Be Heart Healthy – Switch to diet soda.
Do you drink a couple cans of regular soda each day? If so, make the switch to diet. Switching from 24 oz (two cans) of regular soda each day to diet soda will save you 280 calories/day and 78 grams of sugar! This change promotes weight loss (~1/2 pound/week) and triglyceride control.
I can “hear you” arguing with me that there’s no way you can tolerate the taste of diet soda. Well, there are now many products on the market comparable in taste to regular soda without the extra sugar and calories. Start experimenting until you find one you like. Or cut out soda all together and opt for water:)
Diet soda doesn’t eliminate the issue of carbonation and tooth decay or the possible link between caffeine and blood pressure. However, diet soda is the better choice in the long run for your heart health and weight loss goals.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD
eNutritionServices
Let's Talk About Medications
Janie Ellington
I want to share with everyone a great resource. Janie Ellington is a pharmacist that runs the blog – Let’s Talk About Medications. I’m an “Ask the Expert” for The Health Central Network and frequently see questions related to medications. Medications are not my specialty, which is why I’m sharing this resource with you. I’ve posted a recent interview with Janie below.
1. What is your current position?
I am a registered pharmacist. I manage an in-house pharmacy for a nonprofit pediatric clinic for children of low-income families who do not have health insurance. We are only open weekday mornings. During the cold and flu season, our patient load requires that we stay into the afternoon a bit, but I still have some time for other pursuits. That’s where my article writing and blogging comes in.
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?
Over my career as a pharmacist, I have come across so many misconceptions with regard to medications and general health concerns and I have wished I had an opportunity to clarify some of those issues for the public on a wider scale than just the one-on-one that I get when I counsel when dispensing a new medication. I enjoy helping people who want to take more responsibility for their health and to understand how to use medications safely.
3. What services can you offer to someone struggling to be heart healthy?
My best advice to people who are struggling with any health concern is to educate themselves as much as they can. I have found that people who fail to take responsibility, by learning about issues concerning their health, often have worse outcomes overall. I would encourage people to participate fully in their own care.
My interests in health in general are not limited to prescription drugs. I also enjoy studying and writing about the benefits of natural approaches.
4. Are you able to benefit individuals struggling with weight loss?
In general, I do not agree with taking medications for weight loss. If they are used, it should be for a very short time while you are learning new habits. I have been a pharmacist for thirty years and I have not seen people have health improvements due to these drugs. On the contrary, weight loss drugs can be addictive and otherwise go against the goals for good overall health. Taking a drug to help with weight loss denies the role that self responsibility plays in any health concern. You simply cannot continue bad habits and expect good outcomes. Dieting and taking medications for that purpose usually creates a vicious cycle which seems to add more fat and less muscle as the years go by.
5. Do you have a forum where questions can be submitted?
Yes, I would especially enjoy answering questions about health issues that I have written about in my blog. Go to to view articles I’ve written and submit questions via email. I can only answer specific questions based on what is known about the drug you are taking. Without access to your health information, I cannot effectively answer questions specific to your treatment.
6. What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with high cholesterol or blood pressure?
I think most doctors assume that people don’t want to change their bad habits. That’s pretty much what I have seen over the years in patients who are sickest. Further, doctors are not wellness experts. They are trained to treat disease.
The first step after diagnosis would be to ask your doctor if it would be safe for you to have a trial period to get your cholesterol and/or blood pressure under control through natural means. Educate yourself. There are so many approaches to cholesterol control, including plant sterols, increased fiber intake, eating better, and the list goes on. Blood pressure can often be controlled naturally too. Exercise, weight loss, stress reduction measures, proper salt intake and many other lifestyle changes can be tried before one goes on prescription drugs. Drugs can create problems of their own. They change the ecology inside the body’s systems and there are side effects and drug interactions to consider, not to mention the increased cost.
If you are willing to educate yourself and value your health and take pride in what you can do on your own, you are on your way to better health and a great feeling of accomplishment.
Thank goodness we have effective medications for people who must have them to lower cholesterol and/or blood pressure. Even if improving your diet and lifestyle doesn’t get you all the way to your goals, and your doctor still recommends drug therapy, you can start therapy armed with some valuable tools to help your medications work better and to get better results. If you do start on drug therapy, make it your goal to know more about the drugs you are taking than your doctor or pharmacist does. When you read a long list of side effects, such as you will find with cholesterol and blood pressure medications, bear in mind that all drugs have side effects.
Find out what the most common side effects are and what to be on the lookout for. Certain drugs have side effects that can be dangerous. Know if that is the case for the drug you are taking and how to recognize its onset. If you have a worrisome side effect, report it to your doctor. Sometimes a different drug within the same class of drugs will not cause the same side effects. Everyone, and their reaction to every drug, is different.
I hope you’ve found this information useful and visit Janie’s blog to learn more.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
Want more respect?
Overcoming stress is one positive step towards heart health and weight loss. Here’s a guest post from Doris Helge, Ph.D. She provides a simple technique for gaining more respect so you can get your needs met and enjoy your life much more. Turn anger, fear, and other negative emotions into peace and confidence.
Want more respect?
by Doris Helge, Ph.D.
Even though Jan and Nan are both very talented, Jan’s contributions are applauded while Nan’s gifts are unnoticed. What’s Jan’s secret? Jan has discovered that we are constantly training other people how to treat us. When Jan is treated with disrespect, she politely says, “No thank you” by using the technique in this article. Even though Jan knows we can’t change other people, she knows how to set up situations in which she’s treated well and her needs are met.
The following is an example of how you can gain peace of mind when someone else’s behavior rubs you the wrong way. My coaching clients call it The Get Respect Now Technique.
