Healthy Heart Guide A-Z
By Elaine Magee, M.P.H., R.D.
Woman's Day 5/27/03
www.womansday.com

"Eat to your Heart's Content"

High Cholesterol Foods
Exercise

5 Biggest Health Threats

Check your Body Mass, Ideal weight, et.

"An apple a day keeps the cardiologist away."
Ben Franklin might not have said those exact words, but it's not such a crazy idea. In the past decade research has found the power of foods and nutrients keep the cardiovascular system healthy.
(Eat the entire apple. all but the stem.)

Many of the findings involve powerful antiaging nutrients known as antioxidants,omega3 fatty acids, phytochemicals and fiber.
These substances help decrease the risk of heart disease by lowering blood lipids
(such as cholesterol) so fatty plaque is less likely to be deposited in the arteries.

Where do you find these miracle ingredients?
Following is an alphabet worth of heart healthy eating.

 

 

Almonds

In a recent study, men & women who ate a daily 1oz snack (18 almonds) significantly reduced coronary heart disease by lowering (bad) HDL & improving LDL to (good) HDL ratio by 4%. Munching 2 oz daily slashes it by almost 10%.
Almonds are loaded with Vitamin E, fiber & plant sterols. AVOID almonds processed with oil or salt. Eat only raw almonds or soaked and dried.

Apples

Are packed with soluble fiber which helps regulate blood sugar & lowers LDL cholesterol. Don't toss the peel since that is where a lot of antioxidants are & eat the entire apple seeds and all. You will have Fed yourself fiber and live enzymes

Beans

Are rich in soluble fiber, phytochemical, vitamins (such as folic acid)

& minerals such as calcium.

These should be eaten several times a week.

Blue Fruits and Veggies

Blackberries, blueberries, purple grapes and plums, egg
plant and other purple/blue produce contain phytochemical anthocyanin and phenolic, which are being studies for their potential antioxidant and anti aging benefits.

Canola Oil

Many experts suggest switching to Canola for cooking and baking
because it has a neutral taste and can be heated to high temperatures. Very rich in monounsaturated fats and contains more plant omega 3s than most all over oils including olive oil.

Chocolate

America's favorite food contains flavonoids, phyto-
chemicals that University of California, Davis, researchers say can reduce tendency for platelets to clot (similar to the effects of taking a daily baby aspirin.)

DASH Diet

Abundant in fruits, vegetables,

low fat dairy products

& whole grains.

DASH is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet

has been found to lower blood pressure

by 10 or more points and

total cholesterol by 7%.

DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
DHA is one of the two powerful omega 3 fatty acids

found in fish.

The other is EPA. Studies have shown fish eaters have fewer coronary heart disease

than those who seldom eat fish.

EDAMME


Boiled soybeans, a great appetizer or snack. Find them in the frozen vegetable aisle. A half cup of shelled beans contains 4 grams of fiber and only 125 calories.

ESCAROLE

Known as curly endive . This dark leafy green is a source of folic acid. One cup uncooked contains 39% of Daily Value and just 8 calories

FLAVONOIDS

Chocolate is not the only place you can find these phytochemicals. They are also in berries, purple grapes, red wine, and black and green tea. Studies have shown that by eating flavonoids rich food is associated with reduced risk of heart disease.

FOLIC ACID

This B vitamin, along with B6 & B12, acts like an antioxidant in the body to reduce levels of homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine in the blood are thought to damage the artery linings and possible lead to heart attacks.

Good sources are leafty greens, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.

Garlic

Known as the "stinking rose" contains the phytochemical allicin, which has been found to help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

Ground Flaxseed
One Tablespoons a day may lower the risk of blood clots, stroke and cardiac arrhythmias, as well as reduce total LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.

Grinding it is the key, since whole flaxseed may not provide the same benefits.

Halibut, Herring, Other Fish
Eat fish at least twice a week as recommended by heart disease experts. It is one of the best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.
other
PC Lemon'N Dill Cod new potatoes & Broccoli

Good varieties are Salmon, tuna, cod, trout and bluefish.

Hazelnuts

Among the richest nut sources of monounsaturated fats. one ounce or about 20 nuts has nearly 15 grams of unsaturated fats and 2 grams of fiber.

Isoflavones
This important phytochemical is found primarily in soy foods, but also chickpeas, flaxseed, barley, potatoes, cherries, & yams. It has been found that postmenopausal women with diets high in isoflavones rich foods had lower LDL levels and better LDL to HDL ratios than women with low diets.

