Birmingham REACH FOR BETTER HEALTH

Fried chicken, greens cooked in bacon fat and sweet tea are staples of a Southern diet. But according to UAB researchers, those foods will increase your risk for a heart attack by 56 percent.

Cut Back. Don’t Cut Out.

You don’t have to cut out your favorite foods completely. Just eat them less often. Reward yourself every few days — maybe each Sunday — if you’ve worked hard on your diet and exercise all week. Remember, if you make small changes to your diet, you’re more likely to stick to it.