Various strategies can aid in heart health maintenance, such as staying physically active or properly managing stress. This is echoed by Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, MD, FACC who is not only a board-certified cardiologist but also the founder of the Preventative Cardiology Clinic and chief medical officer of Step One Foods. She stresses that these actions are vital to safeguard your heart.
Diet has a profound influence on many risk factors connected with heart and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, it's crucial to maintain healthy eating habits which can help prevent or manage heart disease effectively.
Per Dr. Klodas' perspective, "There exist seven primary alterable risks linked to heart and vascular conditions including elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, increased blood sugar/diabetes count, being overweight excessive weight , unhealthy dieting practices , smoking habit ,and sedentary lifestyle . The foremost five elements out of this list have direct connection partially or wholly with our dietary choices."
Keen individuals looking for healthier food options could learn from Dr.Klodas' own diet routine dedicated to proper cardiac upkeep. Her daily meals primarily comprise four nutrient groups originating mostly from plant-based ingredients. Read more about the nutritious foods included in her daily meals for optimal cardiac health! On finishing reading don't miss out on other relevant content.
Nuts and Seeds, Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids take the lead as heart-friendly components typically found in a daily meal routine of a cardiologist. These highly nutritious fatty acids are concentrated immensely in foods like wild rice, red lentils, spinach, navy beans, winter squash along with hemp seeds chia seeds. Additionally nuts such as walnuts and proteins from wild salmon sardines herring grass-fed beef also provide high amounts of these heart protecting elements.
As stated by Dr Klodas "The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids reach vast depths; they inhibit inflammation reduce blood thickness thus decreasing chances for clotting They lower any heightened blood pressure levels and serve to augment good cholesterol all while reducing triglycerides"
Berries and other Antioxidants
To significantly improve your cardiac health, addressing and curbing chronic inflammation is pivotal. Chronic inflammation has been linked with numerous health problems; studies have demonstrated that diminishing it can help to prevent strokes and heart disease.
Incorporating antioxidant-dense foods in your daily diet can support you in battling against this persistent inflammation. In the words of Dr. Klodas, "Antioxidants constrain free radicals within our bodies thereby delaying aging, alleviating inflammation, and neutralizing any circulating toxins." Foods like tomatoes, oranges, wild blueberries, spinach along with dark chocolate and green tea are few of the examples.
Fiber-Rich Foods Similar to Whole Grains
Fiber plays a vital role in a nourished, balanced diet. However, many of us fail to meet the daily recommended intake of fiber. Consuming enough fiber not only keeps you satisfied longer after your meals but also promotes healthy weight maintenance. According to Dr. Klodas, fiber aids in supporting a healthy gut microbiome and can lower cholesterol levels by hampering its absorption into the digestive tract.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that women should aim for 25 grams of fiber each day while men should target approximately 38 grams. A wide variety of whole fruits and veggies are rich sources of natural fibers that we need. Some foods you may consider incorporating into your diet include split peas, collard greens, pomegranate seeds, flax seeds, dried figs, canned pumpkin or squash puree bananas artichokes hearts steel-cut oats bulgar wheat and pearled barley.
Like Leafy Greens, Plant Sterols
The final item on this heart-friendly foods list often recommended by cardiologists is plant sterols or "phytosterols." As elaborated by Dr. Klodas, these naturally found compounds in plants stop cholesterol from being absorbed into your digestive tract.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, adopting a diet rich in phytosterol-containing plant-based food items can safely diminish your cholesterol levels and guard against health implications such as strokes and cardiac arrest. Moreover, they offer protection against diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
Abundant sources of phytosterols include whole grains, nuts, vegetables, fruits along with milk and cheese that are fortified with phyterostrols. Phytosterols could also be consumed via dietary supplements.
Progress Gradually
Adopting new dietary and lifestyle customs doesn't necessitate a pursuit of perfection to yield beneficial health results. Minute modifications in your diet can render substantial differences over time. Dr. Klodas, for example, elucidated that "Substituting two daily snacks with ones made from authentically natural plant-based ingredients thoughtfully mixed to provide fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, plant sterols, and antioxidants could decrease cholesterol levels equivalently as certain drugs in some individuals... within just one month!"
