![Diet after a heart attack. What should recovery look like? [WE EXPLAIN]](https://healthy-food-near-me.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/diet-after-a-heart-attack-what-should-recovery-look-like-we-explain-920x425.jpg)
Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Diet after a heart attack is put on a par with drug treatment. Without a balanced menu, recovery is usually much longer. A post-heart attack diet should be high in nutrients. However, there are a number of findings that should be consulted with the attending physician and / or nutritionist.
Diet after a heart attack – what factors does it depend on?
The diet after a heart attack is primarily adapted to the patient’s state of health. Immediately after myocardial infarction, the patient is unable to eat solid meals, which should be introduced gradually into the daily menu. Initially, the patient may consume about 20 calories for every kilogram of body weight. Physically active people get 30 calories. In turn, patients struggling with obesity should consume fewer calories (maximum 20).
The main tasks of the post-infarction diet
The main task of the post-infarction diet is to lower blood cholesterol levels. This is due to the fact that one of the main causes of a heart attack is atherosclerosis of the venous arteries, i.e. cholesterol deposits in the arteries, which prevent blood from flowing freely to other organs. The second task related to the first is to reduce or remove the changes in the arteries that carry blood to the patient’s heart.
Diet after a heart attack – general guidelines
The diet after a heart attack should, above all, be easy to digest. The patient cannot overeat. Three meals a day are replaced with 5-6 light dishes served every 3-4 hours. The caloric content of individual dishes should be spread over the entire day, so as not to force the body to exercise while converting products into energy. In addition, meals should be steamed, not fried or stewed in deep fat.
- Read more about an easily digestible diet.
Diet after a heart attack – what ingredients should it lack?
The post-heart attack diet should include monounsaturated (omega-3) and polyunsaturated (omega-9) fatty acids found in oils (rapeseed or linseed), olive oil, fish oil and fish. The post-heart attack diet should contain protein from dairy products (kefir and buttermilk), as well as dairy products (mainly cottage cheese). Complex carbohydrates (groats, rice, vegetables) should also be included in the daily menu, as well as products rich in natural fiber (wholemeal bread, legumes) and antioxidants (vegetables and fruits).
Diet after a heart attack – what to absolutely avoid?
After a heart attack, table salt, which can be replaced with garlic, thyme or rosemary, should be absolutely excluded from the diet. Caffeine is also not recommended, which is associated with the withdrawal of coffee, carbonated and energy drinks, as well as caffeinated candies. There is also no room for saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids (fatty meats and cold cuts) in the post-infarction diet. It is similar with sugars, the recommended dose of which is 300 g per day.
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.