The Benefit of Vitamins For A Healthy Heart
Paul Hata asked:
As we all know, vitamins are very important when it comes to keeping your heart healthy. You need to eat the right foods of course, although you also need to supplement the food you eat with the necessary vitamins your body needs to stay in shape and keep your heart working healthy for a long time to come. If you don’t consume the right nutrients, you won’t be doing your heart any favors – and may end up having problems later on in life.
The first vitamin that comes to mind for most people is vitamin E, a vitamin that is essential to improving the overall health of your heart. When taken correctly, vitamin E will stop the cholesterol in the body from harming the arteries that surround the heart. Anytime cholesterol oxidizes, it sticks to the sides of the arteries and can lead to blockages which can cause heart attacks or other serious problems with the heart.
To help you keep your heart healthy, most doctors recommend that you take additional supplements that contain vitamin E. They may also suggest that you eat foods that are naturally rich in vitamin E, such as nuts. Nuts have high amounts of vitamin E, and most of them taste great. You can find other foods that contain vitamin E as well, although nuts have the highest amounts.
In the past, research has shown Vitamin E to help those who have already suffered the wrath of a heart attack. This vitamin helps to prevent heart attacks in the future by opening up the arteries and eliminate blockage. Those who have had a heart attack in the past are always encouraged to add more vitamin E to their diet.
What many aren’t aware of, is the fact that you can use vitamin C to boost the effects of vitamin E. Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant, which prevents the damaging effects that cholesterol has on the body. Along with preventing cholesterol from damaging the body, vitamin C also helps vitamin E with it’s functions – such as protecting your arteries and your heart.
By taking both vitamin C and E as a combination, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier heart. Overall, this is the easiest way that you can be sure you aren’t damaging your heart, especially if you have had a heart attack in the past. If you have a history of heart disease or heart problems in your family, these vitamins are essential to your diet. Even if you are just concerned about the health of your heart, these vitamins will give you the peace of mind in knowing that you are eating for a healthy heart.
As far as your dosage goes, it will vary from person to person, although 400 international units of vitamin E and C are the recommended amounts for most people. On it’s own, vitamin C can be tolerated in large doses, without imposing any harmful effects. You can take around 500 mg of it twice a day, and ensure that your heart remains healthy.
To be on the safe side, you should always make sure that you get the proper amount of vitamins in your daily diet. Taking additional vitamins and supplements isn’t a bad idea either, especially if you are trying to boost the health of your heart. Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body, which is why you should always take care of it. If you eat the proper diet and take the necessary vitamins – you’ll be well on your way to keeping your heart healthy.
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As we all know, vitamins are very important when it comes to keeping your heart healthy. You need to eat the right foods of course, although you also need to supplement the food you eat with the necessary vitamins your body needs to stay in shape and keep your heart working healthy for a long time to come. If you don’t consume the right nutrients, you won’t be doing your heart any favors – and may end up having problems later on in life.
The first vitamin that comes to mind for most people is vitamin E, a vitamin that is essential to improving the overall health of your heart. When taken correctly, vitamin E will stop the cholesterol in the body from harming the arteries that surround the heart. Anytime cholesterol oxidizes, it sticks to the sides of the arteries and can lead to blockages which can cause heart attacks or other serious problems with the heart.
To help you keep your heart healthy, most doctors recommend that you take additional supplements that contain vitamin E. They may also suggest that you eat foods that are naturally rich in vitamin E, such as nuts. Nuts have high amounts of vitamin E, and most of them taste great. You can find other foods that contain vitamin E as well, although nuts have the highest amounts.
In the past, research has shown Vitamin E to help those who have already suffered the wrath of a heart attack. This vitamin helps to prevent heart attacks in the future by opening up the arteries and eliminate blockage. Those who have had a heart attack in the past are always encouraged to add more vitamin E to their diet.
What many aren’t aware of, is the fact that you can use vitamin C to boost the effects of vitamin E. Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant, which prevents the damaging effects that cholesterol has on the body. Along with preventing cholesterol from damaging the body, vitamin C also helps vitamin E with it’s functions – such as protecting your arteries and your heart.
By taking both vitamin C and E as a combination, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier heart. Overall, this is the easiest way that you can be sure you aren’t damaging your heart, especially if you have had a heart attack in the past. If you have a history of heart disease or heart problems in your family, these vitamins are essential to your diet. Even if you are just concerned about the health of your heart, these vitamins will give you the peace of mind in knowing that you are eating for a healthy heart.
As far as your dosage goes, it will vary from person to person, although 400 international units of vitamin E and C are the recommended amounts for most people. On it’s own, vitamin C can be tolerated in large doses, without imposing any harmful effects. You can take around 500 mg of it twice a day, and ensure that your heart remains healthy.
