Posts Tagged ‘Heart Diet’

Heart Patient Diet Plan-What is a Healthy Heart Diet?

Sunday, November 13th, 2011
Fruit on display at La Boqueria market in Barc...

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For those who struggle with heart problems and/or who have heart surgery, it is crucial to follow a heart patient diet plan so the heart can heal.

The question by some may be is what exactly is a healthy heart diet? As it turns out, its a very simple diet to follow. Here is more on what you need to consider.

What Is a Healthy Heart Diet? By Chris L Castillo

Just what is a healthy heart diet? This is a question I asked a doctor friend of mine. His reply sounded a bit ambiguous to me. “A varied diet that contains adequate percentages of fruit and vegetables.” was what he said. Being me, I thought I would study on the subject a bit more as although I have two arms, legs, eyes and ears I only have the one heart and apparently it is important to make sure that it doesn’t stop beating.

It turns out that it is not as simple as eating just the same old fruits and vegetables repeatedly, rather it is a large range of different fruits and vegetables as part of one’s diet. The reason is that our human ancestors only had access to various fruits, vegetables, leaves and nuts in their correct seasons. This means that even as “modern man” our bodies are still pre-programmed to eat a great variety of different foods and not something like a monoculture as people that eat burgers and fries every day do. It is the same with meat, we should not really stick to the flesh from one animal as that was also fairly rarely done in the past. I know that native Americans ate a lot of buffalo but they also has access to different types of deer and birds too.

I do not propose leeching the tannins out of acorns to make them palatable or eating the roots of sea kale and rushes but I do advocate making use of a lot of the different varieties of fruits and vegetable available today. Using modern methods of growing we can get an extended season by keeping worthwhile plants under glass. Then we have to think about how far food travels and if we want to pay the price of contaminating the earth with exhaust fumes from jet aircraft from warmer climes or heating greenhouses in the far north. It turns out there is less pollution caused by flying runner beans from Kenya than there is from growing them under glass during the winter in Holland.

In conclusion then, I have learned that a healthy heart diet is one that includes a great variety of different fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and meat. All of these foods have different benefits for our bodies and we should therefore eat them all when they are available. Lastly, I know that wine and chocolate were not around for our forbears in Africa and Europe until comparatively recently but they too can be included in our diet to keep our hearts healthy.

For more tips on a healthy heart diet, visit here: http://healthyheartdiet4u.wordpress.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6545984

As one can see, a heart patient diet plan is pretty simple. The bigger issue may be making the commitment to change your lifestyle and eating habits so your heart can heal and become strong once more!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique

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Heart Patient Diet Plan-Two Easy Tips to Heart Health

Sunday, July 17th, 2011
Fresh vegetables are important components of a...

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The best way to prevent heart problems in the future is to begin now by keeping your heart healthy. It’s actually pretty easy to do if are willing to make a commitment.

I just was reading a recent article about what a healthy heart diet plan looks like along with a couple of easy things a person can do to include it in their lifestyle. Below are a few brief excerpts from the article.

What Does A Healthy Heart Diet Consist Of And What Health Benefits Will You Gain By Following One?

By 

To keep the body working, you need to have a healthy heart. It is the main organ of the body and when your heart is not functioning well, it means that your health is at risk. In America, diseases related to the heart are a leading cause of death. In fact, a healthy heart diet can prevent all of these things from happening.

Taking good care of yourself especially with what you are eating can result in a healthy heart. Below you are about to find out on what comprises a healthy heart diet.

Exercise is one of the essentials for a healthy heart. It is through exercise that you maintain normal heart function and burn excess fats that can cause cholesterol build up blocking your arteries.

Getting into a regular exercise regimen guarantees a healthy lifestyle and of course a healthy heart.

With regard to your exercise regimen, different bodies require different exercise regimens; therefore, you need to consult your fitness instructor on what is the appropriate exercise regimen for you.

When you need to lose weight because of excess fat, which is a risk factor for cholesterol build up, your goal in exercising is really to lose that excess fat.

On the other hand, the counterpart of exercise is a healthy heart diet. It is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Surprisingly, a person who maintains a healthy diet will not be susceptible to heart disease even when they age. Avoiding cholesterol-rich foods is the first thing that you need to do.

There was lots of other good things in this article you will want to take a look at. To read the article in its entirety, go to http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-A-Healthy-Heart-Diet-Consist-Of-And-What-Health-Benefits-Will-You-Gain-By-Following-One?&id=5512808

 

Monique Hawkins

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Heart Disease Prevention Tip:Why Nuts Are Good for Heart

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

Today’s heart disease prevention tip has to do with nuts and how you should include them in your diet.

This came from a recent article in the May 15, 2011 issue of “Bottom Line Personal.” It says:

” Nuts are among the most potent remedies for heart health. Research shows that people who eat up to five times a week can reduce their risk for heart disease by 30% to 50%, according to the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study and other medical trials. People who eat nuts regularly have better heart health even when they eat unhealthy amounts of saturated fat or consume few fruits or vegetable.

