WOMEN AND CARDIOVASCULAR

DISEASE

HEARTHEALTHYRECIPES

BENEFITS OF

FIBER

Inspirit Magazine thrives to create an avenue for people to focus on their total well being. There are many who are desiring to make positive changes in their lifestyles and need motivation and support

.

It is our hope and desire that you will find some of that as you flip thru the pages of the magazine.

The definition of Inspirit is “to instill courage or life into” in our quest to do just that....

We Present To You....

Inspirit Magazine thrives to create an avenue for people to focus on their total well being. There are many who are desiring to make positive changes in their lifestyles and need motivation and support

.

It is our hope and desire that you will find some of that as you flip thru the pages of the magazine.

The definition of Inspirit is “to instill courage or life into” in our quest to do just that....

We Present To You....

The information and reference materials contained in InSpirit Magazine are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes but rather for discussion with the patients own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose a persons health or to take the place of professional medical

care. The information contained herein is neither intended to dictate what constitutes reasonable, appropriate or best care for any given health issue, nor is it

intended to be used as a substitute for the independent judgment of a physician for any given health issue. All content , including text, graphics, images and information,

contained on or available through this magazine is for general information purposes only.

The information and reference materials contained in InSpirit Magazine are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes but rather for discussion with the patients own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose a persons health or to take the place of professional medical

care. The information contained herein is neither intended to dictate what constitutes reasonable, appropriate or best care for any given health issue, nor is it

intended to be used as a substitute for the independent judgment of a physician for any given health issue. All content , including text, graphics, images and information,

contained on or available through this magazine is for general information purposes only.

Habits influence how we live our lives. As New York Times writer Charles Duhigg ex-plains in his recent book The Power of Habit, habits are essentially patterns that help shape every aspect of our lives. As we know, some habits can be good for us, such as exercising, while other habits can be detrimental to our health, such as smoking.

Duhigg suggests that habits begin with a psychological pattern called the “habit loop.” This three-part process includes the cue or trigger, activating the brain to begin the habit, followed by the routine or the behavior itself, concluding with the reward—what your brain likes about the habit to trigger it in the future.

Understanding and interrupting our habit loop, in part by changing our rewards, is the key to breaking bad habits, according to Duhigg. This is one reason why Duhigg recom-mends beginning new habits (and breaking bad ones) on vacation, when our daily rou-tines are already interrupted and our brains’ habit loops may be easier to shape.

So, now that we understand the importance of habits in our daily lives, what are the good habits we need to focus on to maintain our heart health?

Quit smokingWe know smoking is bad for our health and that research shows quitting smoking reduc-es our heart risk. Now is the time to quit!

What to Do: Go Red For Women offers numerous resources to help you quit smoking, in-cluding frequently asked questions and advice to help you through the process, combat-ting stress and weight gain.

Consistent exerciseRegular physical activity has many benefits such as helping you quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol.

What to Do: Doing aerobic exercise — using large muscles of the legs and arms — on most days of the week for 30 to 60 minutes helps your heart work more efficiently. Physical activities to improve your strength, flexibility and balance help you stay agile as you age. Try this at-home workout video with Go Red fitness expert Andia Winslow and more exercise ideas on Go Red For Women.

Healthy Habits to Prevent Heart Disease

Manage stressIt’s important to learn how to recognize how stress affects you, learn how to deal with it, and develop healthy habits to ease your stress. Stress is your body’s response to change. The body reacts to it by releasing adrenaline (a hormone) that causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up, and your blood pressure to rise. Constant or continuous stress can be harmful to your heart health. The good news is you can actively manage your stress before it becomes a problem.

What to Do: Understand stress triggers and learn how to respond to stress-ful situations at home and at work with these stress management resources.

Eat healthyDo you really know what it means to eat healthy? The AHA recently devel-oped new dietary guidelines to help us better understand how to eat healthy and help lower our heart disease risk.

What to Do: According to the new AHA guidelines, eating right means:

Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry, fish and nutsAvoid red meat, as well as sugary and processed foodsAvoid foods high in sodium“Eating a healthy diet is not about good foods and bad foods in isolation from the rest of your diet – it’s about the overall diet,” said Robert Eckel, M.D., previous AHA president and co-chair of the new guideline committee. Learn more about the new dietary guidelines.

Learn more ways to prevent heart disease at any age in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond.

https://www.goredforwomen.org/live-healthy/first-steps-to-prevent-heart-disease-and-be-heart-healthy/healthy-habits-prevent-heart-disease/

Healthy Habits to Prevent Heart Disease

Women and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women, but as a woman, even if you know that, you’re probably too busy most days to think about it. But you should think about it, because what you do each day in part determines your risk for developing cardiovascular disease and suffering its life-threat-ening consequences. Cardiovascular disease develops over time, affecting your body in ways you might not notice until it’s too late. By thinking about it now, you can learn ways to reduce your risks, recognize the warning signs of a heart attack, and advocate to get the help you need. Your life or the life of someone you love may depend on it.

Here are some other facts about women and cardiovascular disease that may surprise you:

One in three women over the age of 20 has some form of cardiovascular dis-ease. It strikes women at younger ages than most people think, and the risk rises in middle age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion, heart disease is the third most common cause of death among women ages 25 to 44 years old and two-thirds of women who have heart attacks never fully recover.Worldwide, cardiovascular disease is the single most common cause of death among women, regardless of race and ethnicity, and yet many women are still dangerously unaware that they are at risk, especially African American and Hispanic women. According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, African American women ages 55 to 64 are twice as likely as white women to have a heart attack and 35 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease.More women have strokes than men. According to the American Stroke As-sociation, each year more than 100,000 women under the age of 65 in the United States will have a stroke.Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attack in women. According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, women who smoke are at risk of a heart attack 19 years earlier than those who don’t smoke.Roughly one third of adults in the United States have high blood pressure (hypertension), according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. After age 55, women are at increased risk of hypertension, a major contribu-tor to cardiovascular disease.Two to three million women in the United States have coronary microvascu-lar disease - a form of heart disease that is challenging to diagnose, and there are 90,000 new cases each year.

http://www.scai.org/SecondsCount/Disease/Women.aspx

Heart Attack Warning Signs in Women

When a heart attack strikes, seconds count for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity. Any delay in treating your heart attack increases your chances of permanent, irreparable damage to your heart—and, it could cost you your life.

As time elapses during a heart attack, a blockage in the coronary arteries starves the heart muscle of the oxygen it needs to function. For the best odds of saving the heart muscle, a heart attack victim must get to the emergency room imme-diately, in which case doctors will try to reopen the blockage within 90 minutes or less of arrival time at the hospital. You may hear this critical window of time referred to as door-to-balloon time because it measures the time from walking through the hospital doors until blood flow is restored to the heart through the use of an angioplasty balloon.

Unfortunately, many women notice warning signs but choose to ignore them. Participants in an American Heart Association study said they hesitated to call for help because they were uncertain, thought they could treat themselves, or were simply too busy with family demands.Many women who serve as primary caretakers insist that a child, partner, or par-ent get help, but fail to attend to or adequately care for their own needs.In other cases, women did call for help but didn’t get it in time because the healthcare provider did not “read the trouble signs” or recognize the urgency of the situation.

Get Help As Quickly As Possible.

If you do find that you are having any one or a combination of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately:

Warning Signs Not Unique to WomenChest Pain or DiscomfortMany heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfort-able pressure, squeezing, fullness, or stabbing pain.

