Awareness On Heart Healthy Diet

By James Spann


Many people in the present generation are suffering from preventable diseases that mainly emanate from their way of life. This is particularly the case for those who are less sensitive to what they eat. Exercise has also become old fashion. To stay healthy and free from heart conditions and diseases, it is necessary to maintain a heart healthy diet.

Healthy eating starts from the portion of food eaten. The amount of food you eat is as equally worrying as the type of food you are eating. You should always control the servings you eat and maintain a desirable and constant serving size. Having control over your food portion is important as it checks the amount of cholesterol and fat consumed. Also, make a habit of eating more foods with low calorie content, but rich in nutrients and minimize on refined and processed fast foods, with high sodium and calorie content. Vegetables and fruits are good examples of low calorie but nutrient rich foods.

Fruits and vegetables stand out as key sources of vitamins. Their high dietary fiber and low calorie content are just ideal. They additionally have substances which are especially found in plants and capable of preventing many heart diseases. Consuming vegetables and fruits more frequently may enable you to stay away from temptations of such unhealthy foods as meat and cheddar which are terrifying to your heart.

It can be easy to feature vegetables and fruits in a diet. Maintain a stock of fresh vegetables in a refrigerator for snacks. The vegetables should be washed and cut for quick snacks. For fruits, keep them in a bowl and in a place such as a kitchen where they are readily available and remembered for eating. Also learn to opt for recipes that include such vitamins as their main ingredient. This includes vegetable stir-fry and fresh fruit salads.

As a word of caution, always remember that not all fruits and vegetables are ideal. Choose fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. When it comes to canned products, opt for low-sodium vegetables. For fruits, go for the ones packed in juice. Avoid coconut and vegetables having creamy sauces. Fried and breaded vegetables are not good. You should also shy away from canned fruit in heavy syrup and frozen fruits having sugar as additives.

Enhance your diet by adding whole grains. They are rich in dietary fiber among other nutrients that are vital in controlling blood pressure and enhancing heart healthy. The amount of whole grains can be enhanced in a diet by substituting refined grain products. You can also adventure in such whole grains as quinoa, whole-grain couscous and barley.

Whole grains can also be incorporated in terms of ground flaxseeds. These are the small brown seeds with high content of omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. They immensely lower blood cholesterol. The seeds are often grounded and used in yoghurt and hot cereal.

However, whatever your eating plan, observe the following guidelines; keep the total fat at less than 30%. Maintain both saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids at less than 10 percent of the total calories per day. The intake of cholesterol and sodium must not exceed 3000 milligrams daily. Minimize salt intake and do some exercises more often. Being active strengthens heart muscles, enhances blood flow and reduces or otherwise prevents high blood pressure. It also raises HDL cholesterol, and helps regulate blood sugars and the weight of the body.




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