Wednesday Wellness Tip

“If you smoke and take hormonal birth control, you are increasing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and blood clots.”

Wednesday Wellness Tip

“Daydreaming. We were told in school to stop doing this, but daydreaming can actually reduce feelings of depression and stress.”

Wednesday Wellness Tip

“Heart disease tops the list of health problems that lead to early death for men *and* women. Reduce your risk with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat foods - and at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week."

Ultimate Guide to Fruits and Veggies

If you’re anything like me when it comes to picking fruits and vegetables you just try to find the ones that don’t look bruised and mangled, but as it turns out, there is a better way to pick your produce. With the summer being the perfect time to stock up on fresh produce in our area, we found a guide that will help you pick the ripest fruits and veggies around. Please see, http://eating.health.com/2009/04/06/ultimate-guide/2/ .

Wednesday Wellness Tip

“Did you know that chronic diseases, like heart disease, diabetes and cancer, are the most common and most costly health problems in North America, but are also the most preventable? Bad habits like smoking, unhealthy eating and physical inactivity have become a nationwide concern. Do your part by making a difference in your own life, your household, or your community.”

August 4, 2010- Surpisingly Salty Foods

The average person consumes 3,500 mg of sodium per day, which is way over the limit of 2,300 mg which is the recommended amount we should have per day. The majority of the salt that we do consume is already present in many of the processed foods that we eat. Here are a few foods that have a surprising amount of salt in them:

o Kellogg’s Raisin Bran

Sodium: 350 mg

Even though 350 mg is a small percentage of your daily value, it’s still a lot for cereal. Try other types of cereal, such as Cheerios or Special K that have much less sodium.

o Heinz Ketchup

Sodium: 190 mg Serving: 1 tbsp (15 calories)

As much as we all love ketchup on everything, try to limit the amount that you use, since two tablespoons contains about 16% of your daily sodium intake.

o Campbell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Sodium: 940 mg Serving: ½ cup (70 calories)

It’s no surprise that soup made the list, but it’s still worth pointing out that anything (fruits and vegetables included) that comes pre-made and packaged is likely to have a lot of sodium packed in. Try the low sodium version of some of your favorite canned items and it might be hard to tell the difference.

So What’s A Healthy Weight Anyway?

It’s no secret that obesity rates have continued to increase in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34% of adults age 20 and older are obese, and 34% are overweight. Moreover, a recent study reported that 30% of overweight people believe they have a healthy weight and 70% of obese participants believed they were just overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for preventing numerous diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers. So, what exactly is a healthy weight and how can you know if your weight is healthy?

Body Mass Index, a ratio of your height and weight is often used to assess healthy weight. The BMI categories are described below:

Underweight = less than 18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9 
Obese = BMI of 30 or greater (There is 1 and 1/2 of me instead of 1)
Morbidly Obese = BMI of 40 or greater (There are two of me instead of 1 healthy one)
To find out if you're at a healthy weight for your height, find your Body Mass Index (BMI) at (http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/):

How to get to a healthy weight
· Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500

calories for weight loss
· Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
· Reduce the number of sodas and other fruit drinks you consume daily
· Use the nutrition facts label to choose foods low in fat, sodium and cholesterol
· Increase your physical activity level (goal of 30 minutes a day)

Visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ to get a personalized food plan

The Silent Killer - High Blood Pressure

Millions worldwide suffer from hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure. Unfortunately, many more may have undiagnosed high blood pressure, since it often presents without symptoms.

Why should you be concerned?

If your blood pressure is not controlled, it can result in damage to your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other organs. Since many individuals experience no symptoms, this damage can be occurring at this very moment, without you knowing it. For this reason, hypertension is often called the "silent killer." Therefore, you should go for frequent screenings of your blood pressure. Home blood pressure cuffs are also available, which are easy to use and allow for monitoring of your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home.

What is a "normal" blood pressure:

Blood pressure is given as a series of two numbers. Traditionally, a blood pressure of 120/80 has been used as the standard cutoff for determining elevated blood pressure. However, "normal" blood pressure is when the top number (systolic blood pressure) is LESS THAN 120, and the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) is LESS THAN 80. Systolic blood pressure represents the force of the blood on the walls of the arteries when the heart beats, while the diastolic blood pressure represents the force between beats.

Ways to Improve Blood Pressure:

• stay active




• achieve a healthy weight




• limit salt/sodium intake




• eat healthy




• limit alcohol




• take prescription medication if prescribed by physician
  

For more information, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/