Heart disease kills more Americans than any other disease, according to the National Library of Medicine. Exercise, lifestyle choices and diet play major roles in the development of heart disease. Learning which foods cause coronary disease and what foods to avoid can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Poor Nutrition Choices
Poor nutrition can lead to many heart-related conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. A person with diabetes is more than twice as likely to die from a heart attack or stroke, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance that is necessary to build cells, make bile for digestion and the creation of vitamin D and certain hormones, according to the Harvard Medical School. Cholesterol is manufactured in the body but it is also ingested in the foods we eat. A high-calorie diet rich in saturated fats and low in whole grains can cause your cholesterol to climb to unhealthy levels.
Arthrosclerosis
A poor diet along with smoking and a sedentary lifestyle, contributes to high cholesterol levels. More than 102 million people in the US have high cholesterol , according to the Centers for Disease Control, and 35 million of those Americans have cholesterol levels high enough to put them at significant risk for heart disease. Elevated cholesterol levels increase your risk of developing heart disease by building up in the blood stream and accumulating on the inside walls of the arteries. This buildup narrows arteries and constricts the flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the muscles of the heart. This is known as coronary artery disease, which can lead to chest pain, shortness of breath or even heart attack, according to MayoClinic website.
Obesity
Excessive weight significantly puts people at risk for heart disease, and poor nutrition choices leads to obesity. A normal body weight makes it easier for the heart to pump blood efficiently throughout the body; being overweight causes the heart to work harder than it should. Obesity also causes high cholesterol levels and increased blood pressure. The American Heart Association states obesity alone puts you at higher risk of heart disease, even if you do not experience the other risk factors such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Nutrition
A diet high in fiber and low in fat and calories along with exercise reduces your risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol buildup inside arterial walls. Eating certain foods high in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal and bananas, can decrease cholesterol and improve your risk for heart attack. A low-calorie diet can help you lose weight and lower your chances of developing heart disease even further.
References
- Medline Plus: Heart Diseases
- American Diabetes Association: Heart Disease and Stroke
- Harvard Health Publication: Understanding Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, and the Necessary
- CDC: September is National Cholesterol Education Month
- MayoClinic: Coronary Artery Disease
- American Heart Association: Obesity Information
