How does a healthy diet affect your heart?
- It can lower your blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for having a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest.
- Read more about the Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- It increases your good HDL cholesterol.
- It reduces the levels of your bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides that contribute to fatty buildups in arteries and make it narrow and raise your risk for heart attack, stroke and Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
- It prevents blood clots that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Your healthy food choices keep your body weight in the healthy range.
How to eat right?
Keeping a balanced diet doesn’t mean depriving yourself from the food you love, it’s all about making smart choices to build an overall healthy dietary pattern by following these 5 letters strategy that shows you how to eat (R I G H T).
R - Reduce
- Sweets: the American Heart Association recommends no more than about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 teaspoons per day for men.
- Sodium and Trans-fatty acid: Choose food that are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and salt (sodium), as they increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
- Fatty or processed meats: Eating less processed meat can reduce your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
I - Include
Your meal must include the following nutrients:
- Protein: It is in fish, meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, nuts, and beans.
- Fat: It is in animal and dairy products, nuts, and oils.
- Carbohydrates: They are in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
- Low-fat and fat-free dairy products.
- Minerals: Such as calcium, potassium, and iron.
G - Get rid of your bad eating habits
If you're serious about healthy eating, you need to change your bad eating habits and start thinking differently about your diet and lifestyle.
- Avoid cooking with oil as it is purely fat and contains more calories per gram than any other food.
- you can enjoy all of your favorite food with almost little or no oil with Philips Air Fryer that enables you to roast, fry, grill and even bake all your favorite meals in a healthier way with up to 75% less fat.
- Read more about Philips air fryer here
- Avoid eating a large meal before sleeping to decrease gastroesophageal reflux and weight gain.
- Teach yourself to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are comfortably full.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Choose fresh fruit more often than fruit juice.
- Eat only three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and have low-fat and low-sugar snacks between them.
- Avoid sodas and sugar-enhanced drinks.
H - Heal your heart
These 7 super foods can heal your heart and reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease:
- Fatty fish like salmon and sardines which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Healthy nuts such as almonds.
- Berries that contains heart-healthy phytonutrients and soluble fiber.
- Green Tea that helps lower your body hypertension and reduce your risk for a blood clot.
- Raisins that full of Potassium reduces high blood pressure.
- Broccoli that is low in cholesterol and high in fiber.
- Aloe Vera, this natural medicine that stops blood cells from clumping together and reduces your risk of cardiac arrests and strokes.
T - Tips to stay healthy and fit:
- Cook and eat at home: You will have more control over ingredients and preparation methods.
- Watch your calories and choose your oil free cooking method. Try “Philips Airfryer” that makes the AIR the new cooking oil. Read more about Philips air fryer here.
- Control portion sizes: Eat the smallest portion that can just satisfy your hunger and then stop eating.
- Don’t keep many foods high in fat or sugar in your home.
- Don’t drink and eat at the same time.
- Chew slowly.
- Avoid Junk food. Read more about what junk food can do with your heart in this article.
