by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

Here’s a quick way to start eating in a more heart-healthy way literally overnight: do a pantry makeover.  Start by getting rid of every food item in your kitchen that has either of these two characteristics:  too little nutritional value (fibre, vitamins, minerals, protein) or  too much fat, sodium or sugar.  This includes all junk food of course, but also almost all processed foods in your pantry.  

When I first got home from hospital after my heart attack, for example, I became an obsessive grocery label reader.  I couldn’t believe the sodium content in a can of refried beans!  That stuff will kill you.

If you put unhealthy food in your grocery cart, you’ll eat it.  If you don’t, you won’t. Very simple.

When you go shopping, bring a list.  Don’t shop on an empty stomach. Choose most foods from around the perimeter of the grocery store, where the healthiest food tends to be located. And most important – read those labels.  But meanwhile, if you’re feeling ruthless, start tossing out anything in your pantry right now that fits those two criteria  – and then let’s look at re-stocking basic heart-healthy pantry must-haves:

Continue reading “De-junk your kitchen to start heart-smart eating” →