There are many different types of heart disease. But the most common is when your blood vessels become blocked with plaque. Plaque is a fat that is made up of cholesterol that sticks to your arteries and causes the blood flow to be blocked.
Here are some tips to help prevent heart disease
1. Limit saturated fats
a. These fats has shown to increase cholesterol levels
b. Examples:
i. Fatty meats
1. Choose lean cuts of meat
2. Trim off visible fat
3. Limit sausages, bacon, hot dogs, smokies, chicken wings
4. Limit foods that are fried or deep fried – fries, chicken fingers, battered fish
ii. High fat milk products
1. Choose low fat milk (skim or 1%)
2. Choose low fat cheese ( less than 20% milk fat)
3. Limit ice cream (even if low fat)
4. Limit cream and gravies
iii. High fat foods
1. Limit snack foods (cookies, chips and dip)
2. Limit donuts, pies, cakes, danishes or high fat baking
2. Limit Trans Fats
a. These fats also have been shown to increase your cholesterol levels
i. Processed packaged foods
1. Limit crackers, cookers, treats, packaged treats
2. Limit fried, deep fried foods
3. Choose non hydrogenated non saturated fat margarine
3. Choose Healthy Fat
a. These fats can lower cholesterol only when they are used solely over the trans fats and saturated fats
ii. Fish contain healthy fats and should be eaten at least twice a week
b. Watch your portion of good fats:
i. Keep to no more than 2-3 tablespoons of oil/fat a day
ii. Portion size of healthy nuts is only ¼ cup (75 ml) a day
4. Eat less cholesterol
a. Your body does produce 80% of the cholesterol in your body; the other 20% comes from the types of fats in food. When looking at your whole diet, the most effective way to prevent heart disease are to limit saturated and trans fat found in high fat meat and milk products.
b. Cholesterol is found in foods that come from animals only, for example, organ meats, dairy products, egg yolks and shellfish
i. For people with no health concerns, recommendations are to consume <300 mg/day of cholesterol. Eating an average of 1 egg/day (7 eggs/ week) has shown to be part of a healthy lifestyle
ii. For people with heart disease, diabetes or dyslipidemia recommendations are to consume <200 mg/day of cholesterol a day (including ≤2 egg yolks/week and occasional consumption of high cholesterol foods such as shrimp and organ meats)
The Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network offers a Heart Healthy Class that discusses all aspects of heart health including: blood pressure, cholesterol, label reading, exercise and smoking. Please ask your doctor for a referral to the S.M.I.L.E. Healthcare program or call 780-986-6624 for more information.
Resources:
Resources:
Dietitians of Canada Fact Sheet - Cholesterol
In response to recent media attention on eggs and cholesterol, The Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovascular Network of Dietians of Canada recently released a news brief regarding the consumption of eggs. Please see the news brief below: Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovasular Network of Dietitians of Canada. (2012). News Brief: Egg yolk consumption and carotid plaque, August 15, 2012."
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In response to recent media attention on eggs and cholesterol, The Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovascular Network of Dietians of Canada recently released a news brief regarding the consumption of eggs. Please see the news brief below: Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovasular Network of Dietitians of Canada. (2012). News Brief: Egg yolk consumption and carotid plaque, August 15, 2012."
Click each page to view larger:
Page 1
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