Healthy Foods for a Healthy Heart

Do you really want to enjoy an active lifestyle with healthy heart? If so, then it is the high time for you to have a check on the diet intake. Consuming the foods with high nutritional value, besides regular exercise is must to have a healthy heart.

The research conducted by several health institutions indicates that there are millions of people across the globe, who are undergoing with the serious impacts of heart diseases. Sometime the effect of the disease becomes so severe that they have to take the surgeries for it.

But such adverse situation can be easily avoided or overcome if one prepares to eat a healthy heart diet with the proper recommendations from the medical practitioner. Here is the list of food items that you must include in your daily diet to have a healthy heart and living.

Salmon: One of the best foods for the healthy heart is Salmon. It is an easy to cook dish and has great taste. People love eating salmon in pasta dishes, salads, dips and cakes.

Blueberries: Another important heart food is blueberries. Being rich in anthocyanins, vitamin C and fibre, blueberries prove a great antioxidant that can be included in daily diet in the form of frozen, fresh and dried ones.

Oatmeal: Oats tend to become an excellent diet for the morning hours. Being enriched with fibre content oats are primarily used in bread, cookies, muffins, cakes, meat and poultry dishes. It is the best food to avoid the risk of heart diseases.

Soy Protein: The most easily available food item that proves to be a healthy heart meal is the soy protein. Enriched with vitamins, minerals and fibre, the soya protein is consumed by every individual at least twice or thrice in the week. The major bi-product of the soy protein is tofu, which is eaten by way of salads, soups or snacks.

Nuts: Nuts are yet other important food for healthy heart that helps in controlling the blood sugar and fights triglycerides in the body. The moderate consumption of nuts like almonds, walnuts in the diet on weekly basis is must for everyone.

Vegetables and Fruits: Vegetables and fruits are the major source to enjoy the healthy heart. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, mushrooms, asparagus, sweet potato, tomatoes and carrots tend to have great source of iron and fibre that ensures the regular flow of blood to the veins and arteries to lead a healthy living.

Few of the important fruits which help in keeping healthy heart are papaya, oranges, cherries, apples and a lot more. Besides this the moderate consumption of dark chocolate, red wine and tea too helps in fighting heart disease at the earliest.

Healthy Foods for Breastfeeding Moms

It is important that breastfeeding mothers eat a healthy diet. A breastfeeding mother requires more calories than women who are not nursing. The nutritional needs of women who are breastfeeding can be met by eating a balanced diet and getting as much rest as possible. A woman's body will make producing breast milk a priority to the detriment of her overall health, so it is critical that she gets all the nutrients she needs.

Breastfeeding women need to take in about 2,500 calories every day. Women who continue to breastfeed their babies beyond three months need to increase their caloric intake to 2,800 daily. Eat more protein while nursing by eating more vegetables and lean meats. Fish should be limited while pregnant and nursing due to concerns about mercury and other pollutants in fish and fish products. The general rule for nursing mothers is that they should consume at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Therefore, a breastfeeding woman who weighs 140 pounds should add 140 grams of protein to her diet daily. Women who are breastfeeding their babies need to make sure that they are getting the essential fatty acids that baby needs for healthy brain growth. Nuts, seeds and greens are excellent sources of natural fatty acids.

Instead of eating 2 or 3 large meals daily, breastfeeding mothers should spread their food out over the course of the entire day. Nursing mothers should eat five meals per day that include healthy food choices like vegetables and fruits. A nursing mother should eat breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and then a nutritious dinner. Most people do not get enough vitamin B9, or folic acid, in their diets. This is especially true of breastfeeding women. Vitamin B9 is an essential part of a healthy diet. Folic acid is available in foods like cabbage, corn, spinach and asparagus. Wheat and orange juice are also loaded with folic acid and many other vital nutrients like vitamin C.

Take vitamins and mineral supplements if a doctor thinks you need a supplement. A nursing mother can usually get all the vitamins and minerals she needs from food, but occasionally a supplement may be required. Follow your doctor's instructions when taking any supplements. Nutrients and other substances that the mother takes into her body can be passed through the breast milk to the baby.

Breastfeeding mothers need to drink at least 3 quarts of water every day. Water consumed by a nursing mother is critical to production of breast milk. It is easy to become dehydrated when nursing, so increase total water consumption while nursing. Don't drink more than 3 quarts of water per day, because breast milk may become diluted.