We all know that we must take care of our heart health if we want to avoid cardiovascular diseases. But there are also other reasons for keeping our heart in a good condition. For example, you must maintain a healthy heart to reduce the feelings of depression, to reduce the risk of dementia, and to keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check. When heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the US, it is essential we make heart health a chief priority in the coming year. You can take care of your heart by staying active, avoiding smoking, visiting your doctor at fixed intervals, and following a heart-healthy diet. In this blog, we will tell you what are the things you need to do in order to a follow heart-healthy diet. Let’s get started.
Keep The Portion Size in Mind
When it comes to following a diet that is healthy for your heart, you need to understand that eating healthy food is not enough. You also need to control how much you eat. You shouldn’t feel stuffed after your meals. To control your portions, you can use a small plate or bowl. In addition to that, keep track of the number of servings you eat.
Incorporate Fruits and Vegetables into Your Diet
Since fruits and vegetables do not contain a lot of calories and are full of dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals, they are considered excellent for preventing cardiovascular issues. And it is easy to add fruits and vegetables into your diet. You can wash the vegetables, cut them, and keep them in the refrigerator for quick snacks. You can wash the fruits and keep them in a bowl in your kitchen so that you do not forget to eat them.
Go for Whole Grains
Whole grains are also rich in fiber and nutrients that help control your blood pressure and heart health. It would be great if you start consuming whole grains instead of refined grain products. You can also consider trying whole grain farro, quinoa, or barley. Try to avoid refined flour, white bread, biscuits, quick breads, cornbread, cakes, etc. Eat more of whole wheat flour, whole grain bread, high fiber cereal, oatmeal, whole grain pasta, etc.
Apart from doing the above-mentioned things, you should stop eating unhealthy fats such as unsaturated fats and trans fats as they increase your risk of coronary artery disease and high blood cholesterol. Also, stop using too much sodium in your food and go for low-fat protein sources such as eggs, fish, skinless poultry, lean ground meats, etc. Before the commencement of year 2022, promise to yourself you will follow a heart healthy diet and visit a medical professional to monitor your heart health. With the help of portable EKG machines, a medical professional will be able to check the electrical signals in your heart and detect if there’s any heart problem or not.