To be on the safe side, you should always make sure that you get the proper amount of vitamins in your daily diet. Taking additional vitamins and supplements isn’t a bad idea either, especially if you are trying to boost the health of your heart. Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body, which is why you should always take care of it. If you eat the proper diet and take the necessary vitamins – you’ll be well on your way to keeping your heart healthy.
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Foods for Healthy Heart, Keep Your Heart Healthy
peterhutch asked:
If there is one word that is associated with potentially life threatening health issues it is cholesterol. There are numerous TV and print advertisements espousing the benefits of the latest cholesterol reducing drug and for good reasons. High levels of this naturally occurring substance are associated with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Knowing this has caused many people to avoid cholesterol high foods in their attempt to mitigate the harmful effects it can cause.
Happily, maintaining a healthy heart is relatively simple, and it’s never too late to start. Do you smoke? If you do, the first step is to quit. Even occasional smoking has been proven to be detrimental to the health of your heart. Regular exercise is essential to help maintain weight and keep the heart strong. It is also important to limit fats in the diet particularly animal fats derived from meat and full fat dairy foods.
Oatmeal. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties, they contain more fiber. Oatmeal is great for breakfast over sugary cereal; it is full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can also lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.
Legumes/Beans: One serving of dried beans/legumes a day can reduce cholesterol by up to 10%. The fiber and other compounds present in legumes and beans can lower cholesterol, blood clotting and improve blood-vessel function. These are also a great source of folate, which keeps homocysteine levels (an indicator of heart trouble), in check.
It is not surprising that people are interested in what are the best vitamins and foods for heart health. The heart is one of the most important organs in our body. We cannot live without it and when disease strikes the heart, the results are serious. Much research has been down about the importance of vitamins and foods for heart health. There are many, many healthy foods, many not so healthy foods and some foods that you should avoid entirely.
When it comes to low cholesterol foods, choosing the right foods is not as hard as you might think, it can be as easy as finding something in the pantry or refrigerator and cooking it up, or it may not involve cooking at all. Foods like fruits and vegetables lower bad cholesterol. This can be a smart choice. Instead of going for cookies in the morning on your way out, grab a fruit, at lunch instead of going to a fast food restaurant, pack your own lunch such as a sandwich made with whole wheat bread, whole wheat blocks back cholesterol.
Increase food sources of omega-3 fatty acids which target high triglycerides in the blood. Good sources of omega-3s include fish such as sardines, mackerel; nuts and seeds; green leafy vegetables; grains like wheat, bajra; legumes like rajma, cowpea, and black gram.
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If there is one word that is associated with potentially life threatening health issues it is cholesterol. There are numerous TV and print advertisements espousing the benefits of the latest cholesterol reducing drug and for good reasons. High levels of this naturally occurring substance are associated with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Knowing this has caused many people to avoid cholesterol high foods in their attempt to mitigate the harmful effects it can cause.
Happily, maintaining a healthy heart is relatively simple, and it’s never too late to start. Do you smoke? If you do, the first step is to quit. Even occasional smoking has been proven to be detrimental to the health of your heart. Regular exercise is essential to help maintain weight and keep the heart strong. It is also important to limit fats in the diet particularly animal fats derived from meat and full fat dairy foods.
Oatmeal. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties, they contain more fiber. Oatmeal is great for breakfast over sugary cereal; it is full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can also lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.
Legumes/Beans: One serving of dried beans/legumes a day can reduce cholesterol by up to 10%. The fiber and other compounds present in legumes and beans can lower cholesterol, blood clotting and improve blood-vessel function. These are also a great source of folate, which keeps homocysteine levels (an indicator of heart trouble), in check.
It is not surprising that people are interested in what are the best vitamins and foods for heart health. The heart is one of the most important organs in our body. We cannot live without it and when disease strikes the heart, the results are serious. Much research has been down about the importance of vitamins and foods for heart health. There are many, many healthy foods, many not so healthy foods and some foods that you should avoid entirely.
When it comes to low cholesterol foods, choosing the right foods is not as hard as you might think, it can be as easy as finding something in the pantry or refrigerator and cooking it up, or it may not involve cooking at all. Foods like fruits and vegetables lower bad cholesterol. This can be a smart choice. Instead of going for cookies in the morning on your way out, grab a fruit, at lunch instead of going to a fast food restaurant, pack your own lunch such as a sandwich made with whole wheat bread, whole wheat blocks back cholesterol.
Increase food sources of omega-3 fatty acids which target high triglycerides in the blood. Good sources of omega-3s include fish such as sardines, mackerel; nuts and seeds; green leafy vegetables; grains like wheat, bajra; legumes like rajma, cowpea, and black gram.
