Protect Your Heart: Foods to Avoid for a Healthier Life

The number one reason for death in India is linked to a very high incidence of heart disease in the population. It is exacerbated by major lifestyle related mistakes we make- like leading a very sedentary lifestyle, not exercising portion control, not placing an emphasis on exercising regularly, having a prominent paunch, drinking too much or smoking and not sleeping well, apart from a number of related factors. There is a mistaken notion that eating less is bad for you, as it reflects poorly on your financial and social status. Excesses are always encouraged. You are always served way more than you actually need when you go to any event. So, what can you do when the world around you wants you to eat yourself to death? Draw a line and start afresh! You can do this by looking at how your dietary choices influence health and your heart especially and then change any bad habits that may have taken root in your daily routine.

Foods Linked to Increased Heart Disease Risk

We Indians love our foods- like sweets, fried snacks, sugar and trans fats. No festivities are complete without an amalgamation of them all and we make them as colourful, attractive and unhealthy as possible, because hey- it’s just for today. But keep doing this everyday and it is NOT a one-day affair anymore.  Let us look at some foods that we really adore, but are actually better to do away with

• Salty snacks and foods- seasoning is in our blood and yes, food does need seasoning. Most of the seasoning we use contains sodium of some sort, but it is important to remember that we get sodium from most other foods we eat during the day. This means the levels keep increasing, making it difficult for your heart to work properly. 
• Not eating your veggies, fruits and whole grains can cost you dearly in the future. How you prepare the food and treat your ingredients is also important- if you fry them often instead of, say steaming them, using them in stir fries or salads or raitas- then you are defeating the purpose of it all.
• Eating foods low in protein- You may think that eating dal is good enough, but how much you eat matters. If you add say 100 grams of dal in your sambar and then make lots of it, you won’t eat the whole thing, will you? You will just use a couple servings and be done. Then, how much protein do you really think you are getting?
• Eating too much sugar is bad too. Heart disease risk is way higher if you are diabetic.
• A diet that is high in trans fats increases cholesterol – mainly HDL in the blood, which can cause atherosclerosis and other related issues. Your triglyceride levels are also important, so watch them.
• Fats are important for your body to function, but too much can be bad. Some common suspects include coconut oil, ghee, butter, plant fats like dalda etc. which can increase fat deposition in the liver, causing other problems for you. 
• Carbohydrates are super important as an energy source and you can’t ignore them completely. So, understand what portion control entails and make better choices with your side dishes.

These are our top diet tips for a healthy heart! So, try to plan meals out in advance and you can treat yourself occasionally with some dessert or sweets. Your brain will follow the diet better if it understands that a reward can be expected sometime in the future.

Conclusion

South-East Asians and Indians in general have a higher risk of suffering from heart disease because we have those defective genes in us. Our body sizes are generally smaller, so that means our blood vessels are narrower too. If you look at some of these numbers, you will be shocked- over 50% of all heart attacks occur in individuals who are below 50 years of age. Many studies have shown that we develop heart disease at least a decade before our Western counterparts do. Around 25% of heart attacks occur in men in their 40s, though women do get affected, but not as much. So, making sustainable changes that you will actually care to follow through with make more sense- like improving dietary choices and increasing frequency of exercise. Making smart diet related changes to protect your heart totally make sense now, don’t they?