Daily Health Care and Medical Tips

Heart Protective food
The eight basic rules of the cardioprotective diet

Rule 1: Increase the supply of fruit and vegetables
Beneficial effects
Fruit: Fruits are full of water (80%) and are therefore hydrating and diuretic thereby promoting the removal of toxins. They have few calories and give your body fiber, vitamins and mineral salts. They have antioxidant and protect our body against free radicals.
Vegetables: Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and micronutrients protective against oxidant stress, and also contain potassium which is beneficial for the cardiovascular system. A good diet supply of potassium reduces the risk of hypertension (1) and reduces mortality from stroke (2).
Research
Countries where cardiovascular diseases are rare countries where the most fruit and vegetables, fish and unrefined cereals consumed. Several scientific studies have shown (3, 4, 5) that there is less cardiovascular disease and cancer when daily between 5 and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables are eaten.
Advice
Fruits: Choose preferred seasonal fruit or dried fruit.
Click here to access our file “antioxidants”.
Vegetables: Vegetables can be eaten in various forms: salad, cooked, raw, soup.
Click here to access our file “soup” and “antioxidants”

Rule 2: Increase the supply of omega-3 animal and plant origin
Beneficial effects
A shortage of omega-3 increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Contrast reduces an increased supply of omega-3 this risk.
Just mortality due to cardiovascular disease compared to many fish populations (Eskimos, Japanese) or little fish (western countries in general) to its beneficial effects can be observed.
Because omega-3 DHA and especially the risk of sudden death significantly less. The sudden death for 70% of mortality from cardiovascular disease amongst the western population.
Research
“DART” (6). More than 2000 patients who had survived a heart attack some general nutrition and especially the advice to put some more fish to eat. After two years audit was a marked reduction of 30% of global mortality and a 30% reduction of cardiac mortality observed.
Examination of Gissi (7) 11 000 patients divided into four groups. A control, a group with an omega-3 supplements in the form of viscapsules (1g EPA + DHA), a group with only one vitamin E supplements and one group with vitamin E + viscapsules. The four groups were four years long followed and the outcome of this major study showed a 20% reduction in mortality of 30% of cardiac deaths and 45% of sudden death among people with an omega-3 supplements + vitamin E.
Research of Lyon (8). The study of Lyon, the influence of diet enriched with omega-3 from vegetable (rape) on the risk of cardiovascular complications after a first heart attack, demonstrated in 600 patients. The researchers have a reduction of 50-70% of cardiac complications of cardiac mortality and the risk of a recurrent non-fatal heart attack, noted.
Advice
The dietary recommendations for omega-3 in subjects without cardiovascular disease are 1 g per day EPA + DHA, or oily fish 2 to 3 times a week.
In subjects with cardiovascular problems, it is recommended to double this to 2 g per day EPA + DHA. This corresponds to 5 times per week of fish. To this great offer to facilitate you in addition to eating fish, choose omega-3 from plant origin and / or a supplement specifically formulated with voedingscomplementen (rich in DHA).
Fish with the highest concentration of omega-3 is mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna as well (preferably white), salmon, dogfish, anchovies.
If you sardines, tuna or mackerel canned choose, check them in olive oil or rapeseed oil are.
Eat little or no fish sticks. This is made of white fish and has little or no omega-3. Moreover, they are breaded with cornmeal and fried in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (rich in omega 6 and trans-fatty acids).
The best sources of omega-3 plant origin: canola oil, flaxseed, walnuts, purslane, lamb’s lettuce.
Rapeseed oil can be used for baking and making vinaigrettes and dressings. One tablespoon provides rape 1-1.5 g alpha linolenic acid.
The only one in which rape to watch out for is the durability. It must be kept in a dark place and quickly consumed.
Linseed, a subtle nut flavor, it can be used to make bread or pancakes (one tablespoon per cup of flour). It can also be used in addition to breakfast.
Flaxseed is a dark place in the refrigerator, stored for up to 2 to 3 months.

Rule 3: Increase the supply of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid)
Advantage
Olive oil contains antioxidants like vitamin E and polyphenols, where cardiovascular diseases and cancer but also with some aging can be prevented.
Olive oil also consists of monounsaturated fatty acids, unlike saturated fat (in butter, meat, cheese …) the “bad” cholesterol levels (LDL cholesterol). (9, 10)
Research
Recent research has the beneficial effect of olive oil omega-6/omega-3 ratio demonstrated (11).
28 patients 50 years old were given daily 20 g of olive oil as part of a usual diet. After 6 weeks, the researchers noted a reduction in total blood cholesterol, the bad cholesterol (LDL) in a clear reduction in the linoleic acid (omega-6).
Advice
Choose virgin olive oil by cold pressing and keep it mostly obtained no longer than four months.
Do not use more conventional oil, such as sunflower, corn, soybean, safflower oil, … they have too much omega-6 fatty acids. Use only olive oil and rapeseed oil for baking and making vinaigrettes and dressings.

Rule 4: Forget the nuts, hazelnuts and almonds not.
Advantage
Nuts and nuts especially have a heart protective fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. They are also rich in unsaturated fat, predominantly monounsaturated fat. Nuts are also rich in vegetable protein, fiber, minerals (magnesium), trace elements (selenium in Brazil nut, manganese, copper), vitamin E (hazelnuts and almonds) and folate (vitamin B9).
Advice
The daily consumption of 3 or 4 notes in between a salad or contributes to heart protection.

Rule 5: Do not drink wine moderately
Beneficial effects
Wine contains polyphenols with antioxidant properties.
Advice
Drinking 2-3 glasses a day with meals partly protects against heart disease.

Rule 6: Reduce consumption of saturated fats
Note
Fat meats, whole milk, cakes, biscuits, butter, … are rich in saturated fats, partially responsible for the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. An excess of saturated fats increases the risk of high blood cholesterol, joint calcification and heart attack.
Advice
Your choice of saturated fat reduction, you should be less fatty meats, whole milk and butter to consume and choose white meat or lean meat such as beef or horse meat, rabbit and even buffalo meat, ostrich meat or Beefalo from distant lands!
Choose lean or low-fat milk or cheese.
Eat no more than 30 grams of cheese per day.

Rule 7: Do not the legume
Beneficial effects
Pulses have several advantages, they are rich in fiber, vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals including folic acid and low in fat.
Advice
Among legumes include soybeans, chickpeas, split peas, dried beans, lentils, etc. …
By from time to time to replace the meat with legumes, the quality of the food supply improved and essentially be varied.

Rule 8: Choose preferably unrefined cereals and rice
Beneficial effects
Unrefined grains, but also wheat, rice and wholemeal bread are a source of complex sugars, the preferred fuel for our muscles and brains, they facilitate digestion and slow the digestion of sugar (reduction of the insulin peak). They also provide minerals such as selenium and zinc, essential for the proper functioning of our body.