The holiday season is here, and with the holidays comes tons of delicious food. And while it’s alright to indulge a little bit (it is the holidays after all), it’s important not to go overboard.

Here are some tips to maintain a healthy diet over the holidays and avoid emotional eating:

1. Stay in touch with your feelings. Most of the time, we don’t have a clue what we’re feeling in any given moment. Make it a habit to check in two or three times a day; just before meals is the perfect chance to stay on top of your feelings, before they run your food choices.

2. Be in your body. Most of us walk around all day in a state of half-awareness, not really present in the room, on the earth, in our bodies. But if you’re not in your body, you have no way of knowing when it’s hungry or full. Get in the habit of checking in with your body, especially your belly, during the day. Where are your feet? How do your legs feel? Is your stomach tense, cold, empty, satisfied? Once you’ve practiced this for a while, it becomes automatic–and makes it easier to choose foods based on what your body needs.

3. Examine your cravings. Binges and cravings are fraught with symbolism. The next time you find yourself in the throes of a craving, examine it. What is it about that food that you’re really longing for? If you like crunchy cookies when you’re stressed, is it the sweetness you’re craving, or the texture? Biting down on something hard and crunchy relieves tension in the jaw, and that loud, crunching sound as you chew may literally drown out the noise in your head. If you’re aching for warm eggnog, maybe the temperature and creamy texture is symbolic of what you need in your life: something warm, rich and soothing to fill up empty spaces.

4. Shift your focus. Imagine you’re alone in the house with a refrigerator full of holiday leftovers. Just before you plunge your hand into a box of chocolates, or your fork into an apple pie, quickly shift your attention. Take your focus to something outside of yourself. It may be visual: look out the window at the snow, the clouds moving across the sky, the blush of sunset. Or it may be auditory–the sound of your children playing in the living room, a favorite song. Focusing on sensory input calms the mind, gets you back in your body and helps you stay present. It’s also a fast, simple way to break the chain.

5. Be happy now. We think once we get thin, or lower our blood pressure, or give up sugar once and for all, we’ll be happy. Most of the time, though, it’s the opposite: once you get happy, you’ll have a better chance of achieving your goals. A few years ago, a study found that happiness may breed success, rather than the other way around. The researchers suggested that happy people were more likely to seek out opportunities that would ensure their success. I believe happy people are more likely to stick to a way of eating that works for them, and less likely to eat from stress, depression or anxiety.

SOURCE:

According to the American Heart Association, one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure, the rate is higher in African Americans. People who suffer from high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease, kidney disease and renal failure. Sufferers are also at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Known as the “silent killer,” high blood pressure, has no symptoms but is easy to diagnose by your doctor. While there are no symptoms, there are causes. See the list below to see if you fall in the high risk category and make sure to get your blood pressure checked regularly and consult a doctor if it is high. High blood pressure registers at 130/80 or higher.

Causes of high blood pressure:

Genetics – Family history plays a major roll in the likely hood of developing high blood pressure. Just as hair color, height and eye color runs in families so does high blood pressure. While you can’t control your heredity you can take steps to lead a healthy lifestyle that will cut down on your chances of developing hypertension.

Poor Diet – Salty and fatty foods, specifically those that contain high concentration of saturated fats are major contributors to hypertension.

Obesity – People who are overweight have a higher rate of high blood pressure.

Lack of physical activity – Excersize helps the heart in many ways and conversly an inactive lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure.

Age – As people get older their risk of developing hypertension increases.

Stress – People who reported high levels of stress were more likely to have high blood pressure.

Drinking too much alcohol – Anything more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women can lead to high blood pressure.

Smoking and second-hand smoke – Smoking temporarily increases blood pressure and can damage arteries. Even second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and hypertension.

Take this quiz from the American Heart Association to see if you are at risk for high blood pressure.

Here are some helpful links to learn more about high blood pressure and how to prevent and treat it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – About 1 of 3 adults in the US has high blood pressure, which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States. Find ways to prevent high blood pressure at the CDC website.

American Heart Association – Whether diagnosed with high blood pressure and looking for ways to manage it or just learning about this symptomless condition that affects one in three adults in our country, this site will guide you step by step to a healthier you.

High Blood Pressure in African Americans brochure from the AHA – This brochure makes recommendations on how to control high blood pressure, and shares statistics specific to African Americans and heart disease.

Mayo Clinic – Mayo Clinic’s section on high blood pressure.

WebMD – WebMD takes a look at high blood pressure in African-Americans.

International Society on Hypertension in Blacks

Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.

VIA: WEBMD.COM

COPD presents 13 million Americans with new challenges and opportunities for better health.

 
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Quiz the average person on the street, and how many could tell you what it is? Would you know that it’s the 4th leading cause of death in the United States? Not likely. But that is one of COPD’s unfortunate claims to fame.

A serious and progressive lung disease diagnosed in more than 13 million Americans, COPD develops when lungs become damaged from smoking and sometimes from heavy exposure to pollution, chemicals, or dusts. Genes may also play a role in the development of the disease.

COPD causes airways to become partially blocked, making it very hard to breathe. You can’t reverse the damage it causes, and COPD has no cure. But you can do many things to slow its progression and live a longer, higher-quality life.

