Foods to Keep The Heart Healthy
Foods to Keep The Heart Healthy(From Seniorstrong.com)
Keeping the heart healthy is essential for seniors, especially as they begin to retirement plan. Participating in regular exercise is key to keeping the blood flowing and improving motor skills, but researchers have found that diet may be more important than activity when it comes to the health of one's arteries.
Get those greens While doctors have long stressed the importance of regular vegetable consumption, a study conducted by medical professionals at the Minneapolis Heart Institute found that women who reported eating greater amounts of green vegetables were much less likely to develop heart problems. After studying the records of close to 3,000 patients, researchers discovered that those who ate primarily fruits and vegetables were 40 percent less likely to have clogged arteries 20 years later, according to NBC News.
Michael Miedema, lead researcher and doctor at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, told the source that while the results were important for people of all ages, they were especially important for ensuring that people develop healthy eating habits as early as possible.
The delights of vitamin D While vegetables are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, research presented at the 63rd annual Scientific Session held by the American College of Cardiology found that lower levels of vitamin D were linked to a greater risk for heart disease, News Medical reported. Scientists studied a range of patients, and discovered that those who were vitamin D deficient had a 32 percent greater risk of artery diseases, particularly those that were associated with blocked arteries. Monica Verdoia, a cardiologist who worked on the study, explained the importance of eating foods rich in vitamin D.
"Present results suggest vitamin D deficiency to be the cause rather than the consequence of artherosclerosis," Verdoia said, as quoted by the source. "Although evidence of benefits with vitamin D supplementation in cardiovascular outcomes are still lacking, strategies to raise endogenous vitamin D should probably be advised in the prevention of cardiovascular disease."
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