Heart Health

heart healthy diet

Read and learn more about heart healthy diet. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.

Q: What are some easy meals for a heart healthy diet?
I have recently came home from the hospital. And need to start watching my diet more closely. Need some suggestions till I get to filling better. All help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

A: Found this website that lists many of the diet plans and have an outline of what the diet is. Many may have a free outline of meals for a week would be. Might start with the American Heart Association guidelines and diet plan to get use to what is out there. Personally, I lost some weight with the Special K program, have cereal for breakfast, a protein bar for lunch and your meal for the night with two small snacks one before lunch and one mid day. I don’t have the two snacks, never that hungry for snacks. I have lost about 10 pounds in 2 months.

Q: Concerned about my heart, what is a heart healthy diet?
I am 21 years, very overweight, (5ft3 and over 200 pounds) and constantly stressing about having a heart attack. The reasons why are because, I basically eat fast food every day, my grandfather died of a heart attack at age 36, and I have various heart attack symptoms somewhat often, but have been told its anxiety/costochondritis.

ANYWAY.

I would like some advice on what foods I could buy to help benefit my heart and blood pressure specifically. Any help?

A: For a healthy heart, you need to be careful with the stuff you eat. Heart is the main organ that keeps us alive. I know a simple diet that will keep you and your heart healthy. A healthy daily diet should be a balance of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, fibre and minerals. So, to maintain this balance you should:

Eat breakfast serials in the morning. Breakfast serials are a good way of providing carbohydrate and protein for the body. Most of the breakfast serials also have a special balance of fibre. It is combined with wholegrain rice and wheat flakes which also make it easy to digest. Therefore, you should eat cornflakes every morning in order to regulate your digestion, get energy in the morning for the day, and reduce the amount of fat. Eat your breakfast with semi-skimmed milk because semi-skimmed milk has had all the fat removed and retains less than half of the fat of whole milk. Milk is full of protein which also helps body to build and repair body tissues such as bone, build antibodies for body to fight infection when needed. You can add strawberry, banana or apple pieces in it if you like. It will make delicious.

For lunch, try to eat something simple, such as salad or pasta with mayonnaise, or sandwich. These foods will provide the required amount of nutrients.

For dinner, try to eat chicken or fish. Fish is quite important for heart as it contains omega 3. Add salad and yogurt next to it or some peas or rice. Do not forget, you need to keep your portions as small as possible. You also need to drink loads of water. Don’t forget to cut out salt and sugar. If you love your heart, then don’t use salt at all.

Good luck!

Q: What are some good heart healthy diet friendly yet family friendly recipes?
I would be very thankful for any help you could give me. Thank you!

A: Try MyFridgeFood.com, it gives you recipes using what you already have in your kitchen. And you can sort the results by the nutritional info. Helps with the diet

Q: is this a heart healthy diet?
im wanting to lose weight but be heart healthy too! im starting a 1800 cal diet, water, low fat n trans fat n sat fat, low sodium and low cholestrol, fruit, veg, chicken, fish, and whole wheat….does this sound heart healthy and help me lose weight? im 5′8 and fat (lol) 28yr old female

A: yes!!! add some oatmeal to your fruit, lots of greens with your fish, chicken or meat (yes, meat!) and don’t forget to exercise!!!
1800kcal is a very good diet, but in order to loose weight you need to spend more than you eat… there’s a certain amount you spend just by being alive, another that you spend by your regular activities and exercising should help you with what’s left. Besides, a simple walk or run of 30min everyday can help you increase the blood flow and make your heart pump harder, keeping it healthy!

Q: Heart healthy diet?
What is a good heart healthy diet after quadruple bypass surgery? Should you cut out all sugars? Or all salts? He is not near the hospital where it was done and you know how hard it can be to get appointments and how expensive. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Chay

A: Cut dwon sugars as much as you can, cut down salts as well. Use olive oil rather than margarine or butter when possible. Steer clear of trans fats. The best fats are called omega-3 acids, they are found in salmon and tuna…hope this bit helps…

Q: Finding a Heart Healthy Diet Online or a good Book Source?
I am 40 years old, work out, and try to watch what I eat, but last Monday, I had a heart attack. I found that I have the vascular disease that causes me to have high levels of LDL Cholesteral, which causes me to have plaque built up on my arteries. Apparently I have normal arterial blockage for my age, but a piece of plague broke loose and turned 30% into 90% and a heart attack. Now I am on my way to recovery and on several medications to help with my cholesteral, plague sticking to my arteries, and the normal stuff for a heart patient. I am wanting to know where I go to find diet ideas for a heart healthy diet. I have already began to look at the labels on food and they are confusing. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

A: It can be very confusing. Two recommendations I have:
One, talk to a Dietician or Nutritionist. They can be very helpful with things like this. Your doctor can refer you.
Two, look at cook books in a major bookstore. They have ones regarding cholesterol diets. You can easily call your local Heart and Stoke Foundation and ask for some recipes or books. They should be able to help you.

