Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #6

Let's talk about snacking while we're talking about food. For better heart health, try snacking on nuts such as almonds or walnuts instead of chips or cookies when you need a snack. Nuts actually contain lots of healthy ingredients that can help your heart.

Nuts can also help curb your appetite when you eat them between meals. Now I'm talking about raw nuts not sugar roasted.

You can also add nuts to salads or other dishes. They are a great source of protein as well.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #5

Yesterday I talked about breakfast as being the most important meal. Today let's talk about what things are healthy choices throughout the day. Today, I want you to start by adding 1 extra serving of fruits or vegetables. If you are eating less than 5 servings a day, your goal will be to get to 5 a day and maintain that level. So start today by adding 1 extra to whatever you are currently eating.

Fruits and vegetables not only help with heart health, but they help with brain chemistry, brain health, strengthening your immune system to helping the bowel to function better. Substitute a piece of fruit for dessert or whatever it is that you are eating during the day when you crave sugar. This is a healthier way to eat and you will crave sugar less.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #4

Now You're breathing deeply, you're exercising with your walk and lifting weights. Next let's talk about eating. I have mentioned it before, but this is so very important that it bears repeating. Make breakfast the most important meal of the day.

Feeding your body after a night's rest is vital to it's functioning in a normal way. Starving the body by not eating breakfast will not make you lose weight and may in fact make you gain weight. Be sure that you have some form of protein, a serving of whole grains and a serving of fruit. This will balance things within your body so that it can take on the day and expend the appropriate energy required.

Remember, your mother was right when she said to eat your breakfast!

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #3

Now you've started to exercise which will help lower things like cholesterol. But more importantly, the exercise will increase the strength of your heart and take away some weight which is adding stress to the heart.

The heart needs lots of oxygen to stay well. So now before you take your 10 minute walk or lift your weights, take 2 minutes to deep breath slowly. This will help prepare you for your walk or to lift the weights. At night before you go to bed or as you are going to bed, sit and take 10 slow deep breaths. This will relax you and take the stress away from your heart. Deep breathing can also help you lower your blood pressure.

More tomorrow.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #2

Yesterday you started walking - just 10 minutes. Today I want you to lift a 2 pound weight or a heavy book 5-10 times. Do this a couple of times. This will begin to tone up muscles. If you already lift weights or use free weights 2-3 times a week, then you're already doing this one.

If you work, when you need to take a break, lift the weight, do it during your lunch hour or whenever you have a few minutes. You can even do this while you're watching TV.

When it becomes easy for you to lift whatever it is that you are using, then increase the weight.

More tomorrow.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health

Over the next several days I'm going to be talking about some little things that you can begin to implement for better heart health. Instead of waiting until you have a heart problem, start now with little things that can make a difference as far as whether you will ever have a heart problem.

Start out with taking a brief 10 minute walk. If you currently are not exercising, this is a great way to get started. If you currently do exercise, this will add a little extra exercise into your day. Find ways to do this. Park as far away from where you're going as you can, so that you can walk for 10 minutes. The advantage of this is that you have just put 20 minutes of walking into your day and that is awesome!

If you live in an apartment, walk the hallways for 10 minutes. You don't have to go outside, just walk for 10 minutes.

More tomorrow.

A request for help

I had someone take the Real Age test. Her Real Age test score said she was 78.6. Her actual age is 58. Here is some of her information which will give you a clue as to why her Real Age Results are what they are. She is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 200 pounds. She has bipolar disorder, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.

This women has lots of issues which increase her age. She openly admits that food brings her pleasure and is really the only pleasure she gets. Why is that? If you are eating foods with lots of sugar or carbohydrates, the initial brain response is one of feeling good. Unfortunately, shortly there after you take a tumble in the feeling good score and now you feel bad again or worse than before you ate those sugary foods. This is like an addiction in that shortly after you eat the sugary foods, the bad feelings return and you go back after the sugar to feel better again. You can understand why weight goes up when this is what is happening to you.

You can increase the serotonin which is the feel good hormone by eating something like turkey which contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is what the body uses to make serotonin. This will also keep dopamine levels healthy as well. Balance here is the key.

Most of the time when we eat for "pleasure" we're not thinking about what we're eating we just are putting it into our mouths and go on our way. Take the time to really savor what it is that you are eating. Also, take some time to write down a list of things that you really love to do that are fun. The next time you feel like eating your way out of a problem, try doing one of the things on your list.

Healthy Diet

I just read another study that supports the adage to eat your fruits and vegetables. The study was with women with ovarian cancer and it demonstrated that women who ate diets higher in colorful fruits and vegetables had longer survival rates than those who did not.

