Fighting Heart Disease with Food

Heart disease is also referred to as coronary heart disease or arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. According to a study conducted by lancet on 30,000 individuals predisposed to heart disease-90 percent of them were able to reduce the risk of heart disease by modifications in lifestyle, eating right food and exercise.

According to Mona Johar-“Heart diseases mostly result due to the accumulation of waxy plaque in the arteries of the heart, which resulted in obstruction to the blood flow resulting in serious concerns like heart attack.”

Causes of heart disease:

• Unhealthy diet
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption

Obesity is a contributing factor- In obese persons heart has to work extra or pump more blood to supply blood to the organs, which results in heart diseases. Hence, obesity acts as a contributing factor in causing heart diseases.

 Good fat and bad fat-

Saturated fats are regarded as bad fats; however they are required in small proportions for the correct functioning of heart, liver and brain. Sources of saturated fats are butter, ghee and cheese.

Unsaturated fat is regarded as good fat and is found in extra virgin olive oils, nuts and seeds

Cholesterol is another form of fat, which is produced 70 percent in liver and rest 30 percent we get from we eat.

Good cholesterol acts as a cardio protector, whereas bad cholesterol is a source of blockage in our arteries

Diet for Heart Patients-

• Foods rich in vegetables and fruits. They are low in glycemic index which can prevent many heart diseases
• Vegetable high in fiber like cauliflower, cabbage- High fiber vegetables trap the bad cholesterol responsible for causing heart diseases and remove it from the body.

Mona emphasis that – “As per the current research it is not the fat, but the sugar which is more dangerous.  Consuming sugars for a long period of time is the prime cause of heart diseases.”

According to Mona- Genetics solely are not responsible for heart diseases. By employing healthy eating habits and exercise one can turn off the gene expression responsible for causing heart diseases.

Heart Healthy diet-

According to Mona there consuming certain foods are good for heart. Some examples include-

• Eating high calorie foods in moderation
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Foods rich in Omega-3
• Less processed foods
• Moderate amount Red wine- It is rich in polyphenols which acts as a cardio protector
• Foods rich in lycopene like tomato
• Ginger, tulsi or turmeric having anti-inflammatory properties
• Pomegranate- It is rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins, which reduce the cholesterol levels

According to Mona – Consuming garlic on a daily basis has exceptional benefits in combating heart diseases.

Foods to avoid heart problems

• Trans foods
• Refined Sugars
• Refined carbohydrates

Good heart health can be achieved by eating right kind food. A functional medicine expert can advice certain food items which can act as a medicine in fighting a particular disease. Heart diseases can be prevented by not eating certain kind of foods, but at the same time certain foods as discussed above have proven exceptional benefits in treating heart diseases.