How Can Diet Help Prevent Heart Attacks Research Paper

How Can Diet Help Prevent Heart Attacks - Research Paper Example All in all, it has been concluded that diet and nutrition, along with lifestyle activities, can have a significant impact on heart conditions. Introduction A healthy diet provides favorable effects on individuals who suffer from heart disease; generally speaking, a healthy diet can primarily contribute to the prevention of heart disease, slow down the progression of the heart disease that the individual is currently experiencing, as well as enable the patient to easily recover from heart surgery and other heart-related experiences (Kromhout, Menotti, Kesteloot, and Sans, 2002). Specific components of one’s diet significantly contribute to the prevention and cure of various heart disease aspects. Unhealthy diet, along with physical inactivity, can greatly lead to overweight and obesity and have been considered as the most prevalent factors that increase risks for heart disease. The function of diet and nutrition has been influenced by economic, physiological, cultural, and soci al factors. Most often, a healthy diet is combined with physical activities and behavioral changes to obtain positive outcomes when it comes to preventing heart disease and enabling heart disease patients to successfully recover. The following sections will then delve into the concept of a healthy diet and its impact on heart-related conditions. Additionally, the foods to avoid as well as those that should be consumed will be discussed along with the available ways with which the public can obtain assistance for heart disease cure and prevention. Discussion Definition of a Healthy Diet A healthy diet refers to one that supports the individual in maintaining and improving his/her health. It plays an important function for lowering the chronic risks for adverse health conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and cancer (Hu and Willett, 2002). A healthy diet is comprised of adequate amounts of important nutrients along with sufficient amounts of water. Nutrients are obtained through a wide range of foods; therefore, a healthy diet requires a balance among various nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. This way, it will be capable of supporting the individual’s energy needs and providing the nutrients to address the needs for nutrition without having to bring about toxicity or excessive weight as a result of consuming disproportionate amounts of food (Kromhout et al, 2002). Several diets and recommendations have been established and promoted by certain health institutions, such as the World Health Organization. The group advises that health can be promoted and certain disease be prevented by following a number of guidelines, such as focusing on obtaining the ideal weight and achieving energy balance. Individuals should also limit their intake of saturated fats, focus more on unsaturated fats, and eliminate trans-fatty acids. Meanwhile, it has also been advised by the WHO to increase the consumption of nutritious groups of f ood, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while limiting the intake of sugar and salt. The American Heart Association also established recommendations with regards to having a healthy diet that is comprised of