Heart Health – What you Eat Makes a Difference
Cole Carson asked:
Heart health is becoming a hotter and hotter topic these days. Everybody knows that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans, we’ve heard the numbers for years now. The great news is that there are plenty of amazing things we can do at any age to help upkeep the health of our most important organ. As we all know, exercise and keeping fit are extraordinarily important, but there are also many vitamins and foods that contain numerous benefits in keeping our hearts healthy and reducing our chances for getting heart disease.
Since we were kids we’ve heard from everywhere and everyone the importance of taking our vitamins, so they’re probably a really great place to start. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to find out that there are certain vitamins that have been shown to decrease our chances of heart disease. The B vitamins have been shown to play an extraordinarily important role in helping to prevent heart problems. A deficiency of the vitamins B9 and B6 cause high levels of a chemical compound called homocysteine in our blood. In high levels, homocysteine weakens and damages arteries, greatly increasing your risk of heart disease. By taking these vitamins you can help your body maintain healthy levels of homocysteine.
The foods you eat are one of the most important factors to your health. Whatever you put in your body gets absorbed, so when you’re eating nutritious foods you’re going to be a much healthier person. There are plenty of foods out there that have been shown to be very effective in keeping your body healthy.
Most fruits are good for our bodies, and blueberries are no exception. These little treats happen to be loaded with anthocyanin, a natural antioxidant. We all know that antioxidants are key to our health, and that they protect our bodies from premature aging by fighting the damage done by free radicals. What many people aren’t aware of, however, is that they can also reduce your risk of developing certain forms of cancer, and help to protect you against heart disease. There’s really no reason not to throw blueberries in your trail mix bag, toss them in with a salad, or eat a handful every day.
Eating fish is also another great way to help keep your heart healthy. Fish is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, which research has pointed to being extremely beneficial in reducing heart disease by helping to lower cholesterol. While eating fish is definitely the most natural and beneficial way of getting your dose of omega-3 fatty acids, you can also take a fish oil supplement as well.
Foods high in dietary fiber have also been shown to help in reducing cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy, so eating plenty of whole wheat, fruits like apples and bananas, and vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli can make a big difference in your heart’s overall health. Snacking on whole wheat cereals, adding some sliced up fruit to your breakfast, and steaming up some vegetables for dinner is a great way to incorporate these into your diet on a regular basis.
It’s common knowledge what foods need to be avoided to keep our hearts healthy, but this is only half of the solution to achieving total heart nutrition. Incorporating vitamins and foods that benefit your heart, on top of regular exercise, provide the rest of the solution. Heart disease is a very real danger, and the number of victims it claims only rise each year. By choosing a healthier, more nutritious diet, you’re taking a big step to making sure that you aren’t one of those numbers.
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Heart health is becoming a hotter and hotter topic these days. Everybody knows that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans, we’ve heard the numbers for years now. The great news is that there are plenty of amazing things we can do at any age to help upkeep the health of our most important organ. As we all know, exercise and keeping fit are extraordinarily important, but there are also many vitamins and foods that contain numerous benefits in keeping our hearts healthy and reducing our chances for getting heart disease.
Since we were kids we’ve heard from everywhere and everyone the importance of taking our vitamins, so they’re probably a really great place to start. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to find out that there are certain vitamins that have been shown to decrease our chances of heart disease. The B vitamins have been shown to play an extraordinarily important role in helping to prevent heart problems. A deficiency of the vitamins B9 and B6 cause high levels of a chemical compound called homocysteine in our blood. In high levels, homocysteine weakens and damages arteries, greatly increasing your risk of heart disease. By taking these vitamins you can help your body maintain healthy levels of homocysteine.
The foods you eat are one of the most important factors to your health. Whatever you put in your body gets absorbed, so when you’re eating nutritious foods you’re going to be a much healthier person. There are plenty of foods out there that have been shown to be very effective in keeping your body healthy.
Most fruits are good for our bodies, and blueberries are no exception. These little treats happen to be loaded with anthocyanin, a natural antioxidant. We all know that antioxidants are key to our health, and that they protect our bodies from premature aging by fighting the damage done by free radicals. What many people aren’t aware of, however, is that they can also reduce your risk of developing certain forms of cancer, and help to protect you against heart disease. There’s really no reason not to throw blueberries in your trail mix bag, toss them in with a salad, or eat a handful every day.
