The following 10 dietary tips can make your cardiovascular system healthier!

Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, stroke, and coronary heart disease are one of the main causes of damage to health and life expectancy.

Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease are related to an unhealthy lifestyle, such as unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, etc. Many studies have shown that intervention measures to improve diet can effectively prevent cardiovascular disease. Recently, the American College of Preventive Cardiology authoritatively released 10 dietary recommendations to make the heart and blood vessels healthier!
In March 2022, the American College of Preventive Cardiology published online "Practical, Evidence-Based Nutritional Modification Approaches to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Clinical Practice Statement of the American College of Preventive Cardiology", which proposed 10 nutritional principles for preventing cardiovascular disease.

The statement points out that 90% of cardiovascular disease worldwide can be attributed to nine modifiable risk factors:
Dyslipidemia Smoking Hypertension Diabetes Abdominal obesity Psychosocial factors Low fruit and vegetable consumption Alcohol consumption Physical inactivity

Therefore, the key to preventing cardiovascular disease is to "maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout life." In terms of diet, the statement gives 10 suggestions.

Suggestion 1: There is an optimal diet plan for preventing cardiovascular disease. Remember to eat less of these six things

The statement points out that there is an optimal diet for preventing cardiovascular disease. It is recommended that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, plant protein, and high-fat fish is the best diet for preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Pay special attention to the "six less eating": less processed meat, less saturated fat, less trans fat, less cholesterol, less salt and less refined carbohydrates.

The best dietary options are those that follow the Mediterranean, DASH, vegetarian, and plant-based dietary patterns.

Tip 2: Try to use unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat

The statement recommends using unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats) instead of saturated fats as much as possible to reduce the intake of cholesterol in the diet. At the same time, increasing the intake of foods rich in dietary fiber, especially foods rich in soluble dietary fiber, will help lower the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B.

Oils with more polyunsaturated fatty acids: including soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, etc.

Oils with more monounsaturated fatty acids: such as olive oil and tea seed oil.

Oils with high saturated fatty acids: All animal oils except fish, vegetable oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, butter, cream, etc., try to consume less.

Suggestion 3: Don’t eat too much salt. 3 million people die every year from excessive sodium intake.

Every year, 3 million people die from excessive sodium intake. There is a direct correlation between dietary sodium intake and blood pressure. Reducing sodium intake can help lower blood pressure.

Studies have shown that the DASH diet, which is characterized by strict control of sodium intake, helps reduce the risk of hypertension, diabetes and heart failure, and slows the progression of atherosclerosis. A study found that patients with hypertension who followed the DASH diet were associated with a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 11.4 mmHg and 5.5 mmHg, respectively.

The DASH diet emphasizes limiting sodium intake, eating more potassium-rich vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, fish, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products, eating less processed meat, red meat, and sweets, and limiting the intake of saturated fat and sodium.

Recommendation 4: Control your weight. Obesity and diabetes are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are both risk factors for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, preventing weight gain and obesity is the key to preventing type 2 diabetes. If weight loss and weight management can be carried out effectively, the progression of type 2 diabetes can be delayed.

Many dietary factors and dietary patterns are associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Globally, 24.7% of diabetes deaths and 34.9% of disability-adjusted life years can be attributed to an unbalanced diet. Long-term adherence to a balanced dietary pattern can prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, while the correct practice of a flexible vegetarian diet, a Mediterranean diet, or a DASH diet can effectively reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Tip 5: Eat less refined grains and processed meats, and more fruits, vegetables and whole grains

The importance of a healthy diet in preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes has been well documented. Weight gain in adulthood is mainly due to an increase in fat mass, which is associated with poor eating habits. Following a balanced diet, eating less potato chips, French fries, refined grains, processed meat, red meat and sugary drinks, and eating more yogurt, fruit, whole grains, beans and fish will help control and lose weight and reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Tip 6: Remember! Never rely on dietary supplements or health products

The statement pointed out that a large number of studies have shown that multivitamin supplements do not reduce people's risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, some dietary supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as antioxidant mixtures and niacin; calcium supplements, especially when taken in larger doses and not taken with vitamin D, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Therefore, the statement does not recommend that people prevent cardiovascular disease by taking dietary supplements. If you have to take them, you should do so under the guidance of a doctor to avoid adverse effects caused by self-administration.

Recommendation 7: Prevention of atherosclerosis should start from childhood

Prevention measures for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease should start as early as possible, starting with childhood. Although adverse cardiovascular outcomes usually do not appear until middle age, risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease may occur in childhood and adolescence.

The statement emphasized that primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease should begin in childhood, such as increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and various protein-rich foods (such as beans, nuts, seeds, seafood) in the diet, and through small changes, gradually establishing a balanced and diversified dietary pattern to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Recommendation 8: The elderly should pay more attention to nutrition and medical nutrition therapy

Medical nutrition therapy can provide health benefits throughout the lifespan, even in older adults with medical conditions. As people age, oral and dental health deteriorates, and changes in neurological function affect chewing, swallowing, and tasting, leading to nutritional deficiencies, such as protein and micronutrient deficiencies.

The statement recommends that, where appropriate, older adults may consider taking special medical foods or dietary supplements to obtain adequate nutrition; or changing the texture, shape and taste characteristics of food to ensure the intake of foods that contribute to cardiovascular health.

Recommendation 9: It is recommended that doctors or nutritionists develop appropriate dietary intervention plans for patients

The statement recommends that doctors or nutritionists should fully consider social factors when formulating dietary intervention plans and develop appropriate dietary intervention plans for patients.

Recommendation 10: Multidisciplinary collaboration can better control the risk of cardiovascular disease

The statement points out that medical nutrition therapy, in collaboration with registered dietitians, can promote the implementation of healthy eating patterns, effectively improve diet quality, promote conscious weight loss, improve blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood lipids and blood pressure, and significantly reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Multidisciplinary collaboration and joint intervention should be encouraged to better reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.