Archive for March, 2010

Women’s Heart Problems-7 Steps To Lower Your Cholesterol

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

Women’s heart problems is a concern for many women as well as men. Due to the lifestyle and diet of the western culture, heart diease and other health concerns continue to be a problem in our country.

One of the culprits of develolping heart disease is high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a fatty and waxy substance that is produced by the liver. Too much of saturated fats in your diet may contribute to high blood cholesterol. Most saturated fats come from animal products such as butter, cheese, chocolate, whole milk, pies, pastries, cakes, hot chips, potatoes and hash browns.

In some individuals, high cholesterol levels can be due to a genetic disorder. Too much cholesterol in your blood will start building up in the artery walls, causing narrowing of the arteries. This increases your risk of developing heart or brain attack(stroke).

Whatever the cause of your high levels of cholesterol is, it is very important that you make efforts to lower your cholesterol levels by changing your lifestyle:

1.Follow a heart healthy dietary pattern.

2.Lose some weight if you are overweight.

3.Be active by doing moderate physical exercises for at least 30 minutes daily.

4.Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.

5.Avoid foods prepared with butter, hydrogenated oil, coconut or palm oil.

6.Avoid white meat fats, chicken skin or processed meats and chicken.

7.Have more servings of dried peas, beans, soy products, oats, whole grains and high-fibre cereals.

If your cholesterol level is too high, your doctor may put you on medication for a short time or for life. If that is the case, you should have your cholesterol levels checked every three months until it is controlled and then every six months.

In normal circumstances, cholesterol is very important as it helps our bodies to function properly. Cholesterol and other fats are also called lipids and each of these has a different function:

1.The High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL)often called the “good” cholesterol because it helps to remove cholesterol from the artery walls, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease.

2.The Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL) is often called “bad” cholesterol because it deposits cholesterol into the artery wall, increasing your risk of heart disease or heart attack.

3.The Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body. They act as energy storage tanks of the body. High levels of triglycerides cause many diseases in the body, including heart disease and stroke.

To know your lipid profile, visit you doctor and he or she will perform a fasting blood test. An ideal profiles should is:

Total cholesterol(TC) less than 4mmol/L
LDL cholesterol less than 2.5 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol greater than 1mmol/L
TC/HDL ratio less than 4.5
Triglycerides less than 1.7 mmol/L

Therefore, it is important to change your life style to remain healthy and live longer. Develop good eating habits, keep fit and enjoy life.

Women’s heart problems does not have to be your problem! Take the necessary steps and make those lifestyle and diet changes now so you will have a healthy heart!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

P.S. Vita Che is the ultimate Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Treatments: Top 2 Heart Disease Prevention Exercises

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

We all know that heart disease/cardiovascular disease is a major health concern in the United States. Most of us are also aware that cardiovascular fitness is a great way to have a healthy heart.

However, Dr. Arthur Agaston, MD associate professor of the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and author of the “South Beach Diet, Supercharged”, says not all workouts are heart healthy. Here are the top exercises you should do to prevent a heart attack.

-Interval Training. This is the best for heart attack and disease prevention, diabets, losing weight, and improving your overall fitness level. It’s beendound that short bursts of increasing the intensity with your exercise along with slightly longer periods of a moderate rate improves vascular function, burns more calories, plus increaaes your bodies efficiency at clearing fat and suger from your blood.

-Do Total Body Non-Impact Sports. Dr. Agaston says the more muscles that need to be engaged in a activity, the harder the heart has to work to fuel it all. Pick exercises like rowing, swimming, cross country skiing, etc.

-Engage in core Work. Pick an exercise like Pilates which strengthens your core muscles plus increases flexibility and balance.

-Stay Active. A good way to prevent a heart attack or heart failure is to remain active all day. Those who stay active also burn more calories are in better general health.

These exercise tips also have other great benefits such as:

helping you avoid heart failure
limiting the possibility for developing high cholesterol
decreasing your chance of having a stroke
increasing your metabolism
improving depressive symptoms
lowering obesity

Of course, if you also avoid smoking and eat well, you can help prevent heart disease.

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

P.S. Vita Che is the ultimate Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Myths-Not Knowing These Can Hurt Your Heart

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

We have been covering the top 12 heart disease myths that most of us have heard about. I came across this information at http://www.heartpoint.com/dozendangers.html

All of this is presented by the medical director and practicing cardiologist of Heart Point. Ignore these dangerous myths at your own peril.