This study was based on the women eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Broccoli and yellow vegetables were linked with the longest survival rates.

So your mother was right to tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables. If it helps women with cancer, think what it could do for you if you don't have cancer! Eat those fruits and vegetables!!

Good Protein Source

Lentils may be one of the new hottest protein sources. These beans can be used in multiple ways including meat loaf.

They are a fairly economical way to expand your food dollar and get healthy nutrition as well. They come in different colors, brown being the most common. There are also red and green lentils.

Lentils are almost as good as soybeans in terms of their protein. Most soybeans today are genetically altered and if you find true lentils they are better for you.

Lentils like other beans do not require a presoak and they cook in 20 to 30 minutes.

In addition, lentils are a great source of folate, iron, and fiber.

Food Inc

I just watched the movie Food Inc which is a documentary about where are food comes from and what is happening to our farmers these days. Most of us don't have a clue about any of this. The food is in the grocery store and we buy it, end of story.

Seeing this movie really makes you think about what you are putting into your mouth and into your body. One of the lines out of the movie is if your great grandmother would not recognize what you are about to eat as food, don't eat it.

A few major corporations have a strangle hold on our food sources and we have no idea of what is genetically altered food. While there is no hard evidence that the increase of heart disease, diabetes and multiple other diseases may be related to our "food," I think we need to be looking long and hard at what we are eating.

The fact that junk food is cheaper than organic fruits and vegetables sends many shoppers who have little money to the junk food isles. I think this may be an excuse as well to eat junk food rather than healthy foods. What other things are these individuals buying? Cigarettes? sodas? specialty coffees?

Things to think about and take a stand to only eat healthier foods. Don't settle for the beef that is full of growth hormones and antibiotics or only corn fed. Cattle were designed to eat grass and if they are only fed corn, they do not produce CLA - conjugated linoleic acid - a nutrient that helps us as humans. See my previous posts on CLA.

Rent the movie. It is worth the 90 minutes to see where your food is coming from.

Stress Fractures Part 8

My final comments on stress fractures have to do with nutrition. Since the right foods can strengthen our immune systems as well as our bones, it is important to eat healthy foods. Calcium and Vitamin D are especially important for bone health and strength.

But in addition to that you should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables which will help strengthen your immune system and promote healing. As I mentioned before, stress fractures can be difficult to heal because they are often in the foot and we keep walking on it. While it may not hurt while we're walking, the act of walking puts pressure on the area of injury and may not allow it to heal. Having a strong immune system will assist your body in the healing process.

Stress Fractures Part 7

So how do you know if you have a stress fracture? First and foremost, take pain seriously.

If you begin having pain during an activity, stop the activity and see if the pain resolves. If you start the activity again and the pain comes immediately back. Stop! As with any injury, initially you should ice it, elevate it above the level of the heart and rest it for a few days. If the pain is there when you are not doing the activity but putting any weight on the area, then you should see your doctor, particularly if there is any swelling or tenderness in the area.

If the pain goes away and the area feels OK after a couple of days, then try to gently return to your previous activity. If the pain begins again. Stop! You definitely need to be seen by your doctor.

The problem is that sometimes stress fractures don't show up on xray right away and because they are small cracks may not be evident immediately. So if there is a hint of a stress fracture, take it easy, rest the area and if there is pain with activity stop immediately.

Stress Fractures Part 6

If you are a runner in particular, you may have a longer stride. This may be putting you at higher risk for a stress fracture. So if you shorten your stride, this can lower your chances of a stress fracture.

The problem is that most people have a difficult time actually shortening their stride. You may have to work with a coach or a trainer who can watch your stride and advise you on the best way to shorten your stride.

Stress Fractures Part 5

Since most stress fractures occur in the feet, it is important that you have the right footwear for the activity your are doing. Your old worn sneakers that are comfortable may not be giving you enough protection.

Replace old and worn shoes with new shoes that are designed for the activity that you are doing. Try to avoid footwear that is stiff or uncomfortable. If the shoe is uncomfortable, it is not going to serve you well and may put you at greater risk for a stress fracture. The shoe should feel comfortable when you first try it on. If it does not, don't think that it will get better after it is "broken in" - it won't and you may have a stress fracture by then.

Stress Fractures Part 4

One of the things that can put you at greater risk for a stress fracture is increasing your activity suddenly. If you haven't run in a month, 3 years, or 5 years, don't go out and try to run a marathon. Gradually build up your time, speed and distance. Depending upon your fitness level, start out slow. If you're a runner or jogger, start with a half mile or less depending upon your fitness.

A good rule for runners and jogger is to increase your distance by 10% or less each week. Go slow. Build up your distance, time and speed over several weeks and months.

