Heart Disease

 Heart disease is the leading cause of death in many developed countries and remains one of the major diseases strongly affected by the diet. Although there is not one single cause, an unhealthy diet can be one of the contributing risk factors for heart disease. Paying attention to what you eat and consuming a variety of healthy foods from the five food groups is one of the most important preventative measures you can take.

Heart disease results from the narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart with blood through a process known as atherosclerosis. Fatty deposits (or plaque) gradually build up on the inside of the artery walls, narrowing the space in which blood can flow to heart. There are many factors that can increase your risk of heart disease. Although some of these cannot be changed, the good news is that there are plenty of risk factors within your control. For example, by following a healthy diet, being physically active, ensuring you have good social support and not smoking, your risk of heart disease is reduced.

Some risk factors are connected. For example, cholesterol levels and blood pressure can be affected by diet, as can your body weight and management of diabetes.

Therefore, one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease is to have a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight!

Although you might know that eating certain foods can increase your heart disease risk, it's often tough to change your eating habits. Whether you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt or you simply want to fine-tune your diet, here are eight heart-healthy diet tips. Once you know which foods to eat more of and which foods to limit, you'll be on your way toward a heart-healthy diet.

Some Diet Tips:

· Control your portion size

· Eat more vegetables and fruits

· Select whole grains

· Limit unhealthy fats

· Reduce the sodium in your food