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Healthy Grocery Shopping List Tips for Heart Health

Healthy Grocery Shopping List Tips for Heart Health - El Paso Chiropractor


A healthy heart begins with what you eat, and one way to shop for groceries wisely is to start with a list, a cardiologist recommends.

Reducing the amount of fat, sugar and salt (sodium) in your diet can help reduce your risk of obesity, heart attack, type 2 diabetes and other diseases, according to Dr. Susan Smyth. She’s medical director of the University of Kentucky’s Gill Heart Institute.

“Make your meal healthier by substituting foods with lots of color from natural sources [not artificial colors] for foods that are white or brown. Start in the produce section with fresh fruits and veggies, which are high in vitamins and fiber and low in fat,” Smyth said in a university news release.

Healthier Grocery List


Consumers should check the labels on processed foods found in the produce department, such as guacamole or prepared salads with dressing. These products may contain high amounts of fat, sodium and sugar.

“In the dairy section, stick with low-fat where possible. Beware of flavored yogurts, which can contain as much as half of the recommended daily allowance of sugar. Recent research indicates that eggs are OK in moderation, but check with your doctor first,” Smyth said.

At the meat counter, choose lean products such as chicken and fish. Limit or avoid processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meat, which contain high amounts of salt, she advised.

“While breads and other baked goods can have a place at your dinner table, the hidden sugars and sodium in bread might surprise you. Just two slices of packaged white sandwich bread may account for as much as a quarter of your recommended daily sodium intake,” Smyth said.

A better choice would be to select breads made from whole grains (not whole wheat), which can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to Smyth.

The middle aisles of the grocery store are “treacherous,” she said.

“Almost everything in a plastic wrapper is highly processed and loaded with fat, salt, sugar or all three. If you spend a lot of time in the middle aisles, do a lot of label-reading and look for healthier substitutes,” Smyth suggested.

Plain canned beans in water are a healthy choice, as are some nuts and dried fruit. Also, be aware of serving sizes per package. For example, canned soups are sometimes advertised as low sodium but if the serving size is half a can and you’re accustomed to eating a full can of soup, you’ll be getting double the dose of sodium, she said.

In the freezer section, “frozen veggies without added sauces and fruits without added sugar can substitute for fresh. Choose low-fat ice cream over regular versions. Be very careful of frozen pizzas, dinners and snacks, which can be loaded with sodium,” Smyth advised.

SOURCE: University of Kentucky, news release, Feb. 3, 2017

For more information, feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .

Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain


Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.

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The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to contact us. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN* email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com phone: 915-850-0900 Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*