This all started with a bang. A few years ago, my father had a heart attack. I almost couldn’t believe it at the time because he was so young and appeared to be so healthy. We always seemed to eat very well growing up using a dietary philosophy that I still follow to this day. Canada food guide, portions containing fruit, vegetable, dairy protein and whole grains. My mom wouldn’t even think about purchasing a breakfast cereal that had less than 4g of dietary fibre. Now that I have a child of my own, all of a sudden I was worried about making the same mistake and exposing Hudson to a similar shock in the future.
In thinking about heart healthy foods, I wondered what choices I was making that seemed to be good, but were actually risky choices for my healthy lifestyle. The biggest culprit, I soon discovered, was salt. This flavour enhancing chemical has been sneaking it’s way into our diets in increasingly large and alarming quantities through a variety of pre-prepared foods. I quickly learned that fresh cooked meals are always better because they require less preservation agents and, as we all know, fresh cooked just tastes better. That will help keep you from reaching for the salt shaker to punch up the flavour.
FAT: saturated, trans, hydrogenated, organic, Omega-3, Omega-6. Hard to wrap you head around it all. For adults and children, even milk consumption can be a hazardous source of fat. One of my go-to choices for heart health these days are salmon filets. It is no surprise that these are great tasting and packed with heart healthy fats. Boost the benefit by adding a healthy-fat rich and antioxidant-laden Avocado Salsa with your salmon filet. Sweet potatoes on the side? Yes please.
Don’t get me started on portion sizes. I have been hereditarily blessed with a fast metabolism that for years has allowed me to eat as much as I want with out giving much thought to health related consequences. I am always over-preparing in the kitchen and as my wife Julie always tells me I would be much better off cooking for six then for our family of three. Though, you won’t hear her complaining when her coworkers are fighting over bites of her lunch of leftovers! Deciding how much to eat is often as important as deciding what to eat. For children, whose appetites can fluctuate wildly, this is all the more important to monitor throughout the day. Choosing healthy snacks can be the key to hitting all the nutritional requirements and keeping an active appetite from overindulging at meal times. Seeds, nuts and dried fruits are all a great thing to keep on hand for easy snacking. Check Canada’s food guide to be sure your menu choices include a good balance of all food types and portion balancing.
Along the way, I have learned that healthy eating, along with regular physical activity, is one of the most important things that can be done to improve your general health and reduce the risks to your heart. Always remember to balance your meals, easy on the salt and sugar, monitor your portions and keep an eye on what you are consuming. I still have some bad habits, but everything in moderation is a philosophy that I strongly subscribe to. While the risks to your health may not be immediately visible to the naked eye, your heart and body will thank you in the long run.
Tom Tranmer
Check out this article in the February Issue of SNAP Magazine.
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