Fat Loss—Weight Loss

You build muscle, you lose fat. You build muscle, you gain strength, energy, resistance, enthusiam, creativity, ability, longevity, esteem - you hit the jack pot.

Most diets don't work for long term fat loss. They're concerned with reducing weight rather than burning excess bodyfat. They strip off vital muscle, the body's major fat burning component. When you remain at a particular bodyfat level for a long period of time, your body recognizes that as your fat setpoint. Substantial time (patience, discipline and fortitude) is required to lower your fat setpoint as you seek complete and permanent changes.

The body tissue you have today, good or bad, was built almost entirely from the foods you have eaten over the past 6 months. Make a commitment today to renew your body composition.

Watch calories, watch carbohydrates. Avoid excessive fats (high calories) and carbohydrates. The big bonus here is that after a few weeks, your tastes and habits will simply change. Fats, sugar and salt become less interesting. For an intense fat burning regime, try the following tricks.

• With pad and pencil, simply list everything eaten.

• Cut fat and salt intake radically.

• Consider training in the morning - this raises the metabolic rate throughout the day. This means more fat burning and more energy.

• Make sure you get adequate fiber each and every day .

• Drink 1-2 liters of H2O during the day.

• An excellent pre-workout and post-workout meal is a Bomber Blend protein drink. And for ideal and aggressive efforts toward leanness, add the following supplements: 2 SuperSpectrim vitamin/minerals, 2 Amino Ammos & 1 gram Vitamin C.

• Don't scrutinize. Permanent changes take time. Test and record your bodyfat level every two months. If you use a scale, weigh only once a week. After an initial drop in weight, plan to lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week steadily - a realistic goal.

• Have your larger meals early in the day, making dinner the lowest calorie meal..

• After reaching your goal, be prepared to continue your diet in order to establish a new fat setpoint.

• Remember, protein is king. To assure consistent intake for muscle adaption and weight control a protein powder should be on your shopping list along with the eggs and apples.

• Always and forever, plan a disciplined low calorie day following any unusually high calorie days. Enjoy an extended workout and the subsequent high blood sugar pump.

• Always and forever, plan a disciplined low calorie day following any unusually high calorie days. Enjoy an extended workout and the subsequent high blood sugar pump.


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Avocado Recipes

Our Family's Favorite Avocado Recipe

1 ripe avocado, mashed
3 tbsp. salsa
1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. low-salt chicken base powder
Braggs Seasoning or sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp. Vegit seasoning (optional)

Blend all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with cut up raw vegetables.


Avocado Salad Dressing

1/4 seedless cucumber, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 tomato, finely diced
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Spanish onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. low-salt chicken base powder
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fruit sugar or honey
1/4 tsp. Vegit (optional)
1 tbsp. good health mayonnaise
Braggs Seasoning or sea salt to taste

Mash the avocado with onion powder, garlic powder, fruit sugar, Bragg's, Vegit, and mayonnaise. Add a little water to thin the avocado mixture. Stir in the diced cucumber, tomato and onion. Pour the dressing over romaine lettuce. Serve immediately.


Avocado Devilled Eggs

Fill egg white halves with guacamole instead of the usual
mayonnaise and egg yolk for a delicious and healthy snack


Avocado Sprout Toasted Sandwich

1/2 avocado, mashed
2 slices toasted whole-grain bread
handful of alfalfa sprouts
tomato slices
salt & pepper to taste


Spread toast with mashed avocado, top with tomatoes
and sprouts. Add salt and pepper! Serve right away.


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weight loss tips

Tip 1: Drink Herbal Tea

When urges for sweets and snacks arrive, try drinking herbal teas such as apple-cinnamon, almond, or orange. The preparation of tea alone actually helps to take your mind off of junk food. The heat from the tea fills you up, and the aroma helps to satisfy your cravings.

Tip 2: Limit High Carbohydrate Foods

To maximize the fat-burning process, it's best to gradually eliminate carbohydrates toward the end of the day. This minimizes your chances of storing fat late at night.

Tip 3: Don't Drink Alcohol

Alcohol contains too many empty calories which ultimately produce nothing but fat.

Tip 4: Motivate Yourself

Try to find an incentive for getting in shape and burning fat. Write down your goal and put it in a location you see everyday, such as your refrigerator. Motivation really keeps you going!

Tip 5: Use Low-Calorie Food Alternatives

Try to save as many calories as you can. Substitute water for soda, baked chicken for fried chicken, sub sandwiches for pizza, etc.

Tip 6: Don't Starve Yourself

Starving only promotes a bigger "rebound" effect because your body likes to hold on from what it is deprived of. Instead, fuel the body every 2 to 3 hours with small meals.

Tip 7: Drink 1 or More Glasses of Water Before Meals

This is to help fill the stomach and give you a full feeling. It works!

Tip 8: Be Consistent

No weight loss tips will work if you don't give them a chance. It may take a while to see results. Hang in there! Consistency is the key to effectiveness.

Tip 9: Don't Use the Scale

Scales can be misleading. For example, if you're losing bodyfat and bodyweight but gaining muscle, the scale won't necessarily reflect the difference between the two. Instead, monitor the inches you lose. Inches never lie!

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What is the Best Way to Burn Fat?

What is the best way to burn fat? The fat burning process can be very simple as long as the proper dieting and training techniques are applied. Keep in mind, everyone has a different body type. Techniques or methods that work for others may not work for you. This next segment will briefly describe some of the insider tips needed to begin the fat burning process.

The first and best way to burn fat is to modify your current diet. There are three simple ways you can begin to modify: reduce calories, reduce sodium, and reduce fat. For example, by substituting a glass of water for a carbonated beverage, you can cut approximately 150 calories or more, depending on how much is consumed. Even if it were fruit juice instead of water, you would still reduce calories by approximately 50 - 100.

Excess sodium and sodium seasonings combined with fat can cause water retention. For males, it is most noticeable in the abdominal area. The thighs, hips, and buttocks are affected on females. But what causes these unwanted gains in weight and bodyfat? There are three possible reasons this can happen: (1) Eat late at night (2) Exceed your normal caloric intake (3) Lack of exercise or physical activity.

Bottom line: If you break one of these rules, you will store body fat. The body's metabolism basically goes into shutdown mode when you become inactive. This inactivity causes calories to build up and ultimately produce excess and unwanted bodyfat. When calories exceed normal levels, the "unused" surplus becomes bodyfat. Lack of exercise limits metabolism speed. The metabolism must reach a certain speed in order to burn fat.

What is the best way to speed up the metabolism? The best way to speed up your metabolism is through cardiovascular (using the heart) exercise. Weight training is perfectly fine, but isn't needed to burn fat. It is best to do cardio on an empty stomach. Here's why:

Overnight during sleep, calories (mostly complex carbohydrates) are burned slowly. By morning, blood sugar and carb levels low. This empty stomach training forces the body to look for an alternate energy source. If carbs and blood sugar levels are low, the body moves to its alternate source of energy which is fat.

The second best way to speed up the metabolism is by increasing meal frequency. Instead of eating 2 - 3 meals per day, try eating 4 - 5 small meals per day, or 3 meals and 2 healthy snack meals. Food substitutions can help tremendously when trying to reduce calories and speed up the metabolism.

Below is a list of sample ideas for substituting. The following examples can cut daily caloric intake in half in some cases. The whole idea behind food substitutions is to enjoy what you like to eat, only in a healthier (fat burning) way.

