Change Your Diet for Good   It's no wonder we Americans eat too much fat and cholesterol. Seems like every fast food chain advertises bigger cheeseburgers with more bacon than the other place.And how come a greasy hamburger tastes better than a nice salad with a little lemon juice and olive oil on it? Probably something to do with the need our cave-dwelling ancestors had to load up on fat meat whenever they could get it because they couldn't get it very often. Unlike Alley Oop and Company, though, we can have as much red meat, processed meats or bacon we can afford. But our health suffers. Our high-fat, low-fiber diets increase our chances of developing colon cancer, Type-II diabetes, and clogged arteries, the main cause of strokes and heart disease. If you are overweight and eat a diet high in saturated fats and low in dietary fiber, you may be on the fast track to a heart attack. Those of us who diet to lose our excess weight, and we number in the millions, usually play the yo-yo game. We diet to lose weight. Then we stop dieting and regain all the weight. Then we go on another diet, lose the weight and gain it back. Down and up, down and up. Some scientific evidence exists that all this yo-yoing hurts our bodies, not to mention our pocketbooks. And as we learned in the summer of 1997, there currently is no safe magic pill to help us control our weight. Healthy weight loss takes lots of effort, including changing our eating patterns and types of food, and exercising regularly. Most doctors and nutritionists now advise people who are more than 10 percent over their ideal body weight to begin a regular mild aerobic exercise program immediately. Studies in this country and others have found that the single greatest controllable risk factor in preventing heart disease is regular exercise, one that uses the body's largest muscles -- those in the legs and buttocks, because that burns the most calories and is most beneficial to the heart and lungs. Once you have gotten into the exercise habit, start replacing high-fat foods with more fruits and vegetables. Your goal is to have a diet that is LESS THAN 30 percent fats of all kinds. Now, one gram of fat contains nine calories. A gram of carbohydrates or protein, on the other hand, contains about four calories. Simply stated, most of your food intake should consist of fruits, vegetables, grains, bread and pasta. For protein, stay away from fatty red meats, and avoid all processed meats such as hot dogs and sausages. And drink at least three glasses of milk each day. But instead of 2% or 1%, use the calcium-fortified skim. It's fat-free and tastes richer than regular skim. And finally, use fats, oils and sweets sparingly. For a complete picture of a heart-healthy way to eat, see the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid. Fat explained In itself, fat is not a bad thing. Fat protects certain of your organs, helps keep you warm and, because your body stores excess food as fat, keeps you alive longer in times of famine. For most Americans, though, famine is a remote possibility. We tend to eat like famine is just around the corner. One news organization recently reported that nearly three-fourths of Americans are overweight. In other words, most of us store too much fat. Saturated Fats These fats, which are solid at room temperature, come from animals. Lard, tallow and butter are the most obvious forms. They are also present in meat, cheese and milk. A diet high in saturated fats tends to raise blood cholesterol levels. Less than 10 percent of your total caloric intake each day should be as saturated fats. One easy way to cut down on saturated fats is to not add fat to your food. For example, eat bread without butter. Broil or bake instead of fry. Another way is to substitute foods. Try a grilled chicken sandwich and a salad instead of a burger and fries. Unsaturated Fats Usually liquid in form, polyunsaturated fats come from plants such as corn, soybeans, sunflowers, rape seed (canola) and olives. Small amount of canola and olive oil have been found to help lower blood cholesterol. But not all fats from plants are good. Stick margarine contains a substance called transfatty acids that are just as harmful as animal fats. And coconut oil and palm oil, the main fat ingredient in many "store-bought" cookies, cereals and crackers. Get into the habit of reading labels so you can avoid these bad fats. One final note about fat. No matter what kind of food you eat, when you eat more than you burn off, your body converts it to fat and stores it for later use. And since you are an animal (as opposed to a vegetable), you store saturated fat, which is just as bad for you as butter or lard. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in animal tissue. The ideal blood cholesterol level is below 180 milligrams per 100 cubic centimeters, lower if you have heart disease or have had a heart attack. High levels of cholesterol in the blood have been found to contribute to coronary artery disease.   Eating Out With our busy schedules, eating in restaurants has become a national pastime. It also contributes to our high incidence of heart disease. To make their food palatable and quick, restaurants add fats and cook with fats. And their portions are larger than most of in the "Clean Plate Club" need to live. When you eat in restaurants, remember who's in charge. You are. Ask for broiled, baked or steamed entrees. Eat a plain baked potato instead of french fries. And use small amounts of oil and vinegar on salad instead of other dressings. A final note about restaurants -- Avoid the salad bar. One study determined that a typical trip through the salad bar is 3000 calories, most of which come from fat (in the rich dressings, the macaroni salads, the bacon toppings, and on and on).   PROGRAM INFORMATION | PREVENTING HEART DISEASE | THE IMPACT OF EARLY TREATMENT | ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP | HEALTHY HEART MAIN PAGE    © 1998 Prairie Public Broadcasting, Inc.