Remember: Heart attacks are not always preceded by chest pain. Pain Radiating to the neck, shoulder, back, arm, or jaw. Pounding heart, change in rhythm.Difficulty breathing. Heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. Cold sweats or clammy skin.Dizziness. Warning Signs Particularly Common in Women Sudden onset of weakness, shortness of breath, nausea/ vomiting, indigestion, fatigue, body aches, or overall feeling of illness (without chest pain)Unusual feeling or mild discomfort in the back, chest, arm, neck, or jaw (with-out chest pain)Sleep disturbanceAnxiety

Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) is a children’s illness characterized by fever, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, irritation and red-ness of the whites of the eyes, swollen lymph glands in the neck, and irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips and throat. These immediate effects of Ka-wasaki disease are rarely serious; however, long-term heart complications result in some cases and can be seen as early as two weeks after onset of the disease.

Named after Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki, a Japanese pediatrician, the disease has probably been in existence for a long time, but was not recognized as a separate entity until 1967. The incidence is higher in Japan than in any other country. In the United States it is more frequent among children of Asian-American back-ground, but can occur in any racial or ethnic group. The disease is relatively common, and in the United States it is a major cause of heart disease in children. In recent years, it has tended to occur in localized outbreaks, most often in the late winter or spring, but is seen year-round. Kawasaki disease almost always af-fects children; most patients are under 5 years old, and the average age is about 2. Boys develop the illness almost twice as often as girls.

The heart may be affected in as many as one of five children who develop Kawa-saki disease. Damage sometimes occurs to the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) and to the heart muscle itself. A weakening of a coronary artery can result in an enlargement or swelling of the blood vessel wall (an aneurysm). Infants less than 1 year old are usually the most seriously ill and are at greatest risk for heart involvement. The acute phase of Kawasaki disease commonly lasts 10 to 14 days or more. Most children recover fully. The likelihood of developing coronary artery disease later in life is not known, and remains the subject of medical investigation.

Cause

The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown. It does not appear to be hereditary or contagious. Because the illness frequently occurs in outbreaks, an infectious agent (such as a virus) is the likely cause. It is very rare for more than one child in a family to develop Kawasaki disease.

Heart Disease And Children

Kawasaki Disease: Signs, Symptoms & Diagnosis

Fever and irritability are often the first indications of the disease. Fever ranges from moderate (101° to 103° F) to high (above 104° F). The lymph glands in the neck may become swollen. A rash usually appears on the back, chest and abdomen early in the illness; in infants it may develop in the groin. In some cases, the rash may spread to the face. The rash appears as poorly defined spots of various sizes, often bright red. Fever continues to rise and fall, sometimes for as long as three weeks. Bloodshot eyes may develop, and the eyes can become sensitive to light.The child’s tongue may be coated, slightly swollen, and resemble the sur-face of a strawberry, sometimes referred to as “strawberry tongue.” The lips may become red, dry and cracked; the inside of the mouth may turn darker red than usual.

The palms of the hands and soles of the feet often become red, and hands and feet may swell. Occasionally, a stiff neck will develop. Some children have abdominal pain and diarrhea.

When the fever subsides, the rash and swollen lymph glands usually disap-pear. The skin around the toenails and fingernails often peels painlessly, usually during the second or third week of illness. The skin on the hands or feet may peel in large pieces.

The knees, hips and ankles may become swollen and painful. Occasionally joint pain and swelling persist after other symptoms have disappeared, but permanent joint damage doesn’t occur. Lines or ridges on fingernails and toenails, formed during the illness, may be seen for weeks or months.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease cannot be made by a single laboratory test or combination of tests. Physicians make the diagnosis after carefully examining a child, observing signs and symptoms and eliminating the possi-bility of other, similar diseases. Blood tests are used to detect mild anemia, an elevated white blood cell count and an elevated sedimentation rate, in-dicating inflammation. A sharp increase in the number of platelets, a major

READ MORE ON KAWASAKI DISEASE

Heart Disease And ChildrenPediatric Cardiomyopathies

In most cases, the diagnosis of "cardiomyopathy" in a child elicits concern in both the child (if old enough to understand) and the parent. Much of this concern is because the disease is relatively rare in children and not as well publicized as other disease states like the common cold, otitis media (ear infection), stomach flu, strep throat or other common childhood afflictions. Fortunately, our un-derstanding of how the heart works under normal and abnormal conditions is increasing each year. Written by a panel of recognized experts, this Web site bro-chure familiarizes children and/or their parents with the basic concepts of car-diomyopathy from its definition to the latest potential treatment options. Hope-fully, armed with this knowledge, you and your child will be less fearful of this diagnosis as you move forward with your child’s physician toward a treatment plan.

What is cardiomyopathy?

The term "cardiomyopathy" refers to a diseased state of the heart involving ab-normalities of the muscle fibers, which contract with each heartbeat. It is con-sidered a primary problem when it occurs because the muscle cells themselves are abnormal (usually due to a gene mutation). It is a secondary problem when the muscle cells were normal but are affected by other diseases that have second-ary damaging effects on the heart and its function such as certain infections, low blood flow to the heart, low blood oxygen or high blood pressure. According to the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry, one in every 100,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 18 is diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. The majority of diagnosed children are under 12 months followed by children 12 to 18 years old. Because the clinical features and therapies differ, it is best to separate this disease into four broad types: dilated (or congestive), hypertrophic, restrictive and "miscel-laneous."

DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Dilated or congestive cardiomyopathy (DCM) is diagnosed when the heart is en-larged (dilated) and the pumping chambers contract poorly (usually left side worse than right).

This condition is the most common form of cardiomyopathy and accounts for ap-proximately 55–60% of all childhood

cardiomyopathies. According to the pediatric cardiomyopathy registry data-base, this form of myopathy is detected in roughly one per 200,000 children with roughly one new case per 160,000 children reported each year in the United States. It can have both genetic and infectious/environmental causes.It is more commonly diagnosed in younger children with the average age at diag-nosis being 2 years. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be familial (genetic), and it is estimated that 20–30% of children with DCM have a relative with the disease, al-though they may not have been diagnosed or have symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of DCM

Dilated cardiomyopathy can appear along a spectrum of no symptoms, subtle symptoms or, in the more severe cases, congestive heart failure (CHF), which occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood well enough to meet the body issue needs for oxygen and nutrients.When only subtle symptoms exist, infants and young children are sometimes diagnosed with a viral upper respiratory tract infection or recurrent “pneumonia” without realizing that a heart problem is the basis for these symptoms. Older children and adolescents are less likely to be di-agnosed with viral syndromes and more likely to present with decreased exercise capacity or easy fatigability. With CHF, babies and young children will usually have more noticeable clinical changes such as irritability, failure to thrive (poor gain weight), increased sweating especially with activities, pale color, faster breathing and/or wheezing. In older children, congestive heart failure can mani-fest as difficulty breathing and/or coughing, pale color, decreased urine output and swelling, excessive sweating, and fatigue with minimal activities. Until the diagnosis is made in many children, chronic coughing and wheezing, particu-larly during activities, can be misinterpreted as asthma.Some patients with DCM caused by viral myocarditis (weakened, enlarged heart muscle usually due to a viral infection) can have a rapid increase in the number and severity of CHF symptoms such that within 24–48 hours the child can become very ill requiring emergency hospitalization, and occasionally, advanced life support.Symptoms due to heart rhythm problems (or arrhythmias, which means irregular, fast or slow heart rates) can also be either the first symptom or a symptom that appears after other symptoms have led to a diagnosis of DCM. Symptoms of rhythm problems include palpitations (feeling of funny or fast heart beats), syncope (fainting), seizures (convulsions), or even sudden cardiac arrest (heart stops beating effectively requiring resusci-tation). These symptoms can occur at any age and with any stage of cardiomyopathy, even if other more severe symp-toms of congestive heart failure have not yet appeared.

