Chances are that you or someone you know has dealt with the complications related to cardiovascular disease. More than one in three Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, or CVD, according to 2010 statistics released by the American Heart Association. Although a number of factors contributes to the development of CVDs, eating a healthy diet is key for protecting your heart.
Significance
Cardiovascular diseases, which effect the heart and blood vessels, are a significant issue in the field of public health both within the United States and globally. The World Health Organization reports that heart attacks and strokes are responsible for the loss of 18 percent of healthy years of life in high-income nations. Approximately one billion people throughout the world are expected to die from CVDs within the first half of the 21st century, according to Anthony Rodgers of the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
Unhealthy Diet
A diet full of saturated fats, trans fats and refined sugars is correlated with obesity and, ultimately, heart-related medical conditions. The obesity rate in the United States is one of the highest in the world, according to the World Health Organization. The wide variety of available foods and low consumption of fruits and vegetables affect heart health. In fact, the WHO reports that diets with low amounts of fruits and vegetables are responsible for one-fifth of global cases of CVDs.
Healthy Diet Benefits
Eating a healthy diet can help lower your risk of being part of the CVD statistics. The goal of eating healthy --- particularly when trying to maintain or improve your heart health --- is to increase HDL, or good, cholesterol while also lowering your level of LDL, or bad, cholesterol, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Reducing your triglyceride level is also important. A diet that supports healthy weight and normal blood pressure is also essential for heart health.
Components
A healthy diet features low-fat or lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Substitute saturated and trans fats with unsaturated sources, such as margarine and canola oil. Get protein from low-fat or fat-free dairy, fish, legumes and lean cuts of meat or poultry. Replacing white rice and white-flour products, such as pasta and bread, with whole-grain options should also be part of a heart-supportive diet. Choose brown rice, whole-grain bread and whole-wheat pastas.
DASH Diet
The DASH diet, which stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension," can lower your risk of having a heart attack by almost 20 percent, according to 2010 data released by Johns Hopkins University. This diet features the components of healthy nutrition: reducing intake of red meat, full-fat dairy and sugar in favor of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts. The National Institutes of Health offers online information about how to follow the DASH diet (see Resources).
References
- American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2010 Update
- World Health Organization: The Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Heart-Healthy Diet
- Mayo Clinic: Heart-Healthy Diet
- MedLinePlus: DASH Diet Shown to Lower Heart Attack Risk Almost 20 Percent
