March is DVT Awareness Month – Are You at Risk?

 

Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a relatively common and serious medical condition that occurs in approximately 2 million Americans each year. DVT occurs when a blood clot (which is also called a thrombus) develops in one of the large veins, usually in the legs, leading to either partially or completely blocked circulation. This may lead to complications, such as a pulmonary embolism and even death if not diagnosed and treated effectively.

Only about 50% of people experience symptoms when they have DVT.  Symptoms of DVT may include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Discoloration or redness of the affected area
• Skin that is warm to the touch

Who is at risk?

DVT can occur in almost anyone. Certain individuals may be at increased risk for developing a DVT. Some of the risk factors for DVT include:

• Surgery
• Restricted Mobility (like when on a long plane flight)
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Cancer
• Respiratory Failure
• Age > 40
• Overweight/Obesity
• Smoking (especially in women taking oral contraceptives)
• Prior or family history of DVT

Assess your risk for DVT today by visiting http://www.preventdvt.org/assessment/dvt-risk-assessment.aspx

National START Walking Day April 7th

 

Get Up and Move

These days, adults like you are spending more time at work than ever before. An unfortunate side effect is that, as a nation, we’re becoming more inactive. This is a problem when you consider the fact that physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease!

But take heart! It’s a problem you can help fix by convincing your company to take part in National Start! Walking Day.

On this day, employees are encouraged to wear sneakers to work and take at least 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk. It’s a great way to raise awareness of the Start! movement and to give your coworkers a friendly push toward a healthier life.

Get the Ball Rolling!

It’s pretty simple to get your company to participate in National Start! Walking Day. Start by having your HR representative or Worksite Wellness coordinator fill out the registration form to download a National Start! Walking Day toolkit for your company. It includes posters and signs you can use to set up walking paths around the office.

Visit http://startwalkingnow.org/about_start_walking_day.jsp For more information.

The Egg Controversy: Healthy or Harmful?

The egg controversy still continues…

Eggs are a great source of protein, folate, riboflavin, choline, vitamin B12, A, D, and K.  So why have eggs gotten a bad wrap?

In the 1970’s the American Heart Association recommended decreasing the consumption of eggs and other sources of cholesterol to help decrease the risk of heart disease.  But the relationship between egg cholesterol, increased blood cholesterol and heart disease is still not clearly understood.

Studies have reported that consuming eggs can increase blood cholesterol levels in SOME people but not everyone.  The interesting finding is that egg cholesterol was found to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels.  Also in some people egg cholesterol promotes the formation of large LDL cholesterol particles, which are better than small LDL particles and are less likely to cause plaque formation (narrowing in blood vessels).  Researchers believe that genetics, ethnicity, BMI and hormone status all may play a role in how eggs affect cholesterol levels differently in different people.

The NHANES III observational study evaluated over 27,000 people and found that people who ate 4 or more eggs per week had significantly lower cholesterol levels than people who ate less than one egg per week.

 So what is the final word on eggs? We still do not have the answer….

Our recommendation is eggs are probably a healthy food source for most people IN MODERATION!

 Looking for more heart healthy info visit www.heart-strong.com or check out our books “Take Charge: A Woman’s Guide to a Healthier Heart” and “Take Charge: A Man’s Roadmap to a Healthier Heart”

March 23rd is American Diabetes Association Alert Day

According to the American Diabetes Association between the day this movement started on October 29, 2009 and today, over 570,000 of our friends, family members and colleagues have been diagnosed with diabetes. That’s one person every 20 seconds. Join the movement and Stop Diabetes!

We wanted to share some facts from the American Diabetes Association:

One in 5 Americans is at risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Nearly 6 million people have diabetes and don’t know it.

Diabetes is the #1 cause of blindness in adults.

Diabetes doubles your risk for heart attack and stroke.

1 in 3 American children born today will develop diabetes if current trends continue.

March 23, 2010 is the 22nd annual American Diabetes Association Alert Day.  It’s the day we want you to learn your risk for type 2 diabetes by taking the simple Diabetes Risk Test online. It’s the day to ask if your loved ones could be could be a part of the 57 million Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes – and it’s the day to share the Diabetes Risk Test with them. It’s the day to Stop Diabetes by taking steps toward prevention.

