Have a Heart to Heart with Yourself

Have you ever received that phone call letting you know that a loved one or a dear friend has suffered a heart attack or stroke? The reality is that 1 in 3 women lose their lives to heart disease every year, making it the number 1 killer of women.  Why not change those odds and fight the good fight against heart disease?

To fight against heart disease, first you must be able to distinguish between facts and myths. One of the major myths surrounding heart disease is that you are only at risk if you have family history of heart disease. Though family history plays an instrumental role into your risk factor, poor eating habits, inactivity, obesity, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure also put you at risk of developing heart disease.  Have a heart to heart with yourself and your loved ones. Create a buddy system to check in on your heart and hold each other accountable for doing the right things for your heart.

Check your cholesterol levels often. If you have diabetes make sure it is under control. Make the decision to lead a healthier lifestyle by developing healthy eating habits, adding activity to your day even if it means taking the stairs instead of the elevator and find a method that works for you in order to keep your stress level low to help maintain your blood pressure at a normal range.

Healthier Happy Meals?


Associating fat-laden, high calorie food with toys has been big business for McDonald’s and it’s competitors.  This tactic has also slammed for pushing this bad-for-you food on children and encouraging them to beg to go to McDonald’s.  I’ve seen it in action with my own children who are dying to get a “free” toy whether they like the food or not.  My son doesn’t like french fries, but he says he’ll gag them down if he gets the toy.  Not a good sign.  Based on all the complaints about the poor nutritional quality of  Happy Meals, McDonald’s has announced that it will improve the healthiness of the meals.  With 20% fewer calories based on a 100 calorie portion of french fries and the addition of apple dippers, without the sugary caramel sauce, this is definitely an improvement: From 520 calories and 26 grams of fat down to 410 calories and 19 grams of fat.

This is a step in the right direction and including apples in the meal may encourage children to eat some fruit, but a Happy Meal is a long way from a healthy meal.  Even a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread is more nutritional with 20 fewer calories and twice as much protein.  Yes, McDonald’s is quick, and healthier is better, but sandwiches are quick, too.  It takes just as long to wait in line, pay and pick up your Happy Meal as it does to pull out a loaf of bread, slap on some peanut butter and hand it to your child with an apple.  The big problem is that Americans have gotten used to the high sodium, high fat foods that we get at the drive through so it’s not just about easy, it’s about maintaining bad food habits that we’ve grown to love.  These habits have also made us grow…wider!  The fat and calories increase not just our weight but our cholesterol and blood pressure.  It’s about time we start weaning ourselves off of the Happy Meals and work on making our own happy meals at home.

 

Any Lab Test Now Shares the Discovered Silent Risk for Cardiovascular Disease


I hope you’ve had your cholesterol checked and are making any changes necessary to improve your health.  There is a plethora of information available about what to eat, how much to exercise, and what not to do that makes it easy enough to do the right things, if you are motivated. Even if you haven’t started, you’d better do it now!  A new research study suggests that there is even more some people should be doingto reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease heart attackand standard testing won’t identify the risk.  A coronary artery CT (computed tomography) scan can reveal coronary artery calcium buildups that are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.  The scary part of this news is that there are no symptoms so you won’t know if you are at risk.  Unfortunately, the research isn’t suggesting that this scan become widespread or even that having the information will be able to make a difference in reducing your risk.

The increase in coronary calcium buildup could identify patients who should have more aggressive treatment to reduce LDL (low-density) cholesterol levels, even if with a standard test they appear to be in the low range.  Other tests, including the PLAC test, can identify hidden risks that would indicate that a more aggressive treatment regimen should be followed as well, but these tests take time to be included in a physician’s standard testing procedures.  Independent laboratories can provide many tests that physician’s can’t yet, but the CT scan may not be cost effective, especially since research hasn’t shown that lowering LDL cholesterol levels in these patients will reduce their cardiovascular risk.

As researchers discover new risks all the public can do is worry.  Unhealthy habits, such as a diet high in cholesterol and other fats, smoking, and lack of exercise accelerate the deposit of fat and calcium within the inner lining of coronary arteries, also known as arterial plaque.  The bottom line is that it’s a good idea to work on being healthy, through diet, exercise, and eliminating smoking whether you know you’re at risk for disease or not.  No one should be waiting for a problem to surface before trying to prevent health issues.  Take charge of your health!