Healthy nutrition for heart health is not an easy endeavor, especially after a lifetime of eating the wrong foods! There’s nothing wrong with a little treat now and then. But if you are serious about making a difference to your health, specifically the health of your heart, there are some changes you should consider. From stopping your bad habits to understanding the best fats for your health, here are some savory suggestions.

Understand Personal Needs

Before we go diving into how you can make your heart healthier, it is important to understand that we are all different. There are specific genes that can cause heart disease, and eating healthier can help but won’t prevent it. You need to know this as it can affect your life. Being prepared to help a loved one with CPR certification, understanding your family history, exercising and trying to live a healthy life will contribute to your longevity and well being.

Stop Your Worst Habits

Now that we have got the serious point out of the way, let’s dive in! Well, this is pretty serious, too, as most of us have issues because of the bad habits we started earlier in life. Some of the worst will have a bad impact on your heart. Here is some advice you need to take seriously:

• Consider limiting or stop drinking alcoholic beverages
• Stop smoking immediately, as this will destroy the muscles of your heart
• Don’t skip your annual physical. See a doctor regularly (at least once a year)

Oils and Nutrition for Heart Health

There is some confusion over fat in food. Believe it or not, there are some good fats that will help your heart, brain, and body. These good fats come from vegetable oils, oily fish, and nuts. They can also lower cholesterol. But there are bad fats known as trans fats. These are solid fats like bacon fat and butter. Each year, around 540,000 deaths are attributed to an excessive consumption of trans fats. Cutting these out will help reduce the damage over time.

Limit Sugar

Who doesn’t love something sweet? Sugar is the number one substance for our sweetness cravings, with the average person consuming a whopping 17 tablespoons per day! However, high amounts of sugar can wreak havoc on the body. Too much sugar causes insulin resistance, which puts you at an elevated chance of heart disease and, of course, diabetes. Reduce sugary soda, prepared cookies/cakes, and try alternative sweetners like monkfruit in your tea and coffee.

Say No to Processed Foods

There have been a lot of studies into the effects of ultra-processed food. Most of us eat processed foods and they are hard to avoid. Low amounts probably won’t do much, but consuming products like deli meats, burgers, hot dogs, and pre-made dinners can cause damage over long periods. Several high-profile studies have linked processed foods to a higher chance of cardio disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Some even link them to cancer.

Midlife Nutrition for Heart Health

Our health tends to decline as we age. But it doesn’t have to. Living a healthy lifestyle with exercise, good social connections, and nutritious foods can help us in the golden years. It’s also easier than you might think. Here are some changes you can make.

Increase your intake of vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential for health. It is not just heart health but healthy brain function, hormonal production, and even your skin and hair. But you can become deficient in these as you get older. Supplements are a great way to ensure you get what your body needs.

Reduce fat and increase fiber

Fat isn’t the enemy. But eating too much fat will lead to negative consequences. Reducing fat intake will help promote overall health and increase how your heart functions. Additionally, fiber is needed as you age to help with internal bodily functions that can weaken when you get older.

Avoid foods that increase the risk of heart disease

There are some foods that have been strongly linked to heart disease. This is mostly because of bad fats and cholesterol.

It can feel like time is running out as we age. But it is never too late to begin a healthy course of action with diet and lifestyle. Quitting smoking and changing what you eat can improve the health of your cardio system, heart and arteries, and even the brain.

Increase Your Fruit Intake

Fresh fruit is among the healthiest foods you can eat. Getting the “five a day” can be something of a challenge. But there are some tips. First, how about a smoothie? Smoothies are great if you find it hard to eat fruit and will help you digest it better. You can also try adding fruit to the recipes you make for dinner. And how about snacking on an apple instead of a chocolate bar? Fruits such as berries, grapes, and mangos contain substances that contribute to better heart health. Try this delicious and healthy 3-Ingredient Date Bark.

Eat More Oily Fish

Not everyone enjoys fish and seafood. But oily fish like salmon and mackerel contain so many nutrients that are good for us. Shrimp is also an excellent high-protein option. This is why the Mediterranean diet is considered the healthiest on the planet. Omega-3 is beneficial for heart health and can lower the risk of heart disease. If you are concerned about mercury from fish and Omega-3 products, there are brands that guarantee their products are mercury-free.

Nutrition for Heart Health Includes Spices

Don’t go running for the hills if you don’t like spicy foods because that’s not what spices are really about. Spices are used for flavor, not heat. So where do they fit into heart health? Well, spices are an excellent seasoning and replacement for salt. Salt is known to raise blood pressure and contribute to poor heart health. The WHO estimates that around 7.6 million deaths per year occur due to high blood pressure.

Understand Healthy Fats

We mentioned fats before. But healthy fats like olive oil and avocados are good for you. By increasing your intake of healthy fats and reducing trans fats, your heart health will improve. Here are some tips:

• Healthy fats are generally liquid at room temperature.
• Monounsaturated fats from plants help reduce your overall cholesterol level.
• Vegetables, olives, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn oils are considered healthy.

It is very easy to begin using these good fats. In most cases, all you need to do is replace what you use. Pork fat might taste amazing, but it won’t do you any good. Try cooking with olive oil instead. Your heart will thank you.

Eat Nuts and Grains

There is nothing wrong with snacking. But how many of us snack on the wrong things? Store-bought cookies, chips, and candy are full of sugar and additives. A simple solution is to swap those heart-hefty snacks for healthy options you can make at home, like these No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups. Nuts and grains, such as in trail mix and power bars, are much better options when snacking.

Focus On Your Heart Health

Quitting some of the worst habits for heart health, such as smoking and drinking, will help you increase nutrition for heart health, and it’s never too late! Vitamin supplements can help. But small diet changes such as using good fats and replacing your snacks make a difference.

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