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Superfoods Solution For Healthy Heart
Paul Hata asked:
Heart disease is number one killer among both men and women in the United States. And though we all realize that eating nutrient-dense healthy foods help reduce the risk, we may not know which foods are the best choices to battle this deadly disease head on.
The key is stepping up fiber and choosing unsaturated fats. Eating unsaturated fats, like omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil, can help to reduce triglycerides. And a diet rich in soluble fiber, which is often found in legumes and some fruits and vegetables, helps to decrease LDL cholesterol levels.
Many people think popping a multi-vitamin supplement to get their nutrients is just as good as what comes from real foods. They don’t realize that it is far better to get vitamins and minerals from natural foods and juices. Our bodies utilize the vitamins and minerals from real foods more efficiently.
Many of the supplements available today use fillers and binders to hold them together, plus coatings on the tablets themselves. These are products the body does not need and will not use. Some people find they are allergic to the dyes and fillers used in vitamin pills. However, the body uses the fiber that binds fruits and vegetables
Sardines are an awesome source of omega-3 fatty acids, along with calcium and niacin. You can prepare fresh ones on the grill, or canned sardines work great in salads or sandwiches. Mackerel is another excellent source of omega-3s, and is full of selenium, which is an antioxidant mineral which may help protect the body from heart disease and cancer. A great way to get omega-3s on the go is by grabbing a handful of walnuts for an afternoon snack. Add some to your green salad, or give chicken salad a nutrition boost by adding ground walnuts.
Kidney beans are an affordable source of high fiber, are low fat, and have no cholesterol. Add them to salads and chili, as they truly are almost a perfect health food. Since canned varieties tend to be higher in sodium, try to use the dried varieties whenever possible.
Whole-grain barley is rich in soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, which is good for combating constipation. It’s also a good protein source and has a good supply of iron and minerals. Choose whole-grain barley cereals, or substitute whole-grain barley for rice and pasta side dishes once a week.
Oatmeal is a great way to boost your fiber content early in the morning, and it also has a low glycemic index, which helps to provide lasting energy stave off hunger. Choose rolled oats, and add some raisins, apples, and honey for flavor. Instant oatmeal isn’t a healthy option as it’s usually loaded with sugar.
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Heart disease is number one killer among both men and women in the United States. And though we all realize that eating nutrient-dense healthy foods help reduce the risk, we may not know which foods are the best choices to battle this deadly disease head on.
The key is stepping up fiber and choosing unsaturated fats. Eating unsaturated fats, like omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil, can help to reduce triglycerides. And a diet rich in soluble fiber, which is often found in legumes and some fruits and vegetables, helps to decrease LDL cholesterol levels.
Many people think popping a multi-vitamin supplement to get their nutrients is just as good as what comes from real foods. They don’t realize that it is far better to get vitamins and minerals from natural foods and juices. Our bodies utilize the vitamins and minerals from real foods more efficiently.
Many of the supplements available today use fillers and binders to hold them together, plus coatings on the tablets themselves. These are products the body does not need and will not use. Some people find they are allergic to the dyes and fillers used in vitamin pills. However, the body uses the fiber that binds fruits and vegetables
Sardines are an awesome source of omega-3 fatty acids, along with calcium and niacin. You can prepare fresh ones on the grill, or canned sardines work great in salads or sandwiches. Mackerel is another excellent source of omega-3s, and is full of selenium, which is an antioxidant mineral which may help protect the body from heart disease and cancer. A great way to get omega-3s on the go is by grabbing a handful of walnuts for an afternoon snack. Add some to your green salad, or give chicken salad a nutrition boost by adding ground walnuts.
Kidney beans are an affordable source of high fiber, are low fat, and have no cholesterol. Add them to salads and chili, as they truly are almost a perfect health food. Since canned varieties tend to be higher in sodium, try to use the dried varieties whenever possible.
Whole-grain barley is rich in soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, which is good for combating constipation. It’s also a good protein source and has a good supply of iron and minerals. Choose whole-grain barley cereals, or substitute whole-grain barley for rice and pasta side dishes once a week.
Oatmeal is a great way to boost your fiber content early in the morning, and it also has a low glycemic index, which helps to provide lasting energy stave off hunger. Choose rolled oats, and add some raisins, apples, and honey for flavor. Instant oatmeal isn’t a healthy option as it’s usually loaded with sugar.
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Sweet Surprise for Healthy Hearts
Eileen Silva asked:
Now it’s no secret that most women are openly passionate about chocolate, but are you surprised that I would suggest chocolate for your “health-conscious” friends? Let me reassure you . . . recent research reports that dark chocolate contributes to heart health and is rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Does this sound like just a chocolate lover’s dream to you? Let me assure you that in separate and varied research projects, researchers across the world are coming up with surprising results: chocolate . . . dark chocolate . . . (specifically cocoa or dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 60% or more) is consistently proving to be a factor in lowering risk of heart disease.
