50% of men will die from heart failure... maybe more by the time you read this. In this day and age heart disease is rampant. Sad but true... the eating habits of many people these days are literally killing them. Watch what you eat.

It doesn't matter what type of 'shape' you are in. Everyone needs to be cognizant of what they eat and what type of diet they are involved in on a daily basis. Your health and your diet should be a priority. Let's take a look at some of the foods that, if you're serious about your health, you should stay away from.

First of all... solid oils... products like Crisco and other similar shortenings. Basically a good rule of thumb to remember with shortenings, oils, butters and such is that if it is a solid at room temperature then you don't want to ingest it.

Here's one for you... Lard is actually not as bad for you as the shortenings that most everyone buys off their grocer's shelf. I mean think of the shelf life of this stuff... no wonder your body can't break it down either!

Then there are deep fried foods. Run like the wind away from these. There are far too many medical risks related to fried foods to mention in this article, so it is safe to say that by eating this type of food, you put yourself at a higher risk.

Refined flour and store bought flour. This has been bleached and everything under the sun done to it. When this happens, all the good stuff from it is taken away. The reason why you are eating is, is been stolen from you. Stick with good whole wheat. That is what is best for you.

And while we are on the subject of color... go with brown rice instead of white. It has all the good nutrients of white rice and more. If you just can't seem to get into eating the brown rice, at least mix it in with the white rice, then gradually increase the ratio of brown to white over time.

Most everyone consumes way too much sugar in their diet. It is extremely difficult to avoid. It's indeed everywhere. So, make a conscious effort to stay away from the sugar. Even if you do this, you'll probably still get more than enough sugar in your diet. Fructose, is a foundation for cholesterol to build, so keep that in mind the next time you crave a sweet treat or snack.

Canned soups. These are almost always loaded with salt. If you want to buy these, make sure you get ones that are low in salt. If you have a craving for soup, see if your local deli makes soup. It will be lower in salt. That will make your heart happy.

Processed meats. These tend to be high in fat and high in salt. They are a heart attack in a can.

If not for you then for your children if you are a parent. Establishing healthy eating habits right out of the gate is of utmost importance. The longer kids go down the path of unhealthy eating the tougher it is going to be to break this unhealthy cycle. Things such as luchables and snack packs are loaded with fat with a capital 'L'. Child obesity is a serious problem that is rising sharply and it is simply because poor eating habits... eating habits that have been developed at a very early age... like when the parents are making the menu choices for them. Not because it's all there is.