Thursday, September 15, 2011

Helping Your Heart with Heart Firendly Foods

By Arnold Stecker


You already know that you must have a strong and healthy heart. Here's something for you to think about: if your heart isn't fit then the rest of your body won't be healthy. You already know that if you want your heart to be healthy, you have to follow a good and healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly. However, are you aware that there are some foods that have been proven to help you improve the health of your heart? In this article, you will find out which foods are beneficial for your heart.

Beans--believe it or not--are super great for your heart. Sure, the after-effects of consuming beans could not be the best for your nose, but they are extremely healthy for you. It doesn't mean, however, that just consuming beans will undo the damaging effects of consuming unhealthy foods or make your heart better by magic. What we do mean is that substituting in kidney beans or edamame for the chicken on your green salad or eating a soy burger instead of a beef hamburger is a good idea. Luckily, beans are really tasty and who knows...you might not even miss consuming real meat.

Blueberries are fantastic for the health of your heart. You'll be glad to know that blueberries are high in antioxidants, in particular pterostilbene. Pterostilbene is to blueberries as resveratrol is to grapes. This particular antioxidant may be able to help your body improve its ability to process the fat and cholesterol you consume. If your body has the ability to easily break down fat and cholesterol, they won't accumulate in your body or cause your heart to have problems. That just means that it helps keep your heart as healthy as possible.

Fish is just about the healthiest food you can include in your diet. You already know this since, by now, you've in all likelihood been told to eat fish at least twice a week. This is particularly true for those whose hearts aren't healthy or doing well. Fish is packed full of Omega 3's which work to process cholesterol and transform it into healthy energy. Try consuming fish during at least two meals every week.

Remember when your mom and dad would remind you that an apple a day keeps the doctor away? The truth is that apples are high in things that will promote a healthy heart. Apples are known to contain tons of soluble fiber which acts like a scrub brush on your artery walls so that cholesterol can't amass and build up into blockages. Eating just one Red Delicious apple every day can lead to as much as an eight percent fall in your LDL levels. That's a fantastic number for somebody who desires a healthier heart.

There are dozens (if not more) of foods that are terrific for your body. Without a doubt, the foods discussed in this article can help your body in all sorts of ways. They are essentially wonderful, however, for helping you keep your heart healthy. Start consuming these hearty foods regularly. Your heart is going to be much healthier if you do!




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