Men's Health - Fitness, Nutrition, Health, Sex, Style & Weight Loss Tips for Men

1. Heart-Healthy Foods That Also Taste Awesome Regardless of your age, it’s important to protect your heart health. Doing so will lower risk of various diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. But you'll also feel more ready to engage in other healthy stuff, like exercise and a good night's sleep. Eating smart for your heart is one way you can improve your health starting today. Why is food such a big deal? “We want to control blood pressure; keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control," says Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club. And eating healthfully will also help you maintain a healthy weight, which can help fend off a host of health complications. Beets “Beets contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, including heart-healthy potassium, but they really shine due to their high dietary nitrate content,” says Kelly Jones, M.S.,R.D. Dietary nitrates from beets are converted to nitric oxide in the body, which helps to dilate blood vessels. This takes stress off your heart and can improve blood pressure. “While beet juice is an easy way to get concentrated nitrates and you can certainly cook them yourself, Love Beets has pre-cooked beets in the refrigerator section of the grocery store and a beet powder that

2. provides the nitrate benefits you want when you're in a rush,” says Jones. You can just add it to smoothies or oatmeal. Tart Cherries Tart cherries are rich in polyphenol antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. A 2019 study showed that regular tart cherry juice intake has a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels, too. “If you don't want to drink the juice, consider frozen tart cherries for smoothies or dried tart cherries to pair with nuts as a snack,” says Jones. “Eden Organics has a dried variety sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than refined sugar,” she adds, for another option. Pistachios Nearly 90 percent of the fats found in pistachios are the better-for-you mono and polyunsaturated types, and each serving also provides 3 grams of fiber. “For an even more satisfying snack experience, try Wonderful Pistachios chili roasted and honey roasted varieties,” Jones says.

3. Whole Grains “In general diets that incorporate whole grains regularly may reduce the risk of heart disease. We see this through well-researched diets such as the DASH and Mediterranean eating patterns, and a new study showed replacing refined grains with whole grains to reduce total and LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides,” says Jones. You also don't need to stay away from gluten unless you have Celiac disease. “In fact, studies show gluten has no association with heart disease risk, but eliminating gluten may impact risk since it is associated with reduced intake of heart healthy whole grains,” she says.