Healthy Food - Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke the Natural Way

Everyone wants a good quality of life. To help achieve this many persons take, on a daily basis, significant amounts of food supplements. Recent studies have shown that too many persons, especially men and women over 50 years of age, are taking too many food supplements. Doctors agree that getting the recommended daily amount of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need from natural foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, is much preferred over taking food supplements or prescribed medicines.

It is never too late to start eating healthy foods that help your body fight serious disease. Replacing expensive supplements with the right natural foods helps your body fight against all types of chronic diseases. Healthy foods will help your body defeat ailments you already suffer from. Even more important, eating correctly may be the determining factor in when or even if you develp a disorder that reduces your quality of life.

In the case of prevention of heart disease and stroke there are certain suppliments that recent stufies have shown are significantly helpful. You should contact your doctor or health provider about those suppliments. In addtion you may utilize healthy foods as additional help to obtain a more natural approach to wellness.

Prevention of Heart Disease and Stroke

A recent Mayo Clinic study in the journal Circulation finds that the dietary supplement L-arginine -- touted by the supplement industry as an enhancer for everything from athletic to sexual performance -- improves chest pain symptoms in patients with early heart disease." You should check with your doctor before adding any supplements to your routine.

Some recommended nutritional efforts to prevent heart disease are as follows.

* Limit saturated fat and trans fatty acids.

Saturated fat and trans fatty acids to less than 10% of total daily calories. If you are already diagnosed with high cholesterol it should be limited to 7%.

8 Limit types of meat consumed

Fish,skinless poultry and plant-based unprocessed foods such as whole grains,fruit,vegetables,legumes and nuts should be the center point and foundation of your nutritional diet. Eat fish at least twice a week.

* Limit Cholesterol

Replace foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol with soy protein ( 25 grams daily ). Choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products and limit cholesterol to 300mg daily ( 200 if you have high cholesterol already).

* Maximise Fiber Intake

Eat at least 20 - 30 grams of fiber daily. Eat at least 400mg of folate daily fromfrom fruits,vegetables and natuarl grains. Only if these are not available in natural products should supplements be used to reach required levels.

* Maintain a desirable weight for your height.

A proper weight is important to prevent metabolic syndrome which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Always consult with your health care provider concerning nutrition, diets, supplements and other treatments suggested by doctors. Rest assured that healthy food is always a part of a good plan to reach and maintain a satisfactory level of heath and good quality of life.