Posts Tagged ‘Dark Chocolate’

Heart Disease Diet Plan-How to Eat To Your Heart’s Content

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
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In an article I was reading in the November 2010 issue of  ”Prevention” magazine, a Dr. Arthur Agatston, cardiologist, discussed how he works with his heart patients  on improving risk factors that they are in control of. Diet is one of those factors. He  recommended a number of heart disease diet plans that will nourish the hearts of all those who have heart problems. The following are some of his recommendations:

Breakfast Meal Ideas:

-Use low sodium V8 vegetable juice cocktail. It has lots of the antioxidant vitamins A and C, potassium, and lycopene.

-Oatmeal (use 1 cup). All of the soluble fiber in oatmeal helps to lower the LDL cholesterol.

-Hard boiled eggs. And no, they don’t raise cholesterol in most people.

Snack Ideas:

-Fat free Greek yogurt. With no cholesterol, 14 grams of protein, calcium and potassium, it will keep you full plus lower your blood pressure.

-Kiwi or Papaya slices. They have tons of heart healthy antioxidants.

Lunch Ideas:

-Dark Chocolate with walnuts. The resveratrol in the chocolate lowers blood pressure and LDL cholesterol while the walnuts provide alpha-linolenic fatty acids which help prevent heart attacks.

Dinner Ideas:

-Barley-Shittake pilaf. Barley has loads of heart healthy fiber and mushrooms have the heart strenghteing vitamin D.

-Saute’ed spinach. Folate in spinach helps to counteract homocysteine which can lead to heart attacks.

These are just a few food items you can add to your heart patient diet plan every day. Do your research and figure out what other heart healthy food you will need. Your heart will thank you for it!

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. Everybody knows that one way to have a healthy heart  is by keeping the arteries clear. I just found out how you can keep your arteries  clear with Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, For more information, visit this online nutrition store athttp://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Treatments-Chocolate and Heart Health

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

All chocolate lovers will love this. Chocolate has been around for many centuries. Now, it also seems that cocoa (chocolate) has some great things in it that can help you develop a healthy heart.

I found this really neat article over at the Detroit Free News Press. Read it and then go out and enjoy that piece of dark chocolate. Your heart will thank you for it!

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, what I call the Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

Posted: April 25, 2010
HEART SMART (TM)
Chocolate has been good for centuries

BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN
HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM
http://www.freep.com/article/20100425/FEATURES02/4250321/1025/Features/Chocolate-has-been-good-for-centuries

Chocolate originated as a drink before it became the creamy, rich treat we adore today. As far back as AD 250, the Maya ground cocoa seeds into a paste and mixed it with water, chili peppers, cornmeal and other ingredients to make a frothy, spicy, chocolate drink. It wasn’t until the 1800s that chocolate was enjoyed in the form of a candy bar.

Historically, cocoa played a part in culture, currency and medicine. Only elite members of society were allowed to drink the sacred cocoa beverages. Cocoa seeds were used to buy food and clothing. And chocolate was part of a treatment regimen for anemia, poor appetite, mental fatigue, fever, dysentery and diarrhea.

Chocolate and cocoa powder come from cocoa beans that grow in pods on the tropical Theobroma cacao tree found in southeast Asia, Africa, Hawaii, Brazil and other South American countries. After cocoa beans have been fermented, dried, roasted and ground, they are pressed into cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

Cocoa powder is a concentrated source of flavonoids. Flavonoids act as antioxidants, which gobble up toxic molecules called free radicals. Free radicals can damage body cells and tissues and may lead to health problems such as cancer, cataracts, arthritis and heart disease.

Cocoa powder is sold unsweetened. The richer, darker Dutch processed cocoa powder has been treated with alkaline compounds, which helps neutralize cocoa’s natural acidity. It is slightly darker in color and milder in flavor than natural cocoa. In today’s recipe we used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, which is a blend of cocoa powder and Dutch processed cocoa powder.

HEART SMART is a registered trademark of the Henry Ford Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute. Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD, is program contact; for questions about today’s recipe, call her at 313-972-1920, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.

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