PREFERRED CHOICE		BETTER CHOICE		CALORIES REDUCED
Bagel		English Muffin		up to 40
Candy Bar		Twinkie		up to 80
Margarine		Real Butter		up to 60 (tablespoon)
2 Slices Pizza		6" Sub Sandwich		up to 160
Fried Chicken		Grilled/Baked Chicken		up to 80
Peanuts		Light Popcorn		up to 80

Justin Leonard
http://www.healthrecipes.com
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5 Ways to Battle the Pangs of Hunger

If you’ve ever tried to go on a diet and exercise at the same time, you’d know how difficult it is to manage the two together – on the one hand you’re literally starving yourself and limiting your calories; and on the other, you’re working out so hard that you feel ravenous once you’re done.

It takes a great deal of control to ignore the pangs of hunger that your stomach keeps sending out, and more often than not, you end up gorging on food that’s not good for you. If you want to stay on the right track to weight loss, you need to learn how to battle your hunger, and to do this, you must:

Eat small meals more often:

The best way to boost your metabolism is to eat a larger number of meals, with smaller portions. Instead of eating large breakfasts, lunches and dinners, eat something every few hours. Eat just to satiate your hunger and not to fill your stomach. This way, you avoid putting on weight.

Drink lots of water:

Water has no calories, so you can drink any amount and still stay slim. Besides this, water helps in replenishing the fluids that your body has lost as sweat when you work out. It keeps you healthy and hydrated and flushes out all the toxins from your body. Water also gives you a feeling of fullness and you can stave off hunger till it’s time for your next meal.

Go to bed early:

A decent amount of sleep is necessary for good health. If you deprive your body of sleep, you tend to put on weight. Besides, when you stay up late, you tend to get hungry and snack on food that is not good for you. Sleep rejuvenates you and gives you enough energy to face the next day. And when you sleep early, you don’t find it hard to wake up early for your work out the following day.

Stock up on fruits, vegetables and low-cal snacks:

You are going to get hungry from time to time, so make sure you have enough healthy food options on hand to tide you over on such occasions. Eat fruits, vegetables and other low calorie snacks that fill your stomach without making you fat.

Stay busy:

When you have something to occupy your mind, you don’t tend to forage around for something to eat. It’s only when you are at loose ends with nothing to do that you feel like snacking in order to pass the time. So keep yourself busy and you tend to forget that you’re hungry.

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Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke

What is metabolic syndrome and how is it linked to heart disease?

Metabolic syndrome is a grouping of traits and medical conditions that puts people at risk for both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program as having any three of the following five traits and medical conditions:

Traits and Medical Conditions	Definition
Elevated waist circumference	Waist measurement of 40 inches or more in men 35 inches or more in women
Elevated levels of triglycerides	150 mg/dL or higher or Taking medication for elevated triglyceride levels
Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol	Below 40 mg/dL in men Below 50 mg/dL in women or Taking medication for low HDL cholesterol levels
Elevated blood pressure levels	130 mm Hg or higher for systolic blood pressure or 85 mm Hg or higher for diastolic blood pressure or Taking medication for elevated blood pressure levels
Elevated fasting blood glucose levels	100 mg/dL or higher or Taking medication for elevated blood glucose levels

Source: Grundy SM, et al. Diagnosis and Management of the Metabolic Syndrome: An American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Scientific Statement. Circulation. 2005;112:2735–2752.
Note: Other definitions of similar conditions have been developed by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the International Diabetes Federation, and the World Health Organization.

What can I do to prevent or delay heart disease and stroke?

Even if you are at high risk for heart disease and stroke, you can help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. You can do so by taking the following steps:

• Make sure that your diet is “heart-healthy.” Meet with a registered dietitian to plan a diet that meets these goals:
  • Include at least 14 grams of fiber daily for every 1,000 calories consumed. Foods high in fiber may help lower blood cholesterol. Oat bran, oatmeal, whole-grain breads and cereals, dried beans and peas (such as kidney beans, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas), fruits, and vegetables are all good sources of fiber. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet gradually to avoid digestive problems.
  • Cut down on saturated fat. It raises your blood cholesterol level. Saturated fat is found in meats, poultry skin, butter, dairy products with fat, shortening, lard, and tropical oils such as palm and coconut oil. Your dietitian can figure out how many grams of saturated fat should be your daily maximum amount.
  • Keep the cholesterol in your diet to less than 300 milligrams a day. Cholesterol is found in meat, dairy products, and eggs.
  • Keep the amount of trans fat in your diet to a minimum. It’s a type of fat in foods that raises blood cholesterol. Limit your intake of crackers, cookies, snack foods, commercially prepared baked goods, cake mixes, microwave popcorn, fried foods, salad dressings, and other foods made with partially hydrogenated oil. In addition, some kinds of vegetable shortening and margarines have trans fat. Check for trans fat in the Nutrition Facts section on the food package.
• Make physical activity part of your routine. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Think of ways to increase physical activity, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. If you haven’t been physically active recently, see your doctor for a checkup before you start an exercise program.
• Reach and maintain a healthy body weight. If you are overweight, try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. Consult a registered dietitian for help in planning meals and lowering the fat and calorie content of your diet to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Aim for a loss of no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week.
• If you smoke, quit. Your doctor can help you find ways to quit smoking.
• Ask your doctor whether you should take aspirin. Studies have shown that taking a low dose of aspirin every day can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, aspirin is not safe for everyone. Your doctor can tell you whether taking aspirin is right for you and exactly how much to take.
• Get prompt treatment for transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Early treatment for TIAs, sometimes called mini-strokes, may help prevent or delay a future stroke. Signs of a TIA are sudden weakness, loss of balance, numbness, confusion, blindness in one or both eyes, double vision, difficulty speaking, or a severe headache.

How will I know whether my diabetes treatment is working?

You can keep track of the ABCs of diabetes to make sure your treatment is working. Talk with your health care provider about the best targets for you.

A stands for A1C (a test that measures blood glucose control). Have an A1C test at least twice a year. It shows your average blood glucose level over the past 3 months. Talk with your doctor about whether you should check your blood glucose at home and how to do it.

A1C target
Below 7 percent

Blood glucose targets
Before meals	90 to 130 mg/dL
1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal	Less than 180 mg/dL

B is for blood pressure. Have it checked at every office visit.

Blood pressure target
Below 130/80 mm Hg

C is for cholesterol. Have it checked at least once a year.

Blood fat (cholesterol) targets
LDL (bad) cholesterol	Under 100 mg/dL
Triglycerides	Under 150 mg/dL
HDL (good) cholesterol	For men: above 40 mg/dL For women: above 50 mg/dL

Control of the ABCs of diabetes can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. If your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels aren’t on target, ask your doctor what changes in diet, activity, and medications can help you reach these goals.

What types of heart and blood vessel disease occur in people with diabetes?

Two major types of heart and blood vessel disease, also called cardiovascular disease, are common in people with diabetes: coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebral vascular disease. People with diabetes are also at risk for heart failure. Narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels in the legs, a condition called peripheral arterial disease, can also occur in people with diabetes.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease, also called ischemic heart disease, is caused by a hardening or thickening of the walls of the blood vessels that go to your heart. Your blood supplies oxygen and other materials your heart needs for normal functioning. If the blood vessels to your heart become narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits, the blood supply is reduced or cut off, resulting in a heart attack.

Cerebral Vascular Disease

Cerebral vascular disease affects blood flow to the brain, leading to strokes and TIAs. It is caused by narrowing, blocking, or hardening of the blood vessels that go to the brain or by high blood pressure.