Eating fish is also another great way to help keep your heart healthy. Fish is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, which research has pointed to being extremely beneficial in reducing heart disease by helping to lower cholesterol. While eating fish is definitely the most natural and beneficial way of getting your dose of omega-3 fatty acids, you can also take a fish oil supplement as well.
Foods high in dietary fiber have also been shown to help in reducing cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy, so eating plenty of whole wheat, fruits like apples and bananas, and vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli can make a big difference in your heart’s overall health. Snacking on whole wheat cereals, adding some sliced up fruit to your breakfast, and steaming up some vegetables for dinner is a great way to incorporate these into your diet on a regular basis.
It’s common knowledge what foods need to be avoided to keep our hearts healthy, but this is only half of the solution to achieving total heart nutrition. Incorporating vitamins and foods that benefit your heart, on top of regular exercise, provide the rest of the solution. Heart disease is a very real danger, and the number of victims it claims only rise each year. By choosing a healthier, more nutritious diet, you’re taking a big step to making sure that you aren’t one of those numbers.
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Improving Your Heart Health, One Step at a Time
Joseph Delainey asked:
Without a healthy heart, every day is nerve racking. You worry each time you feel the slightest discomfort that today is the day your heart will give out. Instead of worrying your days away, take positive steps to improve your odds.
The first thing you can do to improve your heart health is to stop smoking. Any treatment for heart disease will be undone by the damage to your health caused by cigarettes. Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by increasing your blood pressure and your blood’s ability to clot.
Smoking also prevents you from participating in physical activity, further adding to your chances for heart disease. In America, smoking accounts for nearly 444,000 of the country’s annual 2.4 million deaths, according to the American Heart Association.
Other risk factors for heart disease include diabetes, high blood cholesterol, obesity and genetic predisposition. You can’t control your genetic makeup, but you most certainly can have a positive effect on your weight. A reduction in your overall weight will significantly improve your heart health and potentially keep you from having to suffer through surgery, hospitalization and treatment for heart disease.
Instead of being dependent on blood pressure pills and cholesterol medication for the rest of your life, try to use foresight in your daily routine. If you don’t want to die of a heart attack before your daughter gets married or your grandchild is born, you’re going to have to drastically change your lifestyle.
This may sound overwhelming at first. After years of eating cheeseburgers, you can’t imagine being the guy that orders a salad at lunch. Well, every great accomplishment starts with a first step. Try simple steps to improve your heart health. Replace one bad habit a week with one good habit.
Instead of having potato chips for a snack while you’re watching television at night, cut up two small bananas and a cup of strawberries into slices. Enjoy the flavor of these fruits and their heart health benefits. Potassium has been proven to lower your risk of heart disease, and these foods are cholesterol free.
The following week, step out and replace another bad habit with a healthy one. Instead of watching a little bit of television after dinner, get out and walk around the block. Start off simple. The fresh air and the sunshine will lift your spirits, and the simple act of walking improves your heart health.
Then, step up your routine a single notch. If on Monday you walked around the block once, aim to go for an extra block on Wednesday. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to your walks and going a distance you never imagined possible. Exercise doesn’t have to mean killing yourself on a treadmill or lifting heavy weights at the gym. It simply means you need to increase your activity level a little bit at a time to improve your overall heart health.
The only person that can improve your current and future health is you. Your heart isn’t invincible. Years of punishing it with cigarettes, high cholesterol foods, a lack of exercise and other risky behaviors will eventually catch up with you. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get out, get active, change your habits and get a new lease on life with a brand new set of heart healthy habits.
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Without a healthy heart, every day is nerve racking. You worry each time you feel the slightest discomfort that today is the day your heart will give out. Instead of worrying your days away, take positive steps to improve your odds.
The first thing you can do to improve your heart health is to stop smoking. Any treatment for heart disease will be undone by the damage to your health caused by cigarettes. Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by increasing your blood pressure and your blood’s ability to clot.
Smoking also prevents you from participating in physical activity, further adding to your chances for heart disease. In America, smoking accounts for nearly 444,000 of the country’s annual 2.4 million deaths, according to the American Heart Association.
