Changing your health for the better #1: Be kind to your heart

This week, our posts focus on 5 ways that you can change your health for the better. It's never too late to start making healthy choices and living a healthy life full of vitality. At Mettler Center, our focus is on whole life fitness - but more importantly, whole life health. We encourage you to implement healthy practices into your own life, one step at a time. Make gradual changes and give yourself time to adjust so you are more likely to maintain them. It IS possible to live a better life, so take the time and make the effort to do so!

Let us know what tips you have for living a healthier life. Have you made changes to your daily lifestyle for the better? Did you overcome and obstacles doing so? Share your story with us and others to help us all in our journey!

Changing your health for the better #1: Be kind to your heart

An estimated 102 million Americans have cholesterol levels that put them at risk of a heat attack, the American Heart Association says. We should get blood tests starting at the age of 20, and then continue to have them at least every 5 years.

We know that losing weight and reducing the stress in our life will help lower our cholesterol and help keep our heart healthy. However, these can be large, daunting goals for some. Follow these smaller tips to help your reach your ultimate goal to keep your ticker in top shape:

1. Fill up on Fiber: Fiber makes you feel full, keeps your gastrointestinal system working well and helps lower cholesterol levels. The Institute of Medicine recommends 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories; if you consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories daily, that's 22 to 28 grams each day.

How to do it:

• Lentils or black beans (15-16 grams per cup)
• Split peas (16 grams per cup)
• Raspberries (8 grams per cup)
• Pears (5.5 grams per medium pear with skin)
• Cooked broccoli (5 grams per cup)
• Cooked oatmeal (4 grams per cup)

2. Cut back on Saturated Fat: Less than 7 percent of your total daily calories should come from saturated fat (that is 16 grams if you consume 2,000 calories or less) especially if you have elevated LDL cholesterol levels, says the American Heart Association.

How to do it:

• Low-fat dairy products
• Lean cuts of meat, such as flank steak, round or loin cuts
• White-meat poultry
• Olive or canola oil (instead of butter)
• Avocado (instead of mayo)
• Nuts and seeds (same crunch as potato chips, but much healthier)

3. Put more food on your plate: Add a fruit or vegetable to every meal and snack and you are more likely to fill up on nutritious foods than artery cloggers such as potato chips, cheese and red meat.

How to do it:

• Asparagus (1/2 cup cooked): 85 calories
• Carrots (1/2 cup cooked): 35 calories
• Celery (1 stalk raw): 5 calories
• Eggplant (1/2 cup cooked): 17 calories
• Green Peas (1/2 cup cooked): 67 calories
• Lettuce (1 cup raw): 5 calories
• Sweet Green Peppers (1/2 cup raw): 9 calories
• Tomato (1 medium raw): 25 calories
• White Mushrooms (1/2 cup raw): 8 calories
• Zucchini (1/2 cup raw): 9 calories