Creating meals that support heart functions – Part 2
Last week in The Guardian Newspaper, we established that it is a good thing to begin ones day with one or two glasses of water and to each we can add one half of a fruit of lemon. This would act as a tonic (a pick me up) in the morning and a cleanser and a detoxifier. If the water is alkaline as I recommend, the alkaline minerals in the water should neutralize the acidic wastes already in the blood circulation.
As the day progresses, it will be time for breakfast, the first meal of the day. A cup of green tea is usually appropriate to launch into breakfast. Other types of tea such as white tea, black tea and oolong tea can also be taken. These are all varieties of original tea from the tea plant known as Camellia sinensis. They are known for the different levels of catechins and caffeine in them. As a rule we need to drink two to four cups of these teas daily. Other kinds of tea known as herbal teas should also be taken throughout the day. Among these are those that have specific actions against conditions such as inflammation, plaque formation and build up in the wall of the artery. I will discuss the role of herbal teas in prevention of heart disease on a later date.
Breakfast
Types of food that should be included in our meals at breakfast time for the prevention of heart attack are fruits example avocado, pawpaw, orange, blue berry, straw berry and cantaloupe. Others are whole grains and whole oats like wheat bread, Quaker oats and Weetabix. These fruits are also good sources of alpha and beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Flavonoids found in the fruits include anthocyanin and lutein. Of equal significance among the heart-healthy fruits is their high content of fiber. Beans and lentils also make a good meal for breakfast. Such varieties of beans as kidney and black beans. These all can be processed into certain local delicacies known as moi moi and akara. Akara may not be recommended because of the different types of oil used to fry them.
A summary of the nutrients that are present in these different types of food that we can eat at breakfast shows the following: alpha, beta-carotene, lutein, anthocyanin, vitamin C, folate and fiber. Also present, are the three minerals that are of utmost significance to the heart and these are calcium, potassium and magnesium. Because of their importance to the heart, I would like to pay a bit more attention to each of them.
Magnesium is one of the most prevalent minerals in the body. It is involved in almost all chemical reactions in the body. A lot of reactions whose causes were said to be unknown in the past are today being ascribed to deficiency of magnesium. Sufficient magnesium supports the function of the cardiovascular system and the blood. Deficiency of magnesium therefore will be associated with heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias and atherosclerosis. Other complications of magnesium deficiency in the cardiovascular system are hypertension, congestive heart failure, heart attack and cardiomyopathies.
Magnesium at optimal levels in the body causes the softening of the blood vessels and vasodilatation. It inhibits platelet agglutination resulting in a less viscous blood and lower risk of blood clotting and formation of thrombosis. Magnesium enhances heart muscle contractility as more oxygen reaches the heart.
Potassium another important mineral to the heart and its function. Also an alkaline mineral, potassium, is the main mineral inside the cells. It is necessary for the functions of all living cells. Potassium plays a significant role in the osmotic balance between the cells and interstitial fluid through the Na+/K+-ATPase pump. It is the main mineral inside the cells of the body. In function, it prevents plaque formation on the blood vessels and it protects blood vessels from free radical damage and reduces the risk of hypertension and its complications.
The deficiency of potassium in the body is known as hypokalaemia and can be caused by excessive urinating, diarrhoea, excessive vomiting and sweating. Other causes are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Symptoms of hypokalaemia could include weakness, muscle weakness, sluggish reflexes and in severe cases ECG abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias.
Calcium, the third mineral that is important to the heart. It is used in the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy; a condition known as pre-eclampsia. It is also used to treat cramps that occur in the leg in pregnancy. Calcium maintains the health of blood vessels and prevents conditions such as arteriosclerosis. It regulates blood pressure and functions in the transmission of electrical impulses in the myocardium.
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