The basics of a heart-healthy eating
- This is a great time to start looking at what you eat now, and decide what changes you can make, to help your heart! Of all this risk factors for heart disease, your diet is one of the easiest for you to control. Eating more fiber, and less fat and salt, is part of a lean and healthy heart lifestyle – and it can taste great!
More fibre in your diet can help lower your cholesterol, and let your bowels work well.
- Oatmeal, fruit and vegetables are packed full with great nutrition that you don’t want to miss out on! These foods can help lower cholesterol. Wholegrain breads and cereals help your bowels work regularly. When you start to eat more fiber, drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
Extra fat in the diet can be used by your body to produce extra cholesterol, which can block your arteries.
- Eating too much fat will make you overweight, which makes your heart work harder. So – give your heart a break by eating less fat. Try some of the tips below:
- Trim the fat off meat and chicken before you cook them;
- Avoid processed meats like hotdogs, sausages, bacon, pepperoni, salami, and bologna – bake, broil, grill, bbq or roast meat, fish or chicken instead of frying it.
- Avoid deep-fried, pan-fried or creamed foods.
- Add less fat to food, such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and salad oil. (try sandwiches with low-fat mayonnaise, mustard or horseradish instead of regular mayonnaise. Use jam on toast, instead of butter or margarine. Use low-fat salad dressings or flavored vinegars to dress salads.)
- In you coffee use skim or 1% milk are the best choices; use 2% regular milk only occasionally. If you eat dessert choose fresh fruit, angel food cake, plain cookies, frozen yogurt or fruit crisps – most pies, cakes and squares are too high in fat to eat often.
Too much salt can make your blood pressure go up, which makes your heart work harder.
- Try to use less salt. Use only a little salt to cook with if you like, but take the saltshaker off the table. Add flavor to foods with herbs and spices. Eat less salty snack foods (chips, nuts, etc.) Try popcorn – the “light” microwave kind, or air-popped – or fresh fruit or vegetables, or low fat cheese and crackers for snacks.
Try eating one evening meal a week without meat, fish, or chicken.
- These are sources of animal protein and can be a very big source of fat in your diet. You don’t have to become a vegetarian to eat a heart-healthy way, but “meatless” meals can be good for your heart. Beans and brown bread, a salad, and some fruit for dessert is a great example of a “meatless” meal. Other ideas are chili, casseroles, and thick soups with lots of foods like vegetables, pasta, lentils and peas. Vegetarian cookbooks are full of delicious, low-fat recipes. Give them a try! There are lots of low-fat and vegetarian cookbooks at your local library or bookstore.
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
- Check with your doctor first to see if there is any reason why you should not drink alcohol. If it is o.k. to drink, do so in moderation. “moderation” is 1 drink per day for women, and no more than 2 drinks a day for men. A “drink” is 12 oz. (340 ml) of beer or 4 oz (110 ml) of wine or a 1 oz (30 ml) “shot” of hard liquor (rum, whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.).
Eat for you heart! It’s all up to you!
- The dietitian will give you more information on heart healthy eating when you come to the hospital. If you have any questions, write them down here and ask the dietitian about them.