Jícama

This is a Mexican root vegetable which is a refreshing addition to your raw veggie plate. Good substitute for canned water chestnuts.
One cup has over 5 grams of fiber and 40% of Daily vitamin C.

Kale

This dark green cruciferous vegetable is a great antioxidant. One cup of Kale with give 120% of the Value of vitamin A, 88% of Vitamin C, 12% vitamin E & 10% folic acid.
An excellent raw vegetable!

Kidney Beans

One of the best plant sources of omega 3's and give you 7 grams of fiber per half cup, along with lots of vitamins and minerals (including 64% Daily value of folic acid and 17% iron and other assorted phytochemicals.

See Beans

Lycopene

A phytochemical an anti-
oxidant in the carotenoid group that may help protect against heart disease.

Best sources are tomatoes, and tomato products. Other red fruits including watermelon, pink grapefruit, and apricots also have it.

Magnesium

Low levels of this mineral are associated with diabetes and high blood pressure.


Best sources are beans, broccoli, nuts, spinach and sweet potatoes.

Margarine

Choose one without hydrogenated fats or cholesterol raising trans fatty acids.

A blend of soy, palm,

canola & olive oils

produce a balance of saturated, mono- unsaturated,

& polyunsaturated fat

would be a spread called Smart Balance.

Margarine Substitutes

Nectarines

This fruit has been around 2000 years. Like peaches it is a good source of anti-
oxidants.

One nectarine provides 15% of the daily value vitamin E, 13% vitamin A, (as carotene)


& 12% C as well as 2 grams fiber and only 66 calories.

Nuts


Several studies have linked nuts to lower risk of coronary heart disease if consumed regularly. In addition to monounsaturated fats, nuts are high in protein, fiber, Vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, copper, and several phytochemicals.

Oats


Soluble fibers in oats can reduce the risk of heart disease.

A bowl of oatmeal give a great start for a heart healthy day!

Oranges

Oranges and other citrus fruits boost our intake of vitamin C.
They provide many phyto-
chemicals including polyphenols: antioxidants that may reduce the risk and incidence and severity of heart disease.
Polyphenols account for 85% antioxidant quality in orange juice. Drink it fresh squeezed & better yet juice the whole fruit.

Plant Sterol & Stanol Spreads

Lower your cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Daily intakes of 2-3 Tbsp. can lower LDL by 10-15%.

Benecol and Take Control are some cholesterol lowering margarine substitutes.

Quercetin

Best sources of this phytochemical include apples, apricots, broccoli, cherries, kale, and onions.

Mortality from coronary heart disease goes down as the intake of Quercetin goes up.

Resveratrol

Red wine as well as nuts has this polyphenols.

Intake can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soy

Tofu, and other soy goods may help protect your arteries and heart by making fats in blood less damaging & plaque is less likely to form.

Soy Sprouts are great!
Chow Mein

Strawberries
A recent study has shown that 8 or 9 strawberries a day for 1 month can reduce artery damaged inflammation and increase blood levels of folic acid.
See Salads for Ideas how to use.

Tea
Many Population studies say that higher tea intake may lower the incidence of hear disease. Green tea is thought to be especially helpful.

Unsaturated Fats

Decrease LDL without lowering (good) HDL.
Good sources are monos or omega 6 polys from vegetable oils.

Vegetarian Entrées


More fruits, vegetable diets & fiber with lower saturated fat,

total fat & cholesterol, find lower risks of obesity,

coronary heart disease & diabetes

Walnuts
In addition to having the most omega 3s of all nuts, walnuts are a good source
of polyphenols, folic acid & fiber
Lowering blood cholesterol levels
walnuts become a part of a heart healthy diet.
Whole Grains
A study of 3,000
adults found that eating whole
grained foods was associated with improved insulin sensitivity
and lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Phytochemicals & fiber helped reduce the risk of heart disease.

X Syndrome
This is a cluster of health problems (abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, low HDL, high triglycerides, & high blood pressure) which all increase risk of coronary artery disease.

To lower your risk, limit refined carbs, saturated fats & trans fats, eat more monos & soluble fiber at every meal.
Also, known as metabolic syndrome.

Yogurt

A 7 oz serving contains almost as much calcium as a supplement.

Daily yogurt containing live active cultures called lactobacillus acidophilus for three weeks will lead to a small reduction in cholesterol levels.

Zucchini
A nutritional powerhouse. 1 cup cooked has only 29 calories, but 2.5 g fiber, 23% daily potassium, 17% folic acid & 14% Magnesium.

