Its easy to make small simple changes to your diet that will keep your heart and weight in a healthy range. Here are some of the recommended changes:

Decrease                                                    Increase

Calories                                             Fresh vegetables

Fats                                                     Fresh fruits

Saturated fats                                       Sprouts

Cholesterol                                          Drinking water

Red meats                                            Exercise

Dairy foods                                             Love

Refined sugar                           Complex carbohydrates

Refined flour                                            Fiber

Salt                                                      Whole grains

Processed foods                                     Legumes

Soda pop                                               Vegetable oils

Ice cream

Here is a list of foods classified in terms of their quality:

Unhealthy	Healthier	Ideal
Sodas	Fruit juice	Water, mineral water
Refined sugar	Honey, raw sugar	Small amounts of honey, molasses, date sugar
Saturated fat	Unsaturated fat	Low-fat diet
Refined oils	Vegetables oils	Cold-pressed olive oil
Shortening and margarine	Butter or chemical-free margarine	Other cold-pressed vegetable oils, such as flaxseed, canola, or sunflower
Refined flour	Whole grain flour	Home-ground flour
Refined grains	Whole grains	Organic whole grains
Processed foods	Naturally prepared foods	Whole foods
Additives and preservatives	Natural foods	Whole foods
Enriched or fortified product	Natural nutrients	Whole foods

Adapted from  “Staying healthy with nutrition”

For information on what protein supplements are right for your body , click here.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, from the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.