Small diet tweaks can help your heart and overall health
Small, gradual diet changes—such as swapping out chips, crackers, or cookies for a handful of mixed nuts—can help lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Other suggestions include replacing one fast-food hamburger per week with a sandwich (either from a supermarket or homemade); eating an extra serving of fruit per day by adding fresh, frozen, or canned fruit to a serving of yogurt; and adding vegetables such as spinach or kale to a fruit smoothie. The idea is to work on incorporating just one change for a week, then gradually adding more changes over time. The potential benefits may also include weight loss, improved quality of life, and health care cost savings.
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