To maintain a healthy heart and to stave off cardiovascular diseases, it is very vital to pursue a ‘healthy-heart’ diet, adequate exercise and a regular and consistent lifestyle.

Diet plays a critical role in sustaining a good and healthy heart and warding off cardio-vascular ailments. Altering your eating patterns can appreciably cut down your risk of developing heart disorders. Additionally, ensure that you exercise at least thrice a week and adopt certain stress busting techniques.

5 Easy Steps to Keep Your Heart Healthy: Diet for a Healthy Heart

1. Cut Down On Salt: Restrict Your Daily Intake Of Salt: Salt restriction is an important aspect of the heart diet. Reducing sodium intake prevents hypertension or raised blood pressure, and thus staves off innumerable heart ailments.
2. Decrease The Intake Of Unhealthy Fat: Eliminate trans fats and saturated oils from the diet. Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, biscuits, cookies and fried foods are packed with trans fats. Trans fats are chemically modified, and the body is unable to process them, thus making them dangerous. Additionally, reduce the intake of fatty and sugary foods, refined foods and red meat. They cause a buildup of fat and cholesterol in the body. Plaque formation within the arteries leads to atherosclerosis, which eventually could lead to a heart attack. Choose low fat foods and opt for mono-saturated oils. Sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, olive oil and canola oil is healthy.
3. Increase The Consumption Of Heart-Happy Foods:Foods that supply omega 3 fatty acids: flax seeds and walnuts should be consumed daily. These are therapeutic and reduce LDL or bad cholesterol and increase HDL or good cholesterol. Also step up the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. They provide loads of potassium that is vital for the heart. Also, foods such as: garlic and onions are effective blood thinners. They are known to maintain normal blood pressure levels, reduce blood pressure fluctuations and keep cholesterol levels normal.
4. Chose Low Fat Protein Sources: Lean meat, chicken, egg white and fish, are the best sources of protein. Choose low fat options, like, skimmed milk, skinless chicken breasts, boiled fish, beans, peas, soy and lentils. These keep the fat intake minimum and provide adequate protein.
5. Stay Away From Processed Foods: Processed foods and ready to eat food packets are loaded with sodium, trans fats, saturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. These have terrible repercussions on the heart and cardiovascular system. Steer clear of them. Also, eliminate tobacco and alcohol from the diet.