Your Complete Guide to Being Well and Staying Healthy
Healthy Living
Nutrition
Could your diet use a nutritional tune-up? A healthful diet has many
benefits and it doesn’t have to be bland and boring. Add color to your
plate with fresh fruit and vegetables, choose whole grains and low-fat
dairy, and keep an eye on your portion size. Aim for balance, variety,
flexibility and moderation.
Health Centers
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the biggest health risk Americans face today. If you don’t have heart disease now, you can help prevent it. If you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease, you can keep it from getting worse. Here are the tools to get you started.
Your Family
Men's Health
Stay healthy and vigorous into old age by eating right, getting plenty of exercise and following recommended disease prevention practices.
Today's Tools and Multimedia
Animation:
Calculator:
Clinical Wizard:
Podcast:
Quiz:
Risk Assessment:
Video:
Health Tip of the Day
A Guide to Fats
Fats are a group of chemical compounds that contain fatty acids. Energy is stored in your body mostly in the form of fat. There are three main types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Reducing all types of fat in your diet is best.
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Saturated fats are found mostly in foods of animal origin: meat, poultry skin, butter, cheese and partially hydrogenated oils. Saturated fats increase the LDL (bad) cholesterol level in your blood.
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Polyunsaturated fats are found in corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean and sunflower oils. They can reduce LDL cholesterol levels but in excess they may also reduce HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
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Monounsaturated fats are the primary fats in olive, peanut, sesame and canola oils. They raise HDL cholesterol as they lower LDL cholesterol, but they should be consumed in moderation.
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Trans-fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oils such as margarines and shortenings, and in many commercially made desserts. Trans-fats raise LDL and lower HDL cholesterol.