Apples may keep strokes away.
So may pears, bananas and cauliflower – or any fruit or vegetable with “white” flesh.
That’s the conclusion of a Dutch study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association in which researchers say the risk of stroke was 52 percent lower for people who ate a lot of white fruits and vegetables compared to people who ate less.
The study is the first to associate fruit and vegetable color groups with stroke.
White fruit and vegetables also include chicory, and cucumber. Potatoes were classified as a starch. The color of a fruit’s flesh is a clue to the type of nutrients in it. Apples and pears are high in dietary fiber and a flavonoid called quercetin.
In the study, green, orange/yellow and red/purple fruit and vegetables weren’t related to stroke. However, each 25-gram per day increase in white fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of stroke. An average apple is 120 grams.
But don’t stop eating other-colored fruit and vegetables. They may protect against other chronic diseases, researchers say.
Related Information:
American Heart Association news release
The American Heart Association recommends eating a diet rich in a variety of colors and types of vegetables and fruits, at least 4.5 cups a day. To learn more visit: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables and Tips to boost fruits and vegetables in your diet
Cooking with white fruits and vegetables can be easy – and healthy. Check out these recipes at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Center:
Cool Cucumber Dip
Modern Tuna Pasta Casserole (add extra cauliflower)
Pear and Cherry Crumble
You're the Cure North Carolina: American Heart Association's NC lobbying and advocacy team.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Heart Facts: The Real Truth
How much do you know about your heart's health? It's easy to be fooled by misconceptions. After all, heart disease only happens to your elderly neighbor or to your fried food-loving uncle, right? Or do you know the real truth - that heart disease affects people of all ages, even those who eat right? Relying on false assumptions can be dangerous to your heart. Cardiovascular disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease. So let's set the record straight on common myths.
"I'm too young to worry about heart disease." How you live now affects your risk for cardiovascular diseases later in life. As early as childhood and adolescence, plaque can start accumulating in the arteries and later lead to clogged arteries.
"I'd know if I had high blood pressure because there would be warning signs." High blood pressure is called the "silent killer" because you don't usually know you have it. You may never experience symptoms, so don't wait for your body to alert you that there's a problem. Check you numbers with a simple blood pressure test.
"I'll know when I'm having a heart attack because I'll have chest pain." Not necessarily. Although it's common to have chest pain or discomfort, a heart attack may cause subtle symptoms. These include shortness of breath, nausea, feeling lightheaded, and pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the jaw, neck or back. Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. Learn your risk of heart attack!
"Diabetes won't threaten my heart as long as I take my medication." Treating diabetes can help reduce your risk for or delay the development of cardiovascular diseases. But even when blood sugar levels are under control, you're still at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. That's because the risk factors that contribute to diabetes onset also make you more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
"Heart disease runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do to prevent it." Although people with a family history of heart disease are at higher risk, you can take steps to dramatically reduce your risk. Create an action plan to keep your heart healthy by tackling these to-dos: get active; control cholesterol; eat better; manage blood pressure; maintain a healthy weight; control blood sugar; and stop smoking.
"I don't need to have my cholesterol checked until I'm middle-aged." You should start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20, even earlier if your family has a history of heart disease. Children in these families can have high cholesterol levels, putting them at increased risk for developing heart disease as adults.
"Heart failure means the heart stops beating." The heart suddenly stops beating during cardiac arrest, not heart failure. With heart failure, the heart keeps working, but it doesn't pump blood as well as it should. It can cause shortness of breath, swelling in the feet and ankles or persistent coughing and wheezing. During cardiac arrest, a person loses consciousness and stops normal breathing.
"This pain in my legs must be a sign of aging. I'm sure it has nothing to do with my heart." Leg pain felt in the muscles could be a sign of peripheral artery disease, which results from blocked arteries in the legs caused by plaque build-up. The risk for heart attack or stroke increases five-fold for people with PAD.
"My heart is beating really fast. I must be having a heart attack." Your heart rate speeds up during exercise or when you get excited, and slows down when you're sleeping. Most of the time, a change in your heartbeat is nothing to worry about. But sometimes, it can be a sign of arrhythmia, an abnormal or irregular heartbeat. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can last long enough to impact how well the heart works and require treatment.
