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2) How will you get there? Break out your best googling fingers…it’s time to do some research. You’re going to need to decide whether you’re prepared to make a complete lifestyle change or if (like many Americans) you’re just looking for the “magic pill.” Let’s say that you’re interested in heart health. Obviously, exercise is going to have to be part of your plan, but let’s focus on the nutrition aspect. If you check out the options, trends and latest science related to heart health, it may spark questions like “What is the Paleo diet?” and “What’s so good about raw foods?” “Should I try the Ornish diet and why is it deemed ‘heart healthy’?” Recent studies can be helpful, for example, with choices like the Mediterranean Diet. Long considered a heart-healthy diet, Reuters recently published a study of the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and the brain. The study indicated that this diet – rich in veggies, fruits, grains, and fish – may help to “preserve a more youthful brain in old age.” The study, conducted by a leading author at Columbia University, also proposed that this particular diet may be linked to reducing the risks of certain degenerative brain conditions. This choice may be able to get you to your goals for your heart and protect your brain along the way. Whichever road you chose, there is a wealth of sources and studies being conducted right now to help you decide the best course for you. 3) Pick-ups and journey aids. If you’ve decided to make a sweeping lifestyle change, like changing your everyday diet, it will likely benefit you to add some smaller, more contained choices to compliment it. That’s right, I’m back to the exercise topic. Of course, if you’re going for heart health, you’ll want to throw in some cardio and maybe add some light weightlifting. But there are other things, like introducing a few detox days, that may help you achieve your goals. Even meditation may help. Look for opportunities that suit your personality and be open to things you may never have tried. Continued on next page. Nutrition Quarterly · 2021 – Volume 2 19 The Good Life