Good Married Life May be Linked with Heart Health; Choose Heart Friendly Foods Too

If you are steady in your relationship with your spouse, chances are you may have better cholesterol readings and a healthier weight. According to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, men whose marriages grow stronger with time have healthier cholesterol and blood pressure as compared to the peers whose marriages fall apart. Researchers got more than 600 men in Britain to rate the quality of their marriage at two points in time- when their child was three years old and when they were nine.

The men, in the study could describe their marriage as consistently good, consistently bad, improving or deteriorating. Another 12 years later, the team of researchers judged the participants' health. They analyzed such measures as blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, weight and blood sugar, which may lead to potential cardiovascular diseases.

The findings suggested that men, who rated their marriage as improving, had better cholesterol readings and a healthier weight years later. Deteriorating marriages were associated with worsening diastolic blood pressure.

While a happy marriage may be one of the reasons to keep your heart healthy and strong, it is also the right diet that is responsible for keeping your heart going. Here are some heart friendly foods that you must include in your diet-

1. Oats

Oats have been known to contain a type of fibre that helps in binding bile acids and expel them from the body. These bile acids are made from cholesterol. So include more and more oats in your daily diet and find creative ways to add more fun to the usual ones.

2. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are rich in healthy fats, which is known Omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and phytoestrogens and all of these help in boosting heart health. It is best to soak flaxseeds or grind them before consuming for better results.

3. Legumes

Legumes are rich sources of antioxidants, fibre and proteins. They are also a great source to get your folate requirement from and also help in increasing platelet activity.

4. Nuts

A handful of nuts daily will help keep your heart strong as they have high amounts of unsaturated fats that are good for your heart as they help in reducing inflammation of the arteries.