Diet and Exercise Planning: Lower Fat, Lower Risk?
Reducing fat intake in your diet and exercise planning regimen can offer benefits?
Continuing on from yesterday’s diet and exercise planning topic . . . .
Making an important change to one’s diet such as lowering fat intake does indeed lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. 2005 the American Journal of Epidemiology published a large report—with a 20 year follow-up–from the Nurses’ Health Study of dietary fat intake and risk of coronary heart disease. This study showed that consumption of five servings of fruit and vegetables daily was a major reduction in the risk of developing a stroke.
Another important note of this study is that total fat intake is not so important as the types of fats we consume. Saturated and trans fats are linked very strongly to an increased risk of developing heart disease. Diets low in saturated and trans fats that are higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help prevent heart disease. This fact is improved with the consumption of fruits and vegetables to help prevent heart disease.
The best advice to give to you is to maintain a healthy weight. Do not go on a strict diet but develop sensible heart healthy eating habits. Healthy eating means making a commitment to choosing nutritious foods that are satisfying, making sensible substitutes, modifying favorite recipes, adopting an experimental attitude, and discovering over time what works best for you. Finally, no healthy diet plan is complete without a physical exercise program. Simple diet and exercise planning changes can provide invaluable health benefits to women and men.
by Kristy Haugen
- Read more diet and exercise planning information from this article-When Studies Mislead: The Skinny on Low Fat Diets.
Learn more about misleading studies on low fat diet and exercise planning programs.
