Exercise Spotlight:
How to Build A
Strong Heart
Vitamin Update:
What is Vitamin B5?
10 Minute Recipe:
Baked Tilapia
casserole
Fast Nutrition:
A-peeling Oranges
Client of the Month:
Alice
Jessica, the Organic Grower:
Composting
February Savings:
Buddy Training
Grocery Item of the Month:
eVamor artesian water
How to Build a
Strong Heart
What can you do to build a strong heart? Eat well, exercise regularly,
reduce stress, and
quit smoking.
That doesn't mean you have to
resign yourself to a life of vegetables and impossible 3
hour workouts. Change can be as easy as switching
from whole milk to 1%, or taking the stairs instead of
the elevator.
Smoking may be a harder problem to tackle and require
the support of family, friends, and healthcare
professionals.
How nutrition affects
your heart...
Cholesterol
is a fat-like substance
both made by the liver and supplied in the diet. Cholesterol is found in
animal products like
margarine, butter, meat, milk, yogurt, cheese, cakes,
biscuits, pies, and chips.
Cholesterol is necessary in small
amounts. However the body makes enough cholesterol on
its own, so additional dietary cholesterol is not needed.
In fact, too much cholesterol
builds up in the walls of your arteries (called plaque) and over
time cause "hardening of the arteries". This
increases the risk that blood supply to the heart
will be cut off, resulting in a heart attack.
You can control your cholesterol
by:
-
Controlling the amount of
cholesterol
you intake in your diet.
-
Eating foods rich in
antioxidants. Research indicates plaque
can be counteracted by antioxidants such as
vitamin C, vitamin E, and
vitamin A.
Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are good
sources of vitamins A and C; green leafy vegetables,
nuts, and unsaturated oils are good sources of
vitamin E.
-
Eating enough
fiber. Fiber
has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Foods include: Kidney and pinto beans,
Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, zucchini,
cabbage, cauliflower, beets, carrots, apples, citrus
fruits, grapes, prunes, oatmeal, oat and wheat bran,
barley, brown rice, whole-wheat bread.
-
Eat foods which contain
chemicals
to prevent blood clotting found in naturally oily
fish, such as mackerel, sardines and salmon.
High
Blood Pressure (HBP) means the pressure
in your
arteries is elevated, increasing the work of
your heart which in time may cause the heart to become
weak.
-
Normal blood pressure is below
120/80.
-
Prehypertension is 120-139
systolic or 80-89 diastolic.
-
High blood pressure is 140+
systolic or 90+ diastolic that stays high over time.
No one knows what causes high
blood pressure (HBP). It can be genetic, but
diet is also thought to play a big part. It
usually can’t be cured, but it can be controlled:
-
Eat foods low in
saturated fat and cholesterol.
-
Cut down on
salt
levels. Bread is for most the
single largest source of dietary salt. Processed
food, such as prepared frozen meals, are also high
in salt.
-
Limit
alcohol
to no more than 2 drinks per
day.
-
Eat foods that contain
potassium.
Studies suggest that foods like bananas and potatoes
may help lower blood pressure.
-
Be physically
active.
High blood pressure usually has no
symptoms. Many people have it and don’t know, get checked regularly by your doctor.
How exercise affects your
heart....
Physical activity
helps your heart get
stronger so that it can pump blood more efficiently with
each stroke, even while you are at rest. It also helps
with:
1. Controlling Obesity,
caused mainly by taking in more
calories than you burn. Moderate exercise helps to burn more calories and may lead to
weight loss.
Obesity can raise blood
cholesterol and lead to
the build up of plaque, raise blood pressure levels
to put an added strain on the heart, and induce diabetes.
2. Lowering
your
blood pressure and
cholesterol
levels.
3. Alleviating
stress
which constricts blood vessels and raises blood
pressure.
Finally, how smoking damages
your heart....
Smoking is
the number one controllable risk factor.
-
Nicotine
damages the lining
of the blood vessels providing an ideal place for
plaque to deposit.
-
Smoking
constricts the arteries,
increasing blood pressure and decreases the amount
of oxygen delivered to the body. The
aids in decreasing exercise tolerance.
-
Women who smoke and use
oral contraceptives
greatly increase their risk of heart disease and
stroke.
-
Smoking decreases your
good cholesterol
(HDL).
-
People with family
history of heart disease
increase their risk by smoking.
*statistics from the American
Heart Association.
Pantothenic Acid
(Vitamin B5)
What does it do?
Vitamin B5 aids in changing fats,
carbs and proteins into energy. It helps your adrenal glands
function properly -- important because
they help you cope with stress.
B5 also works as an antioxidant and stops effects
of aging by neutralizing pollutants and toxins in your
tissues. Some believe pantothenic acid helps fight wrinkles and gray hair.
It helps with:
Stress
Low energy
Wound healing
Allergies
Frequent colds or infections
Some sources:
Brewer's Yeast
Eggs
Kidney
Rice bran
Wheat bran
Fresh vegetables
Beans
Mushrooms
Nuts
Saltwater Fish
RDA: 10 mg.
Optimal level: 75 mg
Deficiency: Most likely,
if you eat, you won't get a
deficiency. Fatigue, headaches, nausea,
frequent infection, depression, abdominal pains, sleep
disturbances and neurological disorders including
numbness, muscle weakness and cramps have been reported in those with
deficiencies.
When more may be required:
People under stress, prone to allergies, consuming
alcohol or eating too many refined foods might develop a
shortage of this vitamin.
Overdose: When you have too much, you get
diarrhea, digestive disturbances and water retention (on
dosages exceeding 10 g a day.)
Best used with:
It is most effective when taken with other B vitamins, Vitamin A,
Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
Chicken Parmesan
Breaded chicken breasts with
tomato sauce and cheese. Ciao Bella!
Ingredients:
4 Smart
Chicken boneless, skinless breast halves
1
4-Grain egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tbsp butter/margarine
1 3/4 cup Seeds of Change Organic tomato sauce
1/2
cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp grated parmesan
cheese
Directions:
-
Place chicken
between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, flatten to
1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
-
Dip chicken in
egg; dredge in crumbs.
-
Melt butter in
a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat;
-
Add chicken,
cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
-
Pour spaghetti
sauce over chicken.
-
Cover, reduce
heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
-
Sprinkle with
cheeses.
-
Cover and
simmer 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with a side of steamed broccoli.
CALORIES 614; FAT
12.8g (sat 5g, mono 4.8g, poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 49.1g;
CARB 74.8g; FIBER 5.4g; CHOL 86mg; IRON 6.1mg; SODIUM
937mg; CALC 375mg
A-peeling oranges
