Low+Cholesterol

**__Heart Healthy Tips for the Whole Family__** Keep your cholesterol low and your heart will be much healthier! What is cholesterol? Look it up in the Nutrition Dictionary. Here are some ways you and your family can keep your heart healthy and strong by keeping your cholesterol low. **__Increase Fiber Intake:O__** Serve oatmeal for breakfast and switch over to 100% whole wheat bread Add beans to soups or eat as a side dish (low oil!) Eat sliced fruit and veggies as snacks and with meals Make fresh fruit smoothies using low-fat yogurt

**__Decrease Saturated Fat Intake__** Eat low-fat mozzarella or Swiss cheese Make meals with fish and chicken breast more often than red meat Stir-fry and bake your meals instead of deep-frying Skip the meat every now and again by eating a vegetarian meal or two during the week Use spray dressings vs. traditional Thousand Island or Blue Cheese salad dressing

**__Increase Intake of Healthy Fats - Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats__** Cook with olive, safflower, or canola oil (use small amounts of oils) Add 2 tablespoons of cashews to yogurt for a breakfast or snack (all nuts have healthy fat in them) Seeds can be another great source for healthy oils: You can add ground flax seeds into a fruit smoothie or a on top of your favorite cereal or salad. Add avocado slices to a salad **Daily Movement – Get Your Heart Rate Up** Get the dance music on and dance for 20-30 minutes Turn off the computer games and play basketball or another sport with family and friends Go for a walk with your family Sign up for swimming or gymnastics at the local recreation department Prioritize your day so that movement happens – mark it down on the calendar as a reminder

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