Fun Ways To Strengthen The Heart

On Valentines Day, you see nothing but hearts everywhere. We always see and talk about the heart year round. In a month that celebrates the heart, lets do something different. Why not find fun ways to make it strong? Here are some ways you can do just that.

Swing By the Candy Store

        You may be able to significantly lower your blood pressure with nothing more than a daily dose of dark chocolate. In a 2008 Italian study, people who had both prediabetes and high blood pressure managed to do just that by eating 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate each day for 15 days. They lowered their systolic BP (the upper number) by 4.5 points and their diastolic (the lower number) by 4.2 points, thanks to the flavonoids—antioxidant compounds—found in dark chocolate. A sustained improvement of that extent could lower your risk of cardiovascular problems by 20 percent over 5 years.

But you need to eat the right type of chocolate. Darker chocolate contains more antioxidants and less of the sugar that may counteract chocolate's beneficial effects, according to research from Yale. Choose dark chocolate with a minimum of 65 percent cacao, such as Ghirardelli's Intense Dark 72% Cacao Twilight Delight Bar ($4, ghirardelli.co

Take Her To Bed

        Keep your blood flowing by hopping into the sack two or more times a week. Men who do are 65 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, compared with those who have sex less than once a month on average, according to a recent New England Research Institute study. In a 2006 study at the University of Paisley, Scotland, people who had sex at least once over a 2-week period had lower blood pressure than those who engaged in no sexual activity, and their blood vessels responded better to stress.

But going solo won't help you out. While researchers are still examining why vaginal intercourse is so much better than other kinds of stimulation, they believe it has to do with the intimacy. Oxytocin, a hormone associated with intimacy and reduced stress, is released during sex and particularly during orgasm. Intercourse may be more intimate than other kinds of fooling around, which may lead to a more effective release of oxytocin, says Stuart Brody, Ph.D., the study's author.

Sex can also be a great workout, burning up to 60 calories per half hour in bed. Raise the calorie burn with vigorous sex: Show her menshealth.com/sexpositionmaster, and add more athletic positions to your repertoire.

Crank the Tunes

        Music is a perfect tool for loosening your arteries. Listening to 30 minutes a day of "rhythmically homogeneous" music (that is, anything with a steady beat), combined with breathing exercises, can lower your systolic blood pressure by more than 4 points after 3 months, according to a 2008 Italian study. Breathing in and out with an inhale/exhale ratio of 1 to 2 while listening to slow, steady music relaxes your vessels, says Randall Zusman, M.D., director of the hypertension division at the Massachusetts General Hospital heart center.

The key is to cue up the right type of music, says Michael Miller, M.D., who coauthored a different music study in 2008. That study found that when people relaxed and breathed steadily while listening to music they found pleasurable—whether it was Mozart or Maroon 5—the linings of their blood vessels dilated by 26 percent. Those who listened to music that made them anxious experienced a 6 percent narrowing of their blood vessels. It's your emotional connection with the music that may be key to a lower BP, Dr. Miller says.

Fire Up the Game Console

        Pumping 23,000 rounds of ammo into space aliens should do wonders for your stress and, by extension, your blood pressure. But sorry, you need to stand up from the couch to make video games count. The American Heart Association officially stamped its seal of approval on

Nintendo's motion-sensor-based Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort games in May, recommending them as legitimate ways to stay active.

Timothy Church, M.D., chairman of the American Heart Association's physical activity committee, says playing certain Wii activities, such as boxing and jogging, is as good as hitting the gym—as long as you're playing with at least moderate intensity for a minimum of 150 minutes a week. This can lower your systolic blood pressure by 2 to 5 points. "Some of the activities in Wii Fit can qualify as your 30 minutes a day of physical activity," he says. "You'll be sweating buckets."

Toast Your Health

        Danish researchers who analyzed data from 75,000 men found that those who had two drinks a day were 31 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease. That's because alcohol, in modest amounts, makes your arteries larger and more pliable, which in turn lowers your blood pressure.

