Tips to prevent heart disease and lead a healthy life
Mike Spencer

One of the greatest ailments that endanger your healthy life is undoubtedly the heart disease. As per statistics provided by the American Heart Association, 62 million Americans suffer from some form of cardio-vascular diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Close to, a million such cases per year turn fatal. Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S. and about 1/3 of the deaths from heart disease could be prevented by a way of a better dietary habit.

Without analyzing the cause, you cannot prevent the effect. One of the prime catalysts of heart disease is the free radicals. Contrary to the belief, margarine, which you may think is preventing heart disease (thanks to widespread advertisements), is much more harmful than butter. The process of margarine preparation involves heating oils to very high temperatures. Such a high temperature transforms the oils into free radicals.

One of the best foods you can have is the egg.

The egg yolk contains about 250 mg of cysteine, a variety of amino acid. This cysteine is instrumental in the elimination of free radicals.

Another common cause of heart diseases is cholesterol.

However, the interesting fact is that bulk of the cholesterol is synthesized within the body itself and not taken as part of the diet. Cholesterol is a soft buttery substance. It joins hands with calcium and cause hardening of the arteries that results in heart disease.

We consciously avoid some fat-rich food, like butter in order to avoid heart disease. However, this notion is grossly incorrect. The real culprit for poor heart health is sugar rich processed food. For instance, let us observe the dietary habits of the Eskimos. They consume large quantities of blubber – a highly fat-rich food. Yet, the instance of heart disease in them is minimal, unless fizzy drinks and French fries influence their food habits.

Excess weight begets heart disease.

Therefore, you need to check your diet. However, you should remember that being overweight is the problem, not eating fats. Some essential fats like Omega 3 fish oil has healing power.

Surprisingly 150 years ago, heart diseases were almost unheard of. Some vested interests have made heart disease proliferate. The people, who manufacture drugs for heart disease, stand to gain enormously when a detected patient has to consume drugs for the rest of his/her life. What is worse, your doctor is also befooled by the drug manufacturers in the name of educating them.

Prescribing drugs is rooted to faulty medical education of the doctors. It is a pity that less than 2% time of a Harvard Medical school student is spent in learning preventive medicine and a minor slice is devoted to nutrition.

One of the well-known surgeries in this heart disease field is the bypass surgery. Contrary to what you know, bypass surgeries fail to lengthen your life span than those who go without it. Unfortunately, 2% to 4% of the cases of bypass surgery turn fatal on the operation table itself.

Respectable medical journals have started stating the truth – bypass surgery does not result in increase of life expectancy. Bypass surgeries do not attack the cause of the problem, merely attempting to repair damage. It leaves chances for falling pray to heart disease again. Only about 2 inches of the blood vessels are repaired without addressing the problem of hardening of the arteries.

Much to your horror, another bigger fraud exists than the bypass surgery. It is the heart drugs. Cholesterol drugs reduce the cholesterol to some extent, but it never prolongs your life. The most important adage in this context is prevention is better than cure. In order to prevent heart disease, be vigilant on your diet. Avoid fizzy drinks and calorie-rich fried food (but that doesnt mean fat).

Consumption of cholesterol drugs in order to prevent heart disease has ugly side effects. Instead of prolonging life, these drugs aid in shortening your life span. A study in Finland on heart disease shows that the probability of people suffering a heart attack is 46% higher for those who are regular consumers of cholesterol drugs.

The mantra is to go for a heart-friendly diet, prevent being obese and exercise regularly. Lend your heart a helping hand in combating heart disease.

For more detailed information on preventing heart disease and recommended products visit:

http://www.heart-healthy-diet.com

Mike has been helping people protect their health for several years – through exercise and nutrition. The heart and circulation system is the most important, and all good health programs need to start here. Let Mike guide you in getting started.

http://www.heart-healthy-diet.com

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STAY HEALTHY AND YOUNG
Hifzur Rehman

Yes, it is possible for the people of all ages to keep themselves healthy, physically fit and young looking throughout their whole lives. Just take the following three steps and enjoy a healthy, happy and a long life.

1.Eat Balanced Food

Its OK to eat for taste or for fun and eat whatever you like most but only occasionally. Remember, if you develop bad eating habits then you would have to pay its price in the shape of bad health and illness. Hope you are wise enough not to play with your health.

Eat a wide variety of foods containing a good balance of carbohydrates, vitamins, food fiber and minerals, which are essential elements of a healthy diet. Eat simple and natural foods that are easily digestable and promote good health. Fruits, vegetables, green leaves, grains, whole grain breads, fish, poultry, low fat dairy products, honey, nuts etc. are good and nourishing food. Limit you intake of full-fat milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, milk shakes, cakes, eggs, all kind of fried foods, red meat, sugar and salt.

