Affecting both men and women, heart disease is the most frequent cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, a condition in which the blood flow to the heart is impeded. Much heart disease is preventable. Exercise and good nutrition are key.
The DASH Eating Plan
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is an eating plan that restricts saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol. It includes whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts, and emphasizes vegetables, fruits and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Based on studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, DASH requires the consumption of a certain number of daily servings from different food groups. These provide ample amounts of key nutrients necessary for heart health. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, studies have shown that blood pressure can begin to drop within two weeks of starting the DASH plan.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that help prevent cells from being damaged by free radicals, the unstable molecules that are generated from sunlight, pollution, tobacco smoke, as well as normal metabolic processes. The cellular damage caused by free radicals has been implicated in a host of health problems, including heart disease. According to the Heart and Vascular Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, antioxidant-rich foods are superior to antioxidant supplements in reducing the risk of heart disease. Antioxidant food sources include green leafy vegetables, dark orange and red fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains.
Dietary Cholesterol
A review in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology warns that the growing public perception that dietary cholesterol and egg yolks do not present a risk for heart disease is dangerously misplaced. According to the authors, the widespread availability of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs has made the public complacent. However, while statins can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease as much as 40 percent, diet may be responsible for up to 85 percent of coronary risk. The authors advise that virtually everyone should avoid egg yolks and other sources of dietary cholesterol. The buildup of plaque in the arteries is very common with aging, and only worsens with cholesterol consumption.
Salt Intake and the Heart
Excess salt causes high blood pressure, one of the most substantial risk factors for stroke and other cardiovascular events. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if salt intake was reduced by 1,200 mg/day per person nationwide, up to120,000 cases of new cases of coronary heart disease would be prevented every year. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans published jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture suggest that all middle-aged and older adults and all African-Americans limit their salt intake to 1,500 mg/day, a goal reached only by 10% of the population. Laying off the salt shaker might not be enough. An estimated 77 percent of all salt is consumed in processed and restaurant foods.
References
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Sodium Intake Among Adults --- United States, 2005'2006
- Canadian Journal of Cardiology: Dietary Cholesterol and Egg Yolks: Not for Patients at Risk for Vascular Disease
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About Heart Disease
- NHLBI: Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH
- Cleveland Clinic: Antioxidants, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene, and Cardiovascular Disease
