Tuesday, 23 October 2012

Heart Healthy Tips from the American Heart Association



Balance calorie intake and physical activity to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.
A healthy body weight (within a BMI of 18.5 and 24.9kg/m2) is advised to decrease heart disease risk. This is achievable by an increase in activity and following a healthy diet plan.

Consume a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are not only high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants important for a healthy heart, but also are low in energy to help promote weight loss. Read our post on 5 ways to get your five-a-day.

Chose whole-grain, high fibre foods.
Chose high fibre foods such as whole-grain bread, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, fruits and vegetables. A high fibre intake diet is an important factor in bringing down high cholesterol levels.

Consume fish, especially oily fish, at least twice a week.
Oily fish are high in omega-3s, shown to be beneficial in heart health. Twice a week include in your meal salmon, mackerel, pilchards, sardines, herring, trout, or tuna. If you do not like these fish, take a daily omega-3 supplement.

Limit your intake of saturated fats to less than 7% of total energy, trans fats to less than 1%, and cholesterol to less than 300mg per day.
-       Choose lean cuts of meat and vegetable alternatives e.g. chicken breast, fish, vegetable protein such as beans, peas and lentils.
-       ChoOse fat free (skim) or low fat dairy.
For more on trans fats, read our post on Translating Trans Fats.

Minimize your intake of foods and beverages with added sugars.
Foods and drinks high in sugar include cakes, cookies, biscuits, chocolates, sweets, and soft drinks, among others.

Choose and prepare foods with little salt.
Salt is associated with high blood pressure, a risk factor for coronary heart disease. See other Good Life posts on cutting back on salt such as A Salt With a Deadly Weapon.

When consuming alcohol, do so in moderation.
Limit to no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women and smaller men.