Health Route to keep our heart healthy

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Route to keep our heart healthy
New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) Hot chillies, wine and popcorn are some of the things that you should add to your daily diet to keep a check on heart disease, suggest experts.

* Wine: If you like to unwind with a glass of wine, then you are in the right company! According to Kari Poikolainen, who used to work for the World Health Organisation as an alcohol expert, drinking one or two glasses of red wine a day can actually help protect your heart and help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Adding to it Cecilia Oldne, Vice President, Marketing and Global Brand Ambassador, Sula Vineyards, also said that there are various substances in red wine that are proven to be heart-healthy like resveratrol that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, prevents blood clots and protects the heart from inflammation.

* Hot chillies: Who thought that having red chillies could be beneficial for the heart? Though in a country like India, spices are generally added to improve the flavour of the dish, they also have health benefits. According to John Day, who is a cardiologist and Medical Director of heart rhythm services in the US, said people who consumed hot chillies are less susceptible to cancer and high blood pressure which in turn leads to less heart disease deaths.

This is due to the ingredient capsaicin which lowers blood cholesterol levels and blocks a gene that makes arteries contract, which can lead to dangerous blockages of blood flow. Such blockages can cause heart attacks (when blood can't reach the heart) or strokes (when blood can't reach the brain).

* Popcorn: All that popcorn you guzzled over the weekend could have been doing you a power of good. It's long been known that red wine contains antioxidants, thought to help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of 'good' cholesterol and protecting against artery damage - and now it appears that the popcorn you eat with it does too.

* Walking: It is a known fact that brisk walking is one of the best exercises that one can incorporate in one's fitness regime. When we get out in the morning we notice a large group of people taking their early morning walk. Other than helping people remain fit walking is also very healthy for the heart, One must take it in our stride to ensure that walking becomes a lifestyle choice and not a chore. According to Shane Bilsborough, a nutrition and exercise expert who is also the Co-Founder and Chief Wellness Officer, Stepathlon, one must take an average of 10,000 steps every day.

* Cod liver oil: For all the fish lovers out there, there's some good news - The omega 3 content in cod liver oil could also be beneficial for your heart as it has beneficial effects on blood pressure, blood stickiness and inflammation and is prescribed to lower abnormally high blood fat levels.

--IANS