Don't Say Hi to Heart Attacks | හදවත පරිස්සම් කර ගනිමු

Diet is one of the important risk factors associated with heart attacks. The safest way to prevent heart attacks is to strive for a healthy diet and active lifestyle. This includes the following:

Consuming the so-called heart-safe diet (low in fat, cholesterol and salt; high in fibre)
Item	Description
Red meat (beef, pork, mutton)	Limit to once a week. Remove as much excess fat as possible before cooking
Poultry	Maximum of three times a week
Sausages and luncheon meats	High fat and salt content (provides 25% of daily sodium intake). Use sparingly
Fish (tuna, hurulla, salaya)	Low-fat alternative to meat, rich in omega-3 oils
Shellfish (Shrimp, crab, lobster, cuttle fish, prawns)	High in cholesterol, but low in fat. Can be included in your weekly diet
Butter	Should not be used on a daily basis.
Margarine	Contains saturated and tans fatty acids, both of which have potential to increase blood cholesterol levels. Consumers mistakenly assume margarine is lower in kilocalories than butter. A gram of fat (what ever the source), supplies nine kilocalories of energy. 1. Reduce margarine/butter you use each day 2. Further decrease fat intake by using low fat butter/margarine 3. Use soft spread margarine (contains less saturated and trans fatty acids.
Eggs	Consume no more than four egg yolks/week, including those in pudding and bakery items
Olives and coconut	These are high in fat. Use one coconut for five persons per day.
processed foods	Restrict intake as most processed foods contain significant amounts of fat and sodium
Frying foods	Fry foods infrequently. Stir-fry food in tiny quantities of very hot oil. Invest in non-stick cookware.
Fruits and Vegetables	Increase the consumption of a wide range to boost intake of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), E and C in the diet. These vitamins are heart protective.
Vitamin E	Present in avocado, dark green vegetables, eggs, butter, margarine, cheese, nuts etc..
Vitamin C	Present in citrus fruit and juices, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, bean sprouts, green peppers.
Vitamin A (beta-carotene)	Present in yellow and orange fruit. Green vegetables, carrots, pumpkins, spinach, tomatoes, whole milk and its product
Maintain a healthy body weight
Avoid tobacco (both smoking and chewing)
Participating in regular exercise programme and lead a active life
Reducing stress throughout adulthood is also important to keep your healthy heart

Written by

-Dr. Renuka Jayatissa-