Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common diseases that are seen in Turkey and around the world. However, the key to being protected from these diseases is to be at an ideal weight. In order to achieve this, one has to first change his or her lifestyle as well as dietary habits.

Most common cardiovascular diseases

Stress, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and similar things can cause heart disease. Today, 25% of the world's population is under the influence of cardiovascular diseases. Compared to worldwide data, cardiovascular disease is more common in Turkey and constitutes 47.73% of causes of death.

Power of fresh foods and olive oil

Nutrition plays an important role in preventing heart diseases even though genetic factors may have an impact on them. In other words, disease progression and vital risk can be caused by unhealthy and irregular nutrition. The heart may be protected from diseases with healthy eating habits. Moreover, after having heart disease if the individual gives importance to healthy nutrition and does not break their regular controls, he or she can continue living a normal life.


Having on a balanced and light diet is the perfect way to keep your heart healthy.

The most widely accepted way of proper nutrition is the Mediterranean diet.

Mediterranean dietary habits are rich in grains, legumes, fresh vegetables-fruits, fish and olive oil. The consumption of meat, milk and dairy products is more limited in this diet. While monounsaturated fatty acid, pulp, complex carbohydrate content is high in Mediterranean nutrition, saturated fat, cholesterol and simple carbohydrate content is less.

Foods consumed every day in the Mediterranean nutrition program are cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, milk and milk products. Fish, chicken and eggs are recommended once or twice a week. With this type of diet, red meat is given a place once or twice a month. Olive oil should be preferred for meals.

How to prevent cardiovascular diseases

Mediterranean dietary habits should be a lifestyle.

Three main meals and three or four snacks during the day.

Foods with simple sugars like pastry, cookies, white bread and tea sugar can cause sudden high blood sugar because of their glycemic index. Therefore, these kinds of foods that our bodies actually do not need should be avoided.

Tallow, the skin of the chicken, the fatty part of red meat should not be consumed; the amount of butter and offal should be restricted.

It should not be forgotten that all cells in the whole body need water, and 2-2.5 liters of water should be consumed daily.

Eating time should be extended to 15-20 minutes; food should be chewed well.

Sleeping hours and patterns are important. Sleeping less than six hours and more than eight hours should be avoided.

Unhealthy cooking methods such as roasting and frying should be abandoned and healthy cooking methods such as oven baking, grilling, steaming and boiling should be preferred.

Alcohol consumption should be minimized.

Attention should be paid to salt consumption. Do not forget that our daily need for salt is five grams and it is satisfied with bread or the tomato paste in meals.

Perspectives on food should be changed; people should prefer foods that are needed by the body rather than simply eating what they want.