Cardiovascular: Prevention With Nutrition

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Cardiovascular: Prevention With Nutrition
Cardiovascular: Prevention With Nutrition

Video: Cardiovascular: Prevention With Nutrition

Video: Cardiovascular: Prevention With Nutrition
Video: Diet and Cardiovascular Disease 2024, March
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Cardiovascular: prevention with nutrition

Diet plays a central role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. To prevent arteriosclerotic changes, which can subsequently lead to cardiovascular diseases, the general recommendations on healthy eating (Austrian food pyramid) apply. Diets that are rich in vegetables, fruit and whole grain products, legumes and nuts and contain little refined carbohydrates (sugar) and saturated fatty acids (mainly in animal fats) have a cardioprotective effect - so the heart is protected…

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  • Continue reading
  • more on the subject
  • Advice, downloads & tools
  • Recommendations for prevention
  • Fats in food
  • Avoid high blood pressure

The amount and composition of the fats ingested, the high content of antioxidants (including vitamin C, vitamin E and β-carotene), folic acid and secondary plant substances (including carotenoids, flavonoids) contribute to the overall protective effect. Certain minerals are also indirectly involved in avoiding cardiovascular diseases (e.g. potassium, calcium, magnesium).

Recommendations for prevention

Certain foods show particular effects in relation to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases:

recommendation Reason
A total of five servings of vegetables (raw or cooked) and / or fruit daily
  • rich in vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances
  • high in fiber
  • low in calories
Whole grain products, potatoes, legumes and nuts
  • rich in vitamins and minerals
  • high fiber carbohydrate suppliers
  • long satiety
  • Nuts: rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (hazelnuts, almonds) or α-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in walnuts and wheat germ)
vegetable oils (except coconut fat)
  • Valuable unsaturated fats can be found in, for example, sunflower, corn germ, thistle, pumpkin seed, olive, rapeseed or linseed oil.

  • Rapeseed oil: rich in α-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid)
  • Olive oil: rich in polyphenols (phytochemicals), rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.
fish twice a week (especially mackerel, herring, sardine, salmon, tuna)

rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid)

Supplement through nutrition

  • low-fat milk and dairy products
  • lean meat from poultry, beef, veal, lamb, pork - no more than three times a week

low content of saturated fatty acids

Fats in food

To avoid arteriosclerotic changes and thus cardiovascular diseases, attention should be paid to the quality and quantity (amount) of the fat in the diet. A particularly preventive effect is a reduction in the absorption of trans fatty acids but also of saturated fatty acids and their replacement by mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids (mono and polyene fatty acids).

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids have a positive effect on the composition of blood lipids. In this way they have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system and against arteriosclerosis. Unsaturated fatty acids can be found in sunflower, corn, safflower, pumpkin seed, olive, rapeseed or linseed oil, for example. It is also believed that they have beneficial effects on blood vessel walls and blood clotting factors.

Omega-3 fatty acids belong to the group of polyunsaturated fatty acids and are found in plant-based foods (e.g. rapeseed oil, walnuts, wheat germ, flaxseed) and marine fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, herring, sardine, mackerel etc.). In addition to the generally positive effects on blood lipids, they offer additional protection against arteriosclerosis through various tissue hormones.

For more information, see Diet and increased blood lipid levels.

Avoid high blood pressure

Hypertension is a risk factor for the development of premature arteriosclerosis and heart failure. In addition to genetic predisposition and age, diet-dependent risk factors also favor the development of hypertension. A normalization of body weight, smoking cessation, stress reduction, a lot of exercise and a reduction in alcohol consumption all have antihypertensive effects. The response of blood pressure to dietary salt intake varies. Salt-sensitive and salt-resistant people are differentiated according to their genetic predisposition. In order to avoid high blood pressure, the intake of table salt should not exceed five grams per day according to the WHO - regardless of whether it is sensitive or not. A reduction in salt intake means a decrease in sodium intake.

For more information on how to use salt sparingly, see Nutrition Tips.

Alcohol increases the blood pressure. To avoid this negative effect, women should not drink more than an eighth of wine OR a full pint of beer or men not more than a quarter of wine OR a mug of beer per day.

A hypotensive effect is being discussed for some minerals. Potassium and calcium are considered to normalize blood pressure. Magnesium may have a positive effect on blood clotting and against inflammatory processes in the vascular system.

See High Blood Pressure for more information.

Note The recommendations given here for the prevention of certain diseases or for nutrition in certain diseases are to be understood as the basis for individually tailored measures. They cannot replace a personal consultation or diagnosis by a doctor or a dietician.

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