The human body is a wonderfully complex system, and in most cases, it tends to perform with aplomb. However, thanks to its complicated nature, it requires regular maintenance and upkeep to ensure that the various components function at peak performance. In fact, without adequate care, things can go downhill far more rapidly than you might expect. Although there are plenty of malaises that could wreak havoc on your body, heart disease is among the deadliest conditions, but it is also one of the most preventable. The good news is that via some basic modifications to your lifestyle, you can avoid heart disease and the plethora of adverse effects it brings along. Perhaps the most efficient, not to mention delicious, way to ensure your ticker remains in tip-top condition is via your eating habits. Let’s examine why heart disease is so deadly and how the proper diet can stave off this disease’s adverse effects and keep your body operating as it should.
What Makes Heart Disease Such A Threat?
It comes as no surprise that the beating heart is mentioned in phrases referring to the thing that controls something since your heart is…well, the beating heart of your entire body! It is the engine that pumps fresh, oxygen-rich blood throughout your caporal being and ensures that every other part, from your toes to your central nervous system, is getting the nutrition it demands to stay healthy. Consequently, when something happens that might upset the delicate dance that your heart plays, it can cause a raft of knock-on effects, potentially culminating in an early demise. Heart disease refers to several issues, perhaps the most well-known being coronary artery disease, which causes diminished blood flow and, ultimately, heart attack. Interestingly (in the sense that they are all avoidable), there are three major risk factors that result in some form of the illness:
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Smoking
The third point also happens to be a cause of the first two, meaning that by simply quitting smoking, you will dramatically improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of developing heart disease. However, if you really want to take your disease prevention efforts to the next level, you must consider some drastic lifestyle changes, beginning with your diet. Arguably, the best diet for to reverse heart disease is the plant-based diet, so-called for obvious reasons! This diet has been scientifically proven to not only help you reduce blood pressure and harmful cholesterol levels (LDL) but has a raft of other extremely beneficial effects for the rest of your body. What is it about the right diet, though, that makes it so advantageous for preventing and possibly even reversing heart disease?
Why Diet Is Such An Integral Aspect Of Good Health
You are what you eat, as the saying goes, and if you shovel enough saturated fat into your body that would make the Colonel blush, then you are highly likely to experience a massive decline in your health at some point in your life. The food you consume is the stuff that gives your body the fuel to run correctly and extract all the energy it needs to keep going. Moreover, just like with a high-performance vehicle (which your body undoubtedly is), the fuel you put in it will massively impact how it performs and, more pertinently, whether it will cause any blockages, corrosion, or damage to other systems. In addition to promoting heart wellness, a well-thought diet, such as one that is plant-based, will result in a range of knock-on effects, including:
- Reducing fatigue and increasing energy levels
- Upholding a healthy weight
- Reduced risk of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and other general company issues
- Lower blood sugar levels
- A healthy blood pressure
As you can see from that list, each benefit completes the others and, when combined, can transform even the unhealthiest people into paragons of wellness. Keeping this in mind, what foods are we referring to, and how might they be able to stop or potentially reverse the scourge of heart disease?
What Foods Can Reduce Your Chances Of Coronary Issues?
As previously mentioned, one of the most exciting diets currently in vogue today is the plant-based diet. This approach has been proven in numerous studies to contain everything that the body requires to function effectively, as well as having a factor that limits and reduces the issues commonly associated with poor eating habits.
Nuts
Nuts are often relegated to the perennial life of a casual snack, but to do so would be to miss out on the amazing nutrients they provide. This is especially relevant if you are interested in eschewing meat since they compensate for many of the lost nutrients, including proteins and oils. Moreover, you can use nuts as part of a full-blown meal rather than a simple snack by scattering them over salads and even baking a la a nut roast.
Leafy Greens
What post about heart health is complete without mentioning the ubiquitous leafy greens?! However, by including them in as many meals as possible, you will reap the rewards of nutrient-dense vegetables that are chocked full of heart-healthy stuff from vitamins and minerals to a decent dose of anti-oxidants (ideal for ensuring the blood that pumps through your heart is sans bothersome free-radicals).
Avocados
This berry (look it up) has long been the go-to for Gen Z’ers who can’t afford a house, but they pack a surprising health punch for their relatively diminutive size. Aside from the usual special about vitamins and minerals, avocados are packed with healthy fats that reduce the LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) in your body and boost your HDL levels (the good stuff). Moreover, they provide an excellent source of potassium that is renowned for its ability to reduce blood pressure, and since the heart dislikes high pressure, this will prove beneficial.
Garlic
Those who say they hate the smell of garlic are missing out on one of the planet’s most feature-packed veggies. As a fantastic source of allicin, garlic is excellent for not simply packing vast amounts of flavor into your food but also for lowering blood pressure, which, as you read earlier, was point number one on the list of things that cause heart disease.
Your diet isn’t merely a source of energy, but it can either be the undoing or rebirth of you. Those who opt to remain on the dark side are more prone to health issues, including the leading cause of death worldwide; heart disease. However, if you are willing to make a few simple lifestyle changes (especially regarding your diet), you will soon find that you are in better shape than ever before and that your cardiovascular system is working to keep you alive instead of the reverse.