Stroke

A stroke results when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut off, which can occur when a blood vessel in the brain or neck is blocked or bursts. Brain cells are then deprived of oxygen and die. A stroke can result in problems with speech or vision or can cause weakness or paralysis. Most strokes are caused by fatty deposits or blood clots—jelly-like clumps of blood cells—that narrow or block one of the blood vessels in the brain or neck. A blood clot may stay where it formed or can travel within the body. People with diabetes are at increased risk for strokes caused by blood clots.

A stroke may also be caused by a bleeding blood vessel in the brain. Called an aneurysm, a break in a blood vessel can occur as a result of high blood pressure or a weak spot in a blood vessel wall.

TIAs

TIAs are caused by a temporary blockage of a blood vessel to the brain. This blockage leads to a brief, sudden change in brain function, such as temporary numbness or weakness on one side of the body. Sudden changes in brain function also can lead to loss of balance, confusion, blindness in one or both eyes, double vision, difficulty speaking, or a severe headache. However, most symptoms disappear quickly and permanent damage is unlikely. If symptoms do not resolve in a few minutes, rather than a TIA, the event could be a stroke. The occurrence of a TIA means that a person is at risk for a stroke sometime in the future. See page 3 for more information on risk factors for stroke.

Heart Failure

Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump blood properly—it does not mean that the heart suddenly stops working. Heart failure develops over a period of years, and symptoms can get worse over time. People with diabetes have at least twice the risk of heart failure as other people. One type of heart failure is congestive heart failure, in which fluid builds up inside body tissues. If the buildup is in the lungs, breathing becomes difficult.

Blockage of the blood vessels and high blood glucose levels also can damage heart muscle and cause irregular heart beats. People with damage to heart muscle, a condition called cardiomyopathy, may have no symptoms in the early stages, but later they may experience weakness, shortness of breath, a severe cough, fatigue, and swelling of the legs and feet. Diabetes can also interfere with pain signals normally carried by the nerves, explaining why a person with diabetes may not experience the typical warning signs of a heart attack.

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Another condition related to heart disease and common in people with diabetes is peripheral arterial disease (PAD). With this condition, the blood vessels in the legs are narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits, decreasing blood flow to the legs and feet. PAD increases the chances of a heart attack or stroke occurring. Poor circulation in the legs and feet also raises the risk of amputation. Sometimes people with PAD develop pain in the calf or other parts of the leg when walking, which is relieved by resting for a few minutes.

How will I know whether I have heart disease?

One sign of heart disease is angina, the pain that occurs when a blood vessel to the heart is narrowed and the blood supply is reduced. You may feel pain or discomfort in your chest, shoulders, arms, jaw, or back, especially when you exercise. The pain may go away when you rest or take angina medicine. Angina does not cause permanent damage to the heart muscle, but if you have angina, your chance of having a heart attack increases.

A heart attack occurs when a blood vessel to the heart becomes blocked. With blockage, not enough blood can reach that part of the heart muscle and permanent damage results. During a heart attack, you may have

• chest pain or discomfort
• pain or discomfort in your arms, back, jaw, neck, or stomach
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• nausea
• light-headedness

Symptoms may come and go. However, in some people, particularly those with diabetes, symptoms may be mild or absent due to a condition in which the heart rate stays at the same level during exercise, inactivity, stress, or sleep. Also, nerve damage caused by diabetes may result in lack of pain during a heart attack.

Women may not have chest pain but may be more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea, or back and jaw pain. If you have symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 right away. Treatment is most effective if given within an hour of a heart attack. Early treatment can prevent permanent damage to the heart.

Your doctor should check your risk for heart disease and stroke at least once a year by checking your cholesterol and blood pressure levels and asking whether you smoke or have a family history of premature heart disease. The doctor can also check your urine for protein, another risk factor for heart disease. If you are at high risk or have symptoms of heart disease, you may need to undergo further testing.

What are the treatment options for heart disease?

Treatment for heart disease includes meal planning to ensure a heart-healthy diet and physical activity. In addition, you may need medications to treat heart damage or to lower your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. If you are not already taking a low dose of aspirin every day, your doctor may suggest it. You also may need surgery or some other medical procedure.

For additional information about heart and blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, call the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information Center at 301–592–8573 or see www.nhlbi.nih.gov on the Internet.

How will I know whether I have had a stroke?

The following signs may mean that you have had a stroke:

• sudden weakness or numbness of your face, arm, or leg on one side of your body
• sudden confusion, trouble talking, or trouble understanding
• sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking
• sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes or sudden double vision
• sudden severe headache

If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 right away. You can help prevent permanent damage by getting to a hospital within an hour of a stroke. If your doctor thinks you have had a stroke, you may have tests such as a neurological examination to check your nervous system, special scans, blood tests, ultrasound examinations, or x rays. You also may be given medication that dissolves blood clots.

What are the treatment options for stroke?

At the first sign of a stroke, you should get medical care right away. If blood vessels to your brain are blocked by blood clots, the doctor can give you a “clot-busting” drug. The drug must be given soon after a stroke to be effective. Subsequent treatment for stroke includes medications and physical therapy, as well as surgery to repair the damage. Meal planning and physical activity may be part of your ongoing care. In addition, you may need medications to lower your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol and to prevent blood clots.

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What is diabetes?

Having diabetes or pre-diabetes puts you at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. You can lower your risk by keeping your blood glucose (also called blood sugar), blood pressure, and blood cholesterol close to the recommended target numbers—the levels suggested by diabetes experts for good health. (For more information about target numbers for people with diabetes, see "How will I know whether I have heart disease?".) Reaching your targets also can help prevent narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels in your legs, a condition called peripheral arterial disease. You can reach your targets by

• choosing foods wisely
• being physically active
• taking medications if needed

If you have already had a heart attack or a stroke, taking care of yourself can help prevent future health problems. [Top]

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism—the way our bodies use digested food for energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. Glucose is the body’s main source of fuel.

After digestion, glucose enters the bloodstream. Then glucose goes to cells throughout the body where it is used for energy. However, a hormone called insulin must be present to allow glucose to enter the cells. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach.

In people who do not have diabetes, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into the cells. However, diabetes develops when the pancreas does not make enough insulin, or the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly, or both. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.

Over time, high blood glucose levels damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death among people with diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes can eventually lead to other health problems as well, such as vision loss, kidney failure, and amputations.

Diabetes can lead to heart and blood vessel disease.

What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Pre-diabetes is also called impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance. Many people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. In addition, they are at risk for heart disease and stroke. With modest weight loss and moderate physical activity, people with pre-diabetes can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes and lower their risk of heart disease and stroke.

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What is the connection between diabetes, heart disease, and stroke?

If you have diabetes, you are at least twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke. People with diabetes also tend to develop heart disease or have strokes at an earlier age than other people. If you are middle-aged and have type 2 diabetes, some studies suggest that your chance of having a heart attack is as high as someone without diabetes who has already had one heart attack. Women who have not gone through menopause usually have less risk of heart disease than men of the same age. But women of all ages with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease because diabetes cancels out the protective effects of being a woman in her child-bearing years.

People with diabetes who have already had one heart attack run an even greater risk of having a second one. In addition, heart attacks in people with diabetes are more serious and more likely to result in death. High blood glucose levels over time can lead to increased deposits of fatty materials on the insides of the blood vessel walls. These deposits may affect blood flow, increasing the chance of clogging and hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis).

What are the risk factors for heart disease and stroke in people with diabetes?

