Cardiovascular disease is a broad term that can refer to heart attacks, heart arrhythmias, strokes and any disorder of the heart or blood vessel system. According to Phyllis Balch in her book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," a poor diet can have a profoundly negative effect on the heart. If you have cardiovascular disease, it is important that you eat a primarily whole foods diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grains. It is equally important for you to reduce or avoid certain foods that are thought to contribute to cardiovascular disease risk and severity.
Avoid Stimulants
According to Balch, you should not consume stimulants because they are thought to increase stress hormones in your body and consequently increase your risk for heart disease complications. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and all caffeinated beverages should therefore be eliminated. So too should tobacco, alcohol, recreational drugs, chocolate, processed and refined foods, spicy foods and white flour products such as bagels, croissants and white bread.
Avoid Concentrated Sugar and Processed Meat
David Rowland says in his book "The Nutritional Bypass" that sugar is particularly problematic and recommends greatly reducing your intake of all concentrated sugars. This includes anything that contains sucrose, glucose, fructose, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey and molasses. Rowland says to also avoid processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, sausages and sandwich meats because most contain the potentially dangerous preservatives nitrites or nitrates.
Eliminate Unhealthy Fats
The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, or CSNN, says that you should also eliminate unhealthy fats. Look on the label and avoid any food that lists trans fats or hydrogenated fatty acids, and avoid the consumption of margarine and shortening, as well as fried and greasy foods. Saturated fats are also discouraged and are found in meat, non-skim dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter and any food that contains these animal ingredients. Rowland says that you should also avoid heating vegetable oils because this causes the formation of dangerous free radicals in the oil.
Identify and Eliminate Food Allergens
Finally, Balch says that allergies may contribute to some heart attacks, and the consumption of allergenic foods can cause rapid heartbeat and trigger spasms in the coronary arteries. Many people have hidden food allergies without realizing it, because the symptomatic reactions can take up to 24 hours to appear after the consumption of the allergenic food. As such, Balch recommends working with a health care practitioner to identify and eliminate foods that you are allergic or sensitive to.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis Balch; 2003
- "Pathology and Nutrition"; The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition; 2008
- "The Nutritional Bypass"; David Rowland; 2006
