For those who are seeking to change their lifestyle after having heart problems, and desire to incorporate a healthy heart disease diet, beware of salt!
Even if you never pick up a salt shaker at the dinner table, you may be getting an unhealthy amount salt in your diet. An abundance of studies indicates that too much salt puts people at risk for not only heart disease, but also cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and the health problems that accompany high blood pressure.
There is some controversy about salt’s role in raising blood pressure, but research indicates that at least half of the people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive. These people benefit greatly from reducing the amount of sodium in their diets. As for the other half who isn’t salt sensitive, reducing salt intake can help lower the risks for other problems that affect those who get too much sodium.
The evidence for negative health impacts is so great that the FDA is in the process of revising its sodium guidelines to encourage people to protect their heart and health. It is possible that the new recommendations will be as low as 1,500 mg of sodium daily, which is the equivalent of about two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt. Prior to this revision, the recommendation was for less than 2,300 mg. Statistics show that Americans consume an average of 3,400 mg of sodium every day, a frighteningly high number.
High blood pressure is a complex problem that may have compound causes. It may not be as simple as just cutting salt in the diet but this is a great first step to take in taking control of managing your high blood pressure. It is well proven that high blood pressure increases the risk for heart attacks and stroke and causes damage to the blood vessels. This damage can lead to kidney failure and hardening of the arteries, both of which further raise blood pressure.
Recent studies have indicated that those with high salt intake have increased calcium loss in the bones causing weakening and eventually osteoporosis. Other studies have shown that too much salt can increase insulin resistance, possibly leading to Type 2 diabetes. Certain cancers have even been linked to eating a diet overabundant in salty foods.
So what can you do to protect your heart by lowering sodium intake? First, be fully aware that salt is hidden in almost all processed foods. Without ever picking up the salt shaker and eating a normal diet of whole grains, salads, pasta with pre-made sauce, sandwiches, and flavored yogurt for a snack, daily sodium content can exceed 6,000mg.
Where is it all coming from? Even heart healthy foods seem to be packed with salt. The biggest culprits are pre-made soups, sauces, frozen foods, canned goods, and boxed meals. Read the nutrition label and ingredients, noticing how just one cup of soup or a half of a cup of spaghetti sauce can have one-third or more of the daily recommended amount of sodium. Read labels carefully, even labels of foods that you wouldn’t think have added sodium like diet pop. Look for salt and sodium in the ingredients.
A healthy heart disease diet means eating most meals at home and cooking from scratch. This way you can control the amount of salt in your diet. Season with pepper, garlic, herbs and spices and buy low-sodium products whenever possible.
Try a cleansing diet for a week to clear the excess sodium from your system and to reprogram your taste buds. You’ll be amazed at the difference you’ll see in not only your health, but your enjoyment of the subtle flavors of richly seasoned foods.
To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
If you are someone who has heart problems and are looking for a healthy heart patient diet plan, you really should consider including fish oil. Fish oil is a rich source of the essential fatty acids classified as the omega-3 fatty acids. Increasing numbers of research studies have found fish oil has a broad range of health benefits. One of the most studied of these benefits is fish oil’s positive effects on the cardiovascular system, helping reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Found naturally in fatty, cold-water fish, the omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to slow cellular aging, reduce the risk for some cancers, keep skin smooth and soft and prevent depression, all of these along with the heart benefits! To obtain the greatest benefits, eat several servings of cold water fish like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring. Other fish contain omega-3s but not in the concentration that these fatty, cold water fish do. Pass on the Atlantic salmon, a farm raised fish that may contain antibiotics, hormones and pollutants. Tuna is a good source of omega-3s, but there is a concern with mercury contamination, so limit your tuna consumption to just several times per month.
A multitude of studies have shown that fish oil works in many ways to protect the heart, lowering the risk for heart attack and cardiovascular disease. People who eat a lot of fish are found to have a greater than 60 percent reduced risk for heart attacks. Native Alaskans have a traditional diet high in fats but a low incidence of heart disease, primarily due to the abundant omega-3s in their diet. Whether you eat a diet rich in fish or take supplements, you’ll reap the benefits of these essential fatty acids.
The omega-3s found in fish oil supplements act as anti-inflammatory agents reducing the inflammation that is implicated in cardiovascular problems along with many other chronic diseases. The high rates of inflammation seen in people with chronic diseases may partially be caused by an abundance of omega-6 fatty acids in the modern diet, no longer balanced by the same proportion of omega-3s. Omega-3s also reduce the triglyceride levels in the blood and help reduce high blood pressure.
