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Doctors named the 6 healthiest foods for the heart and blood vessels. Do you eat them often?
They say that an active lifestyle is best for your heart. Don't kill yourself in the gym. Move more often and walk, at least in the fresh air. Realizing that on weekdays I don't have much time to walk the streets, and on weekends I want to sleep more, I decided to find out if there is a more suitable way to take care of the heart and strengthen its vessels. In the current situation. I didn't have to look far for an answer. A nutritionist found the answer. Remember what you need to eat to stay healthy.
The main vitamin of all citrus fruits is C. Among other things, it is an ingredient that strengthens the walls of blood vessels and normalizes metabolism. To feel normal, adults need 60-100 mg of vitamin C per day. Translated as orange, this means two parts. But there are nuances. "Women need at least 75 mg of vitamin C during pregnancy and at least 90 mg when breastfeeding," says nutritionist Irina Toropygina. - Babies from birth to 6 months need 30 mg of vitamin C per day, and children from 6 months to 1 year - 35 mg of vitamin C per day. Children from 1 to 3 years old need 40 mg, and children from 4 to 10 years - 45 mg. In unfavorable climatic conditions, the need for ascorbic acid increases. For example, in Antarctica, you need to consume 250 mg of vitamin C daily. Irina Toropygina is a nutritionist, specialist in functional and integrative nutrition, and an expert in DNA testing. Areas of work: Diagnostics and identification of causes of excess or insufficient weight, development of individual diets for the treatment of obesity and excess weight, nutritional support for various nutritional disorders.
By the way, in addition to citrus fruits, vitamin C is found in abundance in black currants, kiwi, sea buckthorn, strawberries and Brussels sprouts.
According to the Perm Region Medical Prevention Service, nuts reduce the risk of heart attack by 30-50%. One of the main factors contributing to this is vitamin E. "It reduces blood viscosity and reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack," says gastroenterologist Natalia Ignatova. - This vitamin is found in sufficient quantities in almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews and walnuts. If we talk about our body's daily need for vitamin E, then much depends on muscle activity. Moreover, men have a greater desire for this than women. Depending on the situation, this need can vary from 10 mg to 30 mg. Roughly speaking, 100 g of walnuts contain more than half the daily requirement for vitamin E. However, in most cases, a typical mixed diet meets these requirements. “Vitamin E reduces fatigue, is necessary for the prevention of atherosclerosis and heart disease, slows down cellular aging and prevents the development of cataracts,” says Natalia Ignatova. “It is also one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.”
Nuts are not the only foods rich in vitamin E. It is also found in abundance in fish, especially salmon, eel, mackerel, sardines and sea bass. Doctors usually recommend eating fish at least twice a week. After all, it also contains polyunsaturated omega fatty acids. "In general, we can conclude that in order to keep your heart healthy, you need to stick to the Mediterranean diet," says Natalia Ignatova. - Meets the basic requirements. At the same time, we should not forget that excessive consumption of the same nuts, fatty fish or berries can have the opposite effect - exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
Buckwheat contains the same vitamin E, but in addition to it there is vitamin B, which is an important participant in many processes in the body, and vitamin PP, which is involved in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, improves blood microcirculation. . "This vitamin increases the elasticity of blood vessels, reduces their fragility and permeability and at the same time promotes the absorption of vitamin C," says Irina Toropygina. Buckwheat is also rich in potassium, silicon, phosphorus and magnesium. All of the above makes buckwheat a useful product for the heart and blood vessels.
Our list would be incomplete without pomegranate. After all, it is one of the most valuable fruits, strengthening and maintaining the condition of the heart and blood vessels. Rospotrebnadzor notes that people who love pomegranates suffer from atherosclerosis less often, and also have a higher level of blood flow and oxygen saturation of the heart. - Pomegranate contains the largest amount of vitamins C, P, B6 and B12. They strengthen the immune system, blood vessels and nervous system. According to the department, it contains a high concentration of acid, fiber and tannin. If you do not like picking pomegranate seeds, try drinking pomegranate juice. Like fruits, they are rich in potassium, magnesium and copper. Potassium ensures healthy heart function, magnesium supports the nervous system, and copper is necessary for the proper absorption of iron.