Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death worldwide, which includes a group of conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. CVD can be prevented through lifestyle choices, like a healthy diet promoting heart health, as well as physical activity.
For World Heart Health Day, we asked one of our experts, Becs from @bitesbybecs, to let us know how we can make healthy adjustments to lifestyle in order to promote a healthy heart.
Fats
Fat in the diet is essential; it should make up 20-35% of total calories for the day. It is the type of fat and the right balance of fats that will help keep cholesterol levels and the heart healthy.
Reducing saturated fats and replacing them with unsaturated fats can help to reduce the risk of CVD. Some simple swaps you can look for are olive oil instead of butter, nuts and seeds instead of dairy and oily fish instead of fattier meat like pork belly.
Top tips:
- Swap butter for oil
- Use oil sprays to help reduce the quantity used
- Include two portions of oily fish a week such as salmon and sardines
- Choose lean meats instead of fattier cuts
- Remove visible fat and skin from meats
- Limit processed foods, swapping for options like fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds
Fibre
Research has shown a diet rich in fibre, including foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and in particular oats, has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and particularly low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Beta glucan is one form of soluble dietary fibre that is strongly linked with improving cholesterol levels and overall heart health. Beta glucan is found in wholegrains, oats, bran, wheat, barley, some mushrooms, seaweed and algae. As it is a soluble fibre, it slows down food transit time in the intestines. This means that the body takes longer to digest food. This is hugely beneficial on blood glucose levels as it means the body doesn’t absorb sugar as quickly, which helps to control blood sugar levels and keeps them stable.
On average in the UK, we consume approximately 18g of fibre per day; however, the recommended daily intake is 30g per day for adults. As you can see a diet lacking fibre is quite common; use the tips below to help increase your overall consumption.
Top tips:
- Swap white bread/pasta/rice for wholemeal/wholegrain
- Introduce a variety of plant based protein sources such as beans, lentils, chickpeas
- Add beans, lentils and chickpeas to soups and stews
- Try and include some fruits or vegetables in each meal
- Add spinach to smoothies, soups, curries and stews
- Leave skin on vegetables where possible (such as potatoes, squash)
- Swap processed snacks for fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
- Add nuts and seeds to meals
- Try a bowl of porridge or overnight oats for breakfast with added nuts/seeds/natural nut butter
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are found in plant-based foods - there is a large body of research to suggest polyphenols are associated with a reduced risk of CVD. This is due to their antioxidant properties, which help to reduce inflammation, link with reduced blood pressure, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol levels.
Dark chocolate, green tea, black tea, berries, black beans, white beans, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, soy products and vegetables are all great sources. Include a variety of these in your diet.
Salt
A diet high in salt is associated with increased blood pressure, which is a risk factor for CVD. By being more conscious about your consumption and aiming to have no more than 6g of salt per day can make an impact.
Top tips:
- Avoid eating processed meats such as salami, ham and bacon too frquently
- Reduce sauces which are high in salt such as soy sauce and ketchup - opt for low salt variations
- Swap salted nuts for raw nuts
- Swap crisps for crackers/corn cakes/rice cakes with no added salt
- Reduce amount of added salt used in cooking
- Avoid ready meals unless they are marked as low sodium
- Use the traffic light labelling on packaging - avoid/reduce foods which highlight salt in red
- Use herbs and spices to season food
- Avoid fast food / takeaways
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption can cause abnormalities to heart rhythms, increase blood pressure and may lead to strokes as well as damaging the heart muscle.
Alcohol consumption can also negatively impact sleep, which in time will have a negative impact on heart health.
Be aware of how much you are drinking and how often you are drinking alcohol; reduce intake where you can.
Exercise
One of the key benefits of exercise is that it helps to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Incorporating regular exercise into your day to day routine can help to lower/manage blood pressure, reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes, maintain a healthy body weight and reduce long-term chronic inflammation. Aim to combine both aerobic exercise with resistance training.
Aim for 4-5 structured exercise sessions a week. Ensure you mix things up and try new exercises to keep you motivated and inspired. Find exercise that you actually enjoy.
As well as structured exercise, increase general daily movement too. For example, walking or cycling where you can, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, standing up from your desk throughout the day, taking calls whilst walking around and turning your desk into a standing desk for some of the day.
Which of these have you already incorporated into your lifestyle?
