Do you want to live a long healthy life?

Beware of heart diseases!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated. Around 1 in 4 deaths in the U.S. occur due to heart disease. And it affects men and women, as well as all ethnic and racial groups.

The heart pumps blood around your body, supplying the oxygen and nutrients your cells need to function. So whatever targets your heart, targets your body – and your life.

The term “heart disease” refers to different conditions that affect the heart. 

Various factors can predispose you to heart diseases. They include – high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, poor diet, lack of exercise, depression, smoking, and excessive alcohol drinking. If you took note, most of these mentioned factors are tied to your eating habits.

Paying close attention to what you eat, and how you eat it, will save you from a majority of the risk factors associated with heart diseases. And will keep you far away from being a victim of heart disease statistics.

Here are five eating habits that lead to heart diseases, and how to avoid them:

1.  Low natural foods, fruits and vegetable consumption

The type of food nutrients you consume in larger quantities has a significant effect on your heart’s health.

Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as other bioactive ingredients that provide nutritional health and therapeutic benefits to the heart. Consuming more of these plants or plant-based food products can help you cut off intake of high-calorie foods, such as meat, bread, cheese, snacks and processed foods.

Also, you eat most of these vegetables in their natural or semi-natural state. So the vitamins get preserved from heat damage. And as well save yourself from eating lots of foods prepared through not-so-healthy cooking methods – like frying.

Here is how to make consuming more of these grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables doable for you:

Keep nuts and washed fruits and vegetables on your table and on the outer part of your refrigerator so you can easily grab it and snack on when your tummy or throat starts its food search.

Your meal serving, for an ideal plate, should have – ¼ protein (mainly legumes), ¼ carbohydrates (mainly whole grains) and ½ vegetables.

2. High processed food consumption

A variety of factors make processed foods harmful to the heart. They are loaded with fat, calories, sugar, salt — which leads to overweight, diabetes, high blood pressure – making you more prone to heart diseases. 

In addition, processed foods are low in vitamins, minerals and fiber – food nutrients that contribute to a healthier heart. The additives and preservatives in processed foods also load negative effects on the heart.

In a study, which got published in BMJ, researchers divided 105,000 adults into groups – based on the quantity of ultra-processed food in their diet. They followed them for over 5 years, collecting dietary data at the start and other stipulated times of the study. From their results, the researchers discovered that for every 10% increase in the quantity of ultra-processed food one group consumed over the other, their risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke was 12, 13, and 11 percent higher, respectively.

How to knock off processed foods?

Instead of loading your meals or snacking on packaged snacks, sugary cereals, bottled drinks, noodles and the likes… Set some time aside to pick natural foodstuffs (like mentioned in the first point), walk into your kitchen and prepare a healthy meal for yourself and family.

You don’t know how to cook?

Lots of books and videos are out there to give you a step-by-step guide.

No time?

Why not! You can plan and create some minutes to give your heart and health the treat it deserves. If you don’t, a heart disease can put a full stop on all your endless activities. Don’t wait for that to happen.

3. High salt intake

Salt is a combination of sodium and chloride. Its sodium content can damage the heart health; because of its water-retaining characteristics. Increased water in the body leads to increased blood volume in the bloodstream and therefore increased pressure against the walls of the heart as it pumps blood to the body. Over time, extra work and pressure in the heart causes high blood pressure – a major risk factor in heart diseases.

In a cohort studies, published in BMJ, a higher salt intake of 5 g per day (2000 mg of sodium) is linked to a 17% higher risk of total cardiovascular disease, and significantly, a 23% increased risk of stroke.

How to slash your salt intake?

Eat more fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, and less/no processed food.

To give your food a special touch of taste and flavor, use more herbs and spices than table salts and artificial spices.

4. High calorie intake and overeating

The quantity you eat is as important as the quality of your food.

Overloading your plate and eating until your stomach bulges makes you consume more calories than required. This gives more work to your digestive system, causing your heart to pump more blood to your gut… and your blood pressure shoots up. 

Also, the excess calories get stored up in your body, leading to obesity. 

High calorie meals are also made up of fatty foods. Fatty foods contain high quantities of cholesterol and low density lipoproteins, which can form deposits (plaques) on the walls of the arteries, bringing about a condition known as atherosclerosis.

To save the heart from these factors that add up to heart diseases, it is important you keep track of the quantity of food you consume.

We can’t over-flog this point: feed more on fruits and vegetables and less of calorie-loaded foods.

 

5. Eating at odd times

Do you know that your meal time contributes to your heart health too?

According to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, for every 1% increase in calories consumed after 6 p.m., heart health declined. When you consume more calories at late hours, it throws your metabolic system in chaos and affects your heart health.

Therefore, work towards consuming more of your calories during the day, especially during lunch, and have your dinner plate stuffed with more vegetables, fruits and whole foods (which contain more fiber).

You’ve seen 5 eating habits that lead to heart diseases.

Now here’s something to note:

People who follow healthy eating patterns had a 14% to 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease in comparison with people who complied lower, a recent study showed.

You want to lower your risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases? Pick these five points and start acting on them, one after the other… Today.