Diet for Heart.

Diet for Heart Disease forms an important part of treatment and management of heart attack. Broadly,  besides  being nutritious, certain restrictions are necessary to be imposed on the diet for heart patients, in order that the heart stays healthy, and further damage to it, is avoided. What to eat and what to  avoid  is  explained  below. After a Heart attack, this healthy diet for heart is to be followed permanently and in a regular fashion.

Diet and Heart.

Foods to avoid in heart disease.

Avoid  foods  that  are  contributory  to the risk factors of a heart attack.

1. Restrict  Salt  Intake to 1 tsf  per day. This will come from the food we eat and no extra table salt is to be taken. Salt contains sodium which causes blood pressure to rise. High blood pressure is the No 1 contributing   risk factor of a heart attack.

2.     Restrict fat intake especially saturated fats as these cause the cholesterol and triglycerides to rise. High blood levels of these substances give rise to atherosclerosis, which causes narrowing and/or blockage of the arteries due to their getting deposited on the inner walls of the arteries. Narrowing of the lumen of the coronary arteries of the heart results in a heart attack.

• Avoid saturated fats present in foods like red meat and butter as they increase the cholesterol in the blood.
• Use mono or poly unsaturated fat foods instead, like olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds. Exercise moderation as these foods contain calories.

3.     Restrict calorie intake. Obesity has been cited as a major cause of a heart attack. High calorie intake results in weight gain. It is  of paramount importance that weight should be maintained in order that the load on the heart to pump blood, is not increased. Lose weight if you are overweight.

4.     Restrict sugar intake so that diabetes can be avoided or at least controlled as diabetes is a major contributory factor to an attack. —  So, no sweets, chocolates, cakes and pastries please.

Foods for Heart.

As one can see that the restrictions are quite easy to observe and not  very  harsh. Point wise, below are healthy heart foods, which an heart attack patient should stick to in his/her diet.

1.     Milk and milk products: Drink only skimmed milk  and  use only low fat yogurt. Use low fat  and  low sodium cheese and mayonnaise.

2.     Whole wheat bread and cereals and whole grains only should be used. Whole wheat is to preferred because it contains the germ and the bran of the wheat and the nutritional value is maintained. Whole wheat is rich in Vitamin B and C, iron and contains minerals like calcium, manganese, phosphorous, copper and zinc. It is also rich in fiber, which should form an important part of the diet.

• Fiber is important part of a heart attack diet, because  a meal rich in fiber gives a feeling of fullness in the stomach and prevents overeating. It thus prevents gaining extra weight. It also helps prevent a heart attack and Diabetes 2. It helps in the proper functioning of the digestive tract and cleaning of the bowels.

3.     Eat brown rice and not white rice. Brown rice is rice that has not been processed. It scores over white rice because it retains the nutrients , which are lost in white rice during processing. Brown rice therefore contains more than three times the fiber present in white rice. It is also rich in minerals like magnesium, manganese  and zinc.

4.     Fiber must form a very important part of the diet. Leafy vegetables rich in fiber such as spinach,  cabbage, sea vegetables, potatoes  and  fruits should  be  eaten generously.

5.     White meat such as chicken (without the skin) and fish should be preferred. Sea foods with shells, like prawns  contain high quantities of cholesterol and should be avoided. Only egg white should be eaten and the egg yolk should be avoided.

6.     Legumes such as lentils, beans and peas are a good source of proteins and they contain very low fats. Another good source of protein with low fat is soya.

Picture of Pyramid of Diet for Heart.

7) Alcohol: Though alcohol does not form part of any diet,  it does

require  mention. It should be taken in moderation and that is, two

pegs for men  and one peg for women per day should be the limit.

8)Walnuts and almonds reduce the risk of heart attack by 10 %.

9) Garlic lowers blood cholesterol and a clove of garlic everyday

with food  will be beneficial. Similarly red onions are good anti

oxidants and should be eaten with meals daily.

Summary for diet for heart disease.

This heart attack diet can be stuck to by those of you who have not had an attack but are prone to to it or exposed to heart attack risk factors. And for those of you who have a history of heart disease, these healthy foods for heart which are explained above should form the mainstay of your diet plan all your life.

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2. Prenatal Vitamins for Healthy Pregnancy.
3. Weight Gain in Pregnancy: How Much is Healthy.
4. Heart Attack|Myocardial Infarction.
5. Symptoms of a Heart Attack.
6. Life after a Heart Attack.
7. How to Prevent a Heart Attack.
8. What Causes a Heart Attack.