• Consume a diet low in sodium. One should not consume more than 6 gm of sodium chloride in a day. • Consumption of trans fats, which is found in hydrogenated oils or vanaspati ghee, should be minimal as they are bad for the heart and reduce the HDL cholesterol and increase the LDL cholesterol. • Avoid eating out as much as possible since the food in most restaurants and hotels has high amounts of trans fats and is generally bad for the heart. • Refined carbohydrates like white bread, white flour, white rice and refined sweetened cereals and white sugar should be avoided and replaced with options like whole grain flour, healthy green cereals and oat meal. • Any sweet item containing more than 10% sugar should be limited. On an average, the sugar content in soft drinks is 10%. Indian sweets contain 30-50% sugar.