The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts reduce arterial inflammation and the risk for clots. Nuts also contain oleic acid which improves cholesterol.

One small handful of nuts daily is good. Any kind of nut is fine, (including peanuts, which actually aren’t a nut), roasted or raw (no salt.)”

The bottom line, make sure you include nuts as part of a heart healthy diet plan everyday. Your heart will greatly benefit from it!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

Heart Patient Diet Plan-Why Avoiding Animal Products May Benefit Your Heart and Health

Sunday, November 7th, 2010

Avoiding animal products can be an important component of a heart patient’s diet plan. Please note that avoiding is the key word here, not eliminating animal products completely from your diet. Becoming a strict vegetarian takes a level of commitment that some just can’t face and may not even be necessary to achieve optimal heart health. For most people, cutting down on the amount of animal products and choosing any that you do consume wisely is sufficient to promote a healthy heart and entire cardiovascular system.

Why avoid animal products? The primary reason is that dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products. I always find it a bit humorous to see a bag of apples marked “a no cholesterol food,” maybe people just aren’t aware that cholesterol comes from animals! Studies have shown that eating a diet high in cholesterol damages the cardiovascular system and raises blood cholesterol levels. Some surprising studies show that even if blood cholesterol isn’t raised, people consuming more animal products have a higher incidence of death from heart attacks and strokes. One of the greatest risks to the heart is atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. Cholesterol seems to play a major role in the formation of plaque inside the arteries, causing narrowing of blood vessels and limiting the flow of blood. In addition to being bad for the heart, research has shown that diets high in meat and other animal products contribute to other diseases including certain cancers, osteoporosis, and digestive disorders.

In addition to the cholesterol found in animal products, they also have much higher fat content than their vegetable counterparts, increasing dietary calories. Slimming down can greatly benefit the heart; carrying less weight eases the burden on the heart. Did you know that fat has nine calories per gram while protein and carbohydrates have only four? Eating a lower-calorie diet high in vegetables, fruits, and whole-grains and getting adequate exercise has been shown to reverse the effects of heart disease.

Many people worry that they won’t get enough protein without eating meat. There are many ways to get all the essential amino acids without meat. The most recent studies have shown that each meal does not even need to have complete protein as long as it is gotten in the daily diet. Combining beans and whole grains is the perfect combination; by eating these together you get high-quality, complete protein. Many studies have shown that getting too much protein is actually bad for the health of the kidneys and liver. Damage to either of these organs leads to high blood pressure and other problems that eventually affect the heart.

Set a goal of eliminating meat and animal products except for fat-free milk and yogurt at least four days a week. If you can’t start with this, try just two, building to four over a month. Incredible, hearty vegetarian recipes are easy to find everywhere now. Try experimenting with one for tonight’s dinner and your heart will thank you!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter!

P.S. Everybody knows that one way to have a healthy heart  is by keeping the arteries clear. I just found out how you can keep your arteries  clear with Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, For more information, visit this online nutrition store athttp://699456.shopvitamark.com



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Healthy Heart Diet-Are You Feeding Your Heart The Right Fats?

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

There is ongoing controversy raging over fats and their contribution to heart health, with an almost continuous release of conflicting studies to further confuse the issue. As the debate rages on, it is wise to have a basic understanding of the various fats, the terminology, and the links to cardiovascular health and disease.

Infants have a high need for fats for brain development, but quickly the body’s need for fats drops well below what the typical American consumes in a day. Remember the fat-free diets? Those were almost as unhealthy as overeating fats. Our bodies need fat for energy and tissue repair, but an excess of certain fats may lead to cholesterol buildup, weight gain, and stress on the heart.

All fats are made up of fatty acid building blocks. There are three categories of fats based on their chemical makeup, and each has a different composition and role to play inside the body. The basic categories are unsaturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.

Saturated fats are primarily those found in animal based foods including milk and milk products. The marbling in beef, a stick of butter, and the yellowish layer under chicken skin is saturated fat. These fats are processed by the liver to make cholesterol. Eating an abundance of saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels to unhealthy amounts. It is recommended for heart health to keep dietary saturated fats at less than 10% of your daily calorie intake.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils from plants; sunflower oil, corn oil, and safflower oils are all examples. Unlike the animal-based fats, these actually lower blood cholesterol levels. The catch is they lower both the “good” or HDL and the “bad” or LDL cholesterol so dietary recommendations are no more than 10% of your diet.

Finally there are the monounsaturated fats. Also from plants, they are found primarily in olive oil and nut oils. These fats are now the most recommended due to their ability to lower “bad” cholesterol but not affect “good” cholesterol. It is generally accepted that high levels of “bad” cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in the blood vessels, atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke. Recommendations are for this fat to make up 10-15% of daily calories.

The fat we have heard the most about recently is trans-fat. This is not a natural fat, but one that is produced by hydrogenating polyunsaturated oils in order to extend their shelf life. It is the main ingredient in margarine and also found in cookies, crackers, and a host of other processed foods.

Avoid it! Because it is not a natural fat, the body doesn’t know what to do with it. Recent studies have shown it may be a contributing factor to a wide range of conditions affecting those who consume this fat.

