heart health

Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Now with Take Action Guide – American Heart Month

Heart Health Made EasyEvery February marks American Heart Month. Heart disease is the number on killer of Americans with cardiovascular disease and stroke taking nearly 1 million lives every year. Heart disease is strongly affected by your diet and lifestyle choices. By making some simple, but necessary changes you can drastically decrease your risk by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

Heart Health Made Easy: Master the Basics to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol for a Longer, Healthier Life – American Heart Month Savings

Purchase Heart Health Made Easy before February 28th and you’ll receive a 25% savings

The program takes you step-by-step to a lower cholesterol and blood pressure with a practical, easy to understand take action guide.

THIS PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR YOU IF. . .

  • You are newly diagnosed with high cholesterol and/or blood pressure and don’t know the next step.
  • You want to promote heart health, prevent high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
  • You want all the information they need to know in one location.
  • You don’t want to search for the answers yourself, but want the information you need easily and quickly accessible.

Learn more at http://hearthealthmadeeasy.com

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

Why is Heart Disease Overlooked in Women?

Did you know heart disease kills a woman nearly every minute in the U.S.?

If heart disease is responsible for so many female deaths why is it still being overlooked not only by women themselves, but by their physicians as well? Heart disease is not only the number one killer of men, but it’s also the number one killer of women.

Here are a few scary statistic:

  • 64% of women who diet from heart disease have no previous symptoms
  • 1 in 2.6 deaths in women is due to heart disease versus 1 in 30 from breast cancer
  • Heart disease kills about half a million women every year

Don’t underestimate your risk for heart disease and the importance of maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. The foods you eat and your level of physical activity both play a role in your heart health.

Be sure to sign-up for the free e-course How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

Calorie Counter for Dummies – January Bonus!

Book Cover

THIS MONTH ONLY – When you sign up for a Mini Diet Makeover you’ll not only receive a personalized diet plan outlining the steps you must take to achieve your goals, but you’ll also receive a complimentary copy of The Calorie Counter for Dummies.

Calorie Counter for Dummies – January Bonus

Sign up for a Mini Diet Makeover before January 31st and you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the book Calorie Counter for Dummies!

This handy guide provides a fun and easy way to track your calories.

The Calorie Counter For Dummies is filled with vital information on the nutritional value of both homemade and restaurant foods.

It’s a compact guide you can keep in your briefcase, purse, or backpack for quick and easy reference so you make healthy choices both at home and on the go. Use this guide to take control of your health and make heart healthy choices to lose weight, lower cholesterol, and reduce blood pressure.

The Calorie Counter for Dummies is a great tool you’ll utilize as you implement the personalized diet plan you receive from a Mini Diet Makeover.

A Plan Specific to Your Needs

A Mini Diet Makeover is a personalized diet plan outlining the step-by-step changes you need to take for success. I personally evaluate your diet and lifestyle habits to provide a customized plan just for you. You can learn more and sign-up at https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html

A Mini Diet Makeover includes:

Detailed assessment

Receive answers to how your age, stress, hormones, lifestyle habits, and food choices are affecting your heart health and weight.

Step by step diet makeover

See what you’re doing right and where you’re going wrong. You’ll be given small changes to break habits that are keeping you stuck.

Customized weight loss and health plan

Implement the plan immediately to achieve your heart health and weight loss goals.

Inexpensive, Expert Guidance

Access to a heart health and weight loss specialist at a great savings. No hidden fees or subscription dues.

Learn more and sign-up at https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html

Here’s to a fitter and healthier 2010!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com

Would you like to ask Dr. Mark Houston, hypertension expert, a question?

Dr. Mark HoustonAre you ready to get answers to your most pressing heart health questions from a nationally known blood pressure expert and director of The Hypertension Institute?

Well, I’ve got great news! Dr. Mark Houston has agreed to answer your questions and I will be interviewing him later this month. I want to ask the questions you want answers to. Post your question as a comment to this post.

Here’s a little background information on Dr. Houston. He’s been practicing medicine since 1974 when he graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School. He went on to complete his medical internship and residency in California. He returned to Vanderbilt University Medical School and from 1978-1990 performed many roles including Medical Director and Associate Professor of Medicine.

