The first step to control your heart health is to control the cholesterol levels in your body. Cholestrol is also found in foods from animals like beef, poultry and full fat dairy products. In fact the body needs a fair amount of cholesterol to produce hormone, vitamin D and the bile acids for digesting fat. If the same cholesterol overshoots a certain limit then it leads to the development of health problems since they clog the blood vessels and interrupt the smooth flow of blood in all the vital organs including the heart. Over time the accumulation of high cholesterol leads to heart disease.
It is the liver that produces the necessary cholesterol and circulates it in the body through the bloodstream. The first step to control the production of cholesterol is through our diet. It is thus vital to avoid a diet rich in saturated and trans fats as this can trigger the liver to produce more cholesterol and increase the health risk.
Here are a few steps to improve the heart health.
1. ADD COLOURFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO MEALS
It has been acknowledged that fruits and vegetables are prime source of nutrients and beneficial to the whole body. They are the key to healthy heart. The colours only make them more appetising when served on the plate.
2. DOWNSIZE YOUR PLATE
Hold back your unhealthy eating habits, this can lead to serious heart health problems. Downsize each meal and make your plate lighter. You can infact think of using a smaller plate which can help you control your portion. A smaller plate also ensures that you avoid the tendency to eat more by feeling a need to clean your plate.
3. EXERCISE REGULARLY
The ideal exercise plan would be to do it for 30 minutes on a 5 day per week schedule. This will reduce body weight, burn excess fat and increase the good cholesterol (HDL) while decreasing the bad cholesterol (LDL). There is no doubt a active life is essential for a healthy heart.
4. CHANGE YOUR COOKING OIL
The recommendation is to replace all other cooking oils even extra virgin olive oil with the more simple Corn Oil. It is more effective in lowering cholesterol levels than olive oil. Corn oil has a neutral taste so it increases the flavour of foods.
5. INCREASE FIBRE INTAKE
When you take foods like oats and barley it increases the fibre content in the body and thus reduces the effects of bad cholesterol. It is suggested to increase the soluble fibre content in food by 5-10 grams each day.
6. REPLACE BEEF WITH FATTY FISH
Beef is a food that increases fat and subsequently bad cholesterol in the body. Comparitively the Omega 3 rich fatty fish helps lower the blood cholesterol level steadily and decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
7. EAT NUTS
For ages nuts have been the food supplement for humans. The benefit of eating nuts are always manifold. One such benefit is the help it extends in controlling body weight and reducing the coronary heart disease. Nuts are known to be a great source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats when they are consumed in moderation.
8. GET AT LEAST 6-8 HOURS OF SLEEP
The best way to lose weight and be active is to catch the right amount of sleep everyday. Those who are sleep deprived show slowness in metabolism and they have difficulty in losing weight. Those with higher body weight have higher levels of cholesterol and are more at risk of developing heart disease.