February 2008
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Even if you don’t have to lose weight, what you eat can affect your heart-disease risk. One recent study found that people
who consumed a rigorously heart-healthy diet—low in saturated fat and rich in fruits and vegetables—for one month lowered
their “bad” LDL cholesterol nearly as much on average as those who took a statin drug. And other research shows that this
approach can stop or even reverse the progression of coronary disease.
So, it’s worth it. Here are some heart-healthy eating strategies:
Keep it colorful
Eating your greens every day used to be enough. Now we’re being urged to eat our reds, blues, and yellows, too. Studies show that different-colored produce contains different beneficial phytochemicals, including antioxidants and other disease-fighting substances.
Consider the Mediterranean eating plan
Scientific support for the oil-rich, high-produce diet of the Mediterranean keeps growing. A four-year French study of 400 heart-attack survivors found that the diet slashed the combined risk of either a second heart attack or any cardiac death by 68 percent.
It’s a healthful alternative to the lower-fat “prudent” approach that the U.S. government recommends. To try it:
Know the facts about supplements
Claims abound about supplements that are said to help protect your heart. Here's the latest on three of the most widely discussed:
People who follow a standard healthy diet—including at least five daily servings of produce and six servings of grains—probably
get plenty of folic acid, especially now that most refined-grain products are fortified with the vitamin. Those who also consume
at least some meat probably get plenty of vitamin B6 as well. But as many as one-third of people over the age of 50 have too
little of the digestive acid needed to absorb B12 from food.
Upshot: The National Academy of Sciences recommends that to prevent deficiency everyone over age 50 consume at least 2.4 micrograms a day of supplemental B12 from fortified foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, multivitamins, or B12 pills.
Upshot: We feel that taking supplements of vitamin E to lower your risk of heart disease is a waste of time and money.
But the benefits of taking omega-3 supplements have only been proven for people who already have heart disease. Such individuals
should aim for 1 gram a day of omega-3s, an amount that can only easily be achieved through fish oil pills. But even they
should discuss the supplements with their doctor first, since high doses may cause bleeding and other problems in some people.
If you do opt for the pills, look for products that are “USP Verified”—they've been tested by the United States Pharmocopeia for purity and potency. Don’t confuse fish oil pills with cod-liver oil, which has potentially toxic levels of vitamin A and D.
If you opt against the pills: Aim for two small servings of fatty fish a week—good choices that are high in omega-3s but low in mercury include salmon, sardines, trout and whitefish.
Upshot: Talk to your doc about whether fish oil pills make sense for you, and then work with him or her to choose an appropriate supplement.
So, it’s worth it. Here are some heart-healthy eating strategies:
Keep it colorful
Eating your greens every day used to be enough. Now we’re being urged to eat our reds, blues, and yellows, too. Studies show that different-colored produce contains different beneficial phytochemicals, including antioxidants and other disease-fighting substances.
| Benefits of colorful produce | ||
|---|---|---|
| FRUIT OR VEGETABLE | PHYTOCHEMICAL | POSSIBLE BENEFITS |
| Beets, cranberries, kidney beans, raspberries, red apples, red cabbage, red onions, strawberries, sweet cherries | Anthocyanins* | Lowered blood pressure; protection against circulatory problems caused by diabetes. |
| Garlic, leeks, white onions | Allicin | Reduced risk of cancer spread and heart attack; lowered cholesterol and blood pressure; enhanced infection defenses. |
| Blackberries, black currants, blueberries, elderberries, purple grapes | Anthocyanins* | Reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, and age-related memory loss. |
| Apricots, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, mangos, peaches, pumpkin, sweet potatoes | Beta-carotene | Reduced risk of cancer and heart disease; maintenance of good vision; increased infection-fighting ability. |
| Apricots, clementines, grapefruit, lemons, nectarines, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, tangerines, yellow peppers, yellow raisins | Bioflavonoids | Together with the vitamin C in these fruits, reduced cancer and heart-attack risk; maintenance of healthy skin, bones, and teeth. |
Consider the Mediterranean eating plan
Scientific support for the oil-rich, high-produce diet of the Mediterranean keeps growing. A four-year French study of 400 heart-attack survivors found that the diet slashed the combined risk of either a second heart attack or any cardiac death by 68 percent.
It’s a healthful alternative to the lower-fat “prudent” approach that the U.S. government recommends. To try it:
- Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nut, legumes, and whole grains.
- Eat fish about twice a week, and modest portions of lean meat.
- Favor vegetable oils high in unsaturated fats, such as olive, canola, safflower, and soybean oils. In fact, it’s safe to moderately
exceed the recommended 30 percent of your calories from fat—provided you get no more than 7 percent from saturated fat. If
you have trouble controlling your weight, limit your total caloric intake.
Claims abound about supplements that are said to help protect your heart. Here's the latest on three of the most widely discussed:
- B vitamins. A high blood level of the amino acid homocysteine may weaken the arterial lining, making plaque deposits more likely to tear.
A prime cause of high homocysteine levels is low intake of the B vitamins folic acid, B6, and B12.
Upshot: The National Academy of Sciences recommends that to prevent deficiency everyone over age 50 consume at least 2.4 micrograms a day of supplemental B12 from fortified foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, multivitamins, or B12 pills.
- Vitamin E. While considerable observational evidence has associated high intakes of vitamin E with protection against heart disease,
several large-scale clinical trials have failed to find persuasive evidence that vitamin E supplements yield any benefit to
the heart. In fact, some suggest the opposite.
- Fish-oil capsules. Omega-3 fatty acids, found naturally in the oil of fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, appear to cut heart-attack risk
by preventing blood clots and abnormal heart rhythms, and by lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
If you do opt for the pills, look for products that are “USP Verified”—they've been tested by the United States Pharmocopeia for purity and potency. Don’t confuse fish oil pills with cod-liver oil, which has potentially toxic levels of vitamin A and D.
If you opt against the pills: Aim for two small servings of fatty fish a week—good choices that are high in omega-3s but low in mercury include salmon, sardines, trout and whitefish.
Upshot: Talk to your doc about whether fish oil pills make sense for you, and then work with him or her to choose an appropriate supplement.
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CR RECOMMENDS |
