Suggested Diet plan for heart and blood vessels disorders.  

Make sure to avoid any ingredient you are allergic or sensitive to – discussed in this video!

Also speak to your doctor before making any changes in your treatment plan!

• Drink more room temperature water: at least 6 to 8 glasses a day.
• Eat more dried and fresh fruits such as plums, kiwi, and grapes etc.
• Select dairy products that are skim or low-fat.
• Enjoying a bowl of oatmeal is an easy yet effective way to reduce your cholesterol levels.
• Soy Protein – modestly lowers total cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Take plant based high fibre diet such as whole grains, lentils, legumes, bran, oats, raw green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, potatoes, salads and lettuce.
• Eating more vegetables is linked to lower bad cholesterol levels.
• Include more beets, eggplant, onions, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, red peppers, cruciferous veggies and root vegetables.
• Okra – high in fibre, potassium and antioxidants that can help promote better heart health and blood sugar levels.
• Nuts & seeds – rich in fibre and healthy fats, an excellent dietary addition.
• Increase foods that contain poly unsaturated fas such as flaxseed, linseed, safflower, sesame, mustard and olive oil.
• Avocados and Persimmons are high in fibre, minerals etc
• Eat more Spinach, sprouted vegetables, mung beans, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, carrots and apricots etc.
• Oedema i.e., water retention, leg cramps are signs of deficiencies in electrolytes like potassium and magnesium.
• Eat foods that are rich in magnesium and potassium.
• Consume Sea plants, nuts, green leafy vegetables, whole, peas, lotus stem, pulses, legumes, seeds and fruits.
• Eat a low-salt diet: Excess sodium leads to dehydration and water retention, the fluid may accumulate in the legs, causing swelling.
• The swelling puts extra pressure on the veins and increases the risk of varicose veins.
• Natural diuretics — help increase urination and reduce water retention.
• Consume herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, fennel, dandelion, cucumber, asparagus and celery.
• Dried apricots, sweet potatoes, blackcurrants, celery, green leafy vegetables, kale, parsley, artichokes, pulses, salmon and tuna are all high in potassium required for proper nerve and muscle functioning, heart rhythm, and regulating fluid levels – to regulate blood pressure.
• Coconut water, being rich in water, potassium, magnesium and vit C can help decrease systolic blood pressure.
• Bananas are a rich source of potassium, which lessens effects of sodium.
• Increase calcium intake: fat free Milk, nuts and sea food, whole grains, peas, lotus stem, pulses, legumes and oil seeds. Custard apple and banana are high in calcium.
• Oily fish like Salmon – packed with beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, can help decrease cholesterol levels and relieve inflammation to enhance heart health and discourage blood clotting.
• Wild-caught fish and seafood like mackerel, sardines and tuna provide omega 3 fatty acids are important for proper blood flow.
• Extra virgin Olive Oil – Loaded with heart-healthy unsaturated fats to drop bad cholesterol.
• Remember vegetable oils like safflower, cotton seed and mustard oil, etc do not contain bad cholesterol.
• Also consider cooking in canola, coconut, instead of butter or hydrogenated oils and margarine.
• Various spices are very beneficial for lowering cholesterol, including cinnamon, turmeric, fennel, oregano, black pepper, basil and tarragon.
• Cinnamon improves total, LDL also triglyceride levels, without worsening HDL specially in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Eat 2 fresh cucumbers every day for 2 weeks, or until blood pressure improves.
• Cucumber is a natural diuretic; it will help hydrate your body and lower blood pressure.
• Sunflower seeds, almonds, cashew nuts and wheatgerm are rich in vitamin E that has blood thinning effect.
• Fenugreek seeds are fantastic to help manage high blood sugar and cholesterol without any nasty side effects.
• Eating 3 apples a day for 3 months can lower your cholesterol dramatically.
• Celery Juice Helps relax the muscles in and around arterial walls, creating more space and allowing the blood to flow in without difficulty.
• It helps reduce stress hormones that constrict blood vessels, which contributes to hypertension.
• Drink a glass of fresh celery juice 3 times a day for few weeks or until blood pressure is back to normal.
• Garlic – Well-known for its health promoting properties, including blood pressure lowering effect.
• Both raw and cooked help control hypertension and reduce cholesterol levels.
• Consume garlic regularly for at least two months can lower cholesterol levels.
• Watermelon Seeds help widen the blood capillaries and can help lower blood pressure due to their vasodilatory effect.
• They also help improve kidney functioning. This in turn reduces blood pressure levels.
• Grind equal quantities of dried watermelon seeds and poppy seeds.
• Take one teaspoon in the morning on empty stomach and again one in the evening.
• Antioxidant foods — e.g. flavonoids (in dark berries), vitamin C and vitamin E (green veggies and citrus fruits), help strengthen veins, fight inflammation and improve arterial health, maintains the elasticity and integrity of the artery walls.
• Lemons – Helps keep blood vessels soft and flexible by removing rigidity.
• They help lower your chances of heart failure, due to vitamin C content.
• Drink a cup of warm water with some lemon juice each morning on an empty stomach will lower cholesterol and bring down your weight as well.
• Fresh orange Juice can also be a great help in reducing blood cholesterol as it is rich in vitamin C, folate, and flavonoids.
• Alternatively, Eat homemade orange marmalade.
• Apple cider vinegar — improves circulation in veins and is an effective anti-inflammatory.
• Topical application of ACV can help prevent varicose veins.
• Gently massage the undiluted ACV over the varicose veins at morning and night for maximum healing effects.
• Onions, chilli, ginger, pineapple, hawthorn and hibiscus teas discourage blood clotting and dilate the blood vessels, thus aiding good circulation.

