Shouldn’t you be the “picture of health” as a young adult? Guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that looks are deceiving.

Canadian researchers presented study results recently at the 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress regarding their study of 168 adults between the ages of 18 and 35 years-old.

Study participants had no family history of heart disease, nor any other known risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoking.

Guess what? Researchers found a “staggering” number of participants to have atherosclerosis, which is a build-up of plaque along artery walls. Almost half of participants had signs of atherosclerosis – 48%.

Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were recorded for all participants. MRI scans measured both subcutaneous (fat under the skin) and visceral fat (fat around vital organs).

These measurements found many participants to have greater waist circumferences and higher levels of visceral fat within the chest and abdomen. These high levels of visceral fat increase risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke at some point in their lives. It’s this high level of visceral fat that is likely contributing to the early signs of atherosclerosis.

These Canadian findings corroborate previous research that has found up to 80% of young American’s killed in war or car accidents to have premature and hidden atherosclerosis.

What Can You Do?

Continue reading ‘Clogged Arteries: Young Doesn’t Equal Healthy’ »

I know making meals a priority can be challenging with busy schedules, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Research consistently shows families that eat together eat healthier meals and better dietary outcomes. A family meal is strictly limited to the entire family being together. What’s important is that whoever is home or together takes the time to sit down and enjoy mealtime together. This means if one parent is at work the other can sit down for meal time with the kids.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found children who ate family meals are:

Continue reading ‘Heart Healthy Family – Sit down and eat together.’ »

There are some changes you may make in an attempt to be healthier than can actually be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Let’s discuss some hidden calories that may hide in some supposedly “healthy” choices.

Bagels and Muffins

Muffins and bagels have changed drastically over the years. In the past, if you grabbed a muffin at your local coffee shop they would’ve been about the size of a tennis ball. Nowadays muffins are closer to softball size, while bagels have increased an average of 4-6 inches in diameter.

The increased size equals a dramatic calorie increase. One standard muffin or bagel can provide 400-600 calories.

If you’re in a hurry and the only option is to grab breakfast on the run, choose to eat half the muffin or bagel and save the rest for another day.

Salads

Just because it’s a salad doesn’t mean it’s the best choice on the menu.

Continue reading ‘Hidden Calories: Watch out!’ »

A study conducted in the Netherlands found some obese individuals to not be at increased risk for heart disease due to their weight. I’m going to share what they learned because I don’t want you to start seeing headlines saying you can be fat and still be fit and start thinking it’s okay to remain a couch potato.

The Study

Dutch researchers identified a subset of 1,325 obese individuals, between the ages of 28 to 75 years-old, from the 8,356 participants in the Dutch Prevention of Renal and Vascular Endstage Disease study. Out of the 1,325 obese individuals only 90 were determined to be “metabolically healthy”.

Metabolically healthy means the participants did not have risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or the use of cholesterol lowering medication. The Dutch study found only 6.8 percent of obese individuals in a larger population are metabolically healthy.

The Results

Continue reading ‘Can You Be Fat and Fit?’ »

The 4th of July is just around the corner, which for many of us means BBQ time!

Here are some healthy barbeque ideas so you avoid sabotaging your heart healthy diet:

1. Talk more than you chew.

You don’t have to have a loaded plate to enjoy yourself. Take the time to catch up with a friend. Enjoy watching the kids play. When it’s meal time let others serve themselves first. Select a smaller plate and fill it with the healthiest options limiting foods slathered in mayo, fried, and breaded. Sit down to enjoy the food versus mindlessly eating while standing around the buffet table.

2. Sip smart.

Continue reading ‘How to Have a Heart Healthy 4th of July’ »

I am not a fan of spending hours in the kitchen to prepare a meal. I like my meals to be quick and easy to prepare. Here are a few tips to get in and out of the kitchen quickly with a well-balanced nutritious (and good tasting!) meal.

There are 3 core principles you need to have in place to prepare meals efficiently:

Keep it simple – Gourmet meals can be saved for special occasions. If you want to prepare a meal quickly opt for recipes with fewer ingredients that do not require elaborate preparations.

Make it a habit – Prepare the same meals on a fairly regular basis and you’ll be able to throw ingredients together without thought.

Multi-task – Now this is usually frowned upon, but when it comes to preparing a meal it’s good to juggle more than one task at a time, such as boiling water while you prepare the meat and veggies.

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of putting a meal on the table and realizing you are missing an essential ingredient. This is where menu planning comes into play. A little preparation one day a week can drastically save you time later!

Here are 5 tips for making quick yet healthy meals:

1. Purchase vegetables, such as baby carrots and salad greens, prewashed and ready-to-eat.
2. Select fruit packaged and pre-sliced.
3. Use the microwave to cook vegetables quickly.
4. Find recipes that require minimal cleaning and preparation of ingredients.
5. Choose meats at the store with low levels of visible marbling (white, fatty streaks) to decrease time spent removing the fat.

If you have a good tip that works for you please share it below!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com

Aging throws some hurdles into your heart health and weight loss plans. For one your metabolism drops every decade as you age. Here are some mistakes to avoid if you want to see success:

1. Eating the same way you did 10-20 years ago.

Your metabolism (the rate you burn calories) decreases about 2% every 10 years beginning at age 30. If you continue to eat the same amount year after year you will gain weight.

