Authors Note: If you’re looking for the complete, comprehensive article, you can find it here. This is just the bare-bones recommendations, with no explanations added in!
The Best Dietary Strategies for Preventing and Fighting Heart Disease
- Get plenty of soluble fiber
- Replace saturated fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats
- Get plenty of the preformed, long-chain omega-3s EPA & DHA
- Decrease sodium intake
- Increase potassium, calcium, and magnesium intake
- Get optimal levels of vitamins B6, folate, and B12
- If you eat grains, consume them in as whole a form as possible
- If you drink moderate amounts of alcohol (men: 2 drinks/day; women: 1 drink/day), you don’t need to stop. If you don’t drink, there’s no reason to start
- Taking a CoQ10 supplement may be helpful, especially if you are already on statins
Optimal Foods to Implement These Strategies
You can obtain most of these benefits by increasing your consumption of only a few types of food. Top of the list are:
Veggies and Legumes: Veggies and legumes are high in soluble fiber, potassium, and folate.
Nuts, Seeds, and Healthy Oils: Nuts, seeds, and oils like olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil are great sources of mono- and polyunsaturated fats and are also very low in saturated fat (for the most part).
Fish and Poultry: Fish and poultry contain mostly healthy fats with little saturated fat. Fish, in particular, is a great source of EPA and DHA.
Avoid Junk Food: Junk food is high in sodium, refined carbs, and bad fats. Avoid them and favor healthy, whole foods.
Supplemental Guidelines
These supplements may help when used in the recommended doses:
- 2 – 4 g/day combined EPA/DHA
- 100 – 200 mg/day CoQ10 (300 mg/day if you are on statins)
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