The things you eat directly affect the ability of your body both to preform, and to stay healthy. And of course the most important part of the body to keep in mind when picking foods to eat is the heart of the body. Here we have listed some of the main concerns that are found in common foods as well as why it is important to be aware of the health of your heart.
Why be concerned about my heart?
Why be concerned about my heart?The food you eat plays a large role in determining exactly how heart disease can affect you, as eating improperly can lead to poor blood circulation and the risk of heart disease if a person eats poorly for a prolonged measure of time. After all, heart disease is the number one killer each year in America, followed by strokes due to blood circulation being the third. If these two do not stress the importance of eating healthy for your heart” ¦
The main type of heart disease that affects people each year is directly related to the buildup of fat in the arteries that carry oxygenated blood to the heart. This buildup of fats will continue to narrow the path, until finally the heart fails to get the blood it needs and this can result in chest pains and even a heart attack. The same buildup of fatty materials near the brain can cause issues as well, as when they build up in vessels carrying blood to the brain a person can suffer a stroke.
What should I eat to take care of my heart?
To help prevent either of these from occurring, your diet should include a large portion of fruits, vegetables, and grains. The additions of these to a diet will help a person improve their health, as these are the prime food groups the body needs to maintain a nutritional diet. Fruits and vegetables are packed full of the vitamins and minerals the body needs, and will be one of the quickest methods of improving a diet based around the health of the heart.
In addition to the nutritional aspects, eating foods that are low fat will help prevent the buildup of fats in the body. Things such as fat-free or low-fat dairy products – cheeses, milk, yogurts- are key in lowering the fat intake for the body. The consumption of fish and nuts will help provide the body with the Omega 3 acid, which the body does not naturally produce but needs to assist in the prevention of blood clots.
What should I not be eating?
What should I not be eating?
In addition to eating the right things for heart health, a person must eat less or none of the foods that harm the heart in the first place. These are foods that are high in saturated fats, such as fatty meats, whole dairy products, butter, lard, and many of the common sweets we eat. A lot of heavily processed foods contain Trans fats, another big player in the development of fatty buildup inside the body, and this is a fat that needs to not be in the diet as much as it is.
Sugars and salts are the last major players in diets that are harmful to the heart. An abundance of sodium inside the body plays havoc with the blood, just as having too much sugar can do to insulin levels of the body.
How do I know the fat content of my food?
Almost all foods on the shelf today come pre-packaged and include labels with a nutrition fact sheet. Knowing the contents of the food you eat is as simple as finding and reading this label. The label will tell you the content of the saturated fat, the trans fat, and every other substance that is the item you are holding. Knowing what you should and should not be eating, you can begin to make healthier choices just by reading this label, thinking of your heart and putting some items back on the shelf.
Happy hearty eating, folks.
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