Love Your Heart, Love Your Health!

Healthy Heart Recommendations

• Physical Activity

• Proper Nutrition

• Managing Stress

• Additional Recommendations

Physical Activity

• Set a goal of at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily.

• Exercise at the same time of day so it becomes a habit. For example, you might walk Monday through Friday from noon to 12:30 p.m.

• Drink a cup of water before, during and after exercising (but check with the doctor, because some people need to limit their fluid intake).

• Join an exercise group, health club or YMCA. Many churches and senior centers offer exercise programs, too. (Get your doctor's permission first.)

• Look for chances to be more active during the day. Walk the mall before shopping, choose a flight of stairs over an escalator, or take 10–15 minute walking breaks while watching TV or sitting for some other activity.

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Proper Nutrition• Increase awareness of calorie content of foods for portions typically consumed

and of daily caloric requirements.

• Consume a diet rich in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables (not fruit juices), especially those that are deeply colored (spinach, carrots, peaches and berries).

• Prepare fruits and vegetables with little added saturated or trans fat, salt and sugar.

• Choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods.

• Consume fish, especially oily fish, at least twice weekly.

• Consume no more than 2300 mg of sodium daily. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Middle-aged and older adults, African Americans and those with hypertension should consume no more than 1500 mg of sodium daily.

• Limit alcohol intake to not more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.

• When eating out, be aware of portion size; select vegetables and fruits; and avoid foods prepared with added saturated or trans fat, salt and sugar.

• Limit intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol by choosing lean meats and fat-free dairy products.

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Proper Nutrition (continued)Limit how much saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol you eat.  • These fats are usually found in meat and dairy foods and products

that are commercially baked and fried. Cutting back on these foods can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by lowering "bad“ LDL cholesterol in your blood.

Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.

• Cuts of red meat and pork labeled ‘loin’ and ‘round’ usually have the least amount of fat.• Remove all visible fat from meat and poultry before cooking.• Remove skin from poultry before eating.• Choose white meat most often when eating poultry.• Grill, bake or broil meats and poultry.• Cut back on processed meats that are high in saturated fat and sodium.

Select fat-free, 1 percent fat, and low-fat dairy products. • Minimize your intake of whole-fat dairy products such as butter and whole milk or full-fat dairy

products (yogurt, cheeses).• If you drink whole or 2 percent milk, or use full-fat dairy products, gradually switch to fat-free,

low-fat or reduced-fat dairy products.

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Proper Nutrition (continued)Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.• Use liquid vegetable oils and soft margarines in place of hard margarine or shortening.• Limit cakes, crackers, pastries, and French fries made with partially hydrogenated or saturated fats.

Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol.• Try to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.• Some commonly eaten cholesterol-containing foods include eggs

(about 200 mg per yolk), shellfish (50 to 100 mg per ½ cup), “organ” meats such as liver (375 mg per 3 oz), and whole milk (30 mg per cup).

Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.  • Cut back on added sugars to lower your total calorie intake. These foods tend to be low in vitamins

and minerals and the calories add up quickly. Also, drinking calorie-containing beverages may not make you feel full. This could tempt you to eat and drink more than you need and gain weight

• Read the ingredient list. Choose items that don’t have added sugars in their first four listed ingredients.

Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. • Compare the sodium content of similar products (for example, different brands of tomato sauce)

and choose the products with less sodium.• Choose frozen foods, soups, cereals, baked goods and other processed foods that are labeled

“reduced-sodium.”• Limit high-sodium condiments and foods such as soy sauce, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce,

flavored seasoning salts, pickles and olives.

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DASH Diet Guidelines

Managing StressOnce you are aware of how you respond to stress, you can begin to do something about

it.

There are four basic ways to cope with stress:• Learn healthy habits that help you resist stress• Change the things that cause stress• Change how you think about the problem• Avoid the stressful situation

Here are some healthy habits to try:• Take 15-20 minutes each day to relax• Get regular physical activity, such as walking or other exercise• Pray or meditate to strengthen your religious or spiritual side• Get enough sleep. (Your doctor may be able to help with certain sleep problems)• Bring pleasure into your life with things you enjoy, such as visiting with friends,

starting a hobby, reading, or listening to music• Your lifestyle habits (sleep, exercise, smoking, etc) can affect how your body handles

stress. Certain habits make coping easier; other habits may only make you feel worse. Try to develop healthy habits and avoid or change harmful ones.

