From Christmas parties to holiday buffets, it’s really hard to refuse to eat delicious food — especially when that lechon belly or a bottle of your favorite beer is in front of you.

Unfortunately, heart attacks and other cardiac events, such as heart failure flare up during these times. There is a disease called “holiday heart syndrome,” a term that describes palpitations induced by alcohol consumption.

That is why the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) underscored the importance of choosing guilt-free dishes these festive days.

During PHA’s Usapang Puso sa Puso on Wednesday, Dr. Luigi Segundo recommended some dietary changes for Filipinos to reduce the risk of heart disease.

“If we’re focusing on heart health, either because you already have risk, [say], hypertension, high blood sugar, or you already are a survivor of heart attack and stroke, know your risk,” Segundo, who also serves as the social media chair of PHA, said.

“It doesn’t necessarily follow that if you’re slim, you don’t feel anything, you don’t have risks that are brewing,” Segundo added.

The PHA official recommended checking the blood cholesterol and the blood pressure: “Check these things you don’t necessarily feel, including blood sugar,” he added.

Segundo also urged Filipinos to shift to low sodium or avoid foods that are too salty.

“We’re so used to looking for that salty taste. But hopefully, we can shift from that salty taste to the umami (savoriness) that we can actually get from mushrooms in particular. That has low sodium. So that’s one,” he continued.

“One practice that you can actually simplify is to avoid sugary beverages, the sweetened drinks,” he added.

The cardiologist also advocated for “no alcohol” or if not possible, at least “lessen the alcohol intake.”

Meanwhile, those who are already under medication are advised to “take them religiously” and follow up closely with doctors.

“And maybe by eating more healthy food, the promise there is maybe we can lower the dose of medicine, or if you’re not on medicine yet, maybe you don’t need to take medicine if you’re eating healthy and you have a healthy lifestyle,” Segundo added.