For people who have had a heart attack, proper nutrition is just as important as regular medication. What and how to eat so that the heart gains strength after a heart attack?
Dietfor a person afterheart attackdepends primarily on the stage of treatment and convalescence. And so, in the first 24 hours after the attack, when the patient may feel nauseous and vomit, he usually follows aliquid diet . It is gentle on the digestive system and maintains adequate hydration, which is important for the proper functioning of the heart. In the days following the heart attack, aeasily digestible diet is introduced , which relieves the tired body and provides it with nutrients. Finally, the patient is recommended a low caloriecardiology diet .
Important"Post-infarction" diet , in order not to weaken or overload the heart and the entire circulatory system, it must be adjusted to the degree of physical activity of the patient. The caloric value of meals for people after a heart attack will therefore vary. For the less active it will be 20 kcal per 1 kg of body in one day, for more fit - about 30 kcal. The exception is people withoverweightand patients withobesitywho have had a heart attack. In their case, the daily energy value of meals should be lowered. To what level - the doctor decides about it.
Diet after heart attack - what are its tasks?
Correctly designedcardiological dietfor people after a heart attack is to fulfill two main tasks. Firstly, it is to improve the lipid profile, i.e. lower the level of cholesterol and its LDL and HLD fractions as well as triglycerides (triglycerides). Secondly, the products that the patient consumes after a heart attack are supposed to reduce, and over time remove, atherosclerotic changes in the vessels supplying blood to the heart.
Diet after a heart attack - step by step
Detailed recommendations in the cardiovascular diet differ from one another. When determining the diet, the doctor takes into account not only the condition of the heart and its vessels after the infarction, but also other patient's conditions, e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity. Therefore, if you have a heart attack, consult a dietary clinic regularly to change your diet as your treatment progresses.
There is, however, a set of universal tipsnutritional requirements that every "heart attack" should follow.
1. Don't overeat.Plan 5-6 meals for the day at regular intervals, every 3-4 hours. Meals should be small and their calorific value evenly distributed throughout the day. Avoid additions and snacks between meals. An excessively full stomach will make it difficult for you to breathe and oxygenate your heart properly. It will also force a weak body to work harder to convert food into energy.
2. Forget caffeine.Especially in the first period after a heart attack. Exclude all drinks that raise blood pressure from your diet, such as coffee, black tea, caffeinated and energy sodas, and even caffeinated caramels. If you're after a heart attack, caffeine can put your heart at risk. And if you have not managed to stop yourself from drinking a few "little black men" and notice symptoms such as nervousness, vomiting, tremors, increased heart rate - see a doctor immediately.3. Change your cooking technique.Pans and pans for deep-fat or battered frying and stewing won't be needed anymore. Pull out the cooking pots, steamers and grill pans on top.4. Use s alt only in minimal amounts.The best daily dose of s alt for you is 3.5 grams, i.e. one level teaspoon. How to achieve this result, or better - even lower? Here are some simple ways. Rice, pasta, groats or potatoes, i.e. carbohydrate products, s alt always after cooking with half of the usual portion. They will retain the s alty taste of cooking. Do not add s alt to dishes that are already cooked. Do not use spices and bouillon cubes composed of many ingredients, including s alt. And it's best to replace s alt with aromatic spices such as oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary.
Worth knowingS alted products forbidden to "Zawałowcom":- cold cuts and other smoked meat products, - blue cheese, - ready meals - cold and warm, - fast food dishes - e.g. kebabs, hot dogs, hamburgers, - soy sauce, - s alty and fatty snacks - e.g. crackers, sticks.
5. Cut down on fat.Eat as little as possible with saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids. So avoid fatty meats and cold cuts, such as sausage, ham, bacon, pate and pate, salami and hot dogs. However, you can eat poultry meat and sea fish. The latter contain n-3 PUF fatty acids, which normalize blood pressure. Fat dairy products, such as fatty milk, white and yellow cheeses, are also inadvisable for "Zawałowców"and cream. You will ease your heart by replacing them with milk and low-fat or semi-skimmed cheese, kefir and natural yoghurt.6. Do not overload with sugar.Minimize not only sweets and sweetened drinks, but also fruit, which usually has a lot of sugar in them. If you are after a heart attack, and you are overweight or obese - your daily dose of sugar must not exceed 300 grams. But vegetables in the cardiac diet are not rationed. In the form of salads, you can eat them at will, even with every meal.7. And if you eat carbohydrates …These are those with a low glycemic index, i.e. whole grain and wholemeal bread, rice: Basmati and brown, thick groats (barley - pearl barley, buckwheat) and pasta: wholemeal and buckwheat.
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Author: Time S.A
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Find out moreYou must do itAdd strength to the heart by including ingredients that improve its condition in the diet:- dietary fiber - cleans the arteries of cholesterol deposits, - antioxidants - protect the heart and blood vessels, - potassium and magnesium - they lower blood pressure so that it flows smoothly through the vessels and make the heart beat regularly, - stenols and sterols - reduce blood cholesterol levels.
About the author
Magdalena Gajda A specialist in obesity disease and obesity discrimination of people with diseases. President of the OD-WAGA Foundation of People with Obesity, Social Ombudsman for the Rights of People with Obesity in Poland and a representative of Poland in the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity. By profession - a journalist specializing in he alth issues, as well as a PR, social communication, storytelling and CSR specialist. Privately - obesity since childhood, after bariatric surgery in 2010. Starting weight - 136 kg, current weight - 78 kg.
Important
Poradnikzdrowie.pl supports safe treatment and a dignified life of people suffering from obesity. This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content of people suffering from obesity.
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