Care for your Core: Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease by Nutrition

A wealth of information linking diet to heart health is available in the literature. While poor nutritional practices and improper diets exert an adverse effect on the heart, specific foods and dietary interventions are cardioprotective and maintain a healthy heart. The public has become much more aware and knowledgeable on the benefits of nutrition for health, and thus it is important that such available information is backed by credible science. In this brief article, we provide a dietitian and nutritionist perspective on the importance of food and nutrition in the prevention of cardiovascular disease as well as associated risk factors such as obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, we discuss how to best utilize foods to gain health benefits, specifically for heart health as part of an overall healthy lifestyle regimen.