Avocados, fish, oats and dark green vegetables are foods that, in addition to being nutritious, help prevent cardiovascular disease
Mindful eating is always in conversation, and there’s a very clear reason behind it: you are what you eat. The choices that everyone makes to eat determine the state of health of the whole body, including the heart, being able to avoid cardiovascular diseases, the main causes of death in Brazil and in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to PAHO extension – Pan American Health Organization, an estimated 17.9 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2016, accounting for 31% of all deaths globally. Of these deaths, approximately 85% are due to heart attacks and strokes. Among the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease are inadequate diets and a sedentary lifestyle.
“To have a better life, the secret is to have balance. Eat healthy, without excesses, because the food eaten has the power to keep the health of the heart, body and mind updated. Regular exercise and rest are also some tips for keep your heart healthy,” says Dr. Rizzieri Gomes, cardiologist and quality of life improvement specialist. “The more I take care of my health, the more I exercise, the more I take care of my diet, the lower the risk of disease and, consequently, the use of drugs,” says Dr. Rizzieri.
Symptoms: Symptoms of heart attacks and strokes range from pain or discomfort in the chest, arms, left shoulder, elbows, jaw and back. Other known symptoms are shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness and others.
the bads: according to Dr. Rizzieri Gomes, the bad guys for the heart are processed foods (canned products, fruit jams, salted and smoked meats, canned sardines and tuna, etc.), red meat, alcoholic beverages, refined sugar, trans, saturated and interesterified fats , among others .
And it’s not always easy to use information on food packaging to decide what to take home from the supermarket. A recent survey by the Institute of Nutrition of the UERJ (University of the State of Rio de Janeiro), in collaboration with the Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defense, focused on food additives, showed that there is not enough information on the packaging of foods sold in Brazil. The study highlights defects and non-conformities on labels, making it difficult to safely choose healthier foods. Additives are intentionally used in products such as beverages and ultra-processed foods. On the list of foods that have additives are: soft drinks and dairy products, ham, sausage, packaged bread and margarines. They are linked to a number of chronic diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
“When it comes to balanced nutrition, you have to think about the choices you make. For example, you can and should favor fresh food, prefer olive oil to oil, moderate the use of salt and refined sugar, check the label of the food we buy at the market. You don’t have to cut out everything you like to eat, but avoid eating some foods,” adds Dr. Rizzieri.
Understanding written words, especially multiprocessed ones, is a difficult task; there are many technical terms, most of which are completely beyond the knowledge of anyone other than food industry experts. “If in doubt, spend some time researching these terms; there is a lot of content available on the internet that can clarify and help you make healthier decisions. As widely used examples we have interesterified fat (hydrogenated fat substitute), calcium propionate. It’s important to know what you’re ingesting. And there are also ingredients appearing there on packages with healthier-sounding names, such as ‘corn glucose’ and ‘starch’ – which are really just sugars,” he warns. dr. Rizzieri.
“The pursuit of lifestyle change is a trajectory. Remember where you are and where you can go. This is a reflection of the changes you can make to yourself and your life. Health is something you cannot measure, we only notice when disease is knocking on our door”, he adds.
7 foods that are good for the heart
- Fish and oilseeds: they are rich in omega 3.
- Oats: protagonist among whole grains with regard to heart health, as they are rich in beta glucan (soluble fiber).
- Avocado, as the fruit is rich in monounsaturated fats and a source of potassium, an important mineral for blood pressure control.
- Dark green vegetables: cabbage, rocket, spinach, watercress, broccoli are examples of vegetables rich in fiber, magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. When consumed daily, they help control blood pressure and keep the contraction at a proper pace.
- Seeds: flax, chia, sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are rich in omega 3, fiber and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc.
- Eggs: Rich in high biological value proteins, as well as vitamin D and B vitamins, eggs are protein source options.
- Red fruits: they also contain anthocyanins and phenolic compounds that help inactivate free radicals.
Source: Terra
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