Top ten tips for a healthy heart
With regards to matters of the heart, prevention is better than cure.
According to the British Heart Foundation, “a healthy diet can not only reduce your chances of developing heart disease, but also protect your heart from further problems if you’ve already been diagnosed.”
A balanced diet helps maintain a healthy weight, keeps cholesterol and blood pressure under control, lessens the chances of developing potentially dangerous blood clots and the build up of fatty artery deposits.
Jacqui Lowdon, dietician with the British Dietetic Association, recognises how simple dietary changes can have a dramatic effect on your heart. She establishes both the foods we should endeavour to include in our diet (and those we should avoid) in order to mantain a healthy heart.
Fruits and vegetables
These provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for the protection of your heart. According to the British Dietetic Association, fruit and vegetables of the fresh, frozen, tinned and juiced variety all count as towards the vital five a day. One portion constitutes about 2-3 tablespoons of vegetables, two small fruit or one larger fruit (according to the NHS five-a-day website). Incorporating fruit and vegetables into your daily dietary routine can be as simple as having a fruit juice or smoothie with breakfast, fruit or salad with lunch, a snack of raisins, a vegetable or beans with your evening meal and perhaps fruit of the tinned variety in the evening. According to the British Dietetic Association, beans, pulses and lentils have the added benefit of releasing their energy slowly which has been proven to be beneficial to one's overall heart health.
Fats
Different types of fats have different effects on the heart. Trans fats and saturated fats are to be avoided; particularly trans fats; which are contained in hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortenings, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, pastry, sauces, and oils used repeatedly for deep frying. This type of fat is associated with increased risk of heart disease, whilst a high intake of saturated fats can raise levels of harmful (LDL) cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in butter, ghee, lard, dripping, high fat cheese, cream, full fat milk and fat on meat and poultry. Replacing saturated and trans fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can reduce cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fat is found in olive oil and rapeseed (canola) oil, whilst Omega 3 is an example of a polyunsaturated fat, which is found in fish.
Fish
Two portions should be included in your diet on a weekly basis, at least one of which should be oily - for example mackerel, trout or salmon. If you have suffered a heart attack, the British Dietetic Association recommends 2-4 portions of oily fish a week as part of your diet.
Salt
Reducing your salt intake will help you maintain a lower blood pressure and thus reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. For more information, see the New You video on cutting down your salt intake.
Alcohol
Alcohol contains seven calories per gram; excessive consumption can therefore increase your blood pressure and cause weight gain whilst damaging your heart muscle.
For more information:
The Food Standards Agency
The British Dietetic Association
The British Heart Foundation
