What you eat may help you prevent heart attack / stroke

Top 10 foods for your heart

Hi all,

This again I picked up from the newsletter sent by my health insurance company and thought of sharing it here becos it might be useful.

Heart healthy foods
When it comes to eating for your heart, whole foods are the best. Try to eat foods that are closest to their original state — not processed — so they're naturally lower in sugar, trans fats (hydrogenated oils found in most processed food), and sodium.

Top 10 foods for your heart

1. High fiber cereals and breads — Besides having carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals, whole grain cereals and breads help control diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses. Whole-grain foods also help lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels.
Common Whole-Grain Foods

• Whole-wheat bread and rolls
• Whole-grain cereals, such as oatmeal, bran flakes, and shredded wheat
• Whole-wheat pancakes and waffles
• Whole-grain tortillas and pasta
• Brown rice, barley, corn, and oats

2. Fish (salmon and tuna) — Cold-water fish like salmon and tuna are rich in important nutrients, including omega-3 essential fatty acids.

3. Legumes (beans and peas) — Legumes are a great source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Fiber also prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making legumes an especially good choice for people with diabetes, insulin resistance, or hypoglycemia. Combine beans with whole grain rice for a virtually fat-free, high quality meal.
4. Nuts (almonds and walnuts) — Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats found in olive oil. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids.

5. Skim milk — Milk promotes strong bones by being a very good source of vitamin D and calcium and a good source of vitamin K. Also, B vitamins found in milk prevent cardiovascular disease.

6. Blueberries — Full of nutrients and flavor, blueberries are very low in calories. They top the list of 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability. Antioxidants prevent cells from forming free radicals, which can damage your body's healthy cells.

7. Apples and oranges — Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber that can lower cholesterol levels — reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and stroke. Oranges provide healthy doses of vitamin C for antioxidant protection and support for immune systems.

8. Carrots — Carrots are the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. They also promote good vision — especially night vision.

9. Tomatoes — A great source of potassium and a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, and folate, tomatoes help lower high cholesterol levels. Diets rich in potassium can lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease too. Lycopene in tomatoes helps prevent heart disease and protects against a growing list of cancers.

10. Spinach and kale — Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale provide more nutrients calorie-for-calorie than any other food! Spinach protects from osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases.

 

7 foods your heart should do without

Hi,

Having posted about the Top 10 foods for your heart, I also thought of posting about the 7 foods your heart should do without.

Courtesty: Humana Insurance Company
Seven food categories contribute significantly to the high rate of heart disease. How many of these foods do you eat in a single week, or worse, in a single day? If your diet consists of mainly these foods, double-check our list of top 10 ways to improve your diet and the health of your heart.

1. Full-fat meats — High in saturated fats and calories, avoid full-fat meats. Examples include: bacon, meats, beef.

2. Full-fat dairy products — Whole milk, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese, and ice cream are high in saturated fats and calories, too.

3. Unhealthy oils — Palm oil, coconut oil, margarines and vegetable shortening, are hydrogenated and contain trans fats. Trans fats are produced when liquid oils are turned into solids. This process is called hydrogenation. Cut back on foods that list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils on the labels. This type of fat is found in crackers and snack foods, baked foods like cookies and donuts, french fries, and stick margarine. Use a soft margarine in place of butter or stick margarine. Look for soft margarine in a tub that lists a liquid oil such as corn, safflower, soybean, or canola oil as the first ingredient.

4. Fast foods — Burgers with sauces and high-fat dressings, french fries, and onion rings are high in saturated fats, trans fats, and calories. Also, be aware that the "healthy salad" option available at many fast food chains is healthy as long as you don't drown it in a fatty salad dressing.

5. Commercially baked goods — Donuts, pastries, pies, and cakes, are high in processed white flour, trans fats, and refined sugars.

6. Packaged snacks — Potato chips, crackers, cookies, and breakfast foods such as cereals, breakfast bars, and toaster pastries are typically made with partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), artificial additives, high sodium, and refined sugars.

7. Sugary beverages — Sodas, punches, and fruit drinks, contain artificial dyes, refined sugar, and corn syrup.

 

Re: 7 foods your heart should do without

you can also choose to take omega 3 fish oil supplements if you cannot incorporate omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.

i've read that omega 3 significantly protects you from cardiovascular diseases, heart attack, and strokes by lowering bad choclesterol in the blood.

just a heads up.