Today, our food is not balanced and far from ideal. In addition to all the other flaws, it is distinguished by a deficiency of potassium and an excess of sodium, or salt. Today we will consider healthy products for the heart and blood vessels, since it is the right diet that allows us to maintain youth and health of our circulatory system. Everyone knows that proper heart function is the key to longevity. Surely among your near and dear ones there are examples when, due to diseases of this most important organ, still very young people passed away. But doctors do not tire of repeating that a sufficient level of magnesium and potassium can serve as a minimum prevention of such ailments.
Golden rules for strengthening the heart and blood vessels
First of all, any doctor will tell you that you can not overeat. It may seem strange, but an overfilled stomach increases the risk of a heart attack several times. This is due to impaired blood flow, since all body resources are aimed at digesting heavy foods. Blood thickens, it is more difficult to disperse through the vessels. Therefore, it is better to get up from the table a little hungry. The second rule recommends leaning on celery and parsley. It is these leafy vegetables that can normalize blood flow. This occurs due to increased elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and relaxation of smooth muscles. Another savior is tomato juice. This is a natural remedy of tremendous power, it helps to normalize the pressure, so it is very useful to take it with hypertension and heart failure. And most importantly, you need potassium and magnesium. Useful products for the heart and blood vessels provide a sufficient amount of them daily.
Why potassium is needed
This truly magical trace element is involved in metabolism, it is necessary for the absorption of protein, nervous and muscle activity. A balanced diet must necessarily include healthy foods for the heart and blood vessels that contain it in large quantities. In this case, the following pattern should be taken into account: a lack of potassium provokes heart diseases, and medications prescribed by doctors even lower its level in the blood. Therefore, in severe diseases, it is not enough to adjust the diet, it is necessary to take calcium and magnesium separately. Let's now take a closer look at what constitute healthy foods for the heart and blood vessels. This list should be at home for every person, then the likelihood of heart disease will decrease many times.
Fruits and dried fruits
It was not for nothing that a saying appeared: "An apple will leave a doctor without work a day." These wonderful fruits provide nutrition for the heart. Products containing a minimum of calories and a maximum of benefits, while also very tasty, are all about rosy fruits. They contain fiber, and this is the most necessary element to lower cholesterol. The potassium contained in the composition, among other things, activates the excretory system, reducing edema, and pectin removes harmful substances from the body . But not only apples will allow you to resist heart disease.
Pomegranate dilutes blood, protects against atherosclerosis and reduces cholesterol. Another healthy product is grapefruit. It not only fights against premature aging of the heart muscle, but also provides the body with vitamins. You can not forget about avocados. This stunning fruit contains a lot of potassium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is this composition that allows the body to deal with stress and high blood pressure.
Vegetables
First of all, you need to pay attention to leafy vegetables, they provide nutrition for the heart. Products on this list are familiar to everyone. So, these are lettuce, sorrel, spinach, arugula and many others. These are the most healthy foods for the heart. They contain a large amount of magnesium, which contributes to the enrichment of blood with oxygen, brings the pulse back to normal, and serves to prevent the formation of blood clots. In winter, when fresh herbs are not found, you can use available vegetables. It can be any cabbage - white cabbage or broccoli. Garlic is very useful for myocardium. It contains active elements that prevent heart failure and relieve tension from the walls of blood vessels. Bright pumpkin is very useful for the heart. It contains a lot of potassium and vitamin C. Together they contribute to the fight against atherosclerosis, lower blood pressure. As you can see, the most useful products for the heart are not at all expensive and quite affordable.
Legumes and cereals
We have all been taught from childhood that eating porridge is good. This is true, but the fact that legumes and cereals are products to strengthen the heart, we usually learn only at the appointment with a cardiologist. Be sure to start your day with a portion of porridge, add beans to the first and second courses. These products are good because they contain a lot of soluble fiber, protect the vessels from the deposition of cholesterol in them.
Do not forget that only whole grains are useful. The exception is oats, which are consumed in the form of flakes. All instant cereals - soluble, ready-made and semi-prepared, do not benefit the body. As an addition to cereals, soy protein is great, it can be tofu, which is extremely beneficial for the heart muscle. This protein is in its pure form, without harmful fats. If we consider products to strengthen the heart, then soy is in one of the first places. It helps even with some forms of oncology and has a very good effect on the health of the heart muscle.
Fish or meat
We are used to eating meat. What table without cutlets, rich borscht, meat sauce? But in fact, this is a rather heavy product that is easily digested only by a healthy body. If we talk about which foods are more beneficial for the heart, then definitely the choice should be made in favor of fish. Maybe not everyone knows, but eating just 100 g of fish per week almost halves the likelihood of developing heart disease.
Fish does not contain refractory fats, unlike beef. This is the basis of nutrition for heart health. Oily sea fish is especially useful . It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, vital to our heart and blood vessels. Regular consumption of fish reduces the risk of heart attacks and heart attacks.
Nuts
We have listed the main foods rich in potassium. They are vital for the heart, so try to meet them on your table as often as possible. Separately, I want to highlight walnuts. In total, a handful of nuts per day will replenish the supply of fatty acids and improve the functioning of the heart muscle, reduce the risk of developing serious diseases, and improve memory and thinking. At the same time, nut is an excellent source of protein. Not only walnuts, but also almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pine nuts will be extremely beneficial for the heart.
Vegetable oils
For any heart disease, animal fats should be excluded from food. But taboo does not apply to vegetable oil. On the contrary, olive contains a huge amount of vitamin E. This product prevents thrombosis in the vessels.
Sesame, linseed, pumpkin, and almond oil is also very useful. There is nothing to abuse them, but adding one or two tablespoons a day to food will be very useful. Not only the heart, but also the largest organ - the skin, will be very grateful.
Harmful products
Most often, our food contains a huge amount of "hidden" fats. These are various margarines, modified fats, which are very dangerous for the heart and blood vessels. For this time bomb, we often pay a very high price. Remember yourself, you go to the supermarket, around a huge number of sausages, canned goods, pastries, everything smells delicious and attracts attention. But it’s just the killers of your heart and your health that are smoked and raw smoked sausages, caviar, champagne and sparkling wines, beer, strong alcohol. All products containing margarine are also a threat.
You can eat varied, tasty and healthy, costing much less in food. To do this, you will need a variety of vegetables and natural seasonings, fish, cereals. As a dessert, choose dairy products and fruits.
Now you know what is good for the heart. These products are not so difficult to purchase, they are in the store all year and are not so expensive. Most people, refusing smoked, fried, fatty and sweet, at first feel discomfort. But very soon a person begins to feel lightness, cheerfulness, good mood, and his well-being improves significantly.