Plant-Based Diet For A Better Heart Health

The heart is a vital and delicate organ. The healthier your heart is, the better for your overall health, regardless of how young or old you are. Monitoring your heart’s health and taking proper care of your heart should be a priority. This brings us to the question – how exactly do you take care of your heart? Yes, there are various exercises and vitamin medications, but at the very fundamental level, taking care of your heart does not have to be rocket science. It does not have to cost you a gym membership. Plant-based diets are nourishing, and they can also enhance your heart’s health. One of the reasons why plant-based diets are good for your heart is because fresh plant foods do not have chemical ingredients added to them, unlike processed foods. In fact, according to research done by the American Heart Association Journal, diets high in plant foods and lower in animal foods were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.

You might be thinking that a plant-based diet is a vegan food that consists of only plants. The diets may have a small amount of meat, fish, and dairy products too. Plant-based diets are not just fruiting. They can also be oatmeal, whole-grain bread, brown rice, pasta, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and legumes.

Keep reading to know more about plant-based diets and how they enhance your heart health. Seek advice from a doctor or a dietician on your nutritional or dietary needs so that your meals can give you the adequate nutrients and nourishment your body needs. Our experts are always available to attend to you. Reach out to us to know more about healthy food habits specifically for you.

Why you should take care of your heart

Heart care should start from a young age and continue throughout life. Although many people think older people are exclusively meant to care for their hearts, some people tend to neglect their heart’s health at a younger age and may start struggling with it when they are older. We must take care of our hearts so we can live healthily and happily and also stay longer alive with loved ones.

While some heart issues are hereditary, others are a result of poor health care and an unhealthy lifestyle. However, it is not too late to take on healthy habits that can improve the quality of life. These tips will help you live healthily and reduce your risk of having heart problems. They include:

Regular exercise

You have to stay active to make yourself healthier. When you exercise regularly, it helps to reduce stress, strengthen your muscles, and sheds off excess weight. You can exercise with your partner or friend to keep you motivated or choose other physical activities you enjoy doing.

Healthy eating

As you get older, the rate of metabolism slows down in your body. This is more reason you should feed on a plant-based diet which is a more healthy meal. Eating foods rich in fiber, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains enhances your heart health and overall body health.

Do away with smoking and alcohol

Quit smoking if you smoke; avoid taking alcohol too, as these lifestyles can affect your health adversely by increasing your blood pressure. When you stay away from alcohol and smoking, the risk of having heart problems is reduced.

Types of plant-based diets

There are different types of plant-based diets, and the term that is closest to this is the vegetarian diet. Different types of vegetarian diets exist, which includes:

Vegan diet: individuals with this kind of diet do not take any food from animal sources. The diet includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, grains, dairy alternatives such as soya milk, coconut milk, seeds, and vegetable oil. No source of food from animals is included. Vegans have improved heart health and a lower risk of developing heart diseases, according to studies. Many people who avoid meat are less likely to gain weight or develop heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
Vegetarianism: Vegetarianism is the practice of avoiding meat-eating (including red meat, eggs, fish, and the flesh of every other species). The diets are vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, nuts, eggs, and dairy products with no meat. Other types of vegetarianism include:
- Lacto-Ovo Vegetarianism: this is a vegetarian that does not consume fish and other seafood, but they eat eggs and dairy products. Their diets are vegetables, fruits, herbs, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, and dairy products.
- Ovo vegetarianism: this is a vegetarian that do not eat dairy products but take eggs. Their diets include vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, grains, eggs.
- Lacto vegetarianism: this particular vegetarian does not eat meat and eggs, but they take dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, nuts.
Semi vegetarianism: they can also be called flexitarians. These kinds of vegetarians also take plant-based diets majorly but occasionally take meat.
Pescatarians: for this set of individuals, Meat, fish, and poultry products are prohibited, but dairy products and eggs are permitted.

Benefits of a plant-based diet for heart health

The food you eat affects your health, and plant-based diets have been proven to improve your heart and body health compared to food from animal sources or other sources. Many people take an unbalanced and unhealthy diet which can directly or indirectly damage heart health and function. Others take many processed foods high in calories, made from different food sources, and have minimal nutritional value. You should consider centering your daily diets on plant-based products so as to maintain and enhance your heart function. Even though plant-based diets are good for the heart and body, they should be taken in moderate quantities.

A plant-based diet is generally:

cholesterol-free: plant-based foods have no cholesterol, which makes them very healthy for the heart.
High in potassium: fruits and vegetables are primarily rich in potassium, and they improve blood pressure. Examples of plant-based foods rich in potassium are tomatoes, kale, mangoes, and potatoes.
Low in saturated fats: plant-based diets usually have lower saturated fats. Unlike plant-based diets, foods with high saturated fats content increase the chances of having heart problems.
High in fiber: plants are rich in soluble fiber, and soluble fiber helps to reduce cholesterol, slows the absorption of cholesterol, and decreases the amount of cholesterol the liver produces. Taking fibers is good for your heart. Fiber is found only in plant-based foods, and examples include barley, beans, oatmeal, some fruits, and vegetables.

How to eat a healthy plant-based meal: a healthy plant-based meal should consist of an adequate quantity of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy proteins, and plant-based oils.

You should use a healthy oil like olive oil in cooking.
Eat more vegetables and of course, eat different types of vegetables.
Eat plenty of fruits regularly
Avoid sugary drinks but take more water. Minimize the quantity of juice, milk, and dairy products you take.
Take more whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, and refined grains like white rice, white bread.
Avoid processed meat and other meat, but rather take fish, beans, nuts, and other plant-based foods.

Summary

Plant-based diets reduce your risk of having heart disease. They are rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals that can help you lose weight, reduce cholesterol levels, and maintain normal blood pressure. Whether you are at risk of having heart disease or not, a plant-based diet will be of great benefit to your heart and body as a whole.

You might find it difficult to switch to a plant-based meal easily as it might be difficult at first, especially if you are used to such a diet. Still, you can add a plant-based food to your daily meal gradually, and over time if you are consistent enough, you will get used to it. The aim is to improve your diet by taking the proper plant-based diet regularly, thereby improving your heart health, heart function, and quality of life. Need help getting started? Contact us today to book an appointment, and we will gladly take care of your health needs.