Stress Fractures Part 3

Stress fractures are small cracks in the bone which occur most often in the feet and lower legs. They can be very painful injuries and sometimes very slow to heal. In some cases, it is very difficult to get these injuries to heal without major interventions. So here are some other ways to decrease your risk or developing a stress fracture.

Increasing your muscle strength can really help you avoid stress fractures. Stronger muscles are better able to absorb the impact and shock to the bones when you are running or doing activities that increase the pressure placed on the bones. If the muscles are stronger, they are better able to absorb that impact and take the stress away from the bones.

Stress Fractures Part 2

Yesterday I spoke about certain types of activities that increase your risk for stress fractures. So how do you decrease the risk?

Alternating your activities is the best way. If you are a jogger, the repeated shock to the same body parts is what can cause a stress fracture. Instead of jogging every day, try swimming or biking and only jogging every other day.

Any time that you are participating in some type of activity that is considered a high impact exercise, vary it with low impact activities. This will help protect you from a stress fracture which often times are difficult to heal.

Tune in tomorrow for more suggestions.

Stress Fractures

Recently I was asked about stress fractures and how to avoid these injuries. There are multiple things you can do to avoid these injuries and over the next few days I'll be outlining some of the steps to take to avoid stress fractures.

First of all there are certain sports which are more prone to stress fractures. Even if you don't play these sports, think about what activities you do that are similar and that may put you at greater risk to develop stress fractures.

If you regularly run or play sports on hard surfaces such as asphalt, you are at greater risk to develop a stress fracture. Certain activities and sports such as runners, dancers, gymnasts, tennis players and basketball players are at greater risk.

Tune in tomorrow for how to help decrease this risk.

Snacking

We have often heard the words "comfort foods" and most of us reach for them when we've had a bad day. Here are few tips to helping you reach for healthier foods when you've had a bad day.

Most importantly, keep good food handy. Put fruit on the counter top or at eye level in the refrigerator. Have a small bowel of raw almonds on your desk.

Clean out the pantry so that the high calorie feel good foods are gone and there are variety of healthy choices available.

Better yet is when you're down, find someone to go for a walk or dance to a favorite song, or watch a comedy routine on YouTube. This will improve your spirits and not leave you with the guild of eating a high caloric snack.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster Headaches are headaches that come on quickly and the person may have several headaches over a few days or weeks. The cluster headache is like a migraine in it's intensity and can change your life if you are in the midst of a cluster.

While the medical community has known for a long time that high flow oxygen really helps these headache suffers, I just read about a recent study in England.

What they found in their study was that high flow oxygen stopped the cluster headache within 15 minutes 78% of the time. This was compared to room air placebo treatment where the headaches were relieved about 20% of the time.

If you are a cluster headache sufferer, talk to your doctor about oxygen therapy.

Other Treatments for Inflammation

Some alternatives that you can use for arthritis pain are acupuncture and massage. Massage works particularly well for arthritis of the hip and spine while acupuncture is showing lots of positive results for arthritis of the knee.

There are lots of new technologies that are being researched regarding the injection of gels into the joint space. While these may help, I would highly recommend that you go the less invasive route and see what you can do to change your immediate situation.

Inflammation and Other Helpful Things

While food is the first things to look at, there are other things you can do to help with inflammation. Exercise is extremely helpful. What I hear most often from patients is that they can't exercise because they have arthritis. Not true.

Use your joints so that they don't stiffen up. Simple exercises work to keep joints functioning. begin with stretches especially of the affected joints. Start walking if your knees or hips are affected. Start slow and work up the time to 20-30 minutes. The biggest obstacle to overcome is starting. You don't have to go to the gym and work on 10 machines or get a trainer. Start simple and build upon that.

Lastly, breathe! Breathing can shift you mind's attention from the area of pain to breathing. This is often a great pain relieving technique. Mild forms of stretching such as tai chi, yoga, and beginning pilates which emphasize breathing can also relieve arthritis pain.

Inflammation and Food

To reduce inflammation, eat more of the omega 3 fatty acids. Foods rich in omega 3 are fish particularly deep sea fish, flaxseed, dark green leafy vegetables, olive oil, and brightly colored fruits.

Arthritis was not as big an issue in prehistoric times because they ate more plants and fruit and meat tended to be less of their food source. They did not have the processed sugars and saturated fats so they were eating far less of the omega 6 than we do.

Supplementing is good, particularly if you are not going to eat the good foods. If you can just cut down on the bad foods it will help, but if you're not going to eat the good foods, then supplement. Supplements that are helpful include glucosamine, ginger, and chondroiton sulfate. There is controversy about chondroiton as to whether it really has any active component to help. If you try and it helps, then use it, because it is doing something for you.

