The cardiovascular system is the chief system that our whole body depends on to function properly, without a healthy cardiovascular system all body parts become affected and don’t function as intended; since it is responsible mainly for supplying all body parts with blood that carries oxygen and nutrients and it takes back the deoxygenated blood from the tissues to replace it with fresh oxygenated blood from the lungs and this cycle goes on throughout our life every minute with every heartbeat so if you want to have a healthy body you should start from having healthy heart and vessels.
the burden of cardiovascular diseases:
Unfortunately, the leading cause of death worldwide for the past 20 years has been heart disease and the number of people having heart conditions increases each year more than the previous year. The world health organisation estimated that 17.9 million people died from cardiovascular disease in the year 2019 which represents 32% of global deaths, in the US for instance 1 in 4 deaths are attributable to heart disease which means it is responsible for a huge loss in human and economic resources.
Cardiovascular diseases are a group of pathologies that include: coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or stroke, peripheral vascular disease, congenital heart diseases, and rheumatic heart diseases. most of the morbidities and mortalities are attributable to stroke and heart attacks mainly since they are acute emergencies that require urgent attention to be able to diagnose and treat them effectively, they are mostly due to sudden blockages of blood vessel that prevents blood from flowing to your heart or your brain .
Food ingredients that promote heart health:
1. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel are all outstanding sources of healthy fats that protect your heart and vessels and promise you longevity, they are packed with omega 3 fatty acids that have been researched for years and have shown great results in protecting your heart through multiple actions:
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- They control your lipid profile by decreasing the harmful types of fats that promote atherosclerosis like triglycerides and LDL cholesterol
- They promote the production of healthy fats like HDL cholesterol
- They lower your blood pressure and enhance blood flow through the arteries by decreasing the resistance and lowering the rate of blood clotting saving you from nasty diseases like deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms
- They control your heartbeats and make them more regular and lower the risk of developing heart failure and strokes
Fatty fish is packed with vitamin D that helps elevate your mood, protect your bones, and play a major role in having a better sleep quality and a stronger immune system, and since it is one of the most deficient vitamins nowadays because we don’t get enough sun exposure it is extremely vital to consume more of it.
The American heart association recommends that people consume fatty fish at least two times every week to have better overall health and if you follow a diet like the Mediterranean diet fatty fish will be your best friend, there are plenty of ways to prepare fish you can marinate and grill them slowly to give them a smokey taste, you can batter and pan-fry them in some olive oil
You can poach or steam salmon or bake them in the oven with some colorful vegetables as a side dish, and one of the most popular methods in cooking nowadays is sous vide you can cook them in a water bath under controlled temperatures for long periods of time and that results in an evenly cooked salmon and it is thought that this method makes it retain more omega 3 fatty acids better than the other high heat methods, whichever method you choose fish is always tasty and nutritious
2. Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula are the epitome of health they even make you feel healthy, when you eat them you feel as if you’re eating something good for your body, they are indeed full of nutritious contents they are high on vitamins most importantly for blood health is vitamin k that is essential for your blood clotting cascade that prevents severe hemorrhage in case of trauma.
They have been shown to lower the risk of atherosclerosis through their very low-fat content which means you can load up on them and not fear consuming too many calories.
Leafy greens also supply the body with nitric oxide which is one of the main vasodilators in the body it helps widen your blood vessels and increase blood flow through them which is one of the main methods of lowering blood pressure and preventing hypertension
Another very important mineral they supply our bodies with is folate that is important for red blood cell formation and preventing the development of some types of anemia and heart diseases.
One of the best qualities of greens is the high fiber content in them that keeps your cholesterol levels under control and saves you from developing atherosclerosis, they contain potassium which is a major contributing factor to lowering blood pressure along with tons of antioxidants that protect your body from the free radical damage that makes your vessels age faster and lowers your immunity.
Leafy greens are easy to handle you can mix them up in beautiful fresh salads, you can add them to other healthy fruits and veggies in making nutritious green smoothies in the morning to start the day with a proper cleanse, or you can chop them up and add them to any sandwich you are making to not only give it crunch and color but health benefits as well.
