Dieting For Your Heart

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Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

4 Steps to Lose Weight AND?Protect Your Heart1. Consume more fruits and vegetables. You should build up to at least 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.2. Limit consumption of refined sugars and oils. These greatly increase the calorie density of foods and make you want to eat more calories to feel full.3. Consume more whole grains and fewer refined grains. Cooked whole grains are very filling. These include oatmeal, brown rice, barley and corn. Refined grains include products made with white flour, such as bagels, white bread, crackers, pretzels, cakes, cookies and doughnuts.4. Consumer fewer animal products, particularly ones that are high in saturated fat. When it comes to protein, legumes such as black beans, pinto beans, split peas and white beans are always your best choice. Bring these items into your diet slowly so you can get used to the increased fiber without gastric distress. Fish is always a great idea, too, because it contains fats that are beneficial for your heart. Choose coldwater fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel and herring and prepare them using little fat.Skinniest menu ideas:Breakfast – keep it low in fat and sugar:Oatmeal, skim milk, fresh fruitShredded wheat, skim milk, fresh fruitWhole cream of wheat, skim milk, fresh fruitLow-fat egg white omelet with vegetables, fruitLunch or dinner – keep it low in fat:Minestrone soup, saladSplit pea soup, saladGrilled fish or chicken, saladChili, saladBaked potato, saladPasta, saladStir-fry with brown riceSnacks – keep it low in fat and sugar:Fresh fruitLight yogurtRaw veggiesHummus with whole-grain pitaBaked potato or sweet potatoLeftovers from other mealsSoups

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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