Professional Diet & Nutrition in Patchogue, New Hyde Park & Hicksville

How You Can Take Control of Your Heart Health

Diet Nutrition New Hyde Park, NY Your Brookhaven Heart cardiologist can help you improve your health in many ways. From placing cardiac stents to performing angiograms and more, we offer the latest in medical technology and procedures to keep your heart beating and blood flowing. Beyond tests and treatment, however, we’re happy to help you make lifestyle choices that can improve the condition of your heart and reduce your risk of serious medical conditions.

Heart-Healthy Foods

Your diet has a major influence on your physical well-being. Certain heart-healthy foods can help improve your cardiovascular condition. For a healthier heart, consume more of the following:

Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and anchovies
Vegetables, especially dark leafy greens
Fresh fruits, including edible peels
Grains high in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal and barley
Good oils, such as olive oil
Water

You can eat fruits and vegetables raw or cooked, depending on your preference.

Foods to Reduce or Avoid

Along with adding more heart-healthy foods to your diet, you can improve your eating habits even more by reducing consumption of the following:

Salt
Trans fats
Processed foods, such as lunch meat or packaged dinners
Bad oils, such as vegetable oil
Deep-fried foods
Refined sugar

Some foods might not look unhealthy, but have high amounts of refined sugar and salt. When you’re doing your grocery shopping, read nutrition labels to make sure you are selecting foods that fit a heart-healthy diet.

Exercise

Regular activity is the cornerstone of any heart-healthy lifestyle. Talk to your cardiologist to find out what levels and types of exercise make sense for your body and unique requirements.

What is the best diet for heart disease?

Your doctor will always recommend a healthy diet and lifestyle to fight against heart disease. What does this mean? Many believe that they’ll have to cut out their favorite foods. In reality, moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. First, start by understanding the number of calories you should ingest each day to maintain your weight. Nutrition information on your favorite foods is for a 2,000-calorie diet. You may require more or fewer, depending on age, gender, and physical activity. In any case, you’ll want to include:

A variety of fruits and vegetables, especially greens

Whole grains
Low-fat products, including dairy
Skinless poultry or fish
Nuts or legumes
Vegetable oils

These foods are heart-healthy and nutritious. You want to limit trans-fat, sodium, sweets, and red meat (if you do eat red meat, find the leanest cuts possible). Do this, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier heart.