Dr. David L. Katz, of Yale University School of Medicine reports, “Cocoa is the most concentrated source of bioflavonoid antioxidants readily available in our diets.” He adds that these benefits come only from bittersweet dark chocolate and concentrated cocoa beverages. The key here is the effective combination of cocoa’s antioxidants and its magnesium, arginine, and fiber. Katz also warns that milk chocolate contains “potentially harmful saturated fats,” that the cocoa in some candy bars is “diluted by many other ingredients,” and that “cocoa comes in foods that tend to be energy-dense, and the harm of excess calories could readily offset the benefit of antioxidants.”
Are you wondering how dark chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease? Well, a research project conducted by Johns Hopkins University reveals that chocolate affects the platelets involved in clotting the blood, an action that is similar to, but not nearly equal to, taking one baby aspirin a day. This study revealed that chocolate eaters’ blood clotted more slowly than the blood of participants who had eaten no chocolate. Urine tests of both groups showed a lower level of thromboxane, a platelet waste product, in chocolate eaters.
What ingenious doctor at John Hopkins University thought of testing for the health benefits of chocolate? Actually, the University was testing the effects of aspirin on blood platelets. As part of the research, volunteers were to exercise, to stop smoking, and to avoid caffeinated drinks, wine, grapefruit juice and chocolate. However, some chocolate lovers admitted that they had not been successful at staying away from their chocolate. Although this negated their use in the aspirin study, researchers looked at their blood anyway. This is when they discovered that the chocolate eaters’ blood clotted more slowly than the blood of those who resisted successfully.
However, this was not the first time doctors suspected cocoa of contributing to healthy hearts; researchers have considered cocoa in this light since the 1700’s. Believe it or not, the idea for researching chocolate as a health benefit didn’t come from the a chocoholic research doctor or even from the clamorings of millions of chocolate loving women, but from the Kuna Indians who live off the coast of Panama. The Kuna, whose traditional diet is rich in cocoa beverages, experience an extremely low level in cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. However, when the Kuna reduce their intake of cocoa, the numbers of incidents of these diseases rises significantly. Thanks to this information, researchers undertook projects to determine how dark chocolate can lower heart disease and related diseases.
By the way, remember all those reports you’ve heard concerning the antioxidants in green tea and red wine? Cornell University reports on their latest research in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry their surprising results showing that cocoa has almost twice the amount of antioxidants that red wine contains and up to three times the amount that green tea contains. Lead Cornell researcher, Chang Lee, recommends combining all three drinks, “Personally, I would drink hot cocoa in the morning, green tea in the afternoon, and a glass of red wine in the evening.” Cornell researchers also advocate drinking cocoa instead of eating chocolate bars because one cup of cocoa has only about 1/3 gram of fat, while a standard 40-gram bar has 8 grams of fat.
Imagine! One of woman’s oldest and dearest friends — the chocolate bar — turns out to be a contributor to good heart health. Even better, it’s the more expensive dark chocolates (who doesn’t love really good chocolate) that have even higher levels of flavanoids. In the light of this research, go ahead — bless the chocolate lovers in your life with gifts of chocolate this year; in fact, why not indulge yourself as well? Happy Munching, and Happy New Year!
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Now it’s no secret that most women are openly passionate about chocolate, but are you surprised that I would suggest chocolate for your “health-conscious” friends? Let me reassure you . . . recent research reports that dark chocolate contributes to heart health and is rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Does this sound like just a chocolate lover’s dream to you? Let me assure you that in separate and varied research projects, researchers across the world are coming up with surprising results: chocolate . . . dark chocolate . . . (specifically cocoa or dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 60% or more) is consistently proving to be a factor in lowering risk of heart disease.
Dr. David L. Katz, of Yale University School of Medicine reports, “Cocoa is the most concentrated source of bioflavonoid antioxidants readily available in our diets.” He adds that these benefits come only from bittersweet dark chocolate and concentrated cocoa beverages. The key here is the effective combination of cocoa’s antioxidants and its magnesium, arginine, and fiber. Katz also warns that milk chocolate contains “potentially harmful saturated fats,” that the cocoa in some candy bars is “diluted by many other ingredients,” and that “cocoa comes in foods that tend to be energy-dense, and the harm of excess calories could readily offset the benefit of antioxidants.”
Are you wondering how dark chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease? Well, a research project conducted by Johns Hopkins University reveals that chocolate affects the platelets involved in clotting the blood, an action that is similar to, but not nearly equal to, taking one baby aspirin a day. This study revealed that chocolate eaters’ blood clotted more slowly than the blood of participants who had eaten no chocolate. Urine tests of both groups showed a lower level of thromboxane, a platelet waste product, in chocolate eaters.
