Partners for Your Health Blog

Fiber Rich Foods Fight Heart Disease and Diabetes

When you think of eating more fiber, you probably picture what goes on in your stomach and intestines. But WebMD tells us, “Fiber isn't just for good for your gut. It fights heart disease and diabetes, new studies suggest.”

Fiber is also a main component of the DASH Diet, aimed at avoiding hypertension / high blood pressure, and the Anti-Cancer Diet.

People need both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Soluble means it can dissolved, and insoluble can’t, so they don’t get digested, but help keep food moving through your digestive tract. It has been shown that soluble fiber can help reduce elevated cholesterol levels if incorporated into a low-saturated fat diet. Current recommendations advise healthy adults should eat between 20 grams to 30 grams of dietary fiber daily from a variety of food sources. About 25% (6 grams) should come from soluble fiber sources. The best way to reach your fiber intake goal is to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, whole grain products and legumes.

Here’s how to reap the benefits of fiber:

• Use brown rice instead of white rice
• Substitute whole-grain bread for white bread
• Choose a bran muffin over a croissant or pastry
• Snack on popcorn instead of potato chips
• Eat fresh fruit such as a pear, a banana, or an apple (with the skin)
• Have a baked potato, including the skin, instead of mashed potatoes
• Enjoy fresh carrots, celery, or bell peppers with a hummus or salsa, instead of chips and a sour cream dip
• Use beans instead of ground meat in chili, casseroles, tacos, and even burgers (bean burgers taste great!)

Foods with a lot of soluble fiber include:

• Oatmeal
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes (peas, beans, and lentils)
• Apple
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Foods packed with insoluble fibers include:

• Whole-grain bread
• Whole-grain breakfast cereals
• Wheat bran
• Seeds
• Many vegetables, including carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, and tomatoes

Eating Right to Lower Blood Pressure

No matter what you call it, eating well can keep you healthy and thin. The latest diet name is the DASH diet, which sounds quick, but it stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

Research has shown that this diet, which goes easy on fats, red meat, and sweets but is rich in fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products—can lower high blood pressure in just two weeks' time, working about as well for people with hypertension as medication can.

It has also been shown to lower "bad" cholesterol levels. And the diet, which also incorporates fish, poultry, nuts, and whole grains—appears to have even greater blood pressure-lowering benefits when people also consume less salt.

And check out this new research from the Archives of Internal Medicine: The DASH diet may help women significantly lower their risk of heart disease and stroke!

"It's a very healthy diet; there's no downside" says Eva Obarzanek, a research nutritionist at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, project officer for much of the earlier DASH research. "I think it should be recommended for everybody, with or without high blood pressure."

The DASH plan can be tailored to meet a person's daily calorie needs, but based on 2,000 calories per day, might include: 6 to 8 servings of whole grains; 4 to 5 servings of vegetables; 4 to 5 servings of fruits; 2 to 3 servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy products; 6 or fewer ounces of lean meats, like poultry or fish; and 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils. Nuts, seeds, and legumes should be sprinkled in throughout the week, in 4 to 5 servings; and sweets should be limited to 5 or fewer servings per week, according to a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute pamphlet called Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH.

Meditate your Heart to Health

If you’ve never meditated before, you might think it’s just a waste of time to sit still for a few minutes. It might seem like you’re just doing nothing. But actually, taking the time to just sit and breathe is really good for you, mentally and physically, and some say, spiritually too.

An article on MedicineNet.com told us about how good endorphins are for our health, and listed meditation as one of the ways to get the endorphins flowing.

Then I found this article on MSNBC about a study that found meditation was good for the heart, and I quote “Regular practice may help prevent cardiovascular disease”. Let me give you some other quotes that might make you willing to sit still for a while:

• More than 600 studies have been published over the past three decades on the potential health effects of TM, or Transcendental Meditation, the most studied form of meditation.
• Some researchers believe the effects that meditation has on the nervous system can alter a range of body functions, such as respiration, blood vessel dilation and stress-hormone regulation. And that, studies suggest, could translate into lower risks of disease, including cardiovascular disease.
• Most recently, researchers reported in the May issue of the American Journal of Cardiology that such benefits may make for a longer life.

Their article included a study on high school kids, and how stress is giving them high blood pressure which learning meditation alleviated, so it’s not just for adults. Another article I found had these little tidbits to share:

• Studies on the effects of transcendental meditation showed that heart rate, blood pressure, and some endocrine secretions are altered to healthful levels in the meditative state.
• Cardiovascular physician Dean Ornish offered documented proof that heart disease can be halted and even reversed by changing to a lifestyle that combined diet, exercise, and the regular practice of meditation.

So there!

Tips for Women’s Heart Health in their 40s

Here are a few things that women in their 40’s need to consider when trying to stay healthy:

• Peri-menopause
• Hypothyroidism
• Muscle mass loss

I know, you’re thinking, “Oh, joy.” But here’s what Women’s Day magazine suggested to overcome it all.

Make Sleep a Priority
If you’re not getting a good night's sleep, you may have peri-menopause to thank. Fluctuating hormone levels can interfere with your sleep, which in turn can lead to increased blood pressure, low-grade inflammation and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, all of which are harmful for your blood vessels and heart. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain, which is bad for your heart and your mood!

Reassess Your Risk Factors
Your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels may have changed in this decade, even if you aren't doing anything differently. 50 percent of 40-something women have high cholesterol--a jump from 38 percent of women in their 30’s, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Also, be sure to get your thyroid checked around 45. Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland) becomes more common as women get older, and can negatively affect your cholesterol levels as well as your heart.

