The autumn equinox is approaching, and the weather is gradually getting cooler, Li Daqing sits on the sofa at home, habitually turns on the TV, and tunes in to his favorite health program channel.

As a retired engineer at the age of 60, he has always been particularly interested in health and health topics, after all, as he gets older, his body has begun to have more "minor problems".

Lately, he has always felt a little tired, and his heart sometimes beats faster than usual, although the results of the physical examination are normal, he is still a little worried. No, the doctor on TV happened to talk about autumn health, especially mentioning the precautions for cardiovascular health.

Li Daqing listened carefully. On TV, the doctor talked eloquently, mentioning that with age, the health of blood vessels is particularly important, and diet and lifestyle habits have a great impact on blood vessels, especially after aging, many people often feel that they eat "healthy", but in fact, they ignore some details.

Li Daqing was shocked, isn't this what he is talking about? He has always thought that he is very careful in his diet, and often eats some nuts, which he thinks is good for his heart.

In particular, TV commercials often say that "nuts help lower cholesterol and protect the cardiovascular system", so he eats some almost every day, especially peanuts, walnuts and cashew nuts.

The doctor went on to say that nuts are indeed rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and a variety of antioxidants, which have certain benefits for heart health, but there are also particulars about this, especially certain nuts.

If you eat too much, not only will it not play a role in maintaining blood vessels, but it may increase the cardiovascular burden and increase the risk of arteriosclerosis. Hearing this, Li Daqing's brows furrowed, he has insisted on eating nuts every day for so many years, what is wrong?

The doctor on TV analyzed three common nuts in detail, reminding the elderly to be especially careful.

The first type to be named is salt-baked peanuts. Li Daqing suddenly chuckled in his heart. Peanuts have always been his favorite nut, and every time he watches TV, he grabs a handful of salt-baked peanuts as a snack.

Doctors point out that peanuts themselves are indeed rich in high-quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids, which are good for heart health, but the problem lies in the way they are processed.

The common salt-baked peanuts on the market contain a lot of salt and oil, and long-term intake of high-salt foods will lead to an increase in blood pressure, which is one of the main causes of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Studies have shown that a high-salt diet not only increases the burden on the heart, but also causes damage to the lining of blood vessels and increases the risk of arteriosclerosis. Fried peanuts are high in calories and heavy in fat, and eating too much is more likely to lead to increased blood lipids and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

Li Daqing was a little annoyed, he always thought that peanuts were good for health, but he didn't expect to eat them in the wrong way. He recalls a friend of his who was also a nut lover, especially salt-baked peanuts, which he ate every day.

Some time ago, this friend suddenly felt sick to his heart, was found to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and the doctor asked him to quickly control his diet. It seems that the problem is indeed with these "heavy-flavored" nuts.

The doctor then talked about the second nut, the sugar-coated cashews. Li Daqing's heart sank again, didn't he happen to have a jar of sugar-coated cashew nuts in his snack cabinet? Usually, he and his wife's favorite thing is to make a pot of tea in the afternoon and grab some sugar-coated cashew nuts as a snack for afternoon tea.

The doctor explained that although cashews are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which help lower bad cholesterol, sugar-coated cashews, a processed nut, contain a lot of sugar, and long-term intake can lead to an increase in blood sugar and increase the risk of diabetes.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are closely linked, and high blood sugar can damage blood vessels, leading to hardening of blood vessel walls, further increasing the burden on the heart.

Especially in old age, the body's metabolic function declines, the ability to consume sugar is weakened, and eating too much sugary food will greatly increase the risk of obesity and hyperglycemia, and obesity itself is also an important cause of heart disease.

Thinking of this, Li Daqing couldn't help but recall an old neighbor around him, who was about the same age as him, usually liked to eat sweets, and thought he was well controlled, but he was diagnosed with diabetes not long ago.

The doctor told him that his blood sugar was not well controlled and that he was prone to cardiovascular problems. Now it seems that these sugar-coated nuts that I usually eat are really "clogged" for blood vessels.

Finally, the doctor reminds to pay attention to cream walnuts. Li Daqing was about to take out walnuts from the snack cabinet when he heard this sentence and immediately stopped.

Walnuts are his first choice for brain supplementation, and he eats a few every day, but the doctor on TV pointed out that although walnuts are rich in Ω-3 fatty acids and are good for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, many processed cream walnuts on the market contain a lot of saturated fat and sugar.

These extra fats and sugars can significantly increase calorie intake, which not only leads to obesity, but also increases cholesterol levels, which are the culprits of arteriosclerosis and heart disease.

As we age, the body's ability to metabolize fat decreases, and excessive intake of saturated fat will lead to blockage of blood vessels, and the burden on the heart will become heavier and heavier.

Thinking of the cream walnuts that he has been insisting on eating all these years, Li Daqing couldn't help but feel a little flustered. He does feel weight gain and a thicker waistline lately, and while he's always felt like he's eating healthy, these "hidden calorie bombs" seem to be quietly eroding his cardiovascular fitness.

The doctors on TV also mentioned some real cases. For example, a middle-aged man in his 50s is usually very particular about his diet, especially likes to eat nuts, and thinks this is a good way to maintain health.

Unfortunately, his favorite nuts are all processed, such as salt-baked peanuts, sugar-coated cashews and creamy walnuts.

Over the years, the man not only gained weight, but was also found to have high blood lipids and arteriosclerosis during a physical examination, and eventually had to undergo heart surgery.

Doctors emphasize that natural nuts are indeed good for the heart, but over-processed nuts, especially those with a lot of added salt, sugar and fat, can cause damage to blood vessels when consumed for a long time.

When Li Daqing heard this, he had already made a decision in his heart. It seems that although nuts are a healthy food, they must be eaten correctly and in measure. For the elderly, it is wise to choose nuts that are not too processed, and eating them in moderation can really play a role in protecting the cardiovascular system.

At this time, Li Daqing couldn't help but have a question in his mind: if the long-term consumption of these processed nuts has caused an impact on blood vessels, can these negative effects be reversed by adjusting diet and lifestyle?

The answer is yes. Although long-term consumption of processed nuts high in salt and sugar can cause damage to blood vessels, the health of blood vessels can be improved by adjusting the diet in time, reducing the intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and exercising moderately.

In particular, increasing your intake of fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can help remove cholesterol from your blood and reduce the burden on your blood vessels. At the same time, quitting unhealthy snacking habits and eating more natural nuts such as raw almonds, walnuts and cashews can help restore a good metabolic balance and reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Therefore, for people like Li Daqing, who have already "stepped on the pit", adjusting their diet is still a key step to protect their hearts.

Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention offline.