Oil from fish acts to thin the blood, preventing blood platelet aggregation that can lead to clots. Blood clots are the cause of both heart attacks and strokes and other dangerous circulatory problems. Fish oil is known to stabilize the plaque that forms in arteries and causes atherosclerosis, a fatty buildup in the arteries. Arteriosclerosis has a similar effect, constricting the arteries, but the plaque is primarily a calcium buildup. Both problems narrow the arteries including the coronary arteries. When coronary arteries are blocked, the oxygen supply to the heart is cut off, resulting in a heart attack. Stabilizing the plaque is beneficial because unstable plaque deposits can break off forming clots that cause heart attacks and stroke.
Fish oil also has heart protective action by regulating the electrical currents that control the rhythm of the heart beat. Arrhythmia and tachycardia, the presence of irregularities in the heart beat and a too fast heart beat, can both cause heart attacks. Fish oil also slows the heart rate, making each beat more efficient.
These are just some of the many health benefits that fish oil with omega-3 fatty acids has. Studies continue discovering more advantages to adding fish to the diet. Although some people worry about heavy metal and other contamination of fish and their oil, a recent study done on over 50 brands of fish oil found virtually no contaminants in any of the oil. If you worry about pollutants, you may want to buy salmon oil made from wild caught Alaskan salmon, even though there appears to be no problem with other fish oils. Better yet, try krill oil, made from tiny sea crustaceans and free of contaminants. Eating fresh fish and taking a daily fish oil supplement will help protect your entire cardiovascular system!
To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Congestive heart disease is a growing problem in our society. However, there is good news. If you are someone who has developed congestive heart disease, it runs in your family, or you just want to know how to prevent it, there are lifestyle changes you can do to develop a healthy heart. Here are 4 easy tips to prevent it from Mr. Andrew Bicknell.
Preventing Congestive Heart Disease
By Andrew Bicknell
For most people who have it congestive heart disease is preventable or even reversible if caught early enough. Its causes and effects are directly related to lifestyle choices and in some cases to other underlying diseases that can cause it symptoms. Smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, metabolic syndrome, and diet are all risk factors for this most deadly of diseases.
These risk factors can cause atherosclerosis, which are lesions in blood vessels. This can lead to arteriosclerosis, which is a thickening, hardening, and calcification of arterial walls leading to a decreased blood supply. This affects the ability of the heart to do its job in an efficient manner. These risk factors can also damage the heart, weakening the muscle itself.
Preventing congestive heart disease is a matter of living a healthy lifestyle. By following some rather simple rules the majority of people can keep this disease from ever touching their lives. Here are some things to consider in the fight against this disease.
Tip #1: Eat oatmeal every morning. There are studies that show that oatmeal helps remove excess fat from the body. Not only is it good for your heart but it is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, helping to provide sustained energy through out the morning.
Tip #2: Eat more Omega 3 fatty acids. These come from fish in the form of fish and are known to fight LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels.
With this in mind it makes sense to eat more fish, like salmon, that are high in Omega 3s. These types of fish contain no bad cholesterol, unlike red meat. If you do eat red meat stick with lean cuts to help cut down on the fats and bad cholesterol that is known to clog and harden arteries, which is a leading cause of congestive heart failure.
Tip #3: Getting daily exercise is also a good way to keep the affects of congestive heart disease at bay. Cardiovascular exercise keeps the heart strong and healthy. The heart is essentially a muscle and needs to be worked as such. If your overall body condition is weak chances are the heart is weak as well. Aerobic exercise works the entire cardiovascular system, including the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. It can be as simple as going for a walk or as you get stronger jogging, biking, or even swimming.
Tip #4: Learning to relax is the last thing you can do to help prevent congestive heart disease. Stress is known to increase the risk of congestive heart failure so taking time to de-stress is important in fighting this disease.
Andrew wrote about some very easy tips any of us can follow to prevent congestive heart disease from developing. Take some time and begin to implement at least one tip and you will be well on your way to keeping your heart healthy!
To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Avoiding animal products can be an important component of a heart patient’s diet plan. Please note that avoiding is the key word here, not eliminating animal products completely from your diet. Becoming a strict vegetarian takes a level of commitment that some just can’t face and may not even be necessary to achieve optimal heart health. For most people, cutting down on the amount of animal products and choosing any that you do consume wisely is sufficient to promote a healthy heart and entire cardiovascular system.
Why avoid animal products? The primary reason is that dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products. I always find it a bit humorous to see a bag of apples marked “a no cholesterol food,” maybe people just aren’t aware that cholesterol comes from animals! Studies have shown that eating a diet high in cholesterol damages the cardiovascular system and raises blood cholesterol levels. Some surprising studies show that even if blood cholesterol isn’t raised, people consuming more animal products have a higher incidence of death from heart attacks and strokes. One of the greatest risks to the heart is atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. Cholesterol seems to play a major role in the formation of plaque inside the arteries, causing narrowing of blood vessels and limiting the flow of blood. In addition to being bad for the heart, research has shown that diets high in meat and other animal products contribute to other diseases including certain cancers, osteoporosis, and digestive disorders.
