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Heart Healthy

ATTAINING YOUR PEAK HEART HEALTH
4 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% of 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.

Supplements - Supporting a Healthy Diet
Abolish - Bad Habits Immediately
Food - For a Heart Healthy Diet
Exercise - Regularly

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 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 antioxidant to prevent "free radicals" from damaging cells.

BLOCK #2 Abolish Bad Habits Immediately
STOP SMOKING - Smokers are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop heart disease than non-smokers. Use whatever it takes to stop — Nicoderm, Nicorette, Zyban. Speak to your health professional for recommendations and assistance in putting an end to the most dangerous habit that will ever impact your good health.
DISCONTINUE any health abuses including alcohol or substance abuse. There are many local and national support groups that are available for help and education that can be tapped for individuals in need of assistance.
LOSE WEIGHT — If your are currently over your ideal weight, consider a sensible weight loss program. Even a 10—20 lb. reduction in weight can result in tremendous benefits to overall health.
REDUCE STRESS - Evaluate the stress level in your life. If you find that the stress that you are experiencing on the job in addition to issues in your personal life have become overwhelming, seek professional help to bring your life's stress levels under control.

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.
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 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 - Salt

BLOCK #4 Exercise Regularly For Cardiovascular Health
Exercise, even in moderate amounts, can greatly increase your heart health. Through studies, the results of exercise have consistently proven to benefit cardiovascular health in these ways:
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. Medical studies have shown that exercise lowers the level of C-reactive protein, an indicator of blood vessel inflammation. The risk of heart attack is increased 2 to 5-fold when this protein is found in the blood. The 2 main causes of cardiovascular disease are obesity and high cholesterol. Exercise can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, can raise HDL (good) cholesterol and can lower triglycerides. A recent study by doctors at Duke University has proven that exercise positively alters the number and size of the particles that carry cholesterol through the bloodstream.
Weight loss and maintenance are aided through regular exercise. Burning calories through exercise will allow for weight loss and cardiovascular fitness at the same time. Proper weight management will result in a variety of health
benefits including healthy blood pressure levels, lower cholesterol levels and decreased risk of serious diseases such as diabetes.

HEART HEALTHY RECIPE
Chicken Caesar Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp reduced fat Caesar salad dressing, divided
4 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
8 crisp bread sticks

Directions:

Brush 1 tbsp of dressing on both sides of chicken; season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Coat non-stick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side. Toss lettuce with remaining dressing and arrange on 4 plates. Slice chicken and arrange on salads. Top with parmesan cheese and serve with 2 breadsticks. Serving size is equal to 1 salad and 2 breadsticks. Calories = 290.

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