Diet Plans for Cardiovascular Disease

Dietary choices can affect your heart's health. Alcohol should only be consumed in moderation for it can lead to high blood pressure and obesity, two major risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. The hidden sodium content of food can result in sodium excess which can also put you at risk for heart disease. The list of what to avoid -- and what to consume -- doesn't end there.

Cholesterol as a Part of Balanced Diet

Do not eliminate all cholesterol from your diet. Cholesterol is actually a vital nutrient. It's a type of fat molecule that forms and maintains cell walls, develops nerve and brain tissue, and plays a critical role in digesting fats and fat-soluble vitamins; it's also an essential ingredient in female hormones such as estrogen. Your liver actually produces 75 to 85 percent of the cholesterol your body needs; the rest comes from your diet. Health complications due to cholesterol only arise when your diet creates an excess of it in your system. The oily-based low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol cannot dissolve into the water-based blood that transports it. Therefore, when there's too much LDL in your system, it tends to collect and form a plaque within the body's blood vessels that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Conversely, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterols work to remove this plaque from your vessel walls.

A heart-healthy diet provides your body with low amounts of "bad" fats, and an ample amount of "good" fat. The American Heart Association recommends 25 to 35 percent of your diet be comprised of fats, with the "bad" saturated fats limited to fewer than 7 percent; and the "good" unsaturated fats rounding out the rest.

Dietary Choices to Manage Cholesterol

It's important to read food labels carefully to determine what kind of fat the food contains, measured against its listed serving size. Generally speaking, it's best to limit your consumption of fried foods. Fish oils, nuts and soybeans are all excellent sources of "good" fats. Whole grain and high-fiber foods such as oats, prunes, beans and apples also help cleanse the arteries, thus lowering LDL levels and preserving healthy HDL levels.

Diet and Weight Management

Having too much body fat is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Weight management is vital to heart health. Your diet should be made up of a variety of foods with high nutritional values. This means relatively low in calories but very rich in essential nutrients. To function properly, your body requires sufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates (around 50 percent of your diet), proteins (around 25 percent of your diet), fats (around 25 percent of your diet), fiber (which is calorie neutral, get between 25 to 35 g per day), water, and vitamins and minerals (follow USDA recommended daily guidelines).

Eliminate foods in your current diet with high amounts of "empty calories" such as soda, chips, candy and refined grains such as white rice. Exchange them for foods that offer you better nutritional value but feed the same food cravings. Use the calculator resource to figure your body's Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories your body needs for its most basic functions such as breathing). Your daily calorie intake should not fall below this or you risk driving your body into starvation mode. Use the Harris Benedict Formula to calculate your overall daily calorie needs. Your daily calorie intake should not exceed this number.