Optimal diets for prevention of Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease is a serious problem with very drastic consequences that has elevated it to be the number one cause of death in the industrialized world. In broad terms we will try to outline aspects of your diet that you should review to limit your susceptibility to this disease. In this article we will focus on what types of dietary guidelines you should follow to keep your heart strong and healthy.

Cholesterol

To avoid poor heart health one of the most important things that you can do is to monitor your level of cholesterol. This can be achieved with a simple blood test. Your cholesterol levels dictate the amount of plaque that is likely to build up in your arteries and may lead to heart disease. A heart healthy diet should include less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. Also, it’s important to keep your sodium [salt substitute] intake down.

Saturated Fats

The level of saturated fat that you are consuming within your diet also needs careful examination. The amount of saturated fat that you should sensibly eat each day can vary according to your weight, build and activity levels. A good guideline for establishing dietary goals should be for you to have no more than 8% to 10% of all the calories that you eat in a day coming from saturated fat food products. In addition, it’s important to monitor how many calories you consume in general from fat foods. No more than 30% of your daily calories should come from fat.

Red Meat

You should avoid eating red meat as much as you can and this will help to keep your cholesterol levels low. Cholesterol is a compound that is only found in animal products, so fruits and vegetables should be your main dietary objective. There are many different alternatives to meat products available so that you can get your protein, such as beans, tofu, and nuts to ensure a full-spectrum of nutrition. Be careful to read the manufacturers label to ensure that whilst there is no meat there is not an excess of fat. You may even consider becoming a vegetarian.

Vegetables

Create and enjoy a diet that contains numerous vegetables. In addition to containing powerful anti-oxidants which can help your body to protect itself from the harmful damage that can be caused by free radical cells, vegetables contain no cholesterol, making them an ideal candidate for a heart healthy diet.

Regular Exercise

Having a healthy heart comes as a natural side effect of maintaining your ideal body weight and engaging in regular exercise. An important thing to consider is the fact that a pound of fat is created when 3500 unnecessary calories are consumed. For that reason, you should establish how many calories you should consume on a daily basis according to your weight and activity levels. If you overeat, you should counteract the extra calories by getting more exercise.

If you are prone to a heart condition, you should take special care to avoid eating chemical additions to food such as caffeine or MSG. Always read labels and get nutritional information before committing to a dish.

If you would like to have a well balanced diet to keep your heart healthy and strong, you may like to consider speaking to a qualified dietitian who can prepare a diet according to your individual specifications and preferences. With heart disease being the most common cause of death in most western countries, it’s in your best interests to take good care of your heart as well as the rest of your body.

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