Posts Tagged ‘Heart Healthy Diet’

Heart Patient Diet Plan-How the Cardic Diet Can Help

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Most individuals with heart problems who want to get well know that following a heart patient diet plan is going to be crucial to their health.

There are many diets to consider, one of which is called the “Cardic” diet. Following the diet appears to be quite simple and seems to make a difference in people’s heart health.

Have a try with it and test how it helps improve your heart health!

To Your Heart’s Health,
Monique

Cardiac Diet
By Fiona Dewitt

Cardiac diets are extensively used and prescribed in most hospitals for patients with heart disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, hyperlipidemia, and dyslipidemia. A cardiac diet may be used as a part of a health regimen to either treat or prevent cardiovascular disease. It will typicallyconsist of foods that are classified as healthy because of their overwhelming nutritional advantages.

A cardiac diet will basically aim to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fibre while lowering the consumption of fats and sodium which have both been prominently associated with the development of heart disease. This health plan is often adjusted in the long-term based on the goals of the diet or the patient’s diagnosis. After a patient has been treated using this diet recommendation he or she will normally be referred to a dietician who will help him or her to maintain this diet.

Generally a cardiac or “heart healthy” diet as it has been called may be administered with the objective of restricting the intake of fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sometimes caffeine. In most instances, it will follow the guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program which has issued the following recommendations:

Fiber 20-30 grams per day.

Trans fat “kept at a low intake.”

Carbohydrates 50-60% of daily calories.

Total fat 25-35% of daily calories.

Saturated fat less than 7% of daily calories.

Monounsaturated fats up to 20% of daily calories.

Polyunsaturated fats up to 10% of daily calories.

Cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per day.

Dietary fats, especially saturated and trans fats, may actually contribute to elevating an individual’s overall cholesterol levels, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and triglycerides which can encourage the development and accumulation of plaque within the blood vessel walls. This build-up of plaque will ultimately lead to a decrease in the size of the blood vessel lumen. Saturated fats are predominantly found in animal products. This kind of fat has been linked to an increase of low-density lipoprotein levels (LDL), which are strongly associated with a heightened risk of heart disease. Unsaturated fats differ from saturated fats because they have double bonds. They can be substituted in place of saturated fats and are preferred because they help lessen the LDL levels. Cardiac diets are also low sodium diets. Sodium has been found to increase blood pressure, and has an additional negative effect on the diuretic properties of certain medications. Sodium is generally restricted to 2,000-4,000 mg per day, in relation to the patients diagnosis and medical regimen. Many cardiac diets do not only restrict sodium and fats but also caffeine. This is enacted because caffeine is a stimulant and may affect the deteriorated condition of the heart.

Basically a cardiac diet considers both the advantages of restricting certain types of foods as well as improving the consumption of healthy foods and nutrients.

Please visit this link for more information on http://www.cardiacdiet.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fiona_Dewitt

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Heart Patient Diet Plan-3 Tips On Creating A Successful Heart Patient Diet

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
Fresh vegetables are important components of a...

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If you are one who is seeking to put together a heart patient diet plan quickly, there are 3 easy things you can do to create one.The following outlines what to look for when you are out shopping and as well as some heart healthy foods you can add to your meals to have a stronger heart.

Tips on Putting Together a Successful Heart Disease Diet
By Rob D. Hawkins

Let’s face it there is no shortage or food manufacturers and authors climbing aboard the heart disease diet bandwagon. If you were to visit your local supermarket, on a secret mission to examine food labels, what you would likely find is that one ingredient that belongs in your heart healthy diet has been added to a number of ingredients that shouldn’t even be on the same planet. Examples of this would be high saturated fat or high sugar products containing omega 3 fatty acids.

Another example of things to look out for would be slightly misleading labeling. I recently found on a grocery store heart disease diet fact finding mission that one popular brand of ground turkey proudly proclaimed that it had 43% less fat than beef. That cow they were comparing too must have won the obesity blue ribbon at last year’s livestock show because these supposedly heart disease diet food contained 27 percent saturated fat.