READ MORE ON PEDIATRICS CARDIOMYOPATHY

Heart Disease And ChildrenChildren and Arrhythmia

Doctor Talking To BoyIf your child has been diagnosed with an abnormal heart rate, you’re probably alarmed. That’s understandable. But by learning more about your child’s condition, you’ll be less afraid. You’ll also be better able to care for your child.

About heart rhythms The heart rate is the number of times the heart beats each minute. In an older child or teenager who’s resting, the heart beats about 70 times a minute. In a newborn it beats about 140 times a minute. Usually the heart rhythm is regular. This means the heart beats evenly (at regular intervals). The heart rate changes easily. Exercise makes the heart beat faster. During sleep it slows down.

An irregular heartbeat is an arrhythmia. The most common irregularity occurs during breathing. When a child breathes in, the heart rate normally speeds up for a few beats. When the child breathes out, it slows down again. This variation with breathing is called sinus arrhythmia. It’s completely normal.

Sometimes a doctor may find other kinds of arrhythmia. Then he or she may want to perform some tests. The doctor may also recommend that a pediatric cardiologist (a doctor specializing in children’s heart problems) examine your child.

Knowing your child’s historyArrhythmias (also called dysrhythmias) may occur at any age. Many times they have no symptoms. Often parents and children never suspect an arrhythmia and are surprised when a doctor finds one during a routine physical exam. Rhythm abnormalities are usually evaluated much like other health problems. Your child’s history — or what you and your child report about the problem — is very important. You may be asked questions like:

Is your child aware of unusual heartbeats?Does anything bring on the arrhythmia? Is there anything your child or the family can do to make it stop?If it’s a fast rate, how fast?Does your child feel weak, lightheaded or dizzy?Has your child ever fainted?Some medicines may make arrhythmias worse. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the prescribed and over-the-counter medications that your child takes. If your child has an arrhythmia, discuss this with the doctor and ask what to look for.

Abnormal Heart Rhythms

Long Q-T Syndrome

(LQTS) is an infrequent, hereditary disorder of the heart’s electrical rhythm that can occur in otherwise healthy people. It usually affects children or young adults. Studies of otherwise healthy people with LQTS indicate that they had at least one episode of fainting by the age of 10. The majority also had a family member with a long Q-T interval.

When the heart contracts, it emits an electrical signal. This signal can be re-corded on an electrocardiogram (ECG) and produces a characteristic waveform. The different parts of this waveform are designated by letters — P, Q, R, S and T. The Q-T interval represents the time for electrical activation and inactivation of the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart. A doctor can measure the time it takes for the Q-T interval to occur (in fractions of a second), and can tell if it occurs in a normal amount of time. If it takes longer than normal, it’s called a prolonged Q-T interval.

What are the symptoms of LQTS?

People with LQTS may not have any symptoms. People who do have symptoms often exhibit fainting (syncope) and abnormal rate and/or rhythm of the heart-beat (arrhythmia). People with this syndrome may show prolongation of the Q-T interval during physical exercise, intense emotion (such as fright, anger or pain) or when startled by a noise. Some arrhythmias are potentially fatal, causing sud-den death. In one type of inherited LQTS, the person may also become deaf.

People with LQTS don’t necessarily have a prolonged Q-T interval all the time. At the time that they have an electrocardiogram (such as during a routine physi-cal examination), the Q-T interval may actually be normal. Alternatively, some healthy young people may not have a routine ECG, and LQTS may be suspected because of their family history or because of unexplained fainting episodes. In any family where repeated episodes of fainting or a history of sudden death ex-ists, an investigation of the cause, including LQTS, should be undertaken.

How is LQTS treated?There are treatments for LQTS, including medications such as beta blockers. Sometimes a surgical procedure is performed, and some people may benefit from an implantable defibrillator.

READ MORE ON ARRHYTHMIA IN CHILDREN

Making Sense of Foods

Understanding “Whole Foods”Grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables provide healthful nutrition. In their natural state, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other essential nutrients. But sometimes the processing that turns these simple foods into commercial products takes away some of their value, or adds ingredients that are not helpful.

The term “whole foods” refers to those that are those that are minimally processed. Pro-cessing includes any alteration of a food from its natural state such as peeling, slicing, cooking, dehydrating, preserving, frying, freezing and roasting. The harder it is to tell what the food looked like when it came out of the ground, the more likely the food is highly pro-cessed.

Understanding “Whole Foods:”Advantages of Whole Plant FoodsNumerous studies have demonstrated the health advantages of a diet based on fruits, veg-etables, whole grains and legumes left in as natural a state as possible.

These advantages include:

Whole foods are rich in phytochemicals—powerful nutrients found in plant foods.Compared with processed foods, whole foods contain more vitamins and minerals.More fiber and beneficial fats are found in whole foods.The combinations of nutrients in whole plant foods act synergistically to protect us from disease.

Processed Foods

Many foods are processed in some way before they reach our plates. Some need some processing to be edible and nutritious. Imagine chewing on a raw artichoke or dried kidney beans. Processing of foods can also slow spoilage and enable easy storage. Freezing the abundance of fruits and vegetables after the summer’s harvest allows people to continue to have fruits and vegetables available into the winter.

However, highly processed foods such as potato chips, candy, sodas, hotdogs and snack pastries, pancake mixes, and even many breakfast cereals lack the health benefits of whole foods, such as potatoes, carrots and apples. Heavy processing often depletes or removes health–giving nutrients and concentrates fat, salt, and sugar.

Consider some of these reasons to favor unprocessed foods:

Processed foods contain more additives and preservatives and are often high in sodium.Processed foods may contain artery–clogging hydrogenated oils.Processed foods may contain hidden allergens posing a threat to people with food allergies.Some processed foods are loaded with sugar—soft drinks, candy, sugary cereals, baked products, frozen desserts, etc.High–calorie, low–fiber processed foods contribute to overeating and weight gain because you don’t feel full as quickly as with high–fiber whole foods.

Understanding “Whole Foods:” Examples of Whole Food MealsIt’s easy to incorporate more whole plant foods into your diet. The following are some examples of meals based on whole or minimally processed foods:

Breakfast:

• Fruit• Oats or other hot breakfast grains—quinoa, barley, brown rice• Bean or tofu scramble with vegetables• Nut butter on whole–grain toast

Lunch and dinner:

• Vegetable stir–fry• Homemade vegetable, split pea, or lentil soups• Beans and brown rice• Stuffed pita salad sandwiches• Roasted vegetables and tempeh over quinoa• Green salads, chopped vegetable–, grain– or bean–based salads

http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_understand_foods/whole.html

Weight Is Just A NumberSheila Hendrix

Many people are on diets to change the number on the scale. They are eating to lose. Getting hung op on 340, 275, 210, 175, 140 or whatever you feel the horrible number is for you as you step on the bathroom scale. So you begin the diet that will help you reduce the number you are seeing. Some of us become obsessed and will do anything up to and including starving themselves.