Dr. Houston is triple board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Society of Hypertension, and the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. In addition to his medical background he also obtained a masters degree in clinical human nutrition in 2003. In 2008, Dr. Houston was selected by Consumer Research Council as one the TOP PHYSICIANS in the United States. Just this past November and May, 2009, Dr. Houston was selected by USA Today as one of the most Influential Physicians in the U.S. in both hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Dr. Houston is a consulting reviewer for over 20 major medical journal in the U.S., he’s completed over 70 clinical research studies in hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease, and Dr. Houston has published over 150 medical articles in peer-reviewed journals. He speaks nationally and internationally on hypertension and has written three best-selling books – The Handbook of Antihypertensive Therapy, Vascular Biology for the Clinician, and What Your Doctor Does Not Tell You About Hypertension: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Lifestyle Program to Help Fight High Blood Pressure.

The list of Dr. Houston’s accomplishments goes on and on. I’ve covered just some of the highlights of his career above. With all of his research commitments, speaking engagements, etcetera; he still works with patients one-on-one in Nashville, Tennessee, and teaches Vanderbilt medical students, interns, and residents.

This is a great opportunity for you to get your questions answered. When submitting your question, keep in mind Dr. Houston areas of specialty – hypertension (high blood pressure), lipid disorders (cholesterol/blood fats), prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, nutrition, clinical age management and general internal medicine.

Make the most of Dr. Houston’s generous offer to make time in his busy schedule to answer your questions.

Submit your question by posting as a comment below.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com

Heart Health Tips for Flavonoids

Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant found in fruits, vegetables, and certain beverages. Flavonoids are a hot topic because of their reported antiviral, anti-allergy, antiplatelet (blood clotting), anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor (cancer), and antioxidants health benefits. Many of the beneficial effects of fruits, vegetables, tea, and red wine are linked to flavonoids versus known nutrients and vitamins.

Antioxidants protect cells against damage caused by free radicals, which lead to oxidative stress and cell damage. Oxidative stress is linked with cancer, aging, atherosclerosis, ischemic injury, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases. For example, the oxidation of LDL cholesterol plays a critical role in the development of heart disease.

Flavonoid Sources:

High Flavonoid Content (>50 mg/100 g of food)
Onion, kale, green beans, broccoli, endive, celery, cranberry, orange juice

Medium Flavonoid Content (1-5 mg/100 g of food)
Salad, tomato, bell pepper, strawberry, broad bean, apple, grape, red wine, tea, tomato juice

Low Flavonoid Content (<1 mg/100 g of food) Cabbage, carrot, mushroom, pea, spinach, peach, white wine, coffee If you struggle to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables everyday consider supplementing your diet with Juice Plus to boost your daily antioxidant intake.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips

Heart Health – How to lower fat when cooking?

Let’s say you are trying to lower high cholesterol, but resistant to giving up the treats you love. I want to give you some simple tips for modifying recipes and baked goods to make them more heart healthy without sacrificing the taste.

Here is a short table with basic substitutions to reduce fat and calories in some of your favorite foods while maintaining the flavor you enjoy.

Instead of . .                                Substitute. . .
Whole milk                                  1% or fat free milk
Whole egg                                  2 egg whites or egg substitute
Vegetable oil                               Non-stick vegetable oil or canola/olive oil
Butter/Margarine                         Applesauce or fruit puree or vegetable oil
Cream                                          Evaporated Skim Milk

If you’re modifying an old family recipe it will take some trial and error before you find the right balance between healthier substitutions and a quality product. It may work best when baking to replace half the ingredients with a healthier alternative. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups all-purpose flour instead use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.  Also, reduce the amount of fat added to a product. For example, instead of 1 cup of oil try ¾ cups of oil. You may not notice a difference.  Experiment with different options until you get a product you enjoy. 

Fruit Purees

Never baked with fruit purees? Well, here’s a quick lesson on how to use them to make moist baked goods without the artery clogging fat.

The reason fat makes products taste good is because it adds moisture, flavor, and a tender texture to baked goods. Substitution of fruit purees or nonfat dairy products can provide some of the same fat-like characteristics without the actual fat. The type of fruit puree you choose to use will affect the final product. For example, a prune puree provides rich flavor with a moist, tender texture. A prune puree works best in recipes containing chocolate, cinnamon, and orange seasoning. For some recipes it may be best to just replace half the fat. For example, replace 1 cup butter with ½ cup pureed prunes/bananas/applesauce and ½ cup butter instead.  

To receive free heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, subscribe to The Heart of Health and grab your special report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health” today!