How to prevent and treat heart disease using nutrition.
The occurrence of heart disease is a direct consequence of addiction to fatty foods, says cardiologist Caldwell Esselstyn.
These findings the doctor has made after decades of research involving thousands of patients who felt a significant improvement within a month after the start of compliance with the proposed nutrition program.
Esselstyn offers its power supply system, which can be used to prevent and cure heart disease.
Foods that should be avoided as they increase cholesterol, and exacerbate heart disease:
Meat, chicken, fish and eggs. Perhaps you have heard that arginine and omega–3 fatty acids, necessary for the health of the endothelium and perform other normal functions of our body, is abundantly found in fish. However, there are other, less harmful sources of these substances, such as linseed oil.
Dairy products. That means no cheese, butter, ice cream, cream, yogurt, milk (even skim).
Oil. Completely all vegetable oils, including olive and canola oil.
Peeled grains. They, unlike whole grains, were artificially dispossessed of most of their nutrients and fiber. You should avoid white rice and flour products from “enriched” flour, including pasta, bread, bagels and other pastries.
Nuts. People with heart disease should stay as far away from any nuts. Those who do not have cardiovascular disease, can use nuts in moderation since they are an excellent source of omega–3 fatty acids that are extremely important for many vital body functions.
Foods you should eat
Given a list, which you definitely won’t find many of its usual food, however will allow you every day to fill your plate with delicious and outstanding variety of food, filled to the brim with fiber, nutrients and antioxidants — everything that is essential for the health of you and your heart.
Vegetables. This list does not claim to be complete, but gives you a good idea about all the variety of vegetables that you can eat. Sweet potatoes, regular potatoes (but in any case not deep-fried and cooked without any added oil!). Broccoli, vegetable sprouts and spinach. Asparagus, artichokes, eggplant, radishes, celery, onions, carrots. Brussels sprouts, corn, cabbage, lettuce, pepper. Chinese cabbage, leaf beet (or Swiss chard) and beet tops. Turnips and parsnips. Different varieties of pumpkin, squashes, tomatoes (although strictly speaking, tomatoes are fruits), cucumbers.
Almost any vegetables you can imagine, perfectly fit to your menu, with the only exception of cardiac patients: avocado, which contains unusually high for vegetables amount of fat. People with healthy hearts can eat plenty of avocados as long as the lipid levels in their blood remained within normal limits.
Legumes. Any varieties of peas, lentils or beans. This extensive family of plants, and you will definitely discover the incredibly delicious varieties, which have never before been encountered.
Whole grains. Whole wheat, whole rice, bulgur, buckwheat, corn, whole grain cornmeal, wild rice, brown rice, popcorn, and less well known whole grains, such as couscous, Kamut (a distant ancestor of modern wheat), quinoa (quinoa or rice), amaranth (do eat the seeds of this plant), switchgrass (perennial grass), spelt (semi-wild variety of wheat), triticale, Teff, Grano and Farro (a grain, a kind of wheat). You are spoiled for choice among all this variety of classes, some of you already know, others will be new.
You can also eat cereals and other foods that do not contain added sugar and fat that classic cereal, for example (but not instant oatmeal), crushed wheat and Breakfast cereal brands. If you want bread, it must be made from wheat flour and do not contain added fats. Also you can eat pasta made of wheat flour — from whole wheat, brown rice, spelt or quinoa. Be careful with pasta, which is served in the restaurant — most often used pasta, prepared from purified flour with eggs and the sauce often contains vegetable oil.
Fruit. You can eat any fruit. It is, however, to make one small disclaimer: it makes more sense to limit intake of fruit to three portions a day (three large fruit or three handfuls of berries or grapes). Also you should avoid drinking fruit juices. Fruits, especially fruit juices, contain huge amounts of sugar, and their abuse can lead to a significant increase in the level of glucose in the blood. The body compensates for high blood sugar, the additional release of insulin by the pancreas, and the insulin in turn stimulates the production of cholesterol by the liver. In addition, it may lead to an increase in triglyceride levels. So go easy on sweet desserts, which can lead to the same disastrous results.
Drinks. Water, mineral water (try adding a little fruit juice for added flavor), oat milk, skim soy milk, coffee and tea.
At the same time Esselstyn notes that to decide on such changes and to continue to strictly follow the diet — the task is far from simple. According to his experience, people who begin this program are faced with four major challenges. Esselstyn have developed strategies for dealing with each of the points.
1. You want fatty foods. Believe in yourself. This craving will disappear within three months after the rejection of fat. (Under the waiver of fat means the lack in the diet of vegetable, animal or milk fat — no additional fat, in addition to its natural content in vegetables, fruits, and grains.) You will have a completely new taste preferences to the natural tastes and aromas of the most healthful foods you’ll discover new herbs, spices and sauces that will make your dishes especially tasty. To eat right in a modern society — not an easy task, but attention to detail is the key to your success. And remember, beware of the label “0 grams of fat per serving” on such foods as sauces for salads, substitutes of butter, mayonnaise, and pastries. They can contain up to 0.5 grams of fat per serving, but this tiny amount will be more than enough for you continued inexorably drawn to fatty foods. In addition, due to the consumption of such products, the total consumption of fat can increase up to 20% of all calories eaten annually adding to your diet pounds of artery clogging fat.
