Best Foods for Your Heart

I've managed full-service as well as fast food restaurants most of my adult life. Back when I was working, I really didn't have time to eat a healthy diet. If I was at work I ate whatever was leftover and free. During my time off it usually turned out to be more fast food. To make it worse, I had diabetes on top of it so I really should have eaten a more healthy diet.

For about the last seven years I have eliminated all fast food and junk food from my diet. No more greasy hamburgers, cupcakes, candy bars, and soda. Now I more or less follow author Michael Pollen's advice: eat a balanced diet of real food, mostly vegetables, smaller portions with a small amount of meat and dairy.

Pollen also says that if your "great, great grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it." That means processed foods where you need a PhD in chemistry to be able to understand the ingredient label.

He also advocates buying food from local farmer's markets, food that doesn't have to be shipped in from all around the country and sometimes the world. Even raw fruit and vegetables that come that far have to be processed with chemicals to remain edible.

Since I have been eating my new diet I have lost weight, my blood pressure has improved, my cholesterol is normal, and I feel better. It's amazing to me that diet is probably the single most important thing that affects your health and doctors get very little training in that area when they go to medical school.

So, what specifically can you eat that will keep you healthy, especially your heart? According to WebMD, here are some of the foods that will keep your heart healthy:

Fresh herbs can make foods healthier when you use them instead of salt and butter. Every summer I have some fresh herbs growing out on my deck in the back of the house. I also grow peppers as well. It saves me money and the fresh ones taste better.

Black beans are really heart healthy. They have folate, antioxidants, and magnesium to lower blood pressure and fiber to lower your cholesterol. Watch for the ones you get in restaurants though as they are usually loaded with sodium. If you prepare canned ones at home, be sure to rinse well to remove the added sodium. Try adding peppers and cilantro instead of salt.

Oily fish like salmon can help reduce heart rhythm problems and lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association says two servings a week. Cook them either in the oven or on the grill wrapped in foil with an assortment of herbs and vegetables.

I use a lot of extra virgin olive oil. I use it instead of butter or other cooking oils. Try it on popcorn instead of butter for a healthy snack. Cannola oil is good as well. Be sure to get the extra virgin cold pressed variety and use it within six months after opening. Olive oil is super rich in antioxidants that protect the heart.

Eat a handful of nuts every day. Nuts have antioxidants and phyto-chemicals that help keep the brain and the heart healthy. Some are high in calories so try not to finish off a bag in one setting.

If you are a diabetic, then try substituting sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. They are much lower on the glycemic index.

Other heart healthy foods include: oranges, carrots, chard, flaxseed, coffee (by reducing incidence of diabetes), cayenne pepper, cherries, blueberries, tofu and pomegranate juice.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ss/slideshow-foods-to-save-your-heart