Heart disease continues to be one of the leading causes of
death in the United States.
Per the CDC,
approximately 610,000 people in the U.S. die every year from heart disease.
Around 735,000 Americans also suffer from a heart attack annually.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with a heart disease yourself or you’re
concerned that you may be at risk for developing it, there are some steps you
can take to keep that all-important muscle health.
As specialists such as Dr. Alfred Sparman have noted on many occasions, a proper diet is crucial to maintaining the health of your
heart. Listed below are some types of food that you have to avoid if you want
to keep your heart in better shape.
1. Processed Meat
When you’re feeling lazy, you may be tempted to just pick up a can of corned beef or perhaps some other type of canned meat to whip up a quick meal. Others may prefer hotdogs or those chicken nuggets often stored in supermarket freezers.
According to Harvard Health, the main issue with processed meats is that they are often preserved with the help of heaping amounts of salt. That’s why you don’t even have to season those processed foods anymore. They are already covered in salt right out of the package.
Too much salt in your body can lead to your blood pressure spiking and once that happens, many of your internal organs may end up getting overworked.
Your heart could very well be one of those organs.
2. Red Meat
Along with processed meats, you also have to be wary of how much red meat you consume. This time around, it’s not salt that you have to be mindful of.
As noted by Web MD, red meat tends to feature a high amount of saturated fat. That saturated fat can then increase the amount of LDL cholesterol in your body. Eventually, all that cholesterol can clog up your arteries.
You don’t have to cut out red meat from your diet completely, but if you do want to partake in a steak dinner, it would be best to dine on a leaner cut as opposed to one that features a good amount of marbling.
3. Pre-Made Pastries
Salt and saturated fat are not the only things that can pose a significant threat to the overall health of your heart. Sugar can be bad for your heart as well.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to your blood pressure rising as well as inflammation. As mentioned earlier, high blood pressure is bad for your internal organs. They may be pushed to their limits because of your higher than normal blood pressure.
To effectively cut down on the amount of sugar you consume, it’s a wise move to avoid pre-made pastries. Those snack cakes you can purchase at the supermarket can often be loaded with sugar. They may also be high in fat.
It’s also advisable to steer clear of donuts, cakes, and any kind of pastry that is made using butter as you’re trying to improve the health of your heart.
If you simply cannot resist the allure of dining on something sweet, you can try baking on your own and limiting the amount of fat and sugar you put in your creations.
4. Sugary Drinks
Apart from the foods you consume, you must also keep a close watch over what you drink if you are already dealing with heart problems.
Soft drinks and several other kinds of beverages sold in supermarkets are often sweetened excessively in order to make them as appealing as possible. Drinking a single bottle can cause your blood sugar levels and perhaps even your blood pressure to spike.
You should also be wary of those juices and iced teas that come dehydrated in packets and other containers. They are also often made using way too much sugar.
Sugary drinks are items you should take great care to avoid especially because it’s so easy to consume too much of them.
5. Condiments
Many people don’t pay that much attention to the condiments they’re using and that is not a good thing. Similar to other processed and packaged food items, plenty of sugar and/or salt are typically used to create the condiments that you often see on supermarket shelves.
Even if you’re munching on healthy vegetable sticks, you may be negating that by dipping them into a condiment that contains ingredients that are bad for your heart.
Conclusion
There’s no getting around the fact that switching to a heart-friendly diet can be challenging because you will have to give up so many flavorful foods. Still, if giving up those foods means that you will be able to spend more time together with your friends and family, wouldn’t that be a worthy sacrifice?
Adopting a new diet is just one thing you can do to improve your heart health however. To learn more about how you can keep the cardiac muscle in great working condition moving forward, be sure to consult with experts such as Dr. Alfred Sparman.
