Eating For A Healthy Heart

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all experience at some point in time. It's impossible to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may try hard to do it. Eating healthy for your heart is something everyone should try to do, especially when it comes to restoring health and reducing heart attacks.

Your heart and food
We know these things for sure - a diet high in saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. People that are obese are more prone to heart disease. A diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure, leading to inflammation and even heart disease.


To help prevent heart disease and improve your health, put the tips below to good use.



Eat plenty of fish
Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great
to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol down to a healthier level.


Choosing healthy fats and oils
Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease. It's found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil. You should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are down and you are at a healthy weight. Even those that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for their main sources of protein.


Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help you to protect your heart. Olive oil is an ideal choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping sauce.



Plenty of fiber

Fiber can help you control your cholesterol. You can find fiber in whole grain products to help control sugar absorption as well, which will help you keep your digestive system healthy.


Choosing carbohydrates

Eating for your heart involves staying away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn't good for your heart disease at all. Healthy carbohydrates involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.


Healthy cooking methods

Stir frying and sauteing with olive oil or canola oil are both great methods, as you shouldn't dip your food in batter and fry it anymore. If you cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the oven in foil.

Instead of frying your fish you should always bake it. Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the
most nutrients. You should use cream sauces or lots of butter anymore either. When you eat vegetables, try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your favorite seasonings.


As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in mind that it takes time for them to become habits.
Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and
the prevention of heart disease.

Cooking with Oils

Everyone knows the foods to eat that improve health, although how we cook the food can be just as important. With there being so many oils and butter products claiming to be the best, it can be quite difficult
to know which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

1. Canola oil

Canola oil is a popular oil, with many physicians claiming that it has the ability to lower the risk of heart disease. The oil is low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.


You can use canola oil in sauting, as a marinade and even in low temperature stir frying. It has a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods that contain many spices. Unlike other oils, this one won't interfere with the taste of your meal.



2. Olive oil

Olive oil offers a very distinct flavor with plenty of heart healthy ingedients. The oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk of cancer. It's also rich in antioxidants and has a very long storage life.

Even though it can be used in cooking, it's the healthiest when uncooked, such as with a salad or dipping sauce. When you use it with cooking, you should heat it on low to medium temperatures, making sure to avoid high heat.



3. Butter

Butter is one food that has been around for many, many years. Butter tastes good, and offers sources of Vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins such as E, K, and even D. Butter is also made from natural ingredients and not chemically or artificially processed.


You can use butter with cooking, baking, or even as a spread. You can also pair it with creamy sauces, marinades, baked dishes, or even bread.


4. Margarine
Margarine was first introduced as an alternative to high fat butter. When it was first created however,
it was loaded with trans fat, a substance that we now know raises bad cholesterol.


As a cooking oil, margarine tastes good, it's lower in fat than most oils and butter, and it's quite easy to spread. It's available in a variety of different products and a good source of vitamin E.


When it comes to cooking with oils, there are several at your disposal. There are many more than what is mentioned here, although the ones above are the most popular. Eating healthy involves cooking healthy food - which is where your cooking oil really takes center stage.

Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style of eating.  The rules still apply with healthy eating,

although you should add variety, balance, and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat, whether it be hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, or even fish.Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of food they are or aren't willing to eat.  For example, Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they will eat eggs and most dairy products.  A Vegan on the other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of animal origin.

Because they don't eat meet, vegetarians will often wonder how they'll get enough protein.  Although you may
not realize it, the average American actually consumes more protein than he actually needs.  For the lacto-ovo
vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of protein.  Vegans on the other hand, get their protein
from nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split
peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more.  Some of them you are already familiar, such as kidney beans in
chili, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and rice, and pinto beans.  Although some beans taste good
as they are, others are available with different flavors to help enhance their taste.  Nuts are hihg in protein,
although they deliver a lot more fat than beans, which means you should enjoy them in moderation.  By having
one cup of cooked beans, you'll get the same amount of protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. In the average North American diet, the primary source for B12 is animals.  To have an adequate intake of B12, vegans should reguarly consume vitamin B12 supplements or foods, which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products or milk.

For calcium, vegans can rely on orange juice or soy milk, as they are fortified with calcium.  Beans and
leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as well.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food groups, controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is
something you should always do.  This is very important for eating healthy, as well as staying healthy.  If you
control what you eat, you'll have many years of healthy eating ahead of you.

Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Starting off your with a healthy well balanced diet is the best thing you do for yourself and your baby.  This way, you'll only need to make a few adjustments during your pregnancy.

Your first trimester
If you find it tough to maintain a balanced diet during your first trimester, you can rest assured that your not alone.  Due to queasiness, some women will eat all of the time and gain a lot of weight in the process.  Other women have trouble getting food down and subsequently lose weight.
Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your most important factors during first trimester.

Calories
When you are pregnant, you need to consume around 300 calories more than usual every day.  The best
way to go about doing this is listening to your body when you are hungry.  You should try to eat
as many foods as possible from the bottom of the food pyramid.

If you gain weight too slow, try eating small meals and slightly increase the fat in your diet. You should always eat when you are hungry, as you are now eating for 2 instead of one.

Calcium
By the second trimester, you'll need around 1,500 milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and your baby', which is more than a quart of milk. Calcium is something that's missing from many diets.  Along with milk, other great sources for calcium include dairy products, calcium fortified juices, and even calcium tablets.

Fiber
Fiber can help to prevent constipation, which is a common pregnancy problem.  You can find fiber in whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables.  Fiber supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are safe to take during pregnancy.

Protein
Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your protein intake is not normally a problem for women who eat a healthy diet.

Iron 
A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with a bit of iron deficiency.  Good sources of iron include dark leafy green vegetables and meats. Iron supplements should be avoided, as they can cause internal symptoms such as cramping, constipation or diarrhea.

Vitamins
Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal
vitamins with your doctor.  Folate is one of the most important, and if you are getting enough of it, you
may be able to avoid vitamins all together - just ask your doctor to make sure.