Articles Heart Health Hope all you readers are staying warm, eating well, keeping up with those “resolutions” and taking advantage of the beautiful place we live to get out and exercise as much as possible. Because cardiovascular disease is in the news and such an issue today, I’m going to focus this article on the heart. Today, heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States. It affects more women than the next seven leading causes of death combined, including breast cancer. Heart disease is progressive and can strike at any age, and symptoms can present themselves as early as the teenage years. There are several major risk factors for heart disease that everyone should monitor. It is critical to recognize the behaviors or conditions that increase the chance of developing heart disease. They are: ·        High blood pressure ·        High cholesterol ·        Diabetes ·        Smoking ·        Being overweight ·        Being physically inactive ·        Having a family history of early heart disease ·        Age (55 or older for women)   Having just one risk factor increases the chance of developing heart disease, and the risk increases dramatically with each added factor. If you believe you are at risk of developing heart disease, we urge you to see your doctor to develop a plan of action to address it. It’s never too late to take steps to protect your heart! Often all that’s needed to combat heart disease is a commitment to a healthier lifestyle: exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and following a heart-healthy diet. Here are some easy ways you can help improve your heart health: ·        Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, as recommended by USDA. ·        Choose heart-healthy oils like olive and canola oil instead of butter or margarine. ·        Snack on almonds or walnuts instead of chips or cookies. ·        Incorporate more whole grains into your diet. ·        Exercise at least 30 minutes four to five times a week. ·        Eliminate trans fats from your diet. ·        Include hawthorn, a wonderful tonic herb for heart health, in your daily regimen. Other herbs that are beneficial if you have cardiovascular disorders include barberry, black cohosh, butcher’s broom, cayenne, dandelion, ginseng, motherwort and valerian root. PLEASE see a qualified herbalist to help you and DO NOT self-medicate. Herbs are still medicinal and should be taken with care and proper counseling. ·        Avoid licorice, caffeine, sugar, white flour products, ephedra or ginseng if you have high blood pressure as they all act as a stimulant to the system ·        Unless you are on a blood thinner, eat lots of foods high in Vitamin K, such as alfalfa, broccoli, cauliflower, egg yolks, liver, spinach and all dark green veggies. Foods high in Vitamin K increase the blood’s tendency to clot so they should only be eaten in small quantities. Back to Articles