To Your Heart’s Health

Monique Hawkins

540-858-2885

mentormonique@gmail.com

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

Healthy Heart Diet-I Just Found Out To Make a Heart Healthy Salad

Monday, August 30th, 2010
Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia).
Image via Wikipedia

Most people who have heart problems likely realize they need to be on a heart healthy diet. I just found out how you can make a heart healthy salad. Here is how you build a heart healthy salad.

First, we’ll look at a typical salad and the mistakes people make thinking all salads are healthy. A typical salad bar salad starts with a bed of iceberg lettuce, a nutrient poor food that zoos even stopped feeding the animals. Then most people pile on the cheese, full of fat and maybe not even real cheese but processed cheese food full of partially hydrogenated oils. Next, many people add lots of croutons which are high  in fat and contain white flour, and drench it with a hearty helping of creamy dressing which also is high in  fat and probably loaded with trans fats.

This is NOT a heart healthy salad.  Not one thing in it is going to benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. You can say you ate a salad for lunch,but it wasn’t much better than a big fast food burger for your heart.

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States has been linked to our diet and learning a few tips to help prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and cholesterol build up can be life saving.

 The very first thing to remember is color. Deep green, bright red, purple,orange, and yellow colors in vegetables are caused by plant pigments. Each and every one of the phytochemicals that make up complex plant colors act as antioxidants. Current research indicates that not only heart disease and stroke but also other debilitating diseases like cancer may all be caused by free radical oxidative damage wreaking havoc on our cells. Antioxidants neutralize and stop the oxidative stress chain reactions caused byantioxidants. So pile on the colorful vegetables and fruits. Red cabbage, dark green spinach and other deeply colored greens, orange peppers andcarrots, broccoli, whatever vegetables you enjoy. Don’t forget a tiny bit of hearth healthy cayenne if you like spicy. Be sure to add onions that have proven heart healthy properties.

A little cheese, Parmesan or mozzarella, goes great on top of a salad, but just add a small amount and use real cheese. If you are building a dinner salad then add some lean grilled chicken. A perfect heart healthy addition is wild caught Alaska grilled salmon high in heart healthy Omega 3 oils.

Avoid fried or breaded additions; these are full of unhealthy fats.

 If you need a little crunch on the salad look for raw nuts and seeds.

Walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or pumpkin seeds all benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. Don’t buy roasted or salted.

Finally, the dressing. The ideal dressing is a simple dash of olive oil and a bit of red wine vinegar. The trick is to sprinkle the salad with herbs; oregano, thyme, parsley, whichever herbs you enjoy. Then a sprinkle of garlic powder or pieces of roasted garlic, also proven to benefit the heart, and you have a truly heart healthy salad!

To Your Heart’s Health

Monique Hawkins

540-858-2885

mentormonique@gmail.com

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Healthy Heart Diet-Heart Healthy Diet Starts Now

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Did you know that you can increase your heart’s healthy by eating a healthy heart diet? We are going to take a look at heart healthy foods over the next few months. To get us started today, we are going to take a look at the foods in the kitchen. Are they heart healthy? Do they promote good cardiovascular health or are they contributors to poor circulation, sluggish metabolism, cholesterol buildup, heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes?

Let’s begin with looking in the refrigerator. Forget the old advice that eggs and butter cause heart attacks. All the new research says they don’t. The real culprits are partially hydrogenated oils and that is the main ingredient in margarine. Touted as heart healthy for years, it isn’t. Wipe that concept out of your mind.

Margarine is unhealthy, get rid of it. It is best to replace margarine with real butter for buttering your toast and a healthy oil like olive oil or coconut oil for cooking. Olive oil with herbs and garlic makes an excellent heart healthy dip for bread if you don’t like butter.

Now look to see how many fresh fruits and vegetables are in the refrigerator. Don’t see any? No diet that will enhance the cardiovascular system exists that doesn’t emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables. These have been proven to not only support a well functioning cardiovascular system but also prevent cancer and aid the whole digestive system.

How about fresh fish? The Omega-3′s in fish insure cardiovascular efficiency that not only improves heart heath but increases mental functioning too. Bacon, lunch meats, and high fat meats probably are not something that should take a forefront in a heart promoting diet.

Now, what about your seasonings? Heavy on the salt and black pepper? That’s got to change. Processed table salt needs to be replaced with either sea salt or rock salt. Both of these have the whole complement of trace elements found in natural seawater. The body needs these minerals and they are nutrients for the cardiovascular system. If you must use salt use natural salt such as sea salt. If you have already stopped using salt don’t use a salt substitute, they are unhealthy and unnatural, your body doesn’t know what to do with potassium chloride.

A much better choice is a good herb mix and cayenne pepper for a little kick. Many herbs support the cardiovascular system, lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.

That’s a start for today. It is time to begin analyzing your food choices, learning, and trying new foods and a new healthy heart diet to keep that heart happy and healthy.

To Your Heart’s Health

Monique Hawkins

540-858-2885

mentormonique@gmail.com

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com