Q: Know any heart healthy diets to lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure?
My dad needs to follow a diet that will be more heart healthy. He has very high blood pressure, high cholesterol(around 200), and high blood sugar and almost has diabetes. All of this is making it hard to know what he can eat. Anyone have any tips? Thanks!

A: a high fiber diet will lower both the total cholesterol and reduce serum insulin levels. he needs to eat things like whole oatmeal, lentils, barley, beans, etc..these types of foods are very high fiber and low calorie. 30 grams of fiber daily is recommended. it’s very hard to get so i would tell him to try to get as much from food and use fiber supplements for the rest.

to reduce the blood pressure reducing the salt intake will do this. cooking from scratch virtually eliminates salt from the diet, processed food items are loaded with it.

if he’s not big on cooking he’s going to have to learn. get him some basic cookbooks. there are a lot of high fiber soups that are very easy to make.

Q: Identify the primary factors of a heart healthy diet.?

A: The goals of a heart-healthy diet are to eat foods that help obtain or maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and lipids (fatty molecules) by achieving the following:
Reducing overall cholesterol levels and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are harmful to the heart.

Increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which are beneficial for the heart.

Reducing other harmful lipids (fatty molecules), such as triglycerides and lipoprotein(a).

Q: Can two blockages (90% & 70%) be successfully treated with meds, exercise and a heart-healthy diet?
My mother was recently found to have an 80% blockage in one of her main arteries. Balloon angioplasty was performed and a stent inserted. She also has two blockages on the other side of her heart in veins branching off from an artery (70% and 90%). Because of their location, the heart doc said stenting them would be extremely complicated, delicate and dangerous so he’s recommending meds, a heart-healthy meal plan and exercise as an alternative for now.

My question is: Do you, or anyone you know, have such blockages that were successfully treated with meds, a heart-healthy diet and exercise instead of stents?

Thanks.

A: Nikki, I had two stents implanted about a year ago, one was for 95% blockage and one for 90% blockage. They put me on plavix , blood thinner, and aspirin and after six months or so I had a lower intestinal bleed due to the blood thinner and I lost five units of blood in less than one hour and was rushed to hospital where I was repeatedly told that I was very, very sick. They were wonderful to me and I survived it all after one week in the ICU. I do watch everything I eat and have eliminated saturated fats and hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated foods altogether. My exercise is limited to work around the house but it seems sufficient. This is after stent emplacement rather than instead of. I don’t know how it will all work out long term, but, I have placed my life in Gods hands. I’ll pray for your mom. God bless.

Q: Need a heart healthy diet proportion sizes would help?
On a budget of $125. a month so nothing fancy but feed three people thank you

A: Try the American Heart Association website.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200010

Q: I am diabetic and have diastolic heart failure; need a heart healthy diet 1800 carbs 3-4 gms sodium?

A: Eat more fish. Fish is a good source of protein and other nutrients. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. These beautiful and delicious wonders of nature may be one of the most powerful strategies in fighting heart disease.
Choose fat calories wisely. Keep these goals in mind:

Limit total fat grams.

Eat a bare minimum of saturated fats and trans fats (for example, fats found in butter, margarine, salad dressing, fried foods, snack foods, sweets, and desserts).

When you use added fat, use fats high in monounsaturated fats (for example, fats found in olive and peanut oil).

Eat a variety — and just the right amount — of protein foods. Commonly eaten protein foods (meat, dairy products) are among the main culprits in increasing heart disease risk.

Reduce this nutritional risk factor by balancing animal, fish, and vegetable sources of protein.