But don't have more than two drinks—doing so will raise your blood pressure. Scientists still don't understand why, but Dr. Zusman thinks it could be related to alcohol's adverse effect on other blood-pressure-regulating pathways. Limit your daily intake to two 12-ounce beers, two 5-ounce glasses of wine, or two 1.5-ounce drinks of liquor.

Laugh It Up

        Whether you're ROFLing or just LOLing, you're doing your arteries good. Laughing at a funny movie causes blood vessels to dilate by 22 percent, according to a 2006 study from the University of Maryland. The physical act of laughing causes the tissue forming the inner lining of your blood vessels to expand, allowing for an increase in bloodflow and reducing blood pressure, says Dr. Miller. "The magnitude of change is similar to the benefit you might see with aerobic activity, but without the aches and pains," he says.

You should be laughing at least 15 minutes a day to benefit from this link. And tepid, forced chuckles won't do it—to maximize the blood-pressure effect, you should be doing full, real belly laughs. So if Internet humor isn't doing it for you, crack open your high school yearbook. That's usually good for a laugh

Ticker Tracker: Home Edition

        Blood-pressure readings taken at home can better predict cardiovascular risk than ones taken at a doctor's office, reports a Finnish study released in April. Blame "white-coat hypertension" and harried office staff, who tend to slap on a cuff quickly and don't wait the recommended 5 to 10 minutes for patients' pressures to stabilize, says Patrick Skerrett, editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Follow our tips to ensure accuracy.

Check Early
Your blood pressure should drop at night and rise throughout the day. If it doesn't, you may have morning hypertension—a risk factor linked to strokes. So check yours right before you go to bed, and first thing in the morning—but before coffee, which can raise your BP, says Skerrett.

Take Notes
Don't just log your numbers; include the time of day and any activity up to 30 minutes prior to your reading. This can help your doctor explain anomalies, says Skerrett. Look for the American Heart Association's downloadable blood-pressure tracker at heart.org/hbp.

Don't Obsess
"Some doctors avoid recommending home monitoring because people can go crazy," says Skerrett. Stick to twice a day a few times a week. Don't worry about spikes—only trends matter. Try the Omron HEM-780. It will average your last three readings for you

These are some fun ways to make the heart stronger and have a little fun while doing so. Thank you to Men'sHealth.com for their research. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

How To Have A Heart Healthy Lifestyle

See this sign. Signs are amazing. Sometimes, we pay more attention to physical signs than what signs are going on around us. So, a sign like this might get your attention. Change is needed so you can have a heart healthy lifestyle. These ideas that you use can assist you in living a longer life. Here are  ways you can promote your heart health.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco

Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.

In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Even so-called "social smoking" — smoking only while at a bar or restaurant with friends — is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease.

Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don't do either. This risk increases with age, especially in women older than 35.

The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

2. Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week

Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may be a factor in heart disease.

Try getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of exercise offer heart benefits, so if you can't meet those guidelines, don't give up. You can even break up your workout time into 10-minute sessions.

And remember that activities such as gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don't have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts.

 

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Eating a special diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan can help protect your heart. Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, which can help protect your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Major sources of saturated fat include:

• Red meat
• Dairy products
• Coconut and palm oils

Sources of trans fat include:

• Deep-fried fast foods
• Bakery products
• Packaged snack foods
• Margarines
• Crackers

Look at the label for the term "partially hydrogenated" to avoid trans fat.
Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent cancer.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are a good natural source of omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.
Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, and one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that becomes a health hazard.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
The BMI is a good, but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference also is a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat you have:

• Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters, or cm)
• Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm)

Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

5. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

• Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more-frequent checks if your numbers aren't ideal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.
• Cholesterol levels. Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years starting at age 20. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of heart disease.
• Diabetes screening. Since diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease, you may want to consider being screened for diabetes. Talk to your doctor about when you should have a fasting blood sugar test to check for diabetes. Depending on your risk factors, such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes, your doctor may recommend first testing you for diabetes sometime between ages 30 and 45, and then retesting every three to five years.

These are real important tips to follow so you can develop a heart healthy lifestyle and enjoy longevity in your future. We thank the Mayo Clinic website for this invaluable information to use.If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

How To Stay Heart Healthy For Christmas

That couple has it right. They are keeping their minds on their heart this winter and so should you. Winter as we mentioned before can be a very dangerous season for heart patients and people with heart ailments. So, we thought it should be important that we would give you some ways that you can be heart healthy this holiday season.

