Nutrition for heart health

According to current guidelines, the total cholesterol level in adults should not exceed 200 mg/dl. In addition, an LDL value of no more than 100 mg/dl is recommended, and the HDL value should be above 45 mg/dl for women and above 40 mg/dl for men. Triglyceride levels are considered ideal when they are below 200 mg/dl, or better yet, below 150 mg/dl. The reason: elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) is essential in severe cases. However, many people suffer from statin intolerance. For this group in particular, nature has substances ready that can optimize our blood values. A targeted change in dietary habits can also make a significant contribution to normal blood lipid levels and a normal cholesterol level.

Mediterranean diet for normal cholesterol levels

According to the latest recommendations of the Austrian Atherosclerosis Society (AAS), the Mediterranean diet favors blood health. In concrete terms, this means: lots of fruit and vegetables, lots of fish, little red meat, lots of unsaturated fatty acids, and all the less saturated fatty acids. Who keeps to this nourishing form, lowers the risk as can be prove a heart attack or a stroke to suffer around two thirds. However: Studies have shown that only the combination of different foods has a health-promoting effect. In order to achieve long-term success, it is not enough to cook with olive oil from now on; an overall change in diet is required.

Omega-3 fatty acids - top for triglycerides

Nevertheless, it is undisputed that there are certain substances that have a particularly positive effect on blood lipid levels and cholesterol. These include omega-3 fatty acids. Numerous studies have shown that unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids normalize blood lipid levels. In sufficient doses, they ensure, among other things, that the concentration of triglycerides in the blood is balanced. Tuna, mackerel, herring and salmon in particular contain a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. However, to get enough omega-3 fatty acids from food, you would have to eat at least 100 grams of high-quality wild salmon every day. In our latitudes, this is probably an impossibility. The best supply of omega-3 fatty acids is therefore provided by high-quality dietary supplements.

With garlic the blood pressure under control

Alongside fish, garlic is also a firm favourite in Mediterranean cuisine, and not just because of its aromatic taste. The spicy tuber also has other things going for it: A meta-analysis from 2015, which summarized the results of seven individual studies with a total of 391 hypertension patients, showed a significant reduction in blood pressure values after taking a garlic special extract after just eight to twelve weeks. Garlic is thus an effective and safe option for the management of high blood pressure - a sensible alternative especially for patients who tolerate conventional antihypertensives poorly.(1) In addition, garlic also has a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels, cholesterol levels and blood lipid levels.

Artichoke to reduce cholesterol

A typical Mediterranean vegetable is also the artichoke. Steamed or fried, as a salad or pickled, the slightly bitter taste of the artichoke is a highlight on any Italian antipasti plate. At the same time, the thistle-like plant is a valuable helper on the way to normal cholesterol levels: extracts from fresh artichoke leaves, which are used in high-quality pharmacy medicines, promote bile flow and thus stimulate fat digestion. The excess cholesterol is thus increasingly broken down. In addition, numerous studies indicate that the ingredients of the artichoke regulate the formation of new cholesterol in the liver cells. An additional advantage of the artichoke is that it has a soothing and beneficial effect on bloating, flatulence and digestive complaints - both in acute cases and when taken over the long term.

Tips for a heart-healthy diet:
* Eat vegetables and fruit at every meal or in between meals (salad, raw vegetables, warm vegetable meals, dried fruit, vegetable juices).
* A maximum of one meat meal every other day. The portion should not be larger than the palm of your hand.
* Sausages as bread topping or sausages as main meal max. 100 g per week, fish as regular alternative to meat (warm; avoid breaded fish) or sausage (cold; e.g. smoked trout, salmon or herring, sushi)
* Eat bread, pastries, pasta and rice at least two-thirds whole grain variety. 1 x a week or more often legumes such as beans, lentils, (chick) peas, green soybean. Limit the consumption of potatoes and other carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, especially if you are overweight (max. 1 serving per day).
* Oil for salad dressing or cooking (e.g. rapeseed, olive, walnut or linseed oil) and high-quality vegetable margarine as a spread. Include nuts regularly in your daily eating routine.
* Enjoy sugar-rich drinks, sweets and pastries in deliberately small quantities and not every day.
* Alcohol in moderation: 1 (woman) or 2 (man) drinks on a maximum of 5 days per week. 1 drink corresponds to 1/8 l wine or 0.33 l beer.