Limit Sodium
The American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium to less than 1,500 mg a day. Sodium is essential in your body helping to transmit nerve impulses, maintain proper fluid balance in your body, and aid in the contraction and relaxation of your muscles, though very little is needed. To put this number in perspective, one tablespoon of salt contains 2,325 mg of sodium. Adding salt to your foods during cooking and eating is not the only consideration because an average of 77 percent of sodium in the American diet is from processed foods. Therefore, limiting processed foods and reading nutrition labels for sodium content are important.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that your body needs. They help your heart health because they contain high amounts of fiber and few calories. You should eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, focusing on fresh produce when possible, or low-sodium canned vegetables and fruits packed in water, not syrup. Fruits and vegetables can help fill you up, making it easier for you to avoid unhealthy high fat foods while also containing substances that might help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Low-Fat Protein
When choosing protein sources, focus on lower-fat options. Switch to low-fat or no-fat dairy products. When eating poultry, opt for skinless white meat. Egg whites and egg substitutes are good options. Limit high-fat marbled cuts of meat. Nuts, seeds, legumes and soy products are all good lower-fat protein sources. Aim to eat two 3.5 oz. servings of fish a week, as its unsaturated fatty acids might lower your cholesterol. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are thought to reduce inflammation in your body, helping to prevent damage to your blood vessels that contributes to heart disease.
Whole Grains
All grains contain a bran, germ and endosperm. When grains are refined, they go through a process of milling that removes the bran and germ. Grains that are left whole provide more fiber and nutrients. This whole fiber helps lower your blood cholesterol and makes you feel full longer, helping you feel satiated, which can aid in managing your weight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that at least half of your grain servings be whole grains.
Limit Unhealthy Fats and Cholesterol
One of the most significant dietary changes you can make to lower your cholesterol, and therefore lower your risk of developing heart disease, is limiting unhealthy fats. Saturated fats increase your total blood cholesterol and your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol -- the "bad" cholesterol. Trans fats increase your LDL cholesterol while decreasing your high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol -- the "good" cholesterol. Most fats that are high in saturated and trans fats are solid at room temperature, such as butter, stick margarine, beef fat and pork fat. Switch to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels, such as olive oil and canola oil.
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