What ingenious doctor at John Hopkins University thought of testing for the health benefits of chocolate? Actually, the University was testing the effects of aspirin on blood platelets. As part of the research, volunteers were to exercise, to stop smoking, and to avoid caffeinated drinks, wine, grapefruit juice and chocolate. However, some chocolate lovers admitted that they had not been successful at staying away from their chocolate. Although this negated their use in the aspirin study, researchers looked at their blood anyway. This is when they discovered that the chocolate eaters’ blood clotted more slowly than the blood of those who resisted successfully.
However, this was not the first time doctors suspected cocoa of contributing to healthy hearts; researchers have considered cocoa in this light since the 1700’s. Believe it or not, the idea for researching chocolate as a health benefit didn’t come from the a chocoholic research doctor or even from the clamorings of millions of chocolate loving women, but from the Kuna Indians who live off the coast of Panama. The Kuna, whose traditional diet is rich in cocoa beverages, experience an extremely low level in cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. However, when the Kuna reduce their intake of cocoa, the numbers of incidents of these diseases rises significantly. Thanks to this information, researchers undertook projects to determine how dark chocolate can lower heart disease and related diseases.
By the way, remember all those reports you’ve heard concerning the antioxidants in green tea and red wine? Cornell University reports on their latest research in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry their surprising results showing that cocoa has almost twice the amount of antioxidants that red wine contains and up to three times the amount that green tea contains. Lead Cornell researcher, Chang Lee, recommends combining all three drinks, “Personally, I would drink hot cocoa in the morning, green tea in the afternoon, and a glass of red wine in the evening.” Cornell researchers also advocate drinking cocoa instead of eating chocolate bars because one cup of cocoa has only about 1/3 gram of fat, while a standard 40-gram bar has 8 grams of fat.
Imagine! One of woman’s oldest and dearest friends — the chocolate bar — turns out to be a contributor to good heart health. Even better, it’s the more expensive dark chocolates (who doesn’t love really good chocolate) that have even higher levels of flavanoids. In the light of this research, go ahead — bless the chocolate lovers in your life with gifts of chocolate this year; in fact, why not indulge yourself as well? Happy Munching, and Happy New Year!
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Maintaining a Healthy Heart
Bardnurz Sham asked:
The human heart is about the size of a clenched fist. It is located under the breastbone between the lungs (just left of centre) and is made up of four chambers. Blood flows through these chambers in a pattern that supplies all parts of the body with oxygenated blood and returns blood to the lungs for re-oxygenation.
There are two types of blood vessels, arteries and veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart and are elastic, which enables them to withstand the pressure of blood being pumped with force.
Veins carry back to the heart. By the time blood reaches the veins, blood pressure has dropped. Veins are not elastic, but have small valves that keep the de-oxygenated blood from flowing backwards.
When kept healthy and strong, the body’s network of veins and arteries should work as efficiently in an older body as a younger one.
Take care of your heart.
The body’s ingenious design means skin, muscle and a sturdy ribcage protects the heart from injury. The real risk to the health of our heart comes not from injury, but from failing to take proper care of this vital organ.
Happily, maintaining a healthy heart is relatively simple, and it’s never too late to start. Do you smoke? If you do, the first step is to quit. Even occasional smoking has been proven to be detrimental to the health of your heart. Regular exercise is essential to help maintain weight and keep the heart strong. It is also important to limit fats in the diet particularly animal fats derived from meat and full fat dairy foods.
Enjoying health to a ripe old age is common in many Mediterranean communities where diet is based on olive oil, vegetables, fish, nuts, fruits, grains and pulses. Many doctors and naturopaths believe that it’s the low levels of cholesterol that make the Mediterranean diet an excellent model for those wishing to maintain their cardiovascular health.
Include in your diet:
- Seasonal fresh vegetables, especially leafy greens, broccoli, zucchini, onions, red and white cabbage, cucumber, potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.
- Fresh fruit, rich in antioxidants.
- Fish, particularly oily varieties such as sardines, mackerel and salmon.
- Fresh herbs, especially parsley, mint, basil, thyme, coriander, oregano and dill.
- Whole grains cereals, brown rice, oats, wholemeal bread and pasta, millet, buckwheat and barley.
- Lean meat, chicken and eggs.
- Nuts and seeds, small amounts of almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
- Sea vegetables, nori, arame and wakame.
Soy foods and tofu.
Keep to a minimum:
- Full fat dairy foods.
- Refined white flour products, white bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes.
- Salt.
- Saturated fats, butter, matured cheeses, fatty meats and fried foods.
Exercise:
Exercise is extremely important for the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system. In addition to keeping the heart itself strong, exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, which reduce pressure on the heart. You don’t need to become gym junkie. A brisk 30 minute walk at least three times a week can make a huge difference to your health.
