Eating certain foods can increase the risk of heart disease. Although most of the people are aware of this matter, they cannot change unhealthy eating habits. However, a heart-healthy diet can keep you away from cardiovascular diseases. To maintain such a diet, it is essential to know which foods you need to limit and which you should eat more.
Although it is good to always have medical cover for unlimited GP visit for any kind of medical care, it is necessary to try avoiding certain medical conditions. A good heart-healthy diet can help your life without having such conditions.
Control the Size of Meals
Besides having a good choice of foods, you should have an idea of a proper quantity of foods. Consuming more calories than your body needs is not desired, if you want to stay healthy and fit. Instead of overloading a large plate, you should use a small plate or bowl. However, you can take large portions of the nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods such as fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, foods with high-sodium level, high-calorie, and processed foods should be restricted.
You must keep track of the number of servings. The proper number is recommended based on the diet that you follow. You can use measuring cups to maintain your diet precisely. A dietician can guide you decide proper measure as per your body weight and height.
Increase Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are filled with innumerable nutrients. These are the good sources of dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals. Most of the plants of plat-based foods are filled with the substances, which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you consume fruits as snacks, it will help you cut down junk foods.
It is easy to add some fruits and vegetables in your diet. You can prepare quick snacks like fruit or vegetable salad. Vegetable stir-fry can also be a good option when you are hungry.
Limit Unhealthy Fat Consumption
High blood cholesterol level is one of the major factors that increase the risk of coronary artery disease. Consuming more saturated and trans fats may lead you to high cholesterol and heart attack and stroke as a result. To maintain a heart-healthy diet, you can go through the guidelines provided by the American Heart Association.
Consuming lean meat is good, as it contains fat of less than 10 per cent. On the other hand, you need to avoid butter and margarine. A monosaturated fat is good for health, which includes avocados, nuts, and in certain fish. Flaxseed is also a good thing, which is a good source of high fibre and omega-3 fatty acids.
Opt for More Whole Grains
Whole grains contain fibre and some other nutrients, which are good to control blood pressure as well as heart health. Whole-wheat flour, whole-grain bread, whole grains like brown rice and barley, whole-grain pasta, high-fibre cereal, oatmeal, these can keep your heart healthy and effective.
Minimize Sodium Consumption
High sodium consumption may lead you to high blood pressure, which is one of the key causes of heart disease. As per the recommendation of the American Heart Association,
- A healthy adult person should not consume more than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
- Adults having certain physical conditions should not intake more than 1500 mg sodium a day.
The initial step to lowering your sodium consumption is limiting salt while cooking. Besides, the more canned or processed food you eat, the more salt you will intake.
Give Yourself Small Treats Sometimes
Sometimes your body and mind experience craving for some foods, which are not included in your heart-healthy diet plans. Having a candy bar or potato chips after some time will not affect your diet a lot. But do not make it your everyday eating habit. Overtreating yourself with such foods can disrupt your diet.
Create A New Menu Every Day for Yourself
Now you know which foods you need to restrict and which you need to add to your healthy diet. To turn the diet plan into action, you should create a menu of your daily foods. It is essential to emphasize fruits, vegetables and whole grains while deciding your daily snacks and meals. Also, you should select lean meats and foods with healthy fats. Besides, be careful about the quantity of foods. You can experiment with your recipes to turn the boring foods into exciting and to stay motivated to continue with your diet plan.
By incorporating these tips in your daily routine, you can stay healthy and stay out of danger about your heart. Along with this heart-healthy diet, you can also add some daily practices like exercise, staying relaxed and taking proper rest to maintain your heart and overall health.