So our first rule of thumb for putting together a heart disease diet is to read the part of the label written in small print rather than the one that is shouting buy me! According to the American Heart Association a heart healthy diet should consist of no more than 10 percent of your calories coming from saturated fat with less than 25 percent of calories coming from fat overall. In order to accomplish these goals meat consuming will need to be held to about 4 ounces per meal, leaning towards skinless turkey and chicken with cold water fatty fish such as salmon and albacore tuna being consumed twice a week.

Why cold water fatty fish?

Heart disease is caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries caused by cholesterol laden plaque deposits. In order for plaque to form the lining of the artery must be damaged. One of the substances in nature that inhibits the ability of plaque deposits to form, and also is thought to repair the damaged arterial lining necessary for the plaque building process to occur are omega 3 fatty acids; specifically DHA and EPA. Salmon and albacore tuna along with sardines, anchovies, and mackerel are all very high in this substance and should be included in any heart disease diet plan.

Soluble fiber to the rescue

As we already mentioned cholesterol is the building block for obstructions called plaque which reduce arterial blood flow, and lead to heart disease. So let’s say you fall off the low cholesterol diet wagon and have a few chili cheese dogs and a big bowl of creamy ice cream for dessert. What might help us keep this cholesterol from ending up in our arteries and over time lead to a heart attack or stroke? The answer is soluble fiber! Soluble fiber foods such as apples, orange pulp, oat bran, beans, and whole grains bind with cholesterol in our intestines and send it out of the body in the form of solid waste long before it has a chance to find its way into our arteries.

Pass the garlic power please

Garlic has long been used to support numerous aspects of human health. Most popularly, garlic is used for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis.

In the case of age-related vascular changes, garlic is thought to protect vascular endothelial cells by reducing oxidative stress. The bottom line is that adding a little garlic to your food is generally a good idea, but maybe not on date night.

What about adding a natural cholesterol reduction supplement as part of my heart disease diet?

These products are not for everyone, but if you feel you need that little extra boost when your willpower fails you, and aren’t wanting to wade into a lifelong regime consisting of prescription medications for reducing cholesterol, these types of products just might be worth giving a try.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality alternative health products and natural living, with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at http://www.http://purchaseremedies.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_D._Hawkins

Follow the tips outlined about and you will be well on your way to having the right heart patient diet plan.

To Your Success,
Monique

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Heart Patient Diet Plan-Follow These 3 Easy Tips for A Healthy Heart

Sunday, September 4th, 2011
A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in ...

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For those who struggle with heart problems and desire to overcome them, learning to follow a heart patient diet plan is important. This does not have to be difficult. In fact, it can fairly easy if one is ready to take charge of their health and build up their heart.

Following are 3 easy heart patient diet tips to consider using for optimal health. Follow them and you heart will thank you for it!

To Your Optimal Health,
Monique Hawkins

Creating a Heart Healthy Diet Plan
By Matthew McAlpine

Heart disease runs in my family. In fact, based on the medical research, it runs in a lot of families. Some of the things I have learned over the years are that you can be in control and take preventative measures against heart disease. Many of the contributing factors of heart disease can be minimized with a heart healthy diet and a little daily exercise. Here are a few simple tips which will allow you to add foods to your daily diet that have been proven to help prevent heart disease.

1.) Probably the easiest step to start with is cutting certain foods out of your diet. This doesn’t mean you can no longer eat potato chips or other tasty snacks, it only means you have to become a little more educated about the TYPES of snacks you eat. Stay away from foods high in fat and cholesterol by checking the nutritional values on the labels. Many food producers today have come out with foods that are significantly lower in cholesterol, salt, and fat and a quick comparison of labels will help you find those. Try to use less butter and margarine and replace your cooking oil with canola or olive oil.