Limit cholesterol consumption. Dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels, especially in high-risk people. Limiting dietary cholesterol has an added bonus: You’ll also cut out saturated fat, as cholesterol and saturated fat are usually found in the same foods. Get energy by eating complex carbohydrates (whole-wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads) and limit simple carbohydrates (regular soft drinks, sugar, sweets). If you have high cholesterol, these simple carbohydrates exacerbate the condition and may increase your risk for heart disease.

Feed your body regularly. Skipping meals often leads to overeating. Eating five to six mini-meals is the best way to control blood sugars, burn fat calories more efficiently, and regulate cholesterol levels.

Other Heart-Healthy Strategies
Reduce salt intake. This will help you control your blood pressure.

Exercise. The human body was meant to be active. Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood flow, reduces high blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol), and helps control blood sugars and body weight.

Hydrate. Water is vital to life. Be sure to stay adequately hydrated.

Enjoy every bite. Your motto should be dietary enhancement, not deprivation. When you enjoy what you eat, you feel more positive about life, which helps you feel better. An added bonus is that you eat less when you eat food you love, and that helps control weight and reduce cholesterol levels.

How Much Is a Serving?
When you’re trying to follow an eating plan that’s good for your heart, it may help to know how much of a certain kind of food is considered a “serving.” The following table offers some examples.

SERVING SIZES

1 cup cooked rice or pasta
2 starch
tennis ball

1 slice bread
1 starch
compact disc case

1 cup raw vegetables or fruit
1 fruit or vegetable
baseball

1/2 cup cooked vegetables or fruit
1 fruit or vegetable
fist

1 ounce cheese
1 high-fat protein
pair of dice

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 fat**
half dollar

3 ounces cooked meat
3 protein
deck of cards or cassette tape

3 ounces tofu
1 protein
deck of cards or cassette tape

** Remember to count fat servings that may be added to food while cooking, such as oil, butter or shortening.

Click these links for more info:
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-healthy-diet

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/heart-healthy-diet

Q: What is Dr. Alan Sears heart healthy diet?

A: here ya go:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0938045652/104-4021811-9663912

[edit]
and here:

http://www.alsearsmd.com/content/

he goes by Al not Alan

Q: heart healthy diet book?
any ideas?

A: South Beach Diet.

It is written by Dr. Agaston who is a pioneer in cardiology and a great guy. I know him personally.
Unfortunately not well enough to share profits from his book!!!

Q: Anybody have recipes that I can make for someone who just had a heart attack and is on a healthy diet!?
Do you have a recipe that I might like and want to make for someone who has just had a heart attack and has been put on a healthy diet. No caffeine, no salt, things like that that clog up your arteries? We have gone to Diet pop and water and juices and decaffenated coffee and tea.

A: sweetenred,

As a matter of fact, yes.

First, go to

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/find/browse/results?type=browse&att=160

and

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/

In the first website are several recipes that you’ll need to look through to find what you’re looking for, but once you’ve found a recipe without cheese or oil or meat or fat of any kind, you’re likely to enjoy it since they’ve been tested.

In the second website are hundreds of recipes, not all of which you will like, but scroll down to the “Lighter” and to the “vegetarian” sections, and make sure that you pick a recipe without cheese or meat or fat or oil and y9ou’re sure to like it. These are simply great recipes.

Now, see if you can find a copy of “Everyday Cooking With Dr. Dean Ornish.,” read it and start finding out just how to cook heart-healthy. What makes a fat-free dinner? Ornish tells you. Then experiment with the recipes and you’ll find which ones you like. I have several that I still make from this selection.

There are some for which you can substitute Smart Ground (my favorite) meat substitute for hamburger.

Here’s one that we really like. For the meat we substitute a couple of packages of Smart Ground or Good Ground (basically the same stuff, just different manufacturers and slightly different tastes) and it’s still a great dinner pie:

Tartee (Meat And Fenberry Pie)

adapted from De Bors Hede Boke of Cookry
(The Bors Hede is the restaurant at the Camlann Medieval and Renaissance Faire site near Seattle. We’ve gone there many times):

Ingredients

2 Medium Pie Crusts
1 Pound Pork — Cubed [or substitute]
1 Pound Chicken — Cubed [or substitute]
2 Tablespoons Butter
6 Ounces Cranberries or Grapes
1 Medium Egg
3 Tablespoons Sugar [or Splenda]
1 Teaspoon Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Fennel Seed — Crushed
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Pinch Saffron [actually, the saffron is just for color]

Directions

Line pie pan with 1 pie crust. Saute pork and chicken in butter until browned. Place in pie pan. Scatter cranberries or grapes over meat. Combine remaining ingredients, sprinkle over pie. Top with other pie crust, seal and vent. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serves 4

It’s an adaptation of a medieval recipe. Medieval cooking used a lot of saffron for its color. Omit it if you like.

