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  2. How do we avoid salt and trans/saturated fat in our diet ?

How do we avoid salt and trans/saturated fat in our diet ?

Bookworm58 asked...

I take care of my elderly dad and I have had a recent heart attack. The doctors say to avoid salt, trans fat and sat fat and excess sugar. Just trying to take care of us but its hard to get him to follow the diet. Especially when people bring us food we shouldnt eat at all. How to get people to quit bringing food we are supposed to avoid? I am trying to make time for myself and enjoy life more. Its stressful to deal with my dads negative attitude. But I have to accept that he has been like this all his life. I am trying to avoid negative attitudes and enjoy life as I should. How can I do this and still avoid more heart trouble?? I need advice so badly.

Expert Answer

Beth Reardon, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., is Caring.com senior food and nutrition editor and the director of integrative nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine. As a practitioner of integrative nutrition, Reardon takes a holistic approach to wellness, recognizing that the foundation for optimal health and healing begins with a health-promoting diet. As a practitioner of integrative nutrition, Reardon takes a holistic approach to wellness, recognizing that the foundation for optimal health and healing begins with a health-promoting diet.

I am sorry to hear of your recent health struggle but congratulate you on identifying what is most important as you embark on your healing journey. It is difficult to know what your dad is feeling with this reversal of caretaking roles - but it might be helpful to find a common goal that would inform the food choices you both make. For example aging well. An anti inflammatory diet such as that recommended by your doctor for heart health, would perhaps serve to help you dad decrease any pain and stiffness he may be experiencing. You may also want to engage him in some of the meal planning. A diet that is built upon whole foods will not contain the harmful fats and high sodium content of processed foods. You can get a great deal of help on the web through the use of meal planning sites such as MyFoodMyHealth. This is an easy to use website that you both can use to set the parameters in terms of what foods to include and exclude in your diet. Your dad can make suggestions from the recipes that are provided. If he remains unhappy with the alternatives - he may enjoy the meals that come into the house from well meaning friends. We know that managing stress is also important for heart health. Find time in each day for a rejuvenating walk or other activity that you enjoy. A mindfulness based stress reduction program can teach you wonderful tools for managing life's stressful times.

I wish you well on the road to recovering your health. Beth