TEN DIETARY PRINCIPLES OF NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED EATING

1.     ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN AN APPROPRIATE BODY WEIGHT

2.     REDUCE THE TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF FAT IN THE DIET TO 20-30% OF TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE

3.     REDUCE SATURATED FATS TO LESS THAN 10% OF TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE

4.     INCREASE POLYUNSATURATED FATS T 5-10% AND MONOUNSATURATED FATS TO APPROXIMATELY 10% 0F TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE

5.     INCREASE COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES TO 50-60% OF TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE

6.     REDUCE SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES TO 10-15% OF TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE

7.     INCREASE DIETARY FIBER INTAKE TO 20-30 GRAMS PER DAY

8.     REDUCE CHOLESTEROL INTAKE TO LESS THAN 300 MG PER DAY

9.     DECREASE INTAKE OF SALT(SODIUM) TO APPROXIMATELY 3-8 GRAMS PER DAY (2400-3000 MG OF SODIUM)

NOTE: REDUCING SODIUM TO BETWEEN 1500-2400 MG HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE

10.                          IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOL, LIMIT INTAKE PER DAY  (1/F OR 2/M)