Visit http://stopdiabetes.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SD_alert_main to take the Diabetes Risk Test Today!!

Looking for more info about diabetes visit the American Diabetes Association site at http://www.diabetes.org/

Looking for more info about preventing heart disease and stroke visit www.heart-strong.com

5 Sneaky Eating Tips to Help You Lose Weight

from HealthyWomen’s e-newsletter, HealthyWomen Take 10

Dieting is out; smart eating for weight loss is in. That doesn’t mean deprivation. The best ways to cut excess weight include making changes you can live with forever.

Some of those changes are downright sneaky—you can slip them into your daily eating plan without any stress and they’ll help you lose pounds as well as keep the weight off.

1. Take out a ruler and measure your plate. The size of American dinner plates has grown in recent years. Many are now 12 or even 14 inches wide, great for loading up but not so good for encouraging healthy eating. Big plates result in big portions and weight gain, since most of us are conditioned to eat what’s on our plates. Instead, get out those old 9- or 10-inch “luncheon” plates you may have received as hand-me-downs or buy some inexpensive new ones. You’ll serve yourself less food with smaller plates, but still feel satisfied.

2. Make your second helping all veggies. You may have heard the advice to mentally divide your dinner plate in fourths and fill two of those sections with vegetables and/or salad, one with a starch and one with a meat or other protein. That works well as a guideline for smart eating, but if you’re still hungry and want more, commit to making your second helping all veggies. For seconds, start with one-fourth of the plate or less. Eating more cooked or salad vegetables increases your feeling of fullness without adding a lot of calories—so long as you don’t butter the vegetables and use only nonfat or low-fat salad dressings.

3. Serve from the stove, not at the table. Although the image of filled serving bowls on the family dinner table is associated with well-being, serving food directly from pots on a stove or counter is better for healthy weight, according to Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. The reason this sneaky tip works for weight control is simple: When you sit and look at food, you take more and eat more. For a modified approach, reduce traffic jams at the stove and promote better food choices by keeping only the cooked vegetables and salad on the dining table.

4. Eat breakfast every day. More reason to wake up and smell the coffee: Eating breakfast improves weight loss efforts and helps keep weight off long-term. When you skip that starter meal of the day, hunger hits stronger, often well before lunchtime. To quiet hunger pangs quickly, you might reach for something calorie-loaded without much nutritional benefit, such as a doughnut (or two!), muffin or bagel. Whole-grain cereals, like oatmeal, will carry you through the morning. Other options: have nonfat yogurt, eggs or peanut butter for protein, with whole-grain toast.

5. Have a tall, thin one. Time to hide the wide glasses! Dr. Wansink and his research colleagues have shown that you’ll pour less and drink less (thus cutting calories)–yet still be satisfied—when you use tall, skinny glasses for serving beverages. You can still use your wide glasses for water and other calorie-free drinks.

For more on diet and nutrition, visit: www.healthywomen.org/ages-and-stages/healthy-living/diet-and-nutrition

References

Wansink B, van Ittersum K. “Portion Size Me: Downsizing Our Consumption Norms.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2007;107(7):1103-1106.

Ello-Martin, JA, Roe LS, Ledikwe JH, et al. “Dietary Energy Density in the Treatment of Obesity: A Year-Long Trial Comparing Two Weight-Loss Diets.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;85(6):1465-1477.

Raynor, HA, Jeffery RW, Ruggiero AM, et al. “Weight Loss Strategies Associated with BMI in Overweight Adults with Type 2 Diabetes at Entry Into the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) Trial.” Diabetes Care. 2008;31(7):1299-1304.

Wansink B, van Ittersum K. “Shape of Glass and Amount of Alcohol Poured: Comparative Study of Effect of Practice and Concentration.” British Medical Journal. 2005;331(7531):1512-1514.

© 2010 HealthyWomen All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from HealthyWomen. 1-877-986-9472 (toll-free). On the Web at: www.HealthyWomen.org.

Info and Healthy Recipes for National Nutrition Month

 

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The theme for 2010 is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.”  This year’s National Nutrition Month theme is a great reminder for eating fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and beans to create a healthy diet and understanding the role of nutrition in getting and staying healthy.  Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org for more info.

