Heart Attack Diet

Overview

To improve your heart health, your diet might not be drastically different, though it will be lacking in extremely salty, sugary food, or fatty foods.

Doctors advise limiting portions of the foods you eat to a reasonable size and eating several small meals during the day instead of two or three large meals per day. A variety of fruits and vegetables are important, along with lean meat and dairy. Legumes (beans) and fish are essential because they contain disease fighting ingredients including vitamins, minerals, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Eating raw vegetables and minimally cooked food is a good addition to your diet because it helps preserve necessary enzymes. Salt intake should be very low as well. Flaxseed oil is extremely good for your health and heart because it has essential fatty acids. Garlic and onion are necessary in your diet because they provide antioxidants and lowers cholesterol and triglycerides.

When choosing foods for heart health, don't just consider fat and calories, but sugar content too, especially if you have elevated blood sugar. Potatoes can be a healthy part of a meal even for people who've had a heart attack. However, if potatoes make your blood sugar skyrocket, you should avoid eating them. High blood sugar leads to lots of insulin in your veins, which can damage your arteries and contribute to a heart attack.

The foods you eat can directly and substantially affect your heart. If you have high cholesterol, a diet should be aimed at lowering it. Heart attack and cholesterol levels are linked. High blood pressure calls for a hypertension diet that probably cuts back on fat and restricts salt. Some people thrive on the protein rich, low-carbohydrate South Beach Diet.

Diet therapy for heart patients is a big part of recovery after a heart attack. For heart attack patients and people with heart problems, a recipe for heart health includes preventing another heart attack, eating wholesome ingredients, and at least moderate exercise.

Resources

For more information regarding a healthy heart diet, refer to the following websites:

• Holistic Online
• Yahoo Health
• The Heart