1. Serve a classic artichoke appetizer at an upcoming gathering. A German study links eating artichokes with lower levels of cholesterol.

 

2. Swallow a daily dose of aspirin. It’s often linked with preventing heart attacks and strokes. But check with your physician first.

 

3. Turn on mellow music. Studies show that listening for 30 minutes increases brain wave activity and lowers blood pressure.

 

4. Skip your morning coffee if you need to shovel snow. Experts say the brew can put extra stress on your heart during strenuous activities by constricting blood vessels and raising your heart rate.

 

5. Sprinkle on some flaxseed. It’s been found to reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Try it as a salad topper, or add ground flaxseed to bread dough.

 

6. Cook with cranberries. They’re high in heart-smart antioxidants.

 

7. Add a boost of antioxidants. Go for cruciferous veggies, such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, to drop your risk of heart disease.

 

8. Turn an apple a day into a cold-weather treat. Slice it, sprinkle with cinnamon, and pop it into the microwave for about a minute. Studies link apples to a reduction in cholesterol and plaque buildup in arteries.

 

9. Try a new workout. Escape cold weather with indoor activities.

 

10. Return to snail mail. Sending greeting cards and thank-you notes is good for your health.

 

11. Shop on the weekdays. Avoiding weekend crowds will reduce your stress levels.

 

12. Snack on citrus. Vitamin C in your body plummets when pressure builds. Protect yourself by eating plenty of oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits this season.

 

13. Share a hug. You know what it feels like to get one when you need it. So pass it on, and chase away the blues.

 

14. Avoid post-holiday chaos. Stash gift receipts in a bright red envelope that’s easy to find later.

 

15. Set aside 30 minutes for yourself every day. It’s important, no matter how busy you get this winter.

 

16. Read a bedtime story out loud. A good read induces relaxation. One of our favorites: Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury (Putnam, 2001).

 

17. Sip hot cocoa. It’s rich in heart-healthy phenols and flavonoids and can help muscles recover after a workout. Skip sugary instant cocoa mixes and opt for hot chocolate made with cocoa powder and low-fat milk.

 

Thank You goes to heart healthy living.com for these useful ideas. Be sure to have a safe and happy holiday. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

Challenge Yourself To Stay Heart Healthy For Thanksgiving

Challenge. That sounds like something you do not want to hear during the holidays. However, a challenge can be good for you if your heart health is in mind. Challenge yourself to be heart healthy for Thanksgiving. We are not asking you to stay away form the holiday and deny yourself what is around you. But, what we are asking is that you enjoy the holiday and keep your heart health in mind.To do this , we found some real useful and realistic ways to meet this challenge by Victoria Spechco and ABC news.



1. Eat beforehand. As tempted as you may be to do the "I'm-gonna-save-all-my-calories-for-the-big-meal thing"… don't! By the time the meal comes around, you'll dive in, making unwise choices and likely overdoing it on high-calorie, high-fat items. Instead, have a smart breakfast (some oatmeal and fruit, maybe) and a light lunch. Then, you'll be less likely to attack the big meal like a hungry wildebeest.



2. Move it! Activity is key. Don't break your regimen on Thanksgiving, of all days. Try to get in a little something, like a walk around the neighborhood, playing with the kids, etc.



3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink a good amount of water all day long. Not only is it good for you, it'll keep you from snacking when you really just need some H2O. And go easy on non-water drinks, especially ones full of sugar and/or alcohol. You don't want to tack on a ton of extra calories with a big meal ahead of you!



4. Pitch in! Not only will your friends and family ooh and ah over your creation, but it also gives you a chance to get something a bit lower in calories on the table. If you know what's in it, you know how much of it you can have.



5. Choose wisely. It's really easy, once people start passing dishes around, to just take a scoop of everything. Don't! Take a moment when you first sit down. Assess the situation - there will be things you really want, things you kinda want, things you'd like to taste and things you know are safe to eat. Grab from the last group first while you still have lots of room on your plate (lean turkey breast, non-sauced veggies, etc.). Then take a moderate amount of your super-faves, followed by a taste or two of unfamiliar items.