2. You are invited to visit for dinner. If you are invited by a good friend, it shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you do not know this person, you may initially feel awkward. The key to success in this situation is honesty. Explain to the master, when he will invite you to his guests that at the moment you follow a special meal plan that does not include meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and any kinds of fats. Emphasize that you are happy to enjoy their company, but would not want to cause unnecessary anxiety for their own reasons. You can offer to have dinner beforehand, and then join everyone at the table for a glass of wine. Almost always the owner will insist that you still have dinner with everyone, and begin to ask you about what you have you can still. In this case, tell him or her that you are completely satisfied with the salad dressing on the side with bread, steamed vegetables or boiled potatoes also perfect. You should always avoid presenting the details of his diet to others, at least until they demonstrate a sincere interest in this question.
3. You have to go to a restaurant. Restaurant cooking can be a deadly danger if you will not think of everything in advance. It would be nice to start to get acquainted with local establishments that serve or ready to cook especially “safe” for you a dish to your taste. If you have dinner or lunch at an unfamiliar restaurant, I try to call the chef or Manager in advance. Explain that you need a dish in which no animal products and vegetable fats. Their reaction may surprise you: often, many restaurateurs are happy to accept such requests from his clientele. And they will always be grateful for your laudatory review.
4. You are traveling within the country or around the world. As a rule, airlines can provide you with a low-fat vegetarian dishes, but often they need to notify about your special requirements at least one day prior to departure. Of course, you always have the opportunity to bring something to eat — so you don’t have to guess how much enjoyed the food meets your requirements. As for restaurants in other cities, then try the same tactic, which was recommended for local establishments to take care of your menu in advance and talk to the chef or Manager that it is preferable for you.
If you suffer from cardiovascular disease or you don’t want it have you ever appeared, it is extremely important to follow the following inviolable rules:
1. Do not eat meat, including chicken.
2. Do not eat fish.
3. Do not eat any dairy products. That means no skim milk, nonfat yogurt no sherbet and no cheese.
4. Do not eat eggs. Including egg whites and any substitutes that contain egg protein.
5. Do not use any grease and oil. Even olive oil, extra-class or canola oil.
6. Buy only whole grain foods. This means that you under no circumstances can’t eat bread or any other products made with white flour. Make sure that the ingredients list includes phrases such as “whole wheat” or “whole grain”. Avoid semolina and wheat flour — by default they are subjected to purification in the process of technological processing. Use only brown rice.
7. Do not drink fruit juice. (You can eat the fruit or use a small amount of fruit juice for cooking or add extra flavor to your drinks.)
8. Do not eat any nuts (if you have a healthy heart, then you can sometimes afford walnuts).
9. Don’t eat avocado, avocado sauce including.
10. Do not eat coconut.
11. Eat soy products cautiously. Many of them were suffering from serious processed and contain huge amounts of fat. Buy “light” tofu. Avoid soy cheese, which almost always contains vegetable oils and casein.
Constantly remembering these rules, you will be able to get pleasure from the diverse world of vegetables, legumes and fruits. Combination options a huge amount, and you will soon see for yourself.
It is necessary to say a few words about salt. Salt we no longer need. Practice has shown that the vast majority of people are willing to get used to the natural taste of foods of plant origin, prepared without salt.
To simplify your task, no need to invent something supernatural for Breakfast and lunch you can easily eat almost the same thing every day. So, a perfect base for the Breakfast are all kinds of cereals, such as oatmeal, shredded wheat no added sugar or bran with raisins. You can sprinkle them on your cereal to make it even more crispy, or add raisins, banana slices or other fruit. A little Apple juice, cider or freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice will be an excellent replacement for the glass of milk. However, you just can pour their Breakfast cereal oat, almond, or nonfat soy milk.
But the cereals and grasses — this is not the only way to have a hearty Breakfast. Very tasty pancakes made from whole wheat flour (no added vegetable oil and eggs). Toasted slices of whole wheat bread with fresh ripe peaches top the list of incredibly delicious foods at Breakfast. You should also try the toast with slices of banana, ripe mango, strawberries or any other of your favorite fruits. Think outside the box. Why not eat at Breakfast, pea soup or lentil soup or Breakfast remnants of yesterday’s salad?..
Start your meal with salad. Lettuce healthy and hearty, and they cannot be satiated. Add leaves to any possible vegetables. With salad dressing you might initially be difficult, as now you no longer eat vegetable oil. It is very important to find something that you really enjoy it, so get ready to experiment. Nothing prevents you to prepare hummus yourself from chickpeas, lemon and garlic. Mix the peas with a small amount of lemon juice or lime, add the vinegar and a little mustard and you will get a terrific dressing for the salad.