Other risk factors for heart disease include diabetes, high blood cholesterol, obesity and genetic predisposition. You can’t control your genetic makeup, but you most certainly can have a positive effect on your weight. A reduction in your overall weight will significantly improve your heart health and potentially keep you from having to suffer through surgery, hospitalization and treatment for heart disease.
Instead of being dependent on blood pressure pills and cholesterol medication for the rest of your life, try to use foresight in your daily routine. If you don’t want to die of a heart attack before your daughter gets married or your grandchild is born, you’re going to have to drastically change your lifestyle.
This may sound overwhelming at first. After years of eating cheeseburgers, you can’t imagine being the guy that orders a salad at lunch. Well, every great accomplishment starts with a first step. Try simple steps to improve your heart health. Replace one bad habit a week with one good habit.
Instead of having potato chips for a snack while you’re watching television at night, cut up two small bananas and a cup of strawberries into slices. Enjoy the flavor of these fruits and their heart health benefits. Potassium has been proven to lower your risk of heart disease, and these foods are cholesterol free.
The following week, step out and replace another bad habit with a healthy one. Instead of watching a little bit of television after dinner, get out and walk around the block. Start off simple. The fresh air and the sunshine will lift your spirits, and the simple act of walking improves your heart health.
Then, step up your routine a single notch. If on Monday you walked around the block once, aim to go for an extra block on Wednesday. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to your walks and going a distance you never imagined possible. Exercise doesn’t have to mean killing yourself on a treadmill or lifting heavy weights at the gym. It simply means you need to increase your activity level a little bit at a time to improve your overall heart health.
The only person that can improve your current and future health is you. Your heart isn’t invincible. Years of punishing it with cigarettes, high cholesterol foods, a lack of exercise and other risky behaviors will eventually catch up with you. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get out, get active, change your habits and get a new lease on life with a brand new set of heart healthy habits.
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Cardio Enthusiasts Discover a More Effective Training Method for Fat Loss and Heart Health!
Alder Debid asked:
It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of “perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level”. Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the “hamster on the wheel” doing endless hours of boring cardio, I’d like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as all animals demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do “endurance” type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss).
Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way — Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints.
Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 – run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Interval 3 – run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this article is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
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It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of “perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level”. Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the “hamster on the wheel” doing endless hours of boring cardio, I’d like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as all animals demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do “endurance” type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss).
Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way — Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints.
Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 – run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Interval 3 – run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this article is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
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Heart Health Information Everyone Should Know
Steven A Johnson asked:
Your heart is located in the middle of your chest just slightly to the left. It’s about the size of your fist and it sends blood to every part of your body like a pump. The right side of your heart receives the blood and pumps it to the lungs and the left side receives the blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body. The heart beats by filling the heart with blood and then contracting to move the blood along.
There are four main chambers in the heart. The atria are the two chambers on top. They are the ones that fill with blood the returns from the lungs and body. The ventricles are the chambers and the bottom. These chambers pump the blood out into the body and lungs. The septum is a wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart. There is also one valve in each of the chambers; they are called the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves. They let the blood flow from the atria to the ventricles by closing one valve and then opening another. The blood that your heart pumps moves through your arteries and veins. These blood vessels are attached to your heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and the veins bring it back.
There is few easy things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Exercising helps keep your heart healthy. Try to get at least 30 minutes a day or an hour is even better. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and avoid sugary and fatty foods. Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels so quit if you are a smoker. Eating less salt will lower blood pressure levels, so don’t add it to your foods and cook less with it. Watch your weight, try to stay at a weight the is proper for your age and height. Relax, stress can but pressure on your heart. And lastly, get a yearly check up.
Keeping your heart healthy can prevent risks of getting heart disease. heart disease is the number one problem for men and women in the states. Heart disease is also called cardiovascular disease. the disease has a number of problems that go with it like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and hardening of the arteries.
Many people don’t even realize that they have heart disease until they experience chest pains, stroke, or heart attack. A person who has heart disease might have to take medicine or go in to surgery. There is some supplements that can be taken that can help to prevent heart problems. Alternative Health Supplements offers some all natural supplements that can support and maintain a healthy heart as well as promote good blood vessel health and function. Some doctors can prescribe medications too; they might recommend taking a blood thinner.
