 |
| |
| Risk
factors |
Irreversible
factors that can lead
to heart disease: |
| |
 |
getting
older |
|
being
male |
|
genetic/family
history of CVD |
|
Factors
that are potentially reversible
or could be modified: |
|
|
cigarette
smoking |
|
increased
levels of cholesterol,
triglycerides, or
low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) in the blood |
|
being
overweight |
|
waist
circumference (above
81cm/32in for women,
89cm/35in Asian
men and 94cm/37in
European men) |
|
high
blood pressure |
|
being
inactive |
|
diabetes |
|
having
a tendency for blood
clotting |
|
| |
| Dietary
changes |
Making
small changes to your
diet is one of the simplest
and most effective ways
to reduce your risk of
CVD. You can do this by: |
| |
|
Reducing
fat in your diet,
especially saturated
and trans-fats. |
|
Eating
more fruit and vegetables,
wholegrain food
and soluble fibre. |
|
Drinking
alcohol in moderation. |
|
| 1.
Fat |
 |
Reducing
the proportion of fat
in your diet, especially
saturated fat, can help
to reduce blood cholesterol
levels. There's a strong
link between high blood
cholesterol levels and
the risk of heart disease.
For those who don't have
CVD and those not considered
to be at high-risk of
CVD, normal blood cholesterol
levels are below 5mmol/l
(as measured by your GP). |
|
| You should aim to consume
no more than 35 per cent
of your total calories
from fat; less than ten
per cent of all calories
should be from saturated
fat.
Trans-fatty acids are
a particular kind of fat
produced when plant-based
oils are hydrogenated
to produce solid spreads,
such as margarines. They're
often found in confectionery
and processed food like
pastry, biscuits and cakes.
They've been found to
have the same effect on
cholesterol levels as
saturated fat and should
be avoided as much as
possible. Thankfully,
many manufacturers have
now modified processing
techniques to keep these
fats to a minimum. Check
labels for hydrogenated
fats.
When reducing total fat,
it's important not to
cut fat completely from
your diet. It's the old
message of everything
in moderation. In fact,
essential fatty acids
such as omega-3s, which
are found in oily fish,
have been shown to further
reduce the risk of CVD. |
| How
to modify your fat intake: |
|
| |
Certain
plant-derived compounds,
called stanol or sterolesters
and isoflavones, have
been shown to reduce cholesterol
levels. Spreads, yoghurts,
drinks and soya 'dairy
alternatives' are now
available containing these
products. Clinical trials
show that when used regularly,
they can reduce high cholesterol
levels. |
| |
| 2.
Fruit and vegetables |
Fruit
and vegetables are rich
in many essential nutrients
including vitamins C and
E and carotenoids (which
are all antioxidants).
They may help to protect
the heart by limiting
the damaging affects of
cholesterol on body tissues.
Aim for at least five
servings of fruit and
vegetables a day. |
| A
serving of fruit is: |
 |
|
one
piece of medium-sized
fresh fruit, for
example, half a
grapefruit, a slice
of melon, or two
satumas |
|
two
or three small pieces
of fruit, for example,
plums, apricots |
|
one
handful of grapes |
|
one
medium banana |
|
seven
strawberries |
|
three
heaped tablespoons
of fruit (stewed
or tinned in juice) |
|
one
small glass fruit
juice (150ml) |
|
one
heaped tablespoon
of dried fruit,
for example, raisins
or three dried apricots |
|
| A
serving of vegetables is: |
|
three
heaped tablespoons
of cooked vegetables,
for example, carrots,
peas or sweetcorn |
|
one
side salad (the
size of a cereal
bowl) |
|
mato,
or seven cherry
tomatoes |
|
| |
| 3.
Wholegrains |
Studies
of large groups of people
in the US have shown that
diets rich in wholegrain
food can reduce the risk
of CVD by up to 30 per
cent. You can include
wholegrain food in every
meal by choosing wholegrain
breakfast cereals, wholemeal
bread and wholegrain varieties
of pasta and rice. |
| |
| 4.
Soluble fibre |
Soluble
dietary fibre, found in
oats, beans and pulses,
can help to lower cholesterol,
although the effect is
modest. These should be
included as part of an
overall healthy balanced
diet, at least two to
three times each week. |
| |
| 5.
Alcohol |
Consuming
moderate amounts of alcohol
- between one and two
units a day - has been
found to reduce the risk
of CVD. This is because
alcohol affects the amount
of cholesterol in the
bloodstream and makes
it less likely that clots
will form. However, high
intakes of alcohol are
associated with increased
risk. It's also worth
noting that saving up
your weekly units for
a weekend binge doesn't
offer the same benefits. |
| |
| 6.
Soya protein |
A
diet that includes at
least 25g of soya per
day has been associated
with reductions in some
forms of cancer and CVD.
Soya protein is also an
excellent substitute for
meat and is available
in a convenient and tasty
form in many ready-made
meals. Another good source
of soya protein is soya
milk and yoghurt. |