Supplement with CoQ10:
CoQ10 occurs naturally in the body and levels decline with age. A CoQ10 supplement assists in maintaining a healthy heart, in particularly the function of the heart muscle. CoQ10 has been shown to reduce oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
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The human heart is about the size of a clenched fist. It is located under the breastbone between the lungs (just left of centre) and is made up of four chambers. Blood flows through these chambers in a pattern that supplies all parts of the body with oxygenated blood and returns blood to the lungs for re-oxygenation.
There are two types of blood vessels, arteries and veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart and are elastic, which enables them to withstand the pressure of blood being pumped with force.
Veins carry back to the heart. By the time blood reaches the veins, blood pressure has dropped. Veins are not elastic, but have small valves that keep the de-oxygenated blood from flowing backwards.
When kept healthy and strong, the body’s network of veins and arteries should work as efficiently in an older body as a younger one.
Take care of your heart.
The body’s ingenious design means skin, muscle and a sturdy ribcage protects the heart from injury. The real risk to the health of our heart comes not from injury, but from failing to take proper care of this vital organ.
Happily, maintaining a healthy heart is relatively simple, and it’s never too late to start. Do you smoke? If you do, the first step is to quit. Even occasional smoking has been proven to be detrimental to the health of your heart. Regular exercise is essential to help maintain weight and keep the heart strong. It is also important to limit fats in the diet particularly animal fats derived from meat and full fat dairy foods.
Enjoying health to a ripe old age is common in many Mediterranean communities where diet is based on olive oil, vegetables, fish, nuts, fruits, grains and pulses. Many doctors and naturopaths believe that it’s the low levels of cholesterol that make the Mediterranean diet an excellent model for those wishing to maintain their cardiovascular health.
Include in your diet:
- Seasonal fresh vegetables, especially leafy greens, broccoli, zucchini, onions, red and white cabbage, cucumber, potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.
- Fresh fruit, rich in antioxidants.
- Fish, particularly oily varieties such as sardines, mackerel and salmon.
- Fresh herbs, especially parsley, mint, basil, thyme, coriander, oregano and dill.
- Whole grains cereals, brown rice, oats, wholemeal bread and pasta, millet, buckwheat and barley.
- Lean meat, chicken and eggs.
- Nuts and seeds, small amounts of almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
- Sea vegetables, nori, arame and wakame.
Soy foods and tofu.
Keep to a minimum:
- Full fat dairy foods.
- Refined white flour products, white bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes.
- Salt.
- Saturated fats, butter, matured cheeses, fatty meats and fried foods.
Exercise:
Exercise is extremely important for the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system. In addition to keeping the heart itself strong, exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, which reduce pressure on the heart. You don’t need to become gym junkie. A brisk 30 minute walk at least three times a week can make a huge difference to your health.
Supplement with CoQ10:
CoQ10 occurs naturally in the body and levels decline with age. A CoQ10 supplement assists in maintaining a healthy heart, in particularly the function of the heart muscle. CoQ10 has been shown to reduce oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
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Pecans For Weight Loss : Keep a Healthy Heart With Overdone Pecan Nuts
Stacy Carolin asked:
Pecans: Lose Burden with roasted Pecan Nuts
Matching to the researches of medical and university fields, it has been distinguished that cooked pecans have charged effects to the health of an individual. But it is not only roasted pecan nuts that you get to obtain health gains. It does not matter if the nuts are direct or roast, you will still be able to acquire its historic nutrients. When your diet plan lets in pecans, you have a broad bump of glowering down your cholesterol level. Aside from this, works show that these nuts extremely consist of antioxidants, availing you wash off the toxins from your body. When it comes to the top ten food roots that are high in antioxidant, pecan nuts rank high. Early findings of reports also show that this nut mixed bag has holdings that help fight off special cancer typecasts.
Slop Spare Pounds with Pecans
If you want to Spill excess Burden, you can admit roast nuts to your meals or snacks. subjects show that this nut sort will help you lose Burden. After you have achieved your intended Weight, you can keep it this way by eating pecans. Eating burned pecan nuts aids in raising the coordinate of your metabolism. It keeps you feeling satisfied all the time. Adding roast pecans to your well-balanced diet everyday will help you lose Free Weight efficaciously. When you are feeling nostalgic but you do not want to feed too very much, you can just feed these nuts instead. One handful of pecans will offer you the energy to get on with your work until dinnertime.
Keep a Healthy Heart with overdone Pecan Nuts
One of the benefits that pecans allow is lessening the risk of heart diseases. You will be able to maintain a healthy heart by eating burned or plain nuts. This is because this nut provides you with the unsaturated form of fats, which is also called “healthy cholesterol”. Like lean meat, pecans are high in protein. The only difference is that these nuts are healthy and does not lead to heart problems. take this nut assortment, rather than meat products. These nuts are great summations to your favorite recipes, especially to pies. You will be able to get more nutrients, when you consume plain or burned pecans.
