Dietary cholesterol does not cause heart disease but these things do: Refined sugar, processed vegetable oils, inactivity, poor sleep and processed foods
So let’s unpack this…There is a lot of mainstream focus on dietary cholesterol, how evil and dangerous it is, and how many times have you heard the statement “heart attack on a plate” when referring to a fatty meal. Well, the thing is that if you don’t eat enough dietary cholesterol then your body will make it, as it's essential for life, and secondly cholesterol is not a problem when you are eating a healthy natural diet
So let's talk about what really does mess with your heart health??
- Sugar Overload: Do you have a sweet tooth? Most people know about the obvious sugar in cake, lollies, sugary drinks etc, but there is also sugar, and carbs that break down to sugar, in many savoury foods! Did you know that 2 slices of bread will break down to 10 teaspoons of sugar? And these sugary foods will create or worsen inflammation in your body which is a huge risk factor for heart disease!
- Vegetable/seed oils: Do you eat margarine or vegetable oils? These manmade processed fats are created in factories using toxic substances such as hexane, and many become hydrogenated fats and trans fats which lurk in fried and processed foods! These fats/oils greatly escalate the risk to your heart health, even though they are often promoted as “heart healthy”. They cause healthy cholesterol to become damaged and oxidised and this causes chaos in your arteries.
- Inactivity: Are you a couch potato? Inactivity will not do your heart, or any part of your body any favours! Movement is crucial for good heart health, and will also support increased strength and flexibility. Gentle, consistent movement that you enjoy is crucial for heart health! So, get up, get moving and your heart will thank you.
- Sleep Struggles: Do you struggle to sleep properly? Are you burning the candle at both ends, waking through the night, or just can’t get to sleep? These habits are common for many of us but can really impact poorly on heart health Skimping on sleep messes with your metabolism, ramps up inflammation, and is a recipe for heart trouble.
- Processed and ultra-processed foods: Are these the types of foods you head for? The packet of “healthy” pea chips that look nothing like a pea! These packaged, processed foods contain many ingredients that the body just can’t recognise and as such will be stored in the body's fat cells to protect internal organs. They are also loaded with unhealthy fats and sugars, so they're a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Belly Fat: Belly fat is particularly dangerous, much more so than excess weight in other areas of the body, as it engulfs our internal organs and secretes toxic substances and hormones that greatly increase our risk for heart disease.
So, hopefully, this little chat has helped you realise that your omelette isn't the enemy here. And it’s really important to understand that these other factors can make a huge impact on the health of your heart. So stick to whole foods, shift that belly fat, get moving, improve your sleep, and get rid of processed fats and foods. If you do your heart will be singing your praises!
Don’t want to go it alone?
LiVi Wellness (Linda and Vicki are trained health coaches) can guide you on this journey to health and weight loss with education and support on a weekly basis. To find out more please register for our free online class by CLICKING HERE.
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