Diabetes itself is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Also, many people with diabetes have other conditions that increase their chance of developing heart disease and stroke. These conditions are called risk factors. One risk factor for heart disease and stroke is having a family history of heart disease. If one or more members of your family had a heart attack at an early age (before age 55 for men or 65 for women), you may be at increased risk.

You can’t change whether heart disease runs in your family, but you can take steps to control the other risk factors for heart disease listed here:

• Having central obesity. Central obesity means carrying extra weight around the waist, as opposed to the hips. A waist measurement of more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women means you have central obesity. Your risk of heart disease is higher because abdominal fat can increase the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol, the type of blood fat that can be deposited on the inside of blood vessel walls.



• Having abnormal blood fat (cholesterol) levels.
  – LDL cholesterol can build up inside your blood vessels, leading to narrowing and hardening of your arteries—the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Arteries can then become blocked. Therefore, high levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk of getting heart disease.
  
  – Triglycerides are another type of blood fat that can raise your risk of heart disease when the levels are high.
  
  – HDL (good) cholesterol removes deposits from inside your blood vessels and takes them to the liver for removal. Low levels of HDL cholesterol increase your risk for heart disease.



• Having high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, your heart must work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure can strain the heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems.



• Smoking. Smoking doubles your risk of getting heart disease. Stopping smoking is especially important for people with diabetes because both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels. Smoking also increases the risk of other long-term complications, such as eye problems. In addition, smoking can damage the blood vessels in your legs and increase the risk of amputation

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Tips to Improve Your Health

1. Stay smoke-free

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are major causes of premature death from heart and lung diseases, stroke, and cancer - Canada's number one killers.

If you smoke, think about quitting now. It's never too late to stop - no matter how long you've smoked, or how often you've tried to quit. When you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease drops rapidly. After a few years, it's almost as low as if you had never smoked. You can join the five million Canadians who have quit. Ask your doctor about ways to quit smoking, or contact the organizations listed below.

If you don't smoke, don't start. And everyone should avoid exposure to second-hand smoke - a serious hazard with the same health risks as smoking. It's especially important for children and people with asthma and respiratory problems to be in a smoke-free environment.

2. Eat well to stay well

Healthy eating helps you feel great, stay well and control your weight. A healthy diet also offers protection against heart disease, stroke, cancer and other serious diseases. Follow these tips adapted from Canada's Guidelines for Healthy Eating :

• Enjoy smaller portions of lean meat, fish or poultry, trimming away any visible fat;
• Plan your meals with the main focus on vegetables, fruit, and grain products such as rice, pasta, bread, and cereals. Choose more whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and cereals. Include some servings of dark-green and orange fruit and vegetables every day;
• Reach for lower fat milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese in the dairy case (1 per cent or 2 per cent butter fat, or skim);
• Cut back on fats like butter, oil and margarine. Prepare food using as little extra fat as possible;
• Limit salt, alcohol and caffeine. Prepared foods are high in salt. More than two alcoholic drinks a day raises blood pressure - a serious risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. Alcohol should be limited to a maximum of two drinks per day and coffee to four regular-size cups.

3. Make physical activity a part of your life

Want to protect your health, achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, have more energy and relieve stress ? Regular physical activity does all that and more. It helps your heart, lungs and blood vessels work better, and controls your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

It's easy to get more active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get off the bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way. Walk to the neighborhood store instead of driving. Use a manual mower to cut the lawn.

Do something physical that you enjoy. Brisk walking is a good start. Swimming, skating, bicycling, and dancing are great activities. Anything that gets you moving and raises your heart rate counts.

Begin slowly and work up to a more vigorous level. Try to include at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity on most days of the week.

If you have a heart condition or other medical problems, take medications, or have been inactive for a long time, talk to your doctor before changing your level of activity. Ask about special exercise programs.

4. Know your blood pressure

You've never felt better. How could high blood pressure be a problem ? Unfortunately, you could have high blood pressure and never know it because there are no obvious symptoms. It hits men and women of all ages and occupations. Tense people can have normal blood pressure; calm people can have high blood pressure. The only way to know for sure is to have your blood pressure checked by a health professional.

High blood pressure is a serious health problem that can lead to heart disease and stroke. But it's controllable. If your blood pressure is high, follow your doctor's advice faithfully.

Here are some tips on keeping your blood pressure healthy :

• Have your blood pressure checked regularly;
• Stop smoking;
• Get regular physical activity;
• Drink less alcohol or stop completely;
• Maintain a healthy body weight;
• Use less salt.

5. Relax and enjoy life

Take time for pleasurable activities and to enjoy the company of friends and family.

Do you often feel tense, driven or irritable ? It's time to identify the sources of negative stress in your life, and to take steps to reduce or manage them. Find out about relaxation and stress management techniques from your family doctor or the organizations listed below.

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Heart Attack: Warning Signs and Tips on Prevention

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) is when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because it isn't receiving oxygen. Oxygen is carried to the heart by the arteries (blood vessels). Most heart attacks are caused by a blockage in these arteries. Usually the blockage is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty deposits (called plaque) inside the artery. This buildup is like the gunk that builds up in a drainpipe and slows the flow of water.

Heart attacks can also be caused by a blood clot that gets stuck in a narrow part of an artery to the heart. Clots are more likely to form where atherosclerosis has made an artery more narrow.

How do I know if I'm having a heart attack?

The pain of a heart attack can feel like bad heartburn. You may also be having a heart attack if you:

• Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with sweating, nausea or vomiting
• Feel pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left shoulder.
• Feel tightness in your chest
• Have shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds

Don't ignore the pain or discomfort. If you think you are having heart problems or a heart attack, get help immediately. The sooner you get treatment, the greater the chance that the doctors can prevent further damage to the heart muscle.

What should I do if I think I am having a heart attack?

Right away, call for an ambulance to take you to the hospital. While you wait for the ambulance to come, chew one regular tablet of aspirin. Don't take the aspirin if you're allergic to aspirin.

If you can, go to a hospital with advanced care facilities for people with heart attacks. In these medical centers, the latest heart attack technology is available 24 hours a day. This technology includes rapid thrombolysis (breaking up clots using medicines called "clot busters"), cardiac catheterization and angioplasty.

In the hospital, you might be given "clot busters" that reopen the arteries to your heart very fast. Nurses and technicians will place an IV line (intravenous line) in your arm to give you medicines. They will also do an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), give you oxygen to breathe, and watch your heart rate and rhythm on a monitor.

Risk factors for a heart attack

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Increasing age--83% of people who die from heart disease are 65 years of age or older
• High cholesterol level
• High blood pressure
• Family history of heart attack
• Race--African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans and Native Hawaiians are at greater risk.
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Lack of exercise
• Stress
• Obesity
• Sex--More males have heart attacks, although heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women.

How can I avoid having a heart attack?

Talk to your family doctor about your specific risk factors (see box above) for a heart attack and how to reduce your risk. Your doctor may tell you to do the following:

• Quit smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you don't smoke, don't start!)
• Eat a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and sodium (salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Ask your doctor about how to start eating a healthy diet.
• Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
• Exercise. This sounds hard if you haven't exercised for a while, but try to work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (that raises your heart rate) at least 4 times a week.
• Lose weight if you're overweight. Your doctor can advise you about the best ways to lose weight.
• Control your blood pressure if you have hypertension.

Talk to your doctor about whether aspirin would help reduce your risk of a heart attack. Aspirin can help keep your blood from forming clots that can eventually block the arteries.

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How To Avoid A Heart Attack

Sure, many of us can't resist glazed donuts and French fries and don't remember what the inside of a gym looks like. And yes, we're constantly stressed out about work and could stand to lose 10 pounds.