3. Berries
Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries are all different types of berries that taste from sweet to sour, they come in different colors with different types of antioxidants in them with each color they are great fruit choices to consider when changing your diet into a more heart-healthy one since research shows that berries are wonderful in lowering many of the high-risk factors for developing heart disease, they have been shown to lower your LDL cholesterol levels which is one of the main factors for getting atherosclerotic plaques in your blood vessel walls.
Berries with their exquisite content of antioxidants especially anthocyanins that protect your body from reactive oxygen species damage on the cells and lowers the rate of inflammation in the body that has been shown to contribute to heart disease through damaging the endothelial lining of your blood vessels.
They reduce your blood sugar level and help you control insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity, berries also being high on fiber not only do they control glucose and cholesterol levels in the blood but also lower your caloric intake making it easier for you to lose weight and avoid obesity which is another major risk factor for the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome
Berries with their wide variety of colors and tastes make great snacks on their own that will make you feel full and satisfied, they are also wonderful additions to yogurt, oatmeal, and granola bars if you’re trying to have a light snack with many contrasting tastes that complement each other, they add beautiful tartness to desserts that take the density off of them and make them more pleasing to eat.
4. Avocados
Avocados are ones of the best fruits around in the world that gained a lot of popularity in recent years for the extensive health benefits and wonderful taste they were originally eaten in Mexico and the US but now people have them all over the world, avocados are ones of the rare types of fruits with low glycemic index and higher fat content and that’s the thing that makes them unique .
Avocados are full of omega 3 fatty acids that are known for lowering your LDL cholesterol levels and increasing HDL cholesterol levels by that they lower the risk of developing atherosclerosis and the build-up of plaques that cause arterial narrowing and comprised blood supply to your tissues.
Avocados are also very high in potassium and magnesium which are essential for controlling blood pressure levels along with the high concentration of vitamin c and the antioxidant carotenoids they are sure to lower the level of oxidative damage in your vessels and help increase the production of collagen and elastin which are the main constituents of the blood vessel wall that help keep it stronger and more pliable.
Avocados are high in fiber and healthy fats these two reasons are why avocados are perfect for weight loss since they promote satiety and make you feel full for longer periods of time.
So with all these benefits combined like lowering blood pressure, lowering LDL cholesterol, and fighting obesity, and chronic inflammation avocados basically tackle the main risk factors that are to blame for the development of cardiovascular diseases, all that while tasting delicious at the same time so make sure to add more avocados to your diet
Avocados are great on their own with a drizzle of honey on top, stack them on a piece of warm toast in the morning, or add them to a plain cup of greek yogurt for a healthy snack, they are of course fantastic in guacamole dip next to almost any dish you make, they are also marvelous in making smoothies since they add creaminess and don’t affect the taste drastically
5. Walnuts
Walnuts are superior to other types of nuts for their cardioprotective and neuroprotective properties they are extremely high on antioxidants and polyphenols like ellagitannins which are needed to prevent the oxidative damage that comes with the high levels of LDL cholesterol in the food we eat, by that it helps protect our blood vessels from the harmful effects of the built-up fat that makes the blood flow through your arteries sluggish and less efficient, they are as well great sources of omega 3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid ALA a great type of unsaturated fat that has been studied for ages and is known to lower the risk of developing heart diseases.
Walnuts are also very high on magnesium and the amino acid arginine which are very beneficial for their anti-inflammatory actions and for lowering blood pressure levels, walnuts are also fantastic for controlling blood sugar and insulin levels and are known for making you feel full with their high caloric content and these two reasons are why it helps people with type 2 diabetes control their disease better and lose weight more easily.
Walnuts are stable food ingredients in all good diets especially the Mediterranean diet since they know the substantial benefits walnuts have in them, they can be easily incorporated into your diet by having them with a mix of different types of nuts as a healthy, toasty, satisfying, between-meal snack, or you can just chop them and add them to yogurt or oatmeal or granola bars, or on top of your salads to add a contrasting crunchy texture they are also fabulous in packed goods since they add an earthy deep taste to whatever it is you are baking.
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate made from 70% or higher cocoa content is one of the healthiest food ingredients in the world, that you should use to replace other sweet foods, when you are in the food aisle make sure to pick dark over milk chocolate every time and the darker it is the less sugar content they have and the healthier they get.