6. Treat yourself! Don't spend all your time obsessing about calories. If the thought of sitting through a meal without having at least a small serving of stuffing or a little slice of pie is unbearable, eat it! Remember: It's a celebration...so celebrate...a little!



7. Leftover-mania! If you're hosting the get-together, stock up on disposable plastic containers that you don't care about getting back; try to hand out most of the food you don't trust yourself around and don't want to be stuck eating for a week. If you're visiting, see if you can snag some of that turkey, but don't let yourself get loaded up with heavy stuff and desserts!



8. "Fat" pants: A no-no. Choose something to wear that's comfortable and classy - don't go specifically looking through your closet for something with an elastic waistband.



To help people get a better idea of how many calories they will be consuming and how to burn them off, nutrition experts put together a list of the calorie counts of one serving of some of the most popular Thanksgiving foods, as well as household activities that could help work off at least some of the meal.



4 ounces of turkey (dark meat): 323 calories. What will burn this off? Rake leaves for 45 minutes.

1/2 cup of stuffing: 190 calories. To burn this off, carry Black Friday shopping bags around for 30 minutes.

1/4 cup of jellied cranberry sauce. Twenty-five minutes of mopping can help work this portion of the meal off.

A slice of pumpkin pie: 316 calories. Spend 80 minutes watering outdoor plants (if it's not too cold or wet) to say goodbye to the pie calories.

A dinner roll: 82 calories. Vacuuming for 30 minutes will burn off that many calories.

A cup of mashed potatoes: 162 calories. A 22-minute game of friendly football will burn off 158 of these calories.

Another common (and easier) guideline to follow is it takes about a mile of slow running or brisk walking to burn off 100 calories, Holt said.

Harper suggested a few simple ways to cut back the calorie count while still enjoying the meal.

"Slice your slice of pumpkin pie right down the middle and avoid the whipped cream on top," he said. "Instead of eating the dark turkey meat, go for the white meat. Opting for the white meat instead of dark will trim about 100 calories off."

 Now that you have been challenged  to a heart healthy Thanksgiving. How will you respond ? If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

How To Stay Heart Healthy

It is important to keep your health and more importantly your heart in mind in everything you do. With that said, it can be difficult in finding information to assist you on your heart healthy journey. So, we found 6 resources  from Bluefin Software Blog with web links that you can use to make your journey easier.

Here are six great AHA resource pages, all well worth a look if you’d like to learn more about a particular area of heart health.


Nutrition Center

 Physical activity and good nutrition are each cornerstones of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Being a runner goes a long way towards the first one, but what about eating right? It’s easy to form bad habits and end up in a serious (and harmful) nutritional rut. Check out the Nutrition Center for lots of great information, including shopping tips and recipe ideas that will tell you everything you need to know to start eating better today.


Stress Management

Everyone can relate to a stress-induced headache or nervous stomach. These are very real, physiological symptoms that can be caused by stress. The heart is also affected by stress levels, meaning serious problems can develop if you can’t get a handle on it. Visit the Stress Management page to learn how to identify unhealthy stress levels, manage symptoms, and get back to a calm, balanced place.


Physical Activity

 We’re willing to bet that you’re ahead of the game on this one, but there’s always more to learn when it comes to developing a healthy, active lifestyle. Check out the Physical Activity resources for motivation, exercise ideas, and other great info that can help you stay active and motivated.


Fats & Oils

 The AHA points out that as Americans (and we’re sure everyone else, too) become more aware of the dangers of trans fats, we are actually leaning towards eating more saturated fats than ever before. While cutting back on trans fat is certainly a good thing, the bottom line is that we need to be mindful of fat intake across the board. Visit their Fats & Oils page to learn the basics, plus some fun, kid-friendly educational resources.


Weight 

 Getting to and staying at a healthy weight can be tricky to say the least. It comes more naturally to some than others, but we can all use some help watching our weight. Whether you are trying to lose a few (or more than a few) pounds or just maintain your current weight, there’s information available to help you pull it off. This Weight Management section has lots of well-organized, easily-digestible information.


