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March 2, 2011

Three Tips to Protect a Woman’s Heart

Think about this…women often receive less care for their hearts by the medical community but at the same time are more concerned about the health of others instead of themselves. Yet, heart disease is the number one killer of women.

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 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. Check out this new document posted at the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association on healthy living guidelines for women. It has a place to record all the numbers you need to know plus a lot of good information.

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? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


April 28, 2010

Fishing for Answers: A Quick A-Z Guide to a Fish Purchase and Prep

may-fiYou’ve asked me questions such as how do I know where my fish is from and is it farmed or wild-caught?

Here’s your quick A-Z guide to purchase fish.

Sources for fish information fast:

    • Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has a Seafood Watch Program. Check out their Seafood Guide App that you can download to your iphone or ipad to help you make sustainable seafood choices quickly and easily, whether you’re eating out or shopping at your local supermarket. The app features regional guides so you can see what seafood is best in each area of the country and a sushi guide.
    • You can send a text while you stand in front of the fish counter and make sure the fish you plan to purchase is eco-friendly and without a health advisory. This very cool tech tip is courtesy of blueocean.org.

Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH followed by the name of the fish you want to buy…for example, FISH SCALLOPS or FISH SALMON. I sent a text for FISH SALMON and received two texts within a few seconds.. The Blue Ocean Institute tracks 90+ fish species and regularly updates their database.

    • Other good sources for information on seafood choices that protect marine life and/or the environment and support well-managed fisheries are seafoodwatch.org and nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch, part of the government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How do you know where your fish is coming from?

The Country of Origin Labeling called COOL, which was developed by the USDA, requires all large retailers (supermarkets) to disclose the country of origin of fresh or frozen fish and whether it is farm-raised or wild-caught.

What about sustainable seafood?

The Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) certification program and seafood ecolabel recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing. They are a global organization working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood. Look for their label on fish products.

Do farmed fish provide the same health benefits as wild?

There’s a lot of controversy about farmed-fish versus wild-fish in regards to nutrition content, environmental safety and toxins. Farmed fish can be a healthy and delicious alternative to more expensive wild-caught fish but, there is potential for higher amounts of toxins and poor nutrition content. The key is ‘farmed responsibly’ resulting in fish that is an affordable and perfectly recommendable source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Listen to this week’s podcast


April 21, 2010

Easy Snacks and Meals to Fuel Fitness

Easy Snacks and Meals to Fuel Fitness

To fuel up for fitness, here are a couple of my favorite (and easy) breakfast/snack ideas courtesy of Family Circle magazine:

  • careamelChocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
    ½ cup rolled or quick oats made with 1 cup fat-free milk
    1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter
    2 teaspoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

I’m a self-proclaimed chocoholic so even this small amount of chocolate chips satisfies me.

  • Apple & Nut Butter (snack)
    1 medium apple, sliced and spread with two tablespoons almond butter 
    My breakfast version    : I spread almond butter on whole grain toast, followed by the apple slices and a drizzle of honey. If you haven’t tried almond butter, it’s worth the extra expense as an alternative to peanut butter.

Try this 20-minute recipe from the Family Circle kitchens: Red snapper with gazpacho salsa

I hope spring is all around you…the weather is warming up, the birds are singing, and flowers are starting to bloom. I’m ready to take my workout…outdoors. How about you? I am a walker, especially on the weekends when I have more time to be outside.

For those of you who have listened to my podcast for a while, you know that Family Circle along with the American Heart Association sponsor the annual Start! Walking Challenge. You can find out more at familycircle.com/walk2010 or in the May issue. This month the focus is on walking and eating to lower cholesterol. You’ll find a very helpful mix-and-match meal plan.

familycircle_may10_120_o.jpg Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle joins me on the podcast this week to talk about the Walking Challenge with a focus on cutting your cholesterol level in three ways:

  1. Keeping a cap on saturated fat that can raise your total and lousy LDL cholesterol levels while it shrinks your good cholesterol…HDL.
  2. Focusing on fiber, a nutrient that works like a sponge to help rid your body of cholesterol.
  3. Loading up on superstar foods that conquer cholesterol-like oats, nuts, beans, fish, soy, and even dark chocolate.

Listen to this week’s podcast


April 15, 2009

Take the Family Circle/American Heart Association Walking Challenge

heart-walkAre you ready to live a longer, stronger life through better nutrition and more physical activity? Family Circle in collaboration with the American Heart Association has developed the Family Circle American Heart Association Start! Walking Challenge to help you do just that.  2009 marks the third year of Family Circle partnering with the American Heart Association in this Walking Challenge.

This past weekend one of my college friends was visiting and we did a five mile walk on Saturday. I love to walk…it’s great for stress, it’s something most everyone can do and it’s FREE. Check all the details involved in The Walking Challenge so you know exactly what to do to get started. In addition to logging your miles, you can download walking videos and music play lists, enter to win weekly sweepstakes and aim for the grand prize of a trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico. Get out those walking shoes!

Don’t forget to check out our recipe section at the Nutrition & Health Center. Looking for a quick dinner recipe? Try Spicy Sloppy Joes courtesy of Family Circle.

Listen to this week’s podcast


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