Tag Archives: heart

A Little Avocado Can Help Your Heart

Healthy Eating, ,

According to a new study men and women who at avocados instead of butter, cheese or processed meat had reduced risk of heart attack.

Insight into reducing cardiovascular disease couldn’t come at a more important time as it is a leading cause of death worldwide. About 18 million people die from cardiovascular disease every year according to the WHO. The CDC in the United States claims it takes a life every 36 seconds.

Study participants who had at least two servings of avocado a week reduced their risk of heart attack by 21% compared to those who avoided or rarely ate avocados. There was not, however, any reduction in the occurrence of stroke. The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The study defined a serving of avocado a half an avocado or half a cup of avocado which is about 80 grams in weight.

Experts from the American Heart Association did warn that no one “super food” is a replacement for eating a healthy diet consistently. But they did acknowledge the study demonstrated strong evidence of the benefits of eating avocados.

The same experts from the AHA stated that there is a great need to improve the adoption of their recommended diets, like the Mediterranean diet that include eating a lot of vegetables and fruits.

 

 

Controversial New Study on Veggies and Heart Health

Healthy Eating, , ,

Many studies have shown the value of a plant-based diet for both heart health and the health of the planet in addition to an individual’s overall health. A recent study even found that young people who begin eating more veggies, whole grain, fruits, nuts and legumes could add 13 years to their lifespan.

Meanwhile, the results of a controversial new study was released recently in “Frontiers in Nutrition” and after analyzing the diets of 400k UK adults the study concluded that eating vegetables, especially cooked ones, has no positive affect on the risk of heart disease over time.

Study authors stated they found no evidence that vegetable intake offered any protection form cardiovascular disease.

Raw vegetables offered some protection, according to the study, but cooked vegetables maintained zero benefits in that regard.

The study also took into account many other lifestyle factors like red meat intake, processed meat in take, smoking habits, drinking, fruit intake, physical activity, education level and supplement consumption. Study authors stated the protective effect of eating veggies is probably accounted for by bias in relation to differences in socioeconomic status and lifestyle.

Many experts were still critical of the findings. We shouldn’t stop eating vegetables in light of this new research, according to one critic. Another cited the fact that there is also new evidence that suggests fiber rich veggies can help lower cardiovascular risk factors like weight that can encourage heart disease.

Other critics were not surprised by the findings. Singling out one component of the diet and hoping it’ll be a cure all isn’t very likely. Recent findings have suggested looking at single foods or nutrients rather than the entire dietary pattern is unlikely find anything useful.

 

New Study Suggests “Heavy but Healthy” is a Myth for Heart Health

Fitness, Health Issues, , ,

A new study has examined the relationship between weight, physical activity, and cardiovascular health.

According to this new research regular exercise cannot offset negative effects of excess body weight on heart health. Giving pause to the idea that one can be heavy and completely healthy.

The study was published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.

This new study contradicts previous studies which found that physical activity could help counter the effects of extra body weight on the heart. The study stated that being heavy but healthy equates approximately to being thin and unhealthy when it comes to the cardiovascular system.

The author of the study worries that recent prioritization of physical activity overweight loss is a dangerous road for many patients to go down. They believe their data shows that the opposite is true.

The study examined over fifty thousand Spanish adults and found that physical activity was important for everyone to maintain cardiovascular health but that weight is still a factor.

The Yolk’s on You!

Healthy Eating, , , , , ,

Time (time.com) had an article asking the question, “Are Egg Yolks Unhealthy?” This provoked the Victor crew to find out more about this. Here are some highlights from the article:

The yolks have the bulk of an eggs iron, folate, vitamins, and minerals. The downside: eggs yolks are a source of cholesterol. This is why we have things like Egg-Beaters out there, and why egg white omelets are a thing. But here’s the rub: dietary cholesterol does not translate into high levels of blood cholesterol. Current data does not justify eschewing eggs.

Eggs seemed to be vilified for so long, it is a relief to be able to eat them every day if you so choose. You shouldn’t eat five eggs in an omelet, just as too much of any one food is not as healthy, but feel free to eat them. The only questions that some data show is that high egg consumption by those with type 2 diabetes may have a higher risk of coronary heart disease.

Source
You Asked: Are Egg Yolks Unhealthy?

Let’s go take a Hike!

Fitness, , ,

Hiking is a good exercise. It is economical and there are a lot of health benefits. The Victor crew would like to share some benefits:

It is aerobic. Hiking provides moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
It can lower cardiovascular risk by lowering triglycerides and elevating your good cholesterol levels.
Aerobic exercise like hiking can increase your energy levels.
Hiking burns calories. Of course the longer you hike and more mountains and uneven terrain you encounter, the more you will burn.
If you hike regularly, you can improve bone density. It can also keep joint stiffness at bay.
Hiking can help relieve stress.
Being outdoors can help you gain more essential Vitamin D.

Start out slowly and build up. Start hiking for a shorter amount of time on flatter ground and slowly add time and terrain. You can even prepare by using the different settings on a treadmill before conquering that hill or mountain.

Steve Victor

Sources: http://www.livestrong.com/article/556850-ten-reasons-why-hiking-is-good-for-you/
http://www.fitnessblender.com/blog/calories-burned-hiking-what-muscles-are-used-in-hiking