Your heart is made up of several tissues that work together to circulate blood throughout your body. The heart contains an inner layer of endothelial cells, a thick cardiac muscle layer that contracts and gives rise to your heartbeat, and an outer layer of pericardial lining, along with nerves and blood vessels that signal to and nourish the heart muscle. The four interior chambers of the heart, separated by valves, help to control the flow of blood through the heart and into the blood vessels of the body. Inflammation can affect the health of the tissues that make up your heart, leading to diminished heart functioning and heart disease over time. A number of nutrients in your diet can affect inflammation, with some nutrients helping to reduce inflammation and benefit your heart.
Effects of Inflammation on Your Heart
While temporary increases in inflammation can benefit your health by mounting an immune response to foreign bacteria, chronic inflammation can harm your cardiovascular system and heart. Long-term inflammation increases your risk of coronary heart disease and may contribute to the formation of plaques that can block your arteries, according to a study published in "Cardiology in Review" in 2001. Another form of heart disease, called endocarditis, involves the chronic inflammation of the heart lining that can lead to heart attack. Due to the potentially devastating effects of inflammation on your heart, controlling the levels of inflammation in your body may help to control heart disease.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet can help control inflammation. These beneficial fats help with inflammation by acting on the protein NFkB, reports the Linus Pauling Institute. Normally, NFkB promotes inflammation by interacting with your DNA and stimulating the formation of pro-inflammatory proteins. Omega-3 fatty acids prevent NFkB from accessing your DNA and stop the synthesis of pro-inflammatory factors, lowering the overall levels of inflammation in your body. Consume oily fishes, flaxseed and nuts as sources of omega-3 fatty aids.
Benefits of Vitamin E
Consuming vitamin E in your diet may also help to control inflammation and benefit your heart. Like omega-3 fatty acids, the presence of vitamin E in your system can help control the activation of pro-inflammatory proteins, called cytokines. A study published in "Experimental Physiology" in 2008 reports that vitamin E supplementation may decrease the amounts of pro-inflammatory factors found within cardiac muscle, indicating that the vitamin can decrease inflammation in the heart. While this study was conducted in rats and represents only preliminary data, vitamin E might play a similar role in humans. Include peanuts and soybean oil in your diet as sources of vitamin E.
Foods to Avoid
Some nutrients can increase the levels of inflammation in your body, and in turn promote inflammation in your heart. For example, some types of omega-6 fatty acids can increase inflammation, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. While you require some omega-6 fatty acids, many Americans consume too much of these fats and not enough omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, consuming saturated fat can increase inflammation, as well as contribute to plaques in your blood vessels. To reduce your omega-6 fatty acid and saturated fat intake, avoid high-fat dairy products and fatty cuts of meat, and instead consume fish, nuts and beans as sources of low-fat protein in your diet.
References
- "Cardiology In Review;" Inflammation and Coronary Heart Disease: An Overview; Wolfgang Koenig, MD, FESC, FAC; 2001
- Linus Pauling Institute; Essential Fatty Acids; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; December 2005
- "Experimental Physiology"; In vivo Vitamin E Administration Attenuates Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-1beta Responses to an Acute Inflammatory Insult in Mouse Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle; K.A. Huey at al.; December 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-6 Fatty Acids; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; June 2009