Heart Disease Myth #8

Food that has no cholesterol is ok to eat. It has taken years, but the message is out about cholesterol, and almost everyone knows you want less of it. The companies that package food know this, and prominently label their food with sayings like “Low Cholesterol!” It’s easy to forget that saturated fat is important, shifting the liver’s metabolism to higher production of the “bad” types of cholesterol. While “polyunsaturated” fats are less harmful, a diet with moderate amounts of “monounsaturated” fats, such as are found in olive and canola oils may be the most protective of all. The so-called “Mediterranean Diet”, with primarily fresh fruits and vegetables, modest amounts of meat, and significant monounsaturated fat intake seems to be protective, as well as tasty and enjoyable. For more on cholesterol and you diet, follow the link.

Heart Disease Myth #9 A few drinks won’t hurt you.

This actually is not much of a myth . . . as long as it isn’t taken too far. Alcohol in moderate amounts seems to increase the amount of HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. This benefit occurs at around two drinks daily (this means about 2 ounces of liquor, 16-24 ounces of beer, or two glasses of wine). Large quantities of alcohol clearly cause damage to the heart muscle. Wines, particularly red wines, and “dark beers” appear to have additional anti-oxidant activities. While these beneficial effects exist, it remains a bit difficult to encourage people to increase their intake of the most abused drug in the world. Other beverages seem to be just as beneficial, without the side effects which plague alcohol. Try a cup or two of tea (particularly green tea), or grape juice.

Heart Disease Myth #10 Women don’t get heart disease. I’m too young.

Women generally don’t get heart disease at as early an age as men, but they catch up quickly. And even though female hormones are important in decreasing the incidence of blocked arteries, heart attacks can still occur. Heart disease does not always spare the young either. Heart attacks can sometimes occur when people are in their 20′s and 30′s, and are not really all that uncommon at all by the time a person reaches 40 years of age.

Heart Disease Myth #11 Quit work, stress can kill you

Several personality traits and psychological conditions have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of serious heart disease. The classic intense and driven “Type A” personality is well known, but it is not the work that hurts these folks. Those Type A’s who experience hostility along with a continued sense of time urgency are the ones that have the trouble. Depression and social isolation also seem to be important negatives for heart disease.

Heart Disease Myth #12 You’re gonna die anway, so may as well go quick.

Well, the first part of the statement is true, and the second may be a reasonable conclusion as well. Heart disease enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a stalker who may strike suddenly. The myth however, is that it always causes a sudden demise. Unfortunately, it may just as likely cause disability from recurrent chest pain, heart failure, or strokes, and you don’t get to choose!

As you can see, there are many heart disease myths in the United States today. Get educated and do all you can to keep your heart healthy!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

P.S. Vita Che is the ultimate Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Myths: Myths 5-7 of the Top 12

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

We have been covering the top 12 heart disease myths that abound today. I came across some great information about heart disease myths we here in the United States fall. The site link for all 12 heart disease myths can be found here at http://www.heartpoint.com/dozendangers.html

This information is presented by a practicing cardiologist who is the medical Director of HeartPoint. He stated he gets a lot of questions about heart disease. The doctor also said he was consistently surprised how few “facts” have engrained themselves deeply into “common knowledge”. The myths are not only wrong, but are often dangerously misleading to those who choose to believe them. Here are heart disease myths 5-7 of the top 12.

Heart Disease Myth #5: “Exercise may help you lose weight and look good, but you won’t live any longer.”

Real Truth: The facts on exercise are really surprising. Even a little can go a long way. A recent study of men in Hawaii showed that walking 1-2 miles per day reduced mortality by 35%! We all know that exercise will help you lose weight, and this can lead to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, but it also has been shown in studies to improve a person’s sense of well-being and even decrease the symptoms of depression. You don’t need to join a health club or buy home exercise equipment to make a big difference in how long you live . . . and you’ll feel better and look better, too.

Heart Disease Myth #6: “I just pop a couple of multivitamins a day. That’s all you need.”

