What One Must Not Eat After a Heart Attack?

A Heart Attack occurs when the blood flow to the heart gets blocked. On average, someone or the other suffers from a heart attack every 40 seconds. We all usually tend to take good care of our health and always wish for a long, healthy, and happy life for ourselves as well as our loved ones. God forbid if there comes a time when you face a heart attack, it is as if you have lost everything.

You rush to seek every piece of advice, and no doubt you will find doctors, nutritionists, and of course, well-wishers who line up a list of suggestions. Be it rest, exercise, or a healthy food/diet plan, you find suggestions from everyone to save a life. Though the most important of all is that one should be aware of what not to do or not to eat at all after a heart attack. You are lucky that you got saved after the first attack. But now, you need to be more careful.

To make it easier for you, here we’ll discuss what not to eat after a heart attack. So, without wasting time, let’s get started:

Avoid Eating Fried stuff

One of the major causes of heart attack or stroke is high blood cholesterol or plaque build-up in the arteries. Thus, it is best to avoid foods that are fried, especially in restaurants where the cooking medium might contain saturated fats is essential. We recommend trying to opt for healthier fats like olive, vegetable as well as nut oils in case of immense craving. Also, make sure that you consume it just once in a while and preferably cooked at home.

Make Less Use of Processed meats like hot dogs, sausages, etc.

Apart from cholesterol and plaque build-up in arteries, another risk factor for the heart is high blood pressure. Foods like hot dogs, sausages, or all other processed meats are packed with sodium and nitrates that tend to raise blood pressure. What’s most risky is that you’re unaware of the blood pressure issue as it has no specific symptoms and is not monitored regularly. You can also try online naturopathic consultation services and get expert advice on how to control blood pressure and maintain a healthy diet

Salted snacks, especially nuts                  

When nuts seem to be a healthy option for the patient, the salt content in their nutty diet might unknowingly turn out to be a risk factor. Thus, it’s advisable that one must choose unsalted nuts. Also, opt for low sodium snacks to avoid unwanted salt slipping into their diet.

Sugary treats

Never bank upon sugary bakings because they’ll contain saturated fats unhealthy from the cholesterol point of view. The white flour might spike blood sugar and make you feel hungrier. Besides, they are linked to high triglyceride levels unhealthy for the heart. Furthermore, refined sugar will be harmful to blood sugar levels. To add more to the harm, processed sweets might contain sodium that is least expected in a sweet sugary snack.

French fries and potato chips

Though the french fries are so tempting that you don’t feel like stopping once you put your hands to it, what’s important is that they are really unhealthy for the heart firstly because they are deep-fried and contain lots of fat next because they are loaded with salt especially when you get them from the fast-food centers/restaurants. The same goes for potato chips. They, too, are wrapped in salt and loaded with saturated fats. As a result, they too contribute to obesity and are a risk to the heart.

Canned soup

Soup is a healthy option for the heart and the easiest way of getting more vegetables, protein, and fiber. However, it can prove to be unhealthy if you do not pay heed to the amount of salt you add or if you prepare it by adding plenty of creams. Many times, unknowingly or just to make the task easy, people opt for canned soups and bear the consequences. Often canned soups contain plenty of sodium, a great cause for high blood pressure. Furthermore, cream-based soups have unhealthy saturated fats.

White rice, bread, and pasta

Bread, white rice, and pasta are prepared with white flour. They do not contain healthy fiber, minerals, or vitamins and no doubt, quickly get converted to sugar. As a result, it leads to the accumulation of fat and the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease as well.

Condiments and cream sauces

Many times, people go in for condiments such as sauces and salad dressings to add taste/flavor to the food. However, this might be unhealthy because of the sugar and fats that they contain. Furthermore, the cream sauces usually contain solid fats that might include saturated and trans fats as well as high-fat dairy products.

Ranch dressing

Anything prepared with buttermilk, salt, and sugar, this popular dressing is full of fat, sodium, and lots of calories. Well, we’re all aware that all these things aren’t heart-friendly. Instead, they are a threat to it.

Milk chocolate

Rich in sugar and fat solids, milk chocolates are unhealthier than dark chocolates. So avoid milk chocolates. However, dark chocolates that are loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids are a far better option as they tend to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.

Ice-cream

As the saying goes, ‘I scream, ‘You scream’, ‘We all scream Ice-cream’…It’s very obvious that it is tempting and no wonder the favorite of all from children to youngsters as well as the elderly. However, we’re all aware that it is high in sugar calories and saturated fats. No doubt it’s gonna lead to weight gain and might also drive up the triglycerides leading to a heart attack. Thus, it’s advisable to always save it for a special treat.

Butter

Being high in saturated fat, butter is not good for heart patients as it might tend to raise bad cholesterol and raise the risk factor.

Flavored/Full fat yogurt

Despite being a healthy source of nutrition, yogurt can be harmful if not chosen correctly. Flavored yogurt is full of added sugar and might link to several unhealthy issues. Moreover, it might be risky to go in for full-fat yogurt.

Red meat

Though red meat is considered heart-friendly by many some experts contradict this. They support their views by highlighting that red meat is loaded with extra fat and can be risky for the heart by boosting cholesterol. No doubt, you need to be cautious while making a decision.

Fried chicken

Baked chicken breast in whole wheat flour is considered heart-friendly. Though, people rush in for deep-fried chicken that only adds up fat, sodium, and lots of calories. No doubt they end up with issues, such as high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and finally the risk of heart disease.

Soda

Soda can be a great risk as it contains lots of added sugar. Besides, those who drink soda turn out to be obese and at risk of having type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure as well.

Alcohol

Alcohol might raise blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels, thus creating a risk for the heart. Moreover, excess intake of alcohol can mislead you from making the right choice of food good for the heart.

Conclusion

If your heart stops receiving the blood, the heart can’t get oxygen. As a result, the patient’s condition might start deteriorating, and the heart muscles will begin to die. If you have suffered from a heart attack in the past, we recommend making changes to your diet plan. Some foods and ingredients must not eat after suffering from a heart attack.

To sum up, let’s go by the doctors’ advice who suggest that it’s better to avoid any food that has the words trans, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated on the label as all these terms indicate bad fat.

Furthermore, cut down on excess sugar, salts, and refined carbs as well. Follow the above list to get a clear understanding of what not to eat. You are lucky to get another chance. Make the most of it and live life to the fullest but keep health as a priority. For more tips and advice, subscribe to our newsletter.