Eat to Your Heart's Content
News flash: A heart-healthy diet doesn't have to be bland and boring. In fact, there are so many delicious, healthy foods that your heart loves, you probably won't miss the handful of aging foods you have to cut back on. And before you know it, you could have lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and more stable blood sugar. You may even drop a few pounds.

From our advertiser, the makers of ST. JOSEPH® Aspirin: We're all guilty of it. We drink too much soda or eat too little fruits and veggies. Here are some simple ways to help make your diet a little better.

3 Nutrients Your Heart Craves
Ready to begin your diet journey to a stronger heart and younger arteries? Excellent! Here's a list of some of the key nutrients you'll need to take along with you:

1. Factor In More Flavonoids
Research suggests that flavonoids -- antioxidants that clamp down on inflammation -- are important nutrients that protect your arteries and heart. To get them, heap your plate high with fresh fruit (like strawberries), antioxidant-rich veggies (like eggplant and spinach), beans (find out which color beans have the most flavonoids), and tea. And good news for those of you who like small indulgences: Red wine and dark chocolate -- in moderation -- also pack flavonoids. Here's a tool to help you find the best food sources of flavonoids.

2. Fill Up on Fiber
Dietary fiber is quite the heart-healthy multitasker. From stabilizing blood sugar, to lowering bad cholesterol, to reducing high blood pressure, fiber works overtime in your body to stomp out heart disease risk factors. Increase your fiber intake by loading up on whole grains from cereals and breads, fresh fruits and veggies, and legumes. Watch this video to learn how fiber helps your digestive health, too.

3. Eat More Fat
The good kind, that is. Your heart likes plenty of unsaturated fats in the diet, like those found in olive oil, nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocado, and freshwater fish like trout and salmon. (Find out why a bit of avocado may help stifle your hunger.) To keep calorie counts in check, use these healthy-fat foods in place of other high-calorie, less heart-friendly fats -- like saturated fats (found in whole-fat dairy products and red meat) and trans fats (found in fried foods and some processed or frozen foods). Check out these nifty appetizer recipes that are good sources of unsaturated fat.

And a Few Things to Avoid . . .
While you're adding all those delicious, heart-healthy foods to your diet, here are a few items you'll want to cut back on:

• Salt. Your blood pressure will thank you. Instead, try herbs and spices, such as pepper, garlic, onion, dill, basil, and cilantro. Lemon juice makes a tasty salt substitute, too. Read this article to find out some of the sneaky places sodium can hide.
• Sugar. Since it's high in calories and not nutrient rich, it's not really doing your heart any favors -- and it's probably adding to your waistline. Learn how to fake it with sugar substitutes.
• Fried foods and red meat. This will help you cut back on both calories and saturated fat. Instead, opt for steamed, baked, grilled, or broiled meats, fish, veggies, and starches. Here's how to get plenty of heart-healthy protein while you cut back on red meat.

Get even more tips on the best foods to feed your heart.

And look for the last issue of this newsletter series to learn how to combine your new heart-healthy diet with other cardioprotective lifestyle changes.

From our advertiser, the makers of ST. JOSEPH® Aspirin: Learn about aspirin and heart health from the inside out with this interactive tool.* *An aspirin regimen is not right for everyone. Talk to your doctor before beginning or revising your aspirin regimen. Use only as directed by your doctor.