Preventing heart problems should be a high priority for all of us. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. What we eat plays a huge role, but there’s more to it than just cutting fat and sodium.
Avocadoes: While it is a high fat food, the fat involved is heart healthy. Monounsaturated fats can help in the battle over heart disease. It also helps stop fat cravings.
Coffee: This can go either way. On the good side, it may help avoid heart failure. The key here is amount. Two standard eight ounce cups seem to be beneficial. After that, the benefits start to go away. After five cups per day, coffee can start to be dangerous.
Energy Drinks: If you are heart healthy, you may not have a problem with energy drinks. However, if you have high blood pressure or heart problems, they can be bad. The problem is that these beverages raise blood pressure. That means it will interact with blood pressure medications. They also make the heart beat faster, which isn’t a good idea if you have issues with your heart.
Garlic: Garlic has been used for centuries to promote heart health. Studies indicate that it can lower blood pressure. At may also have beneficial actions on cholesterol. Recent research has been mixed on that issue.
Grape Juice: Grape juice, and its alcoholic counterpart, red wine, can help with heart health. The juice is a wiser choice for most people, in order to avoid the risk of drinking too much. The juice relaxes blood vessels and studies suggest it could lower blood pressure.
Grapefruit Juice: Unless you have heart problems, grapefruit juice isn’t a problem. However, it can seriously interact with medications for those suffering from heart disease.
Olive Oil: Like avocadoes, olive oil is a heart healthy fat. It can have an impact on cholesterol levels and may help prevent blood clots. It’s also good for diabetics; it could help with blood sugar control.
Tilapia: It may be a surprise to find this on the “avoid” list. That’s because it has quite a bit of Omega-6 fatty acids and very little Omega-3. Omega-6 isn’t useful to the heart unless there is more Omega-3.
Trout: On the other hand, trout has a good deal of Omega-3 fatty acids. This is a much better choice when choosing seafood.
Knowing what’s in what you’re eating is of primary importance. It’s a good idea to look up the major components of your diet, especially if you have or at risk for heart problems.
damage is done.
