The Number 1 Killer Among Women is Heart Disease

Women often suffer different heart attack symptoms than men and wait longer than men to go to the hospital. And once they’re there, they often don’t get the same level of care as men.

More work needs to be done to educate women about warning signs and to educate doctors to aggressively diagnose women when they go to hospitals with symptoms.

Too often, women don’t act quickly enough to get to a hospital, and they downplay warning signs.

According to the American Heart Association, women should know that:

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer among women, more than deaths from breast cancer and lung cancer combined.
• 38 percent of women compared with 25 percent of men will die within one year after a heart attack.
• A heart association study of more than 1,000 women showed the lack of understanding women have of the dangers of heart disease and stroke. In the study, only 13 percent of women believe heart disease and stroke are the greatest health threat to women.

Important facts women should know about heart disease:

• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women often experience some of the other common symptoms, such as persistent shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain. Women also may experience fatigue, indigestion and abdominal discomfort.
• High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are common causes of heart disease. Other factors that increase a woman’s risk include smoking, obesity, oral contraceptive use after age 35, and an endocrine disorder known as polycystic ovarian syndrome.
• Heart disease risk increases with age, but it can occur any time. Typically, though, it occurs 10 years later in women than men, after menopause. Women’s natural production of estrogen prior to menopause protects them against heart disease. As the hormone wanes after menopause, they lose that natural protection. It is no longer thought that supplemental hormone provides women the same benefits against heart disease.
• Diagnosis of heart disease presents a greater challenge in women than in men. Women’s hearts are different than men’s. Women’s heart muscles, as well as the vessels supplying it, tend to be smaller. Therefore, blockages in smaller arteries don’t always show up on tests.

If you or someone you’re with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other signs, don’t wait longer than a few minutes before calling for help. Call 911. Get to a hospital right away.

Brain Builder Games – Sudoku

Do you sometimes wonder if you’re losing your mind because you keep forgetting where you left your keys, or you can’t remember birthdays or appointments? Don’t worry; it doesn’t necessarily mean your mind is losing its ability to function. But it might mean that your brain could use a workout routine.

We all want to live long and prosperous lives, and no one wants to suffer from mental deterioration. Then why do so many people neglect their brains when they exercise? We go jogging, lift weights, and spend thousands of dollars on gym memberships and fitness equipment to exercise our hearts and muscles and strengthen our bones. But what do we do for our brains? Like the heart, the brain needs exercise to keep it healthy. And you can exercise your brain by playing games.

One of the most popular new brain builder games is a number placement puzzle called Sudoku. This puzzle is mentally challenging, easy to learn and highly addictive. The Classic Sudoku Puzzle can be played daily at
http://fun.eons.com/games/game/550

Other brain building games
http://fun.eons.com/

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Serve these nutritious pancakes with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, or syrup.

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup/250 mL whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp/15 mL sugar
2 tsp/10 mL Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 tsp/5 mL baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup/250 mL buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp/30 mL Watkins Original Grapeseed Oil
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Vanilla

Combine dry ingredients well. Add remaining ingredients, stir until well-blended (do not beat or overstir). Preheat griddle on medium-high heat. Coat griddle with cooking spray and ladle batter onto griddle in roughly 1/4 cupfuls. When tops are covered with bubbles, flip to other side and cook briefly until bottoms are done. Makes about 20 4-inch pancakes

Order Watkins Grapeseed Oil and Vanilla at our online catalog

http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

Grapeseed Oil allows foods’ natural flavors to come through. This oil’s light neutral flavor won’t mask or clash with other foods.It is lower in saturated fat and higher in unsaturated fats than nearly all other oils. It’s also one of the only foods that has been shown to not only lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, but also increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, giving it a distinct advantage over other oils.

Grapeseed oil contains a high level of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which makes it not only healthy, but very stable; it does not need to be refrigerated, but if chilled it will not cloud up like olive oil. Its high smoke point makes it perfect for grilling or sautéing.

Breakfast Salad

Breakfast Salad 

1 unpeeled, chopped apple
1/2 cup/125 mL sunflower seed nuts
1/2 cup/125 mL raisins
1/4 cup/60 mL chopped dates
1 sliced banana
2 tbsp/30 mL honey
1 tbsp/15 mL fresh orange juice
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla 
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Cinnamon 
1 cup/250 mL nonfat cottage cheese
4 melon halves

Combine apples, sunflower seed nuts, raisins, dates, banana, honey, orange juice, vanilla and cinnamon; mix lightly to blend. Spoon cottage cheese into melon halves, top with fruit. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 540
Protein 15 g
Carbohydrates 110 g
Sodium 300 mg
Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 3 mg
Dietary Fiber 12 g

Use Watkins Vanilla and Cinnamon in this recipe. Order at

http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney
 

Google Earth – Explore, Search, and Discover

Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world’s geographic information at your fingertips.

Fly from space to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in.

Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.

Tilt and rotate the view to see three dimensional buildings and mountains.

Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.

See the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Venice, the Colosseum.

