Cardiologists are doctors who specialize in the treatment of heart diseases, so they have a constant, first-hand exposure to the real effects of a poor diet. Most of the time, they’re conscientious about avoiding certain foods that are bad for their heart and cardiovascular system.
Of course, they’re still human, and sometimes they can’t resist eating some of these foods, especially when they’re at a buffet. They might indulge in some chocolate or a glass of red wine. But for the most part, they tend to avoid the following food items.
Potato Chips
No list of favorite snacks will be complete without the addictive potato chips on the list. It’s an old truism that eating a single potato chip is downright impossible.
But the thing is, these chips are loaded up with too much sodium. Too much sodium is the enemy of cardiovascular health. That’s why people with high blood pressure and other cardio issues are often told to stick to a low-sodium diet.
And potato chips can easily get your sodium levels going past what’s healthy. You might not even notice it, when you’re on your couch binge-watching on Netflix. Imagine going through 8 episodes—and you’re munching on potato chips all that time!
The rule is, if it’s too salty yet you can’t stop eating it—try to avoid it altogether!
Processed Meats
Processed meat is meat that’s bee processed to enhance its shelf life. That’s to say, they’ve been treated so that they won’t go bad too quickly, which means greater profits for the food manufacturer. The treatments can include smoking, fermenting, curing, or salting the meat. These meats can include sausages, hot dogs, ham, and bacon.
True, they’re classic options for the stereotypical American diet. They’re also quick and convenient. But you won’t find many cardiologists having these things for meals on a regular basis.
The reason for this is that these meats are just filled with lots of saturated fats and sodium, which are bad for your heart. There are too many studies that link processed meats with heart failure, and these doctors actually read about those studies.
Red Meat
True, it’s very possible that a cardiologist can enter the Wynn buffet and be tempted by a tender and juicy steak. It might be sauteed in butter and then topped with mushroom, and it’s downright delicious.
But even that cardiologist knows that they can’t do this sort of thing too frequently. That’s because steak generally contains high levels of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats, and these are all bad for the heart. That’s why cardiologists tell all their patients that red meat should be limited to perhaps only once a month.
If you do eat red meat, you’re better off with leaner cuts. That means the sirloin tips, top sirloin, top roast, eye of round roast. That way, you minimize the bad stuff.
In addition, you’ll want to avoid having that steak with butter, cream, and hollandaise sauces. These sauces rack up the fat and calorie totals. For flavoring, it’s better to just stick to the usual herbs and spices.