Watching your diet is an important part of managing atrial
fibrillation. That's because several afib risk factors, like high blood
pressure and coronary heart disease, are influenced by what you eat. If you
take some blood thinners as part of your Irregular Heartbeat Treatment, you
require being careful not to eat lots of foods high in vitamin K, such as leafy
greens. You also need to keep away from heart stimulants in your diet because
these could make your afib worse. That might sound like a lot to keep in mind,
but remembering these do's and don'ts will help you stay on track.
Do Enjoy
Fish at Least Twice a Week
Do enjoy fish as a source of protein instead of red meat at
least twice a week. Coldwater fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies
show with the intention of a diet high in these healthy fats can protect
against abnormal heart rhythms. In fact, several studies have shown that eating
3 to 6 ounces of coldwater fish, such as herring, salmon, sardines, and mackerel,
once a week can lessen your risk of dying from heart disease by 36%.
Don't Forget About
Vitamin K
If you are taking the blood-thinning medicine, such as
warfarin, which is used to stop stroke in people with Atrial Fibrillation, make sure you don't suddenly enhance or reduce the amount
of vitamin K in your diet. Increasing vitamin K can reduce the drug's effect,
while decreasing vitamin K can increase its effect.
Don't Add
Salt to Your Diet
High blood pressure is one bigger risk factor for atrial fibrillation.
To lower your risk of high blood pressure, make sure your heart healthy diet
puts severe limits on salt. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating
plan advises eating no more than 1,500 milligrams of salt each day. Alternate
herbs and flavorful spices.
