Posted on 03/23/2009 12:33:24 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Simple food choices go a long way when it comes to your heart's health. Focusing on fresh foods full of heart-healthy fats and antioxidants can decrease your risk of developing heart disease and cut your chances of a heart attack.
These 10 foods will help keep your ticker in top shape. Oatmeal Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties -- the coarse and steel-cut contain more fiber -- and top your bowl off with a banana for another four grams of fiber.
Salmon Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third. "Salmon contains the carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant," says cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, the author of "Lower Your Blood Pressure In Eight Weeks." But be sure to choose wild salmon over farm-raised fish, which can be packed with insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals. Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost.
Avocado Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to increase the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Health.com: What puts you at risk for high cholesterol?
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Cholesterol theory IS a myth in the same vein as AGW. Read “The Great Cholesterol Con by Malcolm Kendrick. It will open up your eyes.
Ah, Sandy the home of the trunk monkey.
Well, I can handle blackberry pie or jelly - but that’s about it.
fish oil capsules are an easy way to get the good out of fish.
Fresh Salmon right off the grill/BBQ is great. I love it but would never touch it if it's on a buffet; nasty.
My good cholesterol level is right in the middle to low end of normal, and my bad cholesterol is at the very low end of the normal range.
I’d die if I had to eat most of the stuff on that list, although I love salmon and most beans.
The Homewrecker
A 15-inch deep-fried hot dog, topped with jalapenos, habenero chili sauce, coleslaw, diced tomatoes and a mound of cheese.
bttt
Here's what you do. Get it going the night before.
Bring to boil and stir.
Remove from heat and cover.
Leave until morning at which point all you have to do warm it up.
As for flavor, try all kinds of nuts and seeds, raisins or a little brown sugar, or chopped up fruits.
I know, oatmeal is a drag. But there are things you can do to make it a little better.
BTT
It seems like the entire emphasis was on Omega-3 fatty acid. But while it isn’t bad, this isn’t the only way to go with heart health.
(That being said, if you will eat oatmeal, you might try oat bran hot cereal. It has a different texture, and somewhat more flavor.)
A lot of the strain on the heart happens from pre-diabetic and diabetic conditions, and kidney stress. Within the last few weeks it has been learned that a lot of this stress can be alleviated by taking 300 mg of ordinary Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine) a day for three months. An excellent idea not just for diabetics.
The heart is very dependent on the balance of minerals in the body. It is especially reliant on sodium, calcium and potassium, magnesium, iron, iodine, and even some trace minerals. The better the balance, the less stress on the heart. And lots of things can cause imbalances that should be addressed.
If you live inland, you might consider getting a bit a sea salt at the grocery, that when used occasionally will restore the tiny amounts of rare trace elements not usually found inland.
Watch him in "Absence of Malice", near the end, when he gives the best no-nonsense butt-chewing I have ever heard.
Get real.
I cook a bowl of Oatmeal (reg oats, not instant) in 1:30 minutes every morning
One cup oatmeal, two cups water, 1:30 in microwave. Add some raisins, almond silvers, cinnamon, and some sugar free maple syrup and it just about the best quick meal you can have.
steel cut oats take 30 minutes to cook at our house.
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