Heart attack is one of the major causes of deaths worldwide. And “The problem with heart disease is that the first symptom is often fatal.” Michael Phelps rightly said.
Heart disease is the blockage in the blood vessels supplying blood to heart and heart attack is the end effect of this disease. New studies have proved relationship between diet and heart disease. High fat diet is the most important cause of heart disease and therefore “heart disease is a food-borne illness” as stated by many experts across the globe!
The aim of diet for heart health is to reduce cholesterol and maintain blood pressure and body weight in healthy range.
Most of us know good and bad foods for overall health and health of heart in particular. Some of us are bound to our habits and it is often difficult to change but some are on the right track and for them it is just a matter of few changes. Here are some diet tips for health of heart.
- Eat variety and plenty of low-calorie and high-nutrients foods like fruits, vegetables, and green leafy vegetables. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and contain nutrients that are helpful in preventing heart diseases. Berries, avocados, tomatoes, garlic, are important in preventing heart disease.
- Eat less amounts of high-calorie, high-sodium foods like refined, processed and fast foods.
- Use whole grain products instead of refined ones like whole wheat flour, whole grain bread/pasta, high fibre cereal, etc. Avoid refined flour, i.e. maida based foods like white bread, biscuits, doughnuts, cakes, muffins, etc.
- Limit butter and margarine. Avoid trans fats – labelled as vanaspati ghee and partially hydrogenated oil on packed foods. Unhealthy fats build plaques inside the blood vessels and increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Choose olive oil, canola oil, and vegetable and nut oil over butter and non-dairy creams.
- Poultry, lean meat, fish and low fat dairy products are good options for low-fat protein. Beans, peas, chia seeds and lentils are vegetarian sources of low-fat proteins. Prefer plant proteins over animal proteins. Beans reduce risk of heart disease by reducing levels of bad cholesterol, blood pressure and swelling.
- Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood cholesterol and the sources are fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and herring. The vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, soybeans and canola oil.
- Take common salt in limited quantity. About a teaspoon of salt per day per person is OK. To reduce salt intakes prefer fresh foods over processed ones.
- Eat low sugar dark chocolates. They reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and also diabetes.
- In case you drink alcohol, moderation is important. If possible avoid alcohol.
- As what you eat is important, how much you eat is also. Eating in excess increases calorie intake. Know the serving size of foods and follow them as per the diet chart you are following.
- Take smaller meals more frequently than fewer large meals. Do not skip meals.
- Eat foods in variation. This provides variety of nutrients from different foods and also makes the food more fascinating.
- And finally if you are following diet plan for healthy heart well – then once in a while feast your taste buds.
- And very important – manage stress.
In short – take plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains products, moderate proteins and very less sugar, fat and salt.
Healthy diet can help…. So if you eat food like medicine then in future you don’t have to eat medicines as food…. just the Hippocrates’s way.
