Cardiovascular Disease

Contrary to what many people believe, cardiovascular disease does not have to be something that is inevitable just because we are getting older. In fact, there are many ways that we can keep from developing cardiovascular disease, including following a healthy diet that is well balanced and loaded with delicious, healthy foods that are loaded with the nutrients our bodies need to fight diseases.

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease can actually refer to a number of conditions involving the heart and blood vessels. Some of these conditions include coronary disease, high blood pressure, congenital heart disease, strokes, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure. There are a number of things that can cause cardiovascular disease, including smoking, not getting enough exercise, and having a poor diet.

Foods that Put Us at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

There are a number of foods we eat that are extremely unhealthy, although they are pretty tasty. It is important to make sure that if you are going to eat these foods that you do so in moderation. It is fine to have a treat once in a while, even once or twice a week, but it is not healthy to eat the following foods on a regular basis, and eating them can put us at risk for cardiovascular disease.

• Simple Sugars – There are good carbs and bad carbs, and the simple sugars are the bad carbs. Foods in this category to avoid or eat in minimal amounts include candy, chocolate, sweetened fruit juices, fruit concentrates, soda pop, any desserts or sweets, and other foods that are high in simple sugars. These foods will lead to being overweight or obese, and can play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease.
• Refined Foods – Any foods that are made using refined and white flours do not have the dietary fiber our bodies need, nor do they have enough vitamins and minerals. These foods include breads and rolls, cakes, cookies, muffins, and pastas.
• Saturated Fats – Any food that contains saturated fats is food that should be avoided, or really eaten in moderation. Any foods that contain butter, margarine or animal fats fall into this group, as well as baked goods that are made with these ingredients should be avoided as much as possible. The saturated fats will clog the arteries, leading to cardiovascular disease and other health problems, including obesity.
• Red Meats – Even though they are delicious, it is not healthy to eat too many red meats. We do need to have them in our diets though, so it is important to get the leanest cuts of meat you can find. It is also a good idea to make sure that if you are eating poultry that you eat it skinless, because it is the skin that contains the most saturated fats.
• Fast Foods – Everyone knows that fast foods are not healthy foods, but we all eat way too many of them anyway. Eating a lot of burgers, sandwiches and other fast foods leads to obesity, as they are usually loaded with saturated fats, salt and refined flours.
• Fried Foods – We really should be avoiding foods like French fries, fried chicken and other foods that are cooked in fatty oils. These foods are extremely high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and play a large role in the development of many health problems, including cardiovascular disease.
• Processed Foods – We live in a time when we are always in a hurry, and many of us rely on processed foods to feed ourselves and our families. Unfortunately, these foods are high in fat, salt, and preservatives, and they can lead to hypertension.

Foods We Should Include in Our Diets

Just because there are a lot of foods we shouldn’t be eating a lot of, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy diets that include all kinds of tasty foods. The trick is to find foods you love that are healthy. Here are some of the healthiest foods you can include in your diet. All of these foods are delicious, and can be used in a number of different recipes, and be prepared in a variety of ways.

• Whole Grains – There are many delicious foods that fall into this category, including pastas, breads and rolls made from whole grain flour, cereals, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, rice, and a whole lot more. These are foods that are filling, and they provide you with a lot of the nutrients your body needs.
• Vegetable Oils – Just because we hear all kinds of horrible things about oils, it doesn’t mean that all oils are bad for us. In fact, there are some oils that we really should include in our diets because they are so healthy, including vegetable oils such as sunflower, rice bran, canola, olive, and peanut. When you consume these oils, you are assuring that your body will be getting the fatty acids it needs.
• Low-Fat Dairy Products – There are many dairy products that should be included in our diets as they contain many of the nutrients our bodies need. These products include cheeses, yogurt and milk. It is important to make sure that all of the dairy products you consume are low in fat.
• Fruits and Vegetables – We should always be getting plenty of fruits and vegetables in our diets. They contain a lot of the nutrients our bodies need, and they can help eliminate a lot of the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The more of these foods you include in your diet, the better, and you can get really creative when you are preparing meals using fruits and vegetables.

Following a healthy diet that is loaded with foods that are low in fat and cholesterol will really help you to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be a boring diet, not when there are so many delicious options available to you, and if you are creative in the kitchen, there are all kinds of wonderful meals you can make using heart healthy ingredients.