Chances are you've heard or, worse, tried every diet fad that's made a fleeting appearance on your Instagram discover page. The juice cleanses, the paleo, keto, intermittent fasting…yeesh, it's a lot! Now, how about we introduce a diet that's just about surviving, literally. Enter the Cardiac diet; it's all about chomping down on food types that are good for your heart and dropping off those that aren't. Essentially, goodbye kilojoules counting, hello hearty living.

The reality extends to the fact that heart disease snares one in every three souls that leave this planet. An unsettling reality, right? Now, the focus needs deviating from 'how well you look in your swimwear' to 'how well you'd do in a cardiac health test'. Yes, lifestyle changes can actually save the heart. It's as obvious as it sounds, but somehow we manage to overlook the obvious, don't we?

So, this ain't just a diet; it is an actual leash on your life, keeping you from that walk into the light. Expect a heavy dose of whole foods, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and certain known diabolical constituents like processed foods and sugary products labeled as 'no entry' signs on your menu.

If you're wondering what's on the menu, imagine a Mediterranean style diet, consider the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, or, if you're stateside, subscribing to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines should provide a framework. The outlook teeters towards food types rich in nutrients, and portion sizes are never out of whack with your individual calorie needs.

Here's the kicker, you don't have to turn vegetarian, but there's a clear connection between meat-based diets inciting inflammation, a precursor to heart disease and atherosclerosis. Instead, you could turn your attention towards beans, legumes, nuts, fruits, and dishes dressed in essential nutrients and antioxidants.

Antioxidants and nutrients, you say? Well, you'd find these in fruits and veggies, whether fresh, frozen, or even canned, as long as they are devoid of any sodium, sugar, butter, or sauces. Now, don't forget about the fishes swimming in your Omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines, salmon, trout, oysters, mackerel, you get the drill, right?

An ideal cardiac diet's worst enemies will always be processed meats, sweetened beverages, and even foods with gratuitous amounts of added sugar, notorious for inciting inflammation, high BP, obesity, and diabetes. Topping off this sinister list are also heavily processed foods, often low in nutrients, and drunk on sugar, salt, and saturated fats.

To summarize it for you, the Cardiac diet is a lifelong, all-in commitment to eating your way to a healthier heart. It is not just about losing or gaining a few pounds; it's about extending the lease on your life. Bronze, chrome or granite, whatever six-pack you're after, it won't matter as long as you're ticking. When the survival stakes are that high, a little disciplined lifestyle change seems like the least you can do.