Cardiac Nutrition Counselling in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is cardiac nutrition counselling?
Cardiac nutrition counselling is a set of sessions with a dietitian that turns heart-health advice into specific changes in your kitchen, your shopping and your restaurant orders. Four areas carry most of the benefit: less salt, a better balance of fats, more fibre, and an eating pattern rich in vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish and nuts.
The eating pattern with some of the strongest evidence for the heart is close to traditional Levantine and Mediterranean cooking: olive oil, lentils, chickpeas, vegetables, herbs, fish and fruit. Many Gulf and Arab households already cook some of these dishes, so the plan often builds on familiar food.
A fact that surprises many people: most of the salt in a typical diet is already in food before it reaches the table. Bread, cheese, pickles, olives, stock cubes, instant noodles, processed meats, sauces and restaurant dishes supply far more than the salt shaker.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, cardiac nutrition counselling is provided by the dietitian in the Nutrition and Dietetics service, working alongside the doctors who treat your heart and blood pressure.
Who needs it
Cardiac nutrition counselling helps adults with:
- High blood pressure, alongside hypertension management
- Raised cholesterol or triglycerides, alongside cholesterol management
- A past heart attack, stent or heart surgery, often as part of cardiac rehabilitation
- Heart failure, where salt and sometimes fluid are adjusted, alongside heart failure management
- Diabetes or kidney disease together with heart risk, where the advice for each condition needs combining
- A strong family history of early heart disease
- Blood thinners that are affected by changes in diet, where the dietitian helps keep intake steady
What happens
The dietitian starts with a detailed look at your usual week of eating, including breakfast, work meals, weekend family meals, restaurant visits and deliveries. Your blood pressure readings, cholesterol results, medicines and any instructions from your cardiologist, such as a fluid limit, are reviewed.
The session then works through the main areas:
| Area | What the dietitian looks at |
|---|---|
| Salt | Hidden salt in bread, cheese, pickles, stock cubes, sauces and takeaway food, and flavour from lemon, garlic, herbs and spices instead |
| Fats | Swapping ghee, butter, palm oil and fried snacks for olive oil and other plant oils, and choosing lean cuts of meat |
| Fibre | Oats, barley, lentils, beans, vegetables and fruit, which help lower cholesterol |
| Fish and nuts | Oily fish such as salmon or sardines, and unsalted nuts in sensible portions |
| Drinks | Energy drinks, sweetened coffees and fizzy drinks |
You practise reading food labels, comparing two versions of the same product for salt and saturated fat. The dietitian also looks at cooking methods, such as grilling, baking or steaming in place of deep-frying, and at restaurant choices such as grilled dishes with salad in place of fried platters.
Portion size and weight are part of the plan too, because carrying less weight around the middle lowers blood pressure and improves cholesterol. A body composition assessment can be added to track this.
For heart failure, the plan follows the salt and fluid advice set by your cardiologist, with practical ways to manage thirst in hot weather.
Preparing for it
- Keep a food and drink diary for three days, including a weekend and any meals out
- Bring recent cholesterol results and a record of home blood pressure readings
- Bring a list of medicines, including blood thinners and supplements
- Bring any written instructions from your cardiologist about salt or fluid
- Photograph the labels of the bread, cheese and sauces you buy most often
- Bring the person who cooks at home, since the cook's habits shape the plan
Afterwards
You leave with a written plan and a short list of first changes, usually starting with the largest sources of hidden salt in your diet. Taste buds adjust to lower salt over a few weeks, so food that tastes plain at first becomes enjoyable again.
Follow-up sessions review your blood pressure and blood results with your doctor's plan in mind. Before Ramadan, the dietitian helps plan a lower-salt iftar, since fried snacks, pickles and salty soups are common at the fast-breaking meal.
Contact the hospital if your ankles swell, your weight rises quickly over a few days, or breathlessness increases, particularly if you have heart failure. Call for emergency help or go to the emergency department straight away for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, fainting or weakness on one side of the body.
Cost and insurance
Some UAE insurance plans cover dietitian sessions linked to a diagnosed condition such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or heart disease, and some require a referral from your treating doctor. Session limits vary between plans. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of cardiac nutrition counselling?
Cardiac nutrition counselling carries very little risk, because it is based on everyday food. The main cautions are salt substitutes, which often contain potassium and can be harmful with kidney disease or some heart medicines, and sudden changes in leafy green vegetables for people on certain blood thinners. Diet supports heart medicines but does not replace them, so continue your medicines as prescribed.
Can diet lower my cholesterol without medicine?
Diet can lower cholesterol for many people, particularly by replacing saturated fat and adding soluble fibre from oats, barley and pulses. Whether medicine is also needed depends on your overall heart risk, which your doctor assesses.
Is ghee bad for my heart?
Ghee is high in saturated fat, which raises cholesterol, so the dietitian usually suggests using it sparingly and cooking most dishes with olive oil or another plant oil instead.
Are salt substitutes safe?
Salt substitutes are often based on potassium, which can be dangerous for people with kidney disease or those taking certain blood pressure or heart medicines. Check with your doctor or dietitian before using one; lemon, garlic, herbs and spices are a safer way to add flavour.
Can I eat eggs with high cholesterol?
Most people with high cholesterol can include eggs as part of a balanced diet, since saturated fat has a larger effect on blood cholesterol than the cholesterol in eggs. The dietitian advises how often eggs fit your plan.
Should I limit fluids with heart failure?
Some people with heart failure are advised to limit fluids, while others are not, depending on the severity of the condition and their medicines. Follow the fluid advice your cardiologist gives you, and the dietitian helps you manage thirst within it.
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