welcome to Heart Tips Tuesday & breakfast and snack ideas

*

Hello Sweet Friends

and Welcome to Heart Tip Tuesday!

*

Today I want to share with you basically what we were 

told to start with, about diet of a person with heart disease.

Also, the things I share here could keep you from 

becoming a heart patient, and if you slowly change

some of these things now,  it could keep you healthy

in many ways!

*

First off our  Dr. told us to stick to a Mediterrean Diet, 

 which I had no clue what that meant accept for olive oil,

 and I didn't even like olive oil that much accept for on

 salads that my Italian step Mom used to make. 

 They were awesome!

*

The second thing was to stay away from "hydrogenated 

or partially hydrogenated oils".  These are oils that have

been chemically altered and they stay solid and do not melt

 at body temperature.  Packaged foods are full of them.

Cookies, crackers, margarines, breads, cake mixes, 

practically anything that comes in a box has them.

They are major artery cloggers!!

*

  I have found some products that I can use that are

 fat free that don't have bad oils.  As we go along 

every week I will be sharing products that we have

 found that are heart healthy, because half the battle

 is just finding a decent replacement.  The Lord has

 been good in helping us with that,  we pretty much

 have a replacement for everything but cool whip, 

 and we love it,......... but it is loaded with

 hydrogenated oils.

*

I have to say too,  that all the replacements we

have found we really enjoy and love just as much.

So it is doable folks.  Actually, we live in the

best time frame for all this because they are

changing a lot of products to have better oils.

*

One of the news changes is "Palm or Palm 

Kernel oil",  it is a lil bit better choice,  but

it is still an artery clogger,  so you want

to avoid that as well.

*

The Best oils are Extra Virgin Olive Oil,

Almond Oil, Avocado Oil,  Canola oil,

and Peanut Oil.  The reason they are the

best is because they have the Most

Monounsaturated Fats!

  And Monounsaturated Fats are the

Good Guy Fats!!  The ones you want

to eat,  because everyone needs fat in

their diet.  You just need to get the 

right kind of fats.

*

There are 3 kinds of Fats,  well really

there are 4,  Saturated Fats, Trans Fats

(which basically are hydrogenated oils),

Polyunsaturated Fats,  and then the

best Monounsaturated Fats.

*

The Heart Association tells you to stay

away from Saturated and Trans Fats,

but they think polyunsaturated are okay,

but Jim and I read a Christian book

called the "Makers Diet" by a fellow

called Jordan Rubin, I think it is,  and

after research he did he thinks it could

be the polyunsaturated fats that clog

the arteries,  so we try as best we can

to avoid them as much as possible too,

but sometimes they use soybean oil

in many products.

*

All of the above named oils have all

3 oils saturated, polyunsaturated and 

monounsaturated,  but the difference is

the amount of each.  The ones above

that I told you are the best, have 

way more monounsaturated oils than

saturated or polyunsaturated,  so the

monounsaturated overrides the damage

of the others.  Does that make sense!!

*

If you don't read labels on the products

you buy you will need to learn to for sure.

*

For instance, you might read on the label

that something has no saturated or trans 

fats,  but if you read the label you will

see it has "hydrogenated oils".  That is

because, if it has less that .5 grams. The

Food and Drug Administration does

not require them to report it so 

they can say it has Zero!  So if the

serving size is small you can be getting

way more saturated or trans fats than

you think!  and over the course of a day

and a month that can really add up.

*

My rule of thumb is if it has "hydrogenated

or partially hydrogenated oils" on the label

anywhere.........it stays at the store.

*

I am amazed that there are products

that are hawked as products for people

who have heart problems that have

"hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated

oils" and people think they are safe.

Benecol spread is one of those,  but

check the label,  also some of South

beach diet products are the same.

*

Our Dr. told us not to use margarine

just to use olive oil,  but who can eat

olive oil on toast for instance.  I have

done that and then put a mix of seeds like

they put on everything bagels and

that is good,  but I found a spread that 

we love that tastes good,  and has

no bad oils and is made with canola

oil.  If you leave it out on the counter

for a lil while, it will melt in the container.

Now that is a good sign, because that is exactly 

what it will do inside your body, 

 and that my friend,  is what you want

to eat.

*

Here it is,  look for it at your local grocery store,

I think you will like it really well.

*

If you start slowly changing some of your products

over for new ones,  it can make a huge difference.

*

For instance, buying 1% milk instead of 2%,

or if you are drinking whole switch to 2%

buying lowfat cheese made with 2% milk, 

 light sour cream,  lite cream cheese or

we found these Laughing Cow cheeses

that are only 1 gram of saturated fat per

wrapped wedge.  It comes in light original

Swiss cheese, French onion, and garlic

and herb flavors.  We use them all.

The lite swiss goes well with fruit.

*

*

We also loves these multigrain sandwich thins and eat

them for breakfast and for snacks too!

*

*

Remember this from last week,  sandwich thins

with lite swiss and strawberries.  If you like you

can sprinkle just a tich of sugar on it,  I usually
eat 1 top and bottom of the sandwich thin,
and split 1 wedge of cheese between them,
then add and eat all the fruit you want,
unless of course, you are diabetic..

Gives you protein, carbs, fruit & fiber.

If that doesn't fill you up you can always

add a couple of lean ham slices and/ or

a glass of milk.

*

*

This is the same but with peaches.  Both are great,

and make a good morning breakfast or a great

healthy snack.  Try it you'll like it!!

*

Well,  more next week.

*

Make sure to stop by tomorrow, because I have

a very Special Guest Blogger !!

You will enjoy it .... I am sure!

*

Have a Great Evening with your Family!

Blessings,

Nellie