• All of these conditions require diet and exercise. Proper diet and regular exercise can prevent these diseases from developing further and causing complications.

Cereals and pulses

• Eating these with the peel/skin will control the immediate release of starch into the blood, thereby controlling your blood fat, weight and heart disease.
• Such complex starchy foods include brown rice, long-grain parboiled rice, mung beans, peas, chickpeas, chickpeas, millet, barley, oats, breadcrumbs, atta flour, corn, pasta.
• More refined (polished) rice and foods made from that flour contain simple starch, so the amount of starch that gets into the bloodstream at once is high. The frequency of taking them as well as the amounts should be controlled. e.g. Samba rice, white bread, date hoppers, hoppers
• Cakes, sweet drinks, sweet foods, biscuits and drinks containing sugar and simple starch should be avoided as much as possible.
• Amounts of grains that can be eaten vary by individual and activity level, and seek nutritional advice about what amounts are right for you.

Fruits and vegetables

• These are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and should be added to the daily diet. It controls your body weight and blood fats.
• It is also important to eat a variety of vegetables and fruits. Eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day can reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Eat a Green Leaves (3 tablespoons) or a green salad (1 cup) at least once a day.
• Antioxidants in vegetables and fruits prevent oil build-up in blood vessels. A mineral called potassium in these helps lower blood pressure.

Protein foods

• Choose foods that are low in fat and high in protein. e.g. Fish, fat-free milk, fat-free yogurt, lean cuts of meat, eggs.
• The above-mentioned legumes, which contain plant proteins, are also ideal for you.

Fat/Oil

• Controlling oil and fatty foods is a very important part of your diet. You can reduce the amount of oil you eat in a day by the following methods.
• Practice using other cooking methods instead of deep frying. e.g. Grilling, baking, roasting, steaming
• Limit consumption of coconut. A normal sized coconut is enough for a family of 5 for one day.
  Limit fatty foods. e.g. Milk powder with butter, cheese, margarine, yogurt. Be smart about choosing foods that are low in fat (oil). e.g. Fat-free milk, fat-free yogurt. Remove the fatty parts and skin before cooking the meat.
• Processed foods (sausages, pastries, rolls, bacon) are not suitable for eating as they are low in nutritional value and high in salt and oil. Apart from that, because such foods contain oils that are very harmful to the heart, cholesterol deposition in the blood vessels is excessive.
• Add heart-healthy fatty foods. e.g. Small fish (herring, salaya, kumbalava, bolla), avocado, cashew, cashew, coconut, sesame. Eating small fish 2 or 3 days a week can reduce heart disease.
• By using sesame oil, soya oil, sunflower oil or olive oil instead of coconut oil, you can reduce the amount of saturated fat in the body.

Source – DASH diet.com