Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women in the United States. While certain lifestyle factors like maintaining a stable weight and regular exercise are important to maintaining a healthy heart, the foods we eat are just as important. Eating a healthy diet is one of your best weapons in fighting heart disease and feeling your healthiest. In fact, opting for a heart-healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 80% (helpguide.org).
If you don’t know where to start, making simple changes to your eating habits and diet is a good place to start. To keep track and understand the rationale behind the various dietary recommendations, consider some of the tips below.
Pay attention to the types of fats you eat
Fat is essential to your diet; in other words, you need it! However, there are types of fat that can negatively impact your heart health; In particular, trans fat and saturated fat are the two types of fat of most concern. These two types of fats can affect blood cholesterol levels by lowering HDL cholesterol (aka: good cholesterol) while raising LDL cholesterol levels (aka: bad cholesterol) in your blood. When levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol are not within the normal range or are out of proportion, excess cholesterol can build up in the walls of blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Foods that contain saturated fats include fatty beef, bacon, sausage, lamb, pork butter, cheese, and other dairy products made from whole or two-percent milk.
Trans fat is both naturally occurring and man-made. Many fried foods and packaged products are also high in trans fats.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults limit their intake of saturated fat to five to six percent of their total calories. Consumption of trans fats should be less than one percent of total caloric intake.
Say no to salt
Similar to fat, sodium is an essential mineral. Sodium is required for many bodily functions, including fluid volume, acid-base balance, and the transmission of signals for muscle function. However, too much sodium can pose risks. When sodium is elevated in the bloodstream, it can increase water retention in the blood vessels, leading to increased blood pressure. If left unchecked, elevated blood pressure can put a lot of strain on your heart over time, contributing to plaque build-up and ultimately increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Sodium is a tricky ingredient and requires a little more effort and attention to detail when trying to limit it. A good place to start when trying to reduce sodium is to check the nutritional information on the products. Companies are required by law to report the amount of sodium and other ingredients in their products. As mentioned earlier, sodium can be sneaky and added to foods in large amounts without you even realizing it.
One place sodium likes to hide is with meals and dishes you order from a restaurant. In fact, more than 75% of sodium intake comes directly from processed foods and restaurant foods (wow!). Therefore, to help reduce sodium intake when dining out or ordering takeout, do not request additional salt in your dishes.
Although these tips may seem challenging, your sodium intake will be significantly reduced and your heart will be happy. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, which is about the size of a teaspoon of salt (the recommendation is even lower, 1,500 milligrams, for people with chronic illnesses and over the age of 50). ! Implementing these tips will not only help you fulfill this recommendation, but also reduce your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease, and more.
Don’t skip the veggies (or fruits)
As many of us know, eating fruits and vegetables is an important part of a healthy diet. Reduced consumption of products is associated with poor health and an increased risk of serious illness. In fact, it has been estimated that 3.9 million deaths worldwide are due to insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption (2017). Therefore, including fruits and vegetables in your daily diet is something that cannot be dismissed out of hand.
Incorporating fruits and veggies is easy! Whether frozen, canned or fresh – each is sufficiently nutritious. If incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet has been difficult, start slow. Try gradually increasing your fruit or vegetable servings throughout the day. Now, if you only eat 1 serving of vegetables or fruit at a meal, add one serving at lunch and another at dinner. As you slowly add more and more fruits and vegetables to your plate, this tip will seem less overwhelming.
The good thing about eating fruits and vegetables – they’re all good! The AHA recommends filling at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables to cover the recommended 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day. Although this recommendation may seem impossible, remember: all products count, which means that preserved, fresh or frozen varieties can help you achieve your goals to improve your diet and your health.
Whole Grains, Refined Grains, and Fiber – Oh My!
First, let’s understand whole grains, refined grains, and fiber. Whole grain contains the entire core, which is made up of 3 parts, the bran, germ and endosperm, and provides all kinds of essential nutrients like B vitamins, folic acid, fiber, iron and magnesium. On the other hand, refined grain has been ground and processed, which deprives the grain of the previously mentioned nutrients.
Fiber comes in two forms: insoluble and soluble. Increased fiber consumption is associated with decreased levels of “bad” cholesterol (recall: LDL cholesterol) and a reduced risk of heart disease. Another benefit is that high-fiber foods can help keep you feeling full longer and contain fewer calories. High-fiber foods are usually whole grains too! So when you increase your whole grain consumption, you also increase your fiber consumption. Why not kill two birds with one stone and switch to more whole grains!
Consuming whole grains can help improve blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes. The AHA recommends that at least half the grains you eat be whole grains and get 28 grams of fiber per day. This includes foods like whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain oats, whole grain barley, and more.
Be picky with protein
For many of us, meat is a primary source of protein. However, popular meat sources like burgers, steaks, and bacon, while high in protein, are major sources of saturated fat (memory: the “bad” fat). High consumption of this type of protein can lead to an increased risk of many health complications such as obesity, high cholesterol, plaque build-up, and of course, heart disease and stroke. Switching to heart-healthy protein sources can help significantly reduce these risks and help maintain a heart-healthy diet.
Changing “meat eating” habits can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. A simple tip for controlling protein and meat consumption is to treat meat as such a part the meal, instead of the main event. Try to limit meat to 6 ounces per day, which equals 2 servings (a notice: single serving of meat = deck size).
When it comes to heart-healthy protein sources, the AHA recommends fish, shellfish, skinless poultry, and lean meats like various cuts of pork. When you start incorporating these alternative sources of protein into your diet, you can get your heart health on the right track.
Remember, it’s all about taking the simple steps to protect your heart and overall health.
A heart-healthy diet is your greatest protection against heart disease and stroke. Start today by using these heart health tips and continually evaluating your diet. Don’t let heart disease rule your world, make the changes that best fit your lifestyle and health goals.
Which of the above suggestions fit your health goals?
Thanks to Bonnie R Giller