Healthy eating

[Pauline-L]

hey I’m looking for ideas for healthy heart heathy me. What good a bad fats x

[Steven9000]

Strawberry!!! Take 6-8 strawberries everyday for a healthy heart

[hf54 in reply to Steven9000]

hi steven where did you learn this

[Blondie1967]

Walnuts x

[Fortepiano]

There is a great deal of reliable information and good recipes on the BHF's own website.

[Pauline-L in reply to Fortepiano]

Hey Thankyou

[Speakeazi]

Hi Pauline this is the link to the BHF diet bit

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

It can be a bit of a Wild West on the web, so starting at the BHF is a good place.

Fundamentally, nothing fried, no fatty food especially dairy, low low sugar, lots of fruit and veg, fish, turkey, no ready meals, low alcohol. No protein or health bars- too much sugar. Keep an eye on low fat or 0% fat for sugar content. Use rapeseed/olive oil not sunflower There are healthy fats eg oily fish, avocado, some nuts BHF will give you more info. Welcome!

[Pauline-L]

Thanks x

[Ianc2]

Throw in no processed meats/sausages, etc. However the good news is that you can eat plenty of fibre, lots of salad, plenty of fish and low fat meats like chicken and turkey. Other meats need to have the fat trimmed off. You can eat plenty of fruit along with a small glass of red wine. Beware of white bread - eat wholemeal of you can.. If you want a snack go nuts.

[humph3]

Beetroot and beetroot juice I make a smoothie out of the juice

[Hollysmum]

Pauline - bear in mind that all fats contain the same three elements: unsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated, there are no exceptions. Fat is not out there to kill us. Anything highly processed, containing loads of sugar and trans-fats - steer well clear, they're not doing any of us any good. "Foods" that have had fat taken out of them have been subjected to all sorts of processes, so, in my opinion, it's far better to eat "real" foods that have not been messed with, including dairy. Enjoy butter if you want it, it's not undergone any of the vile processes or had any of the unpronounceable ingredients added to it like many margarines and so called "healthier" spreads. Whole milk is much less processed than semi or skimmed milk, and, if the percentage of fat IS important to you, it's only 4% fat anyway. Highly processed carbs, like these allegedly healthy breakfast biscuits, are things I would never think of buying. Porridge is a good cereal breakfast - it's not been highly processed like many others. Don't bother cutting fat off meats, or taking the skin off chicken, they're much more delicious if these are left on, and are more satisfying. Our bodies were not made to cope with artificial additives, they much prefer if we eat foods that are in as natural a state as possible. I wish you very well for the future!

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

The BH F advice is to avoid saturated fat.

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

Doesn't mean it's right.

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

This is a BHF site. If you want to give advice contrary to the BHF you should at least make that clear.

I consider the BHF, as an expert organisation dedicated to cardiac care, knows rather more about the subject of a heart healthy diet than random internet posters. I urge people to follow their advice.

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

Hardly random, Fortepiano. I watched my husband suffer very much as a result of heart failure, and I've been a subscriber to this site for some time, as it's offered wonderful support when I've needed it. His own doctors offered the "real" food advice I've repeated here, so I haven't offered it without some sort of knowledge. What would you prefer to eat, anyway, highly processed stuff or decent, natural foods? And I note that not all the other posters here think I'm talking nonsense....

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

I have not complained about your emphasis on unprocessed food but on saturated fat.

I am very sorry about your husband, but you and I (and everyone here) are random internet posters on a BHF site. Our experience of heart problems does not make us experts in nutrition or medicine. We should not give advice contrary to the BHF.

Perhaps you should read the pinned post by the BHF on diet.

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

I have, it doesn't mean I have to agree with it, even if this is a BHF site.

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

Of course you can eat whatever you like, but giving advice contrary to the BHF is a strange way to pay back the support you received from their site.

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

Really? I wasn't aware I had to "pay back", and I assume that all of us posting on here do so because we have all sorts of experience of heart failure and heart disease, all sorts of different advice and information, and probably not all in line with what BHF says on its website. No two patients are the same, and I happen to feel that, therefore, there can be no "one size fits all", whether it's to do with diet or with medication. I like to think that BHF continually gathers new information, and re-evaluates existing information, and I am sure that it respects that some of us like to research elsewhere, too, and arrive at our own conclusions. Research continues, whether it's by BHF or any other body, and advice will change as further discoveries are made.

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

The BHF keeps its advice up to date and responds to new scientific research. Its advice remains to reduce saturated fat.

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

Still doesn't make it right. All fats, such as olive oil, lard - plant and animal - contain saturates, polyunsaturates and unsaturates, and I find it hard to believe, therefore, BHF advice or not, that Nature is out to get us with that one element, saturates, and therefore demands that they be removed by some chemical or mechanical process. Hence my post regarding eating "real" foods, and not stuff that's been highly processed to lower or remove saturated fat.

[Lezzers in reply to Hollysmum]

Can I suggest you read this link from Helen BHF admin about dietary disagreements.

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Fortepiano in reply to Lezzers]

I said to read it too. Unfortunately she says she has read it but disagrees with it!

[Lezzers in reply to Fortepiano]

Maybe Helen could comment!

