Follow A Healthy Heart Menu

Understand the Heart Healthy Diet Guidelines

By following a healthy heart menu and using these recommended healthy heart diets, heart healthy cooking recipes and heart healthy diet guidelines, you can control and manage the health of your heart (and feel better).

The food you eat affects the health of your heart, and your body. All food from animals (meats, daily products, shellfish) contain cholesterol; for a healthy heart diet you need to limit the amount of bad or LDL cholesterol that you consume. As well, you need to limit or even eliminate the saturated fats and trans fats that you eat (which causes your body to produce more cholesterol).

High blood pressure, poor circulation, and potential for stroke are just some of the problems that can arise from unhealthy eating.

Most doctors recommend limiting your total daily fat intake to between 25 and 35 percent; saturated fat consumption to less than 7 percent; and trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total daily calories. They also recommend limiting the cholesterol intake to under 300 mg per day (and if you already have high LDL cholesterol levels that intake should be under 200 mg daily).

Who measures their daily fat intake? Hands up? Not too many people can identify what percent of their daily food intake is related to fat consumption. So a better way to manage heart healthy diet guidelines is to develop your own healthy heart diet and heart healthy cooking recipes. Work with a dietitian if you can; otherwise use heart healthy food guidelines.

Heart Healthy Diets

• Eat whole grains - a good source of fiber and nutrients. Instead of eating white bread, choose a 100 percent whole grain or multi-grain bread. Eat high fiber, low sugar cereals. Add fiber to cereal or yoghurt (for example, add a teaspoon of ground flax seeds to your cereal). If pasta is a favorite meal at your house, limit the quantity and choose whole wheat pasta.
• Limit your salt (sodium) intake! We eat too much salt; many prepared foods have salt added. Daily limit is ½ teaspoon (less if you have high blood pressure); and remember that includes sodium that’s already naturally in food and salt that is added to prepared foods. For added flavor, use herbs and spices.
• Proteins need to be low in fat, lean and assorted. So poultry, seafood, legumes and with limited red meats (suggest red meat only once or twice a week). Eat fat-free or low fat dairy products (skim milks, skim cheeses, low-fat and low sugar yoghurts). There are some delicious soy products available at most grocery stores as a vegetarian alternative to meats - these are also good for heart healthy cooking recipes.
• A healthy heart menu must include a good mix and quantity of vegetables and fruits daily. For adults, 7 to 8 servings a day (a serving is usually about ½ cup, although that varies depending on the item - 1 cup of lettuce; ½ cup of steamed carrots). It's okay to eat over the limit of vegetables as long as it is in moderation.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Remember to control your daily fat intake. Use Canola Oil or Olive Oil instead of saturated or trans fats.
• Hydrate yourself: drink 8 glasses of water daily.
• Consider taking circulation stimulating herbs like Rosemary, Ginger, and Ginkgo. You can find all of these herbs in heart healthy doses in Circu-Live.

A Healthy Heart Menu, Plus Regular Exercise

Follow a healthy heart menu and use heart healthy diet guidelines to better manage your health. You will feel better (and look better too).

In addition to eating a healthy heart diet, you need to exercise regularly. A daily walk (use a pedometer) and count the calories and/or the steps); a membership at the local fitness center or community center; a bike ride or swim; or buy some indoor exercise equipment if you want to manage your daily exercise at home.

Any one of these exercise routines will help your health! The key is to exercise regularly, vary the type of exercise, and try to do it daily (even just 30 minutes a day will be helpful, and contribute to your improved health).

In addition to eating a healthy heart menu, keep your heart healthy by taking Circu-Live, a wonderful product from Native Remedies that will help keep your blood flowing!

Additional Reading:

• Heart Healthy Tips

• Heart Healthy Menu Choices

• Mild Stroke Symptoms

• New Treatments for Stroke

• Symptoms Before a Stroke