You can eat healthy foods only, but if you smoke a lot and are not physically active, you’re not less likely to have congestive heart failure, Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, Chief of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University, says. Better diet should be a part of a comprehensive healthy routine that includes more exercise and, most importantly, portion control, Dr. Yancy says. “It’s not just about what we eat but also about the way we consume calories,” he adds. “Moderation has successfully proven to be key to success.”
Any processed or frozen foods
“These typically contain chemicals, additives and preservatives that are not healthy,” Dr. Kevin Campbell, world-renowned cardiologist, says. “Fresh foods provide much better nutrients and have fewer calories. “These processed foods often contain flavor enhancers that are artificially produced. In addition, these foods always contain a very high sodium load,” he adds.
Sodas or soft drinks
“These are empty calorie foods,” Dr. Campbell says. “They have no nutritional value and are very calorie dense. They contribute to obesity,” he adds. Diet soda is in some ways even worse than the regular version. They are slowly killing you in several ways.
Chips
“These are foods that are loaded with calories, often fried and have little or no nutritional value,” Dr. Campbell says. Potato chips also fall in the category of foods that are aging you because they are often made with olestra, a fat substitute that adds no fat, calories or cholesterol. But it sticks to vitamins A, E, D and K and carotenoids, which are antioxidant nutrients, and flushes them out of the body, according to a study.
Fried foods
“There is no reason to ever eat anything fried,” Dr. Yancy says. “It has absolutely no cardiovascular benefits.” The second you start to fry foods, the oil becomes carcinogenic. When oil and fat are exposed to very high temperatures, free radicals are formed. The trans fats in these foods cause inflammation in the body. They raise your bad cholesterol and clog and stiffen the arteries. Bad fats disrupt the thyroid's ability to produce enough hormone.
Too much alcohol
“Small amount of wine – a glass per night at most – can be beneficial,” Dr. Yancy says. “But not more.” Then you’re consuming too many empty calories and sugar. Alcohol can trigger symptoms of atrial fibrillation (arrythmia), which increases the risk of stroke by five times. Excess consumption of alcohol stops the liver from making the materials that help the blood to clot.
Bacon
There is too much fat in bacon, Dr. David Fischman, co-director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University, says. Nitrates help these foods keep their color for longer but they are not doing your body any favors. They can convert to nitrite, causing the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic chemicals, according to the CDC.
Cold cuts
These processed meats are very high in sodium and fat, too, Dr. Fischman says. “Turkey is less fatty but it has a lot of salt.” Consuming too much of it can lead to hypertension and damaged blood vessels, among other serious health problems.
Hot dogs
“They should not be staple food for anyone,” Dr. Fischman says. They are too processed and have too much salt.
Cheese
Too much cheese it not good for you because it is very high in calories, Dr. Fischman says. “It’s OK to have pizza once in a while but not every night for dinner.” Cheese has about 100 calories per ounce, on average, and a lot of fat – 6 to 9 grams per ounce, most of which is saturated, according to the University of California at Berkley.
Canned foods
“Anything that is in a can is very high in sodium because this is what they use to preserve the food,” Dr. Fischman says. “It’s always better to have fresh food. “I don’t care if you eat organic or non-organic fruits and vegetables,” he adds, “just eat more of them.”
Sweets
Refined sugar is toxic to the body, especially if consumed in large amounts. It causes insulin spikes, which lead to weight gain,” Dr. Fischman says. Your bad cholesterol levels also go up. The body does not like to have a lot of sugar but the muscles, which use it for energy, don’t have enough room for it. The extra gets stored in your fat cells, which is like the body’s dumping ground.
Baked goods
“They are high in calories, fat and sugar,” Dr. Fischman says. Make them at home because then you’re more likely to use less sugar and butter instead of hydrogenated oil, he adds. This is a kind of trans fat that is really bad for you. Companies don’t have to list trans fats on the ingredient label unless there are more than 0.5g.
Microwave dinners
These fit into the “anything in a box” category, Dr. Fischman says. In general, “they are preserved with too much sodium and are very high in calorie content.”
Ice cream
“Every time I see an overweight patient, my first question is ‘If I open your fridge, will I find ice cream?’ The answer usually is ‘yes,’” Dr. Fischman says. “Get rid of it.” It is very high in calories and fat, and it contributes to high cholesterol levels.
Energy drinks
“Absolutely not,” Dr. Fischman says. “Especially not mixed with alcohol.” Both are high in wasted calories and sugar. Energy drinks have too much caffeine, one of the most dangerous legal drugs, which leads to high blood pressure and racing heart, he adds.
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