World Heart Day 2018: 7 Top Tips For A Heart Friendly Diet

Celebrated worldwide on the 29th September, World Heart Day is all about spreading the awareness about and importance of a healthy heart. In the past decades, heart diseases used to affect only the aged but, a large chunk of the world population deals with chronic heart diseases at a very young now. Heart diseases are the leading cause for deaths in the world. This calls for action. By action, we do not recommend regular check-ups with the doctor and medical assistance when you can do the same with some alterations in your lifestyle.

World Heart Day 2018, we recommend these tips for a heart friendly diet. It's what you need for a healthy heart.

1. Give up smoking

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To begin with, you need to give up this habit. It is the first and best thing you can do for your heart. It is one of the major reasons for coronary heart disease. After a year of quitting, your risk of heart attack falls by 50%.

Tips for heart friendly diet
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2. Manage your weight

Yes we mean weight management, not weight loss. A healthy heart needs a balanced diet, with low sugar content and high fibre and nutrition. Regular physical activities contribute in making situations better. With the help of a BMI calculator, you can determine if you are overweight or not.

3. Stick to healthy fats

Heart health does not depend on how much fat you consume, but on the type of fats. Cut down on saturated and unhealthy fats. They spike cholesterol levels and harm your heart, risking heart attacks and strokes. Healthy heart needs fats like omega 3, nuts, seeds, olive oil, salmon and plant-based oils.

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Also read: Which Fats To Consume And Why

4. Cut down on salt

Salt is responsible for a high blood pressure. It is important for you to limit your use of salt. Yes food cannot be eaten without a certain amount of salt. Over time, you develop a taste for foods with low salt content. Adults should not have more than six grams of salt in a day.

5. Cut down on alcohol

Those extra calories in a bottle of beer or a glass of whiskey are fatal for your heart. One or two glasses of wine with dinner will give you the preventive potent compound resveratrol. Red wine is the form of alcohol which gives you health benefits only when taken in limited quantities.

Photo Credit: iStock

6. Stop dieting

Eat healthy, but continue to eat. If you feel that by opting for low-fat cheese and toned milk and diet drinks can help you, recheck your facts. These foods are high in trans fats and saturated fats which are the most harmful forms of fat with no nutritional value. Frequent dieting or fasting weaken your heart muscles and increase risk of heart disease for you.

7. Eat cardiac-friendly foods

This World Heart Day, include cardiac-friendly foods in your diet for a healthy heart. The following are all heart-friendly foods and promote a healthier heart.

• Garlic
• Onions
• Berries of all kinds
• Green and black tea
• Turmeric and cumin in spices
• Broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and citrus fruits
• Salmon, catfish, mackerel, for omega 3 fatty acids

Celebrate World Heart Day 2017 with a healthy and heart-friendly diet.