Listen To Your Heart by Mindy Hermann, R.D. (NAPSA)—It’s time to have a heart-to-heart talk about how to take better care of our own hearts. I’m borrowing David Letterman’s famous inverted Top 10 list to give you a variety of tips and reasons to enjoy whole grains: 10. Switch to whole wheat tortillas. People who eat whole grain foods regularly have a 20 to 40 percent lower heart disease risk when compared to those who rarely Mindy Hermann eat whole grain 9. Fill your tortilla with fatfree refried beans. Legumes, including pinto beans(the refried beans bean), soybeans, kidney beans andtheir relatives, are tied to heart health. 8. Top your favorite casserole with crushed Whole Grain Total. Not only is the entire Total family made with whole grain, but the cereals also all have calcium to support a strong body and antioxidant vitamin E to support a healthy mind. 7. Switch from white to brownrice. It’s as easy as asking for brown instead of white when you order your favorite Chinese food. Making rice at home? Allow about twice the cooking time for brown, or pick up quick-cooking varieties. 6. Get poppin’. Popcornis one of America’s favorite whole grains. Remember to watch the fat since movie theater popcorn and some commercial brands can begreasy. 5. Enjoy a whole bowl. Eating a bowl of whole grain cereal, such as Total Cranberry Crunch, takes just minutes andis better at lowering heart disease risk than eating refined grains. 4. Try white. White whole wheatflour, that is. Milled from a whole wheat kernel thatis lighter in color, white whole wheat flour has all the benefits of standard whole wheatflour. 3. Start with just one. While the Dietary Guidelines suggest a minimum of three daily servings (for a total of at least 48 grams) of food from whole grains, research shows that just one serving a day reduces risk of heart disease. Once you're getting one, move it up to two and then at least three. 2. Be bold. Try different types of whole grains, such as quinoa, amaranth and blends ofdifferent rices and grains. If your supermarket supply is limited, try a natural foods or specialty store. 1. Find the foods you like. With the growing number of whole grain choices in the supermarket aisles, you're bound to find several that you like. Keep up the good work. “Several studies show markedreduction in cholesterol and triglycerides when whole grains, as opposed to refined grains, are part of your diet,” says David W. Grotto, R.D., author of “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!” Mindy Hermann, MBA, R.D., is a nutrition writer for women’s, health and fitness magazines. Sheis the co-author of “Change One”and the American Medical Association’s “Family Health Cookbook.” Note to Editors: This is Series VII—8 of 26.
