Heart Disease and How Important Eating the Right Foods Is To Prevent Long Term Damage
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in different parts of the world. Food is directly involved in many of the risk factors for heart disease. This means that paying attention to what you eat is among the most important preventive measures you can take for you to prevent long term damage. It is never too late or too early to take care of your heart. Whether you are old or young, it is important to take good care of your heart’s health.
Poor diet, unhealthy habits and lack of exercise can take a toll on the health of your heart over the years and may cause heart disease. The best way to prevent this from happening is by making healthy choices especially when it comes to food and what you eat. Here are other risk factors for heart disease:
Type of fat eaten
Saturated fats and Trans fats are known to increase blood cholesterol levels. This means that the risk of heart attack is increased. Therefore, it is important to avoid eating these types of fats and instead eat polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that lower the risk of heart complications and attacks.
Obesity
Obese individuals are at a high risk of heart disease than an individual with a healthy weight. Obesity is a result of a diet that is high in fat, especially saturated fat. Many obese people have the bulk of their body fat concentrated around their abdomen. This makes it difficult for the heart to work efficiently and distribute blood to every part of the body.
Foods that prevent heart disease
There is no magic food that can decrease the risk of developing heart disease. A healthy diet, plenty of exercise and healthy habits can help in decreasing the risk of heart disease. High-salt diets can also increase blood pressure and also increase the risk of heart attack as well as stroke. Here are some of the foods that can protect against heart disease:
Oily fish
Sardines, salmon, tuna and mackerel are some of the best sources omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids help in decreasing triglycerides, improve blood vessel elasticity and increases HDL-cholesterol levels.
Vegetable oils
Vegetable oils extracted from corn, safflower and soy are rich in omega-6 fatty acids can help in lowering LDL cholesterol. Instead of using saturated fats like butter and margarine, you should using oils that are rich in omega-3 and 6.
Legumes and soy
Soy protein and a number of legumes have been shown to lower the LDL cholesterol levels in the human blood. You should consider eating these legumes on a regular basis if you want a healthy heart.
To prevent heart disease, you should eat a healthy diet, that contains, green vegetables, nuts and seeds, cereals, fiber, unrefined carbohydrates, fruits, oily fish, foods rich in vitamin E and above all exercise on a regular basis.
