Exercise for a healthy heart

Starting an exercise program may seem intimidating, especially if you have not exercised before (or it's been a long time).  You may be out of shape. You may have to start slowly. But don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can! 

Regular exercise helps your heart function more efficiently, helps regulate blood pressure, manage stress, and improve your cholesterol profile. Of course, routine exercie will also help you attain and maintain a healthy weight--which is key to reducing your risk of heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine adults between the ages of 18-65 should get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least five days a week. But even a very modest exercise routine, such as walking 20 minutes a day, can bring significant benefits--and lead to a more ambitious program.

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Reduce your risk with anti-inflammatory foods

You may think of inflammation as something that happens when you sprain your ankle or get a sore throat. But did you know that low-level inflammation (which you may not feel at all) can be a significant risk factor for heart disease?

Many experts now recognize that an anti-inflammatory diet can be a powerful tool for reducing your risk of heart disease. As a bonus, the same approach can help lower your risk of many other conditions as well, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression.

Here are some tips on creating an anti-inflammatory diet:

Use olive oil, nuts, and avocodo as your primary sources of fat.
These foods are rich in monounsaturated fats, which help to quell inflammation.

Increase your intake of omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fats, especially the EPA and DHA forms, are powerfully anti-inflammatory. Good sources include fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, fish roe (caviar) and fish oil supplements.

Decrease your intake of omega-6 fats.
A diet high in omega-6 fats can lead to the over-production of inflammatory chemicals in the body. Vegetable oils such as corn oil are the primary source of omega-6 fats in the diet.

Eat loads of fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables, especially the brightly-colored ones, are packed with antioxidants that help quell inflammation and repair inflammation-related damage. Aim for five servings of vegetables and up to four servings of fruits every day. Excellent choices include spinach, red and green peppers, broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, berries, citrus fruits, and melons.

Limit your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Foods made with sugar and/or white flour create high blood sugar levels, which can aggravate inflammation.  To keep blood sugar levels steady and inflammation at bay, limit your intake of foods with a high glycemic load, such as candy, pastry, cakes, cookies, soda, juice, breads and other baked goods.

Spice it up.
Vibrant spices like ginger, curry powder, chili powder, garlic, and onions all have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Incorporate these ingredients into your meals and recipes as often as possible.

Use the IF Rating system.
The IF Rating system shows you the inflammatory (or anti-inflammatory) potential of foods you eat. Foods with a high IF Rating are considered anti-inflammatory. Foods with a negative IF Rating are considered inflammatory. It's not necessary to eliminate all foods with negative IF Ratings. The goal is to balance your choices so that the the total iF Rating for all the foods you eat in a day is in the positive (anti-inflammatory) range.

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Next Step: Find anti-inflammatory foods (foods with a high IF Rating)

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Ways to promote healthy cholesterol levels

Your cholesterol levels are determined in part by genetics and in part by lifestyle choices. While you can't do anything to change your genes, here are some positive lifestyle choices that promote healthy cholesterol levels:

Eat more fiber rich foods.  Foods rich in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, can improve your cholesterol profiles and lower your risk of heart disesae. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, barley and citrus fruit can help lower levels of LDL (or "Bad") cholesterol.  A diet rich in fiber also helps you to feel satisfied with fewer calories, which helps you maintain a health weight--another important way to reduce your risk of heart disease.   

To get more fiber, start the day with a high fiber cereal, eat plenty of whole fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains over refined grains, and enjoy beans or legumes at least three times a week. Because they are also high in protein, beans make the perfect choice for a meatless meal. Enjoy bean soups, black bean veggies burgers, three bean salad, bean dip or hummus.

Avoid trans fats and lmit saturated fats.  You might be surprosed to learn that saturated and trans fats have a much bigger impact on your blood cholesterol levels than the dietary cholesterol found in foods like eggs and shrimp.  Trans fats are found in foods made with hydrogenated fats or oils--and these should be aovided.  Saturated fats are primarily found in fatty cuts of meat, whole milk dairy products, and tropical oils.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that saturated fats be limited to 10% of your total calories. That's about 10 grams per day for most people.  Try to get most of your daily fat calories from monounsaturated fats. Olive oil, olives, avocadoes, and nuts are all good sources of monounsaturated fats.

Up your intake of plant sterols and stanols. These naturally occuring compounds, known collectively as phytosterols, have been found to lower LDL cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption into cells.  Corn, rice, nuts, and legumes contain small amounts of phytosterols.  You can get higher levels from  specially formulated yogurt, peanut butter, mayonnaise, and margarine. One or two servings of phytosterol-enriched products is enough to have positive benefits on cholesterol levels.

Enjoy garlic and onions. Both contain compounds that help modulate the liver's production of cholesterol.

