Atherosclerosis Diet

The atherosclerosis diet is similar to those recommended for other conditions associated with heart disease (e.g. hyperlipidemia and hypertension. The aim is to adopt a healthy diet which will prevent further development of coronary heart disease.

The Diet

-Is similar to a Mediterranean style diet
-Includes large amounts of fresh fruits (2 servings per day) and vegetables (5 servings per day)
-Limits the intake of meat, particularly red meat (1 serving per day)
-Increases consumption of grains and cereals (4-9 servings per day)
-Includes non-fat or low-fat milk and dairy products (2 servings per day)
-Recommends limiting alcohol intake (a maximum of 2 standard drinks for men and 1 for women per day).

The diet excludes:

-Foods high in cholesterol - offal meats, eggs, cream, shell fish etc.
-Fatty take-away foods, fried foods, cakes, biscuits, pastries and chocolate
-Frying foods or using breadcrumbs
Try to make the following changes to your diet:
-Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (eg. fish, canola oil)
-Reduce total fat by only choosing lean meats and always cut visible forms of fat away
-Reduce the total fat in your diet, particularly saturated fat
-Limit the amount of salt in your daily diet
-Select items with the Heart Foundation tick, which suggests the product is good for promoting a healthy heart.

Sample daily diet - Breakfast

1 glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
1 bowl of porridge with honey and banana
1 slice of wholemeal toast topped with tomato

Snack

1 tub of low-fat yoghurt
1 cup of tea or coffee
1 slice of fruit bread with thin spread of jam

Lunch

Tuna salad
1 wholemeal roll

Snack

2 slices of wholemeal toast with low-fat cheese melted on top
1 cup of tea or coffee

Dinner

2 grilled chicken shashlicks with capsicum and onions served on a bed of couscous
1 Greek salad
1 glass of red wine or dark grape juice

Recipe - Tuna salad

1 cup of lettuce leaves
1 can of tuna (drained and flaked)
2 boiled potatoes (skins on)
1 large tomato cut into wedges
½ cup of Kalamata olives
1 cup of green beans
1 sprig of fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Place lettuce in salad bowl and add rest of ingredients. Mix all ingredients together and add olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Total Nutrients (100 g):
Energy: 415 kJ / 99 cals
Protein: 4.2 g
Total Fat 5.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat : 3.9 g
Saturated Fat : 0.9 g
Cholesterol : 5. 9 mg
Sodium : 123 mg

DISCLAIMER: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended to replace medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, nurse or naturopath before following any medical regimen to see whether it is safe and effective for you.