BabyFit Sponsors help keep the site free!

 

Featured Article

7 Secrets to Outsmart Your Supermarket
On your next shopping trip, be prepared to fight back against the tactics most supermarket chains use to get you to spend more money on extras!  Read More

MessageBoard Hot Topics
Top Searches
Featured Recipe

Banana Raisin Muffins
Bake these over the weekend, and enjoy throughout the week for breakfast or a snack.
See Recipe


 

Eating for a Healthy Heart

Prevention is Key
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

When it comes to heart disease, prevention is your best bet. High blood pressure and hypertension put undue stress on the heart, blood vessels and other organs. A person can get excellent heart health through a variety of ways, especially through a good diet.

Certain foods have been shown to be healthy for the heart. A recent study at Harvard University concluded eating just one serving of a tomato-based product can lower the risk of heart disease by up to 30%. That's a pretty significant number.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is good, as these foods are rich in anti-oxidants. The key here is fresh, not canned. When you buy canned, you are getting lots of sodium, which is a big factor for high blood pressure. Another way to reduce your sodium intake is using herbs and spices instead of salt.

Also, eat the skin from fruits such as apples; it contains fiber. Fiber is a key ingredient for your heart. When consumed with enough frequency, this can help to lower cholesterol.

Fish has the proven benefits of omega-3 oil, compared to the sometimes fattiness of red meat. Omega-3 may lower the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and reduce the cohesion of blood cells, which make them less likely to form clots and block arteries. Omega-3 seems to be particularly beneficial to people already at risk for heart disease and those who have experienced a heart attack.

Page 1 of 2Next Page  

Member Comments About this Article
"wonderful information to have for my pregnancy." -- JANNABABY
Report Inappropriate Comment




About The Author
Liz Noelcke
Liz is a freelance writer, specializing in health, fitness, and nutrition.
Liz Noelcke

 


Sponsors help keep BabyFit free!
SparkPeople
Visit SparkPeople for Free Online Diet Plan
Tell your company about SparkPeople Corporate Wellness

BabyFit, BabyPoints, BabyPages and other marks are trademarks of SparkPeople, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
BABYFIT is a registered trademark of SparkPeople, Inc. in the United States, European Union, Canada, and Australia. All rights reserved.

The Everyday Health Pregnancy and Parenting Network