Are you aware that cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Ireland? Statistics from the HSE show that cardiovascular disease accounts for 36 per cent of deaths in Ireland. Evergreen has more than 25 years’ experience in helping people reduce their risk of heart disease.
You can seriously reduce your risk by making some simple lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, watching your waistline, stopping smoking, and exercising regularly. The key is to be proactive, as it is never too late to make positive changes. In the experience of the team at Evergreen, people are often confused about dietary fats. The team often deal with queries relating to the different types of fats and their positive and negative effects on the body.
So to help you to understand the types of fats and the role they play in the body, they have broken down the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The good fats
People often think that all fats are bad, but this is not the case. While it is true that trans fats are harmful, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are beneficial for optimal health. Adding foods to your diet which are rich in good fats can be super beneficial for your heart, brain, and general health. There are so many natural foods that contain these healthy fats. At Evergreen, the team always suggest that people try to add foods such as nuts and seeds (unsalted ), natural nut butters, fatty fish, avocados, and olives to their diet to help boost healthy fat intake. If you find that your diet is lacking in these foods, you can always boost your intake of good fats by adding a quality food supplement, such as a fish oil or vegetable omega oil blend. Evergreen stocks a wide selection of both liquid and capsule supplements in store and online.
The bad and ugly fats
There are two types of bad fats; they are saturated fats, and trans fats. These two types of fats have been identified as potentially harmful to your heart and overall health. So let’s look at where you will find high concentrations of these harmful fats.
Saturated fats are found in fatty meats, poultry skin, beef fat, lard, cream, butter, and cheese.
Trans fats are artificial fats created by industrial processes that add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. You will find these fats in fried foods such as doughnuts, cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, stick margarines, and other spreads. These bad fats can raise your cholesterol levels, which can be an early indication of heart disease.
Why not get tested
Evergreen Healthfoods in conjunction with Zerochol is offering people the opportunity to get your cholesterol tested in the local Evergreen store. This convenient test is pain free, fast and only costs €5. The test will be available in various stores on various dates. All it takes is a simple pin prick to the finger and the results will be ready in a few minutes. On completion of the test you will receive a condensed version of the Zerochol cholesterol lowering programme. This programme includes dietary advice and lifestyle tips which aim to help improve your heart health and in turn lower your cholesterol. You will also receive a consultation with a Zerochol representative who will discuss your results and answer any questions you may have. Booking is essential, so visit your most convenient Evergreen store and arrange your appointment today.
To find out more call into your local Evergreen health store or visit www.evergreen.ie/blog