Is it wrong to want to change that number....well no. Stop eating to lose and be-gin to Eat To Gain......yes, Eat To Gain. Gain your health! Gain Energy! Eat To Live!

Eating healthy has numerous benefits. Studies have shown that eating healthy can prolong your life. So you may ask exactly what does eating healthy mean? The healthiest way to eat is by eating foods that come as close to its natural state as possible. Some options are: Straight from your backyard garden, a farmers market or your grocers produce section.

Eating healthy may mean making a lifestyle change. Diets are short lived and usually produce temporary changes. They can also lead to what is known as yo-yo dieting, going from one diet trend to the next, which can unfortunately lead to you gaining weight. A lifestyle change is more permanent.

Changing your lifestyle may not be the easiest thing to do but will probably be one of the most important decisions you make for yourself and your family. It means eating healthier, getting in more exercise, relaxing and learning how to deal with your stress.

It’s best to keep things simple, one day at a time and one step at a time.

Where do you start? Start with you, look at your eating habits, how often you excercise and how much stress is in your life. When you take time to look at those things, then you will see where you need to make the positive changes. Maybe you notice you are eating out a lot and visiting fast food joints quite of-ten. If so, you might make a conscious decision to cook at home more and take your leftovers for lunch. Fruit and /or nuts are great snacks to help you get thru the day. If you find you don’t have as much time to cook, I would suggest that you purposely cook more than you need and freeze single serving portions for quick and grab meals. You could also use a Saturday or Sunday to cook a large meal or two and freeze. Soups and crockpot meals are great for this, just re-member to watch your ingredients and stay away from the processed foods.

If you find that you are not exercising as you should, then begin to add more ex-ercise in your life. It could start simple, walking is a great way to start and try to build it up to where you are getting some sort of exercise at least 30 minutes 5 to 7 days a week.

If stress is a big problem for you, then find time to destress. What is it you enjoy doing? Maybe reading, listening to relaxing music, meditating, taking a long re-laxing bath, whatever it is make and take time to do it.

I truly believe changing your lifestyle is a whole body experience. You have to take care of your whole body, mind, body and spirit. It’s a journey and as you would on any journey, you might take a wrong turn or run into a few road blocks. The important thing is to get back on track, if you fell down you wouldn’t just lay there, you would get up, brush yourself off and keep on step-ping. That is what you must do with your health. Take control and take care of your health.

As you look at those numbers on that bathroom scale don’t let it overwhelm you do your best not to focus on the numbers because after all weight is just a num-ber.

Eat healthy and make some lifestyle changes to gain energy, good health and a true sense of well being. You will be doing it to live.

A POSITIVE STATE OF MINDPatricia Hendrix-Lloyd

We have all heard and thought about the statement, 'to have a positive outlook you must see the glass half full instead of half empty.' But how do we really SEE this? Do we actu-ally pour water into a glass, stop at the halfway point, set it in front of us and sit there and try to focus on only the water in the glass? YES!! This is exactly what you do. Try it and you will see that the more you focus on the water, the more it seems like the water is moving above that halfway mark and the empty space will seem to diminish some. It is not a mind game! This is what happens when we place our focus and concentration on one area, item, idea, life experience, etc., whether positive or negative. Whatever we re-main focused on will grow to become a habit and will occupy a lot of our time and effort. In this exercise, the water represents our positive thinking.

What is positive thinking? Simply put, it means you approach the unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst. The more we focus on positive thinking, we will develop this into a habit and it will be something we will naturally yield to doing. Sounds GREAT, right?!So, how does this work in our quest to become more positive people? We need to develop a positive attitude in order to transform into positive people. Here is a list of tips for de-veloping a positive attitude:

Start with choosing two of these tips per week and put them into action. Record your progress each week and review your thoughts often. You may need to repeat many of the tips often in order to see results. This is OK!! We want these practices to become a part of our lifestyles as positive people, so repeat, repeat, repeat!Positive thinking is a state of mind worth developing. We can reap so many benefits from the work we put into developing this attribute. We will begin to expect success and look at failure and problems as blessings in disguise. We will display confidence and belief in ourselves. We will be more inspired and see more opportunities. We will become motivated to accomplish our goals. I could go on and on with the benefits of positive thinking but I think you get the idea.Let's go forth positively and conquer all this world has to offer for our good. And remem-ber, the strength of your positive attitude can affect your surroundings and become con-tagious! REFERENCE: www.successconciousness.com

1. Choose to be happy. Yes, it is a matter of choice.2. Look at the bright side of life.3. Choose to be and stay optimistic.4. Find reasons to smile more often.5. Have faith in yourself.6. Associate yourself with happy people.7. Read inspiring stories.8. Read inspiring quotes.9. Repeat (aloud) affirmations that inspire and motivate you.10. Visualize only what you want to happen.11. Learn to master and control your thoughts.12. Learn concentration and meditation.

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps Ingredients

1/2 cup water1/2 cup instant brown rice2 teaspoons sesame oil1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger1 large red bell pepper, finely diced 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Cooking Tips) 1 teaspoon five-spice powder (see Cooking Tips) 1/2 teaspoon salt2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives 1 large carrot, shredded

Cooking Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Nutritional Analysis Per serving Calories Per Serving 286Total Fat11 gSaturated Fat2 gMonounsaturated Fat1 gCholesterol65 mgSodium596 mgCarbohydrates24 gFiber5 gProtein26 gPotassium414 mg

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/Five-Spice-Turkey-Lettuce-Wraps_UCM_442473_Recipe.jsp

Modern Tuna-Pasta CasseroleIngredients

4 ounces dried whole-wheat rotini (about 1 1/2 cups)Cooking spray1 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables, such as a carrot, broccoli, and cau-liflower blend, thawed2 5.5-ounce cans low-sodium chunk light tuna, packed in water, flaked1 10.75-ounce can low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup (lowest sodium available)1/2 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers, rinsed before chopping1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning blend3/4 cup lightly crushed (about 1/4-inch pieces) low-sodium whole-grain crackers (about 34 squares)1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colan-der. Transfer to a large bowl.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Stir the mixed vegetables, tuna, soup, roasted peppers, half-and-half, and seasoning blend into the pasta until combined. Transfer to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the crackers and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the casserole is warmed through and the topping is golden brown.

Nutritional AnalysisPer serving Calories Per Serving 400 Total Fat7.0 g Saturated Fat2.5 g TransFat0.0g Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g Cholesterol30 mg Sodium 537 mg Carbohydrates52 g Fiber8 g Sugar7 g Protein32 g

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/Modern-Tuna-Pasta-Casserole_UCM_302111_Recipe.jsp

Ingredients

2 medium plum tomatoes, chopped 1 small onion, roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and quar-tered 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 2 teaspoons cider vinegar1 teaspoon chili powder1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon salt2-4 dashes hot sauce1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 6 portions

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, salt and hot sauce to taste in a food processor; process until finely diced and uniform.

Place salmon in a large roasting pan; spoon the salsa on top. Roast un-til the salmon is flaky on the outside but still pink inside, about 15 minutes.

Nutritional AnalysisPer serving Calories Per Serving 226Total Fat13 gSaturated Fat3 gMonounsaturated Fat5 gCholesterol65 mgSodium260 mgCarbohydrates2 gFiber1 gProtein23 gPotassium480 mg

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/Roast-Salmon-with-Salsa_UCM_442326_Recipe.jsp

Roast Salmon with Salsa

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 large onion, diced 1-3 teaspoons hot paprika, or to taste 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth4 medium plum tomatoes, diced 1 medium yellow summer squash, diced 2 cups diced cooked potatoes (see Cooking Tip) 1 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 cups frozen spinach (5 ounces) 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or pre-pared pesto

Cooking Instructions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add paprika and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes, squash, potatoes and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in spinach and vinegar; continue cooking until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes more. Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh basil or a dollop of pesto.