Delicious Bonus Remedy:

• Herbal Sauce (chutney) for hypertension.
• Blend a tasty sauce made of: Coriander, Ginger, Pomegranate & Lemon
• Mix well and take it with or after your meals.

• In nutshell Top cholesterol lowering foods are:
• Carrots, Beans, Walnuts, Salmon, Tomatoes , Spinach, Garlic, Bananas, Oats, Pomegranate, Okras, Blueberries, Coriander, Onions, Indian Gooseberry, Eggplant, Strawberries Chia, Flax and Sesame Seeds

What to avoid in cardiovascular disorders?

• A poor diet — high in trans fats, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods — can contribute to arterial damage, low circulation, blood pressure problems, hormonal imbalances and weight gain and contain toxins that can worsen swelling in veins.
• Avoid smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, as it can lead to hardening of the arteries.
• Avoid fat-rich desserts and fried snacks like cakes, pastries, puddings
• Avoid excessive salt, MSG, spicy-hot, fried and greasy foods.
• Avoid coffee, caffeinated drinks as can increase cholesterol.
• Avoid salt-preserved foods like ketchups, sauces, pickles, canned and processed
• Avoid foods rich in total fats and cholesterol: ghee, butter, lard, tallow, eggs, fats derived from goat or sheep mutton, flesh foods and red meat – all non-vegetarian food contain cholesterol in varied amount instead lean meat.
• Instead of frying food – simply boil, steam, grill or roast your food.
• Things to avoid to lower cholesterol –
• Cut down white flour, preservatives, additives, cheese trans and saturated fats.
• Avoid Sugar, sweeteners and refined carbohydrates – as they stimulate the liver to produce more cholesterol and increase inflammation.
• Alcohol – Stimulates liver to produce more cholesterol and inflammation.
• Avoid sedentary lifestyle, as it not only increases the risk of heart problems but also cause other disorders, like obesity & diabetes etc.
• Reduce stress / anxieties and pressure of work etc.

Here are few top suggested daily supplements for your long-term wellness.

Consider taking them as per your peculiar condition, signs and symptoms.

Make sure to talk to your doctor for the right dosage etc., if you are using a dietary supplement or if you are thinking to start taking one, as all supplements are not safe.

