Blog - Page 26 of 122 - Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure with Lisa Nelson RD

Where should heart rate after exercise fall?

Published July 13, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Woman stretching with raised leg over railing

Heart rate after exercise may be used as an indicator of your heart fitness.

Normal resting heart rate

According to the National Institute of Health, normal average resting heart rate should be:

60 – 100 beats per minutes for children 10 years and older, as well as adults/seniors
40-60 beats per minute for well-trained athletes

Target heart rate during exercise

For moderate intensity activities your target heart rate is 50 – 69% maximum heart rate. For vigorous activity levels your target heart rate is 70-85% maximum heart rate.

To calculate your target heart rate subtract your age from 220. This gives you your maximum heart rate. Now, multiple your maximum heart rate by 0.5 and 0.69 to obtain your target heart rate range for moderate intensity activities. Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.7 and 0.85 to obtain your target heart rate range for vigorous activities.

Depending on your goal intensity – moderate vs. vigorous – your heart rate should fall within your target heart rate range during activities.

If you are typically inactive, set your goal for the lower end (50-60% maximum heart rate) and work your way up over time.

There are blood pressure medications that lower maximum heart rates. Discuss with your doctor if you currently take blood pressure medications. Your target heart rate zone may need to be adjusted.
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Is it now considered okay to eat saturated fat from butter and tropical oils?

Published July 6, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

It’s no wonder so many of us are confused about healthy eating. Even the nation’s dietary experts keep changing their mind about what we should eat and what we should avoid. We asked USC School of Pharmacy Research Professor Roger Clemens to help remove some of the confusion surrounding healthy fats.

Q: What are the latest dietary guidelines regarding fat and cholesterol?

Dr. Clemens: The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report states that cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern. The available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol. This is consistent with the conclusion of the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology report.

Q: Can you explain this change in thinking over the past several decades?

Dr. Clemens: Nutritional science is dynamic. In the 1980s, the Dietary Guidelines suggested consumers avoid too much total fat and saturated fat. Over time, total fat guidelines have been upwardly adjusted with the 2010 Guidelines suggesting diets with up 35 percent of daily calories from fat. The 2015 executive summary suggests no upper limit for total fat consumption. Saturated fat guidelines have similarly evolved and now suggest including up to 10 percent in a healthy diet, and replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fat. This thinking may still be changing, however. Current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.
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Posted in Lower Cholesterol | Tagged butter, cholesterol, dietitian, lisa nelson, nutritionist, saturated fat, tropical oils

4 Reasons Why You Need More Fiber

Published June 29, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

How many grams of fiber do you consume daily?

Most Americans consume half the recommended dietary intake of 25 grams (women) to 38 grams (men) of fiber daily for adults 50 years or younger. Over the age of 50, women should consume 21 grams of fiber and men 30 grams per day.

There are two types of fiber.

Soluble fiber turns to a gel during digestion. Sources of soluble fiber include oats, oatmeal, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils, and some fruits and vegetables (i.e. oranges, apples, carrots).

Insoluble fiber is not digested. It adds bulk to the stool and helps food move through the stomach and intestines. Sources of insoluble fiber include vegetables, whole-grains, and wheat bran.

A diet high in fiber is connected to many health benefits.

Lower cholesterol levels

Boosting fiber intake from whole-grain products leads to a slower build-up of arterial plaque. Studies also find soluble fiber to protect against atherosclerosis, which is this build-up of plaque in the arterial walls.

Dietary fiber also binds to LDL cholesterol during digestion, resulting in lower LDL cholesterol levels, without decreasing HDL cholesterol levels.
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Posted in Lower Cholesterol | Tagged dietary fiber, fiber, fiber and cholesterol, fiber and colon cancer, fiber and diabetes, insoluble fiber, lisa nelson, Lower Cholesterol, satiety, soluble fiber

Substitute Lean Pork for Chicken or Fish to Lower Blood Pressure

Published June 15, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a plan to lower blood pressure levels. This approach incorporates a diet low in saturated fat and rich in low-fat-dairy, fruits, and vegetable.

The DASH diet includes lean, unprocessed meats in appropriate serving sizes, with two or fewer servings consumed daily. One serving of meat equals three ounces. For a visual, three ounces is about the size of a deck of cards.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the impact of lean, unprocessed pork consumption with chicken and fish as dominant protein sources within this diet plan. Researchers determined lean pork could effectively be incorporated into a DASH-style diet promoting lower blood pressure.

Keep in mind, this only applies to unprocessed lean pork, such as tenderloins or uncured ham with visible fat trimmed. Research does NOT support adding other cuts or types of pork products that are higher in fat and salt to a DASH diet promoting low blood pressure.
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Posted in Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure | Tagged blood pressure, dash diet, Heart Disease, lean meat, Lower Blood Pressure, pork

Safe Exercise for Heart Disease

Published June 1, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Exercise is beneficial for everyone, even those who have heart disease or have had a heart attack. Regular exercise can strengthen your heart, promote quicker recovery, and reduce dependence on medication.

Heart benefits of exercise include:

Lower blood pressure
Increased HDL cholesterol levels
Reduced triglycerides
Decreased LDL cholesterol levels
Reduced symptoms of heart failure
Improved circulation
Stronger heart muscle
Blood sugar control
Weight loss
Reduced angina

However, you do need to be cautious before starting an exercise routine if you have heart disease or have had a heart attack.

Discuss with your doctor first

It’s especially important to discuss exercise with your doctor if you recently had a heart attack, are experiencing chest pain/pressure or shortness of breath, have diabetes, or recently had a heart procedure.

Some questions to ask your doctor include…
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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged exercise, exercise tips, Heart Disease, lisa nelson, physical activity, signs to watch for while exercise

How to Reduce Stress When You Don’t Have Time for Activity

Published May 18, 2016 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

When you are stressed your body releases stress hormones to prepare the body for “fight of flight”. This hormone release causes heart rate to increase and blood vessels to constrict. The combination leads to elevated blood pressure. With short term stress, this is a temporary rise in blood pressure that resolves itself once the stressful situation is resolved.

But what about when you live with chronic stress?

There is no direct scientific link between chronic stress and high blood pressure. However, stress is connected to many behaviors directly tied to high blood pressure and heart disease, such as consuming alcohol, lack of sleep, and overeating.

Physical activity for stress relief… but what if you don’t have time?

Being physically active is a proven method you can use to reduce stress levels. Activity triggers the brain to release “feel-good” chemicals to ease stress. Exercising and being active are also proven ways to lower blood pressure.

However, time and location may not always be conducive to employ activity to lower stress levels. Here are ten alternate techniques for reducing stress.

Eat a healthy diet

Include foods rich in vitamins and minerals to counteract stress, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, fish, and yogurt.

Avoid alcohol

This potential short term “fix” to alleviate stress can quickly turn into a long term problem.
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Posted in Lower Blood Pressure | Tagged blood pressure, high blood pressure, hypertension, Lisa Nelson RD, stress, stress management, stress relief

Where should heart rate after exercise fall?

Is it now considered okay to eat saturated fat from butter and tropical oils?

4 Reasons Why You Need More Fiber

Substitute Lean Pork for Chicken or Fish to Lower Blood Pressure

Safe Exercise for Heart Disease

How to Reduce Stress When You Don’t Have Time for Activity

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