Coronary artery disease affects more than 12 million Americans. It is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and results when the arteries become narrowed, restricting blood flow to the heart. Without proper blood flow, the heart is starved of the oxygen and nutrients that it needs to work.
Food plays a major part in heart health. By paying close attention to what you eat, you can reduce your chance of ever getting atherosclerosis. A heart-healthy eating plan can do wonders for an ailing heart. Eating well can lower blood pressure, cholesterol blood sugar level, body weight -- and ultimately your risk of having a heart attack or heart failure. You've heard of all the foods you shouldn't eat -- junk food, high-sugar sodas, fatty burgers, etc., but what about the foods that you should eat?
Many studies show adding specific foods to your diet can be just as important as eliminating the bad ones. First, get into the habit of eating fiber.
"Dietary fiber is associated with helping reduce the amount of cholesterol that gets absorbed or reabsorbed into the body, and it also is just good for overall intestinal health," Alan Titchenal of the University of Hawaii said.
Beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables top the list of fiber-filled foods. The ideal amount to consume each day is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
Here are some specific foods to add fiber to your diet
 | | Artichokes |
| | Bran cereals |
| | Bulgur |
| | Cooked spinach |
| | Dried plums |
| | Green peas |
| | Raspberries |
| | Whole wheat spaghetti |
Titchenal also said red meat can give your heart a healthy boost. Here's a detailed
explanation from Titchenal about why lean red meat may be good for you:
"There is a compound called Carnitine, which ... is synthesized in your body, and it's synthesized in the heart and used in heart cells. It's important for heart function partly because the heart uses Carnitine as a way of facilitating its use of fatty acids for fuel. The heart is actually fueled primarily by fat, which a lot of people are surprised to hear sometimes. The reason I mention this in conjunction with iron is because iron is necessary as a co-factor for the synthesis of the Carnitine. If you're too low
in iron, you may be too low in Carnitine. We're starting to see sort of a backlash thing where people got the message 'don't eat too much meat,' and maybe they've gone too far, cut out too much iron. They've become iron-deficient, and they have a whole new set of problems. It becomes heart-unhealthy because their iron status is too poor," he said.
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Preventing heart disease
Healthy eating can do wonders for an ailing heart - lower blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar level, body weight and risk of having a heart attack.
 
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Bananas provide the heart-healthy nutrient potassium. Red peppers, carrots and sweet potatoes provide vitamin A. Titchenal explains, in these foods, "Vitamin A is in the form of what's called beta-carotene. That functions as an antioxidant. Certain amount of heart damage and blood vessel damage is thought to be related to oxidative stress, and so those components such as beta-carotene help reduce that oxidative stress on the body."
Dairy products also pack a punch. Titchenal explains, "A lot of times people don't associate the dairy group or the milk group with heart health. However, there is definitely some benefit to including that as part of your overall food intake because we know that calcium intake helps reduce blood pressure. And don't forget fish, which Titchenal says is becoming a superstar in heart health because it's a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
