Heart Disease – Use Vitamin C to Decrease Heart Disease Risk
A new Norwegian study – Diet and Omega 3 Fatty Acid Intervention – found individuals who increased their intake of fruits and berries decreased carotid artery thickening (atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries), which leads to increased risk of heart disease.
The study followed over 560 men with an average age of 70 years-old for three years. Throughout the three years carotid artery thickness was measured and food intake was assessed via food-frequency questionnaires. Participants who increased vitamin C rich foods, such as fruit and berries, along with a Mediterranean diet plan had reduced arterial thickening. The more vitamin C the less the thickening.
The study concluded that even the elderly can make diet changes and see positive health benefits. We’ve known that fruits are an essential part of a heart healthy diet plan and this diet re-emphasizes that point.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Heart Health – Increase Your Metabolism to Be Heart Healthy
Being overweight is linked to a 45% increased risk of developing heart disease. Shedding extra pounds is not easy, but by boosting your metabolism you increase the calories your burn throughout each day. This will lead to the heart healthy weight loss you desire.
You’ve probably heard the term “metabolism”, but do you really understand what it is and how to use it in your quest for heart health? Let me give you some pointers.
First, the definition of metabolism:
Metabolism is the minimum energy the body needs for basic bodily functions when resting and just awakened. Metabolism is more commonly referred to as the rate at which your body burns calories.
Why should you be concerned about metabolism?
If you boost your metabolism the more calories you burn when at rest and throughout your basic daily activities. This means fewer calories stored as fat and promotion of weight loss. The opposite is true also. If your metabolism drops, the calories you burn drops, and the result is weight gain.
Your muscle mass has the greatest impact on your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. The less muscle equals the fewer calories. To add another wrench in your weight and heart health struggle, metabolism decreases as you age. The rate of decrease is about 2% every 10 years beginning at age 30. You can counteract this decline by being active and maintaining your muscle mass.
Building an extra 5 pounds of muscle will boost your metabolism by ~100 calories each day.
So, how do you build muscle?
The best way is to start strength training. If this is an area you are unfamiliar with it’s best to work with a trainer for one or two sessions until you feel comfortable. Remember to always consult your MD before started an exercise program.
You may be thinking, but what about my time on the treadmill? Yes, cardiovascular exercise does build muscle through repetition, but the main purpose of cardiovascular activities is to increase your heart rate to burn calories, not building muscle. Cardiovascular exercise temporarily boosts the rate you burn calories during the activity, but this rate decreases back to your normal level after the activity is complete and your heart rate returns to normal. It does not affect your metabolic rate throughout your day like strength training.
Okay, you’ve decided you need to build some muscle and you’re gung ho to start. Great! But wait one second.
A mistake I frequently see people make is trying to make too many changes at once. If you’re not currently active, suddenly jumping into lifting weights and jogging 5 days a week is not realistic and you set yourself up for failure. You need to take it one step at a time.
Establishing a realistic plan is critical to your success when you strive to boost your metabolism, lose weight, and achieve heart health.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
In part 2 you will learn about the “Metabolic Window” and how to maximize your muscle gains through what and when you eat pre/post workout.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Increase Physical Activity – How to increase physical activity and improve heart health
You want to be more physically active, but how do you find the time? And just how much activity do you have to do?
The number one reason people are not more active is time. We now know that accumulating short bouts of activity throughout the day to reach a total of 30 minutes most days a week provides comparable benefits to completing 30 minutes of activity all at once. There are many ways to increase your physical activity level by simply putting a twist on activities you already complete daily.
Here are some examples of how to boost your fitness when at home and work.
Home
Nothing beats increasing physical activity at home. No time wasted traveling to a gym and you can wear and look however you want! Many typical home activities result in an increased heart rate and strength building. Some examples include mowing/raking the lawn, shoveling snow, vacuuming, mopping, unloading the car, carrying groceries, and taking out the trash. Now take these everyday activities and add a little something extra. How about lunges while you vacuum, arm curls while carry your grocery bags, calf raises while brushing your teeth, and actually squatting when accessing bottom shelves? Do you log more hours than you care to admit in front of the TV? Take advantage of the commercial breaks to do 3 minutes of sit-ups or push-ups.
At the Office
Start your day by arriving at work a few minutes early so you have time to park your car farther away or if you take the bus, get off early and walk the last couple blocks. This is a simple way to add 10-15 minutes of activity to your day while also giving you some much needed time to yourself. Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator to reach your office. Be sure to take two 15 minute breaks during an eight hour work day. Use your break time to boost your fitness level by stretching or taking a walk around the building. If time gets away from you, schedule your computer to provide a “break time” reminder. Short breaks for activity throughout your work day have the added benefit of clearing your mind, boosting your energy, and making your work time more productive. Other ways to increase your activity level at work include finding a longer route to the bathroom or coffee machine and walking to a co-workers office versus reaching for the phone. A pedometer is a great tool for monitoring your activity when at the office. You can set goals to try to increase the number of steps you walk each day to improve your fitness level.
