Nutrition for atherosclerosis. Cholesterol-lowering and cleansing vessels

Nutrition for atherosclerosis is an important part of complex treatment. The cause of the disease is the deposition of harmful fats on the walls of blood vessels, which causes the formation of plaques. This disrupts blood flow and can lead to serious complications, such as a stroke or heart attack. It is impossible to cope with atherosclerosis with medical methods alone, without observing a diet. The patient must not only exclude food containing harmful fats from the diet. It is very important to eat foods that lower cholesterol and cleanse blood vessels. You need to follow a diet for a long time, sometimes even for life.

Is cholesterol always harmful

Patients with atherosclerosis are aware of the dangers of cholesterol. But do lipids always lead to worsening of vascular patency? In medicine and dietetics, fats are divided into harmful and beneficial. Low density lipids contribute to the formation of deposits on the walls of blood vessels, which leads to atherosclerosis. High-density fats prevent plaque formation. They help remove bad cholesterol from the body.

Low-density fat compounds are found mainly in food. Therefore, the patient should avoid the use of foods high in such substances. This is one of the main principles of nutrition in atherosclerosis.

High density cholesterol is produced by liver cells and is practically not found in food. However, there are types of foods that help increase the amount of beneficial lipids in the body. It is necessary to regularly include such dishes in the diet. Products that lower cholesterol and cleansing blood vessels will be discussed below.

General nutritional rules for atherosclerosis

With cardiovascular diseases, doctors prescribe table number 10. This is a general diet, many of its recommendations relate to nutrition in atherosclerosis. But with the formation of lipid plaques in the vessels , even more stringent restrictions must be adhered to. Patients suffering from atherosclerosis need to exclude edged pork from the menu, as well as some types of cereals (peeled rice, semolina), pasta. Egg dishes can be eaten no more than 2 times a week.

This food option is called table No. 10-a, and it is prescribed for atherosclerosis. The features of this diet are as follows:

1. It is necessary to drastically limit the consumption of animal fat. These products contain a large amount of harmful lipids. As for vegetable fats, doctors do not impose a strict ban on their use, and some types of such food are even useful.
2. It is necessary to reduce the use of chicken eggs. However, this product should not be completely excluded from the diet, because it contains many useful substances. You can eat 2-3 chicken eggs a week, this will not harm the body. The product contains fatty acids and lecithin, which can even be beneficial. You should not just abuse this dish. It is better to refuse quail eggs, as they contain even more cholesterol than chicken eggs.
3. You should also not get involved in the use of liver, this product is rich in harmful fats.
4. Butter is better to completely exclude from the menu, like any other fat of animal origin. Food for a patient with atherosclerosis is prepared in vegetable oil.
5. It is good to eat poultry, some types of fish, seafood.
6. Try to eat as many vegetables as possible.
7. When eating cereals, preference should be given to unrefined varieties.
8. Spicy food is excluded.
9. It is not recommended to fry vegetables, fish and meat. It is preferable to cook or stew foods. You can also cook in a double boiler or bake in the oven.
10. Salt intake should be minimal.
11. The menu must be designed in such a way that the food contains a sufficient amount of nutrients.

The principles of nutrition for atherosclerosis include a reduction in caloric intake to 2500 Kcal per day. This is necessary to prevent obesity. If the patient is already overweight, then calorie needs to be limited to 2000 Kcal per day.

With atherosclerosis, you need to eat often. At the same time, portions of dishes should be small. If a person eats rarely and abundantly, then food is absorbed worse and harmful lipids settle on the vessels.

Most food should be taken in the morning and afternoon. In the evening, you can prepare a light dinner from dishes that are well absorbed by the body (fish, sea and sour-milk products). The last meal should be 1.5-2.0 hours before bedtime.

Allowed Products

What can I eat with atherosclerosis? In dietetics, it is customary to distinguish permitted, conditionally permitted and prohibited dishes. With vascular diseases, the following products are considered useful and harmless:

1. Vegetarian soups on vegetable broths. The first dishes should be served with fresh herbs. Parsley and dill help reduce edema, which often affects patients. The menu for atherosclerosis should include a vegetarian beetroot soup, this dish is rich in fiber and vitamins.
2. Dietary meats. You should abandon the use of beef, lamb, pork, especially fatty varieties. It is useful to include poultry (chicken, turkey), rabbit in the menu. Sometimes you can eat lean veal. The meat should be boiled, stewed or baked.
3. Fish. This product should be included in the diet, as it is a source of protein and beneficial omega acids. What kind of fish can I eat with vascular atherosclerosis? Low-fat species should be preferred. Sea fish is more healthy than river fish.
4. Vegetable dishes from beets, cabbage, zucchini, eggplant. They can be cooked or stewed. Nutrition for atherosclerosis involves the daily consumption of raw vegetables. Cucumber and tomato salads are useful, but they should not be flavored with mayonnaise. As a dressing, you need to use vegetable oils.
5. Products from unrefined cereals. They can be consumed in the form of cereals and side dishes.
6. Fruit drinks, compotes, juices (except grape). It is also allowed to drink weak black or green tea.
7. Fruits. This product is useful because it is a source of vitamins. However, sweet fruit should not be abused.
8. Dairy products. Such food should be included in the diet daily. However, one must remember that milk, cottage cheese or sour cream with a high percentage of fat content in atherosclerosis are harmful.

