What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases are defined as all those pathologies that affect the heart and blood vessels, that is, they affect the circulatory system in general. Among these we can mention:
- High blood pressure (Disease characterized by the presence of high blood pressure levels)
- Acute myocardial infarction (Absence of blood supply to the tissue that makes up the heart (myocardium))
- Cerebrovascular disease CVD: this can be classified as ischemic or hemorrhagic
- Peripheral venous insufficiency
- Heart failure
- Among others
How should we eat to keep our heart healthy?
Cardiovascular diseases greatly affect our body, however there are certain preventive measures that, if taken into account, will allow you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. These measures must be taken into consideration both by people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases and by those who are predisposed to suffer from them. However, not all the actions that a person with cardiovascular diseases must take to prevent further damage are always known. Among the measures to take into account are physical activity and maintaining an adequate diet.
Portion Sizes
There are certain measures to take into account when we refer to this factor in particular, such as:
1. Size of the plate where the food is served: The larger the size of the plate where we serve the food, the greater the predisposition to serving a larger quantity in terms of portion size, therefore it is recommended to serve the food in a a little smaller plate.
2. Increase the consumption of foods rich in vitamins and reduce the intake of high-calorie foods: It is recommended to increase the consumption of foods with a high content of vitamins and minerals such as vegetables, greens and fruits and at the same time reduce the consumption of High-calorie foods such as processed foods, rich in sugars, oils and flours.
Incorporation of foods rich in vitamins and minerals
The incorporation of vegetables and fruits is recommended since these represent the main source of nutrients for our body. These should be consumed in greater proportion in relation to other foods. These will provide us with greater benefit for the cardiovascular system.
What are saturated fats and trans fats?
Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fatty acids of industrial origin, which are developed after transforming oils into solid fats through a procedure called hydrogenation. We can find this type of fats in (frozen foods, fried foods, cookies, margarines or butter, cakes or cakes, fast food, among others)
On the other hand, saturated fats come from triglyceride molecules. These are found in foods of animal origin, such as meats, sausages, dairy products and derivatives.
It is advisable to reduce the consumption of processed fats such as oils, such as butter or margarines. At the same time, a greater consumption of foods containing good fats is recommended, as well as those contained in foods such as avocado and olive oil.
High cholesterol levels represent a risk factor at the cardiovascular level since it predisposes to the formation of atheromatous plaques in the arteries. Atheromatous plaques are nothing more than fat deposits in the circulatory system. The greatest risk comes from the fact that these can gradually obstruct an artery or can detach and travel through the circulatory system, potentially causing obstructions in smaller circulation areas.
Which protein is better?
For those patients with cardiovascular pathologies, a greater consumption of white meat such as poultry and fish and a moderate consumption of red cardoons is recommended, in addition to other sources of protein such as eggs. It is also important to specify the cooking mechanism of the same since this has a significant impact on the contribution of fats that it can incorporate. Grilling is recommended and you should avoid adding seasonings or oils as these are great sources of sodium and fat.
Fish is a great source of protein due to the great benefits it brings to the cardiovascular system, through the incorporation of omega 3 fatty acids, omega 3 allows to counteract or reduce high triglyceride levels.
Grains, also known as legumes, also represent a source of protein incorporation, and also have other benefits such as low fat and cholesterol content.
How does sodium affect cardiovascular health?
Sodium significantly affects the cardiovascular system, as it predisposes blood pressure levels to increase. The main source of sodium comes from eating foods rich in salt and seasonings. In healthy people, salt consumption should not be more than one tablespoon of salt per day and in people with cardiovascular diseases it should be reduced to just half a tablespoon of salt per day.
Physical activities that help the health of our heart
Physical activity goes hand in hand with a good diet, since physical activity allows greater protection for the cardiovascular system and mainly the heart. The best way to achieve this is by carrying out active activities such as walking, jogging, cycling or by practicing individual or group sports such as swimming, mountaineering, among others, a minimum of three or four times a week.
Conclusion
Good nutrition and physical activity are actions that must be maintained both in people with cardiovascular pathologies and in those who are predisposed to suffer from them and even in healthy people. In order to reduce the impact on the heart and cardiovascular system.
Sources
https://www.pfizer.es/docs/pdf/salud/GUIA_CARDIO_interior.pdf
https://www.kernpharma.com/es/blog/recomendations-to-maintain-a-healthy-cardiovascular-system
https://www.fbbva.es/microsites/salud_cardio/mult/fbbva_libroCorazon_cap69.pdf
We thank this contribution to:
Dr. Lysmar Tovar from https://saludconsultas.com
Medical Surgeon Graduated from the Rómulo Gallegos National Experimental University (UNERG), Guárico, Venezuela. He completed the Rotating Internship at the Dr. Ricardo Baquero González Medical Surgical Hospital for a period of 3 years. Currently practicing as a Rural Doctor at the Municipal Institute of Cooperation and Health Care (IMCAS) in the Chacao Municipality, Miranda State.
PRONAPRESA
"Because prevention is better than cure"
