Disease of the heart and the blood vessels – called cardiovascular disease – is the leading cause of death worldwide, and second only to HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Improve your awareness about the risk factors that increase your chances of developing heart disease, and follow these 6 simple steps to be in better control of your heart health.
- Know your numbers
The biggest risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and diabetes. Do you know your blood pressure? Is it 113 over 69, or maybe 137 over 84? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out! By knowing these important numbers you have taken your very first step to a healthier heart.
- Move more
Find ways of being active that you enjoy – getting your heart rate up will have the most benefit to your health. Walking the dog, cycling with the family, using the gym and using the stairs all count. The more activity the better, but aim for 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week.
- Breathe easy
We all know that smoking is bad news for heart health. If you are still a smoker this may be the perfect time to reconsider. For the rest of us, we need to demand fresh air and ensure other people don’t smoke around us. Second hand smoking affects 1 in 5 South Africans!
- Ditch the salt shaker
Salt and blood pressure are like an unhappy couple – they bring out the worst in one another! Start by breaking the habit of adding salt at the table. Once you have mastered this, move on to reducing salt whilst cooking. This could be as easy as using only ½ a stock cube instead of 1 and swapping the barbecue spice for Italian herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
- Portion power
We often get tricked (sometimes by ourselves) into eating more than we need to. Plan your meal ahead whether at home or out. Dish away from the table and avoid seconds, or share a main and a dessert with someone else when eating out.
- Mission: Vegetable
Few of us eat enough veggies. Sneaking them into your kids’ meals is the oldest trick in the book, but why not try it on yourself too? They add extra fibre for fullness and more nutrient richness. Add cauliflower and spinach into a chicken curry or raw broccoli and sweetcorn to bulk up a summery salad.
5 of the best heart-friendly foods
Can a bowl of oats help lower your cholesterol? How about a handful of walnuts or an avocado? Here is the low-down on 5 foods that can play an important role – along with exercise and other heart healthy habits – in helping to lower your cholesterol.
- Oats, oat bran and high-fibre foods
It is the soluble fibre which can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the total cholesterol in your blood. Other than using more oats and oat-bran, include other foods rich in soluble fibre, such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, fruit, vegetables and barley.
| Instead of | Rather choose |
| White rice or pasta | Brown or wild rice, barley, bulgur wheat, wholewheat cous-cous or wholewheat pasta |
| Cooked potatoes with the skin removed, or French fries | Cooked potatoes eaten with the skin, baby potatoes or sweet potatoes |
| White bread | 100% wholewheat or seed bread |
| Refined, sugary breakfast cereals | High fibre breakfast cereals, or cereal rich in wholegrains, like bran flakes, oats, or sorghum porridge |
| High energy, low fibre snacks and chips | Homemade popcorn or homemade baked veggie chips |
| Plain maize meal | Samp and beans, or maize meal with cooked lentils stirred into it |
- Fish and Omega-3 fatty acids
Eating more fatty fish is recommended because of their high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can reduce your blood pressure as well as your risk of developing blood clots. Plan at least two servings of this fish a week. The highest levels of Omega-3 fatty acids are in:
- Mackerel
- Lake trout
- Herring
- Pilchards
- Sardines
- Salmon
If you don’t like fish, you can take an Omega-3 or fish oil supplement.
- Walnuts, almonds and other nuts
Walnuts, almonds and other tree nuts can also improve blood cholesterol. Walnuts in particular are rich in certain fatty acids that can keep the blood vessels healthy.
Include a small handful of unsalted, raw nuts into your diet every day, such as almonds, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts to your salad rather than adding cheese or croutons or use ground almonds in your breakfast smoothie. Take care not to have too much, however, as nuts are energy-dense and can contribute to weight-gain.
- Monounsaturated fats, including avocados and olive oil
Avocados, avocado oil, olives, olive oil and canola oil are a wonderful source of a variety of heart healthy nutrients, especially monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).
Add slices of avocado to salads and sandwiches, try mashing it and having it on toasted seed loaf or use the guacamole as a delicious dip for vegetable crudités. Use olive or avocado oil, including the flavoured varieties, as a delicious dip for bread or mix it with vinegar for a heart healthy salad dressing.
Be careful, however, as both avocados and olive oil are high in calories, so cut down on your use of all other fats, to allow for these extra calories.
- Foods with added plant sterols
Plant sterols – substances found in plants – actively remove cholesterol from the body by partly blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. Consuming 2-2.5g of plant sterols daily can lower cholesterol by up to 15% in 3 weeks, when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle. In South Africa, Flora pro-activ contains these plant sterols, and using 25g (5 level teaspoons) of this spread daily will provide you with an optimum amount of the plant sterols.
For further information, please contact the Pick n Pay Health Hotline registered dietitian on 0800 11 22 88 or healthhotline@pnp.co.za. To find a registered dietitian in your area, visit the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) website at www.adsa.org.za.