But a heart attack? They happen to other people--not you.

Even if the worst should occur, doctors can use drugs to decrease the damage to your heart, or perform angioplasty or bypass surgery to fix the problem. Right?

In Pictures: 15 Steps To A Healthier Heart

Not always. Up to 25% of people who die of sudden cardiac death had no prior symptoms or warnings such as chest pain.

"You can't just rely on the thought that, 'Oh, well, if I have a heart attack the doctors will be there to save me and put me on medications,' " says Dr. Erin Michos, a cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Some people don't make it to the hospital. They die at home. Prevention needs to begin early in life."

Heart attacks strike when one or more of the heart's arteries are blocked, severely reducing or stopping blood from reaching part of the heart muscle. They're usually preceded by the buildup inside the artery walls of fatty deposits or plaque, which can rupture, causing a blood clot to form and block the artery. When the blood supply is cut off for more than a few minutes it can be deadly.

Coronary heart disease remains the nation's single leading cause of death, and it's estimated that 1.2 million Americans will have a first or recurrent coronary attack this year, killing 452,000 of them, according to the American Heart Association.

Preventative Measures
If those statistics sound frightening, take heart.

Cardiologists, doctors, nutritionists and other experts say you have the power to cut your risk of having a heart attack.

Instead of looking for the latest quick fix, however, focus your preventive efforts on what's already been proven.

For starters, that means changing your diet. But, as registered dietitian and American Heart Association spokeswoman Ronni Litz Julien points out, today there are lots more do's than don'ts.

She tells clients to get a tablespoon of olive oil LINK TO SLIDE a day, either with sautéed vegetables or a salad, and to frequently eat low-mercury fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A few eggs a week are no longer forbidden. Neither is meat, if you're eating lean, 4 ounce to 6 ounce cuts. The same goes for nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts, as long as you're not demolishing a Costco (nasdaq: COST - news - people )-size container in two days.

A little portion control will go a long way toward helping you keep your weight in check too. Litz Julien recommends that couples eating out order separate salads or shrimp cocktails and split an entrée. When cooking, don't just dump half a bag of rice into the pot--measure it. Aim to always leave something on the plate.

"If you can leave a few bites, you've created a barrier between you and the food," she says. "You're still satiated but you're not so completely full that you have to unbutton your pants."

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Athletic Heart Syndrome

Athletic heart syndrome is a constellation of structural and functional changes that occur in the heart of people who train for > 1 h most days. The syndrome is asymptomatic; signs include bradycardia, a systolic murmur, and extra heart sounds. ECG abnormalities are common. Diagnosis is clinical or by echocardiography. No treatment is necessary. The syndrome is significant because it must be distinguished from serious cardiac disorders.

Intensive, prolonged endurance and strength training produces many physiologic adaptations. Volume and pressure loads in the left ventricle (LV) increase, which, over time, increase LV muscle mass, wall thickness, and chamber size. Maximal stroke volume and cardiac output increase, contributing to a lower resting heart rate and longer diastolic filling time. Lower heart rate results primarily from increased vagal tone, but decreased sympathetic activation and other nonautonomic factors that decrease intrinsic sinus node activity may play a role. Bradycardia decreases myocardial O₂ demand; at the same time, increases in total Hb and blood volume enhance O₂ transport. Despite these changes, systolic and diastolic function remains normal. Structural changes in women are typically less than those in men of the same age, body size, and training.

Symptoms and Signs

There are no symptoms. Signs vary but may include bradycardia; an LV impulse that is laterally displaced, enlarged, and increased in amplitude; a systolic ejection (flow) murmur at the left lower sternal border; a 3rd heart sound (S₃) due to early, rapid diastolic ventricular filling; a 4th heart sound (S₄), heard best during resting bradycardia because diastolic filling time is increased; and hyperdynamic carotid pulses. These signs reflect structural cardiac changes that are adaptive for intense exercise.

Diagnosis

Findings are typically detected during routine screening or during evaluation of unrelated symptoms. Most athletes do not require extensive testing, although ECG is often warranted. If symptoms suggest a cardiac disorder, ECG, echocardiography, and exercise stress testing are done.

Athletic heart syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion; it must be distinguished from disorders that cause similar findings but are life threatening (eg, hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathies, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia).

ECG typically shows sinus bradycardia; rarely, heart rate is < 40 beats/min. Sinus arrhythmia often accompanies the slow heart rate. Resting bradycardia may predispose to increased atrial or ventricular ectopy, including wandering supraventricular pacemaker and, uncommonly, atrial fibrillation, but pauses after ectopic beats do not exceed 4 sec. First-degree atrioventricular (AV) block is detected in up to ¹⁄₃ of athletes; 2nd-degree AV block (mainly type 1) that occurs during rest but disappears with exercise is less common. Third-degree AV block is abnormal and should be investigated thoroughly. Waveform changes include high voltage QRS complexes with inferolateral T-wave changes or strain pattern, which reflect LV hypertrophy, and early depolarization changes with biphasic T waves in anterior leads, which reflect inhomogeneous repolarization from reduced resting sympathetic tone. Both resolve with exercise. Deep anterolateral T-wave inversion and incomplete right bundle branch block may also occur. ECG changes correlate poorly with level of training and cardiovascular performance.

Echocardiography can distinguish athletic heart syndrome from cardiomyopathies (see Table 2: Sports and the Heart: Features Distinguishing Athletic Heart Syndrome From Cardiomyopathy), but because there is a continuum from physiologic to pathologic cardiac enlargement, the distinction is not always clear. In general, echocardiographic changes correlate poorly with level of training and cardiovascular performance. Trace mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation are commonly detected.

Table 2
Features Distinguishing Athletic Heart Syndrome From Cardiomyopathy Feature Athletic Heart Syndrome Cardiomyopathy Left ventricular hypertrophy* < 13 mm > 15 mm Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter† < 60 mm > 70 mm Diastolic function Normal (E:A ratio > 1) Abnormal (E:A ratio < 1) Septal hypertrophy Symmetric Asymmetric (in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) Family history None May be present BP response to exercise Normal Normal or reduced systolic BP response Deconditioning Left ventricular hypertrophy regression No left ventricular hypertrophy regression *A value of 13 to 15 mm is indeterminate. †A value of 60 to 70 mm is indeterminate. E:A ratio = ratio of early to late atrial transmitral flow velocity.

During exercise stress testing, heart rate remains lower than normal at submaximal stress and increases appropriately and comparably to nonathletes at maximal stress; it rapidly recovers after exercise. BP response is normal: Systolic BP increases, diastolic BP falls, and mean BP stays relatively constant. Many resting ECG changes decrease or disappear during exercise; this finding is unique to athletic heart syndrome, distinguishing it from pathologic conditions. However, pseudonormalization of T-wave inversions could reflect myocardial ischemia and thus warrants further investigation in older athletes.

Prognosis and Treatment

Although gross structural changes resemble those in some cardiac disorders, no adverse effects are apparent. In most cases, structural changes and bradycardia regress with detraining, although up to 20% of elite athletes have residual chamber enlargement, raising questions, in the absence of long-term data, about whether the athletic heart syndrome is truly benign.

No treatment is required, although 3 mo of deconditioning may be needed to monitor LV regression as a way of distinguishing this syndrome from cardiomyopathy. Such deconditioning can greatly interfere with an athlete's life and may meet with resistance.

