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Five
Steps to a Healthier Heart
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| Step
1: Eat five to ten servings per day of fresh fruits and
vegetables |
| Studies have shown that
populations that eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables have half
the cardiovascular disease rate of those that don't. So the more fruits
and vegetables that you can include in your diet the better. Scientists
are discovering new aspects and benefits of foods all the time so
although taking supplements like beta-carotene and fiber may be
beneficial, they can not give you all the advantages found in a variety
of foods. |
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| Step
2: Eat foods high in antioxidants. Supplement your diet with
vitamins E and C. |
| Fruits and vegetables supply
many antioxidants but they can also be found in many other foods such as
nuts, wheat germ and garlic, and beverages, such as green tea. |
| Antioxidants protect arteries
as well as the heart itself in several ways. They also help prevent the
degradation of cholesterol - this is much more harmful than the mere
presence of cholesterol in the arteries. |
| The most important antioxidant
is Vitamin E. It is difficult to obtain sufficient amounts of this
vitamin to protect against cardiovascular disease from diet alone. So
taking a supplement is a good idea. Most experts suggest 400 IU. There
is some evidence that natural Vitamin E is preferable to synthetic. |
| Most nutritionists also
suggest supplementing with vitamin C at a dosage of 500mg to 2,000
mg each day, depending on how much you obtained from your diet. As your
body cannot store Vitamin C it is best to divide the dose into 2 or 3
equal amounts taken throughout the day. |
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| Step
3: Eat less iron by eating less
meat and iron-fortified foods. |
| Studies have shown that high
levels of iron can be harmful to the heart and arteries. Men, over age
20, who have higher levels of stored iron had higher levels of
cardiovascular disease. In women increased cardiovascular disease
related to stored iron does not become a factor until after age 50, when
menopause begins and iron levels rise. |
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| Step
4: Eat plenty of therapeutic
nutrients. |
| Scientists have shown there
are many nutrients that can protect arteries and improve cardiovascular
health. The most important are listed below: |
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| Vitamins |
Source |
| B6 |
Yeast, sunflower
seeds, wheat germ, salmon, walnuts, beans and bananas. |
| B12 |
Clams and oysters. |
| Folate |
Leafy greens, wheat
germ and oranges. |
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| Minerals |
Source |
| Calcium |
Dairy, greens and
beans. |
| Magnesium |
Nuts and seeds,
whole wheat bread and fish. |
| Potassium |
Fruits, vegetables
and dairy. |
| Selenium |
Whole grains,
onions, fish and dairy. |
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| Other
Nutrients |
Source |
| Arginine |
Nuts |
| Flavonoids |
Onions, grapes,
apples and black tea. |
| Genistein |
Soybeans. |
| Lutein |
Spinach and kale. |
| Lycopenes |
Tomatoes and pink
grapefruit. |
| Pectin |
Grapefruits, citrus
fruits and apples |
| Sulfur |
Garlic and onions |
| Soluble fiber |
Apples, bananas,
citrus fruits, carrots, oat bran and beans. |
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| Step
5: Keep physically active.
Exercising will improve your cardiovascular system. It also uses energy
and allows us to eat more of the foods that contain high amounts of
therapeutic nutrients |