 

 

 

"Eat to your Heart's Content"
A quick thought
Fish, Olive Oil, Onions, Garlic, Oats, Fiber, Avocado, Magnesium & Vitamin D, Calcium, Vitamin E, Less hydrogenated and saturated fats, more polyunsaturated oils, Water distilled and reverse osmosis, and 
Take off pounds sensibly if needed.

Log on to Cooking for healthy heart. www.womansday.com

 

 

High Cholesterol Foods:
  Good, Bad, Acceptable (in Moderation...) By Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld
June1, 2003 Parade Magazine

Below is an interesting article from 2007

Special: Heart Attacks Caused By Inflammation, Not Cholesterol.

 
GOOD

The more you eat of the following , the better:

*coldwater fish
herring, salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines & bluefish (rich in omega-3)
MC Lemon Dill Salmon in Cook Bag

*green tea
antioxidants protect against free radicals
*nuts
almonds, pecans & walnuts (rich in monounsaturated fats) & flaxseed
*Olive and canola oils
*soluble fiber
oat bran, oatmeal, & barley
Heart Rate 
During and After Exercise 
Tied to Sudden Death

5/11/2005 By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter  WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) --

 The way your heart speeds up when you exercise and returns to normal when you stop can predict your risk of sudden death from heart attack, even decades later, a new European study suggests.

Men whose heart rate increased less than 89 beats per minute during a standard exercise test for heart patients -- called a stress test -- had six times the risk of sudden death over the next two decades, said physicians in France and Italy, who followed more than 5,700 middle-aged men for an average of 23 years.

Men whose heart rate decreased less than 25 beats in the minute after they stopped the exercise test had more than double the risk of sudden death than those whose rate returned to normal faster.

The findings appear in the May 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine

This is the latest chapter in a series of studies showing a relationship between a higher risk of death from heart disease and the heart's reaction to exercise, said Dr. Michael S. Lauer, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation who has done a lot of research on the subject. A paper by his group published in 1999 in the same journal on a trial of 2,500 men was the first to show the relationship between a slow return to a normal heart rate after exercise and increased risk of death, Lauer said.

"We have since published a number of papers, and other groups have published as well, all showing the same thing, that failure of the heart rate to decrease quickly after exercise is associated with a higher risk of mortality," Lauer said. "What is unique and new about this paper is that it specifically looked at sudden death, and most mortality in this group is associated with sudden death.

"The second unique thing [about the new study] is the very long follow-up," Lauer added. "It's pretty amazing when you think about it, that a simple measurement on an exercise test can predict what will happen over the next five, 10, 15 years. It's amazing that an old-fashioned, low-tech test has this power."

The new results are "very similar and consistent" with those of a study on men reported in 2003 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, said Dr. Roger S. Blumenthal, director of the Hopkins Preventive Cardiology Center.

"This really adds to the literature showing that abnormalities on a stress test can show risk," Blumenthal said. "There is a growing body of information looking at heart rate, not just length of time on the treadmill or EKG changes."

The unanswered question now is how to put this information to use, Lauer said. "We can identify people at increased risk for death, particularly sudden death," he said. "Now we have to see how having this information can translate into improved outcomes for patients."

There are two possible strategies that could be followed, he said. One is the already well-known and often-promoted idea of regular exercise, which is recommended for everyone but could have particular value for people with this heart abnormality.

"People who exercise live longer because exercise stabilizes the electrical system of the heart," Lauer said. "So we could take people with these heart rate problems and enroll them in a formal exercise program that would continue over the long term. My guess is that it would do an enormous amount of good."

A second strategy might be drug therapy aimed at regulating the heart rate, he said. "We have drugs which we used to correct heart rate problems, mainly beta blockers," Lauer said. "They have been shown to improve life expectancy."

A number of studies have shown that "exercise can improve autonomic function and reduce the risk of sudden death," said Dr. William Whang, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Last week at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society, Whang presented an analysis of data on more than 70,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study showing that those who did little or no regular exercise had six times the risk of sudden cardiac arrest than those who exercised for more than two hours a week.

More information

For more on sudden cardiac death, visit the American Heart Association.

SOURCES: Michael S. Lauer, cardiologist, Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Roger S. Blumenthal, director, Preventive Cardiology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; William Whang, M.D., cardiac electrophysiology fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; May 12, 2005, New England Journal of Medicine

Copyright © 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

   updated March 3, 2007

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