Dear [[First Name|Subscriber]],
When I think of becoming healthy, I think of doctor ordered mandates that take away the things I like to do. I have visions of the doctor telling me to stop eating my favorite foods, telling me to work out on boring gym equipment, or worse, taking up aerobic exercise or running. I think that I may have to cut out all of my salt, fat and coffee, and that every little pleasure I indulge in he will tell me to stop doing. I thought that since I have this frame of mind, that others out there may have it too, shutting us off from becoming healthier, and yes, happier by participating in life, doing fun and healthy things.
Heart Healthy Fun, Facts
and Food
Heart Health Fun Tips
Here are some ways to have fun while promoting heart health:
Laugh, laugh, laugh! The saying, "laughter is the best medicine" is no joke. It has also been shown to relieve stress. An example of findings is a study conducted by the University of Maryland Medical Center. In the study, persons that had suffered heart attacks or received procedures to clear clogged arteries had reported laughing less than persons that were interviewed that did not have heart disease. Studies have pointed to the fact that laughing may boost the immune system, it definitely relieves stress and, yes, good deep belly laughs can even be a workout for the body. It is good for your mind, body and spirit to laugh at least a couple of times a day. Eat dark chocolate. Chocolate is so satisfying for many people and it can taste like pure heaven, but studies also show that the flavonoids and oleic acids from the cocoa butter in the dark chocolate actually assist in keeping you heart healthy. Of course eating anything in excessive amounts is not good, but in moderation can be incorporated into healthy living.
Snack on nuts. Nuts have a good fat that our bodies need. Instead of pulling down that old bag of potato chips while watching your favorite TV show, eat a handful of nuts. Remember, moderation is the key and it is best to make sure the nuts aren’t covered in sugar, salt or loaded with some type of fattening covering on top.
Get a dog. A study funded by the National Institute of Health using 427 subjects who had suffered a heart attack found that a significantly higher number of dog-owners in the study lived over a year regardless of the severity of a heart attack than non-dog owners. Several conducted studies have also shown that blood pressure tends to be lower for pet owners. Pet owners are less lonely, and there is evidence that pet owners may have lower cholesterol and triglycerides as well! Fuzzy friends do more than make your heart sing, they can actually make you healthier! You may become more fit just by walking your pet – it is not just a chore, but a rather enjoyable outing with a best friend!
Hate working out? Then dance! Dancing is a wonderful activity that can be as aerobic as you would like it to be. Have you ever wanted to try a specific type of dance? Many community education programs through colleges and school districts often have very reasonably priced dance classes of many types including line dancing, ballroom dancing, salsa dancing, and more. Senior centers often also have low-priced dance classes available. Not only can you get a workout, but you also get to meet new friends and socialize which is also good for you.
Relax, and take a yoga class. Yoga is also good for the mind, body and spirit. There are varying levels of Yoga. Even the most gentle yoga classes are good at toning and fine tuning the body, while providing a way of relaxation that is very good for the heart. One can learn the therapeutic effects of stress relief of a meditative or relaxed state.
Women Get Ready, Get Set, Get Positive
Regina Lockwood, the Go Red for Women business development director at the Northern Nevada office of the American Heart Association, also submitted an article to be read by all women about maintaining a healthy heart.
Look Up and Live
By Regina Lockwood
Don’t worry, be happy! My husband has an annoying habit of spouting that perky, little phrase whenever I’m grumbling. As if that isn’t bad enough, he likes to follow with advice that being positive is good for your health. Now the real clincher; it turns out he’s correct! (Everything has to happen at least once, right?) Anyway, recent news reported by the American Heart Association reveals that optimistic women do, in fact, have a lower risk of developing heart disease or dying from any cause compared with pessimistic women. Dr. Hilary A. Tundle, M.D., M.P.H, is an assistant professor of medicine at University of Pittsburgh. She reports “The majority of evidence suggests that sustained, high degrees of negativity are hazardous to health.” In fact, those grouchy women in the study had a 16 percent greater chance of dying in the eight-year study period. The more optimistic gals had a nine percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Alright already, I’m going to get in a better mood any second now.
