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According to statistics, coronary heart disease and stroke are the number one causes of death in New Zealand. One in 20 adults have been diagnosed with heart disease and every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease! With these sobering thoughts top of mind, let’s take a look some simple heart healthy diet tips.
While exercise, resting, keeping stress levels low and not smoking is important for your cardiovascular health. What you eat plays a big factor in protecting your heart. Try to get a full spectrum of vitamins and nutrients into your diet or take a quality health supplement for anything you are missing.
Well known for their nutrient, mineral and antioxidant content, leafy green vegetables like spinach, collard greens and kale are great for the heart. Packed with vitamin K, this helps to protect arteries and aid in blood clotting.
Berries are jam packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Anthocyanin’s are one antioxidant which helps fight inflammation and oxidative stress which can cause heart disease. Snack on blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries daily.
Include whole grains in your diet like brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, rye and buckwheat. Being high in fibre, these may help to lower bad cholesterol, therefore the risk of heart disease. Check that the product has ‘whole wheat’ or ‘whole grain’ on the packet.
It’s recommended to get at least three servings of fatty fish weekly. Fish like salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel are full of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that a diet rich in fish helps to lower blood pressure, blood triglycerides and blood sugar levels. If you struggle to eat enough fish, add a quality fish oil supplement to your diet.
Avocados are full of heart healthy monounsaturated fats, which help to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. A study tested 45 overweight people and gave half of them one avocado a day. At the end, the avocado group showed a significant reduction in ‘bad cholesterol’. Full of good fats and potassium, avocados are a great addition to a healthy diet.
Nuts are a great source of nutrients and if eaten in moderation can have good effects for your heart. Studies have shown that nuts and particularly walnuts, aid in lowering diastolic blood pressure, reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol and decrease inflammation in the body.
Chocolate lovers rejoice! Yes, chocolate is actually good for your heart being rich in flavonoids and antioxidants. Studies have shown it may help to lower the amount of calcified plaque in arteries, therefore reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.