Real Truth: Some people seem to believe that vitamins can prevent or cure everything. If only that were so. On the other hand, there are many recent studies suggesting that vitamins can be an important addition to therapy. Vitamin E, a well-known anti-oxidant, has been shown in at least two large studies to reduce the incidence and severity of blocked arteries and heart attacks. The data on Vitamin C is suggestive, but less convincing. Recently, an amino acid (the building blocks of proteins) called “homocysteine” has been shown to be elevated in many people with blocked arteries. Although not all of the data is in yet, it appears that this substance may be as important cholesterol in causing injury and eventual blockage of arteries. And yes, levels of homocysteine can be substantially reduced with the vitamins folic acid (folate), B-6, and B-12.

Heart Disease Myth #7: “Those nitroglycerin pills are dangerous!”

Real Truth: Nitroglycerin (“nitro”) is a medication which can be administered in pills, tablets, spray cans, intravenously . . . even in paste or patches placed on the skin. It has been around for years, and has never to my knowledge “blown anyone up”! While it may cause headaches and lightheadedness, it is prescribed to people with blocked heart arteries because it can be so effective in relieving a lack of blood supply and oxygen to the heart muscle. The small pills (which are placed and dissolved under the tongue) and spray cans (also sprayed under the tongue) are to use at the time that angina (usually perceived as pain in the chest) is occurring. One should indeed sit down when taking nitroglycerin, and should stand up slowly afterwards as well (it does cause the blood vessels to dilate and could cause a lowering of blood pressure). However, patients underuse this inexpensive but powerful little miracle. They think that “the pain wasn’t severe enough”, or “I was afraid of what it would do”. (By the way though, nitroglycerin in any form must be avoided by patients who are taking the new drug, Viagra).

In the next post, we will uncover heart disease myths 8-10.

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

P.S. Vita Che is the ultimate Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Myths|More of theTop 12 Heart Myths

Monday, March 1st, 2010

As I mentioned in the previous post, I came across some great information about heart disease myths we here in the United States fall for many times. The site link for all 12 heart disease myths was at http://www.heartpoint.com/dozendangers.html

This information is presented by a practicing cardiologist who is the medical Director of HeartPoint. He stated he gets a lot of questions about heart disease. The doctor also said he was consistently surprised how few “facts” have engrained themselves deeply into “common knowledge”. The myths are not only wrong, but are often dangerously misleading to those who choose to believe them. Here are twelve of the most dangerous MYTHS the doctor runs into, and discussions about each one.

Today, we will begin with heart disease myth number 2 and end with myth number 4.

MYTH # 2:

“I’ll know when it’s time to stop smoking . . . I’ll do it when I start to cough or get short of breath.”

THE FACTS

Regardless of how you’re feeling, the time to stop smoking is now, before anything else happens. Coughing is indeed a sign that damage has been done to the breathing tubes (“bronchi”), but many other effects of smoking occur without letting you know until it’s too late. Smoking is well known to cause emphysema and several cancers, but it is also one of the most important factors in the development of blocked arteries. Stopping smoking will not only slow the progression of blockages, but also allow them to improve over time. More importantly, you get immediate benefit — the risk of heart attacks and sudden death decrease by 50% right away.

MYTH# 3:

“My blood pressure (or cholesterol, or blood sugar) is running good on these pills, so I can stop them now.”

THE FACTS

Antibiotics may cure an infection, but problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are only controlled. Medications can indeed be very effective for such control . . . but they only work while you’re taking them. Changes in your lifestyle such as weight loss and exercise may make it possible to lower the dose or even get off of the medicines, but this must be done under the supervision of your doctor.

MYTH # 4:

“That pain can’t be from my heart . . . it isn’t severe enough” (or “it doesn’t go to my left arm”, or “it’s just indigestion”, or any number of others).

THE FACTS

These myths are probably among the most prevalent . . . and the most dangerous. That “little discomfort” in your chest while walking up the stairs may be the warning sign of the heart attack around the corner. The “indigestion” that is “just a little worse than usual” may be the signs of a heart attack in progress, one whose effects could be minimized by prompt therapy. The best time to treat heart disease is before muscle damage occurs. If you’re having a heart attack, dramatic improvements can be made in limiting its effects if you get to the hospital as early as possible. Most medical people are scared of these things too, so they will not think that you are anything but smart to get them checked out early. (For more on the symptoms of a heart attack, check out the link to “Coronary Artery Disease”).

I hope now that you are educated, you will not fall for these heart disease myths!

In the next post, we will uncover heart disease myths 5-7.

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

P.S. For more information about Vita Che, what I call the Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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