Pure food and a healthy heart
It should come as no surprise to people that vegetables and pulses are linked to the overall heath of your heart. These types of foods have been a common staple for hundreds of years. In countries where these staple foods are common, there is a low percentage of heart disease. The media bombards us daily with messages of all types of new diets and clean ways of eating. In our current world and connectivity, many people can quickly become obsessed with the latest fitness fad or menu of what is healthy to eat.
What we eat and how we eat it can become a lens of how people view you as a person. If you eat well, people can perceive you to be fit or ‘clean’. If your food intake is unhealthy, you can be associated with the stigma of being unpure. It can be easy to forget that simple advice is often the best. Basic common sense helps us remember that eating pure foods and undertaking moderate exercise is key to having a healthy heart. The rest is just noise.
Dr Andrew Freeman has recently summarised cardiovascular health benefits. He is lead author of an article that is gaining attention in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Some foods show evidence of harm. These foods include those that have large amounts of added sugars. They are shown to be detrimental to a healthy body system. Studies have shown that natural sugars contained in foods such as vegetables and fruits don’t have similar adverse effects. It is foods such as legumes that actively promote a healthy heart. Foods such as mushrooms are a good alternative to red meat and also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Surprising to some, the consumption of fermented foods did not have clear links to cardiovascular health benefits. They did however have a strong correlation to improved gut health. The gut plays an important regulatory role in the correct functioning of our bodies system.
Remember, as you go about your daily routine in preparing whole foods for personal consumption, basic food hygiene principles still apply. While you may not be supervising other staff, your personal hygiene and approach to the preparation and storage of your foods is extremely important.