Your heart is the pump that sends blood, nutrients and oxygen to the rest of your body. In order to perform this function, your heart requires its own supply of blood and oxygen. Without this supply, your heart is unable to function properly. The coronary arteries are the main blood supply to the heart. In coronary artery disease your heart is unable to function properly. You can reduce your risk of developing this disease by monitoring your diet.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is characterized by a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart, FamilyDoctor.org reports. Often, a fatty substance called plaque can cause blockage of the coronary arteries. This prevents blood and nutrients from reaching the heart muscle and can lead to symptoms such as chest pain and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, CAD can lead to a heart attack.
Importance of Diet
Dietary changes are an important aspect of preventing and treating coronary artery disease. A study published in the "American Family Physician" notes that changing your diet can cause a significant decrease in coronary artery disease and its symptoms. Over 90 percent of patients suffering from CAD noticed a reduction in their chest pain within two months of changing their eating habits.
Goals of Dietary Changes
In order to maintain a healthy heart, there are certain goals you should meet with regard to your diet. Your diet should consist of foods that allow you control your cholesterol levels and limit your intake of fatty molecules called lipids, "The New York Times Health Guide" reports. Your diet should also be able to keep your blood pressure low and help you lose weight by limiting your caloric intake.
Diet Low in Fat
Regulating your intake of saturated and trans fat is the most important dietary change you can make to prevent and treat coronary artery disease, according to MayoClinic.com. For all adults, only 7 percent of your diet should be composed of trans fat and less than 1 percent should be from trans fat. The best way to limit your intake of these unhealthy fats is to avoid solid fats such as margarine, butter and shortening. In your diet, replace these unhealthy fats with more heart-healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil and trans-fat free margarine.
Diet to Control Cholesterol
Your cholesterol levels are mainly composed of two main forms of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. LDL is bad for your heart, while HDL cholesterol is beneficial. Lowering your LDL levels to less than 130 decreases plaque formation in your coronary arteries, the American Academy of Family Physicians notes. Furthermore, increasing your HDL levels to above 50 improves your chances of avoiding any complications associated with coronary artery disease. Soy products and legumes, fruits and vegetables and foods containing garlic help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL levels.
References
- "The New York Times Health Guide": Heart Disease and Diet
- FamilyDoctor: Coronary Artery Disease
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Dietary Therapy for Preventing and Treating Coronary Artery Disease
- "American Family Physician"; Coronary Artery Disease: How Your Diet Can Help; April 2003
- MayoClinic.com: Heart Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
