Some Foods to avoid for Heart Attack

Being conscious of foods to avoid for heart attack will go a long way in preventing further crisis and also reduce various risks in relation to heart attack or myocardial infarction.

In my last post, I made a list of various foods and nutrients that help prevent heart attack but this post is only on foods to avoid for heart attack.

Individuals who are at risk of cardiac arrest, arteriosclerosis or myocardial infarction should avoid these foods so as to maintain good heart condition.

As explained in my last post, heart attack is produced as a result of total obstruction of a coronary artery or one of the branches. The damage is somewhat irreversible which is normally experienced in the heart muscle. The irreversible damage may include tissue death or necrosis in that region of the heart.

Before I list out the foods to avoid for heart attack, it is important to know how the obstruction of the coronary artery is produced. It involves the combination of arteriosclerosis and thrombosis.

Arteriosclerosis has to do with narrowing and hardening of the artery which is always progressive. While thrombosis is the formation of blood clot right in the interior of the narrow artery thereby completely closing the flow of blood.

List of Foods to Avoid for Heart Attack

It is important to know that these foods trigger heart attack or may not be helpful after a heart attack. Therefore, it is recommended that those who have suffered a heart attack shun these foods as well as those at the risk of one.

These foods are:

1. Meat
2. Sausages
3. Ham
4. Butter
5. White sugar
6. Fried Foods
7. Milk
8. Margarine

It is important to reduce the intake of these foods or eliminate them completely.

Meat

The reason why meat is one of the foods to avoid for heart is because regular intake of it increases the risk of heart attack. A study conducted in Finland shows that those who had consumed beef or the likes for about four or five times weekly are at 38% greater risk of dying from heart attack.

A similar study carried out in California shows that consuming beef every day presents three times the risk of myocardial infarction than people who do not add beef to their diet.

Sausages

Sausages are quite high in fat content and at the same time lacking in antioxidant vitamins. As one of the foods to avoid for heart, they should be avoided because they increase the risk of heart attack.

Ham

They seem lean but the intake on the regular raises risk of coronary disease. This is in accordance to a study carried out at the University of Milan in Italy.

Butter

Butter as one the dairy products seems to be the highest in terms of risk of coronary disease. In cases of health conditions near arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction and other related coronary disease, butter should be avoided.

White Sugar

The consumption of white sugar may have nothing to do with coronary disease but risks exist with refined products where white sugar is used in abundance. For example, sweets, pastries, etc.

Fried Foods

Trans fatty acids are formed from oil used in frying and this same oil facilitates arteriosclerosis. The worst is when it is done with butter because it involves saturated fat which is not good to the health of the arteries.

 

Milk

One of the coronary disease risk factors is the frequent consumption of milk. Fat and other nutrients such as proteins and lactose found in milk are totally not good for the heart.

 

 

 

Margarine

There are unsaturated vegetable oil found in margarine but it is important to use margarine prudently or reduce the use or better still avoid it totally.

The reason why it is considered as one of the foods to avoid for heart attack is because it contains trans fatty acid which are quite harmful and also aggravate arteriosclerosis.

Nutrients and substances/Components to avoid

There are food nutrients or food components which are seen as foods to avoid for heart attack. Their intake will put someone who may have suffered a heart attack at risk again.

To prevent further crisis, it is important to take note of these nutrients or foods that contain them in abundance. It is either to reduce their intake or to avoid them completely. They are:

1. Trans fatty acids
2. Cholesterol
3. Saturated fat
4. Dairy Products
5. Alcoholic Beverages
6. Sodium
7. Iron

Trans Fatty Acids

Like saturated acids, they are very harmful. They are readily present in fried foods, vegetable oils and margarine which have been hydrogenated partially, in order to get them semisolid.

They are used in baking industries and this makes the above mentioned substances to contain trans fatty acids. Taking them regularly will only aggravate arteriosclerosis or myocardial infarction.

Cholesterol

There is a greater risk of heart attack when the blood cholesterol level is higher. Saturated fat and cholesterol intake raise blood cholesterol level. They are readily found in animal-based foods such as eggs, fish, milk, meat and shellfish.

Saturated fat

Like cholesterol, they are also found in animal-based such as milk, meat and eggs. Taking them will only increase cholesterol levels, raise the risk of myocardial infarction or arteriosclerosis or foster the progression.

Dairy Products

They should be avoided However, low-fat and unsaturated cottage cheese and nonfat yogurt should be consumed but in a modest manner.

Therefore, as one of the foods to avoid for heart attack, those at risk of coronary disease or individuals who must have suffered a heart attack should stay away from dairy products.

Alcoholic Beverages

Alcohol intake is generally not good for the heart because it is toxic and causes disturbances in the way it functions. Among the foods to avoid for heart attack is alcohol that causes degeneration of the heart muscle.

Taking about more than two glasses of wine on a daily is harmful to the heart.

Sodium

The more we consume salt, the higher the risk of high blood pressure which may lead to coronary disease.

Iron

If heme iron is found in meat in great amounts the higher the risk of heart attack or myocardial infarction. The nonheme iron readily in plant-based foods does not present any risk at all.

Conclusively, a better diet after heart attack is recommended with regards to rehabilitation and also a better option to prevent new crisis. According to heart.org, dwell on foods that are low in trans fat, saturated fat and sodium

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