Key Nutrients for Clients with Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease affects the heart and vascular system and includes coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and others.  ALL types of cardiovascular disease will benefit from a heart healthy diet and lifestyle.  For clients with cardiovascular disease, Chef Beth from Caregivers Kitchen suggests that you:

LIMIT:

• Sodium from salt, MSG, processed foods and restaurant meals.
• Saturated fat from processed and cured meat, fried foods, and snack items.
• Added sugars from soda, juices, sugary snacks, and desserts.
• Alcohol from beer, wine, or liquor.  (Avoid all alcohol with heart failure.)

INCLUDE:

• Potassium from low fat dairy, bananas, citrus, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and dried fruit.
• Unsaturated fats from vegetable oils, fish, and nuts.
• Complex carbohydrates and fiber from whole grains, fortified cereals, fruits, vegetables, and beans.

DASH Diet is a simple plan to serve the right amounts of key nutrients.  It includes regular foods found at most supermarkets and can fit into nearly any food budget.  Find more information about the DASH Diet in the course: Mealtime with Cardiovascular Disease.  (If you are interested in this course and it is not in your course list, please ask your supervisor to assign it to you.)