Get a free download at http://earth.google.com/

Do You Eat to Live or Live to Eat?

When I was younger if someone had asked me this question, ” Do you eat to live or live to eat?” I would have said, “I eat to live.” I enjoyed eating and food but if I were busy and short of time I could skip meals without feeling hungry or weak. Some days I lived on Coca Cola when I was in college.   

If someone asked me that same question today, I’d have to admit that I’m closer to, “I live to eat.” Food plays a big part in my life, not just the idea of eating but planning and eating healthy meals. I don’t binge. (My definition of binging is eating a whole bag of chips or cookies or eating a half gallon of ice cream at one sitting.) I’ve never binged. 

I have food cravings, though. Sometimes I crave chocolate or donuts or pie; sometimes chips or crackers or nuts, salty foods. One of my current cravings is toast made with sour dough bread with butter or margarine. I eat this several mornings a week for breakfast.  

I’m trying to lose some excess weight. Not by dieting, but by exercising daily, drinking lots of water, and eating healthy foods and smaller portions. I like fruits and vegetables and sometimes I even crave raw broccoli, believe or not. The problem is, eating all the healthy foods that the experts say our bodies require, and still eating some chips or a cookie occasionally without gaining weight. I like to cook and bake and try new recipes for my family and of course I like to taste everything.

Doctors and dieticians say eat only when you’re hungry not when you have an urge to eat. We form eating habits. Some people have what I would call “eating rituals.” They grab a cup of coffee and a muffin every morning on their way to work. Or they drink a cup of tea and eat a cookie for an afternoon snack. Or pizza every Friday night for dinner. Or a snack at bedtime. Or they treat themselves to a coke or a candy bar when they sit down to relax after a difficult task. They eat whether or not they are hungry. It just seems like the right thing to do.

People eat out more these days, fast food and restaurants. Some people eat out because they don’t have time to cook, or they tell themselves that’s why they eat out. Family and friends meet at a restaurant to share a meal and talk. People go out to eat to treat themselves. Some people eat out because they are lonely and enjoy the interaction with other people.

If someone asked you, “Do you eat to live or live to eat?” what would you answer?

Stretching – Reach, Hold, Breathe, Release

I’m involved in a 21 day challenge to reinforce the habit of daily exercise. Each day I exercise for 30 minutes. I want to develop a daily exercise routine to tone muscles, strengthen heart and lungs, increase flexibility, and loose weight by burning excess fat. I’m starting with 30 minutes a day so that I don’t burn out with an over zealous exercise schedule.

I’ve found from past experience that it is better to start slowly and increase activity, rather than doing too much the first few days and giving up. Any amount of exercise is better than no exercise!

Just stretching your muscles a little each day is a good start for those people who have never exercised on a regular basis.

Stretching 

by Laurie LaRusso, MS, ELS  

Reach, hold, breathe, release… it’s really a very simple process, but an essential part of fitness that many people overlook. Learn how to fit stretching into your routine.

Stretching is an essential part of a complete exercise program. However, many people skip it, thinking they don’t have enough time or it’s not very important. Read on to find out why it is so important, and how to go about it.

Here’s Why:

Stretching increases freedom of movement and improves posture. In addition, it releases muscle tension and soreness, enhances relaxation, and reduces your risk of injury during exercise.

Here’s How:

To stretch your muscles you can either do individual stretching exercises for each muscle group or you can do total body stretching routines.

Major muscle groups to stretch include:

• Back muscles
• Neck muscles
• Leg muscles: hamstrings, quadriceps, calf muscles
• Chest muscles
• Buttocks and hip muscles
• Shoulder and arm muscles
• Stomach muscles

Total body stretching includes:

• Yoga
• Tai chi

Here are some tips for safe stretching:

• Spend at least 5 to 10 minutes warming up your muscles before stretching. For example, walking gently while swinging your arms in wide circles.
• Start each stretch slowly, exhaling as you gently stretch the muscle.
• Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.

Here are some common stretching mistakes to avoid:

• Don’t bounce during a stretch.
• Don’t stretch a muscle that is not warmed up.
• If a stretch hurts, ease up. Don’t strain or push a muscle too far.
• Don’t hold your breath while stretching.

Before starting an exercise program, check with your doctor about any possible medical problems you may have that would limit your exercise program.

Aggravatingly Fun

Test your computer eye-hand coordination. 

Park this car

Juggling and Broccoli

Boost Your Brainpower with Mental and Physical Exercise

From juggling to eating broccoli, there are many ways to give your little grey cells a boost.

1. Eat strawberries and blueberries. Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found that blueberries are the ultimate brain food because of their rich antioxidant content.

Another recent study found that strawberries could be a key to optimum brainpower.

2. Learn to juggle. Juggling balls for 60 seconds a day can boost your brainpower significantly, found researchers at the University of Regensburg in Germany. They carried out brain scans on subjects and found that in those who taught themselves to juggle, certain areas of the brain had grown.

Dr. Arne May, who led the research, said jugglers had more grey matter, largely nerve cells, in the areas of the brain that process visual motion information. However, when they stopped juggling, their brains reverted back to their normal size.

