DIET AND HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. Healthy lifestyle habits are key to preventing and treating heart disease. Proper eating behaviors and food choices are vital to reducing one's risk. Follow these dietary guidelines to reduce your risk for heart disease:

Balance your caloric intake with physical activity, so you can maintain a healthy weight.

Increase your fiber content. Adults should eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products and whole grain cereals. Trade legumes (beans) in chili and soups for meat 2 to 3 times per week. Eat 2 to 4 servings of fruits and 5 or more servings of vegetables each day. Children over age 2 should consume an amount of fiber equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day.

Change and reduce the types of fats you eat. Bad fats are trans and saturated fats with trans fats being the worst. Both can negatively affect blood cholesterol levels. Trans fats are vegetable oils heated in the presence of hydrogen. The more hydrogenated the oil is the harder it will be at room temperature. For example, stick margarine has more trans fats than spreadable tub margarine. Saturated fats are made of animal or animal byproducts, such as milk, butter, ice cream, and cheese. Good fats are unsaturated fats that include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are derived from plant sources, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils. Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. Fish also provide healthy polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids.

As much as possible, replace trans and saturated fats in your diet with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. To minimize the trans and saturated fats in your diet, reduce your intake of commercially prepared foods (such as commercially prepared baked goods, snack foods, and processed foods, including fast foods). At least 2 servings of fish should be eaten per week.

Balance carbohydrates with proteins. Eat at least 8 grams of protein per 20 pounds. Eat a variety of foods to be sure that you get all of the amino acids you need. Soybeans, tofu, and other soy-based foods are excellent alternatives to red meat. Eat soy 2 to 4 servings a week. A high protein diet (such as red meat, cheese, and full-fat dairy products) that is high in saturated fat and low in vitamins and minerals may increase the risk for heart disease. Cut back on highly processed carbohydrates (like commercially prepared foods) and increase protein to improve levels of blood triglycerides and HDLs.

Eat less than 6 grams (2,400 milligrams) of salt (sodium chloride) per day.

Refer to food labels that identify the amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins, and ingredients in the food you are buying.

For more information about diet and heart disease, contact your local chapter of the American Heart Association, call the national office at (800) 242-8721, or visit their websites at www.americanheart.org and www.deliciousdecisions.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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