Heart Disease: Diet & Nutrition Tips

Salt/Sodium Intake

Sodium intake can affect your body's blood pressure. Often times, people who have a high sodium intake develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease.

It is important to watch your sodium intake. The American Heart Association recommends that adults who are healthy take in no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. This measures out to be approximately one teaspoon of salt a day.

To reduce sodium in your diet, you can make some simple lifestyle choices. Eat fresh vegetables. If you can't choose fresh vegetables then choose frozen or canned vegetables that have no salt added. By simply choosing some easy changes, you can lower your risk of heart disease!

When using broths for cooking, choose unsalted or low-sodium broths. Regular broths are often loaded with sodium. The lower-sodium broths often have the same great flavor without all the unhealthy sodium.

When choosing dairy products, choose low-fat versions of milk, cheese, and yogurt. Cheese is also available in lower sodium versions. You can still enjoy your dairy, without all the extra sodium.

When cooking or baking try not using salt for flavor. Instead add delicious flavor by using spices or herbs. If you must use sodium-based spices, look for low-sodium versions of your favorites. They may cost a bit more, but are much better for you!

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Diets Rich in Fiber

The American Heart Association suggests people eat a diet rich in fiber to help maintain a healthy body. Fiber not only helps keep the digestive system healthy, but it also aids in lowering cholesterol which helps battle heart disease.

Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, foods that are fortified, and beans.

Adults should be eating 15 grams of dietary fiber a day. Some experts and organizations recommend eating more, perhaps up to 20 grams of fiber a day.

Fiber is classified into soluble and insoluble categories. It is the soluble fiber that aids in lowering cholesterol. Soluble fiber can be found in foods such as: oat bran, oatmeal, beans, rice bran, barley, oranges or other citrus fruits, and strawberries. Lowering cholesterol can help fight heart disease.

Insoluble fiber doesn't aid in lowering cholesterol, but it is essential in keeping the body's digestive system healthy.

It is important to read food labels carefully. Many processed foods with bran often do not contain enough bran to aid in lowering cholesterol.

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Fiber and the Prevention of Heart Disease

Soluble fiber can decrease your total cholesterol level by up to 14 percent. The University of Nevarre tracked 342 Spanish adults and found that those who consumed the most fiber were 86 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.

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Fats and Oils in Your Diet

According the American Heart Association, people should be eating vegetable oil and margarines with no more than two grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. Some good examples of healthier oils are: canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.

When cooking with oils, reduce the amount you use. If you must cook with oil, select one of the healthier choices from above.

When choosing salad dressings, choose low-fat or non-fat dressings, preferably that do not have a mayonnaise base.

For recipes that call for frying something in oil, try baking it instead. Often times, you can get the same wonderful flavor without all the fat!

Always remember to read food labels, as there are hidden fats in several foods that may seem healthy. Things such as bakery items and snack foods often have hidden fats in them. Look at the labels before purchasing each food item or eating it.

There are also some oils to stay away from. These oils are high in saturated fat, which is unhealthy for the heart. The following oils should be avoided: coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil. Try to avoid eating foods prepared with these.

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Nuts and the Prevention of Heart Disease

The American Heart Association recommends consuming one ounce of almonds each day to lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Walnuts and peanuts have also been proven to have cholesterol-lowering effects in humans.

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Fiber and the Prevention of Heart Disease

Soluble fiber can decrease your total cholesterol level by up to 14 percent. The University of Nevarre tracked 342 Spanish adults and found that those who consumed the most fiber were 86 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.

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General Diet and Nutrition Information

People battling heart disease, or those just wanting to get healthy and stay healthy need to maintain a healthy diet to do so.

A diet that is considered heart healthy is a diet that consists of limited amounts of processed foods and more fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. The fresher the food, the better for you!

When reading food labels, many experts caution against buying foods in which you can't recognize at least some of the original food on the label, if you can't recognize the original food, then the food has been processed.

The American Heart Association recommends eating a diet that is rich in fiber and whole grains. It also suggests that people lower their sodium intake and cut out unnecessary fats or oils.

By eating a diet similar to this, people can lower their blood pressure and cholesterol. This helps keep the heart healthier and reduces your risk of heart disease.

Many people run the risk of developing heart disease. Many people already have it. One great way to either prevent or reduce your risk of heart disease is to watch what you eat. As it ends up, you really are what you eat!

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Diet for Treatment of Heart Disease

The least restrictive therapeutic diet regimen for heart disease recommends the following:

· No more than 30 percent of total calories from fat

· No more than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat

· No more than 10 percent of total calories from polyunsaturated fat

· No more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day

· Fifty-five percent of total calories from carbohydrate

· Fifteen to 20 percent of total calories from protein

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Heart Disease Diet and Recipe Books

There are several diets and recipe books geared towards a person with heart disease. The following are just a few that come highly recommended.

Eat Your Way To A Healthy Heart by Liz Applegate Ph.D.: One of the most recognized nutritional experts in the country offers a practical plan to help control high blood pressure and perhaps reverse heart disease. This book includes easy-to-follow recipes and shopping lists.

The American Heart Association 6 Weeks To Cut Out The Fat: This pocket size book comes equipped with a six-week program that shows how to cut the fat from your diet and gradually substitute healthier foods for food that are fatty. The book also discusses how to record each of your meals and cut the fat used to cook and bake.

The American Heart Association 365 Ways To Get Out The Fat: Another great book by the American Heart Association. This book is filled with ideas on how to keep fat and cholesterol under control when cooking and eating.

Dr. Dean Ornish's Program For Reversing Heart Disease: Dr. Ornish is a critically acclaimed doctor with a scientifically proven heart care program. In this book he will teach you about low-fat foods, exercise, and stress-reduction techniques.

The American Heart Association One-Dish Meals: This recipe book consists of over 200 one dish meals that are heart healthy and delicious! The book is separated into categories for easy reading and all the meals are quick and made in one dish!

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Diet for Treatment of Heart Disease

The least restrictive therapeutic diet regimen for heart disease recommends the following:
· No more than 30 percent of total calories from fat
· No more than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat
· No more than 10 percent of total calories from polyunsaturated fat
· No more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day
· Fifty-five percent of total calories from carbohydrate
· Fifteen to 20 percent of total calories from protein

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