What is angina?
Angina is a symptom of heart disease that occurs when the heart muscle isn't getting enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina can be mild, causing only slight discomfort. It may also be severe enough to stop you in your tracks or make it hard for you to breathe. While some types of angina are caused by coronary artery disease (CAD) — the most common cause of chest pain — other types aren't related to CAD at all. If you're experiencing angina symptoms, talk to your doctor about what might be causing them and how they could affect your health going forward.
- Angina is typically caused by narrow or blocked arteries that restrict blood flow to your heart. As a result, the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood. The pain you feel with angina is the result of a lack of oxygen reaching your heart muscle.
- As you age, plaque builds up on the walls of your coronary arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol and other substances found in blood that have stuck together over time. Plaque can harden and narrow the coronary artery so it's less able to carry oxygen-rich blood through your body. This condition is known as coronary artery disease (CAD).
Other factors that causes angina:
Other factors can also play a role in CAD:
- high blood pressure and diabetes can damage the small vessels inside the heart; these small vessel problems may lead to narrowed blood vessels and increased risk for CAD;
- smoking causes plaque buildup in arteries faster than normal; diets high in salt increase sodium levels in our bodies - which increases hardening of our arteries;
- high cholesterol levels also make plaque harder to remove.
Less often, angina is caused by spasms in a coronary artery that temporarily reduce blood flow. This type of angina is called variant (variant) angina (also called Prinzmetal's or vasospastic) coronary artery spasm and myocardial ischemia. Spasms occur when the arteries to your heart dilate or open wide without warning. The spasms cause severe pain as you are suddenly deprived of oxygen-rich blood flowing to your heart muscle.
Variant angina usually occurs when you are at rest or sleeping. You may feel it as a squeezing pressure or burning sensation in the center of your chest; it may radiate down one arm and into your jaw, neck and arm on either side of the body but it does not usually radiate up into your jawline as classic angina does (see above section). Sometimes this pain can be mistaken for indigestion initially because it feels like an upset stomach but then progresses into more intense chest pains similar to those experienced with classic form of non-cardiac chest pain such as cancerous tumors in lungs etcetera
Risk factors for coronary artery disease, the most common cause of angina, include older age, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking.
An unhealthy diet can also increase your risk of coronary artery disease if you have other risk factors. This includes eating too much salt or fat and not enough fruits and vegetables.
How to lower the risk factors of angina.
If you have a family history of angina and have been diagnosed with a known risk factor for developing it, there are things you can do to lower your risk. These might include:
Maintaining a healthy weight by exercising and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Not smoking or limiting the amount of alcohol you drink.
Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes through medications or lifestyle changes (such as losing weight).
Avoid stressful situations.
Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fiber and complex carbohydrates, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A low-fat diet is also recommended for people with angina.
Get plenty of exercise daily, preferably 30 minutes at least three times per week; walking is one of the best ways to ease stress and improve emotional health as well as physical fitness.
Avoid smoking cigarettes because it affects your heart's ability to pump blood normally when you have angina symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath during exertion (also known as effort-induced angina). Smoking can also lead to other conditions that may make existing cases worse such as heart failure and coronary artery disease – both conditions where oxygen-rich blood flow into the heart muscle becomes restricted or blocked by plaque buildup in these arteries."
Dietary Management Of angina
Patients with angina should consume a low-salt diet.
A low-salt diet is one of the most important elements to managing angina. Patients should reduce their intake of sodium, which is found in many foods, especially processed and fast foods. They should also avoid food that have a high salt content.
Salt substitutes are available for people who want to lower their daily sodium intake but cannot completely cut out salt from their diet. These products contain potassium chloride instead of regular table salt, allowing you to enjoy some flavor while getting less sodium overall. This type of alternative can be helpful if you have high blood pressure or other conditions that require careful management of your electrolytes—but note that it's important not to overdo it on potassium chloride either!
Eating too much salt can cause your body's fluid balance and electrolyte levels to become unbalanced; this can cause swelling in your body tissue (edema), fluid retention in general organs such as the liver or heart muscle itself (heart failure), and even kidney damage from excess water intake through urine production
A low-fat diet is also recommended for patients.
A low-fat diet is also recommended for patients. In addition to reducing dietary cholesterol, this kind of diet helps control the total amount of fat that you eat and the types of fat you eat. By decreasing the intake of saturated fats, you may be able to prevent or control high blood lipids (fats).
For example, avoid fried foods; instead bake or broil them. Choose lean cuts of meat and trim off visible fat before cooking it. Select nonfat dairy products instead of whole-milk products such as cheese and ice cream. Instead of butter use margarine or vegetable oils like olive oil when cooking vegetables or other foods that do not require additional moisture provided by a liquid such as water or broth to prevent burning during heating process (which produces smoke).
Tender coconut water can be consumed to reduce chest pain.
Tender coconut water has a diuretic effect and can help reduce the symptoms of angina. It contains potassium and magnesium, which are minerals that help relax blood vessels in the body, thereby reducing chest pain. Tender coconut water can be consumed 2 to 3 times a day as an alternative to traditional medications such as nitrates.
Habiscus juice can help in reducing the symptoms of angina.
Habiscus juice can help in reducing the symptoms of angina. It is a natural source of potassium and magnesium, which helps in reducing chest pain. You can consume 2 to 3 glasses of fresh peach juice every day to treat angina. The best way to consume this juice is with honey or lemon juice as they improve its taste.
Fresh pomegranate juice can be consumed 2 to 3 times a day to reduce the symptoms of angina.
- If you suffer from angina, drinking fresh pomegranate juice can help to reduce the symptoms of this disease. Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants and has been shown to have a positive effect on blood flow.
- 2-3 glasses of fresh pomegranate juice should be consumed daily with a meal. This will help to ensure that your body receives an adequate supply of vitamin C and other nutrients that are needed for proper functioning of the heart.
Garlic cloves are beneficial in providing relief from angina.
Garlic is a good source of vitamin B6, manganese, and copper. Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the pain associated with angina. It also helps to lower cholesterol levels in your body. This can prevent the buildup of plaque on your blood vessels. The presence of garlic in your diet may be beneficial for people who have experienced recent heart attacks or have high blood pressure (hypertension).
To manage angina, you should avoid:
Spicy food - Spicy foods cause an increase in your heart rate, making it harder for your body to maintain a normal blood pressure or circulation.
Sodium - A high-sodium diet can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, which will lead to increased stress on your cardiovascular system and make you prone to having more severe attacks of angina when they do occur.
Conclusion
Angina is a symptom of heart disease, however; it can be managed best by making dietary changes and following healthy living habit. A healthy lifestyle, including a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise, can help prevent angina attacks in people with known risk factors. If you’re worried about your risk of angina or if you have symptoms of this condition, talk to your dietitian.