Dark chocolate is very high in antioxidants like polyphenols, flavonols, catechins even more than some types of fruits, these antioxidants have a great capacity for lowering the free radical damage and help rejuvenate your cells including the endothelial lining of your blood vessels, and these flavonols are known for stimulating the production of nitric oxide a natural compound that helps your blood vessels widen and relax to decrease the resistance to blood flow and lower your blood pressure
The compounds in dark chocolate also make it highly protective against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which lowers dramatically the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases since it hinders the build-up of calcified atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of your arteries and makes them elastic and healthy for longer, dark chocolate also has some positive impact on reducing insulin resistance which is a well-known risk factor for developing metabolic syndrome that includes heart problems as well.
Picking the right type of dark chocolate and consuming it in moderation is the right way to get all the health benefits, you can make it a snack and have a square or two after your meals with a cup of coffee, or bake wonderful cakes and cookies with dark chocolate to balance the sweetness, and of course, on a cold winter day, a cup of hot cocoa with some dark chocolate and a couple of marshmallows on top will make you feel warm and relaxed.
Risk Factors for Developing Cardiovascular Diseases:
There are many risk factor associated with heart conditions that can be easily modified to have a healthy cardiovascular system and an overall better quality of life some of these behavioural modifiable risk factor are:
1) Obesity and unhealthy diet
An unhealthy diet is one of the main causes of heart diseases since it leads to the development of the main factors that decrease the efficacy of the heart and vessels like raised blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia, raised blood glucose levels that eventually end up in making you overweight and obese with the accompanying comorbidities like the development of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
The main things you have to consider changing in your diet to make it a bit nutritious and more heart healthy are:
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- Lowering your daily salt intake since it leads to the development of hypertension and renal diseases that end up affecting your heart and vessels
- You should also try to stop adding too much sugar to your food since it increases the rate of body inflammation and leads to type 2 diabetes
- You should also choose the right types of fat to add to your diet always go for unsaturated fatty acids like olive oil and omega 3 fatty acids to help you avoid the harmful effects that come with dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis
- You should make sure to have plenty of vegetables and fruits to load up on minerals, vitamins, and fiber that are essential for body health and particularly heart health.
2) Physical inactivity
Nowadays we lead a sedentary lifestyle with the current pandemic and the need for social distancing, it has put us in a situation where we have to stay more indoors and go out less often that is why a lot of people die from heart diseases attributable to inactivity, it is important for the body to be active so as to get our heart pumping blood and avoiding fat storage around our internal organs.
That is why it is extremely beneficial to have a weekly exercise routine at least 3 times a week of any type of physical activity you find suitable for your body and to your lifestyle and try to stick to it as much as you can and encourage your friends to join you to motivate each other to keep up working out, and if you work online from home make sure to avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time and get up every hour or so to stretch your body for 10 mins and get back to work feeling better and more focused.
3) Tobacco smoking
Cigarettes are full of carcinogenic materials and harmful toxins that have been shown to harm your whole body and more importantly your blood vessels it makes them lose their elasticity and become stiffer which helps in the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessel wall and promotes various inflammatory mediators to act on the endothelial lining of these vessels, many people even in very young ages suffer from vascular diseases that are hard to treat and that reduce their quality of life immensely.
4) Excessive alcohol intake
Alcohol is bad for your health if consumed in large amounts since it promotes obesity, fatty liver disease, some types of cancer, and it has been linked to depression and mental disorders like alcohol dependence so consuming alcohol in moderation and not exceeding the recommended weekly intake is the best way to get some of its benefits without all of its harmful effects.
5) Family history of heart diseases
If you have a first-degree relative that suffers from cardiovascular diseases you are more likely to develop them yourself even at younger ages unless you take care of your health from early on and adopt healthy life changes that can help you reduce this risk.
6) Age and gender
Cardiovascular diseases are more common in old people since they have less elastic arteries and higher lipid content in their blood which makes it easier to develop atherosclerosis and hypertension with the resultant coronary artery disease and males are more likely to develop heart disease than females since they are more prone to the accumulation of visceral abdominal fat which promotes heart disease substantially.