Heart Attack

Lower cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of heart attack with this evidence based diet

Recommended For

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), Cardiac infarction, Coronary spasm, Coronary thrombosis, Heart attack, Myocardial infarction (MI), NSTEMI, Post heart attack, STEMI, Unstable angina.

Diet Goals

Lower sat fats, sugar

  • Restrict foods high in saturated, trans fats; affect cholesterol level most
  • Fiber helps decrease cholesterol; low sodium helps lowers BP
  • Sugar increases triglycerides; increase risk of heart disease
Diet could prevent 70% of heart attacks because the two biggest risk factors are high BP and high cholesterol which are both affected by food.

Food Recommendations

Foods to Eat

Whole grains: Whole wheat bread & pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, brown rice
Lean meats: Chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, shrimp, pork chops
Fish 2 x week: Salmon, bass, cod, crab, scallops, shrimp
Low fat dairy: Skim, 1% milk, yogurt, cheeses, buttermilk
Nuts, Seeds: Chia seeds, flax, pepitas, almonds, walnuts
Fruits, Vegetables: Berries, avocado, leafy greens, carrots

Foods to Avoid

Red meat: Beef, lamb, pork, goat, veal, mutton
High sugar: Fruit yogurt, granola, energy bars; raisins, ketchup, pasta sauce
Saturated fats: Beef, lamb, pork, full fat dairy, butter, pastry, pie, biscuits
Full fat dairy: Whole milk, yogurt, butter, cheese
Fried foods: Pan fried or deep fried in hot oil or butter
Processed foods: Fast or fried foods, packaged foods, frozen dinners, cakes

Diet Rules

Additional Information

Research

Following the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet for 6 weeks led to significant reductions in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, major risk factors for clogging arteries in heart disease.
Studies show lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol can reduce the risk of dying from heart attacks; high levels of HDL (good) cholesterol remove cholesterol and plaque.
TLC linked to weight loss; decreased risk of T2 diabetes and/or coronary heart disease; health risks increase with weight increase.

Caveats

Controllable risk factors for heart attack: High BP, high cholesterol, overweight, inactivity, diabetes, smoking.
Saturated fat increases cholesterol level most; cholesterol from diet has minimal effect on levels.
Losing just 5-10 lbs can lower your cholesterol and triglycerides.
Regular exercise affects cholesterol level and overall heart health; add 30 mins of walking per day.

References

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