Smoking

 Do you smoke? Or did you ever? Lots of people will tell you that stopping smoking was the hardest thing they ever had to do. They’ll also tell you it was the most rewarding (and the best thing they could have done for their hearts and their health in general). Make this the year (the month!) that you kick the habit, starting with getting a strategy in place with the AMA’s Quit Smoking page.

Please use these web links as a resource to use on how to stay heart healthy.If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thanks  for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

Heart Healthy Summer Foods

Doesn't that food look great ? Even better, this food is healthy for your heart. Yes, food that looks good can also be good for you. With this idea in mind, we searched and found heart healthy recipes that you can use.


Grilled Lemon Chicken with Cabbage Corn Slaw


Ingredients
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 small green cabbage (1/2 pound), cored and shredded
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears, or thawed if frozen)
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Add the cabbage, bell pepper, and corn and toss to combine.
Heat grill to medium-high. Rub the chicken with the remaining teaspoon of oil and season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Grill the chicken, basting often with the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with the slaw.

Tex Mex Gazpacho


Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
2 Kirby cucumbers (about 1/2 pound), peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small poblano pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pepitas (roasted, hulled pumpkin seeds)
cilantro sprigs
warm flour tortillas, for serving (optional)

Directions
In a blender, working in batches, puree the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell and poblano peppers, and onion, transferring the pureed mixture to a bowl.
Stir in the lime juice, oil, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, 15 to 20 minutes.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with the sour cream, pepitas, and cilantro. Serve with the tortillas (if desired).

Spaghetti with Zucchini, Walnuts and Raisins


Ingredients
12 ounces spaghetti (3⁄4 box)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini (4 to 5), cut into thin half-moons
3/4 cup raisins
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)

Directions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
Add the zucchini and raisins and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.


Lamb Chops With Curried Rice and Cherries

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup cherries, halved and pitted
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 small rib or loin lamb chops (each 3⁄4 inch thick; about 2 pounds total)
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
Cook the rice according to the package directions, adding curry powder to the water before cooking. Gently fold the cherries and basil into the cooked rice.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Cook the lamb in batches, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Serve the lamb with the rice.


Creamy Shrimp Salad With Endive and Cucumber


Ingredients
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cornichons, sliced, plus 3 tablespoons of the brine
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound cooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 head Boston lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
2 heads endive, sliced
1 small English cucumber, cut into thin half-moons
6 small radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, cornichon brine, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Add the shrimp, lettuce, endive, cucumber, radishes, tarragon, and cornichons and toss to combine.

These recipes taste great and are great for you. A big thank you goes out to realsimple.com for those amazing recipes. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

Safe Outdoor Activities for Heart Patients

Being diagnosed with heart problems, it is difficult to know what level of exercising can be done safely. So, we wanted to find a get started guide for heart patients to use for outdoor exercise. The National Jewish Health Website specifically reviewed by Dr Freeman. has now provided this information for us to use.

Getting Started: Things to Discuss with Your Doctor

Always check with your doctor first before starting an exercise program. Your doctor can help you find a program for your level of fitness and physical condition.

Here are some discussion questions:

How much exercise can I do?
What type of exercise should I do?
What type of activities should I avoid?
Should I take my medication(s) at a certain time around my exercise schedule?
Do I have to take my pulse while exercising?
How often can I exercise each week?

Your doctor may decide to do a stress test, echo, or modify your medications. Always check with your doctor first before initiating any exercise

General Workout Tips and Caveats for People With Heart Failure

Avoid too much isometric exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups. Isometric exercises involve straining muscles against other muscles or an immovable object.
Don't exercise outdoors when it is too cold, hot, or humid without checking with your doctor first. High humidity may cause you to tire more quickly; extreme temperatures can interfere with circulation, make breathing difficult, and cause chest pain. Better choices are indoor activities such as mall walking or a treadmill.
Make sure you stay hydrated – within reason. It is important to drink water even before you feel thirsty, especially on hot days. But, be careful not to drink too much water. Check with your doctor first!
If your exercise program has been interrupted for more than a few days (for example, due to illness, vacation or bad weather), make sure you ease back into the routine. Start with a reduced level of activity, and gradually increase it until you are back where you started.


