Heart attacks are serious medical emergencies that require immediate treatment, according to the NHS. The condition, which is also known as a myocardial infarction, is caused by the blood supply to the heart reducing. You may be increasing your chances of a heart attack if you eat an unhealthy diet, or if you don’t do enough exercise. But regularly eating tomatoes could help to lower your risk of a myocardial infarction, it’s been claimed.
Diet plays a major role in heart health and can impact your risk of heart disease
Rachael Link
Tomatoes could improve the health of your heart as they’re rich in lycopene, according to dietitian Rachael Link.
Lycopene has antioxidant properties that help the body to get rid of harmful free radicals.
Without enough lycopene in the blood, you’re more at risk of some deadly conditions, including heart attacks and strokes.
“Diet plays a major role in heart health and can impact your risk of heart disease,” Link wrote on medical website Healthline.
“In fact, certain foods can influence blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol levels and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
“Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a natural plant pigment with powerful antioxidant properties.
“Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as an increase in ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.
“Higher levels of HDL cholesterol can help remove excess cholesterol and plaque from the arteries to keep your heart healthy and protect against heart disease and stroke.”
Eating two raw tomatoes, four times a week, could increase your levels of HDL cholesterol, she added.
You could also lower your risk of heart attacks by regularly eating berries and avocado.
Berries are rich in antioxidants, including anthocyanins, while avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial to reduce your chances of having a heart attack.
You could also lower your risk of a myocardial infarction by doing regular exercise. Everyone should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.
Common heart attack symptoms include severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, and feeling an overwhelming sensation of anxiety.
You may also be having a heart attack if you start excessively sweating for no obvious reason.
Every seven minutes in the UK, someone has a heart attack.
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