Yes, reducing sugar intake can improve heart health. A heart-healthy lifestyle includes a diet in which about 30 percent of the calories come from fat, choosing polyunsaturated fats and avoiding saturated fat and trans fat, reducing high blood pressure, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a weight within normal limits.
How Does Sugar Intake Affect Heart Health?
Coronary heart disease includes angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. Myocardial ischemia (a lack of blood supply to the myocardium, or heart muscle) can lead to coronary heart disease.
What Lifestyle Changes Can Improve Heart Health?
To prevent heart disease, physicians recommend that patients do the following:
- Quit smoking
- Eat a diet in which about 30 percent of the calories come from fat, choosing polyunsaturated fats and avoiding saturated fat and trans fat
- Reduce high blood pressure
- Increase physical activity
- Maintain a weight within normal limits
Studies suggest that even people who have borderline high cholesterol benefit from drugs that lower cholesterol.
What Kinds of Fats are Good for Cardiovascular Health?
Investigations of specific diets and dietary components have yielded consistent evidence that a diet high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids gives the greatest benefits for cardiovascular health, whereas diets high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids are detrimental to cardiovascular health. Foods high in monounsaturated fats include nuts and fatty fruits, such as avocados. Plant-derived oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil, high-oleic sunflower oil, and peanut oil, contain large amounts of monounsaturated fat. Studies have shown that the consumption of extra-virgin olive oil, in particular, is associated with lowered risk of cardiovascular disease.
People Also Ask (PAA) Section
What are the risk factors for coronary heart disease?
Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, insulin resistance, diabetes, overweight or obesity, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, and stress. While some risk factors cannot be controlled, such as age or family history, you can treat or manage other modifiable risk factors.
What are the symptoms of coronary heart disease?
The most common symptom is chest pain (angina). You might feel it like a pressure or squeezing in your chest. Angina is usually triggered by physical or emotional stress. The pain usually goes away within minutes after stopping the stressful activity. In some cases, women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms, such as nausea and back or jaw pain.
How is coronary heart disease diagnosed?
To diagnose coronary heart disease, doctors will review your symptoms and medical history and conduct a physical exam. They will also likely run one or more diagnostic tests. These tests can include an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, and cardiac catheterization.
In conclusion, adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health. This includes making informed dietary choices, engaging in regular physical activity, and effectively managing risk factors.
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