2. Skipping meals.

May temporarily “save calories”, but you’ll quickly replace the calories as hunger leads you to overindulge at the next meal. Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down.

3. Jumping from fad diet to fad diet.

Fad diet should be synonymous with “bad diet”. There’s no research to back up the claims that eliminating this food or adding that one will cause you to lose weight. Nor will eating at only certain times of the day give you the long term results you seek.

4. Keeping unhealthy snacks within reach.

If you only have potato chips and sweets in your cupboards you are not setting yourself up for success. You must keep fruits and vegetables and healthy high fiber snacks on hand if you are to be expected to include more in your diet.

What are some of your habits that are sabotaging your success? I’d love to hear them. Share as a comment below.

Here’s a link to 1-A-Week Weight Loss Tips – http://www.weightlosswithlisa.com.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Best Weight Loss Plan
http://www.bestweightlossplan.org

When trying to be heart healthy and lose weight a salad can be a great choice to include as a regular part of your meal plan – either as a vegetable side or the main entrée.

However, a salad can quickly become a weight loss disaster if you make the 7 mistakes below!

Mistake #1 – Selecting iceberg lettuce.

Iceberg lettuce is one of the most common forms of lettuce you’ll find in grocery stores and salad bars. Unfortunately iceberg lettuce provides minimal nutrients (mostly crunchy water). Select dark green, leafy lettuce varieties, such as romaine and endive. Also, greens like spinach and arugula provide added nutrients to your salad mix.

Mistake #2 – Skimping on fresh vegetables.

You can afford to splurge on fresh vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Fresh vegetables are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Mistake #3 – Skipping the protein.

If your salad is your entrée it’s important to add some protein, such as chopped eggs, nuts and seeds, beans, or shredded meat (turkey/ham/chicken/seafood). Refer to How Much Protein Do You Need to Lose Weight? for a review of your protein needs.

Mistake #4 – Choosing a cream based soup.

Soup is often included on salad bars. Cream based soups tend to be high in calories and fat. Opt for broth based soups instead.

Mistake #5 – Loading up on salad toppings

Croutons, sesame noodles, and bacon bits are a few common salad toppings. These topping should be used sparingly. They provide minimal nutrients and are high in calories.

Mistake #6 – Selecting a high fat, high calorie salad dressing.

Now, if you’ve avoided the first five mistakes, you don’t want to ruin your nutritious salad with a poor dressing choice. Opt for vinegar based salad dressings or low fat/calorie salad dressing if available and use sparingly. Tip: Dip your fork in a small cup of salad dressing before every bite instead of pouring the dressing on your salad. You get great flavor with every bite and use significantly less dressing.

Mistake #7 – Making too many trips to the salad bar.

Even if your salad bar includes unlimited trips it’s not necessary to go back multiple times – which can be very tempting. Decide in advance how many trips you’ll make and stick with your plan. Even though a well-balanced salad is a healthy choice, too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad!

Receive a step by step plan to promote heart health and weight loss with a Mini Diet Makeover. As a special New Year’s bonus you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the Calorie Counter for Dummies. Learn more here – http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://www.lisanelsonrd.com

The holidays can be a big hurdle in a weight loss/health plan. Holidays don’t mean you can’t enjoy the good food and desserts.

Here are 5 tips for a healthier holiday:

1. Plan Ahead – It will help if you have a plan in place ahead of time. Decide if you are going to have seconds in advance and what you are going to have seconds of. For example, mashed potatoes and gravy can be loaded with calories and fat, so opt for seconds of a healthier salad or other side dish. Be sure to plan out the desserts, too. If pecan pie is a weakness, put in place a realistic plan. One slice and a cookie. . .?
2. Low Calorie Snacks – While you are visiting and waiting for the main meal to be served, snack wisely. Select low calorie veggies to much on versus fatty appetizers. “Save” your calories for the meal.
3. Socialize – Take the time during your holiday meal to catch up with family and friends. This will slow down how quickly you eat and are running back for seconds. You may find that you’re full and not need that second helping!
4. Watch the Liquid Calories – A glass of wine can add 120 calories and egg nog 340! Do you really need a second glass?
5. Prepare a Healthier Dish – Is your holiday gathering a potluck? If so, prepare a healthy alternative you like.

These are just a few steps you take to prevent holiday weight gain. Join dietitians Ursula Ridens RD and Lisa Nelson RD for the free teleclass “10 Secrets to Survive the Holidays Without Gaining Weight”. You’ll learn more about steps you can take to stop holiday weight gain and have your specific questions answered. Go to http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/holidaycall.html to sign up!

How would you feel if the food cost of unhealthy foods increased?

For a study published in The Milbank Quarterly, researchers looked at price and energy/nutrient density of foods, food consumption, and price changes via tax or subsidy. It was found that raising the price of less healthy foods and lowering the price of healthy foods being linked to reduced body weight and decreased obesity. However, it should be noted that small price changes were not likely to result in substantial weight improvements.

So, would you be in favor of taxing less healthy food options and subsidizing healthy food costs to lower the price?

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips