12 Surprising Ways You May Be Harming Your Heart

Photo by: nichel

Not Eating Dairy
If you're like many people, you've cut back on dairy products to save calories and reduce the fat in your diet, but this may not be the way to go. "Dairy is an important part of the diet, but choose low-fat or skim milk, yogurt, reduced-fat cheeses and other low-fat rather than full-fat options," says Smithson. Several studies now indicate that diets high in low-fat dairy products may reduce risk for diabetes in... more 

Photo by: nichel

Not Eating Dairy
If you're like many people, you've cut back on dairy products to save calories and reduce the fat in your diet, but this may not be the way to go. "Dairy is an important part of the diet, but choose low-fat or skim milk, yogurt, reduced-fat cheeses and other low-fat rather than full-fat options," says Smithson. Several studies now indicate that diets high in low-fat dairy products may reduce risk for diabetes in both men and women. And diabetes, in turn, increases the risk of heart disease. In the latest study, doctors nationwide looked at more than 82,000 postmenopausal women followed for eight years and found that the women with the highest dairy intakes cut their risk for developing type 2 diabetes by 50 percent compared with women with the lowest intakes of dairy products. Eating low-fat yogurt seemed particularly beneficial in reducing diabetes risk in this study. less