Archive for September, 2010

Heart Patient Diet-Two Must Have Essential Nutrients

Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Cabbage soup
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According to the American heart association,  one good things for those with heart problems must do is have the right diet plan. You can almost call it a heart patient diet. You may have heard  about diet like the grapefruit diet, cardio diet, cabbage soup diet, etc.

While these are great, as someone who has heart disease, there are also some essential nutrient your body must have. They are magnesium and calcium. Magnesium and calcium are both essential nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system. Neither of these essential minerals is gotten in abundance from the typical American diet full of fats and proteins and low on fiber, grains, and vegetables. Although the link between anxiety and heart disease is now well established, it wasn’t until fairly recently that it was recognized by mainstream medicine.
So how can cardiovascular health abe improved with calcium and magnesium? Both are essential to maintaining a well functioning central nervous system. Brain and nerves that are not well nourished can exaggerate depression and anxiety; both of these can in turn aggravate heart disease.
Both calcium and magnesium play a direct role in blood pressure regulation. Recent studies have shown that magnesium in particular may protect against stroke and coronary heart disease.

Adequate magnesium protects against abnormal heart rhythms and increases the amount of exercise that can be tolerated by those with heart disease. Studies have also shown that
magnesium can have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system by stopping blood from clotting. Anxiety and even migraines can be relieved if magnesium deficiencies are corrected.

Although both calcium and magnesium are essential for heart and nerve health, an over abundance of calcium can lower the amount of magnesium that is absorbed. Because nutritionists have long extolled the benefits of calcium, Americans generally get enough in their diets though dairy and
other sources. So, now is the time to concentrate on getting sufficient amounts of magnesium.

Whole foods are generally a better source than supplements because the magnesium in food is more readily absorbed than the calcium in supplements. To benefit the heart, magnesium rich foods help
both nerve function and heart health. Diabetics and drinkers of alcohol may be especially prone to magnesium deficiencies. Anxiety and tight muscles are often a sign of less than sufficient levels of magnesium.

Good sources of magnesium if you are a fast food lover include baked potatoes and refried beans. Those who want to increase magnesium should increase beans, whole wheat, and vegetables. The best sources are certain fish including halibut and tuna, seeds and nuts including pumpkin seeds and peanuts, and vegetables including spinach and broccoli. Black beans, navy beans and other beans are excellent sources. Next time you make soup, add beans. Try a dip with refried beans, cheese, and onions for a tasty dip.

Tomato paste is another great source. Hummus, made with magnesium rich chickpeas, with whole-wheat flatbread is guaranteed great source of magnesium for the heart and cardiovascular system.

Do your nerves and heart a favor and increase the magnesium in your diet.

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” Newsletter!

P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store athttp://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Diet Plan-Why Vegetable Soup Is Good For Heart Health

Sunday, September 19th, 2010
Black pepper
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If you are on a heart disease diet plan due to having heart problems or just wanting to keep your heart healthy, as you adjust your eating to benefit your cardiovascular system, sometimes you may wonder if the comfort foods are a forbidden item. The truth is, when you are creating your heart disease meal plan, you just have to be careful of the ingredients and make sure that each item you use has a benefit for the heart and blood vessels. For instance, rather than a heavy meat based soup full of artery clogging cholesterol, try a tasty vegetable soup that is low in fats and high in fiber.

Fall is the perfect time for both soup and vegetables! Local farm markets are overflowing with a huge array of healthy vegetables and fruits. Not only will your heart benefit, but so will your immune system and your weight if you stick with healthy vegetables as the base of your hearty soup. Research has proven that diet can improve conditions of heart disease, slowing or stopping the progress of degenerative conditions.

Remember to pick a variety of colors; it is often the pigments in the vegetables that have the most beneficial phytochemicals. This is where the antioxidants are that help keep arteries clean and the heart strong. Carrots, onions, a few red potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, a bright red or orange pepper, cabbage, beans, corn, peas, and members of the legume family like black beans or chickpeas will provide an incredible dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All the nutrients that your heart and cardiovascular system crave are packed in these foods. Use either a vegetable stock or an all natural, low sodium and low fat chicken stock. People at risk for high blood pressure and atherosclerosis need to always remain mindful of salt and fat content, keeping them low.

To spice up the soup, forget the saltshaker and black pepper. There is a rich world of herbs and spices, many of them with properties that aid digestion and heart health. If you crave a salty taste, go to the health food store and buy some dulse. This is seaweed that imparts a salty taste with almost no salt. The rich taste comes from the minerals from seawater and this is a proven herb for heart health.

There are many herbal salt substitutes that pack in the flavor without any artificial chemicals. Plenty of garlic and a dash of cayenne will strengthen both the heart and the entire circulatory system. Hopefully your own garden is full of parsley, thyme, and oregano. All of these are heart-benefiting seasonings.

