Feed your Heart

Our health is directly related to the way we eat and lead our daily lives. To reduce the impact of cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in Portugal, it is important to adopt preventive measures. Here are the six main measures that can help.

1. Balanced Diet 

Follow the proportions recommended by the Food Wheel and opt for a balanced and varied diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains, fruit and fish. Reduce your intake of foods containing sugar and saturated fats, present in industrially processed fats (hydrogenated), red meat, butter and fatty dairy products. Remember that vegetables are also healthy sources of protein and include soya, beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas in your diet. Beware of recent versions of vegetable 'meat' as these are ultra processed foods with added sugars, fats, salt, stabilisers and preservatives.

2. Know the food you eat

Know what foods and nutrients you are eating. You don't have to count calories, but it is important to realise that certain foods are more calorific than others. Learn to identify the calories hidden in industrially processed or pre-cooked foods that are high in unwanted fats. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption, as women should not have more than one glass of alcoholic drink a day and men have a limit of two.

3. Eat Consciously

Eat nutritious meals that boost your health. Select enough portions to feel satiated. Start your main meals with a vegetable soup, without potatoes. In addition to containing water, many vitamins and mineral salts, it helps to reduce the feeling of hunger, avoiding the anxiety that certain weight loss diets can cause.

4. Take Regular Physical Activity

Keep regular physical activity and choose an activity that you enjoy. Make activity part of your daily routine, preferably daily, and be regular. Where possible, opt for outdoor walks or commuting on foot. Physical inactivity is responsible for around five million deaths annually.

5. Control your Weight

Maintain a healthy weight and seek professional monitoring if you are overweight. Set realistic goals and remember that as important as losing weight is maintaining a healthy weight over time.

6. Stop Smoking

Stop smoking today. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and continuing the habit after a heart problem increases the risk of recurrence. Also eliminate the use of electronic cigarettes.

Ana Neto
(Pharmaceutical)

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