It just seems like yesterday when I received my diagnosis of high cholesterol. This lead to a very matter of fact lecture by my surly out of shape doctor who quite convincingly pointed out that if I don't change the way I am eating that having a heart attack or stroke will be a near certainty.
That was over 5 years ago and the changes which I was so reluctant to make initially are now part of my everyday life, and have paid big dividends in quite a few areas of my personal health ranging from healthy blood fat and cholesterol readings to increased energy levels.
Certainly your doctor is the best source for formulating a safe and effective heart disease diet plan and I would encourage you to take what your learn here and make sure these generally accepted guidelines for establishing a heart disease diet plan are suitable for your unique situation. So why don't we get started.
*One of the changes that took the most will power was limiting the amount of fats and cholesterol consumed each day. That said, it is very likely the most important change and has been the cornerstone of my heart disease diet. What I did here (and would encourage you to do the same) was to simply follow the guidelines laid out by the American Heart Association.
These consist of eating no more than 7 percent saturated fat, limiting dangerous triglycerides to a mere 1 percent of daily calories, and limiting cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day; though they do recommend 200 milligrams for those with high bad cholesterol levels (LDL) or who are taking cholesterol lowering medications.
For me the hardest part of this plan was passing up the dessert that are always front and center at my local supermarket, since most of these delectable delights contain at least some butter, margarine, or shortening.
Another useful trick was learning to pay attention to labels identifying those products which are labeled reduced fat but are still unsuitable for any serious heart disease diet plan.
*Another change was making a commitment to eat more fruits and vegetables moving away from the meat and potatoes diet which had been my favorite for years.
But there are a few exceptions that are important to know if your heart disease diet plan is going to be a rip roaring success. They are to steer clear of coconut, vegetables soaked in creamy sauces, vegetables cooked in butter and/or seasoned with fat, fried or breaded vegetables, canned fruit packed in heavy syrup, and frozen fruit with large amounts of sugar added.
*The third leg of our four legged stool revolves around eating whole grains. Whole grains play a role in binding with cholesterol in the intestines and escorting out the body, regulating blood pressure, and promoting overall heart health. One of the easiest ways to take the initial plunge to consume whole grains is simply by replacing refined grain products with unrefined.
Another good suggestion is to learn to love flaxseed products and select them every chance you get.
*And finally the final part of heart disease diet plan is to substitute cold water fatty fish such as salmon twice a week while keeping meat portions down to three ounces or less per meal.
You may at first feel like that elderly women who was always saying "Where's the Beef" but you will eventually get used to it.
In summary, a heart disease diet plan should revolve around reducing cholesterol and other fats, eating more fruits and vegetables, increasing the amount of unrefined whole grains, and holding meat portions down to under 3 ounces per serving. Two that aren't mentioned above that would be worth including in your heart disease diet plan would be to limit daily sodium to about a teaspoon per day and only eat low fat protein sources.
Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To learn more about high cholesterol and triglycerides, along with safe and effective natural remedies for improving cardiovascular health purchaseremedies.com/Cholesterol.html Click Here
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