Some of the surgery involved in heart disease, angioplasty is done to help blocked vessels by using a balloon like tool in the artery. Atherectomy cuts plaque out of an artery so the blood can flow easier. Pacemakers are a device that is put in the body to keep the heart beat regular. Valve replacement is done if there is a valve that is damaged. And Bypass surgery takes a part of the artery from another part of the body and uses it to direct blood around a blocked area. These surgeries can prevent heart attacks and strokes.
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Your heart is located in the middle of your chest just slightly to the left. It’s about the size of your fist and it sends blood to every part of your body like a pump. The right side of your heart receives the blood and pumps it to the lungs and the left side receives the blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body. The heart beats by filling the heart with blood and then contracting to move the blood along.
There are four main chambers in the heart. The atria are the two chambers on top. They are the ones that fill with blood the returns from the lungs and body. The ventricles are the chambers and the bottom. These chambers pump the blood out into the body and lungs. The septum is a wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart. There is also one valve in each of the chambers; they are called the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves. They let the blood flow from the atria to the ventricles by closing one valve and then opening another. The blood that your heart pumps moves through your arteries and veins. These blood vessels are attached to your heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and the veins bring it back.
There is few easy things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Exercising helps keep your heart healthy. Try to get at least 30 minutes a day or an hour is even better. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and avoid sugary and fatty foods. Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels so quit if you are a smoker. Eating less salt will lower blood pressure levels, so don’t add it to your foods and cook less with it. Watch your weight, try to stay at a weight the is proper for your age and height. Relax, stress can but pressure on your heart. And lastly, get a yearly check up.
Keeping your heart healthy can prevent risks of getting heart disease. heart disease is the number one problem for men and women in the states. Heart disease is also called cardiovascular disease. the disease has a number of problems that go with it like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and hardening of the arteries.
Many people don’t even realize that they have heart disease until they experience chest pains, stroke, or heart attack. A person who has heart disease might have to take medicine or go in to surgery. There is some supplements that can be taken that can help to prevent heart problems. Alternative Health Supplements offers some all natural supplements that can support and maintain a healthy heart as well as promote good blood vessel health and function. Some doctors can prescribe medications too; they might recommend taking a blood thinner.
Some of the surgery involved in heart disease, angioplasty is done to help blocked vessels by using a balloon like tool in the artery. Atherectomy cuts plaque out of an artery so the blood can flow easier. Pacemakers are a device that is put in the body to keep the heart beat regular. Valve replacement is done if there is a valve that is damaged. And Bypass surgery takes a part of the artery from another part of the body and uses it to direct blood around a blocked area. These surgeries can prevent heart attacks and strokes.
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Dark Chocolate for Heart Health
Richard van Beek asked:
Medical science is actually telling us to eat dark chocolate for heart health. How is this possible? Up until now, we’ve always thought chocolate was bad for us!
It turns out that dark chocolate made from unprocessed cocoa, contains high amounts of flavonoids and phytochemicals. These are antioxidants found in nutritious foods like raisins, prunes, acai berries, and blueberries. Cocoa has from its origin an incredible high amount of these antioxidants and science has found a way by cold pressing the cocoa. And that’s responsible for the benefits of dark chocolate for heart health.
It’s not just hype by the chocolate manufacturers. Here are the results of just four scientific, placebo-controlled studies recently conducted by medical doctors and universities all over the world, to prove that we can eat dark chocolate for heart health without any guilt.
A study by the American College of Cardiology found that blood flow increased significantly in individuals who consumed cocoa for six weeks. They concluded that more studies need to be done to determine how much cocoa makes a difference. This is only one study that supports the idea that it’s okay to eat dark chocolate for heart health.
In another study, forty-five borderline obese but otherwise healthy adults were given either cocoa or a placebo. Doctors measured their blood pressure both before and after, and found that those who ate the dark chocolate had better blood pressure. The benefits of dark chocolate for heart health are immediate.
The Journal of the American Medical Association has said that eating a reasonable amount of dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure enough to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by up to eight percent. When you add dark chocolate for heart health to all the other things you do, like getting enough exercise and eating a careful diet, it makes a difference.
A study conducted at the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, looked at men and women with mildly elevated blood pressure. At the end of the study, those who consumed a small amount of healthy dark chocolate every day had lower blood pressure readings. Those who consumed white chocolate showed no change.
If you’re pregnant or know someone who is, keep in mind that blood pressure rises during pregnancy. A little piece of dark chocolate during pregnancy is a good thing, because it can help regulate blood pressure.
