Love Your Heart, Love Your Health!

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Love Your Heart, Love Your Health!
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Healthy Heart Recommendations

• Physical Activity
• Proper Nutrition
• Managing Stress
• Additional Recommendations

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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 1230 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 1015
  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 dont
  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
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Managing Stress

• Once 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 Stress

• Avoid all unhealthy habits, which may include
• SmokingIt's best to quit, even if it takes
  several attempts to succeed
• Drinking too much alcoholAlcohol 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 mealsTry to
  replace nervous eating with a healthy habit
  such as relaxation, physical exercise, or
  pleasurable activities

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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. Its 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 DONTs
• DONT partake in any unsafe practices such as
  smoking tobacco or taking intravenous or
  non-prescribed drugs.
• DONT 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.
• DONT 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.
• DONT deviate from the prescribed diet, physical
  activity, and or lifestyle regimens prescribed by
  your cardiologist and primary care doctors.
• DONT 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.