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Heart Healthy
ATTAINING YOUR PEAK HEART HEALTH
Four Building Blocks to Provide You Optimum Heart Health
Did
you know that heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the United
States every year? In fact, over 2,500 Americans die every day from
heart disease, one-third of them under the age of 75, and this number
is more than the combined total of deaths from other diseases including
cancer and AIDS.
Do you realize that trans fat, contained in margarines, commercial
baked goods and prepared consumer foods constitutes 5 – 10%
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the American diet
and has recently been found to be more harmful in cholesterol building that
the other types of fats present in foods? Did you know that this type of
fat is not even listed on food labels?
Aside from 86’ing all those bad habits you may have, did you know
that you could proactively boost your cardiovascular heart health through
dietary supplements to enhance heart function, and that these supplements
are available to you right now – without a prescription?
How knowledgeable would you say you are regarding the most heart healthy
foods that you can include in your diet? Did you know that olive or canola
oil are far less harmful to your health than hydrogenated oils, margarine
or vegetable oils?
Can you believe that “lack of exercise” has just been added
to the list of major risk factors for heart disease (along with smoking,
high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol) as outlined by the American
Heart Association?
You may be unaware of the data and latest findings regarding optimum
heart health. Au Naturelle puts this information at your fingertips. We
have broken down this information into 4 Building Blocks.
Each block addresses a specific category for enhancing your heart health.
The suggested items may represent dramatic lifestyle changes for you.
However, you may already be following the recommendations in one or more
of the blocks, making your quest for peak heart health closer than you
imagined. These blocks should constitute the basis on which to build your
plan to achieve optimum cardiovascular wellness and by which you make
safe lifestyle choices to ensure peak heart health.
“SAFE
AT HOME”
Just
as a ballplayer starts at home plate and hopes for a home
run, the “home run” for heart health is achieved
through following a totally integrated healthy lifestyle.
When
a home run hitter rounds third base, his sights are set on
getting to home plate and being called “SAFE”.
Similarly,
the Building Blocks for Achieving Heart Health
can be viewed as each base with the ultimate goal to ensure
maintenance of a SAFE lifestyle that will
provide optimum heart health.
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BLOCK
#1
Supplements
Supporting a Healthy Diet
Dietary
supplements are tremendously helpful in boosting heart health
to a point of peak wellness. Utilization of the proper supplement
can benefit your health in the following ways:
 The
“vitamin like” compounds and flavonoids
of a supplement can protect the arteries through natural
substances such as those found in vegetables and fruits.
A multi-dimensional supplement can |
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reduce LDL cholesterol oxidation and prevent arterial blockage
and heart damage.
Similar to aspirin, it will maintain healthy blood platelet
activity to achieve optimum cardio/circulatory health.
It will perform as an effective anti-oxidant to prevent “free-radicals”
from damaging cells.
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BLOCK
#3
Foods
For A Heart Healthy Diet
 Eating
food that is beneficial to heart health is critical to maintain
optimum cardiovascular performance. Do you know what those
foods are? Foods that have been proven to cause cholesterol
build-up are to be avoided, and the foods that impact your
cardio wellness in a beneficial way should be eaten regularly.
The following list categorizes foods that have a positive
or negative impact for reaching peak heart health.
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YES!
Fresh
Fruits
Oranges
Cantelope
Apples
Grapefruit
Red or Purple Grapes
Grape Juice
Avocados
Dried Apricots
Dried Dates
Dried Prunes
Green Leafy Vegetables
Garlic
Onions
Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli
Chickpeas
Low Fat Tomato Sauce
Tomato Salsa
Salmon and Other Fish
Fat Free Chicken or Turkey Breast
Baked Whole Wheat Chips
Tortillas
Whole Grain Pasta
Whole Wheat Breads
Oatmeal
Shredded Wheat
Fat Free Milk
Olive or Canola Oil
Peanuts, Walnuts, Almonds
No/Low Salt Foods
Tea
Honey
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NO!
Dairy Products
High Butter Fat or
Animal Fat Content
Cheese, Yogurt
Whole Milk
Ice Cream
White Meats
Red Meats
Hot Dogs
Hamburgers
Sandwich Meats
Processed Meats
White Flour
Egg Noodles
White Pasta
White Bread
Baked Goods (Pastries, Pies, Cakes, Cookies)
Doughnuts
Hydrogenated Oils (Margarine, Fried/Baked Foods)
Candy
High Fat Snacks
Chips
Crackers
Saltines
High Sodium or Salt Content
Sugar
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HEART
HEALTHY RECIPE
Healthy Pasta Classico
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
1 T. olive oil
7 slices turkey bacon
1 lg. onion, chopped
1/3 c. white wine
2 cans tomatoes (16 oz. each) with roasted garlic,
undrained
2 tsp. dried basil
Crushed dried red pepper flakes, to
taste
8 oz. pasta, cooked (preferably penne)
Low-fat Parmesan cheese
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Directions:
Heat
oil in pan coated with olive oil spray. Saute
bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and onion is
golden. Add wine, tomatoes, and basil. Bring
to a boil.
Simmer, uncovered, until thickened for approximately 20
minutes. Season to taste with crushed pepper
flakes. Toss with pasta and sprinkle Parmesan
cheese over individual servings.
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«TOP»
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Regular exercise increases the heart’s strength
and makes it more efficient in pumping blood. Like any
muscle, when it is working at peak performance,it is
less taxing on the entire body.