As well, you can try any stufato (a northern Italian vegetable stew) like this one, which I found in a magazine years ago. It’s by Nika Hazelton:

Tuscan Vegetable Stew

Makes about 3 quarts, serving about 6

2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium head romaine lettuce, finely shredded
2 pounds fresh peas, shelled, or 1 10-ounce box frozen peas
1 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled, or 1 10-ounce box frozen lima beans, or a pound of edamame (green soybeans, and very good in this stew)
1/3 to 1/2 cup full-flavored extra-virgin olive oil [This was in the original recipe. I omit the olive oil for heart-healthy reasons. I do not miss it]
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (a generous 1/2 teaspoon to start, then serve the soup with a peppermill to add more at the table)
Freshly grated Parmesan fat-free cheese (Kraft Free or any Lisanatti cheese substitute)

Directions

Spread the tomatoes over the bottom of a 5 to 6-quart pot.

Top the tomatoes with a layer of onions.

Sprinkle with garlic.

Add a layer of zucchini.

Top the zucchini with the lettuce.

Top the lettuce with the peas.

Sprinkle half the parsley and all the basil over the peas.

Add the beans.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup parsley over the vegetables.

Drizzle the olive oil over everything. [or not, if you omit it as I do.]

Cook, covered, over low to medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables start releasing their liquid. Do not stir. Do not even remove the cover for 10 minutes.

At this point, add salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat to low, stir and mix vegetables well. Cook, over low heat, covered, for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender but not mushy; do not overcook. Do not add water; the vegetables have enough water of their own.

Serve hot, lukewarm or at room temperature. Pass the grated cheese separately.

(I substitute Lisanatti cheese substitute for real cheese. It’s the best one I know.)

Now, while I use quite a bit of tofu, using it takes a little practice. It has a “tang” to it that needs to be mellowed in many sauce recipes, but it can be very good for making a low-fat alfredo sauce that is superb on pasta. Here’s one from the “Fighting Fear of Tofu” website that I tweak just a little:

12-oz package fettucini, fusili, or other pasta (I’ve even used orzo)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
16-ounce tub silken tofu
handful of fresh parsley
handful of fresh basil or a very healthy sprinkling of dried basil
1/2 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soymilk
3 tablespoons of Smart Balance spread or Take Control
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese, preferably organic, or Parmesan-style soy cheese for topping
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the noodles in rapidly simmering water until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes, then drain.

Now, the original recipe says:
“In the meantime, heat the margarine a small skillet. Add the crushed garlic cloves and sauté over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic cloves.”

OK., but I like garlic so much that I don’t bother with this step. I just crush the garlic and throw it in the blender along with the Smart Balance.

Combine the tofu and milk in a food processor or blender and pour in the melted margarine from the skillet. Process until completely smooth and creamy. Warm it in a sauce pan on the stove. Combine the hot, drained noodles and the sauce in a large serving bowl and toss together. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and toss again. Serve at once. Pass around the Kraft Free, soy, or Lisanatti Parmesan cheese to whoever wants some.

Learn to roast vegetables and stuff them with all kinds of condiments. Roasting makes them sweet, and a roast butternut squash with orange marmalade in it or canned cranberries (not just the sauce) or peppered with peas with dill, is great.

These can get you started. There are many to find and many to adapt once you konw how to. It’s simple to do, and you can make your table just as delicious cooking low-fat as any other can be.

I have several vegetarian cookbooks, and I always find a few wonderful recipes in each one. Omit the oil or cheese, and they are as heart-healthy as anything can be.

When I bake bread–I do it weekly–I substitute a cup of gluten flour for a cup of the whole wheat. That way I can omit the salt (it’s used to strengthen the gluten, but with the extra gluten you don’t need to do that), and I omit the oil, too. I don’t miss it, and neither does anyone who eats it.

I’ve cooked fat-free or nearly so for years, and my whole family enjoys it, too.

Mangiamo!

Q: Is the Sacred heart diet healthy?

A: The only thing it will do is give you temporary diarrhea. No, it’s totally unhealthy.

Filed under: Heart Health

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