LOSE Weight and Boost Your Heart with This New Year’s Resolution
I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions.
I try to make smart lifestyle decisions throughout the year, and I’m always trying to improve my health, regardless of the time of year.
I practice gratitude daily, and I find myself feeling extra thankful this year for my wife Rhina and my three sons—and for the good health we’ve all experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
But if you’re considering making a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or “get healthy,” why not make it a two-for-one?
You can eat certain foods that can help you lose weight and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke in the process.
It’s a win-win-win.
When considering what foods to eat—and which ones to avoid—don’t ask what’s “good” or “bad” for you… ask what’s inflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s and more.
And a major source of inflammation in your body comes from the FOOD you put into it.
Researchers followed over 200,000 people for up to 30 years. They found that those who consumed higher amounts of inflammatory food groups had a 28 percent higher risk of stroke and a 46 percent higher risk of heart disease.
The researchers were specifically evaluating food groups that have been shown to predict inflammation levels associated with diets.
This includes foods such as the following:
- Ice cream
- Cookies
- Cereal bars
- Premade pies
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Chicken nuggets
- Processed meats
- Sugary drinks
- Any packaged instant soups, noodles, or desserts
Besides increasing chronic inflammation in your body, eating more of these types of ultra-processed foods has been shown to increase your risk of death from any cause at all.
Foods like these increase free radicals in your body, which damage your cells and increase disease risk.
On the flip side, anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and olive oil actively combat inflammation by neutralizing free radicals and preventing the damage they cause to your body.
Not only do these types of food not CAUSE inflammation, they actively FIGHT the damage that inflammation causes.
And of course, these foods happen to be good for your waistline as well.
Like I said… it’s a win-win.
