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Life Hacks, Foods, and Habits for A Healthy Heart!

We know heart disease is not the most pleasant thing to think about, especially because it is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., but there is a silver lining. Heart disease is up to 80% preventable, so why not learn some important information and ways to take action?

Nearly 82 million Americans suffer from some form of a cardiovascular disease. Ischaemic heart disease is the deadliest form, causing over 12% of all deaths worldwide. This condition arises when fat deposits cause the narrowing of arteries, resulting in a reduction of blood supply to the heart. This is usually characterized by chest pains and it puts patients at risk for stroke and heart attack.

Did you know?

Every 34 seconds someone in the United States has a heart attack, and every minute someone dies from a heart disease related event?

Luckily your risk can be seriously lowered with dietary and lifestyle changes.

Prevention includes quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising. Furthermore, certain foods work to prevent plaque formation and eventual blockage!

Preventing Heart Disease: Life Hacks

Sleep

Snooze within the “sleep sweet spot”

Too little sleep can place you at a 48% higher risk of developing heart disease, while sleeping too much gives you a 38% higher chance. The perfect sleep balance is found between 7-8 hours.

Snuggle

Make time for that extra lovin’

Snuggling actually reduces stress because touch induces the release of oxytocin, a natural de-stressor that also works to reduce blood pressure.

Laugh

There is a reason it is called a “Hearty laugh”

Laughing really is the best medicine! It causes blood vessels to dilate by 22%, increasing blood flow and reducing heart pressure.

Get Moving

Today is your day!

Exercise Regularly

At least 30 minutes of exercise a day significantly reduces chances of developing heart disease.

Maintain Your Ideal Weight

Obesity increases risks of developing heart disease.

Step Away from That Remote!

Those who sit in front of the television for 4 or more hours a day are 80% more likely to die from heart disease.

Hydrate

"Pure water is the world's first and foremost medicine." -Slovakian Proverb

Water

Aim to drink 7-8 cups of water per day.

Coffee

Drinking 1-3 cups of coffee a day can lead to a 20% decrease in hospitalizations for abnormal heart rhythms.

Green Tea

Green tea contains the antioxidant catechin that stops the body from absorbing cholesterol and also helps to ward off obesity.
Enjoy 1-2 cups per day for maximum benefits.

De-stress

Don't forget to close your eyes and .... breathe!

Yoga

Yoga is a great way to focus and relax. Not only is it a natural way to reduce stress, yoga has been shown to be an effective non-cardio workout that significantly reduces risk of heart disease

Mediation

To kick-start your mediation practice or to take it to the next level, check out the albums recorded by Inner Splendor Media

Minimize Traffic Time

Beyond the emotional stress that is usually caused by traffic, the noise can be harmful for your heart's well-being as well. For every 10 decibels of added roadway traffic noise, the risk of heart attack increases by 12%.

Dogs

Better known as man's best friend

Dog owners have reported lower blood pressure numbers, less stress and weight loss benefits!

Don’t Smoke

If you smoke, please quit! Smoking is the most significant risk factor in heart disease development.

Heredity

It is important to know if you have genetic risk factors for heart disease. If it is in your family history, a preventative lifestyle is even more imperative.

Get Screenings Done

Going in for regular health checks and screening is highly recommended by cardiologists, regardless if you are at a high or a low risk.

DIET
Beyond our lifestyle tips, managing your diet is extremely important in preventing heart disease.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Avocado consumption reduces bad cholesterol levels up to 17% and increases your good cholesterol.
Olive oil reduces bad cholesterol and provides the body with healthy fats.
Nuts promote optimal heart health as they contain the healthy fats needed to lower bad cholesterol levels in the body.
- Walnuts and almonds are great! Just half a handful a day provides you with adequate nutrition.

Fish

The healthy fats found in certain fish help to increase good cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels and decrease inflammation.
- Salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring are all great for reaping optimal benefits. Aim to replace red meat with 12 ounces of one of these fish on a weekly basis!

Whole grain

The soluble fiber in whole grains helps to lower bad cholesterol because it sticks to the cholesterol, removes it and prevents it from building up in the arteries.
- Oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat breads and cereals are great whole grain sources.

VEGETABLES

Asparagus works hard to unclog the arteries by removing clots and decreasing inflammation.
Broccoli prevents calcium from damaging the arteries due to its high vitamin K content. It helps to lower cholesterol and aids in healthy blood pressure regulation.
Spirulina algae is rich in minerals, vitamin, carotenoids, powerful antioxidants and proteins. Regular consumption helps to regulate healthy blood pressure and relax the walls of the arteries.
Spinach is rich in both potassium and folate. It unclogs the arteries and decreases blood pressure. Consumed regularly, fresh spinach can reduce your risk of heart disease by as much as 11 %.

