Heart Disease – NutriFoody Wholly Holism

In a world where heart disease remains a leading cause of death, prioritizing heart health has never been more important. Fortunately, one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal is right on our plates: food. By adopting a heart-healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods and low in saturated fats and cholesterol, we can significantly reduce our risk of heart disease and support overall cardiovascular health. In this blog post, we’ll explore some key strategies for lowering cholesterol and promoting heart health through mindful eating.

1. **Focus on Whole Foods:** One of the cornerstones of a heart-healthy diet is choosing whole, minimally processed foods. Fill your plate with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These nutrient-packed foods are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, all of which play a crucial role in cardiovascular health.

2. **Limit Saturated Fats and Trans Fats:** Saturated fats and trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels (often referred to as “bad” cholesterol) in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease. To keep your heart healthy, aim to minimize your intake of foods high in these unhealthy fats, such as red meat, full-fat dairy products, fried foods, and commercially baked goods.

3. **Choose Heart-Healthy Fats:** Not all fats are created equal, and some fats can actually be beneficial for heart health. Opt for sources of unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. These fats can help lower LDL cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the body, protecting against heart disease.

4. **Incorporate Plant-Based Proteins:** Plant-based proteins, such as beans, lentils, tofu, and edamame, are not only rich in fiber and essential nutrients but also naturally cholesterol-free By replacing some of the animal-based proteins in your diet with plant-based alternatives, you can help lower your intake of cholesterol and saturated fats.

5. **Eat More Fiber:** Fiber plays a crucial role in heart health by helping to lower LDL cholesterol levels and improve blood sugar control. Aim to include plenty of fiber-rich foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. These foods not only support heart health but also promote digestive health and weight management.

6. **Watch Your Sodium Intake:** Consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Be mindful of your sodium intake by choosing low-sodium or sodium-free options when possible and flavoring your meals with herbs, spices, and citrus instead of salt.

7. **Stay Hydrated:** Drinking an adequate amount of water is essential for overall health, including heart health. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support optimal cardiovascular function.

By incorporating these heart-healthy eating strategies into your daily routine, you can take proactive steps to lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease, and support long-term cardiovascular health. Remember, small changes can add up to big results when it comes to protecting your heart, so start making healthier choices today for a healthier tomorrow.

The Good and The Bad FATS

Now I know you guys have been waiting on this one and I’m a little late but I’m back! So lets talk about the GOOD FATS and the BAD FATS. Just as with carbohydrates there are healthy fats and not so healthy fats because what it can do to the body.

Let’s start with a little science:

Fat Molecules which are called “triglycerides are made up of chains and bonds
These chains and bonds can be single or double
These chains and bonds can have carbon atoms or hydrogen atoms
These chains and bonds will determine what type of fat you are dealing with

The GOOD:

When you hear about good fats you will usually hear “unsaturated”

Unsaturated fats have subcategories called “Mono-unsaturated” and “Poly-unsaturated
Mono-unsaturated fats is a fat molecule that has a single double bound and one of those bonds is an unsaturated carbon bond
Mono-unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and solid when cold
Mono-unsaturated fats help to reduce bad cholesterol in the body which is called LDL and HDL is the healthy cholesterol
Mono-unsaturated fats helps to maintain the cells in the body by giving it nutrients such as vitamin E
Same thing goes for Poly-unsaturated fats with the exception that it has more than one unsaturated carbon bond
Poly-unsaturated fats work in the same ways as mono-unsaturated fats helping the body to regulate cholesterol levels

Examples of Mono-unsaturated and Poly- unsaturated Oils:

olive oil
canola oil
peanut oil
safflower oil
sesame oil
soybean oil
corn oil
sunflower oil

The BAD FATS

When we talk about bad fats there are two categories they fall into those categories are Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated fats
We also we hear CIS and TRANS fat
Hydrogenated fats are processed poly unsaturated fats that have hydrogen added to them
Partially hydrogenated fats are also processed artificially as well
CIS fats are fats that have a double bond with carbons on the same side
Trans fats are fats that have a double bond as well but hydrogen and carbon are on opposite sides of the bond and this is what makes it bad
Trans fats are the worse fats for your health. They don’t go rancid, they are more stable during deep frying and can change the texture of your food
How do you know if a food has Trans fat in it? good question you will know that it does if the label of any food states that it is partially hydrogenated because that is how trans fats are made
What foods can you find Trans Fat in ? Basically in any foods that may be fried like fried chicken, fried fish, fried doughnuts and other foods that are not fried like pizza, hamburgers, cookies, pastries etc..

Tag: Heart Disease

Heart-Healthy Eating: Strategies for Lowering Cholesterol and Supporting Cardiovascular Health

The GOOD and BAD Fats