fitFlex Foods & Nutrition: Eating your Way to a Healthy Heart

A good diet is the key to a healthy heart and a strong immune system. Eating the right foods can also cut your risk of some forms of cancer by as much as 50 percent. Some foods help to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, while some protect against arthritis, asthma, depression and osteoporosis. Here are a few ways you can help your heart through nutrition:

FISH

Two servings of fish a week can significantly reduce your risk of heart attack by lowering both your blood pressure and the levels of blood-clotting substances in your body In a study of healthy men who added daily doses of fish oils, or omega-3 fatty acids, to their diets, fatty acid levels dropped by 22 percent. Eating fish has also been shown to lower blood pressure, and it may help prevent colon and breast cancers, relieve arthritis pain and relieve the symptoms of respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and emphysema. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are tuna, sardines, mackerel, herring and salmon.

WINE

Red wine contains an ingredient that may break up artery-clogging low-density-lipoprotein (LDL.) cholesterol, in addition to boosting high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the cholesterol that removes LDL from the bloodstream. Scientists monitored 89,000 female nurses of all ages and found that those who had between three and nine drinks a week were 40 percent less likely to have heart attacks than women who didn't drink at all. Alcohol seems to protect the heart by boosting HDL levels.

It also raises the level of a substance called plasminogen activator, which prevents the type of blood clots that can lead to a heart attack, and there's evidence that a drink or two a day can improve your memory reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

APPLES

They're loaded with pectin, a water-soluble fiber that can help lower LDL levels. In a group of healthy people who added two to three apples a day to their diet, four out of five saw their LUL levels drop. Pectin also helps lower the risk of colon cancer.

CARROT

One of the richest sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene, carrots contain soluble fiber as well. Research has shown that the higher the level of beta-carotene in the blood, the less likely men are to have heart attacks, and it may also protect against strokes. While protecting the cells from damage, antioxidants reduce the risk of lung tumors and other cancers.

BEANS

They're loaded with fiber and can reduce cholesterol levels. Regular servings of kidney beans, limas, pintos, lentils, peas, etc., can improve the ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol by as much as 17 percent, and they're a good source of zinc, iron and magnesium.

CELERY

As it's mostly water, celery is not only a great low-calorie snack, hut it also contains 3-n-butyl phthalide, which may help to keep your blood pressure in check. It works by lowering the blood's concentration of stress hormones that cause the blood vessels to constrict. By eating just four stalks a day, you can lower your cholesterol levels by as much as 14 percent. In addition, celery contains a group of anticancer compounds that can defuse carcinogens, and a diet that includes raw celery may protect you from stomach cancer.

SUPPLEMENTS

They can be an excellent source of healthy-heart-promoting substances. Be sure to browse the fitFLEX supplements!

WORKOUTS

Regular exercise is another way you can help your heart. Be sure to browse weight training guides & routines at fitFLEX!