Warnings During Exercise

There are some precautions you must keep in mind when developing an exercise program:
Stop the exercise if you become overly fatigued or short of breath; discuss the symptoms with your doctor or schedule an appointment for evaluation.
Do not exercise if you are not feeling well or were very recently ill. You should wait a few days after all symptoms disappear before restarting the exercise program. If uncertain, check with your doctor first!
If you have persistent shortness of breath, rest, and call your doctor. The doctor may make changes in medications, diet, or fluid restrictions.
Stop the activity if you develop a rapid or irregular heartbeat or have heart palpitations. Check your pulse after you have rested for 15 minutes. If it's above 120 beats per minute at rest, call your doctor.
If you experience pain, don't ignore it. If you have chest pain or pain anywhere else in the body, do not allow the activity to continue. Performing an activity while in pain may cause stress or damage to the joints.
If you pass out, call your doctor or seek urgent care.

Stop Exercising and Rest if You Have Any of the Following Symptoms:
Chest pain.
Weakness.
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Unexplained weight gain or swelling (call your doctor right away)
Pressure or pain in your chest, neck, arm, jaw or shoulder or any other symptoms that cause concern.
Never exercise to the point of chest pain or angina. If you develop chest pain during exercise, call 911 immediately


Frequently Asked Questions


What Type of Exercise Is Best?

There are several forms of exercise which you should incorporate into every workout.
Stretching: Stretching arms and legs before and after exercising helps prepare the muscles for activity and helps prevent injury and muscle strain. Regular stretching increases your range of motion and flexibility.
Cardiovascular or aerobic: This means continuous (ideally non-stop) physical activity using large muscle groups. This type of exercise strengthens the heart and lungs and improves the body's ability to use oxygen. Aerobic exercise has the most benefits for your heart. In fact, aerobic exercise can help decrease your heart rate and blood pressure and improve your breathing (by making it more efficient). Aerobic exercise includes anything that gets your heart rate up and challenges you:

Walking
Jogging
Jumping rope
Biking (indoor or outdoor)
Cross-country skiing
Ice and roller skating
Rowing and low-impact aerobics
Water aerobics
Strengthening exercises: These are repeated muscle contractions (tightening) until the muscle becomes tired. NOTE: For some people with heart failure, many strengthening exercises are not recommended.


How Often Should I Exercise?


To achieve maximum benefits, you should gradually work up to an aerobic session lasting 20 to 30 minutes, at least three to four times a week. The goal would be 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise. Exercising every other day will help you start a regular aerobic exercise schedule. The American Heart Association recommends working up to exercising on most days of the week. While the more exercise you can do the better, any amount of exercise is beneficial to your health.


What If I Can't Do 20 or 30 Minutes of Exercise?

Everyone has to start somewhere. As such, even if you walk for 5 minutes, take a break for 5 minutes and it takes you 60 or even 90 minutes to complete 30 minutes of exercise, this is a good way to start. Over time, string the exercise together and have less and less break time.

Some exercise is better than no exercise.


What Should I Include in My Program?

Every exercise session should include a warm up, conditioning phase and a cool down.
Warm Up: This helps your body adjust slowly from rest to exercise. A warm up reduces the stress on your heart and muscles, slowly increases your breathing, circulation (heart rate) and body temperature. It also helps improve flexibility and reduce muscle soreness
Conditioning: During the conditioning phase, the benefits of exercise are gained and calories are burned. Be sure to monitor the intensity of the activity (check your heart rate). Continuous non-stop exercise is the goal. Don't over do it.
Cool-down: This is the last phase of your exercise session. It allows your body to gradually recover from the conditioning phase. Your heart rate and blood pressure will return to near resting values. In fact, do not sit, stand still or lie down right after exercise. This may cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded or have palpitations. Ideally,slowly decrease the intensity of your activity (often with low-paced walking). Stretching is a great way to end your exercise routine.

How Do I Know if I Am Working Hard Enough?

