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Our Heart

Our heart is our body’s engine, it’s what keeps the blood circulating so it can transport all the nutrients that our different body parts depend on, and so that it can remove all the waste. Caring for our heart should be a top priority for all of us. Sadly, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world.

The good news is that a large amount of these deaths is preventable through a healthy diet. The sad news is that most people are still following the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is packed with saturated fat, cholesterol, and toxins. Most children are already developing heart disease, it just won’t manifest until they’re older. Fad diets promoting animal-based products while antagonizing healthy carbs are worsening this situation.

Below, we talk about how our heart works, the nutrients that support it, and some of their top plant-based sources. We also share important facts that can help you take great care of your heart and your family’s precious hearts.

Our Heart’s Main Parts and Functions

Hover over each pointer to discover what makes our heart beat and to go over the main parts of our heart and their different functions.

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Top Nutrients for Our Heart

Click on the nutrient images below to visit their interactive pages and learn more about what they do for us, their top sources, other interesting facts, and to try our personalized nutrition calculators.

Fiber intake of at least 25 g/day is associated with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and an overall lower risk of developing heart disease.
Fiber intake of at least 25 g/day is associated with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and an overall lower risk of developing heart disease.
Vitamin A is a strong antioxidant that helps protect our heart and circulatory system from inflammation.
Vitamin A is a strong antioxidant that helps protect our heart and circulatory system from inflammation.
Thiamin or vitamin B1 supports our overall heart health and deficiency may lead to heart failure.
Thiamin or vitamin B1 supports our overall heart health and deficiency may lead to heart failure.
Vitamin B6 helps us maintain normal levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that in excess increases the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin B6 helps us maintain normal levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that in excess increases the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Folate has a key role in breaking down homocysteine. It also helps us produce healthy red blood cells which transport oxygen from our lungs to our heart.
Folate has a key role in breaking down homocysteine. It also helps us produce healthy red blood cells which transport oxygen from our lungs to our heart.
Vitamin B12 is important for the production of red blood cells and to maintain normal levels of homocysteine, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin B12 is important for the production of red blood cells and to maintain normal levels of homocysteine, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin C helps increase our HDL cholesterol which in turn helps eliminate cholesterol from our body. It also supports calcium and iron absorption.
Vitamin C helps increase our HDL cholesterol which in turn helps eliminate cholesterol from our body. It also supports calcium and iron absorption.
Vitamin E widens our blood vessels, preventing blood clots. It also protects the fats in LDL cholesterol from oxidation that could lead to cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin E widens our blood vessels, preventing blood clots. It also protects the fats in LDL cholesterol from oxidation that could lead to cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin K is involved in the production of proteins that help prevent the calcification and hardening of our heart arteries.
Vitamin K is involved in the production of proteins that help prevent the calcification and hardening of our heart arteries.
Calcium helps with muscle contractions and is key in regulating our heart's rhythm.
Calcium helps with muscle contractions and is key in regulating our heart’s rhythm.
Iron is needed to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the heart, and then to the rest of our body.
Iron is needed to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the heart, and then to the rest of our body.
Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure. High levels of magnesium are linked to a 40% risk reduction of sudden cardiac death!
Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure. High levels of magnesium are linked to a 40% risk reduction of sudden cardiac death!
Selenium deficiency is linked to cardiovascular disease. In observational studies, a 50% increase in selenium intake reduced coronary heart disease by 24%.
Selenium deficiency is linked to cardiovascular disease. In observational studies, a 50% increase in selenium intake reduced coronary heart disease by 24%.
Plant-based foods rich in potassium help improve our blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease.
Plant-based foods rich in potassium help improve our blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease.

Top Foods for Our Heart

Below you can see some of the top whole-foods, plant-based nutrient sources for our heart. Hover over each one to see their top bone nutrients, or click on it to visit its interactive page with a personalized calculator to help you identify all the nutrients this food provides. You will also find tips to help you select, store, and prepare these foods. Plus, you will get more important information on how this food can benefit your health and the health of your loved ones. For additional sources per nutrient, click on the nutrients above.