One last word, don’t overcook the soup. The longer vegetables cook, the more nutrients that are lost, so keep cooking time at 60 minutes maximum. Have a slice of warm whole grain bread with the soup and a dessert of baked apples and your heart will love you! You will be on a great heart disease healthy eating plan!

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” Newsletter!

P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Diet-I Just Found Out Why Fiber Is Good For Your Heart

Sunday, September 12th, 2010

Most people know that fiber has many healthful benefits for the body.  I just found out how fiber is also important component for a heart disease diet. Although research scientists and health experts are still unsure of the benefits of fiber for preventing colon cancer, one thing is certain; fiber is good for the heart. Knowing types of fiber and their benefits in preventing cardiovascular disease will help you make choices in your diet that can slow down or prevent arthrosclerosis, lower LDL cholesterol in the blood, and block absorption of fats from foods.

High fiber foods include vegetables, beans, fruits, and whole grains. White flour and white rice during processing have had the germ, bran, and endosperm removed. Along with heart healthy fibers, this process also removes many of the beneficial vitamins. Enriching white flour with synthetic, single-component vitamins simply isn’t the same thing as getting the whole food as it was meant to be, rich in nutrients and heart healthy fiber.

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Each has its own benefits for the cardiovascular system. Soluble fiber has been scientifically studied and proven to reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, especially LDL or bad cholesterol. Soluble fiber dissolves in water making a gel-like substance. It is found in apples, baked potatoes with the skin, oats, and kidney beans, but not in wheat bran that is loaded with insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract virtually untouched. Its benefit to the heart is that it makes people feel full and may reduce the calories consumed during a meal, keeping off those extra pounds that stress the heart.

Studies have found that people with high fiber diets actually have more fat in their stools, suggesting that it blocks the absorption of fat into the body. It has also been found that certain proteins indicative of risk of heart attack and stroke are lowered in people with high fiber diets.

Be smart when choosing foods, don’t depend on the name of the food. Oat bran muffins may really contain very little fiber- read the nutrition labels to find out the truth about the food you are eating. The American Heart Association recommends that daily fiber intake average about 25 grams per day. Eating a diet high in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables should assure that your heart gets the fiber it needs.

If you have been eating a diet of low-fiber foods, don’t increase to the full fiber recommendation abruptly. This can cause some digestive reactions such as bloating, gas, and indigestion. Take it slow increasing fiber over a two or three week period. A good place to start it with that proverbial apple a day!

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” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Healthy Heart Diet-Are You Feeding Your Heart The Right Fats?

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

There is ongoing controversy raging over fats and their contribution to heart health, with an almost continuous release of conflicting studies to further confuse the issue. As the debate rages on, it is wise to have a basic understanding of the various fats, the terminology, and the links to cardiovascular health and disease.

Infants have a high need for fats for brain development, but quickly the body’s need for fats drops well below what the typical American consumes in a day. Remember the fat-free diets? Those were almost as unhealthy as overeating fats. Our bodies need fat for energy and tissue repair, but an excess of certain fats may lead to cholesterol buildup, weight gain, and stress on the heart.

All fats are made up of fatty acid building blocks. There are three categories of fats based on their chemical makeup, and each has a different composition and role to play inside the body. The basic categories are unsaturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.

Saturated fats are primarily those found in animal based foods including milk and milk products. The marbling in beef, a stick of butter, and the yellowish layer under chicken skin is saturated fat. These fats are processed by the liver to make cholesterol. Eating an abundance of saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels to unhealthy amounts. It is recommended for heart health to keep dietary saturated fats at less than 10% of your daily calorie intake.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils from plants; sunflower oil, corn oil, and safflower oils are all examples. Unlike the animal-based fats, these actually lower blood cholesterol levels. The catch is they lower both the “good” or HDL and the “bad” or LDL cholesterol so dietary recommendations are no more than 10% of your diet.

Finally there are the monounsaturated fats. Also from plants, they are found primarily in olive oil and nut oils. These fats are now the most recommended due to their ability to lower “bad” cholesterol but not affect “good” cholesterol. It is generally accepted that high levels of “bad” cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in the blood vessels, atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke. Recommendations are for this fat to make up 10-15% of daily calories.

The fat we have heard the most about recently is trans-fat. This is not a natural fat, but one that is produced by hydrogenating polyunsaturated oils in order to extend their shelf life. It is the main ingredient in margarine and also found in cookies, crackers, and a host of other processed foods.

Avoid it! Because it is not a natural fat, the body doesn’t know what to do with it. Recent studies have shown it may be a contributing factor to a wide range of conditions affecting those who consume this fat.

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” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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