Your goal is to challenge yourself. Everyone's level to start is different. As such, you should be breathless, sweating, and unable to complete a full sentence when you're working in the conditioning phase. Obviously if you develop chest pain, feel faint, turn pale, or feel close to passing out, stop immediately and sit down.

As time goes on, what you're doing will become easier and then too easy. If you're not challenged (i.e. breathless, sweating, and unable to complete a full sentence), walk or do your activity faster or at an incline.

Challenge is the key to growth and recovery. But don't over do it! Always check with your doctor first.

How Can I Avoid Overdoing It?

Here are a few guidelines:

It Takes Time:
As such, gradually increase your activity level, especially if you have not been exercising regularly. Don't run a marathon in day one!
Wait at least 60-90 minutes after eating a meal before exercising.
When drinking liquids during exercise, remember to follow your fluid restriction guidelines.
Warm up and cool down!
Exercise at a steady pace. Keep a pace that allows you to still talk during the activity. Keep an exercise log.

Stick with It:
Have fun! Add variety, make it enjoyable!
Do it Daily! Plan to exercise at the same time every day. Add a variety of exercises so that you do not get bored. Make it part of your lifestyle and daily routine.
Get an exercise "buddy." This will help you stay motivated.

This information will get you started down the road to exercise and better health. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team

Heart Risks Associated With Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Saving Time is March 11 this year and can cause health problems. Yes, health problem comes from this time change. Many people do complain of setting clocks and getting either too much sleep or not enough. However, there has been some serious health concerns that we will show you happens when we change the time.  With the research and help of Peter Janiszewski PH D in clinical exercise psychology along with The New England Journal of Medicine they will detail you the risks associated with daylight savings time and what you can do about it.


Did you know that adjusting the clock up by an hour in accordance with daylight savings time increases you chance of a heart attack?
Circadian rhythms are biological cycles that occur in humans, animals, insects, plants, and even bacteria with a period of approximately (circa) one day (diem). These rhythms are determined internally by a part of our hypothalamus and are synchronized perfectly to our 24-hr days by the sun and other cues. This internal clock mediates daily variation in everything from hormone levels, to sleep/wake cycles, feeding bahaviour, thermoregulation, to bowel movements and cardiovascular function, among many others.


It is largely due to these predictable circadian rhythms that risk of a myocardial infarction (heart attack) is significantly highest in the morning (by about 40% as compared to other times in the day). Right as we awake, our cardiovascular system is in the most compromised state –systolic blood pressure and heart rate show the largest upward spike in the morning, blood vessels ability to dilate in response to increased blood flow is compromised (relative endothelial dysfunction), blood clots are more likely to form, and the ability to break them up is at its lowest point in the day. Is it any wonder then, that the first snowfall – shoveled early in the morning by people at risk – always leads to a spike in heart attacks?


Interestingly, the 1hr shift experienced by citizens of many countries (most notably Europe and North America) during the fall and spring in accordance with daylight savings time also has a detrimental effect on cardiovascular risk. The problem lies in the fact that our circadian clock takes time to adjust, and it is best adjusted by changes in day/night or light/dark cycles – not simply the adjustment of our watch. Thus, the few mornings after the clock change our internal clocks are at odds with our watches and particularly in the spring – when one hour of sleep is lost, we wake up with our cardiovascular system being in an even more compromised state than normal.


A 2009 study in the New England Journal of Medicine clearly shows this effect. In the study the authors investigated the number of heart attacks in Sweden the week before and the week after the 1hr clock changes in both the spring and fall. As would be predicted, individuals had an approximately 5% greater risk of having a heart attack immediately after the ‘spring ahead’ clock change compared to the previous week.


The authors rightfully suggest that individuals at risk of cardiovascular complications would be better off changing their clocks more gradually (i.e. by 15 minutes, starting on the Friday before the change). Even more importantly, avoiding strenuous activity and stress right in the morning may also be a valid suggestion.
An even better strategy from a public health standpoint would be to do away with daylight savings time altogether. But what do I know? I’m sleepy and grouchy due to that lost hour of sleep.


We now know the dangers of the time and some suggestions on how to handle the day when it approaches us.If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team