Nutritional AnalysisPer serving Calories Per Serving 253Total Fat9 gSaturated Fat1 gMonounsaturated Fat5 gSodium486 mgCarbohydrates39 gFiber10 gProtein9 gPotassium1029 mg

Spicy Vegetable Soup

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/Spicy-Vegetable-Soup_UCM_442526_Recipe.jsp

roast chicken with fiery lemon glaze

ingredients

1 4 - 5 pound whole roasting chicken4 - 6 small lemons1/4 cup olive oil2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley4 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon cayenne pepper1/2 cup honey2 - 3 small lemons, halved or quartered (optional)

1. Remove giblets from chicken, if present. Place chicken in plastic bag set in shal-low dish. Slice 2 of the lemons; add to bag. Finely shred 2 teaspoons peel from remaining lemons; set aside. Squeeze lemons to yield 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons juice for glaze.2. For marinade, in bowl combine the 1/2 cup lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, gar-lic, 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pep-per. Pour marinade over chicken; turn to coat. Seal bag. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours; turn occasionally.3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Let chicken stand at room temperature 15 min-utes. Drain chicken and set aside lemon slices; discard marinade. Pull neck skin to back and fasten with a skewer. Tie drumsticks to tail. Twist wing tips under back.4. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover with lemon slices. Arrange lemon halves or quarters on rack around chicken. Roast on lowest rack, uncovered, for 1 hour.5. Meanwhile, in small saucepan combine honey, the shredded lemon peel, the 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.6. Cut string between drumsticks and reposition any lemon slices that have slid off of chicken. Continue roasting 30 to 60 minutes more, or until drumsticks move easily in their sockets and chicken is no longer pink (180 degrees F), occasionally brushing with some of the honey mixture during the last 20 minutes of roasting. If lemons begin to darken, tent loosely with foil. Remove chicken from oven. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Pass remaining honey glaze.

nutrition informationPer Serving: cal. (kcal) 469, Fat, total (g) 30, chol. (mg) 116, sat. fat (g) 8, carb. (g) 23, Monosaturated fat (g) 15, Polyun-saturated fat (g) 6, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, fiber (g) 2, sugar (g) 19, pro. (g) 29, vit. A (IU) 389, vit. C (mg) 41, Thiamin (mg) 0, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Niacin (mg) 10, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1, Folate (µg) 12, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0, sodium (mg) 257, Potassium (mg) 391, calcium (mg) 50, iron (mg) 2, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

http://www.recipe.com/roast-chicken-with-fiery-lemon-glaze/

Red Berry Squares Make strawberry-flavored gelatin mixed with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Cut into squares before serving.

Frozen Watermelon Bites Alternate frozen cubes of watermelon and mint leaves on a skewer and serve cold.

Ravin’ Red Smoothie Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ½ cup frozen strawberries, ½ cup frozen raspberries and 1 frozen banana.

Red Pasta Cook whole-wheat spaghetti and top with low-sodium marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.

Baked Red Apple Dessert Fill 1 whole red apple (cored) with ¼ cup chopped almonds, ¼ cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 350° or until sugar bubbles.

Perfect Polenta Cook polenta and mix with roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper and sun-dried tomato.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers Stuff 1 red bell pepper (cored) with ½ cup cooked brown rice, ¼ diced red onion, ¼ cup ground turkey (browned), 1 tbsp. parsley, salt and pepper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until pepper is heated through.

Red Bean Salsa Combine 2 cups red beans, ½ cup diced red onions, 1 cup diced red tomato, ¼ cup diced jalapeño (remove seeds), ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Roasted Red Cabbage Salad In a large bowl, combine 2 cups chopped red cabbage (roasted), ½ cup red onion (thinly sliced and sautéed), ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil and sea salt.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)Calories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Total Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 g Saturated Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 g Monounsaturated Fat . . . . . . . .4 gSodium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 mgCarbohydrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 g Fiber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 gProtein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 gPotassium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405 mg

TRy ThiS heART-heAlThy ReCiPe:

DescriptionGrill the vegetables for this refreshing soup earlier in the day or even the night before. We sometimes serve the gazpacho in clear Spanish wine tumblers to show off the rich color.

ingredients2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes1 small red bell pepper1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded, divided ½ cup torn fresh or day-old country bread (crusts removed) 1 small clove garlic2-3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley¼ teaspoon piment d’Espelette (see Cooking Tip) or hot Spanish paprika or pinch of cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking instructions Preheat grill to medium-high.

Grill tomatoes and bell pepper, turning a few times, until they soften and the skins are blistered and charred in spots, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pepper to a plastic bag and let it steam until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin; cut the pepper in half and discard the stem and seeds. Place one half in a blender. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, core and roughly chop. Add the tomatoes, skins and all, to the blender.

Add half the cucumber to the blender along with bread, garlic, vinegar to taste, parsley, piment d’Espelette (or paprika or cayenne), salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add oil and blend until well combined. Refrigerate until room temperature or chilled, at least 1 hour.

Before serving, finely dice the remaining cucumber and bell pepper; stir half of each into the gazpacho and garnish with the remaining cucumber and bell pepper.

Cook’s Tip Piment d’Espelette is a sweet, mildly spicy pepper, from the French side of the Basque region, ground into powder.

To Make Ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Stir to recombine and garnish just before serving.

GRIllEd ToMATo GAzPACho

© 2012 Eating Well, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Dietary Exchanges1 ½ vegetable, 1 fat

©2013, American Heart Association . Also known as the Heart Fund . TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS . 9/12DS6242

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HERBAL ALTERNATIVE PASSIONFLOWER

Anti-Depressant and Menopause ReliefPassion flower improves the anti-depression effects of St. John's Wort, according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of the journal "Fito-terapia." In the animal study, supplementation with a combination of pas-sion flower and St. John's Wort significantly enhanced the benefits of St. John's Wort, leading researchers to conclude that combining the two herbs may make it possible to use lower doses of St. John's Wort. A study pub-lished in the Fall 2010 "Iran Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research" found that supplementation with passion flower improved depression and other symptoms of menopause, including anger, insomnia and headache. Participants consumed passion flower supplements daily for 6 weeks. Significant symptom improvement occurred by the third week. Research-ers concluded that passion flower may offer benefits for management of menopause in women who either cannot or choose not to use hormone replacement therapy.Anti-AnxietyAnti-anxiety benefits of passion flower were demonstrated in an animal study published in the June 2011 issue of "Phytotherapy Research." Ani-mals given doses of 150 milligrams per kilogram body weight spent more time in open, unprotected and elevated areas during a maze test. Addition-ally, the supplement did not cause either a sedative or stimulating effect. A study published in the March 2010 "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" found that low doses of passion flower extract reduced anxiety, while higher doses produced a sedative effect.Blood Pressure-Lowering

Passion flower might help manage high blood pressure, according to an animal study published in the January 2013 "Journal of Nutritional Bio-chemistry." Doses of 50 milligrams per kilogram body weight of passion flower skin extract significantly reduced elevated blood pressure levels. Researchers determined that anthocyanin antioxidant compounds and a compound in passion flower called edulilic acid were responsible for the benefits. An animal study published in the February 2013 issue of the journal "Phytotherapy Research" found that passion flower fruit pulp significantly reduced systolic blood pressure, the upper number of the blood pressure ratio, signifying pressure in arteries during heart contraction. Passion flower extract also increased levels of an antioxidant enzyme and decreased levels of oxidized lipids -- lipids damaged from accumulated toxins and waste products. Researchers administered doses of 8 milligrams per day for 5 days.Sleep AidPassion flower improved quality of sleep in a study published in the August 2011 issue of "Phytotherapy Research." Participants, ages 18 to 35, with mild sleep disorder, consumed a cup of passion flower tea each night for one week and recorded their quality of sleep in a diary and questionnaire. Results showed that passion flower significantly improved six measured components of sleep quality compared to a control group that did not receive passion flower.