Inflammation Continued

If the inflammatory process continues beyond when it is helpful, then we can develop things such an increase in pain in the area. In joints this process may result in loss of cartilage. Remember that I have mentioned previously that heart disease specifically is often related to inflammation.

While we tend to think of injuries as being the cause of inflammation, there are other triggers such as poor diet and lack of exercise. The goal always is to relieve the pain and slow the progression.

So the first thing to look at is your diet. Avoid foods that tend to promote inflammation. These are foods that contain omega-6 fatty acids such as red meat and high-fructose corn syrup. Other prime candidates in this list are processed sugars and saturated fats. Most of these types are foods if present in the diet have also lead to an increase in weight, which further stresses joints and exacerbates the inflammatory process.

Inflammation

I get asked a lot about arthritis and inflammation and how to alleviate the aches. While I've talked about this before, I want to be sure that you understand the good aspects as well as the bad aspects of inflammation.

The inflammatory process is a natural self-protective response in the body. If you take you finger and scrape the nail over the back of your other hand, you will see in about 20-30 seconds a red streak appear. This is an example of the natural inflammatory response that is protective. When we are injured, the immune system launches the inflammatory response. Several things happen. First there is an increase in blood supply to the injured area. With that response comes the white blood cells who are the army to help clean up the debris in the injured area. This can also cause the area to swell if cells have been damaged.

The problem arises when the inflammatory response continues long after it is needed. More tomorrow on this problem.

Lung Cancer and Greens

I just read a study about lung cancer and eating leafy green vegetables. Before I read the study, I was fairly certain what it would show, since leafy greens are rich in antioxidants which can help prevent cancer.

Indeed, the findings were that eating leafy greens and taking multivitamin supplements demonstrated fewer changes in the cells of lungs from smokers and ex-smokers. While we know that it takes at least seven years of not smoking for lungs to at least recover somewhat from smoking, this seems to indicate that lots of antioxidants could help, certainly during the recovery phase once smoking has ceased.

Best leafy greens to eat are spinach, bok choy and kale.

Tumeric

I've talked about tumeric before, but it bears being mentioned again. You will see this spice used in Asian cooking and in curry dishes. The greatest thing about tumeric is that it is a very potent anti-inflammatory agent.

As I mentioned a few days ago, the heart disease and cholesterol piece is more related to inflammation than cholesterol. There are a plethora of diseases that tumeric may help prevent and help. Some of these are disease such as Alzheimer's, pulmonary disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, Parkinson's, arthritis, and psoriasis. Studies out of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have shown that tumeric affects gene activity in cancer cells. Tumeric actually starves and kills cancer cells. Multiple studies and Universities are now testing tumeric to determine it's affect in various types of cancer.

Chocolate Good or Bad

There's been controversy around chocolate for a long time. The problem is with processed chocolate which contains a large amount of sugar and fat. If you look at raw chocolate or cacao, this is where the great benefits are founds.

Raw cacao contains high levels of antioxidants and chemicals that improve your mood. The bad news is that it takes something like dirt! So eat dark chocolate, it has more of the nutrients in it and if it's slightly bitter, that is OK. Look at the content of what you are eating. Eat chocolate in moderation!!

Eggs Good or Bad

I have said this before, eggs have gotten a bad rap because of all the hype about cholesterol. Once again, cholesterol is not the problem, but inflammation. That is another topic. Right now, I just want to talk about eggs.

There is no correlation between egg eating and heart attacks. They contain lots of nutrients which include protein and vitamins. In addition if they are from chickens that are nest free - free range, they are very high in omega 3 which is actually an anti-inflammatory. So in fact they could help in the prevention of heart disease.

Bottled Water - Good or Bad

Bottled water is not likely to disappear. The issue is the plastic bottles and disposable of those millions of plastic bottles. While bottled water has it's good features and it is convenient, it would be better if you filtered your water at home and put it in a BPA-free reusable bottle. This cuts down on the amount of plastic bottles that need to be disposed of and gets you what you really want which is filtered water.

Pasta and Bread - Good and Bad

Pasta and bread have been the base of the food pyramid. I never agreed with the food pyramid, but that is not to say that pasta and bread are good or bad. While too much pasta and bread can lead to weight gain and aren't the best in terms of your blood sugar, eating some pasta and bread is OK. Just look at what pasta and bread you are eating.

You want to eat whole grain pasta and bread. Be cautious about how much you eat. This is where serving size plays a huge role. As I've gotten older, I look at the serving sizes in restaurants and found that my husband and I can usually order one entree and split it. We feel satisfied and not over stuffed.