Remember the Four "Fs" to Keep your Heart Strong

February has always been associated with hearts - chocolate, candy, paper. We all know how important it is to take care of our hearts, but do we actually know what we need to do?  Armed with some basic information, like the four “Fs,” we can all make sure we keep our tickers ticking.

Fats:  We've all heard that fat is bad for your heart.  Well, not all fats are created equal, and knowing which ones help and which ones might not can make choosing a little simpler. 

Saturated fats contribute to elevating bad cholesterol levels which can put us at risk for heart disease.  Saturated fats  may increase the chance that our arteries become blocked and prevent healthy blood flow to and from our hearts.  Sources of saturated fats are mainly animal products, such as whole milk and whole milk dairy items, sausage, bacon, lard, items such as baked goods made with palm or coconut oils. Synthetic, trans fats have been shown to also increase the bad cholesterol levels, decrease good cholesterol levels, and increase your chance of developing heart disease.  Unsaturated fats are those that provide benefit to our heart by improving the good cholesterol levels.  Sources of unsaturated fats are nuts and nut butters (peanut, soy nut, almond nut), avocado, olives and olive oil, fish, vegetable oils, soft tub margarine.  The fats in fish called omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower blood pressure and help prevent heart disease.  What we as consumers need to know is that by focusing our consumption of fats from the unsaturated category, we are taking good care of our hearts.       

           

Fiber:  Fiber is nature's scrub brush, it helps to clean out our digestive tract, right, so how does it help our heart?  Fiber actually attaches itself to cholesterol to bring it out of the body.  So in a way, increasing your fiber through whole grains, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables will increase the likelihood that your arteries are nice and clean, too.

Flavoring:  Do we have a salt shaker on the table?  Do we add salt to our food before we taste it? Are there a lot of packages in the cabinets, but not a lot of color in the refrigerator? Salt and products that contain salt, can negatively impact our blood pressure and therefore impact how hard our heart has to work.  By eating food that is closer to its natural state, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains reduces the chances that items (salt or preservatives containing salt) have been added to our food.

Fitness: Your heart is a muscle and like any muscle it needs to be challenged.  If we don't work this muscle, it, like any other muscle in our body, becomes weak.  Considering this is one of the most important muscles that keeps you alive, don't you want it to be pretty strong?  So how do we strengthen our hearts and keep them healthy?  Move, move, move.   Moving means living an active lifestyle.  Find ways to incorporate activity in your life besides just going to the gym.  Keep that heart pumping by taking the stairs instead of the escalator, parking your car a little further from store entrances, getting up and taking breaks if you sit at a desk all day, going out to play.

Having a healthy heart means not only choosing foods that help keep your heart working well, but staying active to make your heart stronger.

Recipe
Pork tenderloin with apples and balsamic vinegar
Serves 4

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped apple

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the pork and sprinkle with black pepper. Cook until the tenderloin is browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and place in the prepared baking pan. Roast the pork for about 15 minutes, or until a food thermometer indicates 160 F (medium).

Meanwhile, add the onion, apple and rosemary to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until the onions and apples are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and vinegar. Increase the heat and boil until the sauce has reduced, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place the pork on a large platter. Pour the onion-apple mixture over the top and serve immediately.

 

Winning the Fight Against Heart Disease

The beating of our heart is so automatic that it’s easy to take it for granted. Our hearts work powerfully from the time we’re in the womb until the day we die and we never even have to think about it. That is, until something happens.

Genetics play a very large role in our heart health. While we can’t control our genetic makeup, DNA is not destiny. DNA may predispose us to heart disease, but many factors can be controlled to reduce our risk of heart disease dramatically. We do have choices.

What we eat every day significantly affects our heart health. Vegetables, fruit, grain and fiber are all foods that contribute to a healthy heart. Fish should be eaten twice a week, especially cold-water fish. Fat, especially saturated and trans fats, should be limited in our diet, along with sodium and cholesterol. The choices we make every day impact how we feel, how much we weigh and the health of our hearts.

