A good food for a healthy heart

Here’s a conundrum: While experts agree that high cholesterol and blood pressure are crucial heart disease risk factors, many people who suffer chest pain or even heart attacks have levels that are perfectly normal. This puzzle has prompted researchers to scour the body for other cardiovascular villains. Several have emerged in recent years, but the one that stands out the most is inflammation.

The latest studies suggest that chronic inflammation of the lining of arteries is an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. What causes this inflammation is not clear, but the good news is that (1) the advice that is given for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides also works fine for fighting inflammation; and (2) you can tackle all 4 culprits with the help of dietary weapons. In fact, you can plan your war against heart disease in your kitchen. Here is how:

1. Think like an artist when you choose fruits and vegetables: Eat those with the brightest colors. They have the most heart protective antioxidant pigments. A diet high in fruits and veggies also provides another important heart benefit, salicylic acid, which is the same anti-inflammatory compound created when aspirin is broken down in the body.

2. Increase food sources of omega-3 fatty acids which target high triglycerides in the blood. Good sources of omega-3s include fish such as sardines, mackerel; nuts and seeds; green leafy vegetables; grains like wheat, bajra; legumes like rajma, cowpea, and black gram.

3. Reduce the amount of meats you eat, especially red meats, and always select lean cuts. Use meat as a seasoning for vegetable dishes rather than the focal point of a meal.

4. Cut down on salt and instead use herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, turmeric and fenugreek liberally in your cooking; the first three are naturally anti-inflammatory and the last has soluble fibre which helps sweep away cholesterol from the arteries.

5. Shift to groundnut, mustard, rice bran and olive oils which contain monosaturated fatty acids that help lower (bad) LDL and maintain levels of (good) HDL cholesterol. Drastically limit margarine, vegetable shortening, butter and all products made with partially hydrogenated oils.

6. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains (wheat, brown rice, oats), beans and pulses, are also great sources of soluble and insoluble fibre, which trap LDLs and usher them out of the body.

by: Alicia Caldelas

Diet Pills! Are they safe? Which one should I use?

Diet Pills are the fastest growing segment of the dietary supplement industry. Sales of diet pills and related supplements have been increasing 10 to 20 percent annually to the point where last year they reached $2 billion. Considering the fact that 60% of the U.S. population are overweight or obese, it’s no wonder that several of us are looking for a way to drop extra pounds. Diet pill ads are starting to pop up everywhere, particularly on the internet, but before you go out and buy the latest greatest pill, do some research.

HOW DO DIET PILLS WORK?
Most over the counter diet pills work by increasing your body’s energy expenditure. One of the most common ingredients (caffeine) raises your metabolism by increasing the breakdown of fatty acids and therefore reducing appetite. This increase in energy and decrease in appetite is a great combination for burning fat.

WHAT’S IN THESE DIET PILLS?
In late 2003, based on evidence that it caused heart attacks, Ephedrine was banned as an ingredient in diet pills. Diet pills now generally contain a mixture of vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folic acid) and of course caffeine or any number of herbs. With any supplement, herb, or medication, the best advice is to READ THE LABEL.
(As of April 14, 2005- The year old FDA ban on Ephedra has been lifted. The matter has been sent back to the FDA for reevaluation – Source: Yahoo News)

ARE DIET PILLS SAFE?
Diet pill side effects can range from dizziness, nausea, increased urination, to the more sever – chest pain, heart attack, liver and kidney damage, stroke, seizures, and even death. After a few months your body develops a tolerance for the pill’s effects, so diet pills are meant to be taken for a very short period of time. These pills CAN be safe if they are not abused.

With the combination of a healthy diet, and regular exercise a diet pill can give you that little extra nudge to loose a few extra pounds. Don’t expect to loose weight on a diet pill alone. Do your research, ask questions, read the labels and find out what diet pill is right for you.

by: Mike West

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease affecting the manner in which the body handles digested carbohydrates. If neglected, diabetes can cause extremely severe health complications, ranging from blindness to kidney failure.

Around eight percent of the population in the United States has diabetes. This means that around sixteen million people have been diagnosed with the disease, based only on national statistics. The American Diabetes Association estimates that diabetes accounts for 178,000 deaths, as well as 54,000 amputees, and 12,000-24,000 cases of blindness annually. Blindness is twenty-five times even more common among diabetic patients in comparison with nondiabetics. If current trends continue, by the year 2010 complications of diabetes will exceed both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death in America.

It’s Your Diet Be Working!

Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s also become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound. The question is, “Why?”