Reduce Your Heart Attack Risk
Is the deck stacked against you when it comes to genetics and heart disease? If so, I’m right there with you. However, this isn’t a pass to just say “oh well, nothing you can do about it” and proceed to live an unhealthy lifestyle.
Heart disease and heart attacks are for the most part preventable. Deaths due to coronary heart disease have significantly decreased since 1980.
Here are 5 steps you can take right now to beat the odds:
- Know your numbers
Go to the free health screenings to have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked. Discuss with your doctor to determine how often more in depth lab work should be completed. Ignorance is not going to help you.
For cholesterol, the American Heart Association provides the following recommendations:
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Is your granola bar a candy bar in disguise?
There are all kinds of nutrition bars available, from energy bars, to protein bars, to weight control, to gluten free, to breakfast bars, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, many of these supposed “nutrition” bars are really just glorified candy bars.
What to look for when selecting a nutrition bar:
Sugar – Look at the nutrition label and see how many grams of sugar there are per serving. . .and does a full bar equal 1 serving? Select a bar with 5 grams or less sugar per bar.
Fiber – Don’t rely on fortified bars to meet daily fiber needs. Isolated fibers, such as inulin, chicory extract, and oligosaccharides do not necessarily provide the same benefit as foods naturally rich in fiber. Select a bar that provides ~3 grams of fiber. Ideally this fiber will come from whole grains, dried fruit, and/or nuts included in the bar.
Vitamins and Minerals – Don’t use a nutrition bar to try and meet 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals. Look at the food label and see if it’s providing 100% of the RDA. There are potential side effects from consuming too much of certain vitamins and minerals. Select nutrition bars that do not provide 100% of the RDA for vitamins and minerals.
Almonds for a Healthy Heart
In previous posts we’ve covered the health benefits of a couple different nuts:
Heart-Smart Pistachios
Walnuts Equal Healthier Blood Vessels
Nuts are an excellent source of nutrients that provide heart health benefits, such as fiber, protein, and certain minerals.
Let’s turn our attention to almonds.
Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fat. This is a heart healthy fat in that it does not cause an insulin response or lead to increases in blood cholesterol. A study has shown a decrease in cholesterol levels, including LDL cholesterol, when almonds are consumed as a regular part of the diet.
Almonds also provide vitamin E in the form of gamma tocopherol and glutathione. Both of these nutrients act as antioxidants to prevent cellular damage associated with free radicals.
Almonds also contain calcium to support bone and tooth health, along with healthy blood pressure levels.
A one-ounce, 164-calorie serving of almonds, not only provides vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and calcium, but also magnesium, fiber, protein, potassium, phosphorus, and iron.
Add Almonds to Your Diet
Here are a few tips for adding almonds to your diet:
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A Healthy Heart Equals a Healthy Mind
You’ve heard or read over and over that you have to eat right and exercise to keep your heart healthy. Well, not only do unhealthy habits impact your heart they also affect your brain.
French researchers studied 5,123 men and women over a 17-year period of time. Participants with the greatest number of unhealthy behaviors were three times more likely to have poor thinking abilities and twice as likely to have memory problems compared to those living healthier lifestyles.
There are four lifestyle factors associated with negative health effects:
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Does flaxseed have to be ground?
I had an individual just send me the following message:
I was just on your web site and was reading about Omega-3’s. I am a little confused. Does flaxseed have to be ground in order for it to work? Are gel capsules a waste of time and money?
In case you are wondering too, here’s the answer:
Yes, in order for the body to access the omega 3’s within the flaxseed, the seed must be ground. Otherwise it passes through the system as dietary fiber. Dietary fiber has it’s own benefits, but if you are wanting the omega 3 benefits of flaxseed it must be ground.
Flaxseed oil (gel capsules) provide the omega 3’s without the fiber. If you are going to purchase an omega 3 supplement, my first choice would be fish oil instead of flaxseed oil. They provide different types of omega 3 fatty acids. Greater benefits linked to omega 3’s in fish oil.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
https://lisanelsonrd.com
Ginkgo to Treat Peripheral Vascular Disease
Ginkgo is an herbal extract available in supplement form. If comes from the leaves of the ginkgo tree and is believed to improve circulation and cognitive abilities.
Some of the functions associated with Ginkgo include:
Decreased platelet aggregation (blood clotting)
Decreased inflammation
Improved memory and brain function
Improved circulation
Mood Enhancement
Increased serotonin receptors
Increased glucose uptake
Increased oxygen supplied to the brain
Antioxidant
The recommended daily dose of Ginkgo may vary between 60 to 120 mg/day.
There are potential side effects associated with the herbal remedy, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. If you take blood thinners, such as Coumadin, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) ginkgo is not recommended. MAOIs are a class of antidepressant drugs. Discuss any supplements you take or are considering with your doctor. There is potential for a drug-nutrient interaction.
There has been some evidence to indicate that Ginkgo can be used to treat a variety of health conditions. A few of the health conditions include:
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