Cardiovascular disease and related conditions, including stroke and heart attacks, cause 40 percent of American deaths. This is more than all cancers combined.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are two of the most effective things you can do to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Here are a few things you can add to your diet that contain key nutrients to keep your heart beating strong.
- Consume a minimum of 3 servings of whole grains per day. This includes 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, cereals with 5 grams of fiber or more and oatmeal to increase your fiber intake. Fiber binds to cholesterol and takes it out of the body. Columbia University researchers discovered that LDL levels dropped more than 5 percent for those who added three grams of soluble fiber to their diet for six weeks. Aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily. Most Americans get about half of that. Other sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber include beans, fruits and vegetables.
- Eat 3 servings of fish per week. Fatty fish like salmon, trout and mackerel should be in every person’s diet. It’s one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s not only reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, but they have also been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol. They also keep arteries flexible, help regulate blood pressure and reduce triglycerides. On top of all of the heart healthy benefits you will find that omega 3’s fight inflammation, including joint pain and can increase oxygen delivery during exercise. Fish is the most potent source but walnuts, flaxseeds, and canola oil are other good options.
- Make your fats healthy. Pass on the artery clogging saturated fat in fatty meats, poultry skin, cream, and trans fats in stick margarine and increase your intake of healthy fat such as avocados, almonds and olive oil. Studies show that when monounsaturated fat replaces saturated fat or trans fat, it increases levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which sweeps the LDL (bad) cholesterol out of your body. Aim for 30% of your diet or less coming from fat. Other sources of monounsaturated fat include nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and liquid vegetable oils.
- Red wine in moderation. More than 100 studies have shown there’s an inverse relationship between drinking moderately and heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease thus reducing heart disease risk by 24-40 percent. Many studies have found that alcohol helps prevent artery damage caused by LDL (bad) cholesterol, inhibits blood clots, and raises HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It also contains antioxidants, resveratrol, which appear to stop the arteries from getting blocked by fatty deposits. Moderation is key. That is one drink per day for women and one to two drinks per day for men and you can save them all up for the weekend!
Start the new year by adding some of these foods to your diet to help your ticker keep ticking. Happy Heart Healthy Day!!
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