Cardiologist: Let’s eat in good company, but I advise avoiding these diets

– The problem is excess calories. Overweight and obesity are the most harmful to the cardiovascular system. Excessive body weight leads to hypertension, increased cholesterol levels, deposition of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels and forces the heart to exert excessive effort. As a result, sooner or later a catastrophe occurs, namely a life-threatening heart attack or stroke. Therefore, if we want to take care of a healthy heart, the main rule that we should implement is to eat less. And, of course, pay close attention to what we put on our plate, says Prof. Ph.D. n.med. Artur Mamcarz, specialist in internal diseases and cardiology, head of the 3rd Department of Internal Diseases and Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw.

Nutritional therapy

If your BMI is above normal, you simply need to lose weight. It’s easy to say… Prof. Mamcarz, however, does not recommend fad diets that will help you quickly lose excess weight. He considers the most harmful diets to be based on meat and saturated fats – ketogenic, high-fat, high-protein or carnivore. – You can really lose weight on them. The food is high in calories, so even a small amount of meat or fat makes us feel full. In addition, such a diet generates ketosis, which makes you feel slightly euphoric – so you not only lose weight, but also feel full. But this way of eating has a very negative impact on the cardiovascular system: it generates overproduction of free radicals, leads to damage to the endothelium, increases the risk of systemic inflammation and rupture of atherosclerotic plaque. A plant-based diet would be a better choice. But I do not recommend raw diets, mono-diets or other excessive dietary restrictions. Making short-term changes and losing a few pounds before a wedding or other event where you want to look better will not protect your heart in any way, explains the expert.

All nutritional programs based on intensive reduction of the calorie content of meals work, but their effect is short-lived. In addition, they disrupt the metabolism, so when you return to your previous eating habits, your weight not only returns, but is often higher than before you “lost weight”.

– We doctors are against the use of the word “weight loss” – says Prof. Mamcarz. – Obesity is a serious and chronic disease that must be treated. In other words: we treat the patient, we do not make them lose weight. And therapy in this case is necessary to prevent heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, breast, colon or liver cancer. Obesity is as harmful to the circulatory system as smoking, but we do not stop smoking, we cure the addiction.

The essence of treatment in the case of obesity or overweight is the introduction of nutritional therapy, that is, changing unfavorable habits and applying a nutritional model that the patient is able to accept and gradually start using. And most importantly – maintain it permanently. – Learning and introducing healthy habits every day is difficult, but necessary if we want to heal the circulatory system and take care of the heart. Dietary changes should also include daily physical activity, regular sleep and stress relief. All of this is interconnected and affects the functioning of our cardiovascular system – emphasizes Prof. Mamcarz.

The cardiologist advises that the introduction of an adequate nutritional model should be started under the supervision of a specialist who will teach you which foods to choose, what to avoid, what to replace and what to substitute. For example, if someone likes and frequently eats dairy products, such as cheese, they do not need to give them up, but they should opt for semi-skimmed or skimmed versions, etc. which are harmful to our heart.

Sugar, salt and wine

One of the highest positions is occupied by highly processed products such as sausages, canned goods, sweets and canned meals. They are full of carcinogenic trans fats, sugar, salt, preservatives, flavors and other chemicals that extend their shelf life and improve their taste. The calorie content of dishes increases significantly with the large-scale addition of sugar in industrial production. Sugar also has a pro-inflammatory effect, increasing the risk of many diseases. A bottle of colored and carbonated drink can contain up to 40 cubes of sugar. Consuming a product full of simple sugars also causes the glucose level in the body to rise quickly and fall just as quickly, causing hunger pangs, which makes us eat too much and too often. Excess salt in the diet is also harmful to the heart and kidneys because it leads to water retention in the body, which increases blood pressure.

Until recently, it was said that a glass of red wine with dinner could protect the heart. Wine contains resveratrol, a substance with strong antioxidant properties that fights free radicals. However, new research shows that alcohol is harmful in any dose. Even consumption below the acceptable limit of 14 units per week increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and cancer. Alcohol contributes to the occurrence of heart diseases, such as dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertension, supraventricular arrhythmia (including atrial fibrillation) and heart failure.

– However, I have good news for coffee and tea lovers – says Prof. Mamcarz – Until recently, it was said that the caffeine contained in coffee and theine in tea increased blood pressure and depleted magnesium from the body. Therefore, it was recommended to limit the consumption of these drinks. Recent research has refuted these reports. It turns out that drinking up to five cups of coffee a day reduces cardiovascular risk. Coffee and tea can also be safely drunk by people with heart and vascular diseases. The polyphenols contained in these drinks protect the vascular endothelium from damage. If someone has high blood pressure, drinking coffee may increase it slightly at first, but – since this drink has a diuretic effect – it will eventually lower it. It is also not true that coffee leaches magnesium. In fact, it increases its excretion from the body, but since it contains this element, the balance is zero.

Be careful with supplementation

What is the ideal diet for the heart? – I recommend the Mediterranean or Cretan diet. They are based on fresh vegetables, olive oil (in our Polish conditions we can replace olive oil with rapeseed oil), fatty sea fish (twice a week) and a small amount of unprocessed meat – preferably white meat (it is less fatty than red meat). This diet also includes seeds, nuts, legumes and fruit. However, be warned: too much fruit is also bad for you. It contains a lot of fructose and is high in calories. However, vegetables – raw or briefly heat-treated – can be eaten as much as you like, says Prof. Mamcarz.

Many people, wanting to take care of their heart, use dietary supplements, such as vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3 acids Prof. Mamcarz warns against taking these preparations on their own. – As the name suggests, these are just additives that are intended to make up for deficiencies of specific substances in our body. It is best to do blood tests, check what is missing and only then use the supplement that we really need. It is worth taking coenzyme Q10, which we lose with age. There are studies that show that supplementing its deficiency improves the situation of heart failure and can reduce the risk of myopathy in people taking statins. People exposed to severe stress can also take magnesium prophylactically. It is difficult to determine to what extent the metabolism of magnesium in the body is disturbed. Therefore, if we feel better taking magnesium supplements, they can be taken safely (although we do not have strong scientific evidence for this) – says Prof. Mamcarz.

It is important not only what we eat and in what quantities, but also when we eat and even… with whom. – Let’s not eat at night, because the food that stays in the stomach does not promote good digestion or rest, which is extremely important for the functioning of our heart. Let’s eat in good company, prepare meals together, talk at the table and have fun. This may not be medical news, but our heart is also sensitive to good humor, tranquility and humor. Food consumed in good company will not only nourish us better, but will also give us a lot of pleasure – adds Prof. Mamcarz.