Did you know you are 34% more likely to die of heart disease than cancer in Australia? Yet most of us are choosing to live a life which puts our heart at greater risk of disease, one of these factors being your diet. So what can you do to make healthier choices but still being able to enjoy celebrations and festivities? The foods in celebrations tend to be high in saturated fats, salt and sugar, which, especially if occurring more once in a month can start to make your heart wish it was in another person’s body. Here are five useful tips to keep the relationship between you and your heart a strong one:
- Try to eat something before you leave. Aim for this something to be a balanced snack or meal with a quarter of the snack or meal being wholegrain, which is higher in fibre than refined grains to help you feel fuller for longer. Wholegrains are also great for your blood sugar levels, to help maintain them in a normal range to prevent the ‘hitting the wall’ feeling which can more likely lead to over indulging in the foods and drinks at the celebration. A quarter of the plate should be a protein of some kind, this can be a low fat yogurt, cheese, hummus, lean protein such as chicken breast or tuna, protein is a great way to keep you feeling fuller for longer. The final half of the meal should be fruit or vegetable. The fruit and vegetable part is important for many reasons but before a celebration the high fibre, low glycaemic index means you will feel fuller for longer and more likely to have the ability to say no to the party pies and cakes.
- If the celebration is a pot luck choose to bring a fruit platter with some low fat yogurt to serve as a dip or for a more savoury option a vegetable platter with cut of sticks of carrot, celery, capsicum etc. with some hummus, light mayonnaise or cream cheese or ricotta for dip.
- Make the vegetable or fruit options the main component of your meal when creating a plate, the best method is always to form a balances plate as described above.
- When dessert come around and it is too hard to resist that piece of cake, offer to share it with a friend and take the time to enjoy the experience of eating the smaller serving. Being mindful about the food in front of you rather than scoffing it down can be a great way to appreciate the cake without needing a huge piece.
- Whenever possible choose water or sparkling mineral water over alcohol and if you do choose to drink make sure it is no more than 4 standard drinks at maximum but preferably no more than 2 standard drinks (100mls of wine is equal to 1 standard drink). A better option for your head for the next day could be giving yourself the job of designated driver, you will be helping your friends this way and remove any social awkwardness around drinking.
Take home message: Eating for a healthy heart is still possible during celebrations and festivities. Small adjustments and preparation can make sure you stay friends with your heart for life and present being a statistic of heart disease in Australia.
References:
- Government A. Cardiovascular Disease Australia: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2017 [updated 2017; cited 2017 5/7/2017]. Available from: http://aihw.gov.au/.
