Dietary therapy and exercise benefits for coronary heart disease
> 5.5 // How to use diet therapy for coronary heart disease?**
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> Practice moderation in your diet.
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Excessive intake of calories and unsaturated fats is a cause of obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Coronary heart disease is generally induced by the above-mentioned risk factors. Dietary factors affect the occurrence of coronary heart disease by increasing the above-mentioned risk factors.
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Dietary therapy primarily targets the underlying cause of coronary heart disease-coronary atherosclerosis-and plays a therapeutic role.
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The goal of dietary management for coronary heart disease is to maintain a balanced intake of nutrients, maintain a healthy weight, and improve fat metabolism.
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> ① Control total calories. Controlling calories means ensuring that the food you eat is used by your body and preventing calories from being converted into fat and stored in your body. It is important to maintain the body's calorie balance and maintain a normal weight.
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The simplest way to calculate normal weight is by weight (kg = height in cm - 105). If your actual weight exceeds the normal range by 20%, you are considered overweight.
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The minimum physiological requirement for a normal person is generally around 1500 kcal. With the added energy expenditure from work, the requirement is generally around 2500 kcal, which can be adjusted appropriately depending on the occupation.
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The main source of calories should be carbohydrates, namely rice and noodles.
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Currently, it is considered reasonable for carbohydrates to account for about 65% of energy. Among them, monosaccharides and disaccharides, such as fructose, sucrose, and glucose, should be controlled within 10%. In daily diet, you should eat less sweets, as sweets generally contain a lot of fructose and disaccharides, which are more easily converted into triglycerides in the body than starchy carbohydrates.
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The best sources of carbohydrates are oats, corn, and beans.
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The recommended intake of fat in the diet should be 20% to 25% of total calories. Foods containing a lot of unsaturated fat, such as fatty meat, should be avoided.
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Fat intake should primarily come from fish and poultry.
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Patients with coronary heart disease must strictly limit their intake of fat to prevent excessive accumulation of unsaturated fats and cholesterol in the body, which can worsen atherosclerosis.
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Foods high in cholesterol, such as animal organs, especially liver, and cream, should be strictly limited.
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Cholesterol should be kept below 300mg per day.
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② Limit sodium intake. Hypertension is an absolute risk factor for coronary heart disease. Limiting sodium intake mainly reduces the incidence of hypertension, reduces blood volume, and reduces the burden on the heart. The sodium restriction measures for coronary heart disease are basically the same as those for hypertension and can be followed accordingly.
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③ Eat more plant-based foods.
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Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lycopene and other antioxidants. These antioxidants can inhibit the formation of atherosclerosis. Eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce the rate of coronary heart disease and has anti-aging effects.
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> ④ Drink less alcohol and more tea.
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Because red glucose wine contains flavonoids, moderate consumption of red glucose wine can reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease. However, excessive drinking, especially of spirits, can significantly damage the liver and heart, and induce hypertension and coronary heart disease. Therefore, one must give up the habit of drinking alcohol.
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Tea, especially green tea, contains polyphenols that can lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides and have antioxidant effects, so drinking tea should be a good habit for patients with coronary heart disease.
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Caffeine can raise blood pressure and increase heart rate. If sugar is added to coffee, it can raise blood lipids. It should be consumed in moderation, and patients with coronary heart disease should avoid it altogether.
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Protein intake should be appropriate.
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In animal studies, a high-protein diet can promote the formation of atherosclerosis.
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Protein intake should ideally account for 12% to 15% of total daily calories.
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The best source of protein is legumes. Legume protein is low in fat and contains a lot of soy isoflavones, which help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. You should eat more soybeans or soy products to replace some animal protein.
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> 5.6 // What are the benefits of exercise for coronary heart disease, and how should one exercise?
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> 5.6.1 **Benefits of Exercise for Coronary Heart Disease**
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Although patients with coronary heart disease face potential health risks, finding suitable and appropriate exercise plays an important role in preventing coronary heart disease and halting its progression:
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① Moderate exercise can reduce weight, lower blood pressure, regulate blood lipids, and promote blood circulation. It can reduce the absolute inducing factors of coronary heart disease. People with a family history of coronary heart disease or prehypertension should pay attention to preventing coronary heart disease through exercise. For patients with coronary heart disease, appropriate exercise can reduce or delay the course of the disease.
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> ② Improves heart function and increases cardiac reserve.
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Exercise can promote the establishment of coronary collateral circulation, improve myocardial ischemia, and enhance cardiac reserve capacity.
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③ Moderate exercise can improve quality of life, enhance the body's adaptability to the external environment, strengthen the flexibility and coordination of bones and joints, promote the function of all organs and the body's metabolism, and regularly participate in certain recreational activities, which can build confidence in restoring health and is beneficial to improving mental health.
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> ④ Exercise can enhance the body's immunity, improve the disease resistance of patients with coronary heart disease, and improve prognosis. Appropriate exercise can improve and stabilize the patient's condition, greatly reduce sudden cardiac events, and effectively prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.
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Effectively prevents sudden death caused by coronary heart disease.
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**5.6.2** So, what exercise therapies are available for coronary heart disease?
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When choosing a form of exercise, patients with coronary heart disease should pay special attention to selecting one that is suitable for their condition and to doing it in a slow and safe manner.
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① Walking.
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This usually refers to exercise methods that mainly involve walking. Walking is arguably the most suitable form of exercise for coronary heart disease, as it is not limited by location or conditions, and the intensity and duration can be controlled by oneself.
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For patients with mild to moderate coronary heart disease, walking for about 30 minutes a day, covering a distance of 2 to 3 kilometers, is recommended. It is best to do this in the afternoon or after dinner. Choose a quiet place with fresh air and a good environment, such as the seaside or a park. When walking, keep your pace even, your gait stable, and your breathing even. The intensity of exercise should be chosen according to your condition and physical condition, and you should not force yourself.
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② Jogging.
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> It is an ideal aerobic exercise, especially long-distance jogging, which can significantly improve cardiopulmonary reserve, reduce weight, improve the metabolism of fat, sugar and protein, significantly improve one's disease resistance, and effectively reduce respiratory diseases such as "colds".
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Jogging is generally more suitable for people in the early stages of coronary heart disease or those with risk factors for coronary heart disease.
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This treatment should be used with caution in patients who already have coronary heart disease and have obvious symptoms of myocardial ischemia.
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> ③Mountain climbing.
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Mountain climbing is an excellent form of exercise that can significantly strengthen leg and waist muscles, improve cardiopulmonary function, boost confidence in recovery, reduce work and life stress, and alleviate anxiety and depression.
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However, when choosing this exercise, you should consult a doctor to understand your cardiopulmonary function. It is not suitable for patients with angina, chest tightness, or poor cardiac function.
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Mountain climbing is a good way to prevent coronary heart disease. For the elderly, the climbing height can be 50 to 100 meters and the slope can be 15 to 30 degrees. It is best to climb in a group.