Step Up Strength Training
You start to lose muscle mass more rapidly in your 40’s, which causes your metabolism to slow down since muscle burns more calories than fat. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to stave off those extra pounds. To help maintain muscle and keep your metabolism going, aim for two 15-minute sessions weekly of lifting weights, using a resistance band or doing other toning exercises.

Carve out Personal Time
Find at least 10 minutes a day for yourself, not only to help ease stress but also to guard against depression, which commonly crops up in this decade and can raise your risk of heart disease.

Education About Heart Disease Risk Factors

Every one runs the risk of getting heart disease, and the level of risk differs from one person to the next, based on a number of factors. Some of these are things we cannot control – such as family history of heart disease, or genetic predisposition.

But the good news is that most are factors we can control – such as cholesterol levels, smoking, blood pressure, diet and activity levels – through lifestyle changes or, if necessary, treatment therapies in partnership with your cardiologist. And here’s even better news: By taking control of your heart health, you can greatly lower your risk of getting heart disease!

The first step is to understand the most common risk factors known to be associated with heart disease, so that you can adjust your behavior to improve your chances of keeping or improving your heart health.

That’s what Cardiosmart.org had to say, and they offer a series of videos to educate you on:

• LDL
• High Blood Pressure
• HDL
• Triglycerides
• Smoking
• Family History
• What are the different types of fat?

Plus these on-line risk assessment tools:

• CardioSmart BMI Calculator
• Heart Disease Risk Assessment

Family Doctor.org also encourages you to know your risk factors. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women and men. Take a moment to consider your lifestyle, family history and general health. Risk factors for heart disease include:

• Age
• Family history
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Smoking
• Poor diet
• Excess weight
• Inactivity (sedentary lifestyle)
• Other health problems (such as diabetes)

They offer additional information, so you and your family doctor can assess your risk and make a plan to tackle potential problems.

The Facts about Smoking and Heart Disease

Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer, but 20 - 30% of all deaths from heart disease in the U.S. are directly related to cigarette smoking, according to WebMD.

Among other things, the nicotine present in smoke causes:

• Decreased oxygen to the heart.
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate.
• Increase in blood clotting.
• Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels, triggering atherosclerosis and heart disease.

WebMD explains that a person's risk of heart attack greatly increases with the number of cigarettes he or she smokes. Smokers continue to increase their risk of heart attack the longer they smoke as well. People who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day have more than twice the risk of heart attack than non-smokers. Women who smoke and also take birth control pills increase several times their risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Cigarette smoke also affects the people around you, who are also at risk for developing health problems, especially children. Environmental tobacco smoke (also called passive smoke or secondhand smoke) can cause chronic respiratory conditions, cancer, and heart disease. It is estimated that around 35,000 nonsmokers die from heart disease each year as a result of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

Quitting smoking can also be helpful in:

• Prolonging your life.
• Reducing your risk of disease (including heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, ulcers, gum disease, and other conditions).
• Feeling healthier. After quitting, you won't cough as much, you'll have fewer sore throats and you will increase your stamina.
• Looking better. Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained teeth, and improve your skin.
• Improving your sense of taste and smell.
• Saving money!

7 Simple Steps for a Healthy Life

I believe we are so fortunate to live at a time in history when we can take advantage of the best in medical science and all that has been gathered throughout time about natural health. There is so much that we can do for ourselves to keep ourselves healthy and work with our doctors for optimum physical health and longevity, which of course goes a long way toward boosting happiness too.

The American Heart Association has just launched My Life Check and a campaign to help us do this. It’s called “Life’s Simple 7 – Seven simple steps to live better.” Here’s how they explain it:

My Life Check was designed by the American Heart Association with the goal of improved health by educating the public on how best to live. These measures have one unique thing in common: any person can make these changes, the steps are not expensive to take and even modest improvements to your health will make a big difference. Start with one or two. This simple, seven step list has been developed to deliver on the hope we all have--to live a long, productive healthy life.

The seven simple steps are:

1. Get Active
2. Eat Better
3. Lose Weight
4. Stop Smoking
5. Control Cholesterol
6. Manage Blood Pressure
7. Reduce Blood Sugar

It may look like a list of hurdles, but it can actually be fun! The first two can be translated to “Play More” and “Enjoy Gourmet Goodness”. And your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar can all improve just by starting with the first two steps. We’ll look at different ways to make these simple steps more fun and make heart health part of a recipe for a fuller, more enjoyable life!

Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Heart Health

1. Exercise at least 30 minutes every day.

Regular physical exercise makes you feel better and live longer. It keeps the walls of your arteries flexible, which helps dampen rises in blood pressure, reducing your risk of stroke and atherosclerosis. Walking just a half hour every day will help to control your weight and improve your health.

2. If you smoke cigarettes, absolutely, positively stop for good.

Dr. Thomas H. Lee, M.D. writes, “No ’wonder drug’ does as much to reduce a smoker’s risk of heart attack as does giving up cigarettes.” Talk about the issue with your doctor. Then, do something special for yourself as a reward with the money you’ve been spending on cigarettes.

3. Take your medications every day the way they are prescribed.

Only about half of people take their pills as regularly as they are supposed to. The result is that blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and other conditions are not nearly as well controlled as they might be. Put them right next to your tooth brush, or post a chart on your refrigerator.

4. Work at improving communication with your physicians.

If you are having side effects that dampen your enthusiasm for your medications, tell your doctor. There are so many good choices today, physicians almost always can find an alternative that works for you. Write down what you want to talk about, and when the doctor talks to you, write his or her points down. At the end of the visit, try summarizing your understanding of what the doctor has said.

5. Eat better

Being overweight taxes your heart and your joints, and increases your risk for hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. Try to lose just one pound per month for the year --it just takes walking a bit more each day, or giving up one cookie per day. But if you do this, you’ll need new clothes a year from now --and feel better for it.