Health benefits that can come with changing your diet

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A trip to the doctor one summer became an eye-opener for Jasmine Kutch.

"My blood pressure being a little bit higher, and it was just an eye opening," she said. "Like, I really need to make sure I take care of myself. I just made the changes right then and there."

Kutch knew she had to make changes to her lifestyle -- not just for herself but also for her family. She set the goal.

"I follow the 80/20 rule," she said. "So 80% of the time, I am protein, fruits, vegetables and all that kind of stuff. Then there's 20% of the time where I have my little treats here and there."

Doctors say our nutrition and diet is a vital part of our heart health. That's why it's critical to start good habits at a young age.

Dr. Rajiv Maraj is an interventional cardiologist at Mercy Medical Center in Merced.

He urges people to watch their salt intake.

"It's commonplace in many of the diets in this region," Dr. Maraj said. "Very fatty food for example, a lot of red meat. A lot of pork products are quite prevalent in the community."

Dr. Maraj says that when we don't keep tabs on what we eat, it could hurt parts of our heart that help it function. Like the arteries.

"Eventually, that can lead to a problem with circulation," Dr. Maraj said. "The demand exceeds the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart, and that could potentially lead to bad outcomes."

When making healthy changes, you can start with small steps.

Doctors suggest making a shopping list before you go to the store so you can avoid buying unnecessary and unhealthy food.

For Kutch, she says it's all about trying to stay consistent and patient.

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