In addition to the cholesterol found in animal products, they also have much higher fat content than their vegetable counterparts, increasing dietary calories. Slimming down can greatly benefit the heart; carrying less weight eases the burden on the heart. Did you know that fat has nine calories per gram while protein and carbohydrates have only four? Eating a lower-calorie diet high in vegetables, fruits, and whole-grains and getting adequate exercise has been shown to reverse the effects of heart disease.
Many people worry that they won’t get enough protein without eating meat. There are many ways to get all the essential amino acids without meat. The most recent studies have shown that each meal does not even need to have complete protein as long as it is gotten in the daily diet. Combining beans and whole grains is the perfect combination; by eating these together you get high-quality, complete protein. Many studies have shown that getting too much protein is actually bad for the health of the kidneys and liver. Damage to either of these organs leads to high blood pressure and other problems that eventually affect the heart.
Set a goal of eliminating meat and animal products except for fat-free milk and yogurt at least four days a week. If you can’t start with this, try just two, building to four over a month. Incredible, hearty vegetarian recipes are easy to find everywhere now. Try experimenting with one for tonight’s dinner and your heart will thank you!
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
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
Most people who have heart problems likely realize they need to be on a heart healthy diet. I just found out how you can make a heart healthy salad. Here is how you build a heart healthy salad.
First, we’ll look at a typical salad and the mistakes people make thinking all salads are healthy. A typical salad bar salad starts with a bed of iceberg lettuce, a nutrient poor food that zoos even stopped feeding the animals. Then most people pile on the cheese, full of fat and maybe not even real cheese but processed cheese food full of partially hydrogenated oils. Next, many people add lots of croutons which are high in fat and contain white flour, and drench it with a hearty helping of creamy dressing which also is high in fat and probably loaded with trans fats.
This is NOT a heart healthy salad. Not one thing in it is going to benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. You can say you ate a salad for lunch,but it wasn’t much better than a big fast food burger for your heart.
The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States has been linked to our diet and learning a few tips to help prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and cholesterol build up can be life saving.
The very first thing to remember is color. Deep green, bright red, purple,orange, and yellow colors in vegetables are caused by plant pigments. Each and every one of the phytochemicals that make up complex plant colors act as antioxidants. Current research indicates that not only heart disease and stroke but also other debilitating diseases like cancer may all be caused by free radical oxidative damage wreaking havoc on our cells. Antioxidants neutralize and stop the oxidative stress chain reactions caused byantioxidants. So pile on the colorful vegetables and fruits. Red cabbage, dark green spinach and other deeply colored greens, orange peppers andcarrots, broccoli, whatever vegetables you enjoy. Don’t forget a tiny bit of hearth healthy cayenne if you like spicy. Be sure to add onions that have proven heart healthy properties.
A little cheese, Parmesan or mozzarella, goes great on top of a salad, but just add a small amount and use real cheese. If you are building a dinner salad then add some lean grilled chicken. A perfect heart healthy addition is wild caught Alaska grilled salmon high in heart healthy Omega 3 oils.
Avoid fried or breaded additions; these are full of unhealthy fats.
If you need a little crunch on the salad look for raw nuts and seeds.
Walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or pumpkin seeds all benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. Don’t buy roasted or salted.
Finally, the dressing. The ideal dressing is a simple dash of olive oil and a bit of red wine vinegar. The trick is to sprinkle the salad with herbs; oregano, thyme, parsley, whichever herbs you enjoy. Then a sprinkle of garlic powder or pieces of roasted garlic, also proven to benefit the heart, and you have a truly heart healthy salad!
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
Did you know that you can increase your heart’s healthy by eating a healthy heart diet? We are going to take a look at heart healthy foods over the next few months. To get us started today, we are going to take a look at the foods in the kitchen. Are they heart healthy? Do they promote good cardiovascular health or are they contributors to poor circulation, sluggish metabolism, cholesterol buildup, heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes?
Let’s begin with looking in the refrigerator. Forget the old advice that eggs and butter cause heart attacks. All the new research says they don’t. The real culprits are partially hydrogenated oils and that is the main ingredient in margarine. Touted as heart healthy for years, it isn’t. Wipe that concept out of your mind.
Margarine is unhealthy, get rid of it. It is best to replace margarine with real butter for buttering your toast and a healthy oil like olive oil or coconut oil for cooking. Olive oil with herbs and garlic makes an excellent heart healthy dip for bread if you don’t like butter.
Now look to see how many fresh fruits and vegetables are in the refrigerator. Don’t see any? No diet that will enhance the cardiovascular system exists that doesn’t emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables. These have been proven to not only support a well functioning cardiovascular system but also prevent cancer and aid the whole digestive system.