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How I Lost Weight

I recently reduced about 25 pounds. I did it in a completely natural and healthy way. No, I did not take Metabolife, and no, I did not have to give up eating. Everywhere I go, people are asking me what did I do to reduce. Well, I thought I’d write about it to help anyone who is interested. These tips have worked for me, and I am talking in layman’s terms. Therefore, an expert in the field may not agree with the way I put it across, but I am only putting it across the way it was put across to me.

I gathered my information on a cruise. I attended all the seminars in the gym and spa area. I came to realize so many misconceptions and so many things I was doing wrong. Not eating to lose weight is a big NO, NO. Yes, you do lose weight, but not the weight you want to. Not eating puts the body in starvation mode, and instead of your body getting its daily requirement of energy from your body’s fat, it take from your body’s muscle. When we lose weight, we do not want to lose muscle, we want to lose fat.

On the cruise, I went to a seminar called “Do you have a sluggish metabolism?” In the seminar, they used an instrument on me that took my height and weight into consideration, and it provided me with my body fat weight and percentage, my muscle weight and percentage, and my water weight and percentage. I was told that most fitness places have such an instrument. Due to my misconception of not eating to lose weight, my muscle weight was less, my water weight was less, and my fat weight was slightly more than it should have been.

To burn fat, you need to have more muscle weight. Four or five days a week, I walk in the park 2.25 miles with my friends. Exercising releases endorphins, which actually energize you and make you feel great. Endorphins are a great anti-depressant and relieve stress. If you cannot walk in the park or run, get a bike or treadmill and watch television and work out. I have 3lb weights that I use while I watch TV. The point is build muscle.

By sweating (exercising, using a steam room, zaccuzi, sauna, etc.), you can increase your basal body temperature, which puts your metabolism to work.

Buy a dry skin brush (you can get them at body shops). Before taking a shower or bath, brush on your legs and arms toward the heart, and brush clockwise over the abdomen. Dry skin is an indication of poor circulation, which means a poor metabolism. Dry skin brushing improves circulation. Exfoliating also improves circulation. In body shops, you can buy a sandy like or crystal like cream that you use on your body to improve circulation and your skin (they remove the dead skin).

Since my water weight was less, I was slightly dehydrated. They told me to drink lots and lots of water, which was something I was poor at. I used to drink lots and lots of diet soda, which is horrible, why? : 1) anything made of artificial substances creates toxins in the body which could lead to fat deposits such as cellulite 2) drinking and eating natural and fresh food and drink is the best (avoid canned, pre-packaged food, ready-made foods, and food with chemicals or preservatives). Aim to drink at least about eight 8oz glasses of water a day. Drinking so much water does require you to make more trips to the rest room, but it is worth it. My skin is less dry and an added glow comes on the face. Best of all, it puts the metabolism to work.

The metabolism gets put to work after each meal. I was told to try and have 5 to 6 small meals as opposed to 3 big meals. I was told my daily calorie requirement was 1200(This daily calorie requirement varies from person to person. The instrument they used on me to get my muscle weight, etc. provided this information.), and therefore, my 5 to 6 meals should give me at least that much of calories. Be sure to have a balanced diet including at least four servings of calcium. Be sure to also take a multivitamin daily as well.

One pound is equivalent to 3500 calories. In my example, if I consume 1200 calories in a day, and I burn off 700 calories in a day due to exercise, work, life, etc. I will lose a pound in 5 days.

Here is the information given to me:

1) Start the day with a cup of hot water with lemon juice.
2) Dry skin brush every morning before you shower-always toward the heart and clockwise over the abdomen.
3) Exfoliate 2 times a week.
4) Massage-self massage daily, professional massage once a week.
5) Aim for 30 minutes exercise per day and 10 minutes relaxation per day.
6) Two times a week, soak 20 minutes in bath salts.
7) Try and use the steam room or sauna two times a week for 30 minutes.
8) Food beneficial to liver and kidney – aim to eat two of each group every day.

a.Liver: black grapes, garlic, fennel or dandelion tea or green tea, carrot or beetroot juice.
b.Kidney: fresh honey, cranberry juice/tablets, melon (alone without other food).
9) Limit/avoid common colon irritants/food intolerances: wheat products (breads, pasta, flour), caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, malt, yeast, barley, maize, rye, refined flours, refined sugar, refined starch.
10) Avoid artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and food additives.
11) Eat organic foods in their most “natural” state – fresh fruit and vegetables.
12) Avoid processed, pre-packaged, ready made foods and meals.
13) Reduce fat, sugar, and salt intake.

Aromatherapy detox oils: Juniper, Rosemary, Pine.

TO Lose Body Fat & Increase Muscle

Cardio 3-5 times per week, 35+ minutes
Weights/Toning, 2-3 times per week, 30 + minutes
Stretching 1-2 times per week, 20 minutes

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

1. 5-6 small meals per day.
2. Drink lots and lots of water.
3. Aim for salad plate sized meals, half the plate covered in veggies, a quarter with carbohydrates, and a quarter with proteins (look at your plate).
4. Take a multi-vitamin daily.
5. The 80/20 rule: Make health oriented food choices 80 percent of the time, other fun foods 20 percent of the time. Or, 6 days on, 1 day off.


Stress & Energy:

Remember, stress is toxic to your body. If you do not take time out to relax, you will prohibit the maximum functioning of your health and vitality, and this will prevent you from achieving ideal form. Incorporate relaxation therapies into your every day life!




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How to Lose Weight Fast

1. Determine your daily calorie intake . Losing weight is simply a matter of expending more calories than you take in, through exercise and your daily activities. To win the battle, it helps to know how many calories you are consuming in a day.
   • Write down all the things you eat on a typical day. Carry a small notebook with you and write down every snack, every drink, and the contents of every meal. There are also great websites that you can use to keep track of calories, get recipes, and help achieve your goal. Don't forget to include the pats of butter or the spoonful of sugar in your coffee. It's best to do this for at least a couple weekdays and a weekend; it's even better if you can go a full week. There are also calorie tracking websites that can help you to do this, for example the US government website, My Pyramid Tracker .
   • Do an itemized calorie count. When possible, write down the number of calories in each thing you eat as you eat it. Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat. Look up the calorie count on the internet for foods that don't have calories listed on the container or for fast food meals. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but you do want a good estimate of the number of calories you're taking in. There is an idea that multiplying your own weight by ten will produce a rough estimate of the number of calories you need to eat per day to maintain your weight. This is NOT true, you may wind up grossly under (or perhaps over) estimating the number of calories you should be eating. Use a scientific or health website to determine the number of calories you should eat a day or consult your doctor. Everyone has different metabolisms and there is no blanket rule that covers everyone's recommended calorie intake. Reducing 500 calories per day from the calories you eat to maintain your weight can help you lose a pound of fat per week.^[2]
2. Go over the list and decide which foods to cut out or reduce. Cutting calories is usually a lot easier than you might think. For example, that daily tall latte in the morning may pack 500 calories. Since a pound of flab (lost or gained) is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, replacing that rich beverage with black coffee can help you lose a pound a week. Other easy cuts include salad dressing (salad dressing is the number one source of fat in the average American woman's diet) soda pop, candy, and butter. Look at the nutritional information for the foods you eat, pay special attention to your intake of saturated fats and empty calories (high-sugar foods). You don't need to cut these things out entirely, but if you reduce your intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods you'll lose weight faster.
3. Seek out alternatives to the unhealthy foods you've identified. You can simply reduce the amount of soda you drink or mayonnaise you put on your sandwiches, or you can substitute healthier choices. Drink water instead of soda, for example, or use mustard instead of mayo. Low-fat and low-calorie options are also available for most foods, and many of these are natural, (although some are made with strange chemicals), and tasty. Start trying to eat healthy in most meals:
   
   
   • Choose lean meats. Chicken and fish are both very low in fat (and certain fish like salmon, sardines, and fresh tuna are an excellent source of antioxidants, which are also beneficial to your health), so aim to replace some or all of the beef or pork in your diet with these foods.
   • Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives. Many people get a ton of calories from side dishes such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, or potato salad. You can eat healthier and lose weight by replacing these with fresh vegetables and salads. Pre-made salads are practically effortless, and when accompanied by a reduced-calorie dressing or no dressing at all, they're weight-loss gold.
   • Start your days off right. A fattening breakfast of bacon and eggs or a pastry can be replaced with yogurt, oatmeal, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals; or fresh fruit for fruit smoothies. However, for those on a low carb diet bacon and eggs are a great combo for breakfast, since neither have carbs. But don't fall into the trap of skipping breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your rest metabolic rate earlier in the day, and reduces snacking before lunch.
4. Plan your meals. Look for healthy, delicious meals online or in your cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make sure that your meal plan reduces your total calorie intake: you're not going to lose weight if you consume the same amount of calories by eating different foods. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and -- except for a few snacks, of course -- don't stray from your list when you get to the market. Planning your meals helps ensure you get a balanced diet and reduces the temptation to stop off for fast food or order a pizza. Remember, it's easier to stick to your shopping list if you shop when you aren't hungry.
5. Watch your portion sizes. Opening a bag of rice cakes and eating all of them in one sitting isn't going to help you lose weight. When eating chips, nuts, or dried fruit put a portion in a small bowl and then put the bag away. That way you won't mindlessly eat a larger portion than you had intended. Even if you only make minimal changes to your diet choices, reducing portion size will inevitably reduce caloric intake. A great way to watch portion sizes while snacking is to buy one serving 100 calorie packages - and they come in many favorite snack food items!
6. Graze on healthy snacks. Just because you're getting healthy doesn't mean you can't snack. In fact, eating small meals and snacks throughout the day, or grazing, has been shown to aid weight loss, (compared to eating three large meals a day), by keeping metabolism steadier. Pick snacks that are low in calories and fat and high in fiber (dried apricots, nuts, rice cakes, fruits, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and so on). Vegetables are generally very low in calories, very high in fiber, and full of flavor and nutrition. Avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes, and try to eat vegetables plain, without fatty dressings or dips. Fruit also makes a good snack. Fruit contains more soluble fiber than vegetables, which slows your body's absorption of carbohydrates, thus releasing energy more slowly, (preventing sugar highs), and keeping you feeling full longer. Fruit juices are not a replacement for the real thing. You need that fiber, and juices often have more calories than the equivalent serving of fruit -- as many calories as soda! Be careful with dried fruits, because without the water, you tend to eat more, and fruits, when dried, are calorie-rich per ounce. With any dry or dried food, be sure to drink plenty of water.
7. Get more fiber. There are many myths about fiber, but there is science to back up its helpful role in the diet. Fiber keeps the right amount of water in your intestines, making your digestive system work more efficiently and helping to keep you regular. Thus, just eating enough fiber may help you feel slimmer in just a day or so. There is also evidence that fiber in the diet can help prevent stroke and heart disease, ease the effects of diabetes, and may even directly help in weight loss.
8. Drink plenty of water. Adequate water is essential for health, and a great many people simply don't get enough. What's more, if you're chronically dehydrated, your body will retain water in unflattering places, so if you make sure to get plenty of fluids you can start visibly trimming down in as little as a day. Remember, the more you exercise, the more water you'll need. See the related wikiHow for more details on how much water you should be getting.
9. Exercise. Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential.
10. Perform high-level aerobic activities. Moderate aerobic workouts incorporating jogging, brisk walking, cycling, aerobic machines, or classes not only burn calories -- they also keep your heart healthy. Swimming is also great, especially if you are quite overweight or have joint problems, because you can get the same benefits of running -- typically burning even more calories -- with much less stress on your joints. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three or four days per week.
11. Pump some iron. Resistance training, (weight training), can help both sexes stay lean by building muscle and raising metabolism. The fact is, hours and hours of aerobic exercise won't help most people lose weight fast because your metabolism drops back to normal fairly quickly after stopping the exercise. If you gain muscle, however, your body's resting metabolism, (the amount of calories you burn when you're just sitting still), increases, because muscle requires a lot of calories to maintain. Studies have shown consistent weight training to raise the body's metabolism by 15%. This means an average woman might burn 200-300 more calories at rest every day! Resistance training is the gift that keeps on giving! Although, keep in mind that muscle mass weighs more than fat (don't be surprised if you gain weight but look slimmer).
12. Rest properly. This means not only taking at least 24-48 hours between strength training the same muscles, (and taking 1-2 days off from exercising each week); it also means getting enough sleep at night, since sleep deficiency impairs your ability to lose fat.
13. Be realistic. Don't expect a miracle. Healthy weight loss can be achieved fairly quickly, but you'll need to be patient. In addition, be sure to set realistic goals. Make sure that the weight you're trying to reach is a healthy weight for you, and keeping in mind that gaining pounds of muscle will help you lose fat, be trimmer, and look better even though you don't actually lose any weight. Your goal should be a healthy body, not a number of pounds! Everyone looks good at a different weight. A short person may look really good at about 112 pounds, but a person of a taller height would just look unhealthy. Keep yourself at a weight that makes you look good, not at a number that sounds good.
14. Make adjustments. A successful weight loss strategy based on reducing calorie intake and increasing activity can be adjusted to maintain your desired weight once you reach it. Unlike typical diets, this method is sustainable -- it is a lifestyle change, not a binge-and-purge exercise. Slowly adjust your diet and exercise to include more weight training and calories, as much as is comfortable for you. If you do gain any weight back, you want that weight to be lean, toned muscle, not fat. In addition, weight training, no matter what your age, prevents muscle atrophy and can help stave off osteoporosis.
    • Instead of thinking of it as losing a certain amount of pounds, think of it as being a certain weight. So if you are 145 pounds, and you would like to lose 10 pounds, think of it as being 135 pounds. This helps you think about it as a long-term goal and not just losing the weight to gain it back again.
15. Be confident. You need to believe in yourself! If you want to diet, and you know that it will make you feel better, then you need confidence. Otherwise, the temptation to cheat on your diet will make it harder, and you will not feel better when you do lose weight. Avoid temptations like chocolate, ice cream, and cookies. They may taste good, but there are other foods that taste delicious, too, without being unhealthy. You need to always encourage yourself to achieve the goals that you have set. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fail to achieve your target for the week, find out why is it so. Is it because you have missed a jogging session? Or you have been eating junk food for one of the days? After evaluating, look ahead to next week and try your best to stick to your plan.^[3]
16. Be consistent and disciplined, and have self motivation. To lose weight effectively, you need to stick to your weight loss plan religiously so as to see results. When you have the thought of giving up, visualize how good you will look when you manage to slim down successfully. ^[3]

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What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance. It is fatty lipid found in the body tissues and blood plasma of vertebrates (animals with bones); it is only sparingly soluble in water, but much more soluble in some organic solvents. The weak ability of cholesterol to dissolve in water is a major factor in the development of atherosclerosis, a condition associated with coronary artery disease.

Cholesterol is produced in the liver, the adrenal glands and reproductive organs. The liver produces about 80% of the cholesterol in your body.