Drinking cocoa had the same effect as eating it, opening up a whole world of possibilities. You can get your healthy cocoa in many ways, dark chocolate for heart health is available in drinks, snacks and chunk form.
Dark chocolate for heart health has just one of the many health benefits and perhaps some that we aren’t aware of at this time. The brand and reputation continues to grow with the scientific researches done nowadays. Helping friends and family better their health and improve their way of life can be achieved by eating dark chocolate for heart health.
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
Medical science is actually telling us to eat dark chocolate for heart health. How is this possible? Up until now, we’ve always thought chocolate was bad for us!
It turns out that dark chocolate made from unprocessed cocoa, contains high amounts of flavonoids and phytochemicals. These are antioxidants found in nutritious foods like raisins, prunes, acai berries, and blueberries. Cocoa has from its origin an incredible high amount of these antioxidants and science has found a way by cold pressing the cocoa. And that’s responsible for the benefits of dark chocolate for heart health.
It’s not just hype by the chocolate manufacturers. Here are the results of just four scientific, placebo-controlled studies recently conducted by medical doctors and universities all over the world, to prove that we can eat dark chocolate for heart health without any guilt.
A study by the American College of Cardiology found that blood flow increased significantly in individuals who consumed cocoa for six weeks. They concluded that more studies need to be done to determine how much cocoa makes a difference. This is only one study that supports the idea that it’s okay to eat dark chocolate for heart health.
In another study, forty-five borderline obese but otherwise healthy adults were given either cocoa or a placebo. Doctors measured their blood pressure both before and after, and found that those who ate the dark chocolate had better blood pressure. The benefits of dark chocolate for heart health are immediate.
The Journal of the American Medical Association has said that eating a reasonable amount of dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure enough to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by up to eight percent. When you add dark chocolate for heart health to all the other things you do, like getting enough exercise and eating a careful diet, it makes a difference.
A study conducted at the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, looked at men and women with mildly elevated blood pressure. At the end of the study, those who consumed a small amount of healthy dark chocolate every day had lower blood pressure readings. Those who consumed white chocolate showed no change.
If you’re pregnant or know someone who is, keep in mind that blood pressure rises during pregnancy. A little piece of dark chocolate during pregnancy is a good thing, because it can help regulate blood pressure.
Drinking cocoa had the same effect as eating it, opening up a whole world of possibilities. You can get your healthy cocoa in many ways, dark chocolate for heart health is available in drinks, snacks and chunk form.
Dark chocolate for heart health has just one of the many health benefits and perhaps some that we aren’t aware of at this time. The brand and reputation continues to grow with the scientific researches done nowadays. Helping friends and family better their health and improve their way of life can be achieved by eating dark chocolate for heart health.
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Moderation Is The Key To Heart Health
Catherine Harvey asked:
It seems every time we take a step forward in health care, we take one backwards. For every new discovery they make, there is a counter-productive effect. However, some of these can be controlled like most things through moderation and sensible health care.
This is where people think that heart rate monitors are only for those on a health kick but it wouldn’t hurt more women to wear them to keep an eye on their general health, particularly from middle age onwards.
It is true that women have an advantage over men when it comes to heart disease but this should never be taken for granted unless you want to find yourself a statistic of the 1.1 million women in the UK every year to develop a heart condition. Oestrogen is the main defence women have against developing heart problems before the menopause.
However, obesity among women in the UK is becoming a growing problem – literally – and needs to be addressed. In the backlash against the size zero celebrities of today, real women have been making a stand to say, hey, this is what we are and this is what we are meant to look like.
True, women are meant to have curves and will naturally lay down more fat stores than a man due to the fact that we have the babies to nurture. However, this should be kept in check. Obese women who claim to be fit and healthy because they are active are simply kidding themselves. If they were to spend some time wearing a heart rate monitor they may find they’re not as healthy as they think.
Even if an overweight woman is physically active she is still at a fifty four per cent higher risk of developing heart disease than someone of moderate build. If she is obese, these chances increase to a whopping eighty seven per cent. So, it makes no odds that she may be physically active, her heart will still be feeling the strain and this may not even show up on a heart rate monitor but it would be a start to check this.
Obesity brings about an increase in oestrogen levels which seems a little contradictory when we see this hormone protects against heart disease yet just by being obese the chances of developing it are so much higher. Would you really want to test the theory?
If levels of oestrogen are raised over a significant period of time before the menopause then the chances of developing ****** cancer after menopause are greatly increased. This is another drawback to obesity.
For the women who already suffer thinning bones and who have been prescribed drugs to combat this, it has been found that they are more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat. While this in itself is not life threatening it can lead to the blood pooling which in turn leads to potentially dangerous clots.
A heart rate monitor would keep an eye on this and would possibly be a first indication, giving the user time to take action.
Of course, the risk of heart problems in women should be addressed but men should not be overlooked. They are more susceptible to heart disease and would benefit from using heart rate monitors.
With their culture of burning the candle at both ends, men often unwind with a few drinks in the pub after work and sometimes resort to caffeine rich energy drinks to help them keep going. One man who unfortunately found out too late how bad this is for you recently died from the effects of an enlarged heart due to his drinking at least four cans of Red Bull a day.
This led to a build up of caffeine which did the damage to his heart. As with all things, moderation in diet, weight and exercise is the key.
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It seems every time we take a step forward in health care, we take one backwards. For every new discovery they make, there is a counter-productive effect. However, some of these can be controlled like most things through moderation and sensible health care.
This is where people think that heart rate monitors are only for those on a health kick but it wouldn’t hurt more women to wear them to keep an eye on their general health, particularly from middle age onwards.
It is true that women have an advantage over men when it comes to heart disease but this should never be taken for granted unless you want to find yourself a statistic of the 1.1 million women in the UK every year to develop a heart condition. Oestrogen is the main defence women have against developing heart problems before the menopause.
However, obesity among women in the UK is becoming a growing problem – literally – and needs to be addressed. In the backlash against the size zero celebrities of today, real women have been making a stand to say, hey, this is what we are and this is what we are meant to look like.
True, women are meant to have curves and will naturally lay down more fat stores than a man due to the fact that we have the babies to nurture. However, this should be kept in check. Obese women who claim to be fit and healthy because they are active are simply kidding themselves. If they were to spend some time wearing a heart rate monitor they may find they’re not as healthy as they think.
Even if an overweight woman is physically active she is still at a fifty four per cent higher risk of developing heart disease than someone of moderate build. If she is obese, these chances increase to a whopping eighty seven per cent. So, it makes no odds that she may be physically active, her heart will still be feeling the strain and this may not even show up on a heart rate monitor but it would be a start to check this.
Obesity brings about an increase in oestrogen levels which seems a little contradictory when we see this hormone protects against heart disease yet just by being obese the chances of developing it are so much higher. Would you really want to test the theory?
If levels of oestrogen are raised over a significant period of time before the menopause then the chances of developing ****** cancer after menopause are greatly increased. This is another drawback to obesity.
For the women who already suffer thinning bones and who have been prescribed drugs to combat this, it has been found that they are more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat. While this in itself is not life threatening it can lead to the blood pooling which in turn leads to potentially dangerous clots.
A heart rate monitor would keep an eye on this and would possibly be a first indication, giving the user time to take action.
Of course, the risk of heart problems in women should be addressed but men should not be overlooked. They are more susceptible to heart disease and would benefit from using heart rate monitors.
With their culture of burning the candle at both ends, men often unwind with a few drinks in the pub after work and sometimes resort to caffeine rich energy drinks to help them keep going. One man who unfortunately found out too late how bad this is for you recently died from the effects of an enlarged heart due to his drinking at least four cans of Red Bull a day.
This led to a build up of caffeine which did the damage to his heart. As with all things, moderation in diet, weight and exercise is the key.
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Fish and Heart Health – Adding Fish to Your Diet Helps Reduce Heart Disease
Lisa Jenkins asked:
Fish has achieved health food status due to research that shows eating fish lowers the risk of heart disease. Public health agencies have recommended eating fish for several years. But new research continues to support additional links between diets that include fish and various measures of heart health.
