4. Avoid Unhealthy Fats
It is important to limit the number of trans fats and saturated fats that you eat. Reducing the amount of saturated and trans fat in your diet can help to lower your cholesterol. Lowering your cholesterol is an important step in reducing your risk of developing congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease.
High cholesterol can cause a buildup of plaque in the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis and it can increase your risk of having a stroke or a heart attack. It is recommended that saturated fats be no more than five percent of your daily calories.
If you are following a 2000 calorie diet this means that you should not be eating any more than 13 grams of saturated fats per day. Choosing lean meats or trimming the fat from your meat can reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Using less butter or margarine when you cook can help as well.