2.Exercise Regularly

A simple way of living a healthy life is to exercise regularly. Regular exercise keeps your body in good shape, physically as well as mentally. It increases your stamina, builds and tones your muscles and energize your whole body. It also reduces the chances of having heart attacks, colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Engage yourself in some kind of regular exercise of your own choice; brisk walking, jogging, hiking, swimming, dancing, cycling, skiing, climbing, aerobics or yoga. These are good exercises. Choose one or more exercises which you like most. Do it regularly. Give top priority to your health. Put it in your agenda. Make it a part of your goal.

3.Get Rid of Negativity

If you are a person with negative approach to everything then nothing will work for you. Even eating the balanced diet and taking part in regular physical activity will not show any sign of recovery in your body if it is charged with negativity. Get rid of negative feelings about yourself and others. Think positive, feel positive, be friendly with positive people, read a lot of self improvement and motivational material and charge your body with positive currents. Depression, stress, tension and anxiety are the products of negative thinking about life and thus increases your chances of having a heart attack and other diseases like colon cancer, high blood pressure, indigestion problems, gastric troubles, body pains, headaches etc. Find the reasons of depression and try to address them through positive thinking and a sensible approach to day to day problems. Learn from your mistakes and try your best not to repeat them. Get rid of negativity and enjoy a healthy life!

Hifzur Rehman is the owner and editor of a wonderful website http://www.selfimprovement.ch which offers a lot of useful and interesting information on various aspects of human life.

hrehman@selfimprovement.ch

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How Healthy Is Your Lifestyle
Loring A. Windblad

Copyright 2004 by http://www.organicgreens.us and Loring Windblad. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text intact and unchanged except for minor improvements such as misspellings and typos.

Compelling evidence shows that certain lifestyle behaviours can improve health, prevent premature death and may even prolong life. The problem is that people often drift along, continuing their unhealthy ways – maybe vowing to stop smoking or drink less “some day soon” – until a disease or health problem strikes and it may be too late to reverse the damage. Assessing your lifestyle and how it affects health before illness occurs is a wise precaution. (However, changing one’s lifestyle even after illness can sometimes improve health – for instance giving up cigarettes and exercising more after a heart attack.)
Why assess lifestyle risks?
Accumulating scientific evidence shows that a few simple lifestyle habits can directly improve health and decrease disease risks. Much disability and premature death from today’s foremost killers – heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, suicide and unintentional injuries – stem from everyday habits. Over half the premature deaths in North America are blamed on unhealthy behaviours such as cigarette smoking, insufficient exercise, excessive alcohol intake and a fat-laden diet. Only six per cent of premature deaths are considered avoidable through better medical care.
A California study has demonstrated that disease risks can be reduced by not smoking cigarettes, moderating alcohol use, eating breakfast, having regular physical activity, maintaining desirable weight, getting enough (7-8 hours) nightly sleep and having close social networks. The effect is cumulative: the greater the number of good lifestyle habits, the greater the chance of better health and a longer life. A recent Canadian study confirmed a lower chance of premature death by avoiding cigarette smoking, high blood pressure (related to obesity and insufficient exercise), adult-onset diabetes (due to obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise) and excess alcohol consumption. (However, some everyday influences are an unavoidable part of the environment, over which individuals have little control – such as air pollution or traffic noise.)
To evaluate your lifestyle, ask yourself a few key questions about everyday activities such as the amount of fat you eat, smoking and drinking habits – see checklist below – and evaluate which might be improving your health or perhaps damaging it. Consider seeking advice from a health professional about habits you wish to change.
Quick, easy computer programs help rate your lifestyle
To help people assess the health impact of various lifestyle activities, a new Computerized Lifestyle Assessment (CLA) program, developed by the Addiction Research Foundation and the University of Toronto, provides a practical, quick, confidential and easy method of evaluating lifestyle strengths and weaknesses. The computer program, which takes 20 minutes to run, asks detailed questions about 16 lifestyle activities, with graphic feedback along the way and a printed report at the end. Identification and feedback about risk activities that undermine health often lead people to improve their lifestyle and seek advice from a health professional. For details about the CLA program, call (416) 978-8989 or contact the publisher, Multi-Health Systems, at 1-800-268-6011.
The computer program asks questions about.
* substance abuse;
* health maintenance;
* preventive activities;
* social and intimate relationships;
* mental and emotional wellbeing.
The program feeds back information about:
* lifestyle strengths or activities to keep up
* areas of concern or factors that can threaten health
* risk areas requiring action to prevent disease
The final printout pinpoints health-harming behaviours, some of which may come as a surprise, others that may be known to the person who might be “thinking about” changing them. For example, a woman who thinks she leads a healthy life – doesn’t smoke, drink or take other drugs, eats a low-fat vegetarian diet and exercises three times a week – may have emotional problems stemming from poor social relationships and a perfectionist attitude. Or, a man who doesn’t smoke, drinks little alcohol and has good work and personal relationships may endanger his health by being overweight with the beginnings of diabetes, hypertension and a potential heart problem.
Curiously, computers sometimes elicit more personal information about sensitive lifestyle areas than a doctors interview. For instance, many people find it easier to report excess alcohol consumption to a computer than to a physician. Women, especially, seem more likely to confide alcohol, sexual and other problems to a computer than to a doctor. Computerized psychiatric histories sometimes spot problems missed by clinicians – such as suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression or phobias.
Adolescent and student lifestyles especially poor. One recent study found that seven out of 10 people questioned were particularly worried about nutrition and half were also concerned about physical inactivity. A study of Queen’s University students found that over 80 per cent fail to get regular medical/dental care, and over half consume excess alcohol and have poor management of work-leisure time.
Study results show student health problems with:
* Alcohol:
* Cannabis:
* Cigarettes:
* Stress:
* Inactivity:
* Weight:
* Sex:
* Condom use:
Adolescent eating habits can endanger health. Many adolescents receive inadequate nutrition due to poor diets, irregular eating habits and eating disorders that stem from the wish to conform to society’s idealization of thinness. “Weight control” techniques such as self-induced vomiting and diarrhea are widespread. A recent U.S. National Adolescent Health Survey found 61 per cent of adolescent females and 28 per cent of adolescent males were dieting, 51 per cent often fasted, 16 per cent used diet pills and 12 per cent practiced vomiting.
Teens had poor dietary practices because of:
* Excessive preoccupation with physical appearance;
* Western society’s obsession with thinness;
* Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia.
Lifestyle habits can improve health:
* not smoking tobacco;
* maintaining desirable weight (avoiding obesity);
* good nutrition (following Canada’s Food Guide);
* exercising regularly and sufficiently (at least 30 minutes three times a week);
* getting enough sound nightly sleep (7-8 hours);
* avoiding accidental injuries by taking safety measures (such as seatbelts and helmets);
* practicing motor vehicle safety;
* moderating alcohol use;
* avoiding other recreational drugs;
* getting regular dental care and medical check-ups as advised;
* fostering family, work and social networks;
* having safe and satisfying sexual relationships;
* avoiding or learning how to cope with excess stress;
* enjoining sufficient leisure-time activities and relaxation;
* getting any needed therapy for mental problems.
Lifestyle changes occur in five stages
Stage 1: Pre-contemplation – the health risk of a particular life-style activity is (largely) unrecognized, denied or trivialized.
Stage 2: Contemplation – admitting to a health risk and thinking about making a change “some day.
Stage 3: Preparation – motivated and ready for change “soon”, planning how and what to do, often setting an actual date.
Stage 4: Action – active steps to change behaviour – e.g., giving up cigarettes, walking to work instead of driving, drinking less – setting a specific schedule and definite goals.
Stage 5: Maintenance – long-term change achieved and kept up.
Just asking can make a difference. Surveys show that many people expect physicians or nurses to ask about and give advice or information regarding health. Given the chance, many people would like to discuss lifestyle concerns such as nutrition, obesity, alcohol,other drug use, family conflicts, elderly relatives, sexual problems and chronic pain – but often hesitate to do so unless asked.