[Hollysmum in reply to Fortepiano]

Yes, she does, but as I said, it is MY view, and I've explained why I have that view. I reiterate that I feel there is no "one size fits all" which is what Helen says, too. At least a debate has been provoked here, if nothing else. I very much hope that the original poster, Pauline, finds what works for her and makes her feel well, and that she stays well.

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

Unfortunately you have told Pauline to ignore BHF advice, and reiterated that the BHF advice is wrong.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hollysmum]

Maybe none of us are ' right'

Helen Admin from BHF wrote her post about diets for good reason.

I would hope it is read with good heart and respect.

[Fortepiano in reply to Hollysmum]

Skimming milk is not 'highly processing' it, nor is cutting the fat off meat.

There is no dichotomy between a diet focussing on minimally processed foods and a diet low in saturated fat. It is perfectly possible to do both.

[Adaboo in reply to Hollysmum]

Very nicely explained, thanks Hollysmum 😀

[Hidden in reply to Hollysmum]

Hi Hollysmum,

Thoroughly agree with every word of your post.

Highly sugared(some up to 13%), probiotic 'healthy' yogurts with zero fat are the pinnacle of craziness.

I find chocolate so sweet as to be unpalatable - and boy have I tried ! Lots of nuts and I make my own sauerkraut - starting cabbage/fennel/yellow pepper/celeriac version when I finish this post.

Happy New Chinese Year !

Richard

[Hollysmum in reply to Hidden]

Your sauerkraut sounds fab! I truly love chocolate, but do my best to have it just as a treat these days. Nuts - yum! And a very happy Chinese New Year to you too!

[Fortepiano in reply to Hidden]

Nobody is saying free sugars

are healthy, not the BHF or Public Health England.

[Hidden in reply to Fortepiano]

Hi Fortepiano,

Activia Active Health Rhubarb yoghurt

""We're on a mission to help you feel good from the inside out*. And with 30 years of experience, and our passion for happy guts*, we're going to make it delicious.

Then carefully fermented for 8 hours so our unique blend of 5 ferments have time to do their work. Helping to create a smooth and creamy yogurt that's irresistible.

Activia. Helps you feel good from the inside out*. Because that's what really counts.

*Activia contains calcium which contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes.

Enjoy as part of a healthy diet and balanced lifestyle. ""

Only has 14.2% sugar.

I would also suggest you look at the recipes on the Healthy Eating section of the BHF site: Yoghurt Glory - where one 100g portion contains 68g of sugar - this must be a typo and probably means 6.8g of presumably 'free' sugar. Or Blackberry Yoghurt fool with 17.9% sugar - I could go on.

Richard

[Hollysmum in reply to Hidden]

A man after my own heart! Sorry for the pun....!

[Fortepiano in reply to Hidden]

These are total sugars. These BHF pudding recipes are medium sugar.

You will find a great deal of information on the BHF website on reducing free sugars.

This does not mean nobody should ever eat a pudding again!

[Hidden in reply to Fortepiano]

Hello Fortepiano,

Thank you very much for the invaluable information. Much appreciated.

Gung hay fat choy

Richard

[hf54]

hi pauline-Some good advice in the comments above.Olive oil Is good for the heart use it to replace other oils.no fried breakfasts no tinned heinz beans etc .olive oil raises your HDL cholesterol which is good -LDL cholesterol is bad.

Avoid Sausages bacon Processed meats hot dogs-as well as having "bad fats" they are high in salt another no go area.check the salt content of food and aim for 1.5g per day.

eat oily fish minimum 2x per week and plenty of salads /fresh veg WITHOUT sauces full of salt.

[Pauline-L in reply to hf54]

Thanks 😊 is any recipe I can follow. I was on slimming world I had been bad recently due to my birthday and the first Christmas with out mum. Need to look after myself

[hf54 in reply to Pauline-L]

I understand Pauline I lost my father shortly before my diagnosis-my sympathies and best wishes

[Lezzers in reply to Pauline-L]

Hi Pauline, I'm very sorry to hear bout your mum, it's always so much more difficult around the festive season.

You may want to have a look at this link. Lots of very healthy recipes here, we use it a lot.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Outandabout]

Recently I have been making ratatouille which you can add stuff to, like my fave of the moment - Madras curry paste, you can also turn it Mexican, Moroccan, add coconut cream/milk etc for a Thai vibe and add lentils or chickpeas. I have found this a good way to increase Mediterranean good veg, olive oil etc and the base freezes well, so easy to get a portion without too much effort. Good luck.

[Lezzers]

Please read this link from Helen BHF admin..

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Ianc2]

Are you generally following the Mediterranean diet?

[Heythrop51]

I think anyone coming to this thread would be totally confused! Since the autumn I have followed the advised Mediterranean diet with limited carbohydrate as I was diagnosed pre-diabetic. Everything; weight, BP, cholesterol and HbA1c are moving in the right direction.

The concept that a particular nut or berry is a superfood for heart disease is total and utter rubbish!

[Fortepiano]

It is perfectly possible to eat natural food and avoid saturated fat. I do it myself.

[Fortepiano]

I'm afraid she didn't.

[Fortepiano]

You have not read all her posts.