How to Diet After a Heart Attack

Diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to manage your health, especially after a heart attack. By losing excess weight and focusing on good nutrition, you can improve your health after a heart attack and lower your risk of future attacks.

Instructions

• 1

  Strive for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Include a fresh--not processed or fried--fruit or vegetable at each meal, and use these super-foods for snacks as well. Keep easy-to-eat fruits and vegetables cut and on-hand so that there's little preparation.

• 2

  Switch from higher-fat versions of meats, peanut butters, fish and diary products to leaner versions.

• 3

  Read food labels. Before you buy or consume a product, read the labels and nutritional information. Watch out for foods high in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium--all detriments to heart health. Whenever possible, cut these foods from your diet entirely or lower your intake considerably.

• 4

  Switch to whole grains. Instead of eating processed bread products, choose whole grains to up your fiber intake, promoting heart-health and good overall nutrition.

• 5

  Watch your alcohol intake. While 1-2 glasses of red wine per day can promote heart health and prevent future heart attacks, most other kinds of alcohols, and any alcohol in excess, are detrimental to your post-heart attack diet.

• 6

  Avoid foods that are highly processed, fried, breaded, salty or sugar-laden. You can eat these foods in small quantities, but it's best if you eliminate them as much as possible from your diet to promote weight-loss and improve your heart's functioning after your attack.