3. Eat broccoli. Scientists at King’s College London named broccoli as one of five vegetables and fruits found to contain substances that act in the same way as drugs used to treat degenerative brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Most of the drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s act as inhibitors of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which is responsible for the breakdown of the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Potatoes, oranges, apples and radishes were found to display anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, but broccoli had the most potent effect.

“As yet, it is unproven that eating broccoli would have a beneficial effect on Alzheimer’s,” said professor Peter Houghton, who led the study. “But the long-term effects of regularly consuming these compounds in vegetables belonging to the brassicaceae (cabbage) family might certainly be beneficial in reducing a decline in acetylcholine levels in the central nervous system.”

Exercise may be as healthy for your mind as for your body. Whether you’re in need of creative inspiration or interested in improving your concentration and memory, regular physical exercise can help.

Physical activity affects our body, mind and spirit in ways that boost brainpower. For example, physiological changes in our bodies induced by exercise, such as increases in metabolism, cardiac activity and oxygen flow to the brain, appear to heighten our creativity and memory.

A 1997 study at Middlesex University in England found that participants scored higher on a creativity test after engaging in 25 minutes of aerobic exercise than they did after watching an “emotionally neutral” video. Likewise, a University of Illinois study found that inactive individuals increased their memory and ability to multi-task by more than 15 percent after participating in a walking program.

The emotional benefits of physical exercise, specifically its ability to reduce stress, anxiety and mild depression, affects our mental faculties, as well. “Often we see memory problems resolve when depression or anxiety is properly treated,” says Norman Abeles, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. Regular exercise is often part of that treatment.

Finally, for many people, exercise paves the way to mental relaxation. It helps us to clear our minds, which allows creative thoughts to flow more freely. Got a problem to solve? Go work out for 45 minutes!

Of course, mental exercise is also helpful. Using your brain to learn a new language, solve crossword puzzles, master a new hobby or engage in a friendly debate stimulates blood flow and strengthens the connections (synapses) between nerve cells in the brain. A study from Washington University in St. Louis found that memorization techniques also encourage the brain to work more efficiently and may reduce age-related memory loss. One example is creating images in your mind to help you remember a street name or person’s name. “It’s easier to recall a picture than a name,” states Gary Small, M.D., director of the Memory Clinic at the University of California at Los Angeles.

If you are experiencing forgetfulness, don’t panic. Experts assure us that some mind lapses are inevitable as we age, but if they begin disrupting your daily life, check with your doctor. In addition to exercise, the problem may be solved with simple adjustments to your diet, sleep habits or medication.

Studies from Switzerland, Hawaii and Boston support the memory and cognitive benefits of a diet rich in antioxidants (vitamins C, E and beta-carotene) and B vitamins. Likewise, inadequate sleep can hinder concentration, memory and motor skills. Finally, if you’re taking medications, review them with your doctor. Some combinations can affect memory, and changing your dosage or switching to a different drug may eliminate the problem.

Keep Your Heart Healthy

8 Steps for Lowering Your Risk for Heart Disease

by Lisa Zamosky

Even if you are already at risk for heart disease, you can improve your heart health and reduce your risk factors. Because these factors are often related, a change in just one area can positively impact others. Losing weight, for example, makes it easier to keep blood pressure down and diabetes in check.

Having a healthy heart takes some effort, but it’s well within your reach. Take an active role in keeping your heart beating at a healthy pace by following these eight steps:

1. Improve your cholesterol levels.

The higher your blood cholesterol level, the higher your risk for heart disease. Follow a diet low in saturated fat to reduce your cholesterol levels.

2. Quit smoking.

Smokers are twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as non-smokers and they are more likely to die as a result. Smoking also increases your risk of having a stroke. Women who both smoke and take oral contraceptives are at particularly high risk for heart disease and stroke.

3. Control high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is the number one heart disease risk factor in the United States today. Nearly 50 million people suffer from high blood pressure. Medications to control blood pressure can be highly effective and they are safe and easy to take.

4. Exercise.

People who don’t exercise have an increased risk of heart disease compared with people who do even moderate amounts of physical activity. Leading a sedentary life is simply unhealthy. Work to increase your physical activity and you will lower your risk of heart disease as well as other illnesses.

5. Keep diabetes under control.

Diabetes can lead to many health problems, including heart attacks. It’s critical to properly manage diabetes under the care of a physician.

6. Maintain a healthy weight.

Excess weight causes additional strain on your heart, making people who are overweight more likely to develop heart disease. Being overweight also influences other risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

7. Limit alcohol consumption.

Women who consume on average more than one drink per day and men who consume more than two drinks per day increase their risk of heart disease. People who binge drink are at particularly high risk.

8. Mange your stress level

Uncontrolled stress and anger can lead to heart disease. There are stress and anger management techniques that can be very effective in lowering your stress level and, therefore, your risk for developing heart disease. Talk with your doctor about how you can incorporate these techniques into your daily routine.

Provided by Prevention