Congestive Heart Failure: Tips for the Healthiest Diet

by VanBooven RN BSN

Congestive heart failure is a relatively common condition of aging. This disorder is characterized by fluid building up in the lungs or extremities as a result of the heart no longer being capable of pumping sufficient blood throughout your body. CHF can be caused by a variety of conditions including kidney problems, cardiovascular issues and high blood pressure. 

Other symptoms of congestive heart failure include:

• Fatigue
• Irregular heartbeat
• Liver damage
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling

If left improperly managed, CHF can lead to serious damage to the heart, kidney or liver, or even death. One of the most important parts of managing congestive heart failure is eating a healthy diet. Controlling specific dietary elements along with following your medication guidelines can help you to manage your CHF and lead an active and productive life.

Here are some tips for keeping the stress off of your heart through proper management of your diet:

Monitor Your Fluid Intake
While most people are encouraged to consume as much water throughout the day as they like, when you are managing your congestive heart failure it will be important for you to keep your fluid intake within very strict guidelines. Excess fluid makes it even more difficult for your heart to pump appropriately, and can place undue strain on the muscle.

Reduce Sodium
Your physician will emphasize how important it is for you to keep the sodium in your diet to a minimum. Sodium causes your body to retain fluids, worsening the stress that is already on your heart. Carefully read the ingredients and nutritional information of everything that you eat, and get out of the habit of flavoring your food with salt.

Consider Your Food
It may seem as that will be easy to keep track of all of the fluid that you consume because you can measure what you drink, but it is simply not that easy. You must remember that there fluids in virtually all foods, and some contain a considerable amount. Avoid foods such as soup, juicy fruits and gelatin that contain high levels of fluid.

Go Fresh
You will generally find much more sodium in prepackaged, preprepared foods. Preparing your own foods allows you to control the ingredients so you are able to create the healthiest meals and snacks possible and ensure you are managing your congestive heart failure effectively.

Source: http://www.reducehospitalreadmissionrates.com