Tips for Healthy Heart

By Medical Expert Team

Aug 22 , 2014 | 1 min read

Watch your weight by keeping your BMI (Basal Metabolic Index) below 23 by eating a well-balanced diet.
Whole grains are important part of your daily diet, increasing intake by 2-4 servings per day can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 40%.
Include healthy proteins in your diet daily like low fat dairy products, dals, nuts, egg and lean meats.
Go for the right oil: Combination of oil works the best, either use 2 different types or change your oil every two three months.MUFA rich oils (like canola, Olive, mustard, rice bran, soyabean Oil) help to keep your heart healthy
Limit/ avoid hydrogenated oil or trans fats as it increases not only the cholesterol levels but also reduces the HDL (good cholesterol). This can reduce your risk of heart attack.
Consume dark colored fruits & vegetables daily. One must have 5-9 servings of fruits or vegetables a day, each serving being 100gms which makes it 500 to 900gms per day. For eg: citrus fruits, cherries, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes
Up your anti-oxidants- Anti-oxidants such as vitamins C, E, beta carotene and bioflavonoids occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. They protect the heart from free radical damage.
A handful of nuts( almonds and walnuts) daily keeps the heart healthy.
Go slow on refined carbohydrates by cutting down on your sugar intake, consumption of maida, cornflour, and white bread etc. as these increases your tri-glycerides.
Cut down on processed foods as they are high in calories and sodium/salt.
Regular exercise for 30-45 minutes all seven days a week keeps the heart fit & healthy.