Top 20 Diet Tips for a Healthy Heart

06-05-2014
By Sehat

Heart disease is the killer disease of the century. More people are dying of heart disease than any other disease in the world today. Though there are treatments, but it is better to prevent it before it becomes fatal. It is within your hands to control heart diseases. Todayâ€™s lifestyle can be attributed to the rise in heart diseases. A less active lifestyle, unhealthy food habits, stress all contribute to coronary heart disease. Making changes towards a healthier life style slowly will reduce your risks of heart diseases considerably. It is a choice you have to make to live longer and healthier.

Unhealthy Diet Main Cause

Today, many of the diseases that prevail is mainly because of the kind of food we intake. Eating healthy can reduce your risk of heart disease to quite an extent. It will also reduce blood pressure and reduce your weight. The risk of diabetes too can cut down with a healthy diet. Cancer risks too can be reduced with a healthy diet.

Healthy Diet Tips

A balanced meal is very important. Your daily diet should contain carbohydrates, proteins, and fat in limited quantity. All are required for maintaining a healthy body. Following fad diets to lose weight would mean reducing certain food that is actually needed by the body.

Eat more fruits and vegetable. They are a good source of minerals and vitamins needed by the body. They are not only low in calories, but also rich in dietary fiber.

Add whole grains to your diet. Whole grains such as barley, couscous, quinoa, whole-wheat flour, buckwheat, flax seeds, oatmeal, etc. are heart healthy grains full of nutrients and fiber.

Remove refined and processed flour from your diet. Baked food made of refined flour, cakes, white bread, corn bread, biscuits, pies, noodles should not be part of your diet.

Limit saturated fat and Trans fat from your food. Butter, margarine, lard, creamy sauce, coco butter, shortenings, bacon fat should be avoided.

Use olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil for cooking. They are more heart healthy.

Avoid deep fried foods, which are full of fat.

Have low fat protein. Instead of whole milk, have skimmed milk, skinless chicken breast, low fat dairy products, egg whites, legumes, flax seeds, walnut etc.

Substitute animal protein to plant protein. Plant protein like beans, lentils, peas, soya bean and its products are a good source of protein. They have no cholesterol and have no fat in them.

Less salt in food is the way to go. Reduce the salt and sodium intake for it can raise blood pressure and be a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Season the food with herbs and spices instead of salt

Cut down on canned and processed food as they have high salt content and additives that can be harmful.

Reduce sugar intake. Substitute it with natural forms of sugar like honey, which is healthier.

Plan your daily meals and cook instead of eating packaged food or at restaurants. Cooking will ensure you are using healthy ingredients for your meal.

Limit your portions. Do not fill your plate with more food as it will increase your fat and calories. Choose healthy food in limited portions.

Moderate consumption of red wine can raise your good cholesterol. It also prevents artery damage and reduces blood clot.

Eat a small slab of rich dark chocolate every day. It has flavonoids that prevent heart diseases.

Have nuts like almonds, pecan, walnut, etc. that are good for the heart. It helps reduce bad cholesterol.

Have a healthy breakfast with low fat protein, whole grain, low fat diary, and fruits. It is the first meal of the day and should not be skipped.

Sip green tea daily. Green tea has nutrients good for the heart.
Quit smoking for a healthy heart. The tobacco smoke that goes in can clog your heart.

While many of these tips may sound childish to you, following them will take you a long way. Often we over look the simplest of tips that can indeed benefit us profoundly. A healthy body needs a healthy heart. Nurture and pamper your heart, starting today!