Eating Habits for Heart Disease

Yes, it’s been a while…

NOW.

Does heart disease run in your family? Don’t stress, just take control!

There are dietary choices that you can make to lower your own risk and control your health.

Cardiovascular diseases , a group of diseases that include conditions that affect the heart or the vascular system such as coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and even pulmonary embolism, are the most common causes of death

Eating Habits You Must Follow If Heart Disease Runs In Your Family

Here are some habits to take on if you have a higher risk of heart disease:

1. Eat Walnuts: Walnuts are the only tree nut that is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Research has shown that consuming foods high in omega-3 ALA may help reduce the risk of heart disease through anti-inflammatory effects. 
2. Cook and eat with Olive oil: olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, which with high antioxidant properties. “every 10 grams of extra-virgin olive oil per day reduced Cardiovascular diseases risk by 10%.
3. Eating more fruits: helps reduce your risk of being affected by cardiovascular disease. This is thanks to the vitamins, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals that you get from fruits.
4. Drink some green tea: Linked to lower risk of Cardiovascular disease, along with lowering risk of cancer, boosting brain health and more. Secret Effects of Drinking Green Tea
5. Use sodium-free herbs and spices instead of salt in your meals. “Strong evidence indicates that reduction of salt intake lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The WHO has set a global target of reducing the population salt intake from the current level of approximately 10 g daily to <5 g daily. PUBMED
6. Avoid ultra-processed meat and eat fish, poultry, and nuts instead: “Ultra-processed meats that are cured, smoked, or otherwise preserved have been linked to increased CVD risk thanks to the presence of certain components like sodium, nitrates, and L-carnitine that may lead to elevations in blood pressure, worsening oxidative stress, greater lipid peroxidation, and unfavorable alterations of the gut microbiome.”
7. Eat a Mediterranean diet: this diet is a lifestyle more than a diet and incudes olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It is a good way to lower CVD as they limit fried foods, concentrated sweets, and many types of meat.

All this to say, if you come from a family with prominent risk of Cardiovascular disease, take control and begin by managing your lifestyle through some healthier habits.

MilKonfused!?

The question about milk has become a controversy. Is it healthy? Is it useless fat? Should it remain in our youth? All these questions have been asked and wondered. Most important, is its saturated fat component bad for you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fact is:

A growing body of research suggests that saturated fat in dairy, specifically in milk, may not be as harmful to overall health as previously thought, according to an article on the research by The Washington Post. Citing studies of thousands of people over 10 years, the Post said those studies showed people who drank more milk fat had lower rates of heart disease.

Wanders, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietary researcher at Georgia State University, said that other nutrients in Milk that many other high saturated fats don’t contain are phosphorous, calcium and potassium, which have shown to help fight high-blood pressure. Milk fat also has a form of fatty acids that could be “cardio-protective.”

So, lesson learned here is that whole milk, is still healthy and should be consumed at adult age. Having its full fat potency is essentially more important than seeking its low fat substance which has less nutrition.

For more details, see:

Is whole milk healthy? Don’t raise that glass yet

 

Greek Wanna Be? You Should be!

The Mediterranean diet has been proven to be the answer.

Recent studies now show that eating Mediterranean foods with a rich diet in fish and chicken, fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, olive oil and legumes, Greek food that is, minimizes your risk of heart disease.

See more stats for more assurance…

http://m.arcamax.com/health/healthtips/s-1623486?ezine=27

I am off to have some Greek food now, hope you get inspired…

Organic Milk: The Healthier Fat

Many organic foods are concerned to be illegitimate or their health effects are not as clear. Well organic milk is the contrary as studies show.

Eating organic milk helps you dodge some of the heart illnesses as it contains more omega 3 & less of the omega 6 which is also used for fried food resulting in more heart disease, diabetes and inflammation.

Omega 3 keeps you healthier and more nutritious.

”On average, organic milk contained 25 percent fewer of the omega-6 fatty acids … Organic milk was also 62 percent richer in the omega-3 fatty acids believed to be at least partly responsible for the healthful effects of eating fish, beans and many vegetables.” The Seattle Times

Another fact about milk is that due to high calories and fat and high levels of “bad” cholesterol associated with heart disease, it I’d discouraged to drink while milk.

So moral of the story is: drinking milk is good, but be particular in the type of milk you drink.

Please read the link below for more details.

http://m.arcamax.com/health/healthtips/s-1438656-p2

Enjoy your Holidays!

Shake OFF The Salt Shaker !

Salt… Sure it’s delicious when added to foods. It gives a TASTE, it changes the whole EXPERIENCE.
But what about your health? Does it matter to you if you have Diabetes, Heart Problems, High Blood Pressure?

Salt is the Devil’s drug… Sad to say, but for some people it is in fact like a drug. The more the better, the less The worse their food is.

According to the American Heart Association, your daily sodium dose should be 1,500 mg (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of regular table salt). Most North Americans take in around 3,600 mg. About 75 percent is from restaurant and processed foods (that turkey and bread in your lunch are examples); 12 percent is naturally found in food; and another 11 percent is added while cooking and eating at home. High-salt diets are associated with high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and stomach cancer. And a new study shows that if everyone cut their salt intake by 40 percent (it would still be sky-high at 2,200mg), that alone could save a half a million lives in the next 10 years!

Read more at http://www.arcamax.com/health/healthtips/s-1290850-722130#52ZWfSvHxiuRPU2X.99

Needless to say, Salt has been the reason for many health problems and it is one of the easier ways to avoid that risk. Salt is not only the amount of powdered salt that you put in your food, its much more than that. Salt is the amount of SODIUM in everyday foods that you buy. These are processed foods, dressings, sauces, and more. SOY is a perfect example of source of SALT that many of us ignore, which in fact carries over thousands of milligrams of sodium. For the Top 10 Foods Highest in Sodium, visit http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/what-foods-high-sodium.php

Watch this short video for quick tips:

So advice of the Day: Cut down your Salt and make good Judgment by Default.

Lowering Your Blood Pressure… Just A Few Steps Away!

Feeling your blood pressure rising with every breath that you take? Have you ever felt your blood pressure rising when simply spending time with friends and you can’t begin to understand what triggered it? Scary huh?

Here is a video with a few tips on how to lower your blood pressure; that is, with what you eat and what to avoid when eating!

Briefly…
What you SHOULD NOT have: excess sodium is a big NO NO! High alcohol intake is another factor that causes high blood pressure.
What you SHOULD have: More Potassium intake, more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products.

Take this seriously because high blood pressure is no joke and can cause heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and stroke.Please care for your health and make the proper adjustments to assure that!

Now take few minutes of your time to watch this video and possibly researching a little more on the DASH Diet which I have also attached a quick video explaining a little what the Diet is.

Enjoy and stay healthy!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/video-what-to-eat-and-what-to-avoid-to-lower-your-blood-pressure/article4616242/

A little about the DASH Diet: