The Skinny on the Oil-heavy, Mediterranean Diet

Posted on 26 February, 2013 by activeforever

Image courtesy of dusky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There’s been a great deal of buzz lately about the Mediterranean diet as a heart healthy diet, but is there any substance behind the rumors? Author of “Eat to Live” and board certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine, Joel Fuhrman, MD, thinks not.

Dr. Fuhrman is known to credit the observed benefits of the Mediterranean diet, not to the olive oil, but rather in spite of it, and instead notes the abundance of fruit, fish, beans, tomato sauce, salads, etc.,

Fat is fat is fat when it comes to losing weight. Weight loss is one of the greatest things a person can do for their heart and their health. While good fats like salmon, eggs and seeds do have significant health benefits, even they need to be used sparingly by those who are determined to shed extra bulk.

Any way you slice it, oil is pure, 100 percent fat. When a person is trying to lose weight, especially a person that is middle-age or older, that is simply too much.

Image courtesy of m_bartosch at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dr. Fuhrman’s daughter, Talia Fuhrman, an accomplished nutritionist in her own right, weighs in on the subject of the ominous oil:

“Some have proposed that extra virgin olive oil is heart healthy because it is rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols have antioxidant characteristics and studies show that they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, all plant foods are rich in polyphenols and most deliver much more polyphenols (and far fewer calories) than olive oil.”

Then of course, there’s exercise. (It’s not called cardio for nothing after all.) Regular exercise is one of the best things a person can do to reduce cholesterol and improve heart health. It doesn’t have to be vigorous either:

The AgSilver CleanMat Hot Yoga Mat, regularly $30.01 is now available for just $19.99. (60% off!)

“Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise on most — if not all — days. Studies show that yoga and tai chi, an ancient Chinese exercise involving slow, relaxing movements, may lower blood pressure almost as well as moderate-intensity aerobic exercises.” Source: University of Maryland Medical Center

Heart Smart Salmon: More Spice, Less Fat.

Posted on 22 February, 2013 by activeforever

Chef David Kamen shows you how to fight obesity, cancer and heart disease with the help of a healthy diet. The key to eating heart-smart is to learn to add flavor to healthy foods without the addition of bad fat or salt. Salmon, however is bursting with the healthy, unsaturated fat and Omega-3′s that the body needs to function properly.

Unsaturated fats come mostly from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature. They can be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Foods high in monounsaturated fat include avocados, olives, peanuts, as well as canola, olive, almond, hazelnut, and peanut oils.

Foods high in polyunsaturated fat include fatty fish, nuts and vegetable oils such as safflower and sunflower. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are found in certain cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, sardines, and lake trout. Omega-3′s may help prevent heart disease because they lower triglycerides and reduce blood clotting. They may also lower blood pressure and prevent arrhythmia.

Some healthy herbs, spices and seasonings that are great for giving salmon and other healthy dishes an extra kick are basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, chili, garlic and ginger. In this video, Chef Kamen prepares Asian-Style Steamed Salmon in: “Cooking with herbs, spices and other seasonings!”

Source: The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Visit their recipe section for more great meal ideas.

Or try this alternative Asian-Style Steamed Salmon recipe from Ricardocuisine.com Image source: ricardocuisine.com

Enjoy!

SIGVARIS Compression Stockings for Greater Health

Posted on 21 February, 2013 by activeforever

Compression stockings lead to healthier legs according to physicians worldwide. Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen, a certified vein specialist at the Vein Healthcare Center writes:

“Venous disease is one of the most common health problems in the U.S., affecting approximately 50 percent of the population. The condition includes varicose veins, spider veins, or deep vein thrombosis.

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Today, there are several outpatient, minimally invasive treatments for vein issues. One alternative is compression therapy.

Compression stockings can prevent vein problems from occurring, relieve venous symptoms such as leg swelling, fatigue or achiness and decrease the likelihood of a blood clot.”

The pressure supplied by these stockings or various compression garments facilitates healthy blood flow. Compression therapy usually utilizes “gradient” or graduated compression stockings. This means the most concentrated level of compression is at the ankle.

The pressure reduces further up the leg, enabling the veins to more efficiently transport blood back up to the heart. This prevents blood pooling in the feet and enables the management of chronic and often dangerous venous disorders such as the above mentioned DVT as well as Phlebitis, Edema and others.

SIGVARIS is part of an internationally active, physician founded medical device group. For the past 140 years, SIGVARIS has focused on the development, production and distribution of medical compression garments. With distribution in more than 60 countries on six continents, SIGVARIS is recognized as a global industry leader in the area of compression therapy.

SIGVARIS Compression Stockings utilizes double covered yarn so your skin isn’t exposed to spandex, making them more comfortable. SIGVARIS stockings are more durable and easier to put on. They feature several different product lines to address specific needs.

Women wanting the benefits of compression therapy without sacrificing comfort and fashion appreciate that SIGVARIS’ EverSheer stockings are some of the sheerest and most popular hosiery on the market. Once you put on any of the SIGVARIS compression products you’ll immediately feel what the industry refers to as “the SIGVARIS difference.”

These SIGVARIS Womens EverSheer Compression Panty Hose 20-30 mmHg are utterly indistinguishable from even the most flattering lingerie. $107.96 and the shipping’s FREE.

Congenital Heart Defect survivors and their stories

Posted on 12 February, 2013 by activeforever

February 7-14th is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Congenital Heart Defect, also known as Congenital Heart Disease, (CHD) is any birth defect which affects the heart or the large blood vessels. Congenital means that the defect is present at birth.

