A well-balanced diet can keep you healthy and heart diseases at bay. Approximately 600,000 Americans die of various heart ailments every year making it the leading cause behind the loss of life. Being young does not help since half of the population between 18 and 24 years suffer from at least one factor that can contribute to coronary health disease. Nearly 29% reportedly have high blood pressure, one of the prime reasons for a heart attack. Care and caution should be exercised right from the beginning to avoid major complications in the middle age. Eating greens, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can, however, reduce the contributing factors by nearly 80%. So, which vegetables should be added to the daily intake?
Research has proved that time and again that beetroot juice is very effective in reducing high blood pressure. The bright red vegetable, which can make you look like a vampire while eating, contains chemical nitrate which is highly effective in controlling blood pressure and thereby reducing the risk of a heart attack. The nitrates in beetroot produce nitric oxide in the blood which helps to widen the blood vessels and eventually brings down the pressure. Therefore, instead of popping in multiple pills for controlling the blood pressure (which incidentally contain nitrate) patients can drink a cup of beetroot juice because both will have the same effect. It is a more natural way of staying healthy.
The list of veggies that keep the heart healthy is endless. But asparagus is highly recommended by doctors in Huntington Beach. Rich in Vitamin K, the tiny leaves aid in preventing blood clotting and regulate high blood pressure. It also helps in bringing down cholesterol which gets deposited in the arteries over a long period of time. As the arteries get blocked, blood flow to the heart becomes difficult. In case, the artery gets ruptured and there is a clot, then, blood flow gets blocked altogether and you get a heart attack. This is why cardiologists in Huntington always advise patients to eat more vegetables that control cholesterol.
Everyone loves avocados and it is mighty good for your heart. This fruit contains a lot of monosaturated fatty acid that prevents blood clotting and lowers cholesterol levels. It contains ample amount of potassium and magnesium which is essential for lowering the risk of heart diseases. Avacado, when added to meals, helps in bringing a sense of fulfillment which is important for controlling weight. The fruit is nutrient-rich and helps in reducing saturated fat in the diet.
Hate Kale? Don’t, it’s good for your heart. This green leafy vegetable contains alpha-linolic acid, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid that improves heart health. Its phytonutrients help to prevent plaque formation in the arteries. Kale is also rich in lutein which offers protection against atherosclerosis or the formation of plaque in the arteries. Plaque, if allowed to form, gradually narrows the passage in the artery and makes blood flow difficult.
Adding these four superfoods to your diet can help to improve heart health but you must also remember to reduce smoking, stress, and get off that couch more often. In spite of taking all these measures if you still have an uncomfortable feeling in the chest or breathlessness then don’t delay in getting a check-up done from you nearest cardiologist.