Consume alcohol in moderation.  Moderate consumption of alcohol (that's no more than 2 drinks a day for men or 1 drink a day for women) can help promote healthy cholesterol levels. But drinking more than this increases your heart disease risk, so drink moderately or not at all.  Red wine also contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that can help reduce heart disease risk.

Next Steps:
Find foods that are high in fiber and monounsaturated fats

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Tips for lowering triglycerides

Having high triglyceride levels increases your risk of strokes and heart attacks. Triglycerides are a type of fat that is present in your blood. Levels of more than 200 are considered elevated.

Unlike your cholesterol levels, which are largely controlled by your genetics, your triglyceride levels are largely controlled by the choices you make.  For the vast majority of people, positive lifestyle changes will likely be very effective in lowering elevated triglycerides. 

Here are some steps you can take:

Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight.
Your body can only use so much energy. If you eat more calories (energy) than you need, the surplus will be converted to trigycerides, which are stored in fat cells but also build up in your blood.

Steer clear of refined carbohydrates and sweets.
Highly-processed foods such as candy, sodas, ice cream, pastries, and breads all raise your blood sugar, which can lead to the formation of triglycerides.  Choose foods with a low glycemic load. These foods help to keep your blood sugar steady and triglycerides down.

Cut back on (or eliminate) alcohol.
Excessive alcohol consumption raises triglyceride levels. Men should limit alcohol consumption to 2 drinks a day; women to one.  A drink is defined as 1 12-ounce beer, 1 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1 1/2 ounces of hard liquor.

Eat more fish.
Fish contains omega-3 fats (specifically DHA and EPA) that can help reduce elevated triglyceride levels.  The recommended amount to lower triglycerides is 2 - 4 grams of EPA + DHA per day. That's about 6 ounces of wild salmon, per day.  Other good source of  EPA and DHA include mackerel, herring, sardines, fish roe (caviar) and fish oil supplements.

Next Steps:
Find foods with a low glycemic index
Find foods high in omega-3 fats

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Five ways to cut back on salt

Even if you aren't in the habit of regularly picking up the salt shaker, your diet may still be high in sodium. In fact, if you're like most people, the salt you add at the table or during cooking only contributes around 5 to 10% of the sodium in your diet.  A whopping 75% of the sodium that Americans consume each day is hidden in processed and prepared foods. 

The daily recommended inatke of sodium is 2,400mg, which is the equivalent of one teaspoon of table salt. If you have high blood pressure, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your sodium to 1,500mg per day.  Yet most Americans consume anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 mg per day.

Here are a few tips on how to reduce the sodium in your diet:

Cut back on processed and prepared foods.  Food manufacturers often use salt to preserve food and help "improve" the flavor and texture. Processors also use sodium to mask the taste of chemicals and additives they add to foods.  Whenever possible, prepare your own foods using fresh, whole ingredients.

For example, make your own salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs insteaad of sodium-laden bottled dressings.  Make oatmeal from scratch rather than using the flavored packets. This puts you in control of your sodium intake and your cardiovascular health.

Read labels.  Just because a food doesn't taste salty doesn't mean it is low in sodium. For example, you might be surprised  to learn that a bowl of corn flakes contains over 10% of the daily recommended amount.  Even foods that taste sweet can contain a significant amount of salt.

You'll find the sodium content listed on the nutrition facts label of every packaged food. You can also look up the sodium content of thousands of common foods right here on Nutrition Data. Use this information to keep track of how much sodium you're getting and budget your intake throughout the day.

Make over your spice rack.  Seasoning mixes, rubs, and marinades can contain a lot of unneccesary sodium. Revamp your seasoning arsenal with fresh herbs, spices, and low-sodium seasoning blends. Vinegar, lemon, and lime juice add flavor without adding sodium.  Keep in mind that condiments such as soy sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, and even ketchup contain sodium. Remember to include them when calculating your sodium intake.

Look for low-sodium products.  Hoping to keep up with consumer demands, manufacturers have created lower sodium varietes of your favorite convenience foods.  Look for low or reduced sodium soups, canned vegetables, deli meats, crackers, sauces, and many other products and buy them whenever possible.

Choose smart when eating out.  Take-out and fast food are notoriously high in sodium, especially Chinese and Mexican food.  But all restaurant food tends to be higher in sodium that what you would prepare at home.   Steer clear of heavily sauced dishes and when ordering, ask your server to request that your meal be prepared with a minimum of added salt.   And when you know you'll be eating out, budget your sodium intake throughout the rest of the day accordingly.

The good news is that as you start to cut back on added salt, you'll find that your taste receptors become much more sensitive. You'll need less salt to make foods taste well seasoned and your appreciation of other flavors will increase as well!

Next step: Find foods low in sodium

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