DON’T BE AN OSTRICH
Nan tries to ignore her problems like an ostrich that hides its head in the sand. Then Nan moans that life presents her with the same snarly packages over and over. Jan’s approach is very different. She meets a challenge with, “Hmmm . . . I wonder what I’ll learn from this experience?” Denying an unpleasant situation breeds more of the same. The challenge magnifies until we finally say, “Alright, already . . . I’ll deal with this.” Avoid getting hit over the head by a 2×4 by standing up for yourself when a toothpick jabs you. Perceive situations as accurately as possible. A rope is a rope and a snake is a snake. The simple act of acknowledging what exists initiates the potential for positive change. Why? You signal your mind to search for solutions.
AIM FOR RESULTS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BE “RIGHT.”
When you’ve been treated with disrespect, pause a moment and ponder. How can you express what you’re entitled to in a factual way? The other person may never acknowledge that you’re right because all of us have erroneous perceptions. They’ve been formed by decades of experiences and faulty beliefs.
Do you ever watch a “sunset” even though the sun never sets? Do you ever instantly like or dislike a person you’ve never met? When treated with disregard, your goal is to be heard and get your needs met. We can’t force other adults to change their opinions or behavior. However, we are in total control of how we respond to every situation. We can say what we need to and transform anxiety into peace of mind.
EXAMPLES
Here’s an example you might use at work. “I felt hurt when his contributions were recognized and mine weren’t noticed. I need for my work to be acknowledged.” An example at home is, “When you didn’t call and tell me you changed your plans, I worried about you. I need to know when you’ll be late so I can arrange my own schedule.” Notice: These statements are not drenched with negative emotions or accusations that trigger defensiveness and counter attacks. You gain positive results faster by using “I statements” that acknowledge your emotions. Use the minimum amount of words possible to say what you need. Know you deserve it. This approach will empower you to breathe a big sigh of relief and go on with your next step in life.
THE FINAL OUTCOME
No matter what the final outcome of the particular situation, you’ll meet your personal growth challenge, so this type of situation will occur less frequently. Just use the technique I’ve outlined so you can easily resolve conflicts with “difficult people.” Soon, an effective response to disrespectful behavior will become easy and automatic because you’ll be clear what you deserve. Enjoy knowing you are so powerful that you can infinitely reshape your life. You deserve happiness. Turn every unpleasant experience into a rich opportunity for personal growth.
Visit http://www.FreeJoyOnTheJobEbooks.com and GET YOUR FREE EBOOKS: “Secrets of Happiness at Work,” “Employee Engagement Made Easy,” and “Get the Respect & Appreciation You Deserve Now.” Doris Helge, Ph.D., is 100% dedicated to empowering you to create more meaning, fun, and fulfillment at work. Dr. Doris is an executive coach & a corporate trainer for companies as large as Microsoft. Download sample chapters from Dr. Helge’s latest books, “Joy on the Job” & “Transforming Pain Into Power” at http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com.
Trans Fats Banned in California
Good news if you live in California! Starting in 2010 restaurants will be banned from using trans fats in food preparation. This will be a major benefit to those of you struggling to lower total cholesterol, low LDL “bad” cholesterol, or raise HDL “good” cholesterol. To improve your lipid profile you should follow a diet with less than 30% daily calories from fat. Ideally your intake of trans fatty acids should be zero for heart health. Since numerous restaurants affected will be nationwide chains, hopefully the trend will start to spread and avoiding trans fats when dining out will not be an issue after a few more years.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
eNutritionServices
Heart Healthy Lettuce – Reach for the dark, leafy greens
Are you a die hard fan of ice berg lettuce? Iceberg lettuce is a source of vitamins A, C, K, and B6; along with some fiber, potassium, and folate. This probably sounds great, but compared to romaine lettuce, iceberg falls short nutritionally.
Romaine lettuce has 7 times more vitamin A than iceberg lettuce and about twice the amount of calcium and potassium. Also, dark leafy greens contain the antioxidant beta carotene. Antioxidants help protect against inflammatory disorders, such as heart disease.
So, next time you make a salad, by-pass the iceberg and reach for the leafy romaine.
Be sure to sign-up for The Heart of Health and grab your special report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health”!
Your Checklist to Lower Cholesterol
Here’s a checklist of the top 8 things you must do if you want to successfully lower your cholesterol and keep it low.
Know your numbers
Have you had a lipid profile? Do you understand the numbers? If you are going to successfully lower cholesterol you need to know your numbers and what they mean. The most effective way to raise HDL is not necessarily the best way to lower LDL.
Evaluate your lifestyle
There are risk factors for high cholesterol that you can not control, such as age, gender, and family history, but there are factors you can control. For example, you can reduce risk by not smoking, increasing your activity, and losing extra weight.
Balance your fats
Reduce unhealthy saturated fats in your diet and replace them with heart healthy unsaturated fats. Total fat intake should be 30% or less of your total daily calories. Out of this 30%, saturated fat should be limited to 7%.
Be active
Physical activity lowers triglycerides and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. Shoot for 30 minutes 5 or more days a week. If you are not currently active, check with your MD before beginning an activity program.
Eliminate trans fats
You need to be food label savvy and watch out for trans fats. Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and raise triglycerides. Limit trans fats to 1% or less of your daily caloric intake.
Understand triglycerides
Triglycerides are impacted the most by your simple sugar and alcohol intake. If you are struggling with high triglycerides, you need to use a different strategy to get your cholesterol under control.
Increase dietary fiber
A high fiber diet is necessary for heart health. You need 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily, especially soluble fiber. For every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
Add omega 3 fatty acids
For heart health and lower cholesterol, you want to improve the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are involved in the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and blood clotting.
Receive a step by step plan to promote heart health with a Mini Diet Makeover. As a special New Year’s bonus you’ll recieve a complimentary copy of the Calorie Counter for Dummies. Learn more here – https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