SPINACH LASAGNA

Serves 15
Serving size 1/15th of pan

18 lasagna noodles, cooked
Filling:
1 1/4 lbs spinach, steamed
1 1/2 oz fresh basil, chopped
1/2 oz parsley
32 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup eggbeaters (or 2 egg whites)
10 c tomato pasta sauce (canned or homemade, fat free)

Mix filling ingredients. Ladle 2 cups sauce on bottom of a large cake or lasagna pan. Next lay 6 noodles in pan, trimming if needed. Spread half of filling on top of noodles; layer another six noodles, the rest on the filling, then noodles. Ladles remaining sauce on top of lasagna and add fat free cheese if desired.
Bake lasagna 1 hour at 350. Let lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting.
Lasagna is even better made a day or two ahead of time. An additional 15 minutes must be added to the baking time.

Calories: 265
Fat: 1g

 

Pizza Mexicana

Ingredients:

4 Fat Free Flour Soft Taco Tortillas
8 ounces Fat Free Refried Beans
3 each Fresh Tomato
8 ounces Fat Free Jack Cheese

Method

1.        Place soft tacos on a cookie sheet

2.        Spread 2 ounces of the refried beans on each taco

3.        Dice tomatoes and place on top of the refried beans

4.        Top with 2 ounces of Fat Free Jack Cheese

5.        Sprinkle cheese with a small amount of water

6.        Bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese “melts”

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

232 Kilocalories
.18 grams Fat
23.5 grams Protein
35 grams Carbs.

The culinary staff at Wellspring Camps (www.wellspringcamps.com) created the above recipes for delicious and healthy snacks that the family can enjoy this National Nutrition Month (March) or anytime of the year.

Don’t Let Cardiac Tests Stress You Out (Blog Talk Radio Show)

National Nutrition Month: Should we eat Fresh, Canned or Frozen Fruits/Vegetables?

 

When it comes to buying fruits and vegetables, many factors play a role in which types consumers choose, including nutritional value. Are there significant differences among fresh, frozen, canned or dried? The American Dietetic Association says no matter what form they take, fruits and vegetables are good-for-you foods that can be enjoyed at any time. “While fresh fruits and vegetables are recommended, this does not mean they are the only healthy option,” says registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Ximena Jimenez. “Research shows frozen and canned foods can be as nutritious as fresh. In fact, since some nutrients in canned produce are more easily absorbed in the body, these can sometimes be better nutrition choices than fresh.”

 March is National Nutrition Month^®, when ADA and its members reinforce the importance of a healthy eating plan, which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables. The theme for 2010 is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.”

“This year’s National Nutrition Month theme is a great reminder for eating fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and beans to create a healthy diet and understanding the role of nutrition in getting and staying healthy,” Jimenez says.

Fresh, canned or frozen, Jimenez offers ideas for getting the most from your fruits and vegetables, no matter what form your produce takes:

For canned fruits and vegetables:

• Get the juice. “For canned fruit, look for descriptions on the label like ‘packed in its own juices,’ ‘packed in fruit juice,’ ‘unsweetened’ or ‘in syrup.’ Fruits packed in juices contain less added sugar and fewer calories than fruits packed in syrup,” Jimenez says.
• Pinch the salt. If you are cutting back on sodium, look for descriptions such as “no salt added” and “reduced sodium” on the labels of canned vegetables.
• Savor the flavor. Use canned fruits and vegetables immediately after opening for maximum flavor and nutritional value. “Handle leftovers as you would any perishable food,” Jimenez says. “Remove them from the can, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer to retain taste and nutritional quality.”

For frozen varieties:

• Forgo the fat. When buying frozen vegetables, control fat and calories by choosing plain vegetables or those made with low-fat sauces.
• Check the label. “Frozen fruits come in both sweetened and unsweetened varieties, so make sure to check the label and choose unsweetened if you are limiting your sugar intake. Frozen fruit bars also make a nutritious snack, but read the label to learn if they’re made with real fruit juice,” Jimenez says.