Beans and Legumes

Beans and Legumes

Rich in vitamins B1, B6 and B9 (folate), calcium, iron, magnesium and selenium.

Link
Dark Leafy Greens

Dark Leafy Greens

Rich in vitamins A, B6, B9 (folate), C and K plus calcium, iron and magnesium.

Link
Whole Grains

Whole Grains

Rich in fiber, vitamins B1 and B6, iron, magnesium & selenium.

Link
White Beans

White Beans

Rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B1 and B9 (folate).

Link
Edamame

Edamame

Rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B1, B9 (folate) and K.

Link
Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato

Rich in vitamins A, B6 and C, and in potassium.

Link
Asparagus

Asparagus

Rich in vitamins B1, B9 (folate), C, E and K, and in potassium and selenium.

Link
White Mushrooms

White Mushrooms

Rich in iron, potassium, and selenium.

Link

Important Things to Know for Our Heart Health

Hover over each of the interesting facts below to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Check out the interesting facts below! Tap on the red triangles to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Most Americans who die suddenly of heart disease, don’t get a warning.

It’s called sudden cardiac death, and it means that death happens within the hour of symptom onset. More than 360,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital every year in the US. 60% to 80% die before making it to the hospital.

High LDL Cholesterol levels is the number one risk for heart disease.

The optimal LDL cholesterol level is between 50 and 70 mg/dL, this means a total cholesterol of  under 150 mg/dL. The famous China Study revealed that levels of Total Cholesterol in China were 127 mg/dL, yet being under 200 mg/dL is considered normal by most doctors in the U.S. Achieving the recommended level of under 150 mg/dL is easy for most people when following a WFPB diet.

Dietary choices lead to heart disease starting in childhood, or even before birth.

Nearly all American children who die after an accident by the age of 10 and get an autopsy are found to be in the first stage of atherosclerosis (fatty streaks in our arteries). This is very alarming! What’s more alarming is that newborn babies whose mothers had high LDL cholesterol levels, also presented early stages of heart disease. By the time most Americans are 20 to 30 years old, they already have plaque. Fortunately, this can be reversed when switching to a WFPB diet.

Coconut oil should be avoided together with other sources of saturated fat.

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat and it significantly raises total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, raising risk factors for heart disease. Studies also found no benefit of consuming coconut oil for inflammation, blood sugar control, or weight.

But, isn’t Omega 3 supposed to be good for our heart? Turns out, it’s not!

The notion that Omega 3 fatty acids supported cardiovascular health turned out to be based on biased studies and has now been debunked by more recent and extensive studies. These studies show no effect of Omega 3 in cardiovascular health. However, Omega 3 fatty acids do support our brain health. Be sure to use plant-based preformed DHA and EPA (from algae) and to include ALA from seeds into your diet. Fish sources are highly contaminated.

High levels of magnesium are associated with 40% reduced risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Top sources of magnesium include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. So, it’s easy to get plenty when following a balanced, whole-foods, plant-based diet. Unfortunately, most Americans are not even getting the Daily Value of 420 mg. The average intake is 300 mg.

3 reasons eating meat hurts our heart: saturated fat, endotoxins, and heme iron.

A study showed that people eating at least one serving of meat a day had a 22% higher risk of heart disease.

  • Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol levels, which increases heart disease risk
  • Endotoxins are bacteria found in raw, cooked and fermented animal products, that lead to artery inflammation
  • Heme iron found in meat was found to increase heart disease by 57% while non-heme iron found in vegetables show no relationship to risk of mortality from heart disease

Excessive sodium leads to high blood pressure, also known as the “silent killer.”

About 90% of adults in the U.S. are expected to develop high blood pressure in their lifetimes. Excess sodium pulls water into our blood vessels, thus increasing our amount of blood. The more blood flows inside these vessels, the more pressure they get. Eventually, our blood vessel walls get injured, resulting in faster buildup of plaque.

Plants have all the sodium we need, so the ideal practice is to omit completely. However, most of the sodium we get doesn’t even come from the salt in home-cooked meals. About 70% comes from processed foods and restaurant foods.

Even moderate exercise can reduce our risk of heart disease by 50%.

