Heart disease is a major problem that claims the lives of over 700,000 Americans each year. According to the CDC, roughly 805,000 individuals in the United States experience a heart attack each year, although coronary artery disease is the most frequent kind of heart disease.
When it concerns any form of heart disease, your food is a critical risk factor. High cholesterol levels may be caused by things like consuming a lot of saturated and trans fats, which can harm the integrity of your arteries by generating plaque accumulation. Maintaining high blood pressure, not having sufficient activity, diabetes, and holding on to excess weight are additional prominent risk variables of heart disease.
“My favorite food for heart health that many people neglect is kimchi, i.e., traditionally fermented cabbage that is popular in Korea, often eaten at every meal,” explains Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist as well as the author of the book known as Super Gut.
People don’t usually think about fermented foods when they’re thinking of heart-healthy meals, but Dr. Davis says you should.
Fermented foods can aid in the development of a healthy intestinal flora, which can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors such as excessive blood pressure as well as chronic inflammation.
According to Harvard Health, the microorganisms in your gut have a strong link to your cardiovascular system, implying that maintaining a healthy gut can also help you maintain a healthy heart.
A healthy heart may be achieved by eating heart-healthy foods, exercising frequently, reducing stress when possible, getting enough good-quality sleep, decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure, and managing your weight, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
While no one meal can prevent you from cardiovascular disease, including kimchi or any other fermented foods in your regimen can help you maintain your gastrointestinal and heart health at the same time.
