Our choice of food decides our health. Chronic cardiovascular diseases do not happen at the age of 70. It's just that one keeps on injuring and injuring until it manifests them. Every time you take a spoonful of modern western diet you injure your arteries. Don't be scared our body has its natural defense system and thus 90% of the damaged arteries is healed but remaining 10% is unhealed. Again when you intake a bite of the same food again you damage your artery by 10%. This 10% of unhealed arteries come together and forms a plaque.
Three types of fats which one should totally avoid
- Saturated fats which are present in meat, dairy and poultry.
- Trans fats which are present in processed, junk and animal foods.
- Cholesterol which is present in meat, dairy and poultry.
Modern western diet sets way for chronic cardiovascular diseases
The answer is a big NO! White stuffs like bread, pasta, flour causes insulin resistance as these foods are easily absorbable and thus the blood sugar level goes up. Since they lack in fiber and bran, they do not provide any nutrients to our body and keeps us hungry all the time. Overeating causes weight gain and which is associated with diabetes and in turn cardiovascular diseases. Hydrogenated oils increases the shelf life of the food but decreases our shelf life by increasing the cholesterol in our body. With increasing awareness towards impact of high cholesterol and high fat in our body people have started opting for more healthier versions like olive oil and fat free foods. But they are unaware of the fact that a bottle of olive oil though cholesterol free but is full of fats. Similarly, fat-free foods though free of fats but are high in sugar/fructose. Eggs are high in cholesterol therefore increases the buildup of plaque. Fish and fish oil supplements though loaded with omega 3 but contains mercury and other industrial pollutants therefore not healthy for your heart. Dairy is the number one source of saturated fats and significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. So we can see dairy and animal food products sets way for cardiovascular diseases and is therefore highly recommended by top medical doctors and nutritionists to avoid or to eliminate these foods from our diet.
Your heart needs a plant based & nutrition dense diet
A plant based & nutrition dense diet is free of cholesterol and saturated fats and therefore efficient in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. These foods are dense in fiber, nutrients, mineral and vitamins which helps our body to heal itself. One should eat foods which are rich in antioxidants, potassium and nitrate as they are very protective against heart diseases. One should include foods like kale, bok choy, soy, flax seeds, garlic, onions, green tea, berries, peppers, apples, broccoli, apricots, carrots, whole grain bread, pasta, beans, legumes, lentils and many more. These foods replenish our body with antioxidants and therefore helps in repairing our endothelial cells and thus, reversing and preventing heart diseases.
Take home message
- Your health relies totally on the food you choose to eat. Avoid foods high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol that is avoiding dairy, animal and processed foods as they lead to plaque formation.
- Plant based & nutrition dense diet not only reduces the heart disease promoting substances but also reduces more than thousand of substances which can lead to cancer, inflammation and aging.
