Valentine's
Day is a time for hearts and roses. Nutritionists say it's also a good time to
start caring for your heart by eating 10 cardio-protective superfoods.
Cardiovascular
disease kills about one person every 10 minutes and prevents millions of people
from living a full life because of disability caused by the disease. Women, in
particular, need to be aware of heart disease as it is the greatest cause of
death and disability in women. Despite a lower incidence, coronary heart
disease-related mortality and the percentage of sudden deaths from coronary
heart disease without previous symptoms is higher than for men.
In
most cases these tragedies can be prevented simply by modifying eating habits
and lifestyle choices. Many of us know we could be a lot healthier but want to
be motivated to do something about it.
Top 10 Foods for a Healthy Heart
- Fish, especially fatty
fish high in Omega-3 – reduces inflammation, reduces blood clots, lowers
triglycerides
- Oats and whole
grains – B vitamins and soluble fibre; oats have been shown to lower LDL
cholesterol
- Beans, lentils – soluble fibre
helps lower LDL cholesterol; potassium and magnesium lower blood pressure,
good amounts of protective folate
- Nuts and seeds – protein, Vitamins
E and B, mono and poly unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol
- Broccoli and
cabbage – high levels of antioxidants, soluble fibre
- Garlic – high levels of
vitamin C, allicin lowers blood pressure, reduces LDL cholesterol
- Grapes and other
fresh fruit – rich in flavonoids, lower blood pressure and reduce free radical
cardiac muscle damage
- Lean protein: chicken, beef or
pork – helps reduce weight and build muscle
Here
are five tips for heart healthy diets:
- Reduce processed and
packaged foods, especially ones high in fats, sodium and sugar
- Cut back on red meat
– vegetarian meals based on beans, lentils and whole grains can replace
meat three or four times a week
- Eat a wide variety
of fruit and vegetables a day (try to meet the 5 servings of vegetables
and two of fruit)
- Have four meals of
fish a week
- Drink alcohol
responsibly