"I should avoid exercise after having a heart attack." No! As soon as possible, get the help you need by joining a cardiac rehabilitation program or consulting your healthcare provider for advice on developing a physical activity plan for you.
Learn more - Check out these informative and educational reads:
Answers by Heart fact sheets (These downloadable patient information sheets are in a question-and-answer format that's brief and easy to follow and read.)
Cardiovascular conditions
Heart-health screenings (includes downloadable quick reference chart!)
Read Linda Pena's story
Getting Healthy
Making crucial healthcare decisions, before an emergency
"I'm too young to worry about heart disease." How you live now affects your risk for cardiovascular diseases later in life. As early as childhood and adolescence, plaque can start accumulating in the arteries and later lead to clogged arteries.
"I'd know if I had high blood pressure because there would be warning signs." High blood pressure is called the "silent killer" because you don't usually know you have it. You may never experience symptoms, so don't wait for your body to alert you that there's a problem. Check you numbers with a simple blood pressure test.
"I'll know when I'm having a heart attack because I'll have chest pain." Not necessarily. Although it's common to have chest pain or discomfort, a heart attack may cause subtle symptoms. These include shortness of breath, nausea, feeling lightheaded, and pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the jaw, neck or back. Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. Learn your risk of heart attack!
"Diabetes won't threaten my heart as long as I take my medication." Treating diabetes can help reduce your risk for or delay the development of cardiovascular diseases. But even when blood sugar levels are under control, you're still at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. That's because the risk factors that contribute to diabetes onset also make you more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
"Heart disease runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do to prevent it." Although people with a family history of heart disease are at higher risk, you can take steps to dramatically reduce your risk. Create an action plan to keep your heart healthy by tackling these to-dos: get active; control cholesterol; eat better; manage blood pressure; maintain a healthy weight; control blood sugar; and stop smoking.
"I don't need to have my cholesterol checked until I'm middle-aged." You should start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20, even earlier if your family has a history of heart disease. Children in these families can have high cholesterol levels, putting them at increased risk for developing heart disease as adults.
"Heart failure means the heart stops beating." The heart suddenly stops beating during cardiac arrest, not heart failure. With heart failure, the heart keeps working, but it doesn't pump blood as well as it should. It can cause shortness of breath, swelling in the feet and ankles or persistent coughing and wheezing. During cardiac arrest, a person loses consciousness and stops normal breathing.
"This pain in my legs must be a sign of aging. I'm sure it has nothing to do with my heart." Leg pain felt in the muscles could be a sign of peripheral artery disease, which results from blocked arteries in the legs caused by plaque build-up. The risk for heart attack or stroke increases five-fold for people with PAD.
"My heart is beating really fast. I must be having a heart attack." Your heart rate speeds up during exercise or when you get excited, and slows down when you're sleeping. Most of the time, a change in your heartbeat is nothing to worry about. But sometimes, it can be a sign of arrhythmia, an abnormal or irregular heartbeat. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can last long enough to impact how well the heart works and require treatment.
"I should avoid exercise after having a heart attack." No! As soon as possible, get the help you need by joining a cardiac rehabilitation program or consulting your healthcare provider for advice on developing a physical activity plan for you.
Learn more - Check out these informative and educational reads:
Answers by Heart fact sheets (These downloadable patient information sheets are in a question-and-answer format that's brief and easy to follow and read.)
Cardiovascular conditions
Heart-health screenings (includes downloadable quick reference chart!)
Read Linda Pena's story
Getting Healthy
Making crucial healthcare decisions, before an emergency
Friday, September 2, 2011
Nancy Brown Talks To Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Did you know heart disease is preventable? Learn more about heart disease prevention by watching Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s documentary, “Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: The Last Heart Attack,” on CNN this Saturday at 8 p.m. EST. As part of this documentary, AHA CEO, Nancy Brown, sat down with CNN to talk about the state of heart health in America.
http://bit.ly/q8mC1y
http://bit.ly/q8mC1y
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Half of Americans could be obese by 2030, report says
If current trends continue, half of the U.S. population will be obese by 2030, according to a report by Columbia University researchers.
