A “Cheesy” Resolution: The One Big Healthy Decision to Make This Year

New Year’s resolutions always seem a little bit cheesy. By February, many people are trying to figure out how to cancel that gym membership or turn their treadmill into a coat rack. However, if you’re going to make one decision this year that sticks—resolve to remove cheese from your diet. Let’s be honest—some folks think they just can’t give up cheese. However, once you realize just how bad something is for you, it suddenly doesn’t seem so necessary! Every year millions of Americans resolve to quit smoking or to cut back on their drinking–and the health reward is huge. The same goes for cheese. Just as giving up smoking can significantly decrease the risk of lung cancer, giving up cheese can lower the risk of prostate and breast cancers. Cheese is the number one source of saturated fat in the American diet. It’s also linked with the number one killer: heart disease. The high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat in cheese and other dairy products can increase atherosclerosis, leading to cardiovascular problems. Reducing cheese intake or replacing it with more healthful options—like hummus—can reduce your risk. Trying to slim down before summer? You should know that 70 percent of the calories in cheese come from fat. Once you take away the cheese, unhealthful foods suddenly become much better for you! One example is pizza. Considered one of the worst diet foods, pizza becomes thin bread topped with pureed tomatoes and veggies when you remove the greasy cheese. You can also lower the fat and calories in burritos, salads, sandwiches, or even soup by making this one simple change. Here are some cheese-free versions of popular recipes to get you started: South of the Border Pizza Pita Pizzas Eggplant Lasagna Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna “Cheese” Sauce And here’s a three-step program the Physicians Committee put together on Breaking the Cheese Addiction: Step One: The Reality Check Step Two: Making New Friends Step Three: Cleansing the Palate Resolve to make 2015 your healthiest year yet!