• Vitamin A encourages healthy cell growth for a strong arterial wall.
• Vitamin B1 may be helpful for individuals who take loop diuretics such as furosemide for Congestive heart failure.
• Vitamin B3 or Niacin is an effective treatment for elevated cholesterol specially in people with diabetes that relaxes the blood vessels and aide blood circulation. Taking niacin can lower total cholesterol levels by 18 percent on average over 6 months.
• Vitamin B6 acts as a diuretic.
• Vitamin C helps reduce cholesterol levels and promotes the formation of collagen that provides support to the arterial walls and strengthen blood vessels. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may prevent cell damage, help prevent blood clots, acts like a natural blood thinner, increase blood circulation ensuring to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries. It also helps prevent damage due to LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
• Vitamin D may help support healthy blood pressure, reduce arterial stiffness, and support immune function. Boosting vitamin D levels, could lower high cholesterol and blood pressure and might help to prevent strokes also reduce the risk of diabetes.
• People who are deficient in Calcium and Vit D may be at great risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant which has been proposed as a treatment for both primary and secondary protection against cardiovascular events.
• Vitamin K is useful in preventing varicose veins, strengthen capillaries to prevent breakage or bulging and good for heart. It is an anticoagulant i.e. helps prevent blood clots to keep blood flowing smoothly through the veins.
• Vitamin K2 intake may avoid the calcium plaque buildup and reduce the risk of calcification or calcium deposits in atherosclerosis.
• Potassium & magnesium are two important electrolytes and play a very vital role by conducting the electrical impulses for the heart to keep its non-stop, continuous functioning and beating.
• Diuretics taken for high blood pressure, eliminate water as well as other important nutrients including potassium and magnesium from the body by increasing the urine flow.
• Magnesium works as a vasodilator and helps keep blood pressure normal and regulate calcium levels. It may also improve exercise capacity and reduce heart arrhythmias in people with CHF – congestive heart failure.
• Low magnesium has been linked with cardiovascular risk factors such as: high blood pressure, arterial plaque build-up, calcification of soft tissues, cholesterol and hardening of the arteries.
• Taking magnesium citrate along with calcium works as a natural calcium blocker, useful for preventing and assisting in the treatment of heart diseases.
• Coenzyme Q10 increases oxygen supply to the heart. This supplement can help Congestive heart failure patients as they have significantly lower levels of their heart muscle cells.
• It functions as an antioxidant, which protects the body from damage caused by harmful molecules.
• It is also associated with an improvement in the severity of heart failure symptoms such acute pulmonary oedema, cardiac asthma, and arrhythmia etc.
• Statin drugs can block the production of coenzyme Q10 in the body and cause muscle pain, so its supplementation is a must.
• Cold water fish mainly contains omega-3 essential fatty acids that is important for proper blood flow and help to reduce inflammation in the blood.
• Omega 3, fish oil may help prevent heart attacks, as well as prevent sudden death after a heart attack and prevent atherosclerosis primarily by reducing serum triglycerides specially in people with diabetes about 25 – 30% and can modestly raise levels of HDL “good” cholesterol.
• Chromium supplementation may restore normal insulin response in people with type 2 diabetes, and possibly improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels thus decreased risk of heart diseases.
• Folic acid can improve blood flow to the capillaries, feeding the heart muscle and lower heart attack and stroke risks in people with high blood pressure specially in smokers. It lowers amino acid homocysteine levels, which has been linked to heart disease.
• L Carnitine is an amino acid needed to transport fats into the mitochondria – the place in the cell where fats are turned into energy. Adequate energy production is essential for normal heart function and a reduction in symptoms of angina.
• Taking L carnitine may also help reduce damage and complications following a heart attack.
• Beta carotene can help reduce the incidence of coronary and vascular events and been proposed for stroke prevention.
• The supplement arginine is suggested for aiding recovery from a heart attack.
• Glucomannan, a dietary fibre significantly reduces total and LDL cholesterol levels.
• Probiotics that is friendly bacteria help improve cholesterol profile.
• Zinc and essential fatty acid such as Gama-linoleic acid and are essential in lowering blood pressure too.

For your particular health problem(s), or to change your medications it is strongly suggested to avoid self-medication and consult your GP / health provider or Mind & Body Holistic Health Clinic.

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