Heart attack happens when a blockage in your coronary artery causes part of your heart muscle to be starved of blood and oxygen – this can have deadly implications. The complication is usually result of an accumulation of unhealthy lifestyle decisions taken over time so the condition is largely preventable if you lead a healthy lifestyle. eating a healthy plays as essential role in warding off the threat.
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Heart attack: The winter drink that could stave off the risk
It is well understood that eating fruit brings myriad health benefits, including protecting the heart, and a new study adds new weight to the classic idiom: An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
The research, published in published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recommends eating two apples a day for optimal benefits.
When 40 people with slightly high cholesterol ate two large apples a day for eight weeks, it lowered their levels of “bad” cholesterol by almost four percent.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood and bad cholesterol, also known as LDL cholesterol, can block your arteries and trigger a heart attack.
The benefits are partly attributed to the high fibre content found in apples, a type of fibre that fuels bacteria in the gut which may reduce cholesterol.
Researchers also found people had more relaxed blood vessels after eating apples daily, which is similar to an effect seen in other foods containing natural compounds called polyphenols, such as red wine and tea.
Commenting on the findings, professor Julie Lovegrove, senior author of the study from the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition at the University of Reading, said: “It seems the old adage of an apple day was nearly right.
“People who ate daily two large apples high in polyphenols had lower LDL cholesterol, also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol, and no reduction in good cholesterol compared to people having an apple-based drink.
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“We believe the fibre and polyphenols in apples are important, and apples are a popular fruit among all ages, which are easy to eat and make great snack foods.’ The study asked people aged 20 to 69 to eat two apples a day for two months, taking blood tests before and afterwards.”
The study also found that women may benefit more than men from two apples a day when it comes to cholesterol, although more studies are needed to confirm this.
Apples can also be enjoyed as part of a Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to boost heart health.
A Mediterranean diet generally consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, oily fish, poultry, beans, eggs, moderate portions of dairy products and limited intake of red meat.
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According to Mayo Clinic, one of the primary benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet comes from healthy fats, which should be eaten instead of unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats – major contributors to heart disease.
In addition, olive oil is the main source of added fat in the Mediterranean diet.
Olive oil provides monounsaturated fat – a type of fat which has been found to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol levels, keep the threat of a heart attack at bay.
Furthermore, oily fish – another staple of the Mediterranean diet – is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and helps decrease triglycerides, reduce blood clotting, and decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure.
Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood which can increase your risk of heart disease.
What are the symptoms of a heart attack?
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Chest pain – a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing in the centre of your chest
- Pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy (abdomen)
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- An overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)
- Coughing or wheezing
“Although the chest pain is often severe, some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion,” explained the NHS.
It added: “It’s the overall pattern of symptoms that helps to determine whether you are having a heart attack.”
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