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-passion-flower-herbs-8818.html

Could you lower cholesterol levels by eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning and a handful of nuts in the afternoon? It's certainly possible.

"Dietary changes can have powerful effects on cholesterol levels," says Edgar R. Miller III, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. That's true even if you don't lose weight or exercise more, he says -- although it's better to do those things as well.

Reducing the amount of unhealthy fats you eat is a way to lower cholesterol. But it's not all about sub-traction. Adding foods to your diet -- such as oatmeal and nuts as well as olive oil, fatty fish, and foods fortified with sterols and stanols -- can help lower unhealthy LDL levels and triglycerides.

Here are the facts about super foods that lower cholesterol and boost heart health.

Fatty Fish

Tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, herring, and other fatty fish don't seem to have an impact on bad LDL cholesterol. They do lower triglycerides -- another form of fat in the blood that's measured by choles-terol tests -- by 20% to 50%. They also seem to boost good HDL cholesterol slightly and lower the risk of heart disease.

However, eating too much fatty fish could cause you to gain weight. The benefits also depend on how you prepare the fish. Canned tuna added to a salad is good. Canned tuna immersed in full-fat mayon-naise is not.

Nuts

Many nuts -- such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and pistachios -- seem to help lower triglyc-erides. Like fatty fish, they contain substances that are converted to the omega-3 fatty acids known as EPA and DHA. They're also a source of fiber. According to the FDA, eating 1.5 ounces of nuts daily is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

Nuts are a great snack or topping for salads, cereal, and yogurt. Stick to a handful because they are high in calories.

Oatmeal and Oat Bran

Substantial evidence shows that the soluble fiber in oatmeal and oat bran helps lower cholesterol levels. Although any whole grain is good for cholesterol, oats have the highest levels of soluble fiber.

How does the fiber in oatmeal help? Some think that, as soluble fiber becomes a gel in your intestines, it sticks to cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed. Miller believes that the benefit has a simpler explanation: Fiber fills you up, and when you’re full, you’re not eating other, less healthy foods.

The Benefits of Fiber: For Your Heart, Weight, and Energy

One cup of oatmeal typically contains four grams of fiber -- about 15% of the fiber most women need, and 10% of the fiber most men need. Consider a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and then sprinkle oatmeal onto other foods throughout the day. You can also use oatmeal in baking.

Still, oatmeal isn’t always healthy. If you add a cup of cream to your oatmeal or take in all of your oat-meal in cookie form, you’re eating saturated fat with your fiber. And that’s not helping your cholesterol levels.Olive Oil

Although all cooking oils are high in fat, the type of fat makes a difference, Miller says.

Olive oil -- which is high in monounsaturated fat -- seems to help lower bad LDL cholesterol levels with-out affecting good HDL cholesterol. Diets rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are associated with lower risks of heart disease and stroke. Olive oil is also rich in healthy vitamin E, an antioxidant. Other healthy oils include canola and flaxseed.

The key is not just to add olive oil to your diet. You need to use it instead of less healthy oils higher in saturated and unsaturated fat, Miller says. How much do you need? The FDA recommends using two tablespoons daily as a replacement for less healthy oils.

Should you start drenching everything in olive oil? No. It's still high in calories. Too much will lead to weight gain, says Alice H. Lichtenstein, director of the cardiovascular nutrition research program at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

Sterols and Stanols in Fortified Foods

We hear a lot about unhealthy food additives. Sterols and stanols are additives in special margarines and other products that help improve cholesterol. They occur naturally in some plants in very small amounts. In the body, they help lower cholesterol by blocking its absorption in the intestines.

Studies have shown that eating foods fortified with sterols or stanols -- such as spreads or orange juice -- twice a day can lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol by 5% to 17%. Sterols and stanols are also added to products like granola bars and cheese.

The American Heart Association recommends that people who have high cholesterol take two grams of sterols and stanols daily. Keep in mind that these recommendations are for people diagnosed with high cholesterol. "If you have normal cholesterol levels, sterols and stanols don't have a benefit," Lichtenstein says.

The Benefits of Fiber: For Your Heart, Weight, and Energy

http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-health-benefits-11/top-foods-lower-cholesterol?page=1

Patricia Hendrix-Lloyd

on the natural tip.........Have you started the natural hair journey and your in the transition stage? Try this....when you are at that 10 to 12 week post perm time and the hair is feeling a little unruly...ADD some plain yogurt (not the nonfat kind) to your conditioner and deep condition for at least 30 minutes preferably with heat. You will notice a big difference in the manageability and this will make transitioning more bearable!!

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Oranges First up is a very common citrus fruit that contains pec-tin. Like other types of soluble fiber, pectin forms a gooey mass in your stomach that traps cholesterol and carries it out of your body before it can be absorbed into your bloodstream (where it contributes to clogged arteries). One medium orange provides about 2 to 3 g of soluble fiber, as well as other beneficial nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, and potassium. You have to eat oranges in or-der to benefit from their fiber content, so put your juicer aside, and choose thick-skinned varieties for the best taste and easiest peeling.

Oats Here’s one you probably know about already, but you may not be aware of some of the less conventional forms and uses for this soluble fiber-rich grain. While oatmeal is an obvious winner, oat flour is another versatile op-tion. If you can’t find it in the places you typically shop, you can make your own by pulverizing rolled oats in a food processor. Oat flour can be substituted for up to half the all-purpose flour in most pancake and muffin recipes; I even use it in the low-fat oatmeal cookies my kids adore.

Beans and Lentils Beans and lentils are sky-high in fiber, a good portion of which is the heart-healthy soluble type. They’re also a great low-fat replacement for animal protein, which is often full of saturated fat. Beans can be incorporated into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks. For breakfast, make a burrito with scrambled egg whites, black beans, and salsa. At lunch, a bowl of lentil soup with a few whole grain crackers hits the spot. For dinner, skip the typical side dish of pasta, potatoes, or rice and try sea-soned beans instead.

6 Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Sardines Just like salmon, their more popular marine relatives, sardines are ridiculously rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Ome-ga-3’s not only lower LDL cholesterol, they’re also potent anti-inflammatories, and they significantly reduce blood levels of artery-clogging triglycerides. I’m convinced that most people who turn up their noses at the mere mention of sardines haven’t actually tried them. If that’s you, con-sider this yummy open-faced sandwich: spread two slices of whole wheat bread with a little bit of low-fat mayo and top each half with a couple of canned sardines, a slice of tomato, and a few fresh basil leaves.