Conditionally allowed types of food

Some dishes with atherosclerosis are allowed to eat in limited quantities. They are not prohibited, but they should not be abused. They should be occasionally included in the diet so that the patient does not feel hunger. These types of food include:

1. Seafood. The patient may consume mussels, squids or seaweed in small quantities. This will enrich the body with iodine.
2. The eggs. Proteins can be eaten every day, they do not contain harmful lipids. As for the yolks, they are included in the diet no more than 2-3 times a week.
3. Fatty sea fish. This type of food is recommended for aortic lesions. If the patient has cerebral arteriosclerosis, then such a product is excluded from the menu.
4. Rye bread products. They can be eaten very moderately.
5. Chicory drink. Coffee is strictly forbidden to patients with atherosclerosis. This drink increases blood pressure and negatively affects blood vessels. If the patient is accustomed to the coffee taste, then a chicory substitute can be used.
6. Cheeses This product is allowed to eat in very small quantities. In this case, you need to choose mild varieties.
7. Fruits. Patients with atherosclerosis should not eat sweets: chocolate, ice cream, cakes. Therefore, many patients lack sugar. To compensate for this deficiency, a small amount of sweet fruits and dried fruits: bananas, pears, prunes, dried apricots is introduced into the diet.
8. Greens. Parsley and dill for atherosclerosis are useful, but spinach, sorrel and raw onions should be discarded. Garlic is usually not recommended. However, with atherosclerosis, doctors are advised to consume garlic tincture in moderate doses. This is a folk remedy for plaque in the vessels.

Many patients are interested in: is it possible to eat potatoes with atherosclerosis. For vascular diseases, doctors usually recommend eating vegetables. But you need to remember that potatoes are fairly high-calorie foods. Therefore, it should be eaten moderately, since it is undesirable for a patient with atherosclerosis to gain weight. Potatoes are cooked in a boiled or baked form. This vegetable should not be fried, such food is harmful. It is very useful to use potato juice, this is a good folk remedy for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Prohibited Meals

Some products with atherosclerosis are strictly prohibited. These include the following types of food:

• any preservation;
• pickled vegetables;
• muffin;
• salted fish (e.g. herring);
• sausages (especially smoked and fat);
• fat and other animal fat;
• saturated broth soups, fatty meat broths;
• smoked meat and fish products.

Alcohol is contraindicated for all patients with vascular pathologies. You should also avoid drinking coffee and strong black tea. These drinks often lead to hypertension.

What kind of food cleanses blood vessels?

Some foods increase the amount of healthy lipids in the body. This helps to clear the vessels of plaque. These foods include the following foods:

1. The fish. It is useful to include salmon, mackerel and tuna on the menu. These types of fish contain a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids. These substances reduce the amount of harmful triglycerides, and increase the production of high density lipids.
2. Olive oil. This product is recommended to season vegetable salads. Olive oil contains oleic acid, which increases the level of beneficial cholesterol.
3. Broccoli cabbage. The vegetable contains amino acids that prevent the formation of plaques in blood vessels.
4. Walnuts. They are rich in omega acids, and are able to lower the level of harmful lipids and increase the amount of beneficial ones.
5. Green tea. The drink contains vitamin-like substances - catechins. They help the body process cholesterol and cleanse blood vessels. White tea is even richer in catechins, but this drink is quite rare.
6. Persimmon. It contains polyphenols, which reduce the amount of fat in the body. This fruit has a sweet taste, but it can be eaten without fear. Persimmon does not cause an increase in blood glucose and is low-calorie.
7. Cranberries The berry is rich in potassium. This element promotes the production of beneficial lipids in the body.

You should try to include these products in your diet as often as possible. Usually, with atherosclerosis, doctors prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs. Drug therapy, combined with diet and the use of products that cleanse blood vessels, can give good results.

Fats

Should a patient with atherosclerosis completely stop eating fat? Lipids are essential for the body to function properly. Therefore, it is impractical to completely exclude fats from the diet.

It is only necessary to ensure that the diet contains as little harmful lipids of animal origin as possible. They are found in foods such as lard, butter, fatty meats. At the same time, you can safely refuel dishes with olive oil, eat avocados, fish, mussels. These foods contain healthy types of fats.

Carbohydrates

Atherosclerosis can be harmed by foods high in starch and simple carbohydrates. These include sugar and butter products. However, harmful starch can be replaced with fiber foods. They give a feeling of fullness. These are dishes from potatoes and other vegetables, bread from white flour.

Squirrels

Protein is essential for the strength of the musculoskeletal system. You should try to include in the menu products that include these substances. But it is important to pay attention to cholesterol. White poultry meat (fillet, chicken or turkey breast) should be preferred. This product contains enough protein but few lipids. Useful substances are also found in low-fat dairy products and beans (peas, beans).

Vitamins

The diet of patients should be rich in vitamins. These substances are antioxidants. They remove oxidation products from the body and thereby contribute to the purification of blood vessels.

Vitamins for atherosclerosis are an important part of complex treatment. They are used both in the form of medications and with food. Vitamin B6, C, E, as well as nicotinic acid are recommended. These substances are found in fish, meat, fruits and vegetables.

Nursing

Nursing care for atherosclerosis is carried out while in the hospital. The task of the paramedical staff includes not only monitoring the patient’s hygiene and timely administration of prescribed medications. It is very important to explain to a person with atherosclerosis the need to follow a diet. Also, the nurse should conduct a conversation with the patient's relatives and tell them about the principles of nutrition for vascular diseases. It often happens that the patient after discharge from the hospital ceases to adhere to the recommended diet, which leads to dangerous complications. It is necessary to tell the patient about the inadmissibility of eating fatty foods, because atherosclerosis is most often the result of malnutrition.