Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health coverage, explores the connection between diet and heart health.
“As we observe Heart Awareness Month, it’s essential to highlight one of the most powerful tools for maintaining heart health: our diet,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health.
“The National Institutes of Health emphasise that our food choices significantly impact cardiovascular wellness, affecting blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and inflammation.”
Understanding the Heart-Diet Connection
Why is diet crucial for heart health? Because the food we eat can play a role in managing the three key factors contributing to heart disease risk: blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a significant risk factor for heart disease as it forces the heart to work harder, leading to heart enlargement and damage to blood vessels.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood that can build up in the walls of arteries, leading to atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Chronic inflammation is a prolonged and persistent inflammation that can damage various tissues and organs, including blood vessels. This ongoing inflammation is a significant risk factor for heart disease.
Heart-healthy Foods
These nutritious choices can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and decrease inflammation, helping to maintain a strong and healthy heart.
Leafy Green Vegetables: Spinach, kale, and collard greens are packed with vitamin K, which helps protect your arteries and ensures proper blood clotting.
Berries: Strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are full of antioxidants called anthocyanins that defend against oxidative stress and reduce heart inflammation.
Fatty Fish: Fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, decrease triglycerides, and lower the risk of irregular heartbeats.
Whole Grains: Foods like oats, quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat are high in fibre, lowering cholesterol and reducing heart disease risk.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are loaded with healthy fats, fibre, and proteins that help lower bad cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Avocados: Rich in monounsaturated fats that are beneficial for heart health, avos also provide potassium, which helps manage blood pressure.
Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas offer a great source of fibre and plant-based protein, helping to lower cholesterol levels and serving as a healthy, low-fat meat alternative.
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which can help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the heart and brain.
Green Tea: Green tea is abundant in polyphenols and catechins, antioxidants that can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Garlic: Valued for its medicinal benefits for thousands of years, garlic contains compounds that can help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels. Some research also suggests it may aid in preventing blood clots.
Creating a Heart-Healthy Eating Pattern
While including these individual foods in your diet is beneficial, focusing on your overall eating pattern is even more important. Here are some guidelines for a heart-healthy diet:
Emphasise Plant-Based Foods: Make fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes the stars of your plate.
Choose Lean Proteins: Opt for fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins more often than red meat.
Limit Saturated and Trans Fats: Reduce fatty meats, full-fat dairy, and fried foods intake.
Reduce Sodium: Pay attention to the sodium levels in packaged and processed foods and choose low-sodium or no-salt-added versions whenever possible.
Control Portion Sizes: Even healthy foods can contribute to weight gain if you overeat.
Stay Hydrated: Don’t forget that water is the healthiest option for staying hydrated. Limit sugary drinks and alcohol.
Conclusion
As we celebrate Heart Awareness Month, remember your diet’s influence on cardiovascular health. Incorporating heart-healthy foods into our daily meals and maintaining a balanced eating pattern can help lower the risk of heart disease. Here’s to a heart-healthy future, one meal at a time!