Pistachio Nuts I love pistachio nuts, so I was thrilled when a 2008 study revealed that eating one or two handfuls (1.5 to 3 ounces) per day for four weeks significantly reduced LDL cholesterol in people with elevated blood levels. Turns out, these little powerhouses are a great source of phytosterols, the natural plant compounds that block absorption of dietary cholesterol. They’re also rich in monounsaturated fat, fiber, and antioxidants — all of which are good for heart health. I prefer pistachios in the shell because it forces me to eat them slowly and prevents me from overdoing it with these healthy — but caloric — treats.

Oil Spray Because losing weight is the best way to lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and boost your HDL (“good”) cholesterol, cutting calories is important. One surefire way to cut back is to use an oil spray in place of butter or bottled oils when cooking. Instead of purchasing disposable nonstick spray canisters, I use a reusable oil mister and fill it with my favorite brand of olive oil. Replacing the saturated fat in but-ter with heart-healthy unsaturated plant oils, like olive and canola, helps to improve your overall cho-lesterol profile.

6 Foods That Lower Cholesterol

http://www.joybauer.com/high-cholesterol/pistachio-nuts-for-high-cholesterol.aspx

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Barnes and Nobles

High sugar consumption may double the chance of dying from heart disease, according to a study that adds to evidence that high levels of the sweetener in processed foods and drink is bad for a person’s health.

People whose sugar intake is about a quarter or more of their total daily calories had twice the risk of dying from heart disease than those who whose intake was 7 percent, according to the research today in JAMA Internal Medicine. For those whose intake of added sugar was about 19 percent, their risk of dying from heart disease was about 38 percent higher.

Today’s study is the first to link on a national level the amount of sugar American adults eat to their risk of dying from heart disease after taking into account weight, age, health, exercise and diet, said lead study author Quanhe Yang, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research has already linked sugar con-sumption to diabetes, weight gain and obesity.

“Too much sugar can make you fat; it can also make you sick, sick from diseases like cardiovascular disease, which is the No. 1 killer in America,” said Laura Schmidt, a school of medicine professor at the University of California at San Francisco, in a tele-phone interview. “Small amounts of sugar are fine. It’s consuming massive amounts of sugar that’s a growing problem in America.”

The study also found that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, seven servings or more each week, was linked to an increased risk of dying from heart disease.

Excess Sugar May Double Heart Disease Risk, Study Finds

Photographer: Evan Sung/Bloomberg

600,000 Deaths

Heart disease, which can cause heart attack, chest pain and heart failure, is the leading cause of death worldwide for both men and women and kills more than 600,000 Ameri-cans each year, according to the Atlanta-based CDC.

There is no specific national guideline for sugar consumption. The Institute of Medicine recommends sugar be less than 25 percent of total calories, the World Health Organiza-tion recommends less than 10 percent, while the American Heart Association suggests limiting sugar to less than 150 calories a day for men and less than 100 calories a day for women, the authors wrote.

‘The majority of us are consuming more added sugar than the recommendations,’’ Yang said in a telephone interview.

About 37 percent of added sugar in U.S. diets comes from sugar-sweetened beverages, while the rest comes from grain-based desserts, fruit drinks, dairy desserts and candy, the authors said. Sugar from fresh fruits and vegetables isn’t considered added sugar.

Better food labels would help people identify their sugar intake, said Schmidt, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study.

Sugar Effects

Scientists don’t have a clear understanding why sugar may raise the risk of dying from heart disease, Yang said. Sugar may increase blood pressure and weight gain, both risk factors for heart disease, or it may raise bad cholesterol and triglycerides and lower good cholesterol. Sugar may also increase insulin resistance, a factor in diabetes, or in-crease fat accumulation in the liver, he said.

Researchers in the study looked at data from several National Health and Nutrition Ex-amination Surveys, which provides nationally representative information on U.S. adults.

They found that U.S. adults consumed about 14.9 percent of daily calories from added sugar in 2005-2010, down from 16.8 percent in 1999-2004. For most U.S. adults, added sugar made up 10 percent or more of their daily calories during 2005-2010 and for 10 per-cent of people, sugar made up 25 percent or more of their daily calories.

Today’s findings support recommendations to limit intake of sugar-added foods and drinks, Yang said.

“We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in research on the health effects of sugar, one fueled by extremely high rates of added sugar overconsumption in the American public,” Schmidt said in an editorial accompanying the study.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-03/excess-sugar-may-double-heart-disease-risk-researchers-say.html

Men's health: Prevent the top threatsMany of the leading causes of death among men can be prevented. Here's what you need to know to live a longer, healthier life.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Do you know the greatest threats to men's health? The list is surprisingly short. The top causes of death among adult men in the U.S. are heart disease, stroke, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention. The good news is that a few lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk of these common killers.

Start by looking at your lifestyle

Take charge of your health by making healthier lifestyle choices. For example:

Don't smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit. It's also important to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution and exposure to chemicals (such as in the workplace).Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit foods high in saturated fat and sodium.Maintain a healthy weight. Losing excess pounds — and keeping them off — can lower your risk of heart disease as well as various types of cancer.Get moving. Include physical activity in your daily routine. You know exercise can help you control your weight and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. But did you know that it may also lower your risk of certain types of cancer? Choose sports or other activities you enjoy, from basketball to brisk walking.Limit alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. For men, that means up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger and one drink a day for men older than age 65. The risk of various types of cancer, such as liver cancer, appears to increase with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly. Too much alcohol can also raise your blood pressure.Manage stress. If you feel constantly on edge or under assault, your lifestyle habits may suffer — and so might your immune sys-tem. Take steps to reduce stress — or learn to deal with stress in healthy ways.Stop avoiding the doctor

Don't wait to visit the doctor until something is seriously wrong. Your doctor can be your best ally for preventing health problems. Be sure to follow your doctor's treatment recommendations if you have health issues, such as high cholesterol, high blood pres-sure or diabetes. Also, be sure to ask your doctor about when you should have cancer screenings and other health evaluations.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/mens-health/art-20047764

Men's health: Prevent the top threatsMany of the leading causes of death among men can be prevented. Here's what you need to know to live a longer, healthier life.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Do you know the greatest threats to men's health? The list is surprisingly short. The top causes of death among adult men in the U.S. are heart disease, stroke, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention. The good news is that a few lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk of these common killers.

Start by looking at your lifestyle

Take charge of your health by making healthier lifestyle choices. For example:

Don't smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit. It's also important to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution and exposure to chemicals (such as in the workplace).Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit foods high in saturated fat and sodium.Maintain a healthy weight. Losing excess pounds — and keeping them off — can lower your risk of heart disease as well as various types of cancer.Get moving. Include physical activity in your daily routine. You know exercise can help you control your weight and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. But did you know that it may also lower your risk of certain types of cancer? Choose sports or other activities you enjoy, from basketball to brisk walking.Limit alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. For men, that means up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger and one drink a day for men older than age 65. The risk of various types of cancer, such as liver cancer, appears to increase with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly. Too much alcohol can also raise your blood pressure.Manage stress. If you feel constantly on edge or under assault, your lifestyle habits may suffer — and so might your immune sys-tem. Take steps to reduce stress — or learn to deal with stress in healthy ways.Stop avoiding the doctor

Don't wait to visit the doctor until something is seriously wrong. Your doctor can be your best ally for preventing health problems. Be sure to follow your doctor's treatment recommendations if you have health issues, such as high cholesterol, high blood pres-sure or diabetes. Also, be sure to ask your doctor about when you should have cancer screenings and other health evaluations.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/mens-health/art-20047764

Foaming Shave Soap Recipe

This is the shave soap I use most often in the shower because it is easy, inexpensive and works great. Some men may find it harsh on the face due to the high liquid castille content.

