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Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in the
U.K. among both men and women. Part of the problem is it is
truly a silent killer. There are few warning signs of a heart
attack and the signs that are there don’t necessarily make
us feel bad. The good news is there are many lifestyle changes
you can make to significantly decrease your risk of heart
disease. Here are 9 simple steps to make over your diet for
heart health.
1.Use the right fats: The good fats are found to preserve
HDL (protective cholesterol) and lower LDL (Bad Cholesterol)
levels. The good fats are found in foods such as olive, canola,
and peanut oils as well as nuts, avocados and olives.
2.Decrease the Saturated Fats: These fats tend to increase
the cholesterol made by your body. They can increase your
total and LDL (Bad) cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are
found in animal products such as dairy, poultry (especially
the skin), meats, butter and cream based sauces and dressings.
It is not necessary to omit these foods, just choose leaner
options and have the higher fat foods once in awhile.
3.Remove all Trans Fats from your pantry! : Trans Fats are
oils that have been hardened by the  hydrogenation
process, such as stick margarine and shortening used to make
commercial baked goods, chips, and fast foods. Like saturated
fats, these fats increase total blood cholesterol and LDL
(Bad) cholesterol levels and may even lower HDL (Good) cholesterol
levels. Food labels will be required to list the amount of
Trans fats in a food product by 2006. Until then, if the ingredient
list on the food label includes the term hydrogenated, or
partially hydrogenated, it contains Trans Fats. Avoid these
products!
4.Increase Your Fiber! : Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol
levels in the blood by binding to cholesterol in the intestine
so it cannot be absorbed by the body. Good food sources of
soluble fiber include beans and legumes, oranges, apples,
prunes, broccoli, carrots, oat bran, oatmeal, and some cereals.
Use whole grain products in place of their white counterparts.
Eat at least 20-40 grams of fiber a day. (Most Americans only
eat around 12 grams of fiber a day.)
5.Omega-3 Fatty Acids every day: Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential
fatty acids meaning we have to get them from our diet. These
fatty acids may reduce the risk of blood clotting, decrease
inflammation, lower triglyceride levels, normalize heart rhythms
and improve the immune system. Consumption of Omega-3 fatty
acids daily may reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death
by 50-70%. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in: fatty fish such
as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, halibut, and sardines. Other
sources include ground flax seeds, soybeans, canola oil, and
walnuts.
6.Five To Eight Fruits and Vegetables a day: Eating fruits
and vegetables can help to decrease your risk of heart disease,
cancer, cataracts, and can help to lower blood pressure. Fruits
and Vegetables are loaded in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
The more fruits and veggies you eat, the more antioxidant
activity in your body.
How do antioxidants work? Every day we are exposed to free
radicals from our diets, sun, chemical exposure, pollution,
etc. These free radicals promote the plaque build up in our
arteries leading us to increased risk of heart disease. Antioxidants
work by neutralizing these free radicals before they can cause
damage to our bodies.
7.Folic Acid: High levels of an amino acid called homocysteine
in the blood have been associated with damage to the blood-vessel
walls, increased blood clotting, and overall increased risk
of cardiovascular disease. Folate is a B vitamin which has
been shown to decrease these homocysteine levels in the blood.
Good food sources of Folate include green leafy vegetables
such as kale, spinach, beet greens, and chard as well as legumes,
asparagus, broccoli, oranges, orange juice, whole and fortified
grains, walnuts and peanuts.
8.Add some almonds! Studies show that eating an ounce of almonds
a day can help to lower your cholesterol. A matter of fact,
a recent study published in Journal of the American Medical
Association found that eating a diet that included plant sterol
margarine (such as Benecol or ProActiv), soy products, almonds
and increase fiber was able to lower cholesterol levels as
much as the statin drugs and in just 2 weeks time! Have an
ounce of almonds as a snack, or sprinkle them in your cereal
or salad.
9.Have a little soy: Soy has also been shown to lower cholesterol
levels.
Using soy on a weekly basis is a great step towards protecting
your heart. If you are not a tofu fan, try soy milk or yogurt,
garden burgers, edamme (soy beans), or soy sausage patties.
There are all kinds of ways to include soy in your diet!
Sample Heart Healthy Meal Makeover:
Sample day
Before:
Breakfast:
- glass of orange juice
- 2 fried eggs
- 3 slices of bacon
- 2 slices white bread with 3 tsp butter
Lunch:
- roast beef sandwich on white bread
- potato chips
Snack:
- 1 cup Cheez It crackers
Dinner:
- fried fish strips
- 1 cup mashed potatoes cooked w/whole milk and butter
- ½ cup corn
Diet make over:
Breakfast:
-glass of calcium fortified orange juice
- scrambled egg beaters
- 1-2 slices of whole grain bread with 1-2 tsp Benocol or
ProActive spread
- 1-2 slices soy bacon or sausage links
Lunch:
-½ turkey, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich
- 1 cup vegetable soup
- 8 oz vanilla non-fat yogurt with 1/3 cup of berries added
Snack:
1 ounce almonds
Dinner:
-3 ounces baked or broiled salmon
- ½ cup broiled red potatoes with olive oil
- ½ cup broccoli
- 1-2 cups of salad with cut up pears and toasted walnuts
with 1TB olive oil vinaigrette salad dressing
Results:
Day 1 = 2300 calories and 114 grams fat; 98 grams sat fat;
45% calories from fat
Day 2 = 1800 calories and 58 grams fat; 14 grams sat fat;
29% calories from fat.
Making small changes can go a long way to improve your heart
health! What changes can you start making?
© Meri Raffetto, 2005
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