Foods That Prevent Heart Attack

A heart attack, also called Myocardial Infarction, occurs when the flow of the blood to the heart is blocked.

This blockage of coronary arteries is caused by the build-up of cholesterol and fatty deposits, also called plaque, in the inner walls of the arteries.

The plaque may eventually break and form clots, leading to interrupted flow of blood, which can damage heart muscles.

Heart attack symptoms may vary from person to person. Some people experience mild pain, while some extreme. Some people can face sudden cardiac arrest, while some see signs days or weeks in advance.

There are various causes that can increase the risk of heart attack in a person –

1.Smoking – Excessive smoking and prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke.

2.High blood pressure – High blood pressure, especially paired with obesity, high cholesterol, or diabetes, increases the risk of damage to the arteries.

3.High blood cholesterol – High level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack.

4.Diabetes – Not producing enough insulin or not responding to insulin, cause blood sugar levels to rise, risking heart attack.

5.Obesity – Obesity being a cause to various problems like high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, automatically increases the risk.

6.Lack of physical activity – Physical activities help to have better cardiovascular fitness, thus lowering the risk.

7.Stress – Excessive stress can also increase the risk.

Heart attack can be fatal. But it can be prevented if you start avoiding unhealthy foods.

Choose the right foods to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels controlled, thus decreasing your risk to dangerous diseases.

So here we are with a list of foods that you should add to your diet to save your heart –

(I)Leafy greens – Include spinach and ‘karam saag’ in your diet as it is high in vitamin K, minerals and anti-oxidants. It reduces risk of high blood pressure and improve arterial functioning.

(II)Whole grains – Include whole grains like whole wheat, brown rice, oats and barley in your diet. Whole gains are higher in fiber compared to refined grains. These fibers reduce the ‘bad’ cholesterol.

(III)Fatty fish – Fatty fishes like salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which decrease blood pressure and improve arterial function.

(IV)Dark chocolate – Dark chocolates will no longer be a guilty pleasure. Pick a dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70% and it’s consumption in small amounts lowers the risk of plaque in arteries.

(V)Tomatoes – Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, and also increases the ‘good’ cholesterol.

(VI)Garlic – Garlic has a compound called allicin which reduces blood pressure and ‘bad’ cholesterol. It also reduces the risk of blood clots and stroke.

(VII)Green tea – Presence of anti-oxidants prevent building up of fat in the arteries, blood clotting and thus allowing increased blood flow.

Eating healthy foods paired with regular exercise can reduce your risk to heart diseases. Walking and exercising regularly and having a diet with lower fat, high fibers and plant food will make you and your heart lead a healthy and fit life.