Achieving your fitness goals does not require a fancy gym membership or expensive exercise machine. A little creativity goes a long ways. Don’t miss part 2, which will include tips to boost activity when traveling, running errands, and caring for children.
Read part 2 with tips to boost physical activity here.
If you want regular support achieving your fitness and health goals, subscribe to The Heart of Health today! Now get off the couch and get moving!
Heart Health – Are Omega 6's Good or Bad?
I and other experts so frequently discuss omega 3 fatty acids and the health benefits that you may think all other types of fat are “bad”. That’s not the case. There are many types of heart healthy fats, including omega 6 fatty acids. At least 5-10% of your daily calories should come from omega 6 fatty acids. Some sources of omega 6’s are safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils. Replacing unhealthy fats in your diet with heart healthy unsaturated fats (such as omega 6’s) can decreased coronary heart disease by 24%.
The problem comes from our diets containing too much omega 6. The typical American diet is very high in omega 6 fatty acids. This leads to problems with inflammation when the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 intake is drastically distorted and is why you don’t hear experts recommending you increase omega 6’s in your diet. You probably have more than enough already and need to work on balancing your omega 6’s with omega 3’s to promote optimal heart health.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Lower Cholesterol – How much omega 3 do you need to lower cholesterol?
Increasing the amount of omega-3 fats in our diet and decreasing the amount of omega-6 is beneficial in reducing your risk for heart disease. Most American’s consume a high omega-6 diet, with omega 3 being a common deficiency. Omega 3 deficiencies and the imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 intakes have been linked with serious conditions, including heart attacks. Successfully maintaining a ratio of 4:1 to 1:1 omega 6 to omega 3 will help lower cholesterol levels and control high blood pressure.
Now, how much omega 3 do you need to add?
This is under debate and more research is being done. Right now the range experts recommend is from 500-2000 mg/day. Here are the current American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations.
The AHA recommends that individuals without heart disease eat a variety of fish twice a week, use heart healthy oils (flaxseed, canola, soybean oils), and consume flaxseed and walnuts.
For individuals with heart disease, the AHA recommends 1 g of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) daily, preferably from fatty fish.
The AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA + DHA daily, under physician’s care only, for individuals that need to lower triglycerides. High doses, > 3 grams/day, can result in excessive bleeding. (Do not self medicate! Talk to your MD before supplementing greater than 2 grams.)
Omega 3 Content of Different Foods
Wild Salmon, 4 oz. 1700 mg (DHA 700 mg, EPA 400 mg)
Tuna canned in water, 4 oz. 300 mg (DHA 200 mg, EPA 50 mg)
Cod, 4 oz. 600 mg (DHA 160 mg, EPA 50 mg)
Flaxseed, 1 Tbsp. 1000 mg (ALA – alpha–linolenic acid – 1000 mg)
Soybeans, dried, cooked ½ cup 500 mg (DHA/EPA 250 mg, ALA 250 mg)
Walnuts, 1 oz. 2570 mg (ALA 2570 mg)
Pecans, 1 oz. 280 mg (ALA 280 mg)
Wheat germ, ¼ cup 210 mg (ALA 210 mg)
Canola oil, 1 Tbsp 1300 mg (ALA 1300 mg)
Olive oil, 1 Tbsp 100 mg (ALA 100 mg)
Now, there’s a reason I included details on amounts of ALA, DHA and EPA for each omega 3 source. Right now, DHA and EPA have a greater link with lower cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL levels than ALA. The body is able to convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is low; therefore, it is best to include high DHA and EPA sources in your eating plan.
My recommendation:
As a preventive measure and to promote lower cholesterol and blood pressure control, I recommend eating fish twice a week, select a supplement that will provide you at least 1000 mg of omega 3 fatty acids daily (choose a good source of DHA and EPA), and use ground flaxseed when appropriate in your meal preparation.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
2009 Essential Wellness Telesummit – Be Happy, Healthy, and Wealthy
Liz Copeland has brought together leading international experts and authors in the fields of health, happiness, and life enrichment to bring you the 2009 Wellness Telesummit! Join us to learn about essential wellness!
Join Liz and three other experts for a FREE 4-day Telesummit to guide you to:
- forgiving the unforgiveable to gain perfect freedom
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- be heart healthy and live long
- overcoming the number one diet-sabotage habit so you can be the shape of your dreams
Click here to register now, for FREE:
The Telesummit begins Monday, April 20, 2009.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
