Today, the primary cause of death in our country, as in the whole world, is cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases are a health problem that can be prevented with lifestyle changes and a healthy diet, and can be improved with medical nutrition therapy and changes in life style even after they occur.
In the middle of the most important causes of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased LDL-Cholesterol (bad cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein) and triglyceride (TG) levels in the blood, low HDL-Cholesterol (good cholesterol, High-density lipoprotein) levels, smoking, diabetes (diabetes) and obesity
Presumably, it is useful to allocate a little more space to “Cholesterol”, a concept that we do not know much about but have heard a lot;
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like element found in all our cells and taken from food. While most of the cholesterol is produced in the body, some of it comes from foods of animal origin along with the diet. In order for cholesterol to be dissolved and transported in the blood, it combines with lipoproteins in our liver and is transported in this form as a package. The one that carries this cholesterol to the tissues is called LDL-Cholesterol, and the one that carries it from the tissues to the blood is called HDL Cholesterol. High LDL-Cholesterol levels, if any, can be combined with factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption in the long term and accumulate in worn vessels and cause narrowing and blockages in the vessels.
So why does blood cholesterol rise? Factors such as heredity, dietary habits and food types, stress and obesity are in the middle of the causes. In cholesterol-sensitive individuals, a diet high in animal foods significantly raises total cholesterol and LDL, while dietary total fat again makes a valuable contribution to this increase. It is possible to list the preventive and beautifying factors as follows:
1. Reduce the amount of fat in your diet
Instead of frying in oil, choose ways such as grilling and boiling. Prefer foods containing saturated fat (meat, milk, cream, cream, etc.) to foods containing unsaturated fat (olive oil, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.) This will both reduce cholesterol intake and create a low-fat diet.
2. Increase your pulp consumption.
There is an opposite ratio in terms of heart disease risk with a diet containing high fiber (fiber). Definitely include legumes, fruits and vegetables, and whole grain products (wholegrain bread, pasta, whole wheat rice, bulgur, etc.) on your table. Do not peel the skin of fruits that are eaten with the skin.
3. Increase your physical activity.
Physical activity helps to provide calorie stability and therefore weight control by increasing the energy spent. It also affects the heart health positively by increasing the HDL-Cholesterol level at the same time.
4. Take blood pressure under control.
If you have high blood pressure, it is very valuable to stay away from salt and salty foods and increase the consumption of vegetables and fruits, which provide a strong nutritional system with potassium, to ensure blood pressure stability.
5. Maintain your weight control.
High body weights have always been a valuable risk factor for chronic diseases. If your body weight is high, seek help from a dietitian and increase your physical activity. In this way, both burn your fat and protect your heart.
In addition to these, of course, let’s not forget that smoking and alcohol consumption are also big risk factors. Let’s review our wrong habits and shortcomings, without forgetting that a proper eating habit can only be a pillar of a good and healthy life style. With pleasure.
