How to Change Eating Habits After a Heart Attack

Heart attack is the leading cause of premature death, particularly in the US. One reason for this may be the typical eating habits of many Americans--a diet high in saturated fats and lacking adequate fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables. However, it's very important to change your eating habits after a heart attack to help keep your heart strong. So, if you or someone you love has had a heart attack, learn how to change your eating habits from heart-heavy to heart-healthy.

Instructions

Learn How to Change Eating Habits After a Heart Attack

1

Discover how easy it is to go green when you change your eating habits after a heart attack. Aside from fresh servings of vegetables, you can enjoy the benefits of bioflavins and nutrients from greens in many ways. Try adding a variety of sliced or chopped vegetables to soups, stews, stirfrys and casseroles.

2

Reduce your saturated fat intake when cooking. Bake, roast, grill, steam or poach, but avoid frying foods. If you must fry then use oils low in saturated fat--like olive or canola oils--in a non-stick pan or add a little vegetable broth, lemon juice or dry wine instead.

3

Avoid adding fat to your low-fat food. Drenching foods in butter, mayonnaise, gravy or heavy sauces will only undermine your low-fat cooking efforts.

4

Cut down on sugar. Sugar elevates blood pressure and increases the risk of blood clots, which can lead to another heart attack or even a stroke. Aside from avoiding the obvious sweets, check the labels of foods that may be sweetened for their sugar content, such as soft drinks, jams or cereals. Better yet, switch to low-sugar versions of these items.

5

Limit your alcohol consumption. Note that two to three glasses of alcohol is acceptable, particularly red wine, which has antioxidant properties. In fact, several studies have demonstrated that people who consume this amount of alcohol per day actually have a lower risk of heart attack than those who drink less and certainly those who drink more.

6

Eat fish. Oily fish, such as sardines, herring or mackerel, are loaded with EFAs (essential fatty acids) that can help in your fight against heart disease. Ideally, you should consume an ounce of fish per day. However, if this idea doesn't appeal to you, you can take a daily fish oil supplement instead.