2.) Try to eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best sources for this are fish like salmon and tuna. Now if you are like me (and my children) you might not care much for fish! I have found a few recipes for lighter dishes like tuna salad, which my family enjoys. Since you probably don’t want to eat tuna salad every day, here are a few other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds are a great choice and very versatile. Stay away from the salted or sweetened almonds. Try almond slivers tossed into a salad! There are also a few fish oil supplements on the market that can provide these essential omega-3′s in tablet form. I take a tablet with my daily vitamin.

3.) Fruits and vegetables should already be a major part of your healthy diet, but they are especially important for a healthy heart! Try to eat a variety of these, as each one can provide different benefits. For example, oranges are high in vitamin C which helps bolster the immune system and is an excellent anti-oxidant. Tomatoes and carrots contain magnesium and potassium which can help lower blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are probably the easiest to implement into your daily diet since they can be used as a replacement for many unhealthy snack foods! My family enjoys fresh cut fruits like apple slices and equally enjoy carrot sticks and celery sticks for a snack.

There are many ways to implement the above foods into your diet. A little research on nutritional labels and a little creativity is all it takes to start eating for a healthy heart!

Thank you for taking time to read my article! If you would like to browse other resources on health, diet, and fitness, visit us on the web at [http://www.route33inc.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_McAlpine

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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

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Cardiovascular Heart Disease-Cholesterol and Heart Disease News

Sunday, November 21st, 2010
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A Danish study just released found a connection between cholesterol deposits on the eyelids, a condition called xanthelasmata, and the risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack. With heart disease being the number one killer of American men and women, the more we know how to determine who is at risk, the better we will be at fighting this disease.

The researchers found that the presence of the eyelid cholesterol deposits may be a useful predictor of future heart problems. The study tracked almost 13,000 patients and found that those with xanthelasmata were 51% more likely to be at risk for a heart attack and 40% more likely to suffer from ischemic heart disease, a condition where blood flow to the heart is reduced, generally due to atherosclerosis narrowing the heart’s blood vessels. Cholesterol is a major culprit in the development of atherosclerosis.

They also found that blood levels of cholesterol were not directly related to the presence of xanthelasmata, making these a possible better indicator of future heart health than the traditional method of looking at blood cholesterol levels.

So, what does this study mean to a heart healthy diet? Current recommendations are to keep dietary cholesterol under 300mg per day for those with no heart health risk factors. The American Heart Association advises only 200mg per day or less for those who already have high LDL, bad cholesterol.

A vegetarian diet, composed of only plant foods, is a guaranteed way to eliminate cholesterol from your diet. It does take a level of commitment that many don’t have, so simply increasing the amount of plant foods and reducing the amount of animal products helps decrease dietary cholesterol. A few examples of cholesterol amounts in common foods may help. An apple has no cholesterol, neither does a banana or a tomato.

At the other extreme, one whole cheesecake contains over 2000mg of cholesterol! Three ounces of tuna canned in water has about 48mg, and a cup of roasted turkey with a mix of light and dark meet has about 105mg of cholesterol. A slice of pumpkin pie has just over 100mg. Finding a good chart listing nutritional values of commonly eaten foods can help you judge how much cholesterol you are consuming each day.

Although dietary cholesterol intake alone sometimes isn’t enough to lower blood levels of cholesterol, watching dietary intake of cholesterol is an essential part of caring for your heart and cardiovascular system. Each individual reacts differently to dietary changes, some with rapid lowering of blood levels of cholesterol, while others have a much smaller drop. Altering your diet to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendations can only help your heart, even if your cholesterol doesn’t drop as fast as you would like.

This Danish study seems to indicate that there is more going on than just what can be found by measuring the blood levels. Take your heart health seriously and decrease the amount of cholesterol in your diet!

To Your Heart’s Health

Monique Hawkins

540-858-2885

mentormonique@gmail.com
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 at http://699456.shopvitamark.com
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Healthy Heart Diet-I Just Found Out To Make a Heart Healthy Salad

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


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