Break out the brown rice! A recent study found that an increase of grain consumption and a decrease in the amount of high fat dairy and eggs in your diet can lower the risk of heart failure.

This is great news for people already at high risk for heart failure and heart disease who are looking for a way to stay healthy with dietary changes in addition to other medical treatments. Of course, always consult your doctor for your best course of action.

So where can you find whole grains? It's easy to get confused looking at the ingredients on the food you buy, so the Whole Grains Council has created a Whole Grains Stamp - a special symbol - that you can find on products in your supermarket to let you know they are the real deal. The Council also has a great page on their website to help you identify products that may be whole grain but do not have the stamp yet.

It doesn't have to be hard to work more whole grains into your diet. Here are some of FoodFit's most popular whole grain recipes:

• Barley, Mushroom and Winter Squash Risotto
• Herbed Garlic Scented Bread
• Whole Wheat Griddle Cakes with Cherry Sizzle
• Brown Rice Pilaf
• Pecan-Raisin Bars

Not only do whole grains help decrease the risk of heart failure, but they have also been shown in studies to reduce the risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes, and help in weight maintenance. Start off slow and build up to eating more and more whole grains every day!