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

Be Heart Healthy : 4 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

      It is January. Many people  make New Year Resolutions to become better. Therefore, it is important to consider health and even heart health as one of them. So, we wanted to give you 4 ways to reduce heart disease to start your New Year in the healthiest of ways.

1. FOLLOW A HEART HEALTHY DIET
Following a few simple rules as laid out in our Healthy Heart Diet section can significantly decrease your chances of developing heart disease. A brief summary follows:

A. Limit intake of trans fats and hydrogenated oils found in margarine, fast food, fried food, etc.

B. Limit refined sugar intake from cakes, cookies, candy, etc.

C. Use extra virgin olive oil and garlic in cooking - they can lower cholesterol

D. Add Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet - the best source is Fish Oil

For more information on a Heart Healthy Diet, click here.

2. EXERCISE REGULARLY
Developing a steady exercise program as described in our Exercise for Healthy Heart section can also lower your risk of heart disease. A few quick tips:

A. Try to exercise 3-4 times per week, for at least a half hour at a time.

B. Keep your routine going, and start off slow.

C. Always stretch before and after training.

D. Keep yourself hydrated and rest between sets.

For more information on Exercising for Heart Health, click here.

3. LEAD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
In addition to following a healthy diet and exercise regimen, you should also try to do the following:

A. Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke - both are major causes of heart disease.

B. Limit your intake of alcohol - excessive alcohol can deplete your body's supply of vitamins and other nutrients.

C. Try to reduce stress and anxiety - they can lead to high blood pressure and other health conditions.

D. Keep your weight within recommended limits - obesity is a leading cause of heart disease.

4. KEEP TABS ON THE (4) BLOOD INDICATORS OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE
Make sure you get tested for increased cholesterol, triglycerides(fat), homocysteine and C Reactive Protein levels, and follow the protocols if any one of these indicators is elevated:

A. If your cholesterol is high, you can lower cholesterol naturally with policosanol, guggulipid and other herbal extracts as well as Fish Oil. Remember, only 20% of your cholesterol comes from what you eat, the other 80% is manufactured by your liver. Read more about lowering cholesterol here.

B. If your triglyceride (fat) levels are too high, lower your carbohydrate and sugar intake. Also, fish oil, Vitamin C, guggulipid and green tea are safe natural ways to lower triglyceride levels. Read more about lowering triglycerides here.

C. If your homocysteine levels are high, you can easily normalize the situation by including B Vitamins in your diet, particularly Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Read more about lowering homocysteine here.

D. If your C Reactive Protein levels are high, this indicates inflammation in the blood. Fish oil, ginger and MSM will help decrease inflammation naturally. Read more about lowering C Reactive Protein here.

Please use this as a guide to Prevent Heart Disease. Also, you should utilize the links available in each list. A thank you goes out to a healthy-heart-guide.com for their useful information.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