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VIA: WEBMD.COM

Logging Long Hours on the Job May Increase Risk for Heart Attack, Angina, Heart-Related Death, Study Finds

 
May 13, 2010 — Working a lot of overtime may be good for your wallet, but it may be bad for your heart.

In a study of about 6,000 British civil servants followed for about a decade, working three or more hours of overtime a day was associated with a 60% increased risk of heart-related health issues, including heart attack, angina, and death from heart disease.

The association was seen even after researchers considered the impact of well-established heart disease risk factors like smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol.

Lead researcher Marianna Virtanen, PhD, tells WebMD that for the white collar civil servants in the study, working overtime was associated with more type A behavior traits like aggression, hostility, competitiveness, psychological distress, and sleep problems.

The research appears online in the European Heart Journal.

“The importance of having a good balance between work time, leisure time, and family time may be more important for the heart than has been appreciated,” she says.

Virtanen is a senior researcher and psychologist with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the University College London.

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VIA: WEBMD.COM

Study Shows Whole-Grain Foods Lower Cardio Risk in People With Diabetes

 
May 10, 2010 — People with diabetes who eat plenty of bran-rich whole grains appear to have a reduced risk of death from heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular causes, a new study shows.

Researchers from Harvard University followed almost 8,000 nurses with type 2 diabetes for almost three decades.

They found that women who ate the most bran had a 35% lower risk of death from heart disease and a 28% lower risk of death from all causes than women who ate the least.

Compared to people without diabetes, diabetic people have two to three times the risk of heart disease and early death.

The new research suggests eating a balanced diet that includes complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains can help lower this risk, American Heart Association spokesman Robert Eckel, MD, tells WebMD.

Eckel is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver.

“Many diabetics still believe they should limit carbohydrates, including complex carbohydrates,” he says. “Certainly refined grains and simple sugars raise blood sugar and should be limited. But it looks like eating whole grains is not only safe, but beneficial.”

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VIA: HEALTHNEWS.COM – PHOTO VIA: HEALTHY U

 
A joyous day indeed when the research done by the medical community actually finds that one of your favorite foods can aid your heart, cut your stroke risk and lower blood pressure. And just in time for Easter!

Tomorrow’s publication of the European Heart Journal includes the results of an eight-year study by German researchers, the first to track the effects of chocolate over a long period of time. Following nearly 20,000 participants, all who were similar in health, risk factors and Body Mass Index (BMI), the researchers sent periodic queries on diet, exercise and health issues. The end result showed that eating 6 grams of chocolate—the equivalent of one square—per day, lowered the risk of heart attack and stroke by 39 percent.

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VIA: WEBMD.COM. PHOTO VIA: TOPNEWS.NI

Diet, sleep, fitness, and more — how to strengthen and protect your heart right now

 
How do you get a healthier heart, right now? The answer sounds too good to be true: “By simply leading a healthier life,” according to Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of New York University’s Women’s Heart Program and author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide to Women’s Health.

That’s because even small, steady changes in your life mean a stronger, more efficient heart. “More than half of heart disease is preventable, and studies have shown that 90% of heart attacks in women can be prevented,” she adds. Further, the latest study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that women who eat loads of veggies, fruit, whole grains, fish, and legumes; drink moderate amounts of alcohol; exercise; maintain a healthy weight; and don’t smoke have a whopping 92% decreased risk of having a heart attack compared with women with less healthy diets and habits.

An added bonus? “So many things we do to help our heart, like quitting smoking, eating more fiber, and moving more, also help other parts of our body, including our bones, colon, lungs, and skin,” Goldberg says. And February is Heart Disease Awareness Month, making this the perfect time to start improving your ticker — and the rest of you.

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VIA:  WebMd.Com

By Stephanie Watson
WebMD The Magazine
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

How Does The Human Heart Function?

Every day, your heart beats about 100,000 times, sending 2,000 gallons of blood surging through your body. Although it’s no bigger than your fist, your heart has the mighty job of keeping blood flowing through the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that feed your organs and tissues. Any damage to the heart or its valves can reduce that pumping power, forcing the heart to work harder just to keep up with the body’s demand for blood.

So how do you make sure your heart is in tip-top shape? “Keeping your body in good health helps keep the heart a more efficient organ,” Krasuski advises. In other words, eat healthy, well-balanced meals and don’t skimp on the exercise.

Laughter:  The Good Heart Medicine

Health experts now have proof that laughter is good medicine.

A good belly laugh can send 20% more blood flowing through your entire body. One study found that when people watched a funny movie, their blood flow increased. That’s why laughter might just be the perfect antidote to stress.

When you laugh, the lining of your blood vessel walls relaxes and expands, Krasuski says. So have a good giggle. Your heart will thank you.

Male/Female Heart Attack Symptoms:

When it comes to matters of the heart, men and women definitely aren’t created equal. For instance, a man’s heart weighs about 10 ounces, while a woman’s heart weighs approximately 8 ounces.

Not only is a woman’s heart smaller than a man’s, but the signs that it’s in trouble are a lot less obvious. When women have a heart attack — and more than a half million do each year — they’re more likely to have nausea, indigestion, and shoulder aches rather than the hallmark chest pain.

Heart disease is the biggest killer of both men and women. And both genders should heed this healthy advice: Don’t smoke, keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check, and watch for the obvious and the more subtle warning signs your heart could be in trouble.

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