Celebrate Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, a time devoted to remind us that it is never too late or too early to take action to improve our heart health.

With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes and over 800,000 deaths a year, most of us know someone who has had a heart attack, heart disease or stroke.

Did you know?

• Cardiovascular disease, also known as heart disease, is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
• One in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, totaling 2,200 deaths per day.

Fight back and help prevent heart disease by:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Exercising every day
• Avoiding tobacco use
• Reducing the amount of sodium, nutrient-poor foods and trans fat we consume

These changes will reduce the need for medical treatment for high blood pressure or cholesterol—and will ultimately help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Source: American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Who’s at Risk for Heart Disease?

Heart disease strikes both men and women. However, some people are more likely than others to have a heart attack because of their risk factors, including: 

• Pre-existing coronary heart diseases, including a previous heart attack, a prior angioplasty or bypass surgery, or angina
• Age- in men, the risk increases after age 45; in women, the risk increases after age 55
• Family history of early heart disease- a father or brother diagnosed before age 55 or a mother or sister diagnosed before age 65

What Are the Risk Factors?

While some of the risk factors for heart attack are beyond your control, most can be modified to help you lower your risk of having a first or repeat heart attack.

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Overweight
• Physical inactivity
• Diabetes

If you have one or more of these factors, see your healthcare provider to find out how to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Source: American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Ways to Shave Calories to Maintain Your Weight

When it comes to healthy weight management, small steps can add up. In fact, extreme diets and intensive exercise regimens may work well at first, but they rarely last over the long term.

Healthy weight is all about balancing food intake with physical activity. Most of us could improve our energy balance by shaving just 100 calories a day off our usual intake.

Use these tips to cut calories:

1. Downsize Your Dishes. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less. Our brains think we are getting more when the same amount of food is placed in a smaller dish.
2. Savor Your Meals. Eating slowly helps you consume only what your body needs to feel satisfied. Eating too quickly, in less than 20 to 30 minutes, leads to overeating.
3. Leave Some Food on Your Plate. By leaving even a few bites, you can focus more on your internal signals of satisfaction and less on eating food just because it is there.
4. Don’t Eat Out of a Bag or Box. Watch serving sizes and consider portioning one serving into a small bowl.
5. Rethink Your Drinks. High-calorie beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, specialty coffees and alcohol add calories just like solid foods. Whenever possible, replace these drinks with plenty of water.
6. Lighten Up. Use non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup in your favorite coffee drink.
7. Trim Down. Trim all fat from beef, pork and chicken. Remove the skin from poultry.
8. Make the Switch. Enjoy raw vegetables with salsa or fat-free ranch dip instead of chips.

Source: American Dietetic Association

How to Avoid the Winter Blues

Although we’re halfway through the winter, the scarce sunlight and shortened winter days seem to make everyone tired and yearning for the days of spring. Many people are affected by a real and serious condition: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the “winter blues.”

Whether you experience SAD or are just growing weary of the season, the good news is there are ways you can avoid the cold weather funk:

• Stay hydrated by drinking more water. People are just as susceptible to dehydration in cold weather as in the summer.
• Find a hobby like reading or try do-it-yourself crafts.
• Take up a winter sport you’ve always wanted to try like skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or ice skating.
• Rearrange your diet by adding more fruits and vegetables and monitoring portion sizes.
• Try going to bed earlier and waking up earlier.

Source: American Dietetic Association