Your Heart And Your Favorite Tipple: Be Alcohol Aware
This week I am sharing with you a guest post provided by Lisa Redmond.
When tackling the problems associated with heart disease, raised blood sugar and cholesterol the onus is usually rightly on tackling diet, weight and whether the patient is a smoker or not. One often overlooked issue with all of these conditions relates to the amount of alcohol a person drinks and how that can affect the overall health of someone who is battling cardiovascular disease. Many people assume that alcohol is something that may perhaps only affect organs like the liver, but it can take its toll on the heart too. Being alcohol aware and knowing the problems it can create are so important in getting a handle on heart disease.
Your heart and alcohol
In the US, it is recommended that anyone, whether suffering from ill health or not, should only drink one or two alcoholic drinks a day. A measure of alcohol equates to a 4oz glass of wine, a 12oz glass of beer or a 1oz measure of spirits. In small quantities alcohol can be beneficial for you, as part of a healthy, well balanced diet and exercise regime.
In fact studies have shown that red wine can be one of the drinks that actively helps to fight against heart disease – but only if it is taken in moderation and not drunk to excess. Red wine contains flavonoids which have a positive antioxidant effect on the system and help to fight against furring of the arteries.
3 Foods to Lower Blood Pressure
Here are 3 foods containing nutrients that promote a lower blood pressure:
1. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a rick source of potassium. Adequate potassium intake is essential to balance sodium and promote a lower blood pressure. The recommended ratio of potassium to sodium is 5:1. Increasing potassium intake can result in a blood pressure reduction of ~5 mm Hg systolic and ~2.5 mm Hg diastolic.
Mediterranean Diet – Common Questions Answered
Here’s a guest post from Eva Alexander providing answers to some frequently asked questions about the Mediterranean diet.
Most people say the Mediterranean diet is high in fat. Can people still lose or maintain weight on a Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is high in fats. But these consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are healthy fats needed by your body. In contrast, the typical American diet is rich in saturated fats. It should be noted also that fat content in your diet does not determine weight loss. It is your calorie consumption that will generally influence weight loss and optimum weight management. Mediterranean diet provides lots of healthy benefits but it is still essential to lower your calorie consumption to achieve better results.
What’s the major difference of American and Mediterranean diets?
Heart Healthy Tips – 3 Ways to Promote Heart Health Immediately
Heart healthy tips can be quite simple!
1. Use olive oil to prepare your meals.
Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, which helps reduce LDL cholesterol. To receive the highest level of antioxidant benefits, select “extra-virgin” and “virgin” olive oils, the least processed forms. When you see the term “light” on olive oil labels, it indicates a reduced olive flavor.
Simple ways to use more olive oil:
- Sauté your vegetables in olive oil.
- Replace some of the fat in baked goods with olive oil.
- Use an olive oil based salad dressing.
- Flavor bread by dipping in olive oil.
2. If you drink alcohol, choose red wine. . .in moderation.
Studies show a link between red wine and decreased risk of heart disease. Red wine may reduce blood clotting in a way similar to the effects of aspirin. Red wine also contains antioxidants. A diet high in antioxidants leads to a decreased oxidation of LDL cholesterol and less plaque formation in your arteries.
If you already drink wine, continuing to do so in moderation (less than 4 ounces of wine per day) may be beneficial. If you do not currently consume wine, I do not recommend you start. Too much wine will counteract your good intentions and lead to additional complications, such as increased blood pressure.
3. Avoid Trans Fatty Acids
Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol. Consuming trans fats increases your heart disease risk. Daily trans fat intake should be less than 1% of your total calorie intake.
Sources – chips, cookies, crackers, vegetable shortening, commercial baked goods, French fries, fried chicken, doughnuts, pastries, pie crusts, biscuits, pizza dough, and stick margarines.
Look at the Nutrition Fact Panel on products. If you see the words “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” in the ingredient list, then the product contains trans fats. As of January 2006, companies are required to list trans fat content on the nutrition fact panel.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Health Tips
