7 foods for a healthy heart

Thursday, Jan 26, 2012
YourHealth, AsiaOne

Eating right goes a long way when it comes to a healthy heart.

According to the Ministry of Health, Ischaemic Heart Disease accounts for 18.7 per cent of deaths in Singapore in 2010. It is Singapore's number two killer just after cancer.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked causing poor supply of oxygen to the heart muscles. Some people have chest pains when heart attack happens but some people have no symptoms at all.

It is important to be aware of the risks of heart attack because most of them are preventable.

About.com reported that dietary advice for reducing heart disease risk includes eating a balanced diet with less saturated fats from red meats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar, more fiber and for many people, fewer total calories.

Try having these 7 foods to boost your heart health:

Oatmeal

Health.com reported that a review of 67 studies showed that diets high in soluble fiber, like the kind in steel-cut oats, decrease total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

So start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium.

One bowl a day will go a long way in keeping your arteries clear.