Vegetarian Diet Can Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
According to a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, vegetarians reduce the risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarian diets, including vegan eating patterns, were associated with a 30% reduced risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared to non-vegetarian diets.
How Does Vegetarianism Protect the Heart?
A plant-based diet is more healthful for the heart than a meat-heavy one. Vegetables are rich in fiber and phytonutrients, which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Fiber fights high cholesterol. The vegetarian diet is high in fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains, which is suitable for managing cholesterol.
Vegetables have fewer calories for a healthy weight and are extra antioxidants. A vegetarian diet eliminates fats from animal products and replaces them with high-fiber foods, which fill you up more so you eat less, lowering your risk of obesity. Eating more fruits and vegetables means you are getting more of the nutrients, like antioxidants, that protect against heart disease.
Vegetables that Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
- Kale. The trendy superfood contains essential heart-healthy nutrients which improve blood flow.
- Spinach. A serving of spinach contains more potassium that, helps ease stress on the blood-vessel walls and it helps the body remove excess sodium
- Swiss chard. Just one serving of the vegetable contains more than three times your daily value of vitamin K, an essential nutrient for brain, bone, and heart health.
- Broccoli. This vegetable has antioxidant effects that reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Brussels sprouts. Folate is an essential nutrient for healthy cell growth and plays an active role in heart health.
- Collard greens. Collard greens have magnesium that helps lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. It helps blood vessels relax, increasing blood flow through the body and easing pressure on the heart.
- Green Beans. The little pod within the green beans is a starchy legume full of fiber and folate, which have many benefits for heart health. It fights inflammation and may help prevent hypertension through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Medications for the Types of Heart Disease
Aside from healthy eating, taking your medications for hypertension, cholesterol, and heart health is also essential in managing heart disease. Take your maintenance pills to ensure healthy and improved heart health. The typical prescription drugs for heart and blood pressure-related conditions are: