Advice From Registered Dietitian Keri Glassman (NAPSA)—A nutrient-packed diet and regular exercise are key factors in preventing what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the leading cause of death in America: heart disease. It’s behind more than one in every four deaths in the United States. Fortunately, antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, contain many important - nutrients and offer numerous _heart- Glassman}ealthy benefits, ac- cording to Keri Glassman, MS, RD, New York-basedcelebrity nutritionist and author of “The 02 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful.” “What you put into your body affects everything from your weight to your moodto youroverall cardio- vascular health,” said Glassman. “In general, simple diet changes, such as eating smaller meals throughout the day, will provide more sustained energy, which meansless work for your heart.” Glassman often recommends incorporating foods high in fiber and antioxidants, such as pistachios, into daily meals and snacks. “A homemadetrail mix of dried fruits, such as apricots, and a You can treat your heart to better health when youtreat yourself to the great taste of pistachios. handful of pistachios stored in individual bagsis great to keep on hand to snack on throughout your day,” said Glassman. Helpful Tips Sheoffers these healthy eating and lifestyle tips to help you maintain a healthy heart: Exercise regularly: Twenty to 30 minutes of moderate activity at least three to four times a week will improve your circulation to help strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system. Managestress: High stress levels can lead to high blood pressure, increasing therisk of heart disease. Research suggests that those who eat pistachios experience a significant reduction of the biological effects of acute stress, such as high blood pressure. Prep your meals: Take time after each grocery trip to wash and cut fresh vegetables, pre-portion proteins, including nuts and meats, and do any other possible food preparation in advance to make weekly meals more “quick andeasy”yetstill healthy. Eat healthy fats: Nuts, such as pistachios, are packed with protein and healthy fat and have a variety of antioxidants. There are 49 pistachios per serving, more than any other snack nut. Proof is in the Research Research published in The Journal of Nutrition suggests that replacing 20 percent of your daily caloric intake with pistachios may increase serum antioxidant levels, such as lutein and gamma tocopherol, which may contribute to lower levels of oxidized-LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, thus reducing therisk of heart disease. Learn More You can learn more from The Green Nut, a nutrition-awareness campaign sponsored by the Western Pistachio Association. For healthy tips and research information, visit www.thegreen nut.org, find it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thegreennut or follow on Twitter at www.twitter. com/thegreennut.