Dried fruits:

• Pick the plain. “Dried fruit contains lots of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium and folate, but also more calories per serving than fresh fruit because of natural and sometimes added sugar,” Jimenez says. “Also, some dried fruits are preserved with sulfite, which can trigger allergic reactions. So read the package label to make sure your choice is in line with your healthful and safe eating plan.”
• Have a handful. “Dried fruit is a great portable snack. It can also jazz up salads, pancakes, bread recipes or a bowl of cereal,” Jimenez says.

“There are thousands of varieties of canned and frozen fruits and vegetables on grocery store shelves, which makes it easy to find foods that suit your tastes and fit into a healthy eating plan,” Jimenez says. “And it’s always fun to try a new food or find a new way to cook your old favorites.”

The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org for more info.

Too Much Alcohol Harms the Heart, Even if Just Occasional

Drinking alcohol in moderation (not more than one drink per day for women, not more than two drinks per day for men) has previously been shown to be heart healthy.  Alcohol can help raise HDL (good cholesterol, prevent blood clotting and has anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessels).  Heavy frequent alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure, promote blood clots and lead to irregular heart rhythms.

A new study published in the February 2010 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that occasional binge drinking can actually reverse the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol intake.  The researchers pooled data from 14 different studies that looked at moderate drinkers, they found that people who drank heavily every so often were 45% more likely to develop heart disease than people who drank in moderation but never binged.  (People who did not drink alcohol at all were not involved in this study.)  Occasional heavy or binge drinking was defined as five or more drinks in one day at least twelve times a year.

Looking for more health info check out www.heart-strong.com

Bottoms Up! The Adult Congenital Heart Association Prepares for St. Patrick’s Day with a Free Webinar:

 

“How to Have Fun Saturday Night Without Ending up in the ER Sunday Morning”

Millions of people will raise a pint (or three) on St. Patrick’s Day this year.  But for the more than one million people in the U.S. living with a congenital heart defect, the risks of doing so can be greater than just ending up on You Tube the next day. 

In the United States, 1 out of every 100 babies is born with a heart defect. Congenital heart disease is the #1 birth defect with more occurrences than Spina Bifida, Down syndrome or hearing loss, yet many are not aware of this condition. In most cases, scientists do not know the cause but feel both environmental and genetic factors appear to play a role. Today, most heart defects can be corrected or helped with surgery, medicine, or devices, such as artificial valves and pacemakers. In the last 25 years, advances in treatment of heart defects have enabled half a million U.S. children with significant heart defects to survive into adulthood.

The Webinar is Free and Open to the Public; Will Review the Implications of Imbibing While Living with Congenital Heart Disease, an Issue that Affects More than One Million People Nationwide

WHEN:

- Friday, March 12, 2010

- 8:00 p.m. EST

The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), a nonprofit organization which seeks to improve the quality of life and extend the lives of adults living with congenital heart disease (CHD), presents a free webinar just in time for St. Patrick’s Day: “How to Have Fun Saturday Night Without Ending up in the ER Sunday Morning.”

Presented by Karen Stout, MD, the webinar is designed to help CHD men and women over the age of 21 understand some of the cardiac concerns that can arise while imbibing, and tactics for minimizing the possibility of developing arrhythmias or other acute symptoms. 

This webinar is part of an series of monthly webinars that the ACHA is presenting to the CHD community. Topics range from timely (CHD and the H1N1 virus) to timeless (reproductive issues) and are always offered free of charge.

WHO:

Karen Stout, MD, is and ACHD physician and the director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. 

WHERE:

More information on the webinar can be found on the Adult Congenital Heart Association Website at http://achaheart.org/news/kstoutwebinar.php

Participants can register for the webinar at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/559773850

About the Adult Congenital Heart Association:

The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and extending the lives of adults with congenital heart defects (CHD).  ACHA serves and supports the more than one million adults with congenital heart defects, their families and the medical community—working with them to address the unmet needs of the long-term survivors of congenital heart defects through education, outreach, advocacy, and promotion of ACHD research. For more information about the Adult Congenital Heart Association, contact (888) 921-ACHA, or visit www.achaheart.org.

We came across the above information and thought it was an important message to share. For more heart healthy info visit www.heart-strong.com 

 Happy St Patrick’s Day !!