Eating for a Healthy Heart

Looking for ways to ensure the health of your heart need not go further than examining your own diet. The food that you have grown accustomed to eating day in and day out may have a big effect on your heart health.

Heart disease has been considered as the leading cause of death for a number of Americans as well as other countries all over the world. Having a healthy heart means always trying to check out the food that you are trying to eat.

Eating healthy

Eating the right type of food can ensure that you always keep your heart healthy and prevent the development of heart disease. One’s eating habits can also be a factor in trying to maintain a healthy heart.

The earlier one starts to follow good eating habits by eating only healthy foods, the better the chances of ensuring that the heart as well as the whole body remains in tip top shape all the time.

Eating less fat

Eating less fat can greatly help in trying to maintain a heart-friendly diet. That is because some fats are known to be one of the main causes of heart disease. But bear in mind that the body may also needs a daily intake of essential fats in order to function properly.

Avoid saturated fats and trans fats

Avoid saturated fats and trans fats that are usually found in meat, milk, cheese, butter and other animal derived food products. These types of fats can also be found in palm oil that is usually used for cooking.

Starting early in eating less saturated fats can help you increase your chances of avoiding heart disease later on in your life.

Eating less sodium

Most people get sodium mainly from salt as well as on other processed foods. Too much sodium in our diet can lead to high blood pressure and contribute to the development of heart disease.

Lessening salt intake can help a lot in controlling the sodium that we take. Avoiding or even just a lessened consumption of a great number of processed foods can also contribute to lessening sodium in our bodies.

Controlling calorie intake

Controlling calorie intake can can also help maintain a healthy heart. Excessive calorie intake has been linked to weight gain. If this is done on a regular basis, then it won’t take long before a person can become overweight.

Being overweight is also a leading cause of heart disease. By controlling calorie intake, a person has a better chance in avoiding excessive weight gain and therefore keeps the heart healthy.

Eating more fiber

Adding more fiber into one’s diet may also contribute to a healthy heart. Fiber has been seen to help in lowering the chances of getting heart disease. Regularly including fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains in one’s diet can help keep the heart healthy.

 

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Eating for a Healthy Heart

bran cerealsHeart disease is one of the major causes of death in America. So taking care of your heart is an utmost priority. A healthy diet and exercise goes a long way in keeping those calories and fat away from your heart but you can always lower the risk by eating bran.

The bran cereal you eat every morning may protect you from what scientists now think may be a leading risk factor for heart disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sign of inflamed tissues, and high blood levels of CRP may signify that the vessel-blocking process called atherosclerosis is underway in your arteries.

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that eating lots of foods high in total fiber (soluble and insoluble combined) reduces your CRP levels, possibly lowering your heart attack risk as well.

The 2004 study of 3,900 people found that those getting the most fiber in their diets (32 g per day) were half as likely to have dangerously high CRP levels as were those eating the least fiber (5 g per day). Below are the 10 best fiber sources among common foods, ranked from highest to lowest. Consume several daily to hit the ideal amount of fiber: 25 g for women and 38 g for men.

Foods Highest in Protective Fiber:

  • Bran cereals, ½ cup: 10 g
  • Beans and lentils, ½ cup: 8 g
  • Whole wheat spaghetti, 1 cup: 6 g
  • Artichokes, ½ cup: 5 g
  • Bulgur, ½ cup: 4 g
  • Cooked spinach, ½ cup: 4 g
  • Raspberries, ½ cup: 4 g
  • Mixed vegetables, ½ cup: 4 g
  • Dried plums, ½ cup: 4 g
  • Green peas, ½ cup: 4 g
 

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