Foods to eat to avoid heart disease?

Question

I'm in my early 30's and am really starting to think more seriously about my future health. My mom's side of family is notorious for heart/overweight/cholesterol problems and I don't want to be like them whem I'm older. I already don't eat much red meat just because I don't care much for it, and I stay away from fried foods most of the time since they easily upset my stomach. What other foods should I avoid, or incorporate, into my diet on a regular basis that will protect my heart and arteries?

Answer 1

Some foods to consider eating more often:

Sweet potatoes
Green leafy vegetables
Carrots, Broccoli and Greens (lightly cooked to keep the carotenoids)
Pumpkin, canned or cooked
Squash
97% or greater fat free chicken or turkey breast (I look for 99% fat free.)
Low fat tomato sauces and pasta
Onions and Garlic (Chop or crush to release the photonutrients)
Homemade pizza with 99% fat free chicken as meat sauce
Foods with low/no salt for those who have high blood pressure
Peanuts, walnuts, almonds in moderation (be careful not to gain weight)
Olive oil and canola oil substituted for other oils, (the key is to monounsaturated fats vs trans-fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fat)
Salmon and other fish (mackerel, sardines, herring), including the skin and fat (Research suggests this omega 3 fat (EPA fat) has the ability to raise HDLs.
1-5 servings per week recommended)
Defatted soy flour (at least 1/3 of a cup per day recommended)
Fat free milk (skim)
Oatmeal, shredded wheat, low-no sugar added cereals
Whole wheat bread
Fresh fruits
Apples (with skin for flavonids)
Oranges (Eat pulpy parts for flavonids)
Red or black grapes
Grape juice (1 cup per day recommended)
Grapefruit, especially pink which has 40% more beta carotene than white
Dried fruits, especially apricots, dates, prunes
Cantaloupes
Fat free homemade yogurt with extra dry milk to increase the magnesium and calcium content
Tupelo honey as a substitute for sugar in cakes, cookies, breads, etc.
Salad dressings and dips with non-fat sour cream or homemade yogurt
Baked whole wheat chips and tortillas
Bean and chickpea dishes and dips
Tomato salsas
Walnuts (for omega3)
Almonds and Avocados (for monounsaturated fat)
Broccoli Sprouts
With all of this you need to maintain your normal weight by watching your calorie intake, and getting plenty of exercise

Foods to consider avoiding

1%, 2% and whole milk
Meats with 96% or less fat
Red meats
Hydrogenated oils such as stick margarine, and when listed as an ingredient in foods
Food with high butter fat and other animal fats, e.g., cheese, full fat yogurt, sauces
Hot dogs, hamburgers
Deep-fried foods
Sugar
Ice cream
Salt (if you have high blood pressure)
Candy, baked goods and ice cream made with fats
High fat snacks, chips
Pies, pastry's, cookies made with fat and sugar (plenty of healthy cookies, pies, pastry's in my recipes

Answer 2

Inflamation is a big factor in heart disease. Trans fats, vegetable oils and sugar. High insulin levels in your blood will clog your arteries. Stress is a big risk factor for heart disease. Never cook with vegetable oils they go rancid easily. Eat healthy fats like butter, lard, olive oil, tropical oils and cod liver oil. Cold press vegetable oils sparingly. Cholesterol and Saturated fats do not cause heart disease that is a myth. It's the oxidized fats and oxidized cholesterol the can damage your health for example powederd eggs or powdered milk which is added to 1% and 2% milk by the way. Hard meats has oxidized cholesterol like salami.
Eat organic fruits and vegetables. Meat and dairy from grass fed animals not the factory farm animals who live in confinement and are given antibiotics and hormones.

Answer 3

I would suggest whole wheat bread by sara lee to be specific. Some Cheerios ( not honey nut or anything like that, just plain ) Some Kraft Live-Active Cheese, Raisins ( Natural ) Granola Bars. Salad, Fruits, and some unsalted peanuts. Chicken ( not processed ) is always good for protein, Pasta is easy to digest and lightweight.

Some Super Heart Healthy Foods are:
Bluberries
Salmon
Soy Foods

*I would say Start the morning with some Cereal & Milk:
Honey Bunches Of Oats (Almond) is a great source of Healthy Heart!




Regularly Exsercise. Jogging,Biking, Cardio, etc.

Answer 4

Read up on the benefits of garlic. You can take them in pills. vitamin C has an array of benefits. Vegetables and fruits are the way to go. Fried foods are great but they must be eaten sparingly. Walking will keep your diet in check - burning off calories sensibly. Look into garlic though, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Answer 5

if you don't like to eat fish *which I suggest you should eat more*


at least get some Omega 3 fish oil pills from your local vitamin shop, its very good for the heart


other than that sounds like you're eating pretty well just stay away from greasy stuff period

Answer 6

forget about staying away from meat and cholesterol,etc. PROCESSED foods are causing the majority of health problems today. the less chemicals that you put in your body on a daily basis the healthier you will be. the HDL:LDL ratio is more important than total cholesterol values. make sure to ingest plenty of healthy unsaturated fats which will improve the HDL:LDL ratio more favorably.