cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world and, according to estimates, it claims 17.9 million lives each year. These diseases constitute a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and rheumatic heart disease, according to data from the World Health Organization.
Bad habits such as lack of exercise, tobacco use and poor diet are just some of the risk factor’s of this type of disease.
However, some foods have the ability to prevent, stop and reverse diseases, symptoms and sequelae of these, hence the importance of including them in our daily diet.
Next, we present you foods you should include in your diet for strengthen your heart and keep it healthy:
Whole grains: in the market There are lots of whole grain products. what you can include in your diet according to your preferences. The recommendation according to the experts is that at least half of the grains in your diet are whole.
Some of them are:
- Barley
- Integral rice
- Mijo
- Avena
- corn fish
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These foods They provide a large amount of necessary fiber for the regulation of blood pressure and heart health.
Walnuts: the nut is a dried fruit that serves to prevent cardiovascular problems due to its high content of Omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that help protect the heart.
Broccoli and strawberries: broccoli contains folic acid, zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin K and antioxidantsall these nutrients prevent cardiovascular problems. Strawberries for their part contain flavonoids, that helped to dilate the arteries, protect the endothelium (the inner layer of blood vessels) and control blood pressure.
Chocolate negro: a moderate consumption (from 7 to 20 grams) of this food, with a high percentage of cocoa, 70% or higher, helps restore the flexibility of the arteriespromotes proper blood flow and prevents leukocytes stick to the walls of blood vessels.
Salmon: This fish is known to be a source of fatty acids and omega 3. Among its great benefits for the heart are:
- Avoid inflammation of blood vessels and the risk of clots.
- Reduces blood triglyceride levels, arrhythmia and blood pressure.
- Increases blood fluidity, by improving the elasticity of arterial walls.
Olive oil: virgin olive oil contains high antioxidant content and vitamins, likewise, it is rich in other compounds such as carotenes and polyphenolsantioxidants that They help prevent the onset of chronic cardiovascular diseases.
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Red wine: drink wine in moderation, it has long been considered heart-healthy. Antioxidants present in wine can prevent coronary artery diseasewhich is the cause of the heart attacks.
Legumes: According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that the frequent consumption of legumes reduced by 14% the risk of suffering ischemic heart disease (heart attack or angina pectoris).
The quality of legume proteins and their low fat support healthy cholesterol levels in blood.
Green tea: Drinking this type of tea regularly helps prevent myocardial infarction and also lowers fat levels in the blood.
All these foods and their benefits must be accompanied by a nutritional plan by expertsconsuming them without being part of a complete and healthy diet will not have the same results for health.