Heart is indeed one of the vital organs in humans. The importance of the heart in a human body not only can be presented in physical health but also be a symbol or analogy for many things in life such as the heart being the epicentre of something important in life. Although the heart is important for humans, many people tend to take heart health lightly until they are forced to do so after being diagnosed with any form of heart disease. Certainly, it is not good when a person is already diagnosed with heart diseases and taking steps to take care of the heart is more of preventing the current heart diseases from becoming worse. Thus, the best thing to do is to take care of your heart while it is still healthy.
Heart supplies oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Without a functional heart, a person is likely to be faced with life-threatening events. Taking care of the heart is the easiest when being mindful with the food we eat. Food is a staple of life. Good food can definitely help to protect a person from heart diseases and for a healthy life in general. This includes physical and mental wellbeing. You probably know the many good food but here are 3 foods that cardiologists say to avoid:
1) Fried foods- Fried food is synonymous in many cultures throughout the world. In Asia itself, many delicious delicacies are fried and served hot at a cheap price that can be obtained all day and all night. Fried food often has high levels of saturated fat and trans-fat. These two types of fat are certainly bad for the heart. If a person still wants to have the taste of a fried food, they should make alternatives such as oven-baked or grilled cooking methods instead, such as from deep-fried potatoes to baked or grilled potatoes with olive oil.
2) Sugary drinks- Sugar does make a person’s day brighter but sugar also can be the source for misery in the future. Excessive sugar or added sugar in drinks such as soda and juice can lead to many diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity which predispose to heart problems. Sugar is also the culprit for the increase of bad cholesterol in blood.
3) Processed meats- Processed meats such as nuggets, bacon, sausages and burger patties have almost become a need in a person’s life looking for quick and easy food. However, processed food is loaded with bad fats and usually contains high amounts of sodium which is bad for the heart.
There are still many foods that are best to be avoided for a healthy heart. If you ask different cardiologists, they may suggest different foods to be avoided but one thing for certain, practising a healthy eating habit of eating a balanced meal is the key for a good heart. Avoiding bad food does not necessarily mean you could not eat it at all because we humans do want the pleasure of life by eating yummy food, right? Of course, it would be best to not eat these foods forever but let’s just face the fact that humans do have cravings too. You still can eat this food but in a small amount possible and rarely. Since there are many foods claimed to be healthy or made in healthier ways, consumers need to make sure that is indeed healthy by carefully reading the labels and understanding it. For more information on what to eat and what not to eat, you can contact your doctor, nutritionist or dietician for more details. They may also be able to provide a good diet plan for you in order to keep you healthy and energetic.
It can be concluded that eating good food is one of the keys for a healthy heart. Besides a healthy heart, good food also nourishes the mind and the body. If eating healthy food becomes boring or loathing for you on an everyday basis, practising the “80/20 Rule” can be a great way to start eating healthy. This rule emphasizes at least 80% of nutritious food and 20% of your favourite treat. Sticking to a consistent meal plan such as the rule is better than jumping off and on. Aside from eating healthily and mindfully, making lifestyle changes such as being physically active, maintaining healthy weight, having good night sleep of quality sleep of 7 to 8 hours, managing stress such as practising relaxation and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and alcohol, can be great ways of improving heart health. Getting regular health screening can be a great step of identifying risk and getting early treatment for heart diseases. Taking preventative measures is indeed way better than getting a cure.
Do take care of the heart before heart problems occur. Remember, the heart is an organ a person would be needing to live with and failure of the heart could shorten a person’s lifespan apart from causing disability. For more information or enquiries on heart and food-health related, always ask your doctor for more details.
