Heart disease: 3 foods to cut back on to avoid a heart attack
0 < p>When blood vessels are narrowed due to fatty deposits, oxygenated blood has difficulty reaching the heart muscle. So if the blood supply is cut off by a blocked blood vessel, the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and the heart cells begin to die – this is a heart attack.
Currently, at least seven out of 10 people who have had a heart attack attack, survive but may suffer permanent damage. A damaged heart cannot pump blood around the body properly.
This is known as heart failure, although it is incurable, the symptoms of heart failure can be controlled.
Symptoms of heart failure:
- Shortness of breath after activity or at rest
- Feeling tired most of the time
- Finding exercise tiring
- Swollen ankles and legs
Many people with heart disease need to take different types of medicine to manage the disease.
How to reduce the risk of heart failure
“Three ingredients known to contribute to fatty deposits along the walls of blood vessels are saturated fat, salt, or sugar. Thus, if you already have heart disease, it is better to limit such foods,” says the cardiologist.
Saturated fats and sugar
Saturated fats and a lot sugar can be found in:
- Butter, ghee, fat, lard, coconut oil and palm oil
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Sausage products
- Bacon
- Curied meats such as salami, chorizo and pancetta
- Cheese
- Pastry such as pies, custard pies, rolls and croissants
- Cream, crème fraîche and sour cream
- Ice cream
- Coconut milk and coconut cream
- Milk shakes
- Chocolate and chocolate spreads
Salt
To enjoy a low-salt diet, you need to be aware of the dangers of added salt, such as chips. Salt can raise blood pressure, further damaging blood vessels and increasing the risk of a life-threatening stroke.
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