Heart Diet Plan

Heart disease can lead to death or a stroke that often leaves its victims disabled. It is a disease that can develop from smoking, or from not exercising enough. A heart condition can also develop as a result of being overweight, or when you eat foods that are bad for your heart. Do yourself a favor and develop a heart diet plan to reduce your risk for heart disease.

Facts

Certain foods cause an accumulation of plaque within the artery walls that may result in a stroke. Oily fish such as salmon and anchovies contain omega-3 fatty acids that may make you less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, but shellfish such as shrimp is high in cholesterol, which is bad for your heart. According to WomensHealth.gov, research implies it is possible people that drink alcohol in moderate amounts have less of a chance of getting heart disease than those that drink none at all, or those that consume alcohol in excess. Flavonoids in red wine and foods such as apples and broccoli are believed to offer protection against an accumulation of plaque in the arteries.

Significance

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the number one reason why people living in America die. Heart disease has no boundaries when it comes to age, so everyone is at risk. Because there is a chance you can develop a heart condition at any age, you should make lifestyle changes to lower your risk of getting this disease. A heart diet plan is a good starting point.

Function

A heart diet plan is used to protect you from eating foods that can lead to heart disease. Health-conscious individuals with no heart problems follow a heart healthy plan, as well as those with a family history of heart disease. You should adhere to a heart diet plan if you smoke since smoking contributes to heart disease. Watching what you eat should be something you do at home, but you should also make a conscious effort to eat heart healthy foods when you are out to give your body the food it needs to maintain a healthy heart.

Features

A heart diet plan should have healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in it since these types of fats do not increase your level of low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, which is also known as bad cholesterol. On a heart diet plan, all foods that contain saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol should be consumed in small amounts. These foods include whole milk dairy products, processed foods and meats containing fat. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, dairy foods and meat low in fat should be a big part of your heart diet plan.

Prevention/Solution

Include fish and nuts in your heart diet plan since these foods and vegetable oils contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, and try to incorporate whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain barley, bulgur, whole wheat and quinoa into your heart diet plan. Take the skin off of turkey and chicken, and eat lean meats. Consume soups that contain beans and vegetables since these foods do not contain cholesterol. Use no-fat or low-fat milk and cheese in recipes that call for these ingredients. Leave the butter out of mashed potatoes and instead use a butter spread that supports a healthy cholesterol level.