Congenital Heart Defect is considered to be the most common birth defect, and is a leading cause of birth-defect related deaths worldwide. Congenital Heart Disease affects approximately 1.8 millions families in the United States according to the Congenital Heart Information Network (C.H.I.N.)

The inspirational and heart-warming Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week Pinterest page is something you don’t want to miss. Here are some of the CHD survivors on that page and their stories:

Kaden (above) was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries the day he was born. He had open heart surgery at 12 days old. Complications during and after the 11-hour surgery led the surgeon to believe his heart wouldn’t sustain life. He went home two weeks later. He has pulmonary stenosis and a small VSD but is doing amazingly well.

Olivia (left) was born with half a heart as a result of a severe and complicated congenital heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). During the past four years she has endured three open-heart surgeries, five heart catheters and a stroke.

Norah (right) was born with Heterodoxy, an ASD, VSD, interrupted IVC w/ Azygos continuation, an Intestinal Malrotation, minor Hydronephrosis, Pulmonary Stenosis and Polysplenia (she has 2 functional spleens). She had Ladd’s Procedure when she was 5 weeks old and open heart surgery at 9 months.

Mother says:
“We were fortunate enough to know she’d have a CHD before birth. It was tough to go through the pregnancy not knowing what would be wrong with her (bad news started when I was about 12 weeks along), but always loving her. She was, and IS, perfect. It took a long time to remember that she was perfect (at least to me) before I knew about her conditions and that they didn’t change anything. She was still the baby I loved, she’d just have a more colorful story than some.”

Health Mark for Prevention of Heart Disease and Heart Attacks

Posted on 6 February, 2013 by activeforever

After years of aggressive marketing efforts on behalf of womens’ health advocates and organizations, the long-held misconception of heart disease as being a predominantly male issue is beginning to fade.

The widely understood concept of an actual heart attack and the process in which it manifests is perhaps still a little behind the times however.

When you think of the term, heart attack, or cardiac arrest, what sort of image pops into your head? It’s most likely a man, experiencing a sudden onslaught of pain that takes over his whole body in a moment. His face registers agony as he clutches his chest and is no longer able to stand. A horrific occurrence which no one should have to endure for sure, but it is not the whole story.

For women, the process is infinitely more subtle and therefore harder to detect. Whereas men experience extreme tightening of the chest, for women it has been described as more of a discomfort. This is followed by flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, dizziness, difficulty breathing and even insomnia.

The Health Mark Port-A-Vibe is the only ‘Whole Body Vibration’ machine built to accommodate a space conscious or fluid lifestyle. $259.00

What it boils down to is this:

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States today. It is a deadly and widespread disease with common, nondescript symptoms that are easily and very often ignored.

By the time a woman seeks treatment it is often too late.

Consider the times (like these,) when the flu virus is rampant. It’s no surprise that heart disease in so many women goes undetected.

Health Mark carries a line of affordable cardio machines for prevention such as the Port-a-Vibe Whole Body Vibration Machine.

Their extensive line of products also includes some really smart devices such as this Body Tone Heart Rate Monitor.

The Health Mark Heart Rate Monitor allows you to keep track of your heart rate so it stays in the right zone for optimal health and fitness. $64.55

Customizable preset functioning allows for individualized and thus more accurate readings.

No matter how it’s done, it’s crucial to know the symptoms and the signs of heart disease and to be pro-active about your health and the health of those around you.

Top 5 Symptoms of Heart Disease in Women

1. Fatigue

2. Shortness of Breath

3. Indigestion, Upper Abdominal Pain or Nausea

4. Jaw or Throat Pain

5. Arm Pain (Especially the left arm)

Source: abcnews

National Wear Red Day!

Posted on 1 February, 2013 by activeforever

It’s National Wear Red Day! Not because it’s such a beautiful color, but rather because it’s a way to show support for the women who are taking action to protect their hearts and by extension, their lives!

They do this by reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol. They maintain a healthy weight by getting regular exercise and they do not smoke. All of these actions taken together go a long way toward decreasing the risk of developing heart disease.

Are you at risk of developing heart disease? The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute helps you find out.

Getting a healthy jump start on matters of the heart

Posted on 31 January, 2013 by activeforever

Well it’s not quite February yet, but we thought we’d get ahead of the curve and begin posting about Heart Health today!

Why? Well we just ran across this interesting article in the BBC today: Vegetarians ‘cut heart risk by 32%’. The piece outlines findings from a recent study which illustrates the role that Vegetarianism can play in promoting a stronger ticker.

It reads in part:

A study of 44,500 people in England and Scotland showed vegetarians were 32% less likely to die or need hospital treatment as a result of heart disease.

Differences in cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body weight are thought to be behind the health boost.

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Heart disease is a major blight in Western countries. It kills 94,000 people in the UK each year – more than any other disease, and 2.6 million people live with the condition.

The heart’s own blood supply becomes blocked up by fatty deposits in the arteries that nourish the heart muscle. It can cause angina or even lead to a heart attack if the blood vessels become completely blocked.

Dr Francesca Crowe said: “The main message is that diet is an important determinant of heart health, I’m not advocating that everyone eats a vegetarian diet.”

The results showed the vegetarians had lower blood pressure, lower levels of “bad” cholesterol and were more likely to have a healthy weight.

Tracy Parker, from the British Heart Foundation, said: “But remember, choosing the veggie option on the menu is not a shortcut to a healthy heart. After all, there are still plenty of foods suitable for vegetarians that are high in saturated fat and salt.”

The study was originally published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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