Cholesterol is a natural and necessary component of your body cells and many hormones. In cell membranes, cholesterol keeps membranes fluid and functional. Cholesterol also forms the backbone of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream as lipoproteins to their destinations. Cholesterol is not totally a bad thing.

Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol becomes bad when high levels are present. High levels in the bloodstream are associated with hardening of the arteries, premature coronary heart disease and many other vascular disease problems.

Unhealthy blood cholesterol levels are one of the major risk factors for heart disease -- the No. 1 killer of American men and women. The good news is that blood cholesterol levels can be modified.

Normal cholesterol levels

Children and Cholesterol

About 1 in 500 people--about 145,000 kids younger than 18--has a form of inherited high cholesterol, called familial hyperlipidemia, that can send their cholesterol into the 300s and higher and raises their chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke in their teens and 20s. In addition, about 10% of kids, or almost 7 million youngsters, have total cholesterol over 190, which is considered high for a child. And there's been an explosion of kids with Type 2 diabetes, which used to strike primarily in adulthood, and an epidemic of obesity--all of which drive coronary artery disease.

Reduce Cholesterol Buildup

Spinach, broccoli and other dark green, leafy vegetables contain substantial amounts of a substance called lutein. High levels of lutein in the blood are associated with a reduced buildup of cholesterol.

Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower levels of LDL cholesterol.

How to control Cholesterol

1. Eat fish, skinless poultry and lean meats. These foods offer protein but too much protein will give you more saturated fat (cholesterol) than you need.
2. Eat fish at least twice a week. Fish is lower in fat than most meats. The fat contained in fish has come beneficial oils called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to be heart and blood vessel protective.
3. Reduce high-fat dairy products. High fat dairy products are sour cream, cream cheese, hard cheese, processed cheese, butter, whipped cream and whole milk. Some low-fat dairy products are: yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat or non-fat milk.
4. Hidden fat. Be aware of the hidden fat in your diet. Danish, pastries and cookies have large amounts of oil and fat. A muffin could add 4 or 5 teaspoons of fat to your diet.
5. Reduce the amount of fat you use in your food. Steam vegetables instead of frying them. Also, try not to cover your vegetables with butter or margarine.
6. Olive or canola oil. If you add fat to your food, try to use olive or canola oil. These oils are more healthy for you because they have a higher concentration of monounsaturated fats.
7. Grains and Bread products. Choose a balanced diet with adequate carbohydrate foods at each meal and keep the fat intake low.
8. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits contain very little fat. They are full of nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.

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Signs and Symptoms of Heart Failure

By themselves, the signs of heart failure may not be cause for alarm. But if you haven’t been diagnosed with heart failure and you have more than one of these symptoms, report them to a healthcare professional and ask for an evaluation of your heart.

If you have been diagnosed with heart failure, it's important for you to keep track of symptoms and report any sudden changes to your healthcare team.

This table lists the most common signs and symptoms, explains why they occur and describes how to recognize them.

Sign or Symptom	Why It Happens	People with Heart Failure May Experience...
Shortness of breath (also called dyspnea)	Blood "backs up" in the pulmonary veins (the vessels that return blood from the lungs to the heart) because the heart can't keep up with the supply. This causes fluid to leak into the lungs.	. . . breathlessness during activity (most commonly), at rest, or while sleeping, which may come on suddenly and wake you up. You often have difficulty breathing while lying flat and may need to prop up the upper body and head on two pillows. You often complain of waking up tired or feeling anxious and restless.
Persistent coughing or wheezing	Fluid builds up in the lungs (see above).	. . . coughing that produces white or pink blood-tinged mucus.
Buildup of excess fluid in body tissues	As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing fluid to build up in the tissues. The kidneys are less able to dispose of sodium and water, also causing fluid retention in the tissues.	. . . swelling in the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen or weight gain. You may find that your shoes feel tight.
Tiredness, fatigue	The heart can't pump enough blood to meet the needs of body tissues. The body diverts blood away from less vital organs, particularly muscles in the limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain.	. . . a tired feeling all the time and difficulty with everyday activities, such as shopping, climbing stairs, carrying groceries or walking.
Lack of appetite, nausea	The digestive system receives less blood, causing problems with digestion.	. . . a feeling of being full or sick to your stomach.
Confusion, impaired thinking	Changing levels of certain substances in the blood, such as sodium, can cause confusion.	. . . memory loss and feelings of disorientation. A caregiver or relative may notice this first.
Increased heart rate	To "make up for" the loss in pumping capacity, the heart beats faster.	. . . heart palpitations, which feel like your heart is racing or throbbing.

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What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean

What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean

Your test report will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). To determine how your cholesterol levels affect your risk of heart disease, your doctor will also take into account other risk factors such as age, family history, smoking and high blood pressure.

Your Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level

Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you have no other risk factors for heart disease, total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL puts you at relatively low risk of coronary heart disease. Even with a low risk, however, it’s still smart to eat a heart-healthy diet, get regular physical activity and avoid tobacco smoke. Have your cholesterol levels checked every five years or as your doctor recommends.

200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-High Risk
If your total cholesterol falls between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your doctor will evaluate your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. It's possible to have borderline-high total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol. Work with your doctor to create a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Make lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular physical activity and avoiding tobacco smoke. Depending on your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and your other risk factors, you may also need medication. Ask your doctor how often you should have your cholesterol rechecked.

240 mg/dL and over: High Risk
People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL). If your test didn’t show your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, your doctor should order a fasting profile. Work with your doctor to create a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Whether or not you need cholesterol-regulating medication, make lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular physical activity and avoiding tobacco smoke.


Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level

With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.

Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol. To raise your HDL level, avoid tobacco smoke, maintain a healthy weight and get at least 30–60 minutes of physical activity more days than not.

People with high blood triglycerides usually also have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL cholesterol levels.


Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level

The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Less than 100 mg/dL


Optimal

100 to 129 mg/dL


Near Optimal/ Above Optimal

130 to 159 mg/dL


Borderline High

160 to 189 mg/dL


High

190 mg/dL and above


Very High

Your other risk factors for heart disease and stroke help determine what your LDL level should be, as well as the appropriate treatment for you. A healthy level for you may not be healthy for your friend or neighbor. Discuss your levels and your treatment options with your doctor to get the plan that works for you.

The Cholesterol Heart Profilers is a great starting point for learning about prevention and treatment options for your specific cholesterol levels. This free, confidential online service creates a printable report with the key information you need to fully understand your cholesterol levels, health risks and treatment options. You'll get a personalized cardiovascular disease risk profile, along with a summary of treatment options, potential side effects, success rates and a list of relevant medical journal articles and research studies, all summarized in plain English.

Your Triglyceride Level

Triglyceride is a form of fat. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Your triglyceride level will fall into one of these categories:

* Normal: less than 150 mg/dL
* Borderline-High: 150–199 mg/dL
* High: 200–499 mg/dL
* Very High: 500 mg/dL

Many people have high triglyceride levels due to being overweight/obese, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption and/or a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of more of calories). High triglycerides are a lifestyle-related risk factor; however, underlying diseases or genetic disorders can be the cause.

The main therapy to reduce triglyceride levels is to change your lifestyle. This means control your weight, eat a heart-healthy diet, get regular physical activity, avoid tobacco smoke, limit alcohol to one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men and limit beverages and foods with added sugars. Visit your healthcare provider to create an action plan that will incorporate all these lifestyle changes. Sometimes, medication is needed in addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is one of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk for heart disease and other disorders, including diabetes.

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