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Heart Failure
Diet
Contributed by Julayne Ross, RD
Updated by Nutrition411.com staff
Review Date 8/13
G-1170
What Is Heart Failure?
• Many people believe it means that the heart has
stopped or is about to stop, but that is not true
• Heart failure means that the heart is not
pumping blood through the body as well as it
should
• As the heart’s pumping action weakens, blood
backs up into the blood vessels around the lungs
and causes seepage into the lungs
• The fluid causes congestion and makes it hard
to breathe
Source: Heart Failure Society of America: http://www.abouthf.org/module1/what_is_heart_failure.htm
What Is Heart Failure?
(cont’d)
• Many people with heart failure also have swollen
legs and feet
• That is why heart failure is sometimes called
congestive heart failure
Source: Heart Failure Society of America: http://www.abouthf.org/module1/what_is_heart_failure.htm
Heart Failure
Management
• In most cases, heart failure is not curable, but it
is controllable
• Careful management means:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Taking all medicines ordered by your doctor or nurse
Following a low-sodium (salt) diet
Stopping smoking
Remaining physically active
Losing weight, if overweight
Drinking alcohol sparingly, if at all
Source: Heart Failure Society of America: http://www.abouthf.org/module2/default.htm
Sodium: How Much Do
We Need?
Sodium: How to
Decrease It
• The biggest challenge is to
stop using the salt shaker
• Here are some ideas…
Ideas…
• Know that 1 teaspoon (tsp) of salt=
2300 milligrams (mg) of sodium
• Taste food before salting
• Use less or no salt at the table
• Try salt-free flavoring blends, such as
Mrs. Dash®
The Next Problem Is
Eliminating Salty Foods
• You know which ones they are
• They taste salty!
Check Those Food Labels
Read the Ingredient
List
Is This a Good Choice?
Low-Sodium Foods
Mistakes to Avoid When
Reading a Food Label
• Reduced is not LOW if original product has
1000 mg of salt—sodium is just reduced by 25%
• Low sodium means less than 140 mg/serving
• Watch portion sizes
• Do not assume that a small-packaged item, such
as from a vending machine, is just one serving
• A small bag of pretzels may contain 2.5
servings, so you would need to multiply the
amount of sodium by 2.5
Watch the Sodium
in Medications and
Supplements
• Naproxen sodium=20 mg of sodium
• Sodium ascorbate (vitamin C)=
210 mg/½ teaspoon of sodium
Need to Lose Some
Weight?
• Limit fat in the diet:
– Use low-fat milk and skim-milk products (skim,
½%, or 1%)
– Use lean meats (chicken without the skin, fish,
and beef and pork with the words “loin” or
“round”)
– Limit added fats in cooking
– Use less margarine, butter, and salad dressings
Need to Lose Some
Weight? (cont’d)
• Avoid eating and drinking too many extra
calories
• Limit high-calorie drinks (soda, sports
drinks, and fruit punches, for example)
• Watch portion sizes
• Consider your alcohol intake
Alcohol Consumption
12 fluid ounce
(fl oz) of beer
4 to 5 fl oz
of wine
1.5 fl oz of
distilled spirits
What Should I Eat?
•
•
•
•
Shop the perimeter of the store
Check the labels
Choose fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
Look for fresh, frozen, or low-sodium
canned vegetables
• Select breads and low-salt crackers
• Purchase fresh or frozen meat rather than
canned and cured meats
What Should I Eat?
(cont’d)
• Eat foods high in potassium and
magnesium:
– Fruits, vegetables, and milk are good sources of
potassium
– Nuts, soybeans (tofu), spinach, and wheat germ
are good sources of magnesium
Weigh Yourself
Regularly
• Monitor for weight gain related to fluid
retention
• Let your doctor know if you gain 2 to 3 lb
• Know that fluid weight puts stress on your
heart
Do You Need a
Multivitamin?
• Talk to your doctor about whether you need
a multivitamin
• Consider one that contains at least:
̶ 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12
̶ 400 mcg folate
̶ 420 mg magnesium (men); 320 mg magnesium
(women)
̶ 1.1 mg thiamine
Available Resources
Heart Failure Society of America:
http://www.abouthf.org/
Heart Failure.org:
http://www.heartfailure.org/
American Heart Association Heart Hub for
Patients:
http://www.hearthub.org/