1. What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease and stroke) is caused by lack of blood supply to certain organs and are the principal manifestations of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Currently, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries like ours.

2. What are the risk factors?
Risk factors for these diseases can be classified into:

• Personal factors coded

Non-modifiable personal factors: sex (male), age (45-55 years) or a positive family history.

• Risk factors that can be corrected

Risk factors that can be corrected: notably elevated blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL or “bad” cholesterol, low levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and type of food.

Other factors that are influencing the physical inactivity, obesity or stress.

3. The diet influences health
Despite the importance of controlling these risk factors, diet is perhaps the one on which you can exercise greater control and is clearly proved that his amendment would affect a very important part of the other factors involved.

4. What is the heart-healthy diet?
The diet should be as balanced as that of a healthy person, trying to maintain or achieve a healthy weight: the base must be comprised of foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta and rice and at least twice a week, legumes.

The day is important to consume two or more servings of vegetables or salad and three pieces of fruit, plus 1.5 or 2 liters of water.

This balanced diet for any healthy person should have some restrictions in the event of a cardiovascular disease:

• Reduce fat intake in general and especially the consumption of animal and vegetable preferably, especially olive oil.
• Try cooking with minimum fat as possible, preferring cooking, roast or grilled to fry.
• Try not to eat meat and fish in excess and preferably more fish than meat, including blue.
• Consume best birds like chicken and turkey or rabbit red meat.
• The sausages are rich in saturated fats, so we need to moderate their consumption.
• Do not take more than 2 or 3 egg yolks a week. Consumption is clearly limited, so we can mix the yolk with two whites for omelets, scrambled eggs or sauces.
• Prefer the skimmed milk to whole milk, cream, butter and derivatives, suitably supplemented by consuming low fat dairy and eating fresh cheese instead of fat.
• The drinking never exceed 30 g per day (two glasses a day). Always prefer wine to other alcoholic beverages, for its antioxidant properties.
• It is very important physical exercise because it helps them lose weight and is good for health. Should increase the performance in activities of daily living (taking the stairs instead of elevators, public transportation instead of the car …) and at least walk, if possible, an hour a day, always follow your doctor’s instructions .