While fish is a healthy source of lean protein, it is the omega-3 fatty acid content of fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon and tuna that is thought to help protect against heart disease. The key to lowering your risk of heart disease with fish seems to be eating enough fish each week to raise your blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
A recent study compared the omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of Japanese men living in Japan, Japanese men living in the U.S. and American men living in the U.S. Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood level of omega-3 fatty acids and the lowest rate of heart disease as the other two groups. In addition, higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the Japanese men improved at least one measure of atherosclerosis. This and other studies provide ample evidence that it may be omega-3 fatty acids from fish and seafood that are keeping the rates of heart disease in Japan so low compared with other countries.
The omega-3 fatty acids are richest in fish with the most fat. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy people eat fish at least two times per week and to include fish like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines. These fatty fish are rich in two of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids associated with lower rates of heart disease.
There are many ways that omega-3 fatty acids might help the heart. They are thought to reduce platelet aggregation and make the blood thinner, reduce triglyceride levels, and prevent arrhythmia. Supplementing the diet with fish or fish oil seems to greatly reduce the chances of having a heart attack. Supplementation is even being considered as a common intervention for people at a very high risk of having a heart attack.
But eating other types of fish can be heart healthy as well. Fish is low in saturated fat and eating fish can help keep levels of dietary saturated fat low and lower your risk of heart disease. And while fatty fish are highest in omega-3 fats, most fish have some of the heart these heart healthy fats. The levels of omega-3 fatty acids also vary with the diet fed to the fish. So, farm raised fish can have a very different fatty acid profile than wild fish of the same species. Because of this variability, a good approach is to eat a different types of fish and to consistently include fatty fish.
A new study compared fatty fish and lean fish for their affects on heart disease risk. While heart disease patients who were placed on a diet that included fatty fish several times per week had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids at the end of the study, blood pressure actually decreased in the patients who ate lean fish several times per week. The effect of eating fish on blood pressure may be due to some other component of fish than omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s the best way to gain the heart health benefit of omega-3 fatty acids from fish? Eating fatty fish is the best way. Many research studies support the heart health benefit of eating fish. But if you can’t eat fish, don’t like fish, or can’t eat enough to meet recommendations, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil is a good alternative. Intervention studies have proven some benefit of taking these supplements to reduce the risk of heart disease. Talk with your health care provider if you are considering taking a dietary supplement.
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Fish has achieved health food status due to research that shows eating fish lowers the risk of heart disease. Public health agencies have recommended eating fish for several years. But new research continues to support additional links between diets that include fish and various measures of heart health.
While fish is a healthy source of lean protein, it is the omega-3 fatty acid content of fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon and tuna that is thought to help protect against heart disease. The key to lowering your risk of heart disease with fish seems to be eating enough fish each week to raise your blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
A recent study compared the omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of Japanese men living in Japan, Japanese men living in the U.S. and American men living in the U.S. Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood level of omega-3 fatty acids and the lowest rate of heart disease as the other two groups. In addition, higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the Japanese men improved at least one measure of atherosclerosis. This and other studies provide ample evidence that it may be omega-3 fatty acids from fish and seafood that are keeping the rates of heart disease in Japan so low compared with other countries.
The omega-3 fatty acids are richest in fish with the most fat. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy people eat fish at least two times per week and to include fish like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines. These fatty fish are rich in two of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids associated with lower rates of heart disease.
There are many ways that omega-3 fatty acids might help the heart. They are thought to reduce platelet aggregation and make the blood thinner, reduce triglyceride levels, and prevent arrhythmia. Supplementing the diet with fish or fish oil seems to greatly reduce the chances of having a heart attack. Supplementation is even being considered as a common intervention for people at a very high risk of having a heart attack.
But eating other types of fish can be heart healthy as well. Fish is low in saturated fat and eating fish can help keep levels of dietary saturated fat low and lower your risk of heart disease. And while fatty fish are highest in omega-3 fats, most fish have some of the heart these heart healthy fats. The levels of omega-3 fatty acids also vary with the diet fed to the fish. So, farm raised fish can have a very different fatty acid profile than wild fish of the same species. Because of this variability, a good approach is to eat a different types of fish and to consistently include fatty fish.
A new study compared fatty fish and lean fish for their affects on heart disease risk. While heart disease patients who were placed on a diet that included fatty fish several times per week had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids at the end of the study, blood pressure actually decreased in the patients who ate lean fish several times per week. The effect of eating fish on blood pressure may be due to some other component of fish than omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s the best way to gain the heart health benefit of omega-3 fatty acids from fish? Eating fatty fish is the best way. Many research studies support the heart health benefit of eating fish. But if you can’t eat fish, don’t like fish, or can’t eat enough to meet recommendations, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil is a good alternative. Intervention studies have proven some benefit of taking these supplements to reduce the risk of heart disease. Talk with your health care provider if you are considering taking a dietary supplement.
