<Mid-MorningDrAnnHealthyHabits>

Dr. Ann's Monthly Healthy Habits

Dr. Ann's May Healthy Habit: Substitute whole grain products for their refined counterparts.
Substitute whole grain products for their refined counterparts. Ex: 100% whole grain/wheat bread for white bread or brown rice for white rice. These simple substitutes provide a true double bonus as refined grains have been shown to increase disease risk while whole grains reduce disease risk.

Dr. Ann's April Healthy Habit: Eat a serving of dark leafy greens daily.
	Include a serving of dark leafy greens in your diet each day. (spinach, kale, collards, salad greens.) Dark, leafy greens are unequivocally the nutrient Goliath – packing in more nutrition per unit calorie than any other food. To give you perspective, 100 calories of kale provides 190x more calcium, 4x more iron, 12x more magnesium, 15x more folate, 800x more vitamin A, 2x more protein, and 11,000x more antioxidant power than 100 calories of sirloin. Click here for kale recipes.

Dr. Ann's March Healthy Habit: Go Trans Fat Free!
Trans fats are the most toxic substance in the food supply and clog your arteries more readily than anything ever identified. Cutting them out of your diet completely is one of the most important things you can do for your heart health. Science knows no safe limits for any amount of trans fat, so strictly avoid the following three categories of foods: processed foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, stick margarine, and shortening. Fortunately, you can now find virtually any food you need or want in a form that doesn't contain trans fats - Check labels!

Dr. Ann's February Healthy Habit: Eat breakfast every day.
Eat your breakfast! And improve your health by lunch time. When it comes to your health and body weight – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who eat breakfast regularly are leaner, live longer, get less cardiovascular disease, and perform better cognitively.

Dr. Ann’s January Healthy Habit: Eat a small handful of nuts every day.
Nuts are a great source of the “right fats” (healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fats), which can ward off diseases and keep your hunger at bay. And when it comes to health-promoting performance, nuts score a perfect ten. These little brown gems contain: A rich supply of minerals, including zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium, potassium and iron All forms of the antioxidant superstar vitamin E Much-needed fiber and B vitamins Cholesterol-lowering antioxidant phytochemicals The amino acid arginine, the most important artery opener in the body So go ahead. Go nuts daily, but limit your consumption to no more than 1 ½ ounces a day. (Excerpted from Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, published by Greenleaf Book Group.)