More Nutrient Salt-free Pecan Nuts
Pecans do not contain sodium. So you have no reason to interest about having to fill your body with salt. If you are recommended by your doctor to keep away from foods that are rich in salt, you can still consume toasted or direct pecan nuts. The marketplace sells different pecan merchandises, which are suitable for various health needs of nut lovers. Since you cannot consume foods that control sodium, you can opt for unflavored pecans. You can either go for clean, toasted, or candied nuts. No matter what the homework is, you will still be able to get all the nutrients that you need from this nut kind. If you want to keep your health in moderate, opt for this specific nut species.
Whether you are looking for direct or cooked pecans, the best place to look for them is on the Internet. One site that sells different preparation characters of this nut mixed bag is Tanner’s Pecans and Candies, where you can also buy pies and cakes that contain the nuts.
healthy heart
Pecans: Lose Burden with roasted Pecan Nuts
Matching to the researches of medical and university fields, it has been distinguished that cooked pecans have charged effects to the health of an individual. But it is not only roasted pecan nuts that you get to obtain health gains. It does not matter if the nuts are direct or roast, you will still be able to acquire its historic nutrients. When your diet plan lets in pecans, you have a broad bump of glowering down your cholesterol level. Aside from this, works show that these nuts extremely consist of antioxidants, availing you wash off the toxins from your body. When it comes to the top ten food roots that are high in antioxidant, pecan nuts rank high. Early findings of reports also show that this nut mixed bag has holdings that help fight off special cancer typecasts.
Slop Spare Pounds with Pecans
If you want to Spill excess Burden, you can admit roast nuts to your meals or snacks. subjects show that this nut sort will help you lose Burden. After you have achieved your intended Weight, you can keep it this way by eating pecans. Eating burned pecan nuts aids in raising the coordinate of your metabolism. It keeps you feeling satisfied all the time. Adding roast pecans to your well-balanced diet everyday will help you lose Free Weight efficaciously. When you are feeling nostalgic but you do not want to feed too very much, you can just feed these nuts instead. One handful of pecans will offer you the energy to get on with your work until dinnertime.
Keep a Healthy Heart with overdone Pecan Nuts
One of the benefits that pecans allow is lessening the risk of heart diseases. You will be able to maintain a healthy heart by eating burned or plain nuts. This is because this nut provides you with the unsaturated form of fats, which is also called “healthy cholesterol”. Like lean meat, pecans are high in protein. The only difference is that these nuts are healthy and does not lead to heart problems. take this nut assortment, rather than meat products. These nuts are great summations to your favorite recipes, especially to pies. You will be able to get more nutrients, when you consume plain or burned pecans.
More Nutrient Salt-free Pecan Nuts
Pecans do not contain sodium. So you have no reason to interest about having to fill your body with salt. If you are recommended by your doctor to keep away from foods that are rich in salt, you can still consume toasted or direct pecan nuts. The marketplace sells different pecan merchandises, which are suitable for various health needs of nut lovers. Since you cannot consume foods that control sodium, you can opt for unflavored pecans. You can either go for clean, toasted, or candied nuts. No matter what the homework is, you will still be able to get all the nutrients that you need from this nut kind. If you want to keep your health in moderate, opt for this specific nut species.
Whether you are looking for direct or cooked pecans, the best place to look for them is on the Internet. One site that sells different preparation characters of this nut mixed bag is Tanner’s Pecans and Candies, where you can also buy pies and cakes that contain the nuts.
healthy heart
The Most Romantic Valentine’s Day Gift – a Healthy Heart
Claudia Pate asked:
Valentine’s Day is upon us. Everything from candy to purses to shoes to baking ware and supplies can be found now in red and pink with hearts on them or shaped as hearts. While hearts in February remind us of Valentine’s Day and the love we share with family and friends, the bigger event that could pass by almost unnoticed is the designation of February as Heart Month.
While I am not advocating giving up on romance this year, I encourage you to go one step beyond buying a gift or celebrating with a romantic dinner to taking actions to ensure that you and your spouse or loved one(s) will be around next year to celebrate Valentine’s Day together again.
The American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) offers many tools to assess your heart health and put you on the road to decreasing your risk of heart disease or stopping it in its tracks.
By taking a short quiz, you can discover your risk for heart disease and register to receive a cookbook full of heart-healthy recipes. After answering a few questions regarding gender, age, height/weight, tobacco use, diet, physical activity, and your overall health, you will receive feedback on changes to make that will have long-lasting effects on your heart and overall health.