How about fresh fish? The Omega-3′s in fish insure cardiovascular efficiency that not only improves heart heath but increases mental functioning too. Bacon, lunch meats, and high fat meats probably are not something that should take a forefront in a heart promoting diet.
Now, what about your seasonings? Heavy on the salt and black pepper? That’s got to change. Processed table salt needs to be replaced with either sea salt or rock salt. Both of these have the whole complement of trace elements found in natural seawater. The body needs these minerals and they are nutrients for the cardiovascular system. If you must use salt use natural salt such as sea salt. If you have already stopped using salt don’t use a salt substitute, they are unhealthy and unnatural, your body doesn’t know what to do with potassium chloride.
A much better choice is a good herb mix and cayenne pepper for a little kick. Many herbs support the cardiovascular system, lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.
That’s a start for today. It is time to begin analyzing your food choices, learning, and trying new foods and a new healthy heart diet to keep that heart happy and 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” 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
Most people know that obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are some of the risk factors for heart attacks in the United States.
Most people may not know that 50% of heart attack victims did not have any warning signs at all. Pretty scary the first symptom they have is the heart attack itself!
Most people may not know that there is a little known risk factor that doesn’t show up on traditional test doctors conduct for cardiovascular disease. It shows up nowhere, not even with an EKG or a stethoscope.
It will blow your mind what this hidden trigger for heart disease is! Ready? It is interrupting conversations! Yes. That’s right. Interrupting conversations is bad for women’s health and men’s too!
You see, several studies have found that people who do this are at higher risk for heart problems. In one study done by Duke University, it was found that people who interrupt are up to 7 more times more likely to get heart disease!
Why? Well,the scientists theorize that people who interrupt conversations are excessively competitive and controlling-two indicators of of the worst “Type A” personality traits.
The good news is this. All of you “Type A” types pay attention to this heart disease prevention tip. You can lower your risk for heart disease without taking any drugs or dietary changes. You don’t even have totally alter your personality. All you gotta do is learn to be a good listener.
In one study, the test subjects focused on being silent while others talked. The result: they lowered their blood pressure and stress hormone levels.
Yes, everyone can easily avoid this trigger for heart disease and heart attacks by becoming expert listener’s!
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
Everyone needs a strong, healthy heart. This is important because our hearts is like an engine that drives our active lifestyle, and it must be in good health to maintain our muscles and bones, keep our minds sharp, and have an on-going sharp mind. Here are two tips that will help you as a woman keep a strong heart.
Tip #1: Get a heart scan after menopause. It’s scary to think about but even women with normal cholesterol levels can have heart disease! Dr. Mehdi Razavi, a heart specialist at the Texas Heart Institute, says for women to talk to their doctor about getting a coronary artery scan. The test measures calcium accumulation in the arteries which is a predictor of heart disease risk. It also can spot troubles when other tests such as those that test cholesterol levels, are normal.
Tip #2: Go Mediterranean. There are many heart-healthy diets around today. However, not all are created equal. It seems the diet that beats them all is the Mediterranean diet which prevents and even reverses heart disease. Women whose diets include monounsaturated fats from olive and canola oils, nuts, fish, along with loads of fruits and vegetables rduced their reoccurence of heart problems by a whopping 50-70% according to the Lyon Diet Heart Study in Paris.
These are two easy things that women with heart problems and those who do not have heart problems can do to develop a strong heart and prevent or even reverse heart disease. Make sure you follow these tips today!
Did you know that women’s heart problems can be made worse by watching TV? I happen to subsribe to a newsletter called “Women’s Wellness Today” by Dr. Susan Lark. Dr.Lark is one of the foremost authorities in the field’s of women’s health care, family practice, and complementary and alternative medicine.
In an article by Dr. Lark, she discussed research she read about how TV is bad for your heart. She says:
“In the recent Austrailian study, researchers followed the cardiovascular death rates among almost 9,000 adults for an average of just under 7 years each. Using people who watched less TV per day as the baseline, the study found that watching TV for more than two but less than four hours per day increased the risk of cardiovascular death by 20 percent, and watching four hours or more per day increased it by 80 percent (January 2010, Circulation).
The investigators attributed the negative cardiac impacts of TV watching to the amount of time spent sitting. I agree, that is a big part of it especially if you are sitting in front of the TV after whle day of sitting in front of a computer, or behind the wheel, or in a classroom, etc. . . . .The human cardiovascular system, and in fact the whole human body was designed to be in motion a lot more than most of us are today, even if we exercise. . . . .I think there is another component. Most of what’s on TV today is stressful to watch. Stress is known to cause elevations in inflammatory markers, and inflammation is arguably a major cardiovascular ris factor. After a stressful day at work, plopping down to watch distressing news, violent dramas, and back-stabbing reality shows is the last thing your heart needs!”
This is good stuff! Turn off that TV and find some other things you can do to increase your heart health and life!
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!
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