Tag Archives: Heart disease

Is Overeating Preventing You From Reaching Your Full Potential?

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

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Is Overeating Preventing You From Reaching Your Full PotentialIf a plant gets too much water or sunlight it dies or doesn’t grow to its full potential.  If a human eats too much food on a regular basis, it too doesn’t grow to its full potential, creating physical disease and a poor self-image that can affect all areas of life from relationships to work.

For us humans, the effects of overeating generally are not immediate. The first evidence of overeating is usually weight gain, and that may not be immediate, but rather tends to “creep up” on us. It may take decades for illness to set in. Many people are not aware of having high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure or heart disease, because these don’t have recognizable symptoms until they become severe enough.

Being mindful of both what and how much you eat and drink, is the first step to awareness, regardless of whether you want or are ready to make any changes.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

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How Are Your Teeth?

30 Tuesday Oct 2012

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Yesterday I went to the dentist for a cleaning. There were many years in the past, when I didn’t floss regularly and my family knew that I would be going to the dentist soon, because that’s when they would see me floss.

I believe I was able to “skate by” because of my otherwise healthy lifestyle and eating habits. Flossing removes bacteria and plaque that form on your gums and teeth, and when you don’t floss, not only do you put yourself at risk for gum disease and cavities, but you may also be putting your entire health at risk since plaque and bacteria can be absorbed into your blood stream via your gums.

Several studies have linked gum disease with heart disease. So if you haven’t flossed in a while, be gentle as you begin.  If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or floss, after a few days the bleeding should reduce or stop.  If not, you probably should see your dentist and be checked for gum disease. And if you haven’t had a cleaning in over 6 months, it’s time!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Are You Getting Enough Folic Acid?

11 Thursday Oct 2012

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Are You Getting Enough Folic Acid?Folic Acid (Folate) is a B-Vitamin, and is important for the development of red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body and also helps maintain good circulation of blood throughout your body.

The consumption of natural foods high in Folic Acid plays an important role in prevention or reversal of many illnesses including heart disease, memory loss, and depression, to name a few. When the body gets the nutrients it needs and has good circulation, it can function optimally.

Here is a list of foods that are good sources of Folic Acid:

1. Greens/vegetables: romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, parsley, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, summer squash, strawberries, papaya, green beans, cabbage, tomatoes, fennel, peas, kale, avocado

2. Beans: pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, kidney beans, lentils

3. Whole Grains: whole wheat, wheat germ, bran, brown rice, oatmeal, whole-grain breads and pastas, barley

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

 

An Apple A Day…

02 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Healthy Body, Healthy Eating

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While eating an apple a day may keep the doctor away, one piece of fruit a day won’t give you the benefits of eating 5-10 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Eating five or more servings of produce has been shown to significantly reduce rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders. Other benefits of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may include the prevention or reversal of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, sleep apnea, and aid in obtaining and maintaining a healthy body weight.

If you haven’t gotten a check-up in a while, with a blood test, you might want to so that you can have a baseline and know what’s going on within your body.

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, bok choy, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, rutabaga, turnip greens, radish and watercress, have been shown to protect our bodies against certain types of cancers.

Visit a local farmer’s market to see what fruits and vegetables are in season. Add vegetables to what you already eat. Have some fruit when you want something sweet. Once you start experiencing the benefits of feeling better, having more energy and looking better, it will be easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle of eating.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Why Overcome Sleeplessness?

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

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Sleep is when our bodies repair themselves at the cellular level. What happens when we deprive ourselves of this repair time due to sleepless nights?

Lack of sleep has been linked to increased rates of heart disease, obesity, stroke and even certain types of cancers. If that isn’t enough, multiple nights of poor sleep can affect our mental performance, ability to learn and ability to problem solve.

Here is one suggestion that may help you figure out how much sleep your body really needs:

Try getting up at the same hour each morning. By training your body to get up at a set time each day, even on weekends, you will naturally fall into a regular bedtime that corresponds to your body’s need for sleep. Some days you’ll need more sleep at night. Listen to your body, go to bed early if you are tired and avoid staying up too late. When you feel sleepy, it’s your body’s way of telling you it needs rest.

May you sleep well and wake up refreshed!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Fiber Promotes Health!

14 Thursday Jun 2012

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Fiber Promotes Health!Quiz: Which food has the highest amount of fiber?  

a.  1 apple                   

b.  ½ c. blueberries 

c.  1/2 cup black beans

d.  1 whole wheat pita

(See answers below)

Dietary fiber can be found in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, cooked beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds.

Fiber has important health benefits for adults and children. It promotes regularity, prevents constipation and can aid in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.  Fiber has also been shown to prevent some cancers, especially colon and breast cancer.  In addition, fiber may help lower the LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Fiber can also help lower blood sugar, therefore helping better manage diabetes, and possibly preventing diabetes. 

A product or food item can be labeled “High Fiber” when it contains 5 grams or more per serving of fiber.  Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.  And research has shown that children who eat a wide variety of fiber-rich foods will likely continue with this healthy habit later in life!

Answers: c. 1/2 cup black beans has 6 grams of fiber; a. 1 apple has 4.5 grams; b. ½ c. blueberries has 4.4 grams; d. 1 whole wheat pita has 4.5 grams.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis