Blog - Page 56 of 121 - Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure with Lisa Nelson RD

Lower Blood PressureSodium & Potassium – Are you getting too much or too little?

Published August 11, 2011

I’ve shared information previously on the benefits of a high potassium diet and reduced blood pressure. However, another study has found an increased risk of death from heart disease to be linked to a diet high in sodium and low in potassium.

High sodium, low potassium equals increased risk of death

According to research Elena V. Kuklina, consuming a diet high in sodium and low in potassium results in a 50% increased risk of death from any cause and almost doubles the risk of death from heart disease. The study I’m referencing was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Study Participants

Researchers followed over 12,000 US adults. The participants did not follow a reduced salt diet nor did they have a history of heart conditions or stroke. Participants were followed for 15 years. During this time 2,270 participants died. Out of this number, 1268 died from cardiovascular disease.

Study Results

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Posted in Lower Blood Pressure | Tagged blood pressure, hypertension, lower blood pressure, potassium, sodium

Heart HealthCan Chocolate Be the Answer to a Healthy Heart?

Published August 9, 2011

The following guest post is from Jessica Johnson, a member of Long Island Heart Associates of New York and contributor to their blog.

Can Chocolate Be the Answer to a Healthy Heart?

In recent studies from the last several years, top cardiologists have seen that chocolate can actually help reduce and lower blood cholesterol thanks to the power of flavonols. This particular class of flavonoids has natural antioxidants that benefit your body as well as help lower blood cholesterol. It also will help improve the blood flow through the body, causing blood platelets to become less sticky, which lowers their ability to clot, while also lowering cholesterol.

These flavonoids are found naturally in cocoa giving it that slightly bitter or more pungent taste in its natural form. Even after cocoa beans have been baked and refined to create commercial chocolate bars, the flavonols still remain intact.

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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged antioxidants, chocolate, heart health

Heart HealthPrevent Vascular Disease with Tomatoes

Published August 3, 2011

Tomatoes have been linked to several different health benefits, including cancer prevention, lower cholesterol levels, reduced blood pressure, and decreased heart disease risk.

Nutritional Value of Tomatoes

The carotenoid lycopene has been extensively studied to determine antioxidant and cancer preventing properties.

Tomatoes are also rich in many nutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin A. In addition, they provide a good source of fiber, which is know to lower high cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar, and prevent colon cancer.

Tomatoes and Heart Disease

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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged Heart Disease, prevent heart disease, tomato, tomatoes, vascular disease

Lower Blood PressureExercise Safety with High Blood Pressure

Published July 28, 2011

If you have high blood pressure you need to exercise wisely.

Weight Training & High Blood Pressure

You want to use caution when lifting weights. There is potential for weight lifting to cause a drastic rise in blood pressure. However, there are many benefits linked to strength training, including a lower blood pressure.

I’ll refer you to this article to learn more:

How does strength training affect blood pressure?

Stay Safe

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Posted in Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure | Tagged chest pain, exercise, exercise safety, high blood pressure, weight training

Heart HealthHealthy Eating for Cancer Prevention

Published July 26, 2011

The following is a guest post provided by Kate Flaherty. Kate is an outreach and awareness coordinator for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. She has a passion for sharing her knowledge about complementary therapies for cancer care.

Healthy Eating for Cancer Prevention

Maintaining fitness and eating a proper diet can go a long way in the prevention of various diseases such as diabetes, high-blood pressure and even cancer. Any form of cancer, such as pancreatic or mesothelioma, is a serious condition that can often turn fatal if people do not treat it in its beginning stages. When people receive a cancer prognosis, it can be extremely scary; however, the development of many of these diseases can often be prevented with regular exercise and proper eating habits.

Vegetables for Cancer Prevention

Healthy, nutritious food should be an essential part of anyone’s diet. Cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale and cabbage are all terrific sources of essential vitamins, fiber and minerals. Tomatoes, which are an excellent source of vitamin C, should also be consumed regularly. Carrots are fantastic as they contain beta carotene, which has antioxidant properties known to prevent the replication of cancerous cells.

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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged cancer prevention, food for cancer prevention, healthy eating for cancer prevention

Lower CholesterolHeart Healthy Diet

Published July 20, 2011

There is an overwhelming amount of information regarding what you should and should not eat available to you. Many times I see people try new diets or special foods to promote heart health. However, they don’t have the basics in place to promote a healthy heart. Therefore, making one particular change, such as eating more walnuts, won’t have as great an impact.

Here are five foundational pieces you need to have in place to promote heart health.

1. Reduce your intake of unhealthy fats

There are different types of dietary fats – saturated and unsaturated. Trans and saturated fats have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, such as elevated cholesterol levels, and should be consumed in moderation. You want to replace the majority of the saturated fats in your diet with more heart healthy unsaturated fats.

How do you do this?

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Posted in Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged health diet for a healthy heart, heart healthy diet