Ingredients:1/4 cup Natural Aloe Vera Gel (not juice!)1/4 cup Liquid Castille Soap1 TBSP Olive or Almond Oil1/4 cup warm Distilled Water (or lavender infused)Vitamin E or Grapefruit Seed Extract (to preserve)Essential Oils for Fragrance (optional) – I use lavender8 ounce or larger Foaming Soap BottleHow To Make It:Mix ingredients in foamer bottle and shake gently until mixed.Shake well before each use.This recipe will last a couple of months (I use up within about 2 months, so I don’t know beyond that). I don’t recommend citrus oils if you are going to be in the sun, since they increase sun sensitivity.

http://wellnessmama.com/4992/natural-skin-care-options-and-recipes/

Basil Toner

This recipe is great for those prone to acne. The basil acts as an antiseptic, helps clear acne-causing bacteria, and improves circulation to the skin.

Ingredients:3 tablespoons dried basil leaves1 cup boiling water

Directions:Crush up the dried basil leaves and mix them into a cup of boiling water. Once the mixture cools, strain out the leaves, put it in a spray bottle and spritz your skin. Use a cotton ball or pad to spread the toner gently around your face. Do this daily before cleansing.

KITCHEN TABLE BEAUTY

Avocado as Moisturizer

Lather avocado on dry, sun-exposed skin for a rush of moisture—make sure that your avocado fruit is fully ripe. We know some people who use the inside of the avocado skin for its moisturizing oils. To do so, rub the inner lay-ers of the avocado peel against your face, leave on for 15 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water and pat dry.

http://www.realsimple.com

Basil Toner

This recipe is great for those prone to acne. The basil acts as an antiseptic, helps clear acne-causing bacteria, and improves circulation to the skin.

Ingredients:3 tablespoons dried basil leaves1 cup boiling water

Directions:Crush up the dried basil leaves and mix them into a cup of boiling water. Once the mixture cools, strain out the leaves, put it in a spray bottle and spritz your skin. Use a cotton ball or pad to spread the toner gently around your face. Do this daily before cleansing.

KITCHEN TABLE BEAUTY

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/8-natural-recipes-for-amazing-skin-from-a-plastic-surgeon/#ixzz2sSRZlbfl=&slideshow=slide5

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Heartburn or heart attack?

Heartburn or heart attack?What does heartburn have to do with your heart? Nothing, actually!

Despite its name, heartburn — or acid indigestion — is related to your esophagus. But be-cause the esophagus and heart are located near each other, either one can cause chest pain which is why many people mistake heart burn for angina and vice versa.

So what is heartburn?Heartburn is a common condition that’s caused by stomach acids rising up into your esoph-agus. This can cause chest pain that sometimes radiates to your neck, throat or jaw.

“Our stomach is made for acid and can handle it, but our esophagus is not,” said Mary Ann Bauman, M.D., author, practicing physician and medical director of women’s health at INTEGRIS Health Systems.

Not sure if what you’re feeling is a heart attack or heartburn?

“I tell my patients that if you belch and the symptoms go away, it probably isn’t related to your heart but to your esophagus,” Bauman said. “But if you have shortness of breath or sweating, then it’s likely a heart-related issue.”

However, everyone is different, and not all symptoms are caused by one or the other, so:

When in doubt, check it out!If you’re not sure if it’s heartburn or your heart, seek medical attention right away. It’s very easy to confuse the two issues so let a doctor rule out the most severe possibility. This is an especially important message for women.

“Women are more likely to call help for someone else but not themselves,” Bauman said. In fact, 81 percent of women said they would call 9-1-1 for someone else showing signs of a heart attack but only 65 percent would call for themselves, according to a special report in Circulation.

She added: “I always tell people if you’re concerned and not sure if it’s your heart, it’s bet-ter to err on the side of checking it out and having someone tell you it’s not a heart attack.”

How to Avoid RefluxThere are some things you can do to keep the heartburn away.

“Stay away from alcohol, cigarettes, aspirin/anti-inflammatories and citrus (which can re-lax the valve between the esophagus and the stomach and make it easier for acid to splash up),” Bauman advised.And if you experience heartburn at night, try giving gravity a hand. “Raise the head of your bed on blocks (about 6 inches) so gravity can help keep your stomach contents down in the stomach,” Bauman said.Another possible remedy can be not to eat close to bedtime or late at night. When your stomach is full of food or busy digesting food, try letting it finish that work before heading to bed.Some over-the-counter medications can also help.See your doctor to discuss your symptoms.

https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Heartburn-or-heart-attack_UCM_457019_Article.jsp

www.shondaenglish.com

Sit and focus on your breath for 5, 10 or 20 minutes? With ev-erything you’ve got going on? They must be joking!

Meditation sounds so simple. But with the baby crying, the phone ringing and the next meeting about to start, there’s little time to slow down and get centered.

However, a short break – as little as a few minutes – offers a host of stress-relieving health benefits.

The National Institutes of Health are currently sponsoring studies on its use to ease a wide range of issues, including asthma, hot flashes, chronic back pain, high blood pressure and lack of mental focus.

As it turns out, women are natural meditators because we’re more in tune with the sensory forces around us, says Camille Maurine, co-author of Meditation Secrets for Women (Harp-erOne).

So how do you tune out of the daily grind and plug in to nature?

Here are 7 active meditation exercises that don’t require reg-ular classes or tons of experience. In fact, some take surpris-ingly little time and effort.

Get lost in dance.Fast, energetic movement loosens you up and engages both spirit and body. It focuses your attention on motions – and emotions – instead of on thoughts.

The whirling dervishes of the Sufis - with their spinning, trancelike dances - are the embodiment of meditation through dance. But any free-form dancing can have a similar effect.

Learn 7 Stress-Relieving MeditationsBy Karin Klein, Special to LifescriptPublished December 20, 2013

How to do it: First, stand for a couple of minutes with eyes closed, breathing through your nose. Slow your breath and calm your mind.

Then, play some dynamic and rhythmic instrument-only mu-sic. Lyrics engage your thoughts, and the idea here is to qui-et your mind.

Go into an expressive, improvised dance, feeling free toshout, hum along or even sing at the top of your lungs.

Use your arms, change directions as you boogie, and don’t be afraid to exaggerate movements. This is active meditation.

“When you give all your energy to it, something happens,” Buechler says. Distractions melt away when you’re completely focused on the dance. Let the music and movement carry you into an exalted state.

Dance for 20 minutes, or until you get tired. Then lie down, close your eyes, and stay very still for a few minutes to com-plete this stress-relieving exercise.

Make regular routines more meditative.We take part in daily meditation exercises and don’t even know it. Washing the dishes, brushing our teeth, washing our hair in the shower. Once you’ve become more aware of this pattern, you can practice it consciously and bring new joy into even the most mundane chores.

“After a big dinner party, I don’t let anybody help me with the dishes,” Maurine says. “With each new dish I put away, I’m medi-tating, feeling the love and connection with the people I was with that evening.”

During morning showers, do you think about all the work you have to get done that day? Could you instead listen to the sound of water falling, or begin to feel it cascading over your skin? Use soap with a smell you love and inhale its fragrance deeply.

Read More:http://www.lifescript.com/soul/self/well-being/de-stress_with_5-minute_meditations.aspx

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