5 healthy eating habits for ATTR-CM

Theres no official diet for the heart muscle disease transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), but choosing certain foods can help you manage your symptoms and feel your best. Thats because making healthy food choices can help your body maintain the right fluid balance and support heart health overall, saysJohanna Contreras, MD, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City.

These five eating habits can help you get on track. Every persons needs are different, so be sure to check with your cardiology team before making any major changes to your diet.

1. Eat Less Sodium

2. Stay Hydrated

If you have ATTR-CM, youll want to strike a balance with fluid intake. Its important to consume enough liquids to prevent dehydration, but its also important to avoid overhydrating. Depending on the degree of cardiomyopathy, some patients may need to limit how much water they consume in a day, says Dr. Contreras.

Most of your fluids should come from water, since soda andsports drinkssometimes add unnecessary sugar and salt. Water helps maintain hydration without placing additional strain on the heart, Contreras says.

3. Keep an Eye on Your Potassium Intake

4. Limit or Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol can be particularly problematic for ATTR-CM because it can worsen those predisposed to arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms, and cause fluid balance disruptions, saysKevin Shah, MD, a cardiologist and the program director for heart failure outreach at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in California. And because alcohol leads to additional urination, it can also lower blood pressure.

I recommend minimizing alcohol consumption or eliminating altogether, says Dr. Shah. Every drink introduces risk that a structurally compromised heart may not be well equipped to handle.

5. Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods and Limit Processed Ones

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean proteins like beans, tofu, seafood, and skinless poultry
• Low-fat dairy
• Nuts and seeds

Prioritizing whole foods also leaves less room for ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, which Contreras says can worsen fluid retention, weight gain, and overall heart health. Limiting these foods can help patients better manage symptoms and avoid additional strain on the heart, she says.

The Takeaway

• While theres no official diet for ATTR-CM, adjusting what you eat can help manage symptoms by supporting heart health and maintaining proper fluid balance.
• Managing fluids and key nutrients is key. People withATTR-CM may need to balance hydration carefully and adjust potassium intake, depending on their diuretic medications, to avoid complications like dehydration and an irregular heart rhythm.
• Focusing on nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods while limiting alcohol can help manage symptoms and prevent added strain on the heart.