Cookies and eggnog, minced pies oh, my! After what seems like weeks of giving in to the gluttony, we're all heading back to healthy eating. And health is the operative word here let's face it, we are a nation struggling with obesity issues, cholesterol woes, diabetic and heart heartache.
But no need for drastic measures — a few simple lifestyle changes, like cutting out mindless junkfood snacking, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and eating smart can start you on the road to a happy, healthy new year.
Just in time for 2010 is the Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen Cookbook (Canolainfo.org, endorsed by the American Diabetes Assoc.) — fresh, fast and flavourful recipes made with canola oil. It's a book full of zest and ideas, a great guide for those looking for healthy, homemade meals who also don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It's all about reducing your risk and improving the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. And it's surprisingly easy to do.
Canola oil's the star in the Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen as it has the least saturated fat of all common culinary oils and is free of trans fat and cholesterol. Ask for the Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen cookbook at your local bookstore, online at Amazon.com or Canolainfo.org. In the meantime, enjoy the following recipes.
HEART-SMART TIPS: Healthy eating, especially combined with regular physical activity, ensures that you get important nutrients, helps control your weight and blood glucose levels, keeps your blood pressure down, and lowers your cholesterol. Here are ten top tips courtesy of CanolaInfo to help get you get healthy:
Eat a balanced, varied diet containing healthy ingredients from the four key food groups. (Check out Canada's Food Guide at healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide for more info.). Bulk up on 100% whole grains for fibre and 5-10 servings per day of richly coloured fruits and vegetables. Trim bad fats like saturated and trans and get healthy monounsaturated fats from ingredients like canola oil, salmon or other fatty fish, nuts and avocados.
Eat seafood 2-3 times per week. Try meat alternatives like beans and tofu and milk alternatives like soy milk. Pass on adding salt to your food to keep blood pressure in check. Be mindful of serving sizes and the daily of calories you consume. Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine and sugar.