About one-third of the U.S. population is now obese. That would grow by 65 million people, reaching a total of about 164 million.
According to the authors, if every obese person decreased their body mass index by 1 percent (a loss of 2 pounds for a 200-pound adult), as many as 2.4 million diabetes cases, 1.7 million cases of heart disease and stroke and 127,000 cancer cases could be prevented. ...more
About one-third of the U.S. population is now obese. That would grow by 65 million people, reaching a total of about 164 million.
According to the authors, if every obese person decreased their body mass index by 1 percent (a loss of 2 pounds for a 200-pound adult), as many as 2.4 million diabetes cases, 1.7 million cases of heart disease and stroke and 127,000 cancer cases could be prevented. ...more
Friday, August 26, 2011
Heartsaver Recognized
The American Heart Association (AHA) and Principal John Wheeler recently honored Cedar Ridge High School faculty members who acted to save the life of a student by performing bystander CPR with the Heartsaver Award.
The “Heartsavers” will be recognized for acting quickly and without reservation during a cardiovascular emergency at the school. In 2009 Cedar Ridge High School faculty saved the life of 17 year-old senior Natalie Hough when she suffered cardiac arrest in the girl’s bathroom due to a previously undiagnosed heart condition called Long QT Syndrome.
Natalie’s parents, Libbie and HB Hough, will join Wheeler and the American Heart Association at today’s school faculty meeting to present the award to the teachers and staff involved in the save.
“It is extremely important that people learn how to perform CPR and be prepared to act when faced with an emergency,” said American Heart Association representative India Lucas. “We are proud to honor the lifesaving actions of the Heartsaver Heroes at Cedar Ridge High School.”
Heart disease is the No.1 killer of Americans. Less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.
The American Heart Association is encouraging the public to learn how to perform CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator. The AHA trains more than 12 million people in CPR annually, including healthcare professionals and the general public.
Learn how to perform Hands Only CPR by visiting http://www.handsonlycpr.org/ and watching a short video, or find a class near you by calling 1-877-AHA-4CPR.
The “Heartsavers” will be recognized for acting quickly and without reservation during a cardiovascular emergency at the school. In 2009 Cedar Ridge High School faculty saved the life of 17 year-old senior Natalie Hough when she suffered cardiac arrest in the girl’s bathroom due to a previously undiagnosed heart condition called Long QT Syndrome.
Natalie’s parents, Libbie and HB Hough, will join Wheeler and the American Heart Association at today’s school faculty meeting to present the award to the teachers and staff involved in the save.
“It is extremely important that people learn how to perform CPR and be prepared to act when faced with an emergency,” said American Heart Association representative India Lucas. “We are proud to honor the lifesaving actions of the Heartsaver Heroes at Cedar Ridge High School.”
Heart disease is the No.1 killer of Americans. Less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.
The American Heart Association is encouraging the public to learn how to perform CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator. The AHA trains more than 12 million people in CPR annually, including healthcare professionals and the general public.
Learn how to perform Hands Only CPR by visiting http://www.handsonlycpr.org/ and watching a short video, or find a class near you by calling 1-877-AHA-4CPR.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Top 10 myths about cardiovascular disease
How much do you really know about your heart’s health? It’s easy to be fooled by misconceptions. After all, heart disease only happens to your elderly neighbor or to your fried food-loving uncle, right? Or do you know the real truth – that heart disease can affect people of any age, even those who eat right? Relying on false assumptions can be dangerous to your heart.
Cardiovascular disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease. But you can boost your heart smarts by separating fact from fiction. Let’s set the record straight on some common myths. The following article sets the record straight on some common misconceptions about cardiovascular disease.
Top 10 myths about cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease. But you can boost your heart smarts by separating fact from fiction. Let’s set the record straight on some common myths. The following article sets the record straight on some common misconceptions about cardiovascular disease.
Top 10 myths about cardiovascular disease.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Last Heart Attack
Did you know heart disease is preventable? Learn more about heart disease prevention by watching Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s documentary, “Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: The Last Heart Attack,” on CNN this Sunday at 8 p.m. EST. As part of this documentary, AHA CEO, Nancy Brown, sat down with CNN to talk about the state of heart health in America.
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