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Additional Recommendations Relating to StressAvoid all unhealthy habits, which may include:

• Smoking—It's best to quit, even if it takes several attempts to succeed

• Drinking too much alcohol—Alcohol does not reduce the effects of stress and may keep you from facing issues you should handle in better ways

• Drinking too much coffee (or caffeine)—Coffee in small amounts seems harmless, but too much can make you feel nervous and tense

• Overeating, especially between meals—Try to replace “nervous eating” with a healthy habit such as relaxation, physical exercise, or pleasurable activities

http://www.toprol-xl.com/heart_healthy/stress/stress.aspx?ce=set

Additional Recommendations Relating to Heart Disease and Supplements

• Preventive nutrients for the heart include both B vitamins and antioxidants. B vitamins such as B6, B12 and folic acid protect us from the accumulation of the toxic amino acid homocysteine, which causes the build-up of plaque in arteries.

• Antioxidants such as vitamins A and C can protect our cholesterol from oxidation and provide ongoing protection from the free radical damage at the cellular level. This impacts directly on the arterial wall integrity, on the cardiac muscle cell and its energy-producing machinery, the mitochondria.

• Niacin or nicotinic acid is a B vitamin that plays an important role in lowering cholesterol levels and improving circulation. It’s most effective in increasing levels of beneficial high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol as well as reducing triglycerides.

• Vitamin E with mixed tocopherols appears useful in primary prevention of arterial disease. It protects fats and fatty cholesterol from free radical damage and reduces unhealthy low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. It decreases plaque formation in the arteries and can help reduce blood pressure. Vitamin E is best used in combination with adequate, but not excessive selenium and vitamin C.

• Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Some dietary resources rich in selenium may include: tuna, cooked beef, cooked cod, rice, and eggs.

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Additional Recommendations Relating to Heart Disease and Supplements (continued)

• Lycopene is a plant pigment and potent antioxidant found in such foods as grapefruit, tomatoes, and watermelon.A new international study finds that diets rich in this carotenoid appear to reduce a person's risk of heart attack.

• Vitamin C rejuvenates the fat-soluble vitamin E, extending its protective capabilities. Vitamin C (1,000 mg daily in two doses), among many other benefits, this antioxidant cuts down on plaque formation, helps control blood pressure, and reins in CRP (C-Reactive Protein) and Lp(a), a genetic variation of plasma LDL.

• Phytosterols, when consumed twice in a day with meals as part of a diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, will significantly decrease one's chances of having heart diseases. Some dietary resources rich in phytosterols may include: corn oil, avocado, rice bran oil, and pumpkinseed oil.

• Fish Oil (1 to 4 grams daily) can lower triglycerides 25 to 40 percent and reduce inflammation.

• Flaxseed Oil is a general essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement that is rich in Omega-3 oil and Alpha-Linoleic Acid. Flaxseeds are the most abundant source of natural compounds which can be converted by bacteria in the digestive system to lignans, unique, natural compounds which demonstrate impressive health benefits

• Pine Bark Extract includes Procyanidins which help protect the body from free radicals and the ravages of the aging process. Research has shown that it helps to improve circulation, boosts immunity, strengthens blood vessel walls, reduces inflammation and helps ease allergies.

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If you are currently living with Heart Disease or would like to avoid it ..

The DOs:• DO eat a balanced diet• DO maintain a reasonable body weight and stay at least moderately physically

active.• DO have your cholesterol level checked by your physician, especially if your

family has a history of heart disease.• DO continue to seek regular dental care.• DO comply with the medical regimen prescribed by your cardiologist by

keeping up with follow-up appointments, taking your medications as prescribed, having necessary tests done when required, and adhering to any and all physical activity restrictions.

• DO learn about your heart and heart disease. Don't rely on your parents, primary care doctor or anyone else to do this for you!

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If you are currently living with Heart Disease or would like to avoid it ..

The DON’Ts:• DON’T partake in any unsafe practices such as smoking tobacco or taking

intravenous or non-prescribed drugs.• DON’T overlook complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs are rich in fiber,

vitamins and minerals. Choose more whole grain breads and cereals, pasta, brown rice, and dried beans and peas. Enjoy fruits and vegetables more often.

• DON’T overindulge in salt. High blood pressure is associated with a diet high in sodium. Check labels carefully and watch the amount of salt you use in cooking and at the table.

• DON’T deviate from the prescribed diet, physical activity, and or lifestyle regimens prescribed by your cardiologist and primary care doctors.

• DON’T eliminate all fat from your diet. You need some fat in your diet for good health. Fat adds pleasure to your meal and makes you feel satisfied after the meal. Fat also gives flavor, texture, and moisture to food.

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Love Your Heart, Love Your Health!

Q & A

The information presented is not intended to be medical advise or replace any medical recommendations. Before

beginning any new exercise or health improvement program, consult your physician.