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Latest Discussion on Heart Health!
daveclark asked:
Hearth health has become the biggest concern among people around the world these days. Now people are better informed and have gained information through various researches and clinical trials, they are more conscious about their heart health and have better control over their heart than their predecessors thus reducing risks of hearth related ailments to a large extent.
Numerous researches have been conducted on heart health. The talk on ‘statins’ also figures prominently in discussion about the heart. Statins have been highly helpful in controlling cholesterol levels in the people suffering from heart disease. Statins act by effectively lowering the LDL (levels of bad cholesterol); though, they do slightly affect raising HDL (the levels of good cholesterol).
In the latest researches, it has been found that those who have had a heart attack or some other cardiac problem get more benefit by the immediate high-dose statin therapy.
Main advantages of statins are as follows:
Statin acts to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and it also minimizes the need for cardiac procedures.
Statin therapy proves beneficial for people with high levels of C – reactive protein (a substance in the liver, produced by the inflammation of arteries). It must be noted here that one can have low cholesterol but still s/he might be at the high risk of heart problem; if s/he has high levels of C-reactive protein.
It has been found that statins are not only safe but also a well-tolerated in the majority of patients using it.
In another research conducted in mice, it has been found that leafy greens can prove beneficial in reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke. It is due to the fact that nutrients in the veggies protect the heart from getting damaged. To reach at this conclusion, some mice were provided with the drinking water that contained nitrites or nitrates while others were given plain drinking water.
After a week’s time, the mice were given an induced heart attack to study their heart after the attack. It was found that the mice having nitrite or nitrate contained water had less heart attack damage compared to those mice that were drinking plain water. Diets comprising of cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, meat and broccoli are ideal.
In the ayurvedic approach to have good heart health, it has been pointed out that practicing transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice in a day leaves a positive and considerable effect on the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries. It plays a vital role in reducing pain in a number of patients if practiced regularly. However, the experts have added that meditation is used only as a supplement, so it must not be taken as a substitute to the existing heart problem therapy.
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Hearth health has become the biggest concern among people around the world these days. Now people are better informed and have gained information through various researches and clinical trials, they are more conscious about their heart health and have better control over their heart than their predecessors thus reducing risks of hearth related ailments to a large extent.
Numerous researches have been conducted on heart health. The talk on ‘statins’ also figures prominently in discussion about the heart. Statins have been highly helpful in controlling cholesterol levels in the people suffering from heart disease. Statins act by effectively lowering the LDL (levels of bad cholesterol); though, they do slightly affect raising HDL (the levels of good cholesterol).
In the latest researches, it has been found that those who have had a heart attack or some other cardiac problem get more benefit by the immediate high-dose statin therapy.
Main advantages of statins are as follows:
Statin acts to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and it also minimizes the need for cardiac procedures.
Statin therapy proves beneficial for people with high levels of C – reactive protein (a substance in the liver, produced by the inflammation of arteries). It must be noted here that one can have low cholesterol but still s/he might be at the high risk of heart problem; if s/he has high levels of C-reactive protein.
It has been found that statins are not only safe but also a well-tolerated in the majority of patients using it.
In another research conducted in mice, it has been found that leafy greens can prove beneficial in reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke. It is due to the fact that nutrients in the veggies protect the heart from getting damaged. To reach at this conclusion, some mice were provided with the drinking water that contained nitrites or nitrates while others were given plain drinking water.
After a week’s time, the mice were given an induced heart attack to study their heart after the attack. It was found that the mice having nitrite or nitrate contained water had less heart attack damage compared to those mice that were drinking plain water. Diets comprising of cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, meat and broccoli are ideal.
In the ayurvedic approach to have good heart health, it has been pointed out that practicing transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice in a day leaves a positive and considerable effect on the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries. It plays a vital role in reducing pain in a number of patients if practiced regularly. However, the experts have added that meditation is used only as a supplement, so it must not be taken as a substitute to the existing heart problem therapy.
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