TheHealthQuote.com

One of the biggest causes of death in the world today is heart failure.  With so many people suffering from heart related illnesses, one might ask themselves “Is there anything I can do about this?”  Thankfully, there are quite a few steps you can take on the road to achieving and maintaining a healthy heart.

Diet and exercise are two of the most important factors when it comes to having a healthy heart.  Today, we will focus on the diet side.

There are 5 basic and essential needs for the human body: Proteins, Fats, Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy, and Grains.  Every individual in one way or another needs these to survive in a healthy manner.  Below I will break down some of the best ways to get these heart healthy essentials into your diet each and every day.

•    Proteins – Whether you are a meat lover or a vegetarian, the human body cannot survive without protein.  Protein is the basic building block of muscle tissue, and guess what; the heart is the most important muscle in the human body!  Although red meat contains the highest abundance of usable protein, your body can also obtain it from fish, chicken, eggs, and beans.  All of these foods are high in protein and are not hard to come by, by any means.  Combining an abundant source of protein with regular exercise is the first step towards building a healthy heart.
•    Fats – Now I know what you are thinking, isn’t fat bad?  Well it depends.  There are 3 kinds of fats, Trans fats, which we all know are bad and have hopefully said goodbye to long ago; Saturated fats clog up arteries and eventually lead to stroke or cardiac arrest; Monounsaturated fats, however, move freely through the blood stream and are easily broken down by the body making their energy instantly available.  Although diets high in fat should be avoided whenever possible, ensuring that your body has enough monounsaturated fat to produce and store energy will increase the efficiency of your heart.  Many nuts are high in monounsaturated fat including walnuts, pistachios and peanuts.  Substituting a light olive oil spray for heavy salad dressing is an excellent way to incorporate heart healthy fats into your diet.
•    Fruits and Vegetables – Our bodies evolved with a certain dependence on fiber and plant materials in order for it to survive.  While diets are still changing and the benefits of incorporating meat into our everyday diets have been realized, do not forget about vegetables.  The main source of fiber in the average American diet comes from fruits and vegetables, but studies show that Americans in particular are still not getting enough.  The American Heart Association recommends 15 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories your body consumes.  The fiber in your diet assists with digestion, prevents cholesterol buildup from foods high in oils and polyunsaturated fats, and improves satiety (the feeling of being full or satisfied after a meal) by slowing the digestion process.  Fruits and vegetables that are highest in fiber include oatmeal, peas, citrus, and strawberries.  Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and carrots round out the list of vegetables with the highest fiber content.
•    Dairy – When consuming dairy products, one must be careful.  While the nutrients contained in these products are essential to the body (i.e. calcium, potassium, and magnesium) they can also be very high in the polyunsaturated fats, remember those from earlier?  The items found in dairy however, besides the fats, have been known to reduce blood pressure, specifically potassium.   The role of potassium in our body is to maintain a healthy fluid balance.  This ultimately leads to balanced and healthy blood pressure.  Healthy blood pressure is essential to the health of your heart by making its job much easier.  Recommended dairy products include low fat milk, low fat cheese, and yogurt.  It is important, however, to be aware of your intake of dairy products.  While consuming the recommended amount of dairy products will serve to decrease your blood pressure, eating too much can begin to have the opposite effect as it will increase your cholesterol levels and begin to clog your arteries.
•    Grains – Grains are perhaps the most important step in maintaining a healthy heart.  Grains are so versatile; they perform many of the tasks of the above food groups; lowering cholesterol, decreasing blood pressure, and enriching the muscle tissue of the heart.  Much of the value of grains comes from vitamin E, a proven protector of muscle tissue.  It is important that as your heart becomes strong, that you maintain it with a healthy diet of grains.  Grains are also a good source of fiber, often consisting of varieties that cannot be easily obtained from fruits or vegetables.  Foods high in grains include bread, bran and brown rice. Substituting “whole wheat” items into your diet can reduce your risk of heart attack by up to 30%.

Each and every food item listed above can be easily obtained at any grocery store.  Remember the three main steps. Strengthen your heart with proteins, assist your heart with dairy, fiber, and dietary fats, and lastly, protect your heart with grains and minerals.