Monday 4 August 2014
Most people understand how important the health of their heart is.
When you have a healthy heart it will prevent you from becoming a victim
of one of the many life threatening health problems that people die
from everyday. If you are ready to start eating a healthy diet that will
be beneficial for your heart then please keep reading to learn how.Diversify Your Food
It's important to eat a wide variety of different foods so that you can get all the nutritional benefits your body needs. If you're vegan you want to make sure you eat different colored vegetables and fruits that will provide you with different minerals and vitamins.
Dark green vegetables are known to help improve the overall health and function of the heart, bright yellow and orange vegetables are known to reduce your risk of getting a heart attack, and red vegetables like beets can help you reduce your blood pressure.
Don't limit your diet to only the type of fruits and vegetables that you like. Do your body and heart a favor and consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in different colors.
Stay Away From Junk Foods
Some vegetarians think that just because they don't eat meat they are automatically eating a healthy diet. However, there are food items that are plant based that aren't really healthy for you. If your diet consists of a lot of potato chips or french fries for example you are sabotaging the health of your heart.
Other foods you should remove from your daily diet includes white grains, bad fats, and sugary food items. You are putting a lot of unneccessary stress on your heart when you eat a high amount of sugary foods, especailly if you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Drink Red Wine
Sometimes it's a good idea to take a break from the healthy routine and indulge yourself a little. If you feel you need a break drinking a glass of wine after a nice healthy meal might be what you need. It's been proven that red wine has certain antioxidants in it that will help you fight off heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
The reason red wine helps with your heart health is because it decreases the production of LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol. To get one serving of red wine you need to drink a 4 ounce glass. Women should drink at least 1 serving each day to get the most health benefits from the wine. Men should drink 1 to 2 servings each day to get the most benefits.
The type of wines that have the most antioxidants that will benefit your heart health include Petit Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The dryer the red wine, the more antioxidants it will have.
Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate can also improve your heart health once it is consumed in moderation. Modest amounts of dark chocolate will reduce your chances of developing heart disease because it'll provide you with fiber, antioxidants, and minerals.
Fiber
When you consume a daily diet that's high in fiber you reduce your chances of developing heart disease by a lot. It's advised that soluble fiber should make up one third of your daily fiber consumption.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and will trap and remove fats, cholesterol, and sugars in your system. Start consuming more green leafy vegetables, oats, and beans to increase your soluble fiber intake.
To get more dietary fiber start eating more whole grains like rice and wheat products. Start eating a diet high in fiber you wish to increase your heart health.
Nuts and Seeds
If you're a vegetarian you definitely need to eat as much nuts and seeds as you can, because they are great sources of protein. Nuts such as walnuts will provide you with alpha-linolenic fatty acids, which will reduce your chances of developing heart attacks by lessening blood clots.
Pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds are two of the best seeds to add to your diet in order to strengthen the health of your heart. Eating the right amount of seeds and nuts will decrease blood cholesterol and are wonderful sources of fiber. A great way to eat more seeds and nuts in your daily diet is to eat energy bars regularly.
