Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s demand. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or failed. This means that your heart is not able to pump blood as it should. This can affect on one or both sides of the heart.

Impaired ability of the heart to pump adequately causes the following events:

• Decreased return of blood and fluid to the lungs

• Accumulation of fluid in the lower extremities, which is called edema.

• Fatigue and dyspnea

The main causes of the heart failure are coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. It is more common in people aged ≥65 years old, black Americans or Africans, overweight people and people who had a history of heart attack. Men are also at higher risk of heart failure than women.

 Your doctor diagnoses heart failure by physical examination and heart tests. If other treatments fail, the main treatment includes taking medications and also, in acute cases heart transplantation is done.

Diet plans for heart failure

Follow the DASH or Mediterranean diet

The DASH diet is designed to reduce blood pressure. This diet is rich in plant foods and fats which are healthy for heart. The Mediterranean diet is a common dietary pattern in many Mediterranean countries.

Following a DASH or Mediterranean diet may help you achieve healthy eating goals. Beside following these diets, you can choose low-sodium foods, especially if you limit your consumption of processed and packaged products.

Reduce your sodium intake

When you eat salt or sodium, it helps in fluid retention by the body. Fluid retention raises blood pressure and puts more pressure on heart. This is especially important in heart failure because sodium can worsen the symptoms of heart failure. It can also have long-term effects on the kidneys and heart.

Sodium is found naturally in many foods; including, seafood, poultry, red meat, dairy products and plant-based products. But the major source of sodium is salt, which is added to many home-cooked foods and most processed foods.

Limit your fluid intake

In addition to limiting sodium, your doctor may limit fluid intake. This helps in protecting the heart from fluid retention. While fluid resection varies from person to person, physicians often recommend 2,000 ml of fluid per day for people with heart failure. Limiting fluid intake, involves any fluids that are present at room temperature. This includes soup, gelatin and ice cream.

Limit alcohol consumption

To protect your cardiovascular system, your doctor may encourage you to limit alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other health problems.

Extremely heart-healthy foods

• Green leafy vegetables

• Whole grains

• Berries

• Avocados

• Walnuts

• Beans

• Dark chocolate

• Tomatoes

• Almonds

• Seeds

• Garlic

• Olive oil

• Green tea