The lunch is also not wise: salad, soup, bread or sandwiches. Sandwiches tell us about your experience. For example, common vegetable vegetarian pitas (prepared without added butter and eggs) can be spread with low-fat hummus. Complete your spread with hummus pita bread any ingredients that only come to mind: chopped parsley, green onions, grated carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, rice, boiled broccoli, mushrooms, spinach or leaf lettuce. Roll the lavash rolls, cut in half, place on a baking sheet and bake at a temperature of 230 °C until the pita gets crispy. Try it and you will make sure that your dish is simply delicious!
As for dinner, you can prepare healthy salad from a large variety of fresh seasonal vegetables. However, your choices aren’t limited. Baked in the oven or grilled mushrooms with any barbecue sauce or soy sauce with low sodium and a small amount of balsamic vinegar will make a fabulous dish that looks like a juicy piece of meat. You can also use them to make sandwiches, put between two whole wheat buns.
Very delicious dish for dinner is beans and rice. The following ingredients: canned red beans, brown rice, diced tomatoes with juice, frozen corn, thawed in warm water, chopped red, yellow or green pepper, grated carrot, chopped parsley and rucola, soy sauce with low sodium. Cook rice. Heat the beans. Place the chopped vegetables in individual bowls. Place the rice on a plate topped your chosen ingredients, season with soy sauce. The remaining put in a bowl and refrigerate — the next day you can prepare a great salad, just adding a little balsamic vinegar.
Often the most simple food is delicious. You can bake in the oven on a low temperature onions. The longer you bake it, the sweeter it becomes. Eat it just like that or with baked potatoes. Sweet potatoes or yams, — it’s incredibly delicious, hearty and simple to prepare. All you need to do is to put the root vegetables in the oven in advance, as they get ready within the hour. The following simple, tasty, quick and beautiful dish is whole wheat couscous — wheat pasta with mushrooms and frozen peas. Throw the couscous in boiling water for a few seconds, a little warm mushroom pasta sauce and pour it couscous. In the sink defrost peas and put his patterns on top of the seasoned couscous. Dinner’s ready in one minute.
Mostly the food consumed in the diet should be fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes and whole grains. But do not neglect the a variety of foods in packages that will add to your dishes extra flavor and variety to your diet. Most of them absolutely safe to eat, and their taste, few people can remain indifferent. In any case, carefully study the description and composition of the product specified on the packaging.
Even if you are familiar with this product, don’t get too comfortable, even if you find, for example, Breakfast cereals of a particular brand, which contains no fat. By analogy it turns out that the cereals of the same brand is also not supposed to contain it. However, nothing of the sort — they have vegetable oil. Therefore, it is obligatory to read the composition of the product.
If you decide to eat grains, buy only products from whole grains. The choice here is huge: whole wheat, burghul, or it is a suitable (grains of wheat), whole oats, whole rye, barley, buckwheat, whole corn, wild rice, brown rice. There are many variations, however, is often quite a daunting task to determine which whole grains and which do not. Color you here will not help. Whole oats, for example, has a light color, and refined flour can be made intentionally darker molasses.
The only way — to study carefully the product description. Look for the words “100% whole product”. If the packaging says: “several cereals”, “seven-grain”, “100% wheat”, “enriched flour” or “corn meal without the germ”, then you can be sure this product to whole grains is a very remote relation. Rye bread is usually prepared from a mixture of rye and wheat flour, but rarely from bran or whole grains.
Also can be a very daunting task to find whole grain bread that does not contain vegetable oil or high fructose corn syrup. Bread made from sprouted grains can be found on the shelves with the healthy food of almost any stores, conventional supermarkets. It is sold in various forms — ranging from meats (especially good for making toast) and ending with delicious cakes and buns for hamburgers and hot dogs. And again — read the product.
If you eat food of plant origin that do not contain fat, delight yourself with natural taste of whole grains, leafy greens and colorful vegetables, then you don’t need to worry about your weight, and therefore, there is no need to count calories or to perform any other calculations.
After such modification of food and diet almost everyone loses weight. However, if you prefer cereals, starchy vegetables and sweets, the extra pounds can easily make itself felt. If this happens, just limit the consumption of cereals and starch containing vegetables, eat more leafy greens and colorful vegetables, and be careful with sweets.
Remember that exercise does play a significant role. The more you train, the better. So walk, climb stairs — any physical activity has a positive impact on your health. Without ignoring physical activity, you strengthen your immune system, creating additional protection against strokes and heart attacks, osteoporosis, dementia, delay the development of malignant tumors and, of course, maintain a normal weight. When you eat plant foods, whole grains, refuse from any fatty foods, do not ignore the movement, your body will fairly quickly lose the extra pounds, which, as we know, not the best way affect the work of the whole organism and the cardiovascular system in particular.