Additionally, you can join Start!, “the American Heart Association’s new national movement that calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health through walking.” Even if you are not employed or your employer does not participate, you can join (it’s free!) to receive advice, encouragement, and education to increase your physical activity, change your diet, participate in an organized heart walk, and learn from survivors of heart disease.
My Start! Online gives you access to activity and nutrition tools to help track your progress and keep you on track, as well as articles and tips to help you stay motivated.
When you choose Start! Moving, you will learn how walking helps not only your body, but your mind as well. You will be given an easy-to-follow plan to get started and stay on track with exercise along with information on how to determine how many calories you have expended.
When you choose Start! Eating Right, you will be given practical advice to determine how many calories you should eat in a day, what foods to buy, how to know which foods are heart friendly, and great recipes to improve your heart health.
Start! Walking for Individuals brings you together with one million other people in 500 events all across America who are joining together to stamp out heart disease. You can join an existing walk or start a new event in your area. There is no better way to stay motivated in your walking efforts than to work toward the goal of participating in a larger event.
If you are employed, Start! Walking Program for Individuals encourages your employer to create walking groups and set up walking routes in your workplace as another incentive to work toward a healthy lifestyle. Just send an email with your name, your company name, and the contact information of the person in charge of your human resources department, and the American Heart Association will do the rest by contacting your HR department to get started.
If all this has not yet motivated you to join Start!, read the real-life stories of heart disease survivors at Start! Survivors. Learn from someone who has survived heart disease and take steps now to prevent heart disease in your own life and in the lives of those you love.
If being part of an organized program is not your style, work on these ABCs of heart health also available through the American Heart Association: Avoid tobacco, Be more active, Choose good nutrition. These three changes, even in small steps, can have a huge impact on your health and quality of life.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, be fun, be romantic, enjoy the day with your spouse or loved ones, but remember to focus on the health of your heart and theirs by getting more exercise, eating right, and focusing on the goal of being around next year to do it all over again – together.
Kansieo.com
Valentine’s Day is upon us. Everything from candy to purses to shoes to baking ware and supplies can be found now in red and pink with hearts on them or shaped as hearts. While hearts in February remind us of Valentine’s Day and the love we share with family and friends, the bigger event that could pass by almost unnoticed is the designation of February as Heart Month.
While I am not advocating giving up on romance this year, I encourage you to go one step beyond buying a gift or celebrating with a romantic dinner to taking actions to ensure that you and your spouse or loved one(s) will be around next year to celebrate Valentine’s Day together again.
The American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) offers many tools to assess your heart health and put you on the road to decreasing your risk of heart disease or stopping it in its tracks.
By taking a short quiz, you can discover your risk for heart disease and register to receive a cookbook full of heart-healthy recipes. After answering a few questions regarding gender, age, height/weight, tobacco use, diet, physical activity, and your overall health, you will receive feedback on changes to make that will have long-lasting effects on your heart and overall health.
Additionally, you can join Start!, “the American Heart Association’s new national movement that calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health through walking.” Even if you are not employed or your employer does not participate, you can join (it’s free!) to receive advice, encouragement, and education to increase your physical activity, change your diet, participate in an organized heart walk, and learn from survivors of heart disease.
My Start! Online gives you access to activity and nutrition tools to help track your progress and keep you on track, as well as articles and tips to help you stay motivated.
When you choose Start! Moving, you will learn how walking helps not only your body, but your mind as well. You will be given an easy-to-follow plan to get started and stay on track with exercise along with information on how to determine how many calories you have expended.
When you choose Start! Eating Right, you will be given practical advice to determine how many calories you should eat in a day, what foods to buy, how to know which foods are heart friendly, and great recipes to improve your heart health.
Start! Walking for Individuals brings you together with one million other people in 500 events all across America who are joining together to stamp out heart disease. You can join an existing walk or start a new event in your area. There is no better way to stay motivated in your walking efforts than to work toward the goal of participating in a larger event.
If you are employed, Start! Walking Program for Individuals encourages your employer to create walking groups and set up walking routes in your workplace as another incentive to work toward a healthy lifestyle. Just send an email with your name, your company name, and the contact information of the person in charge of your human resources department, and the American Heart Association will do the rest by contacting your HR department to get started.
If all this has not yet motivated you to join Start!, read the real-life stories of heart disease survivors at Start! Survivors. Learn from someone who has survived heart disease and take steps now to prevent heart disease in your own life and in the lives of those you love.
If being part of an organized program is not your style, work on these ABCs of heart health also available through the American Heart Association: Avoid tobacco, Be more active, Choose good nutrition. These three changes, even in small steps, can have a huge impact on your health and quality of life.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, be fun, be romantic, enjoy the day with your spouse or loved ones, but remember to focus on the health of your heart and theirs by getting more exercise, eating right, and focusing on the goal of being around next year to do it all over again – together.
Kansieo.com