One bit of news that is lifting my spirits, as I lift my wine glass, is the report that moderate drinking may be good for your heart health. (In Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association), A study done shows that moderate drinking resulted in a 35 percent decrease in total death rate and 26 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. (The women in the study drank only a half to one drink per day.)
But, taking care of your heart truly is not a laughing matter and the earlier you start the less likely you are to face life-threatening cardiovascular disease. The AHA advises us to stop counting wrinkles–yes, they really say that, and start counting our cholesterol and triglyceride numbers. In fact, these numbers should be as familiar to you as the numbers in your 401(k), which is also probably very low right now! Anyway, for detailed information about healthy levels for these numbers, visit www.goredforwomen.org. You’ll find all sorts of information, recipes and healthy eating tips, including the advice that it’s healthier to eat with other people because you’ll eat less. I swear my husband had that put in just to get me to fix dinner. Oh, I forgot, I’m being positive now…
For more information about the GoRed program or to contact Regina Lockwood with any questions or comments, e-mail her at regina.lockwood@heart.org or contact her by phone at 775-322-7065. Last, but not least, Regina sent in a heart healthy chicken pot pie recipe.
Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy David Hagedorn
This version of pot-pie is loaded with vegetables, gets rid of the
cream or milk usually called for in other recipes, and the crust is
trans-fat-free.
Serves 8
Ingredients for the chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon picked thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt-free all-purpose seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup crimini or button mushrooms, quartered
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup Pernod (optional)
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Ingredients for the crust
1 and 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup trans fat free margarine spread
3 tablespoons ice water
Directions
Prepare the chicken. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, tarragon, bay leaf, turmeric, salt-free all-purpose seasoning, pepper, salt and sauté for one minute. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and sauté for two minutes. Stir in the flour and coat the vegetables well. Add the Pernod, if using, and chicken stock and stir to blend well. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into a three-quart oval casserole. Cover loosely with foil and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside. To make the crust, placed the flour (and salt, if using) in a medium-sized bowl and add the margarine spread, cut into in one-inch pieces. Cut the margarine and spread into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter (this can all be done in a food processor) until crumbly. Avoid over-working the dough. Add the ice water and mix (pulse in a food processor) until the dough just comes together. Roll the dough between two pieces of film wrap until it matches the size of the casserole. (Hold the dish above the dough to check for correct size.) Peel off the top layer of wrap and bring the casserole next to the dough. Lift the dough by the bottom wrap and use it to help invert the crust onto the casserole. Trim the outside edges of the crust and gently press the dough so that it fits perfectly around the inside perimeter of the casserole dough. Cut eight, evenly spaced 1-inch vents in the dough as demarcations of portions and to release steam while baking. Place the casserole on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let the casserole rest for ten minutes before serving. Serve the pie in a soup plate over a small mound of Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes.
Note: This filling for the pie can be made a day or so in advance. Feel free to put an egg wash (one egg whisked with a tablespoon of water) on the finished pastry before baking if you prefer a sheen on your crust.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving)
Calories 295
Total Fat 9.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.0 g
Cholesterol 33 mg
Sodium 493 mg
Carbohydrates 33 g
Sugar 4 g
Fiber 3 g
Protein 19 g
Dietary Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat
(Last update Dec. 2007)
This recipe is brought to you by the American Heart Association's Face The Fats program. Recipe copyright © 2007 by the American Heart Association. Look for other delicious recipes in American Heart Association cookbooks, available from booksellers everywhere.
Until Next Time...
Shannon Wood
Editor
Innovaging
Your comments are important to us
If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding these topics, or you would like to suggest another topic of interest, please e-mail Shannon at shannonw@lawtonprinting.com.
