Physical Activity | How Big Is Your BUT? Blog

February 17, 2012

Heart Throb: Smart Steps to Protect the Women You Love

Think about this…heart disease is the number one killer of women. Yet women often receive less care by the medical community for their hearts than men do. At the same time women are typically more concerned about the health of others and are often too busy and stressed to take care of themselves.

Heart disease in women is often overlooked and can have a tragic ending. Every week in the background you hear my awesome producer Billy P. You don’t want to miss Billy P share his story about the totally unexpected loss of his wife in this week’s podcast.

These preventive tips can help women improve their health, feel better, hopefully avoid medication and live longer.

Tip #1 Find Out Your Numbers

* Cholesterol profile including triglycerides, HDL and LDL

* Blood pressure

* Body mass index (check out this simple BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ )

* Blood sugar

* Waist circumference

Money is tight, medical costs are high…I hear you. But you and the health of those you love are much more important. Every week there are free health fairs and clinics with opportunities to take advantage of and find out some of these numbers.

It’s true that you can’t change your family history, gender or your age for that matter, but you can alter your diet, exercise/activity level, whether you smoke or not, and your weight.

Tip # 2 Once You Know Your Numbers, Ask Yourself if You Have Metabolic Syndrome

How do you know? According to the American Heart Association and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, you may have metabolic syndrome (which puts you at a greater risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease) if you have 3 or more of the following risk factors:

1) Your waist is greater than 35 inches

2) Your triglycerides are higher than 150 mg/dL

3) Your HDL (protective cholesterol) is less than 50 mg/dL

4) Your blood pressure is higher than 130/85 mm Hg

5) Your fasting blood sugar is higher than 100 mg/dL

Tip # 3 See a Health Care Professional

If any of your numbers are abnormal, now is the time to see a health professional. Remember, high blood pressure is called the “silent killer” as it generally has no symptoms. When you lower your blood pressure, you reduce the chance of stroke by 35-40%, heart attack by 20-25% and heart failure by 50%.

And did you know that two out of three people with diabetes die of heart disease? Don’t miss this…women with type 2 diabetes develop heart disease at a much younger age compared to non-diabetic women. Making smart changes in the diet, losing some weight and moving around more can help to prevent or postpone diabetes.

You are busy, I know that…your schedule is over full and you’re stressed most days. But I don’t want you to put off taking care of you any longer…you and your family are worth it. Tell me what you’re doing. I want to hear from you.

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast

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November 18, 2011

Superfoods to Reduce Your Diabetes Risk

Does diabetes run in your family? Has your blood glucose (aka blood sugar) been a little elevated? According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), approximately 35% of adults 20 and older, and 50% of adults 65 and older have pre-diabetes.

Have you heard the term pre-diabetes? It’s used to describe above-normal blood sugar levels that are not quite elevated enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Here’s the kicker: unless lifestyle changes are made such as weight loss, tweaks to the diet and more exercise, pre-diabetes typically progresses to diabetes.

But I like to focus on the good news. If you are pre-diabetic or diabetes runs in your family, you can take control now and help prevent diabetes. If you have diabetes, smart habits can reduce your blood sugar level enough that you may need less medication or none at all.

Joining me on the podcast this week to bust some diabetes myths and talk superfoods is my guest Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine.

One of the most common diabetes myths is that eating too much sugar causes diabetes. You my eat very little sugar or few sweets and still develop diabetes. Weigh gain plays a big role in diabetes and it doesn’t matter what foods you eat or drink to put on the pounds.

Diabetes Superfoods to Add to Your Diet:

Leafy greens

Nuts

Herbs and spices: particularly cinnamon, oregano and turmeric

High Fiber Foods: Susan: such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, lentils, oatmeal

New research is looking at both regular consumption of caffeinated coffee and a normal blood level of vitamin D as potentially protective against diabetes.

Be sure and try this month’s Family Circle recipe: turkey scaloppine with tarragon-mushroom sauce at the WDBO.com/healthcenter.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast

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April 19, 2011

Screen Time Making Couch Potatoes of Your Kids?

Are you concerned that your children have way too much face time with a screen…TV, computer, cell phone, and video games? You’re probably right on target. According to the National Institutes of Health, children and teens spend more than four hours watching TV every day and more than seven hours using some type of entertainment media.

Needless to say, physical activity just isn’t happening which means that inactive children are more likely to be overweight. WeCan! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) is a science-based national education program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and helps children ages 8-13 stay at a healthy weight.

This week is Screen-Free Week, a great reason to scroll down screen time and replace it with physical activity.

So whether you’re a parent or health professional or both, try some of these easy ways to reduce screen time plus check out these tips for getting active that include ideas such as:

• Walk your children to school

• Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV

• Play with your kids at least 30 minutes per day

• Dance to music with your kids

Do you have tips that work in your family to stay active and cut face time with a screen? Tell me.

Win a Copy of “7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies“! Register for a chance to win a copy of “7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies”! We’ve got delicious, nutritious meals for your family… so register now to get cookin’!

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.