The more we exercise, the better, but even a 20-30 minute walk every day will improve our odds over having a sedentary life. So, take those stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the mailbox instead of driving. Or start a habit of going out on walks every day. This also helps with stress management, another risk factor for heart disease. Stress makes plaque build up faster in our arteries. It also makes the arteries constrict and our blood clots faster, leading to a heart attack of stroke.

Most Americans who die suddenly of heart disease, don’t get a warning.

It’s called sudden cardiac death, and it means that death happens within the hour of symptom onset. More than 360,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital every year in the US. 60% to 80% die before making it to the hospital.

High LDL Cholesterol levels is the number one risk for heart disease.

The optimal LDL cholesterol level is between 50 and 70 mg/dL, this means a total cholesterol of  under 150 mg/dL. The famous China Study revealed that levels of Total Cholesterol in China were 127 mg/dL, yet being under 200 mg/dL is considered normal by most doctors in the U.S. Achieving the recommended level of under 150 mg/dL is easy for most people when following a WFPB diet.

Dietary choices lead to heart disease starting in childhood, or even before birth.

Nearly all American children who die after an accident by the age of 10 and get an autopsy are found to be in the first stage of atherosclerosis (fatty streaks in our arteries). This is very alarming! What’s more alarming is that newborn babies whose mothers had high LDL cholesterol levels, also presented early stages of heart disease. By the time most Americans are 20 to 30 years old, they already have plaque. Fortunately, this can be reversed when switching to a WFPB diet.

Coconut oil should be avoided together with other sources of saturated fat.

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat and it significantly raises total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, raising risk factors for heart disease. Studies also found no benefit of consuming coconut oil for inflammation, blood sugar control, or weight.

But, isn’t Omega 3 supposed to be good for our heart? Turns out, it’s not!

The notion that Omega 3 fatty acids supported cardiovascular health turned out to be based on biased studies and has now been debunked by more recent and extensive studies. These studies show no effect of Omega 3 in cardiovascular health. However, Omega 3 fatty acids do support our brain health. Be sure to use plant-based preformed DHA and EPA (from algae) and to include ALA from seeds into your diet. Fish sources are highly contaminated.

High levels of magnesium are associated with 40% reduced risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Top sources of magnesium include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. So, it’s easy to get plenty when following a balanced, whole-foods, plant-based diet. Unfortunately, most Americans are not even getting the Daily Value of 420 mg. The average intake is 300 mg.

3 reasons eating meat hurts our heart: saturated fat, endotoxins, and heme iron.

A study showed that people eating at least one serving of meat a day had a 22% higher risk of heart disease.

  • Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol levels, which increases heart disease risk
  • Endotoxins are bacteria found in raw, cooked and fermented animal products, that lead to artery inflammation
  • Heme iron found in meat was found to increase heart disease by 57% while non-heme iron found in vegetables show no relationship to risk of mortality from heart disease

Excessive sodium leads to high blood pressure, also known as the “silent killer.”

About 90% of adults in the U.S. are expected to develop high blood pressure in their lifetimes. Excess sodium pulls water into our blood vessels, thus increasing our amount of blood. The more blood flows inside these vessels, the more pressure they get. Eventually, our blood vessel walls get injured, resulting in faster buildup of plaque.

Plants have all the sodium we need, so the ideal practice is to omit completely. However, most of the sodium we get doesn’t even come from the salt in home-cooked meals. About 70% comes from processed foods and restaurant foods.

Even moderate exercise can reduce our risk of heart disease by 50%.

The more we exercise, the better, but even a 20-30 minute walk every day will improve our odds over having a sedentary life. So, take those stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the mailbox instead of driving. Or start a habit of going out on walks every day. This also helps with stress management, another risk factor for heart disease. Stress makes plaque build up faster in our arteries. It also makes the arteries constrict and our blood clots faster, leading to a heart attack of stroke.

In Loving Memory

Steve-Walsh-crop

Steve Walsh was an amazing father and human being who lived life with compassion, unconditional love, a strong dedication to justice, and a great sense of humor. He died from sudden cardiac arrest at the early age of 62. This page is dedicated to him, hoping that the information we provide helps other families prevent this tragic loss.

References