Changing Your Diet One Food at a Time

Nutrition adjustments represent one of the greatest changes in lifestyle that need to be made when dealing with cardiovascular disease prevention and healing. Yet altering your diet is a huge burden given it quite often feels like you are managing everything improperly. Where to even commence to improve upon your diet?

Recently I decided to attempt to actively reduce inflammation and also eliminate foods that were allergy concerns for me. Primarily based on the allergy aspect I decided to remove dairy products from my food plan.

I learned some expertise which I would like to give you that can assist you also give up problem foods easily.  It does not have to be as hard as it seems.

1. Select one food at a time, particularly if it's a ingredient that you eat regularly. I had dairy products all the time as I really enjoy cheese therefore consumed it on a regular basis. By only picking one food it allows you enough time to learn new recipes and adjust to minor modifications.

2. Do not hesitate to ask what's in your foods, at eating establishments and also friends homes. It is your health therefore do not be worried about becoming a pain (especially if it really is an allergy).

3. Learn how you can understand labels. Some ingredients will be in more food items than you imagine. Dairy and Gluten seem to be packaged food staple additives.

4. Schedule more time in order to grocery shop. You need to read through those product labels therefore it can take you a little longer. This does get simpler when you begin to learn what you can and can't eat.

5. Put together natural whole-foods rather than packaged foods. This is what I have begun to shift more to as it is quicker to get through the store along with understand what is within my food.

6. Keep in mind to check non-food items that you put in yourself. Think vitamins and drinks. A few my supplements had dairy inside them.

7. Keep at it, it's difficult to give up something you have consumed all of your life. Gradually though it will become a new routine, so keep working at it.

One health adjustment at a time can make a serious difference in your life. Therefore you should not hold out to create a plan to get it done at the same time. Choose some thing to alter right now and get moving!

 

For more life management skills, you can find me at AndreaBelzer.com

Understanding How to Manage Heart Disease

I was reading a health and fitness magazine. As I was reading it struck me that about almost every page was some thing which might help with heart disease. Just how are we supposed to figure out what works for us and for our situation when there's a great deal facts available to choose from?

Based upon my analysis by reading, speaking with physicians and my personal experience I've come up with a list that focuses on the most widespread heart disease contributors and what you can do to help reduce those risks.

Largest Risks (Determined by Andrea):

• High Blood Pressure Level

• Inflammation

• Increased Cortisol levels

• Plaque in the arteries

Blood Pressure Level

As reported by the University of Iowa high blood pressure increases damage to our blood vessels and vital organs which is among the most frequent risk factors in coronary disease. Without getting all technical high blood pressure levels forces you to work hard like a mean boss!

Inflammation

Inflammation is a consequence of injury to the body. It is the method the immune system protects you. Having said that chronic inflammation occurs when you have too much of a very good thing! With heart disease the inflammation can also cause the body to send out the wrong type of fix, the fix can come as plaque which in turn causes the arteries to restrict.

Increased Cortisol Levels

High cortisol levels (the stuff that increases while you are stressed) leads to a rise in blood pressure levels as well as abdominal fat. As we saw above increased blood pressure is quite bad for us for a lot of good reasons! The stomach fat has been shown to increase your potential for coronary disease since it leads to metabolic syndrome. The primary reason for this is that there is an rise of fat in your body.

Plaque in Arteries

Plaque eventually blocks your arteries and leads to heart attacks. This Plaque may come from fat, cholesterol, calcium and other miscellaneous places.

Best solutions for Fighting Risks

• Exercise

• Nutrition

• Stress Management

These will not be exceedingly astonishing as this is what we hear most of the time. Unfortunately these are large topics in and of themselves, resulting in a dilemma as to what to begin doing. So here is a glance at the most significant activities.

Exercise

Most sources say we require A half-hour of moderate activity everyday of the week and moderate is approximately 2 miles in 30 minutes. Why start with exercise? Because the list of benefits is very good!

• You sleep better (which results in reduced blood pressure)

• Results in an efficient cardiovascular system

• Manages our weight therefore we have less body fat within our blood

• Increases blood flow making it possible for the heart to function better

• Lowers your blood pressure

• Increases HDL (good cholesterol)

• Decreases triglycerides

Nutrition

This is the area that most likely had some of the most debate, but all experts agreed that a healthy eating plan with increased fruits and vegetables was what you want.

Why? According to Jill Nussinow, MS, RD: The high antioxidant activity of vegetarian and vegan food items makes a difference in heart health. In addition, when those foods, many of which are naturally rich in dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble, are substituted for potentially artery-clogging animal products, will help you lower cholesterol levels, possibly regulate blood sugar levels (implicated in cardiovascular disease), and help individuals lose or maintain weight easier?

So increase the amount of vegetables and fruits to fight cardiovascular disease.

Stress Management

While we are stressed out we have increased blood pressure levels and cortisol levels. Particularly if we are chronically stressed as our body never has a chance to recoup. Sadly many of us are chronically stressed ? too much to do too little time ? you know the tale. Then toss on personal finance issues, family, and employment problems and the stress has a life of its own.

So practicing stress management can certainly help. Ideas? Meditation, yoga breathing, exercise and journaling will all help you.

So there you go, a simple summary of how to approach every piece of information! Exercise on a daily basis, eat more vegetables and fruit and take time to blow off steam. That isn't too challenging.  

 

Resources:

Dale Peterson, M.D.

Founder, Wellness Clubs of America and Center to Expose Iatrogenic Medicine

www.drdalepeterson.com

Jill Nussinow, MS, RD

The Veggie Queen -- Growing Vegetable Enthusiasm

http://www.theveggiequeen.com

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/280/23/2001.full

http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/cardiovascularhealth/card4301.html  (Great for you to read if you have high blood pressure)

http://pmri.org/lifestyle_program.html#nutrition   (Dr. Ornish website, includes his nutrition guidelines).