Dr. Kendra was recently on WTIC-FOX 61 to talk about ways to keep us heart healthy. I asked her to stop by thehouseoftrue to give the readers some valuable pointers
Here is the link to the video: Tips To Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Disease — wdbj7.com.
Here is what she has to share…..
Things about BEING heart healthy I bet you didn’t know…
1. It is Mom’s genes that carry the markers for heart disease/ high cholesterol risk…so check mom’s history…
2. Pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, fertility issues can increase risk of heart disease later in life
3. Dental plaque can also be at higher risk for heart disease…. So have your teeth and gums checked regularly
4. There is a simple test called MTHFR..a marker to let us know if a person can absorb folic acid..if this marker is present individuals can be prone to cardiac disease and stroke!
5. Boost your vitamin D level. A good range 60- 100 is cardio-protective
6. Magnesium helps keep blood pressure normalized AND men generally don’t need a calcium supplement; in some research Calcium can be harmful.
7. Skip the soy. Most is too processed and junky food that can raise inflammation levels (including cholesterol and blood pressure) in the body.
8. Sugar clogs arteries so avoid at all cost…sugar substitutes can cause a similar reaction
All healthy lifestyles start with food..so here are some foods that are good for you and heart healthy..that I bet you didn’t know!
Gold Kiwis – one of the best heart healthy foods, packed with more polyphenols(a type of powerful antioxidant) per serving than green kiwis, apples, white grapefruits, and navel
Purple Potatoes- Purple potatoes contain high concentrations of a variety of antioxidants, including phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, according to researchers
Chocolate- Good news for chocoholics! The flavonoids in dark chocolate can promote heart health by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, decreasing LDL cholesterol oxidation, and increasing HDL cholesterol, says a Harvard University study. And one square of dark chocolate is 12 calories.
Red meat-Red meat has gotten a bad rap over the years because some cuts of beef are loaded with saturated fat.BUT Grass fed, 95 percent (or higher) can help reduce the risk for heart disease. 4 ounces of lean beefeach day had a 10 percent decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol. Beef liver is one of the leanest beef products available, and it’s packed with nutrients.
Shrimp-raises HDL (good) cholesteroland reduces triglycerides (a type of fat found in blood), resulting in a reduced risk for heart disease. Just remember to skip butter and deep-frying, both of which can add a load of saturated fat to otherwise healthy foods.
Tomatoes-Your body doesn’t produce lycopene naturally, but studies have shown that a diet rich in lycopene can lower the incidence of heart disease. Studies indicate that people with more lycopene in their body fat suffer fewer heart attacks than those who do not have lycopene in their body fat.Foods such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava.
Eggs are good for you…they raise good cholesterol (HDL).
And last but not least COFFEE!! The source where most Americans get their antioxidants
1-2 cups a day can be enjoyed guilt free and heart healthy
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