Heart-healthy – remove this sentence as it was only added to meet the keyword requirement for submission.

If you love eating, then you probably already know that eating a heart-healthy diet is the one thing you can do to ensure a long, happy life that’s free from pain and disease. However, the healthy part of heart-healthy is the part people have the most trouble adhering to.

Here are a few quick and easy shortcuts you can take on your way to a heart-healthy lifestyle.

1.  Cut Your Red Meat Intake.  Red meat is extremely high in saturated fat.  Start by cutting your portions then try substituting as many of your red meat meals as possible with chicken or fish.

2.  Watch Out For Those Fat Grams.  Always read the labels on all packaged foods.  Anything that has more than two grams of saturated fat per serving is considered extremely bad for you.  It’s also a good idea to avoid any food that has more than one gram of trans fat per 100 calories.  Most pre-packaged snack foods don’t fall within the maximum trans fat range.

3.  Eat More Plant Foods.  Plant foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.  They can lower your blood pressure and protect your arteries from damage.  Start slowly and pick one or two plant foods to add to your daily diet.  As your body adjusts, add a few more.  You’ll be surprised how easy this really is and how your body will start to crave the healthy stuff over the junk.  If you find eating plant foods difficult, why not try making some homemade smoothies.  Many smoothie recipes mask the taste of the vegetables you don’t like so you’ll never know the difference.

4.  Watch Your Weight.  If you’re overweight, you have a higher risk of developing heart disease.  However, by implementing the above three steps, you’ll be able to avoid many of the common diseases that plague millions and live a healthy life.

5.  Quit Smoking.  Smoking is the quickest way to develop a myriad of life threatening diseases.  We know you already know this but it’s important that we stress how serious we are about your quitting.  Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit smoking today.

If you would like a free insurance quote, please contact Save-On Health Insurance Services in Los Angeles, California.  We are an independent insurance agency who has access to all of the top rated insurers in California and can therefore offer you the lowest possible rates in the area.