The Relationship Between Heart Disease and Nutrition
Heart disease and nutrition are often thought of as two separate entities, but the connection between them is more direct than you might think. In fact, the foods you eat can actually directly affect your risk of heart disease, which is why it’s so important to make healthy choices in the first place when it comes to your diet. In this article, we’ll discuss how poor diet choices can cause heart disease and which foods are likely to be dangerous for your health.
Heart disease
You’ve heard it before, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Heart disease is a real concern for many people these days, particularly as more people are diagnosed with conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Achieving heart health starts with nutrition. Certain foods can help prevent heart disease while others can increase your risk of developing it. But don’t worry—we have a list of heart-healthy meals and snacks that should help you keep your ticker in check.
Heart attack
The most serious heart disease is a heart attack, which occurs when an artery that supplies blood to your heart becomes blocked. A portion of your heart muscle will die because it’s not getting any oxygen-rich blood. Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis, is a condition in which plaque builds up inside arteries (which carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart) over time. There are two main types of plaque—stable and unstable—that can make them more likely to clot or rupture.
High Cholesterol
Eating a heart-healthy diet can help prevent high cholesterol. Many heart disease patients are also on blood pressure medications which means it is even more important for them to control their cholesterol levels with healthy nutrition. One of the best ways to keep your heart health in check is by incorporating healthier fats like monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) found in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and fish into your diet plan. As well as polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) which you can find in certain types of seafood or leafy green vegetables such as spinach or kale. It’s not just about adding these items into your diet though; it’s about cutting back on unhealthy saturated fats.
Healthy Diet
What’s better for your heart? It depends on a lot of factors, including your age, cholesterol levels, family history of heart disease, medications you take and whether you smoke. The good news is that there are simple steps anyone can take to improve their cardiovascular health. The key is eating a healthy diet rich in fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Experts also recommend exercising regularly (like brisk walking 30 minutes three times per week) but even that might not be enough if you eat poorly. If you want to live longer—and reduce your risk of heart disease—you need to make dietary changes as well as exercise regularly.
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