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Heart-healthy diet
Consuming foods that promote heart health requires adhering to a diet high in nutrients. Plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and beans, are the main sources. Fish and dairy in moderation are also helpful.
Certain foods must be avoided as part of a diet that can help control or prevent heart failure. Experts advise against consuming large amounts of salt and meals high in saturated fat, like sausage and fatty red meat portions.
Learn about foods that can help with heart failure and those that can make it worse by reading on.
Tiny nutrients
Minerals and vitamins including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C are examples of micronutrients. Micronutrient deficiencies are typically the result of consuming insufficient amounts of high-quality foods, which are primarily plant-based diets.
Fiber
Plant-based diets have a high fiber level in addition to a high micronutrient content. A diet high in fiber promotes heart health as well. Foods high in fiber include:
Whole grains, such brown rice, oats, quinoa, and 100% whole grain bread; fruits, like blackberries, raspberries, pears, and oranges; veggies, like chickpeas; nuts, like almonds, pecans, and pistachios; legumes, like beans and peas
Fish
Because fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, eating moderate amounts of fish may also be good for heart health.
Among other ways, omega-3 fatty acids prevent the development of plaque in arteries. Two servings of fish should be consumed each week, according to AHATrusted Source. Salmon and trout are two examples of fatty kinds that are very helpful.
Dairy
Experts also suggest consuming dairy products in moderation. A 2018 articleTrusted Source states that new research shows full-fat dairy products to have a higher nutritional bioavailability than low-fat varieties.
The term “bioavailability” describes how well the body absorbs and uses nutrients. The authors of the study discovered that heart health benefits can be derived from fermented dairy products like cheese and yogurt.
Items and drinks to stay away from
Doctors recommend consuming less salt, staying away from meals high in saturated fat, and consuming modest amounts of alcohol.
Salty food
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine states that cutting back on salt intake is crucial to lowering the risk of heart failure.
The following advice is provided by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions to assist individuals in cutting back on salt:
Consume a lot of fruits and vegetables as they naturally contain low amounts of salt.
To add flavor to food, use herbs and spices like garlic, onion, and sodium-free herbal seasonings.
Restrict the amount of condiments you use, like mustard and ketchup.
Steer clear of processed and quick food.
Select salt-free munchies like unsalted almonds and carrot sticks.
When you go grocery shopping, check the salt content of the food labels.
Make an effort to cook at home and reserve eating out for special occasions.
Fried meals and saturated fat
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source states that consuming meals high in trans or saturated fats may increase the risk of heart disease. Trans fat is an oil that, when processed into food, solidifies.
Saturated fat-containing foods include:
high-fat beef butter slices
palm oil coconut oil ice cream
Foods that may contain trans fats include:
foods that are fried store-bought pies, crackers, and cookies
Alcohol
In a meta-analysis from 2015According to a reliable source, those who keep their alcohol intake in check are less likely to get heart failure.
According to the CDCTrusted Source, men should not have more than two glasses of alcohol each day, while women should only have one drink.
What is heart failure, and how does it happen?
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, has been diagnosed in 5.7 millionTrusted Source Americans, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The heart’s inability to pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands is the condition. It may impact the left, right, or both sides of the heart.
The inability of the heart to pump enough blood to the lungs so that oxygen may be taken in is known as right-sided heart failure. The heart cannot pump enough blood that is rich in oxygen to every portion of the body when it suffers from left-sided heart failure.
Conditions that overwork, harm, and weaken the heart can result in heart failure. This results in the body releasing chemicals into the bloodstream that are harmful to the heart.
Among these prerequisites are:
high blood pressure, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, which is characterized by plaque accumulation in the arteries and can result in a heart attack or stroke, and other cardiac conditions
Heart-healthy lifestyle choices
A balanced diet is essential for maintaining heart health, but there are other lifestyle choices that can also be beneficial. Individuals could attempt the following:
If applicable, giving up smoking; regular exercise; learning stress management; obtaining enough sleep; and maintaining a reasonable weight
Foods high in micronutrients, which support the body’s overall health, including the heart, can help prevent or treat heart failure. They are mostly derived from plant-based diets.
The Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes plant-based foods while allowing for modest amounts of dairy and seafood, is an example of a heart-healthy diet.
Additionally, making certain lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking, exercising frequently, and getting enough sleep each night, might help people lower their chance of developing heart failure.