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Eat Your Way to Heart Health
What is a prudent anti-aging approach to heart health? While the benefits of cardiovascular activity are well-established and often receive the bulk of attention when discussing heart health, the scientific literature suggests a number of nutritional approaches also are worthy of consideration for achieving optimal cardiac fitness. Here are three you can incorporate into your daily diet starting today. Talk to your doctor for more information.
The Power of (Healthy) Protein. Previous studies have linked consumption of red meat to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Adam Bernstein, from Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues studied data collected on 84,136 women, ages 30 to 55, enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study. The research team examined the women's medical histories and lifestyles, including dietary habits, and tracked the incidence of non-fatal heart attacks and fatal coronary heart disease for 26 years.
Women who consumed two servings per day of red meat, as compared to those who consumed only half a serving per day, had a 30 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. By comparison, the data also showed that eating more servings of protein sources such as poultry, fish and nuts was significantly associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to eating one serving each day of red meat, women who substituted other protein-rich foods experienced a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Where's the Watermelon? Watermelon is a rich natural source of L-citrulline, a compound closely related to L-arginine, which is crucial to the formation of nitric oxide, which helps to widen blood vessels and thereby mediate blood pressure. Arturo Figueroa, from Florida State University, and colleagues evaluated four men and five women, average age 54 years, with pre-hypertension (134/77 ± 5/3 mmHg). Subjects were randomly assigned to six weeks of watermelon supplementation or placebo, followed by a four-week washout period and then crossover. The team found that supplementation with 6 grams of L-citrulline from watermelon improved arterial function and lowered aortic blood pressure in all pre-hypertensive subjects.
Healthy Fats, Healthy Heart? Low HDL (high-density lipoprotein, "good" cholesterol) levels and high LDL (low-density lipoprotein, "bad" cholesterol) levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. David Jenkins, from St. Michael's Hospital (Ontario, Canada), and colleagues recruited 17 men and 7 postmenopausal women to complete a very low saturated fat diet before being randomly assigned to either a high-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diet or a low- MUFA diet. Both groups of patients were assigned to a specific vegetarian diet that included oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant, okra, soy, almonds and a plant sterol-enriched margarine.
In the high-MUFA group, the researchers substituted 13 percent of calories from carbohydrates with a high-MUFA sunflower oil, with the option of a partial exchange with avocado oil. The team found significant reductions in blood cholesterol levels over the two-month study period for participants, with the replacement of 13 percent of total calories from carbohydrate by monounsaturated fats in the dietary portfolio resulting in a 12.5 percent increase in HDL and 35 percent reduction in LDL.
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Meditation, Not Medication
Antidepressants have been the mainstay treatment for depression, an approach that has garnered significant criticism over the years from those who believe the drugs are widely overprescribed and unsafe. For example, in some cases, antidepressants appear to actually increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors; certainly not a desired consequence for anyone, but particularly for someone suffering from depression.
Now for some good news: Research is suggesting alternative treatments may be as effective as - and definitely safer than - antidepressant medications. Case in point: a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry that suggests meditation benefits depression patients in remission from the disorder.
In the study, patients who learned how to meditate 40 minutes a day instead of taking antidepressant medication were as likely to avoid a relapse as patients taking antidepressants or a placebo (an inactive pill patients believed contained medication to help them control their depression symptoms).
Keep in mind that depression, particularly major depressive disorder, goes far beyond "feeling blue"; symptoms can severely impact home, school and work life. For additional information about depression including the warning signs, visit the NIMH Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/index.shtml.
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Extraordinary Exercises
Here's a common snag with people who exercise consistently, especially during the first few months of a new year: You don't look forward to doing the same exercises you did last year. Although squats, push-ups, lunges and pull-ups are the foundation for most, if not all exercises, they can get monotonous over time and your body could do the thing we don't want it to do: plateau. If your body plateaus, it means it essentially gets used to the exercises and figures out a way to burn less calories efficiently. That means a less productive workout for you, which is never a good thing. Here are some challenging variations on common exercises that will take your workout from ordinary to extraordinary:
"Uchimata" Push-Up Variation: From a one-leg push-up position and squeezing the glute (buttock) of your support leg, slowly lower your body as one unit until your chest grazes the floor and pause for a count. From there, use your glute to slowly raise your lifted leg as high as you can without overly hyperextending your lower back. Then push back up to the starting position, switch sides and repeat for time. The one-leg lift really increases the demands on your core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings; and since it shifts your weight forward onto your hands, it really challenges your shoulders, too.
Vertical Squat Jump: Stand in the start position for a body-weight squat, then squat down and jump up as high as possible.
Lunge Hops: Start in the bottom of a split-squat position (one leg in front, one in back). Your front thigh should be parallel to the floor, your torso upright and your abs braced. Jump up explosively and switch leg positions in the air. Your back leg becomes the front leg, and vice-versa. Absorb the landing with your muscles. Keep your abs braced and torso upright. Alternate sides without resting between sides. Repeat for 10 reps total.
Inverted Rows: Set a bar at hip height in the Smith machine or squat rack. Lie underneath the bar and grab it a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart. Row (pull) yourself up the top position with your upper back and lats. Keep the abs braced and body in a straight line from toes (knees) to shoulders. Slowly return to the start position. Repeat for 10 reps. (For beginner inverted rows - keep feet on the ground.)
Hope these twists on some original exercises get you excited and ready for a new, better you in 2011. After all, having an arsenal of exercises that you can do safely and effectively is the only true way to lose weight, gain strength and stay healthy in the long term. Now go out there and get started! Remember to talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine, particularly if you have a health condition that could impact performance or safety.
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