Heart disease is a leading cause of death, so trying to avoid it is a good way to live longer. One of the biggest contributing factors to heart disease is diet. High cholesterol levels and obesity are both strongly linked to heart attacks and other heart-related ailments. Read on for some heart attack proof diet recipes that will help you eat better and live longer.
One of the most important aspects of eating healthy is keeping your calorie intake low. Ideally, the amount of calories eaten is the same as the number spent, so more exercise can let you get away with a diet higher in calories. However, most people eat more calories than they spend, which leads to weight gain and obesity, which in turn leads to heart disease.
While it is possible to take in less calories simply by eating less food, this is very difficult to do. Your body will feel hungry all the time, and it will take an incredible act of willpower to ignore it. A much easier and more effective way to cut down on calorie intake is to replace some of the high calorie foods in our diet with low calorie alternatives.
Fruits and vegetables are excellent examples of foods that can be filling and satisfying without adding much in the way of calories. Every meal should have a component of fruits and veggies, which will make less of the calorie rich main course go just as far.
For example, instead of a big plate of chicken and mashed potatoes, try taking smaller portions and rounding it out with a large helping of a mix of frozen peas and corn. Instead of a lot of butter and brown sugar in your oatmeal, try some sliced peaches and pecans and a little bit of skim milk. Instead of a chicken sandwich for lunch, how about a vegetable salad with some diced chicken breast on top? Food substitutions like these will leave you feeling just as satisfied with a meal much lower in calories.
It is also important to reduce sodium intake in your diet for a healthy heart. It can be difficult to get used to lower salt content in foods, but it is much healthier in the long run. Try using more of other spices, like rosemary, thyme, oregano, chili power, ginger, and others in place of some salt. If it is difficult to cut down on salt completely at first, start slow by adding a little less salt to each dish, and gradually wean yourself off of high sodium foods.
As you an see, heart attack proof diet recipes do not have to be horrible. There are plenty of delicious foods out there that are also good for the heart. The most important part of any diet is cutting down on calories and the easiest way to do that is to get used to making fruits and vegetables a big part of any meal. Try to cut down on salt and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy heart.