About the Author

Loring Windblad has studied nutrition and exercise for more than 40 years, is a published author and freelance writer. Junes and Lorings latest business endeavors are at
http://www.organicgreens.us
http://junedawn.younglivingworld.com

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Can Pizza Actually Be Healthy For You?
Ryan Cote

This article may come as a surprise to you, especially if you
follow a healthy and nutritious diet…

It’s about pizza, the weakness of many people including me. I
love pizza- always have. I make sure I eat it in moderation, but
it’s still one of my favorite foods.

Now there’s good news for pizza lovers.

According to Men’s Health magazine, research concludes that
pizza can be good for you. It’s important to point out, however,
that we’re talking about real pizza- not the kind you get from
Pizza Hut, Dominoes or the frozen food section of your
supermarket. By real, I mean pizza made with real crust, real
tomato sauce and pure olive oil.

According to Men’s Health, scientists writing in the European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating pizza can reduce
your risk of a heart attack. In a 4-year study of nearly 1,000
Italians, those who ate pizza at least once a week were 30
percent less likely to experience a heart attack than the folks
who didn’t partake of the pie.

This is contributed to pizza’s cardio protective ingredients,
including olive oil and tomato sauce. And here’s a way to make
the pizza even healthier: top it with vegetables, part-skim
cheese and use whole wheat crust. You’ll then have a meal that
is actually good for you.

Can you get this kind of a pizza in a pizzeria? You might be
able to find some that offer whole wheat crust, but I doubt
you’ll find any that offer part-skim cheese. What you can do is
buy the ingredients at your local grocery store and make the
pizza yourself. Speaking from experience, this can be a fun
thing!

Enjoy the experience of making your own pizza and savoring a
nutritious meal. After all, feeding your body with nutritious
meals is the number one thing you can do for better health.

About the author:

Ryan Cote is the owner of SimpleHealth123.com, a website
supplying aging
healthy products and a free 4-day health e-mail course, and
GetHealthyReport.com, home of the anti-aging product,
Get Healthy!

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