Health

Bad news: The average person gains one to two pounds a year.

Good news: Consuming just 100 fewer calories each day is enough to avert that weight gain.

If you’re finding this out a little too late—and you want to actually losesome of that weight—you have to downsize by 500 calories a day. But you don’t have to slash them all from your plate.

“You can eat 250 calories less and then burn 250 by walking for 30 to 45 minutes. Over a week, that will produce about a pound of weight loss,” says Holly Wyatt, MD, a clinical researcher at the Center for Human Nutrition in Denver. You won’t see dramatic changes immediately, but small tweaks like these will pay off over time.

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Soy may lower cholesterol, and since it is low in saturated fat, it's still a great source of lean protein in a heart-healthy diet.

Look for natural sources of soy, like edamame, tempeh, or organic silken tofu. And soy milk is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. But watch the amount of salt in your soy: some processed varieties like soy dogs can contain added sodium, which boosts blood pressure. link...

Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseed can go a long way for your heart. Top a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with a smidgen of ground flaxseed for the ultimate heart-healthy breakfast. link...

Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

But upping your servings of any veggies is sure to give your heart a boost. The Physicians' Health Study examined more than 15,000 men without heart disease for a period of 12 years. Those who ate at least two-and-a-half servings of vegetables each day cut their risk of heart disease by about 25%, compared with those who didn't eat the veggies. Each additional serving reduced risk by another 17%. link...

Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries—whatever berry you like best—are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

"Blackberries and blueberries are especially great," says Sinatra. "But all berries are great for your vascular health." link...

Walnuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids and, along with almonds and macadamia nuts, are loaded with mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Plus, nuts increase fiber in the diet, says Dr. Sinatra. "And like olive oil, they are a great source of healthy fat." link...

Full of monounsaturated fats, olive oil lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces your risk of developing heart disease.

Results from the Seven Countries Study, which looked at cardiovascular disease incidences across the globe, showed that while men in Crete had a predisposition for high cholesterol levels, relatively few died of heart disease because their diet focused on heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Look for extra-virgin or virgin varieties—they're the least processed—and use them instead of butter when cooking. link...

Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to up the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.

"Avocados are awesome," says Dr. Sinatra. "They allow for the absorption of other carotenoids —especially beta-carotene and lycopene—which are essential for heart health." link...

Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third.

"Salmon contains the carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant," says cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, the author of Lower Your Blood Pressure In Eight Weeks. But be sure to choose wild salmon over farm-raised fish, which can be packed with insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals.

Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost. link..

Buy a single serving of two new-to-you fruits or vegetables each week—you’re bound to find something you like. And try new ways of fixing them: grilled vegetables, for instance, are sweeter than raw, and the smoky flavor can mask the bitterness many picky eaters dislike. Add chopped fruits and veggies to fave dishes (think peppers and mushrooms in your burger) for low-cal bulk and nutrients without overwhelming vegetable flavor. link...

Do you crave pinot grigio or prefer a nice Riesling? Turns out a glass of wine may be more than just a drink—your choice could shed light on your personality too.

For example, people who choose sweet wines seem to be more impulsive but less open to new experiences than those who select a drier vintage, according to a study published in Food Quality and Preference.

“We now know that impulsivity relates to a preference for sweetness,” says lead researcher Anthony Saliba, PhD, a consumer sensory specialist at the National Wine and Grape Industry Center at the Charles Sturt University, in Wagga Wagga, Australia. “This is a pretty big step forward in understanding how a preference for sweet taste develops.”

In the study, Saliba and colleagues asked 45 men and women with an average age of 43 to complete two questionnaires: the IVE, which measures impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and empathy; and the Big Five, which measures openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Then the participants had a choice of two types of white wine: a dry, fruity Spanish wine (Gran Tesoro Viura, 2007) or a “sweet” wine, which was the Viura with some added sugar.

Overall, there were no differences between the two groups based on their choice. However, the researchers did find two characteristics that seemed to matter: impulsiveness and openness. People who preferred the sweet taste had greater impulsivity but less openness.

People who score lower on the openness trait are more hesitant to try new things. “This suggests that people who like sweet foods are less likely to try new tastes,” says Saliba. A 2002 study in Personality and Individual Differences found that people who score lower in openness tend to have unhealthier eating habits compared to those with high scores. link..