“Healthy diet and lifestyle are the keys to preventing and managing cardiovascular disease,” states American Heart Association. A healthy heart is the key to healthy lifestyle. And during the ongoing pandemic, keeping up a healthy heart becomes yet more important as the Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) points out cardiovascular disease to be one of the conditions that might lead to COVID severities. Considering all these factors, the American Heart Association has come up with an updated guideline that emphaises the “importance of overall dietary pattern rather than individual foods or nutrients and underscores the critical role of nutrition in all stages of life.” They released 10 key features of heart-healthy eating pattern that can be customised as per individual food likes and dislikes, cultural traditions and more. These findings were published in the journal Circulation.

(Also read: Reduce Trans Fats In Your Diet To Cut Heart Attack Risks)

The report further stresses on the importance of looking at the total dietary pattern rather than good or bad foods. “We can all benefit from a heart-healthy dietary pattern regardless of stage of life, and it is possible to design one that is consistent with personal preferences, lifestyles and cultural customs. It does not need to be complicated, time consuming, expensive or unappealing,” said Chair of the scientific statement writing group Alice H. Lichtenstein.

_{Consume more fresh fruits and vegetables for better heart health}

The 10 Key Features Of Heart-Healthy Dietary Pattern Are As Follow:

1. Keep up a balance between how much you eat and the amount of energy/calorie you exhaust. This helps you manage body weight.

2. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.

3. Indulge in whole grains including wheat, oats, barley et al.

4. Add healthy proteins like fish, poultry, low fat or fat-free dairy products et al.

5. For cooking purposes, use tropical oil such as olive oil and sunflower oil.

6. Avoid bingeing on fried, processed and fatty foods as much as possible.

7. Avoid drinking soft drinks, sugary drinks, packages juice et al.

8. Add just a little amount of salt to dishes while cooking.

9. Limit alcohol consumption. However, the best thing is to avoid it completely.

10. Adhere to this guidance regardless of where food is prepared or consumed.

Click here for the detailed report.