People should start following a heart healthy diet at age 1 – prioritizing protein from plant-based sources

There are nine steps heart experts say you should follow to stave off life-threatening disease – and several contradict Health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s new “MAHA” dietary guidance.

While the Trump administration’s January guidelines promote eating animal meat and full-fat dairy products, new guidance released by the American Heart Association calls for more plant-based protein sources.

And despite Kennedy’s pledge to end what he claimed was a “war” on protein and saturated fats, the AHA says people should still choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products and replaced saturated fats with sources of unsaturated fats, such as nuts, avocados and seeds.

The new guidance is aimed at lowering Americans’ risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions, the AHA, which is supported by 30,000 scientific, medical and healthcare professionals, said.