Keep Your Heart Healthy
Charles Kassotis

Heart disease is the number one killer today. Men and women are
both likely to become victims. Men typically suffer more heart
attacks, but women’s can be deadlier, so it is important for
both genders to monitor their heart health by making a number of
simple lifestyle adjustments.

1.Eat smart. The American Heart Association and other health
organizations, as well, publish guidelines for sensible diets
that promote heart health. Get a copy at their website or ask
your doctor to recommend a diet for you. Typically, you should
try to limit your consumption of red meat to perhaps a few
ounces once or twice a week. Cook chicken and fish in casserole
dishes instead, and experiment with vegetable recipes to try new
and exciting variations. Don’t forget the raw veggies with
low-fat dip and fresh fruits for desserts or snacks.

2.Watch your fluid intake. Most of us don’t drink enough water
each day. Unless you have special medical restrictions, aim to
have eight glasses (eight ounces each) of water daily. In
addition, you can drink other beverages, but avoid sugary,
nutrition-less products like pop or sweetened fruit juice. One
or two cups of tea or coffee are probably all right, but keep in
mind that caffeine can dehydrate you and make you jittery, so
limit your intake.

3.Get daily exercise. Your doctor can recommend a hobby,
routine, or workout that will benefit your physique and health.
Walking at a moderate pace for 30 to 60 minutes daily is a great
way to incorporate aerobic activity in your lifestyle, tone
muscles, and enhance your metabolism. Your circulation will
thank you, too, as it becomes more efficient at pumping blood
through your body and breaking up plaque buildup in your
arteries, thus allowing your heart to pump more easily. Just be
sure to wear appropriate footwear and clothing, and don’t overdo
it. Let your doctor know if you experience shortness of breath
or painful limbs.

4.Learn to manage stress. Everyone experiences stressful
events throughout their day. From getting up late to missing the
train or having an argument with a family member, stress is all
around us. We just have to learn to keep conflict and
disappointments in check by reminding ourselves of the blessings
and joys that surround us, often unnoticed. You may want to keep
a journal to write about negative feelings instead of keeping
them bottled up inside, where they may eventually explode.

In addition, cultivate a good support group of friends, family
members, and social contacts. Get out and have fun. Meet new
people and discover new ideas. Life will become more enjoyable,
and your heart will benefit from your upbeat attitude. Consider
volunteering in your community to make a difference in the lives
of others. As you make new connections and continue to nurture
old ones, you will feel healthier and benefit from a positive
lifestyle.

About the author:

Get valuable information for your heart at The Heart Directory
at
http://www.heartdir.com

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Healthy Breakfast Foods
Sharon Hopkins

It is always surrounded by silly excuse of lack of time. And
still no one denies that fact that “breakfast” is the most
important meal of the day.

Why such a hullabaloo about this early morning meal? Well, for
starters, this meal comes after a break of 8 – 10 hours; hence
your blood sugar level will be low. Since your body has gone
with out food for such a long time, it needs nourishment to
kick-start its day. Therefore “breakfast” is considered to be an
important and essential meal of the day.

Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump
start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast
(healthy) daily are more likely to

– Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and
cholesterol. – Increased strength and endurance. – Better
concentration and productivity all day long. – Control over
weight – Low cholesterol = no risk or little risk of heart
disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better
concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination.
They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of
school.

If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight,
think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the
starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets.
Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain.
So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays
unachieved.

Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each
morning

– Fruits & Vegetables – Grains – Dairy – Proteins

A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yoghurt, low-calorie
muesli with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with
few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed
with flavoured yoghurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with
eggs, boiled or poached are some of the options for breakfast.
Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favourite fruits; add dash
of yoghurt or honey to make it more delicious.

If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods
for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is
your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the
‘run’, its better than skipping it altogether.

About the author:

Sharon Hopkins has been managing a number of diet, nutrition and
health websites that promote good health and unhealthy food
habits leading to a diseased body. Healthy”>http://www.diethealthclub.com/”>Healthy Food contain vital
nutrients that aid our body’s metabolic function.

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