06-25-2008, 10:42 PM
http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/30-ways...062-3.html
Daily Changes Between 1950 and 2000, the death rate from heartdisease in the United States plummeted nearly 70 percent, and the deathrate from stroke nearly 80 percent. However, although we're dying ofheart attack and stroke less often, we're still getting cardiovasculardisease just as often. In fact, some factors that put us at risk, suchas obesity and diabetes, have become more common.
1. Ride your bike 20 minutes a day.
2. Eat a piece of dark chocolate several times a week.
3. Have a beer once a day.
4. Take a B vitamin complex every morning.
5. Tape-record yourself at night.
6. Go to bed an hour earlier tonight.
7. Eat fish at least once a week.
8. Eat a high-fiber breakfast cereal at least four times a week.
9. Sprinkle one ounce of ground flaxseed on your cereal or yogurt every day.
10. Make fresh salad dressing with one tablespoon of flaxseed oil.
11. Drink at least two cups of tea a day.
12. Stir a handful of hazelnuts into a vegetable-and-chicken stir-fry.
13. Include beans or peas in four of your dishes every week.
14. Have sex tonight.
It counts as physical activity, which, of course, is good for your
heart. And that may be why Universityof Bristol researchers found that men who have sex at least twice aweek are less likely to have a stroke or other cardiovascular problemsthan men who have it less often. As the researchers put it:"Middle-aged men should be heartened to know that frequent sexualintercourse is not likely to result in a substantial increase in riskof strokes, and that some protection from fatal coronary events may bean added bonus." Women probably stand to benefit too. Yeah, baby!
15. Take a baby aspirin every day.
16. Eat 15 cherries a day.
17. Eat one cup of beans per day.
18. Eat an orange every day.
19. Skip the soda and have orange juice instead.
20. Drink an 8-ounce glass of water every two hours.
A study from Loma Linda University in California found that women whodrank more than five glasses of water a day were half as likely to diefrom a heart attack as those who drank less than two. This is likelydue to the fact that maintaining good hydration keeps blood flowingwell; dehydration can cause sluggish blood flow and increase the riskof clots forming. Water works best when it comes to improving bloodflow; soda is worthless.
21. Cook with ginger or turmeric twice a week.
22. Go to the loo whenever you feel the urge.
23. Ask for next Monday and Friday off. Researchers at theUniversity of Pittsburgh analyzed data on more than 12,000 middle-agedmen from the Framingham Heart Study and found that those who tookregular vacations sliced their risk of death from heart disease by athird. And no, taking along the cell phone, laptop, and a briefcasefull of papers will not help you achieve the stress-reducing effects ofa vacation that, in turn, reduces your risk of heart disease.
24. Drive with the windows closed and the air conditioning on.This reduces your exposure to airborne pollutants, which a Harvardstudy found reduces something called "heart rate variability," or theability of your heart to respond to various activities and stresses.Reduced heart rate variability, also called HRV, has been associatedwith increased deaths among heart attack survivors as well as thegeneral population.
25. Keep a bottle of multivitamins on your kitchen counter
26. Call a friend and arrange dinner. A study published in the journal Heartin April 2004 found that having a very close relationship with anotherperson, whether it's with a friend, lover, or relative, can halve therisk of a heart attack in someone who has already had a heart attack.
27. Pay attention to the basics.
28. Along with exercising every day, take a supplement
29. If you find you're having trouble getting out of bed in themorning, have lost interest in your normal activities, or just feelreally blah, call your doctor. You may be depressed, and untreateddepression significantly increases your risk for a heart attack.
30. Go to the pound this weekend and adopt a dog.
Daily Changes Between 1950 and 2000, the death rate from heartdisease in the United States plummeted nearly 70 percent, and the deathrate from stroke nearly 80 percent. However, although we're dying ofheart attack and stroke less often, we're still getting cardiovasculardisease just as often. In fact, some factors that put us at risk, suchas obesity and diabetes, have become more common.
1. Ride your bike 20 minutes a day.
2. Eat a piece of dark chocolate several times a week.
3. Have a beer once a day.
4. Take a B vitamin complex every morning.
5. Tape-record yourself at night.
6. Go to bed an hour earlier tonight.
7. Eat fish at least once a week.
8. Eat a high-fiber breakfast cereal at least four times a week.
9. Sprinkle one ounce of ground flaxseed on your cereal or yogurt every day.
10. Make fresh salad dressing with one tablespoon of flaxseed oil.
11. Drink at least two cups of tea a day.
12. Stir a handful of hazelnuts into a vegetable-and-chicken stir-fry.
13. Include beans or peas in four of your dishes every week.
14. Have sex tonight.
It counts as physical activity, which, of course, is good for your
heart. And that may be why Universityof Bristol researchers found that men who have sex at least twice aweek are less likely to have a stroke or other cardiovascular problemsthan men who have it less often. As the researchers put it:"Middle-aged men should be heartened to know that frequent sexualintercourse is not likely to result in a substantial increase in riskof strokes, and that some protection from fatal coronary events may bean added bonus." Women probably stand to benefit too. Yeah, baby!
15. Take a baby aspirin every day.
16. Eat 15 cherries a day.
17. Eat one cup of beans per day.
18. Eat an orange every day.
19. Skip the soda and have orange juice instead.
20. Drink an 8-ounce glass of water every two hours.
A study from Loma Linda University in California found that women whodrank more than five glasses of water a day were half as likely to diefrom a heart attack as those who drank less than two. This is likelydue to the fact that maintaining good hydration keeps blood flowingwell; dehydration can cause sluggish blood flow and increase the riskof clots forming. Water works best when it comes to improving bloodflow; soda is worthless.
21. Cook with ginger or turmeric twice a week.
22. Go to the loo whenever you feel the urge.
23. Ask for next Monday and Friday off. Researchers at theUniversity of Pittsburgh analyzed data on more than 12,000 middle-agedmen from the Framingham Heart Study and found that those who tookregular vacations sliced their risk of death from heart disease by athird. And no, taking along the cell phone, laptop, and a briefcasefull of papers will not help you achieve the stress-reducing effects ofa vacation that, in turn, reduces your risk of heart disease.
24. Drive with the windows closed and the air conditioning on.This reduces your exposure to airborne pollutants, which a Harvardstudy found reduces something called "heart rate variability," or theability of your heart to respond to various activities and stresses.Reduced heart rate variability, also called HRV, has been associatedwith increased deaths among heart attack survivors as well as thegeneral population.
25. Keep a bottle of multivitamins on your kitchen counter
26. Call a friend and arrange dinner. A study published in the journal Heartin April 2004 found that having a very close relationship with anotherperson, whether it's with a friend, lover, or relative, can halve therisk of a heart attack in someone who has already had a heart attack.
27. Pay attention to the basics.
28. Along with exercising every day, take a supplement
29. If you find you're having trouble getting out of bed in themorning, have lost interest in your normal activities, or just feelreally blah, call your doctor. You may be depressed, and untreateddepression significantly increases your risk for a heart attack.
30. Go to the pound this weekend and adopt a dog.
