart disease is heart arrhythmia. It is caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, excessive use of alcohol or caffeine, and drug abuse.

There are many foods out there which can help sustain a healthy heart and keep the buildup of fatty plaque low. 

Oatmeal 
Oatmeal is full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. It is high in fiber and has been shown to lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol. 

Salmon 
Salmon is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. It can also reduce blood pressure. Two servings of wild salmon (farm-raised salmon have higher levels of insecticides, and other harmful chemicals) are recommended per week. 

Avocado 
Avocados have monounsaturated fat which can help lower LDL levels and raising the amount of HDL levels of cholesterol.

Olive oil 
Olive oil is also high in monounsaturated fats thus lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol. This in turn helps to reduces the risk of developing heart disease.

Nuts 
Almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. They have fiber and are a source of good fat.

Berries 
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries have anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and are high in fiber.

Legumes 
Lentils, chickpeas, and black or kidney beans are full of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fiber.

Spinach 
Spinach contains lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber all of which increase heart health.

Flaxseed 
Flaxseed is high in fiber , omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids.

Soy 

Soy is a great source of lean protein as long as it it low in sodium.

As we each look for simple ways to change our daily food intake, we will increase our health by lowering our risk for heart disease.