Lifestyle choices also affect our heart. To deal with stress, some people overeat, drink or smoke, all of which can damage our heart. Not getting enough sleep can have a serious effect on the heart. The heart relaxes and recuperates considerably during sleep. Meeting with friends on a regular basis for social interaction is good for our heart. Sharing, loving, and caring for one another is emotionally and physically positive.

Like any muscle, the heart can be strengthened through exercise. Ideally, we should devote at least 30 minutes to exercise every day. Brisk walking may be the ideal exercise and everyone already knows exactly how to do it! Avoid escalators and elevators; take the steps. Don’t cruise the parking lot to find the closest space, go to a far corner and walk briskly to your destination. Exercise is cumulative: every two or three minute block of exercise is good for your heart. Make choices to build up your exercise program and follow through with it, whether you’re walking, swimming or working out at a fitness center.

It’s time to start thinking about your heart. It’s not too late to make some simple lifestyle changes that can reduce your cardiovascular risk and keep your heart healthy. 

By Joel Samick. Joel Samick is a group exercise instructor at the Kennett Area YMCA, Kennett Square.

Pack It Light, Wear It Right — Backpack Safety

"Pack it Light, Wear it Right" is the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA) advice to the more than 40 million students currently in school. Carrying too much weight or improperly wearing backpacks can cause neck, shoulder, and back pain, and can compromise posture and breathing. In one study, 6 out of 10 American students ages 9 to 20 reported chronic back pain related to heavy backpacks.

AOTA offers 10 tips to backpack safety:

1. Never let a child carry more than 15 percent of his or her body weight. This means a child who weighs 100 pounds should not wear a backpack heavier than 15 pounds.
2. Load heaviest items closest to the child's back. Arrange books and materials to prevent them from sliding.
3. Always wear both shoulder straps. Wearing only one strap can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort.
4. Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps. Too much pressure on shoulders and the neck can cause pain and tingling.
5. Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly to the child's back. The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back, never more than four inches below the child's waistline.
6. Wear the waist belt, if the backpack has one, to help distribute the pack's weight more evenly.
7. Check what your child carries to school and brings home to make sure the items are necessary for the day's activities.
8. If the backpack is too heavy, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child's school allows it.
9. Choose the right size pack for your child's back as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.
10. If a student is experiencing back pain or neck soreness, consult your doctor or occupational therapist.

Ten Tips for a Healthy Family Home

Sometimes it’s hard to get the whole family together, but when you do find those rare moments, here are 10 easy ways your family can have fun and stay connected.

1. Give everyone in the family a special decision-making opportunity, such as choosing the menu for a healthier meal or organizing a family event that includes physical activity.
2. Make a plan to do activities that involve the whole family. Take a trip to a museum or the aquarium.
3. Spend an hour or two cleaning out a closet, bedroom, garage or basement, and prepare a load of items to donate as a family. The kids can help by going through and sorting old toys and clothing.
4. Volunteer in your community: Participate in a walk/run or bike event or put together meals for other families or people who live alone.
5. Schedule a family date. Go for a walk, build a snowman, play games.
6. Encourage sharing. During a family meal have the youngest family member do a drum roll and then call on someone to share something they are grateful for day.
7. Invite another family from the neighborhood, school or church to a family play date. This is a great way to connect with neighbors and for children and adults to bond.
8. Love to cook? Spend an evening making a favorite family meal together and finishing up with popcorn and a movie. Give each family member a job in the meal preparation, so that everyone is included.
9. Designate a "no screen day" in your home, and have several books and games ready for everyone to play with.
10. Spend an evening watching old family videos or leafing through family photos. Kids love to see themselves when they were babies or reminiscing about last year's family vacation.

Do you have any other good ways to have healthy family time? We would love to know your thoughts!