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Measures to organize the proper nutrition of the patient after a heart attack are the same part of the rehabilitation program as drug therapy, therapeutic exercises, weight control and mental state of the patient. Trying to organize optimal care, relatives of a sick person ask themselves the question: what does the diet after a heart attack include – what do those who until recently were on the verge of life and death eat, drink, how not to provoke a relapse of the disease?
The basic principles of diet after a heart attack
The diet for such a person should be as balanced as possible, contain a full range of useful substances for the speedy recovery of the heart muscle, and also not contain too many calories, help to reduce excess weight. It is advisable to limit the intake of salt, fatty foods, excessive fluids.
Stages of the diet depending on the period of rehabilitation:
Lasts for a week after the attack. The patient eats at least 6 times, in small portions. Possible products are lean fish and beef, steam omelet, cereals, pureed vegetable soups, boiled chicken. Under a strict ban on pastries, smoked meats, coffee, strong drinks, chocolate.
Lasts for the next 2-3 weeks after the first stage. The food is fractional, at least 5 times a day, in small portions, there is no salt in the dishes. The diet becomes more diverse, mashed dishes disappear from it.
The scarring period lasts from 4 weeks after a heart attack for several months. Food remains limited in salt content (3-5 g per day), liquid (no more than a liter with soup, tea and compote), and also quite low in calories. Dried apricots, raisins, prunes and other dried fruits are added to the patient’s diet to replenish potassium and magnesium reserves in the body.
Nutrition after the rehabilitation period
The end of rehabilitation and scarring of the area of the heart muscle affected by a heart attack does not mean that the patient can return to the lifestyle that he led before the attack. Since that time, the patient is constantly at risk for the return of relapses of the disease, and he must adhere to certain rules of life.
Principles of nutrition after rehabilitation:
Eating plenty of fresh, baked, boiled vegetables and fruits, grilled or steamed. Vegetable or fruit preservation, as well as overcooked vegetables, are not recommended.
Involving high-fiber foods in the menu to increase satiety with simple dishes, as well as to cleanse the intestinal walls – wholemeal bread, cereals, vegetables and fruits, with the exception of very sweet ones.
Moderate protein intake, for an optimal balance of nutrients, it is enough to eat 350-400 g of cottage cheese, lean meat or fish per day.
Prohibited foods for a patient after a heart attack
Foods and drinks containing caffeine and alcohol are absolutely prohibited in a sparing diet. Instead of the usual coffee, it is better to switch to the use of chicory, carbonated drinks and cocktails are also prohibited. To prevent hypertension, it is recommended to switch to a salt-free diet or use dishes with a small amount of salt on the recommendation of a cardiologist. Replacing ordinary table salt is therapeutic salt with a high content of trace elements, mainly potassium and magnesium.
Do not include in your diet pastries using trans fats or hydrogenated products derived from vegetable oils. The consequences of their use are negative: such fats leave deposits in the form of plaques on the walls of blood vessels, which leads to atherosclerosis and recurrences of myocardial infarction. They include ready-made cakes and pastries, chips and confectionery, as well as margarine and spreads that replace butter for some categories of consumers.
Useful foods after a heart attack
It is absolutely not necessary to invite a nutritionist to get an idea of what a diet after a heart attack is – what to eat and drink in the period after rehabilitation. The circle of useful dishes and products is defined quite clearly, the main thing is to adhere to the chosen line of behavior.
The composition of the diet after rehabilitation:
Meat – only low-fat varieties of meat products are used: chicken, rabbit, turkey, beef, game. Pork, goose, lamb, as well as ready-made semi-finished meat products and sausages are not recommended to be included in the diet.
Fats – olive, corn, sunflower oils are recommended, and a small amount of natural butter.
Dairy produce – all types and varieties of milk, kefir, sour cream, cheese should have a low percentage of fat content.
Fish and Seafood – all varieties of sea fish with white meat (flounder, cod), fatty fish (sardines, tuna, herring), fish of the salmon family (salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon) are useful.
Vegetables and fruits – almost all vegetables and fruits are allowed in fresh, baked and boiled form, except for sorrel, spinach, radish and radish.
Flour and confectionery – recommended bread and bakery products from wholemeal flour, whole grain and yeast-free bread from rye flour and flour with the addition of bran. It is not useful to use cakes and confectionery products made from pastry, cooked with saturated fats or cream.
Beverages – it is desirable that the drinks are unsweetened or contain a minimum amount of sugar (tea, chicory coffee, fruit juices, still mineral water).
Alcohol remains under the strictest ban until the end of the patient’s life. This rule has no exceptions. Heavy weight increases the load on the heart muscle, forcing it to work with tension. After consultation with a doctor, fasting days with light meals can be arranged for overweight patients.
Beware the grapefruit!
Grapefruit juice is exceptionally beneficial for the prevention and treatment of many conditions and diseases. It contains trace elements, vitamins A, B, P, C, carbohydrates and organic acids. The positive effect of grapefruit juice has its effect on the functioning of the liver, normalization of blood pressure, elimination of stones, prevention of complications of osteoporosis and diabetes.
Grapefruit juice has one very important feature – it is excreted from the body for a very long time (within 2 days), actively influencing the activity of the liver. This feature affects the processing of drugs by the body, significantly changing their properties and the expected therapeutic effect.
Mechanism of action of grapefruit juice:
Juice activates the absorption of drugs through the walls of the intestine.
Part of the drug, which previously transited through the digestive tract, is actively absorbed, causing the accumulation of the active substance in the tissues of the body.
An excessive amount of medication not withdrawn in time causes an overdose and the associated severe consequences.
More than others, drugs for the treatment of pathologies of the cardiovascular system, antibiotics, and hormonal agents are subject to such an effect of grapefruit juice.
Reducing the load on the heart muscle is the main task of rehabilitation after myocardial infarction. An optimally formulated diet will help you get all the nutrients you need for a fulfilling life.