Cardiac Diet

The cardiac diet is often prescribed for people who are at imminent risk of a heart attack. These people usually have health conditions such as high blood pressure, previous heart attack, hyperlipidemia, or dyslipidemia, and obesity. The cardiac diet is a healthy eating plan to follow, even if a person does not have any of these health conditions, and may be followed as a preventative management program or as part of a heart healthy treatment plan.

The Basics of the Cardiac Diet

When the cardiac diet is prescribed as part of a treatment plan, it is often individualized for the patient by a dietician and follows basic guidelines that promote good cardiac health.

• Reduce the intake of food which contains animal fat
• Use trans fat free margarine instead of butter
• Read labels and note the amount of trans fat contained in the food item, it should be "0"
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Reduce sodium intake.
• Add fish to the diet
• Eliminate caffeine
• Eat foods that contain plant stanols

Reducing Fat Intake

A key component in the cardiac diet is reducing the intake of harmful fats. Eliminating all fat is not healthy. It is important to understand what foods contain healthy fat and which foods contain fat that harms the arteries.

• Polyunsaturated fats: This is a healthy type of fat that should be included in the diet. This type of fat can be found in fish and grain products.
• Monounsaturated fats: These fats lower artery clogging cholesterol levels. They can be found in nuts, avocados, and olive oil.
• Saturated fats: This type of harmful fat is found in meat, cheese, coconut oil and palm kernel oil.
• Trans fat: These fats are chemically engineered and are used to hydrogenate oils. This process gives foods a longer shelf life, but they are not processed well in the body. These fats are found in packaged food items as well as many fried foods from fast food restaurants.

Read food labels for the type of fat contained in a product and avoid those which contain harmful fats.

Eat More Fiber

Eating more fiber offers many health benefits. High fiber intake as part of the cardiac diet lowers bad cholesterol levels in the body to increase heart health and reduce the risk of heart attacks. In addition to the cardiac benefits, fiber also aids digestion and reduces instances of constipation.

Women under 50 years of age should consume 25 grams of fiber per day, while those 51 and older should have 21 grams of daily fiber. Men under 50 years old should eat 38 grams of fiber and men over the age of 51 should take in 30 grams of fiber each day.

Fiber can be found in many foods:

• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Vegetables and fruits
• Nuts and seeds

Healthy Habits

In addition to following a healthy cardiac diet eating plan, there are other things you can do to keep your heart healthy.

One can enhance the effectiveness of this diet's basic guidelines by not adding additional salt to foods, cooking with healthy oils such as olive oil, and exercising portion control to reduce caloric intake for weight management.

Get adequate exercise to keep your heart muscle strong and to lower cholesterol levels in the body. Getting 30 minutes of moderate exercise three to four times per week is usually adequate for heart health.

Avoid stress and develop coping skills to help you relax when stress is unavoidable. Being in a tense state is not good for cardiac health. Relaxation is also an important component in maintaining a healthy heart.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you have concerns about your cardiac health, talk to your doctor before beginning a diet and exercise program. A physician can help you get a clear picture of your overall health and fitness level and guide you to the best approach for your individual situation.