7 Heart-Healthy Foods Your Mom Needs After Heart Surgery
Heart-Healthy Foods: Home Health Care Woodbridge PA
Your mom is coming home from the hospital following heart surgery. It’s time to address the importance of her diet, and you have her doctor’s tips. What heart-healthy foods should you stock up on before she comes home?
Seven Foods to Stock Up On
What foods should you keep on hand for your mom’s daily meals? Here are seven that will help her stick to a heart-healthy diet while also allowing for quick meals on your busiest days.
1. Almond Milk
Almond milk is naturally free of saturated fats making it a heart-healthy choice. Use it to make creamy soups, in place of milk in coffee or tea, and in smoothies or overnight oats.
2. Canned Albacore Tuna
Multiple servings of fish are important for heart health due to the omega-3 fatty acids. Canned albacore tuna is a quick and easy choice for salads and sandwiches. Make sure the sandwich is on whole-grain bread and avoid mayonnaise as much as possible. Use olive oil and vinegar instead.
3. Dried Beans and Lentils
Dried beans and lentils are inexpensive and easy to cook, especially if you have a slow cooker. Use them in soups, casseroles, stews, and pots of chili. You can also mash cooked beans, mix them with herbs and grated vegetables, and make veggie burgers.
4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is a good option for the heart. Aim for extra virgin olive oil that’s stored in a metal tin or dark glass container to prevent light from altering the quality of the oil.
5. Frozen Blackberries
If you can find frozen blackberries or a berry mix with a high percentage of blackberries, stock up. Blackberries are full of fiber (almost 8 grams per cup) but have low sugar content. While a cup of blueberries has 15 grams of natural sugar, blackberries have 7 grams.
6. Old-Fashioned Oats
Old-fashioned oats are a must-have for breakfast. Overnight oats can be made days in advance for grab-and-go breakfasts. You can also use them to make muesli with some dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and other grains.
7. Quinoa
Technically a seed, quinoa is often used as a substitute for rice or couscous. One serving has 5 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Plus, this grain is rich in B vitamins, iron, zinc, copper, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
The American Heart Association’s Dietary Guidelines
Your mom’s cardiologist will likely recommend following the American Heart Association’s guidelines. They include:
- 2 servings of fruit each day
- 2.5 servings of vegetables each day
- 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy each day
- 3 tablespoons of heart-healthy fats each day
- 5.5 ounces of lean protein each day
- 6 servings of grain each day
Make sure she also has home health care services for a few days. She’ll need a nurse to help monitor her pulse and blood pressure. She may need IV fluids or pain medications and a nurse can do that under her cardiologist’s guidance.
Another important home health care service is one that helps your mom and family caregivers learn how to plan and prepare heart-healthy meals. Call a specialist in home health care to learn more about these important post-hospital care services.