Fat has really been vilified by the media. One of the biggest health misconceptions is that to prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol, fats need to be avoided. Good fats are essential to heart health and actually improve the cholesterol ratio (lower LDL/increase HDL). We should fuel our bodies daily with good fats from nuts (best: almonds, pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts), seeds (best: sunflower and pumpkin), fish (best: wild salmon, sardines, and mackeral), and plants (best: olives, olive oil, avocado). We should limit our intake of saturated fats (meat, cheese, dairy) and eliminate our intake of trans-fats. Read ingredient labels and avoid anything with trans-fats (“partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated oils”). Remember a food package can say “no trans-fats” and stil contain up to 1/2 gram of trans-fats.