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February 22nd 2010

Brookfield 262-780-6350 | Delafield 262-646-5444 | Wauwatosa 414-453-9800| Woodbury, MN 651-436-8137

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Heart Disease Facts Every Woman Should Know

By Anne Cain, R.D.

Learn the facts about women and heart disease and nine ways to reduce your risk.

More women than men die of heart disease each year and they often exhibit signs and symptoms that are different than men's. Plus, there are additional risk factors that affect women more than men. Women of all ages should take heart disease prevention seriously as it's the leading cause of death for women 65 years and older, the second leading cause for women 45 to 64, and the third leading cause for women between the ages of 25 and 44.

Different Heart Attack Symptoms
Although the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women is chest pressure or pain, it's not always severe or even the most prominent symptom in women. Women are more likely than men to have subtle signs such as neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness, dizziness, or unusual fatigue. This may be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries, but also in the smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart. Because their symptoms are not those typically associated with a heart attack, many women tend to seek care after heart damage has already occurred.
Additional Risks for Women
Certainly the usual risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity affect women as well as men, but there are other factors that may play a larger role in women. Those factors include metabolic syndrome (a combination of abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides), low levels of estrogen after menopause, smoking, and mental stress and depression. Depression is twice as common in women as men, and the risk of heart disease in people who are depressed is two to three times higher than those who aren't depressed.

Prevention for Women
The American Heart Association recommends the following guidelines to reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Do not smoke or use tobacco.

• Exercise. If you need to lose or keep off weight, you should get at least 60 - 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days. To maintain your weight, get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, preferably at least 5 days a week.

• Join a cardiac rehabilitation program if you have recently had a heart attack, angina, angioplasty, or a stent procedure.

• Eat a heart-healthy diet. The diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, fish at least twice a week, legumes, lean proteins, limited amounts of saturated and trans fats and a moderate intake of monounsaturated fats.

• Maintain a healthy weight. Strive for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 and a waist smaller than 35 inches.

• Manage stress and get checked and treated for depression, if necessary.

• Ask your doctor about taking omega-3 fatty acids supplements.

• Keep blood pressure under 120/80 mm Hg. Talk to you doctor about whether you need blood pressure medications.

• Talk to your doctor about aspirin therapy (dose 75 mg to 325 mg a day). Aspirin therapy is recommended for women over age 65 to prevent heart attack and stroke as long as blood pressure is controlled and the benefit is likely to outweigh the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Regular use of aspirin is not usually recommended for healthy women under age 65 to prevent heart attacks.

February 2010

Recipe of the Week

Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Start with an apricot fruit spread to concoct a sauce that transforms simply prepared chicken breasts into this elegant dish.

Prep: 4 minutes; Cook: 14 minutes
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 1/2 tablespoons apricot-lemon sauce)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Preparation
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.
3. Add apricot spread, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with lemon rind.

Nutrition Together Food Weight = 2.5

Quotes of The Week!
	“The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.” John Wooden

Passport to Health and Fitness
Don't Let A Friend Fly Solo

Collect Your Gifts: When we receive your referrals, we'll send you a thank you gift to let you know how much we sincerely appreciate the trust you have placed in us by referring a friend, associate or family member. With every referral you will also be entered into a drawing for our Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly travel get away prizes.

Simply click here or log on to www.ftpassport.com to enter your friends and family members to receive a complimentary introductory session and free gift when they com in for their session. Passports are also available in the studio, for you convenience.

Skipping Meals Not a Good Weight-Loss Strategy

Skipping meals is discouraged as a weight-loss strategy. Although it might seem that cutting out a whole meal’s worth of calories would lead to weight loss, studies show that this strategy rarely works.

Most people who skip a meal and its 300 to 600 calories usually increase how much they eat at other meals in the day by at least the same amount of calories. These people, like others who come to a meal overly hungry, tend to eat rapidly, which makes it difficult for them to sense when they’ve had enough.

People who skip meals may also snack more. Although the snacks might be small in size, they can add up to a substantial number of calories and replace the calories missed at a meal.

Furthermore, even if you manage to keep a low daily total of calories for a few days by skipping meals, weight loss requires reduced calorie consumption over an extended period of time. Meal-skipping that leads to considerable under-eating for a few days often results in more days of overeating.

Source: “Nutrition Wise” by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org.

Top 5 Tips for a Healthier Spine

Paul Santiago, MD; Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
Mary Claire Walsh; SpineUniverse Staff Writer

When considering our quality of life, we often take our backs for granted. But a healthy spine is essential to our overall health. Want to keep your spine healthy? Here's how:

Keep Moving!
No matter what age you are, regular physical activity is an important way to stay healthy. Try to incorporate these 3 types of exercise into your exercise routine:
• Range of motion exercises - such as stretching and bending. Do these every day to keep joints flexible and relieve stiffness.
• Strengthening exercises - such as with weights or machines. Make sure to get instruction in the proper use of exercise equipment to avoid injury. Do these every day to increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect the spine.
• Aerobic exercises - activity such as walking, biking, tennis, swimming.

Lose that Weight!
The more you weigh, the greater the stress on your spine. If you are overweight, losing even 10%-15% of your body weight can help keep your spine healthy. Losing weight will also make you feel better and more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Sleep Well (zzz)
We all know it's important to get plenty of rest. But what we rest on is also important. A mattress that does not offer enough support for your spine can lead to muscle fatigue and a poor night's sleep. A good mattress allows you to rest in a neutral position; muscles are relaxed and sleep is more refreshing. If you are having trouble sleeping or find that you wake in the morning more tired than when you went to bed, take a good look at where and how you sleep.

Listen to Your Mother
Our mothers have been telling us for years not to slouch, but now it's time to really listen. Good posture keeps your body in balance and helps avoid excessive stress on your spine. Here's what good posture looks like when standing:
• Feet slightly apart
• Knees straight
• Chin slightly tucked in
• Shoulders back
Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Are your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles aligned in one straight line?

Checks and Balances
See your doctor regularly for check-ups. If you are experiencing neck and back pain, be sure to get it checked out. Left untreated, some spinal conditions will continue to worsen and may have serious health consequences.

Brookfield 262.780.6350 | Delafield 262.646.5444 | Wauwatosa 414.453.9800 | Woodbury, MN 651.436.8137