How To head off a heart attack.

Power Up!
By Nancy Christie
MediZine's Healthy Living First Quarter 2008

Think of your heart as a fist-size engine that keeps your body moving along. Fail to fuel it properly or let it sit around for weeks on end, and you may well wind up with a sluggish system. Enough poor lifestyle habits can lead to heart disease, even heart attack.

While certain heart disease risk factors (age, sex and genes) can’t be avoided, others, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and inactivity, are under your control.

When it comes to nutrition, picking the right mix of protein, carbs and fat ensures that your system is getting what it needs. But how do you choose wisely?

“There are a lot of terms being tossed around out there: phytochemicals, antioxidants, flavonoids and polyphenols,” says Beth Thayer, R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “But each fruit and vegetable has its own special properties. The important part is to eat the fruits and vegetables. It’s the same with grains: Choose whole grains rather than processed or refined grains.”

Legumes and beans are also heart-boosters, Thayer adds: “They are a great source of soluble fiber, which binds up cholesterol in your gut.” They also provide folic acid. That’s key, because a deficiency can lead to elevated homocysteine—a risk factor for heart disease. Aim for at least 25 grams of total fiber and 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.

For protein, it’s beans and legumes again, along with oily fish such as salmon, trout and herring, which are full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Add at least two 3-ounce servings of oily fish per week to your diet.

Reduce your intake of saturated fats (found in butter, solid shortening, lard) and trans fats (vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods). Both can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels; trans fat also decreases HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

How much is too much? The American Heart Association suggests that saturated fat be less than 7 percent and trans fat less than 1 percent of your daily calories.

Movement Musts

Exercising can combat stress, high blood pressure, obesity and other risks to your heart. But before you head to the gym, get your doctor’s okay. Then aim for least 30 minutes—continuous or incremental—of moderate-intensity activity five to seven days a week. (That’s what the surgeon general recommends.) A well-balanced routine will include cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.

Skimp on Salt

Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure. So forgo the salt shaker and read nutrition labels carefully--especially when purchasing processed, canned or frozen foods.

Courtesy: Health & Wellness REMEDY life.

HAPPY PASSOVER to all my Jewish Friends and Readers! Enjoy in Good Health! :o)

Jacques