A person’s daily meals are vital for their overall cardiovascular health. Regularly consuming healthy and nutrient-rich foods can help one’s heart and circulatory system function efficiently, providing oxygen and nutrients to all body parts. However, certain foods can worsen symptoms of conditions like atrial fibrillation, where the heart beats too quickly. This article discusses 4 foods to avoid to prevent the development or worsening of such conditions. Read on to learn more.

Salted chips
Salt is a major cause of heart issues in individuals, so healthcare experts advise people with existing heart conditions to consume it in moderation (only 1,200 milligrams of sodium daily). Salt contains sodium, which increases the blood volume and makes it harder for the heart to pump it. This leads to atrial fibrillation or a worsening of the condition’s symptoms. Salted potato chips contain massive amounts of salt, making them one of the worst foods for those with atrial fibrillation.

High sodium levels in the blood can also cause potassium levels to decrease. Potassium is essential for the heart to work properly and efficiently. Therefore, a potassium deficiency can lessen the effectiveness of one’s cardiovascular system.

White bread
Gluten is just as bad as salt for people with heart conditions. Gluten has been medically known to trigger heart conditions like atrial fibrillation. It raises the inflammation levels in the body, which negatively affects the pacemaker nerves of a person’s heart. This brings about wild fluctuations in heart rates and worsens atrial fibrillation.

White bread (and most other kinds of bread, except those distinctively marked “gluten-free”) is loaded to the brim with gluten. Therefore, people with cardiovascular problems are discouraged from consuming white bread, pasta, cereal, and other gluten-filled foods.

Coffee
Although caffeine-rich foods stimulate one’s body, they are also known to drastically increase heart rate and worsen blood pressure issues. What’s more, these problems cause the irregular beating of one’s heart and trigger other atrial fibrillation symptoms in people.

Soda
Just like gluten, sugar also is an inflammatory agent. Cakes, pastries, sweets, and sodas are full of sugar. Consuming them on a daily basis can cause inflammation and heart conditions like stroke and high blood pressure in people.

Apart from these foods, others such as butter, cheese, grapefruit, cranberry juice, and red meat-based items are just as bad for atrial fibrillation patients.