Foods and drinks that cause sudden cardiac arrest

Puneet Rajkumar and Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla’s sudden deaths last year due to heart attack highlights the importance of being informed about the symptoms of a cardiac arrest and making others recognise the signs of this lifestyle disease as men and women may experience it in different ways along with raising awareness on the foods and drinks that cause it. Health experts worry that this is a problem not only of the rich and elite people but also of every individual in our country as many young people are dying and having coronary artery diseases, 10 years earlier than the American European and Japanese counterparts.

A heart attack occurs when the blood flow, which brings oxygen to the heart muscle, is reduced or obstructed due to the blocking or severely narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart and the known signs of a heart attack may include chest pain, breathlessness, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, upper body pain or dizziness. Though we often picture a heart attack as grimacing from the extreme chest pain and clutching our chest, few know that heart attacks are silent too and health experts have revealed that in women, we do see non-typical symptoms of heart attack which could be shortness of breath, vomiting or nausea and just sweating or pain which is not in the centre of the chest but may be on the left side or in the hands. 

Doctors want us to avoid certain foods and drinks to prevent the risk of having coronary artery diseases. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Ruchit Shah, Cardiologist at Masina Hospital and Zamurrud M Patel, RD Chief Dietician at Global Hospitals, listed the foods and drinks that cause sudden cardiac arrest. These include:

1. Alcoholic drinks and drugs: Excessive consumption of alcohol is related to increased risk of extra time. Avoid addictive substances like tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol and a lot of psychotropic drugs. Drug abuse is one of the most important causes of sudden cardiac arrest. Every individual should refrain from tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.

2. Nicotine based drinks: Increase in caffeine intake and other substrates, dangerous arrhythmias can easily develop within the hearts of people who consume and which ends up in massive heart disorders in teenagers and adults. Frequent ingredients like guarana, ginseng and taurine have caffeine concentrations in several energy beverages.

3. High sugar/fructose-based drinks and foods: Intake of excessive sugar in commonplace may also affect your health badly while aerated drinks, chocolates and other sugar-based foods can severely affect your organs.

4. Trans fat-based food: Limiting the consumption of foods like packaged foods, pizza, pasta and more of baked products has to be discontinued from the diet. Limiting what quantity saturated fat you eat is a crucial step to scale back your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of arteria disease.

5. Beef or high cholesterol-based foods or fat based in general: Baked foods have a double whammy of saturated fats hidden, they typically don’t have any nutritional value and sometimes contain hidden saturated fat and hydrogenated shortening which will raise your bad cholesterol. Shortening also contains trans fat which raises the cholesterol levels. Added fats, fried foods, egg and egg dishes, organ meats, processed meats and sugary sweetened beverages should be switched with healthy options like green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, low fat products, fatless meal and fresh foods.

The doctors recommended following a healthy lifestyle that means having low salt, low fat diet that is rich in vegetables fruits and salads and if possible at least 30 to 45 minutes of physical exercise almost daily or if possible 5 to 6 times a week.