Diet details A registered dietitian can help you put together a diet based on your health goals, tastes

and lifestyle and can provide valuable information on how to change your eating habits. Recommended foods Make your calories count with these nutritious foods:

Healthy carbohydrates. During digestion, sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (comple carbohydrates) break down into blood glucose. !ocus on the healthiest carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans, peas and lentils) and low"fat dairy products. Fiber-rich foods. Dietary fiber includes all parts of plant foods that your body can#t digest or absorb. !iber can decrease the risk of heart disease and help control blood sugar levels. !oods high in fiber include vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), whole"wheat flour and wheat bran. Heart-healthy fish. Eat heart-healthy fish at least twice a week. !ish can be a good alternative to high"fat meats. !or e ample, cod, tuna and halibut have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat and poultry. !ish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines and bluefish are rich in omega"$ fatty acids, which promote heart health by lowering blood fats called triglycerides. %owever, avoid fried fish and fish with high levels of mercury, such as tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel. Good fats. !oods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats & such as avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, olives, and canola, olive and peanut oils & can help lower your cholesterol levels. 'at them sparingly, however, as all fats are high in calories.

Foods to avoid Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke by accelerating the development of clogged and hardened arteries. !oods containing the following can work against your goal of a heart"healthy diet.

Sat rated fats. %igh"fat dairy products and animal proteins such as beef, hot dogs, sausage and bacon contain saturated fats. (et no more than ) percent of your daily calories from saturated fat. !rans fats. *hese types of fats are found in processed snacks, baked goods, shortening and stick margarines and should be avoided completely. "holesterol. +ources of cholesterol include high"fat dairy products and high"fat animal proteins, egg yolks, shellfish, liver, and other organ meats. Aim for no more than $,, milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day. Sodi m. Aim for less than -,$,, mg of sodium a day.

# sam$le men .our daily meal plan should take into account your si/e as well as your physical activity level. *he following menu is tailored for someone who needs 0,-,, to 0,1,, calories a day.

%reakfast. 2hole"wheat pancakes or waffles, one piece of fruit or $34 cup of berries, 1 ounces of nonfat vanilla yogurt. & nch. 5heese and veggie pita, medium apple with - tablespoons of almond butter. Dinner. 6eef stroganoff7 03- cup carrots7 side salad with 0 03- cups spinach, 03- of a tomato, 034 cup chopped bell pepper, - teaspoons olive oil, 0 03- teaspoons red wine vinegar. Snacks. *wo unsalted rice cakes topped with 0 ounce of light spreadable cheese or one orange with 03- cup 0 percent low"fat cottage cheese.

More Dos and Donts Exercise! Staying active can cut your risk of developing gallstones in half. Lose some weight. Being overweight, even as little as 1 pounds, can dou!le your risk of getting gallstones. "iet sensi!ly. #f you are overweight, plan on shedding pounds slowly. Losing weight too fast can increase your chances of developing gallstones. $educe your saturated fat intake. %oo much fat in the diet increases your risk of gallstones. But don&t cut !ack too drastically. 'ou need some fat to give the gall!ladder the message to empty !ile. #f you&re trying to lose weight, don&t go !elow ( percent calories from fat. Eat a low fat, low)cholesterol, high)fi!er diet. *ultiple studies show this is your !est !et for a healthy !ody and a healthy gall!ladder.

2hy is saturated fat so bad for your heart8 *he liver uses saturated fat to make cholesterol, so eating foods with too much saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels, especially low"density lipoproteins (9D9)&the bad cholesterol. +aturated fats are usually found in animal products such as whole milk, cream, butter, and cheese, and meats, such as beef, lamb and pork. *here are some plant"based saturated fats you should avoid too, notably palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and vegetable shortening. 6eyond replacing saturated fat, research suggests that compounds in soy foods called isoflavones may also work to reduce 9D9 cholesterol. How to 'et some :ot familiar with soy foods8 *he basics include tofu, soy nuts, soy flour, and enriched soymilk. (reat"tasting, protein"rich meat alternatives include soy sausage, and breaded cutlets and nuggets that taste like chicken. 5rumbled soy&an alternative to ground meat&works well in chili, burritos, lasagna, soups, and casseroles. Add tofu to chili, eggs, or casseroles. ;t absorbs the flavor of whatever you#re cooking. .ou#ll find many soy products in the produce section of the supermarket. 2hat about soy supplements8 <esearch shows that isoflavone supplements alone don#t work. *o lower cholesterol, you need the whole soybean with its uni=ue protein, phytates, and isoflavones, which may all act together.

Eat this m ch *he !DA recommends getting at least -> grams of soy protein each day. 5onsuming -> grams of soy protein daily lowers high cholesterol.