Tuna – Heart Healthy of Not?
The nutritional quality of tuna depends on a variety of factors, such as the type of tuna you buy, the differences in the fishery where it was produced/captured, the diet of the fish, and even water temperatures.
Types of Tuna
There are dozens of different tuna fish species, but tuna companies group tuna into three categories:
1. White or albacore
Is Your Food Safe?
Did you know that 1 in 3 people experience a foodborne illness each year? That equals 76 million Americans. HomeFoodSafety.org is a great source of information on steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting a foodborne illness.
Here are just a few tips I’d like to share from HomeFoodSafety.org:
1. Keep your refrigerator temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
When it comes to refrigerating leftovers, Americans are losing their cool! More than a third of people typically keep their refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and 41 percent admit they don’t know the proper temperature to which their refrigerator should be set. Don’t let bacteria shorten your leftovers’ life – use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure your fridge is always set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Use a thermometer to make sure reheated meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nearly nine out of 10 people consistently reheat leftovers before eating them – versus nibbling them cold right out of the fridge. But 97 percent of leftover lovers do not use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness of foods. Next time you reheat, use a meat thermometer to make sure food reaches the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you eat.
3. Discard leftovers within 3-5 days.
Who says you can’t take it with you? When eating out, nearly 40 percent of restaurant patrons leave at least some of the time with a doggie bag or leftovers to eat for another meal. If you’re a doggie bag diner, write the date of purchase on your take-out container – and remember to discard leftovers within three to five days.
4. Use separate plates to defrost meat and serve meat.
Nearly half of Americans use their microwaves to defrost frozen meat. Since juices from raw meat may carry harmful bacteria, dinner defrosters should take special precautions to avoid cross-contamination. Use separate plates – one to defrost meat and another to serve cooked meat – or wash plates in warm, soapy water between uses to eliminate bacteria.
5. Refrigerator your bag lunch.
Of the nearly half of working Americans who bring a packed lunch from home, almost one in four say they do not store their lunch in a refrigerator or cooler when they get to work. With sometimes up to six hours passing between the time lunches are packed at home until they are eaten, this is definitely not a healthy habit! Be the boss of your brown bag and make sure to store it in a refrigerator (set below 40°F) as soon as you get to work. Or, pack your lunch in an insulated lunch bag or cooler – and throw in a frozen ice pack to ensure the safety of perishable foods.
Go to HomeFoodSafety.org for more great tips on food safety.
For helping spread the word about the importance of home food safety, I was entered into a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card and an iPad through Summertime Food Smarts, a contest run by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods’ Home Food Safety program. Home Food Safety is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling foods. Learn more at www.homefoodsafety.org.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
https://lisanelsonrd.com
Metamucil to Lower LDL Cholesterol
Metamucil is a rich source of psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is a soluble fiber which works to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Currently the American Heart Association recommends everyone consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber daily. The average American only consumes 15 grams of fiber daily.
How much soluble fiber?
Heart Disease Risk Factors You Control
There are risk factors for heart disease that you have no control over, such as:
Age
Male sex
Family History
Post-menopausal
Race
You cannot do anything about the above risks, so there is no need to waste time dwelling on them. If you want to take action and reduce your risk of developing heart disease there are several controllable risk factors.
These include:
What is L-carnitine?
L-carnitine is a compound produced by the liver and kidneys from the biosynthesis of the amino acids lysine and methionine. To form L-carnitine you also need adequate levels of vitamin C, B6, niacin, and iron.
How L-Carntine Works
The powerhouse of your cells is the mitochondria and produces the energy your heart needs to function. L-carnitine is responsible for transporting fatty acids to the mitochondria for energy production. The heart typically gets 60% of its energy from fat sources. If this process is slowed due to a lack of L-carnitine heart function is affected, especially compounding problems for individuals with heart disease. Those with moderate to severe atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to inflammation and cholesterol deposits) and congestive heart failure are most affected by a deficiency of L-carnitine. Too make matters worse, damaged heart tissue has a hard time “holding on” to L-carnitine resulting in a deficiency.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
https://lisanelsonrd.com
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Omega Q Plus supports:
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Heart Disease & Potassium
Potassium is involved in the normal function of nerve and muscle cells, including the heart. Most potassium in the body – 98% – is found within cells (i.e. intracellular). When extracellular potassium levels become too high a condition known as hyperkalemia develops.
Hyperkalemia is a condition where serum potassium levels are greater than 5.5 mEq/L.
Hyperkalemia & Heart Disease
