The health of the heart is crucial to a person’s general health. We ensure that our cars are well maintained yet more crucially we have a heart that constantly pumps our blood and should be just as much a concern to us. What you eat is one of the most effective ways that you can use to boost your heart health. Just the inclusion of certain food products in your diet will go a long way in improving your cardiovascular health.
In this article, we shall look at some of the different heart healthy foods, what individual foods, and how you can incorporate them to your different meals. We will also briefly discuss some of the recommended everyday measures and exercises that promote healthy heart health.
1. Oats and Whole Grains
Number one on the favorite list of heart-friendly foods is oats. They are rich sources of soluble fiber, which has been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol. Eating oatmeal in the morning is a great concept to support regulating cholesterol levels during the day. While grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread are sources of nutrients and fiber that are good for the heart.
Heart Healthy Breakfast Tip: If its breakfast, prepare your nice cup of oatmeal and add fresh fruits into the oats such as berries, bananas, or apples to improve on its heart health benefits. Include a handful serving of nuts or seeds to the dish so as to include protein as well as health promoting fats.
2. Leafy Green Vegetables
Spinach, kale, and collard greens vitamins and minerals and have high antioxidant levels. It’s also rich in vitamin K which is good in defending your arteries and regulates blood circulation. The people are also likely to get other nutrients such as dietary nitrates which have been known to lower blood pressure when they are taking lots of green leafy indemnified foods.
It is very easy to add the green leafy foods into ones meals. You can garnish them on the salads, use them to prepare your smoothies, or sauté with garlic and serve them as as side dish.
3. Berries: A Heart Healthy Snack
Forest fruits are strawberries, blueberries, raspberry, and black current they contain antioxidants compounds such as anthocyanin which decrease inflammations and also decrease chances of heart diseases. Also, they are very rich in fiber and they are very tasty if taken as a heart healthy snack.
Heart Healthy Tip: It may sound silly but ensure you always have a bowl of mixed berries in the fridge so that every time you need a snack, it is ready for you. You can also put them in your yogurt or top your bowl of whole grain cereal with them for extra taste.
4. Fatty fish and the omega-3 fatty acids.
Other foods that can be sources of omega-3 fatty acids include non-fatty fish like cod, halibut, trout, and herring, and plant sources like flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and tofu. We found that omega-3s can effectively decrease inflammation, blood pressure and chances on having an irregular heart beat.
Regularity of consuming fish, especially its at least twice a week, is one of the best strategies to improve the functioning of your heart. If you do not take fish, you can get Omega-3s from other plant products such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnut.
5. Nuts and Seeds
Most nuts and seeds are sources of proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the heart. An example of nuts contain almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds which are good for the hearts health. They have got omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium needed for this body in regulating the heart pace.
Heart-Healthy Snacks Tip: Use a tiny jar to keep mixed nuts and seeds in your desk and have a healthy snack handy and delicious. You can also include the ground flaxseeds in your morning smoothie or to your yogurt.
6. Avocados
Avocados servings are recommended for their monounsaturated fat content associated with low density cholesterol. They also have potassium which is essential in maintaining high blood pressure levels.
Ways to include avocado in the diet can range from avocado mixed with butter and spread on whole grain bread to fillings in sandwiches, added in salads, or in blended foods as a substitute for butter.
7. Beans and Legumes
Legumes like black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, are good sources of fiber and vegetarian protein. They are useful to the cardiovascular system because they help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
Heart Healthy Meal Tip: You can supplement them into soups, salads or stews for protein enhancement. You can also make a healthy bean dip for snack with fresh vegetables for the heart.
8. Heart Healthy Fruits
There is no better source of vitamins and minerals or fiber than fruits such as oranges, bananas or apples among others. For instance, oranges which are a group of citrus fruits are well known to have a very high content of both vitamin C and flavonoids, which help combat heart diseases. From bananas, people get potassium, which is crucial to the well-being of heart.
Heart Healthy Drink Tip: Take an orange juice immediately you wake up in the morning or use the slices of the fruits to prepare mineral water for drinking, good for the heart.
9. Dark Chocolate (in Moderation only)
Dark chocolate with 70% agains or more has flavonoids which are helpful in reducing inflammation and normalized heart issues. This is why you should be careful on how much of it you take since it is still a source of the calorie and sugar.
A few squares of dark chocolate can be eaten as occasional treat in a heart-healthy diet they do not mean excessive calorie intake.
10. Heart Healthy Lifestyle Tips
It thus only requires this and no more to take a heart-healthy diet. Pair your diet with these lifestyle habits to maximize your heart health:
- Stay Active: If you are having an active heart related issue) do exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming or ‘heart healthy’ yoga. Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week.
- Manage Stress: Stress is a known heart condition. Stress can also be reduced through trying to incorporate heart-healthy yoga and meditation into your daily routine.
- Stay Hydrated: Staying well-hydrated by drinking both water and other cardiovascular friendly beverages such as green tea is beneficial.
11. Heart Healthy Breakfast Ideas
There is perhaps no better way other than eating a healthy meal as soon as you wake up in the morning. Here are some ideas:
- scrambled eggs served with colorful fresh fruits, crushed nuts and honey.
- Whole grain bread toast topped with mashed avocado and few chia seeds.
- Spinach banana almond milk with added mixed berries in a bowl in the shape of a bowl.
12. Heart Healthy Activities and Yoga
It is important for the heart to exercise regularly. For example, heart-healthy yoga that has been recommended can be proved effective in easing stress, reducing the pressures of high blood pressure, and bettering the general well being of the heart. It is suggested that together with yoga, other aerobic movements such as walking or cycling should be included to give a perfect health regime.