FRUIT

Persimmons are rich in both polyphenols and fiber. Fiber helps to prevent cholesterol buildup and polyphenols are a compound that works to reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol. Furthermore, this fruit is very high in antioxidants, which offers an extra overall protective effect!
Pomegranates are rich in phytochemicals that encourage nitric oxide production, which then prevents artery clogging and regulates blood flow.
Cranberries are excellent for the heart because they contain a rich source of potassium. Drinking pure cranberry juice regularly can result in a 40 % reduction in heart disease risk.
Watermelon is not only refreshing! It also helps to widen blood vessels by stimulating nitric oxide production. This is aided by L-Citrulline, a type of antioxidant. Just a cup of fresh watermelon each day offers these amazing benefits.
Orange Juice in it's pure form is full of antioxidants that work to improve blood vessel function and help prevent high blood pressure.
Berries are more than a great low sugar and low calorie snack! Eating 3 or more servings of berries per week cut the risk of heart attack among women by 32%. Both blueberries and raspberries are a great choice.

SPICES

Turmeric contains curcumin that helps eliminate fatty deposits and decreasing inflammation.
Cinnamon offers up to a 26% reduction in bad cholesterol. It also helps to stop plaque buildup on the walls of the arteries.

Heart disease is a serious issue. Luckily taking action today can make a big difference in your and your loved ones' tomorrows!

AUTHOR: Gal Shyli Dayan

Sources:

http://wordlesstech.com/prevent-heart-disease-with-these-healthy-tips/

http://www.simplehouseholdtips.com/the-best-artery-cleansing-foods.html

http://thepaleomama.com/2013/11/how-im-healing-cavities-without-dentistry/

http://www.mapsofworld.com/infographics/poll/preventing-heart-disease-are-we-doing-enough-text.html

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/7-ways-prevent-and-even-reverse-heart-disease-nutrition1

http://penn-heart-vascular.pennmedicine.org/2013/02/heart-disease-risk-factors-prevention-infographic.html

http://www.driscolls.com/nutrition-health/health-benefits/heart-health/raspberries-for-heart-health?crlt.pid=camp.hz7ftJybMG91

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/conditions/heart-disease/yoga-heart-disease/

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/fight-heart-disease-with-these-heart-healthy-foods.html

http://positivemed.com/2012/04/22/heart-disease/

The Judean Palm Tree: Redefining "Back From The Dead"!

One 2,000-year-old Judean Palm Tree seed has been keeping very busy!

Considered to be extinct, the ancient Judean palm tree, nicknamed Methuselah after the oldest person named in the Old Testament of the Bible, has not only been sprouting- it has recently started pollinating!

So what is this tree all about?

The Judean Palm Tree was once found in Israel in great abundance, but became extinct around 500 AD due to conquests in the region. Historically speaking, the palm tree was recognized as a symbol of the Judean Desert as it was an integral source of food, shelter and shade for thousands of years.

This tree also provided food for the Jews who protected the fortress of Masada from the Romans in 70 A.D., before they killed themselves to avoid surrender after the two year siege. Ancient records document the Jews’ plight, including the contents and locations of their food stores. Sure enough, dates from the Judean Palm were cited as an important source of nourishment for the Jews at Masada.

The tree became a thing of legend until, in the 1960s, excavations at the site of Herod the Great’s palace at Masada unearthed some old seeds hidden in a clay jar dating back 2,000 years.

The seeds were stored away until 2005, when Sarah Sallon, director of the Hadassah Medical Organization's Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center in Jerusalem, hoped to find unique medicinal properties that are not seen in the dates produced by the palms of today.

Ms. Sallon launched the Germination of Ancient Seed Program in conjunction with her Middle Eastern Medicinal Plant project, through which she works with Palestinian and Jordanian neighbors to develop and conserve the medicinal plants of the area. "Plants have no borders,” Ms. Sallon has expressed. Furthermore, she believes in the potential to be found in their medicinal properties.

To be able to study the potential of the fruit, the ancient seed needed to be resurrected!

The seeds were then passed to Elaine Solowey, the director of the experimental orchard and NMRC cultivation site at Kibbutz Ketura in Israel. Elaine planted one of the ancient seeds to see if anything would sprout. She has said, “I had to think very hard how I could sprout them, because you only get one chance."

Amazingly, the seed did sprout and Methuselah became the oldest known tree to germinate!

Since 2005, the tree has grown to reach 10 feet and, in 2011, it pollinated to produce its first flower. In March of this year, news came out that not only has Methuselah been producing more flowers, his pollen has been effective in pollinating with a wild female of another, but similar, species to create delicious dates!

Today, the team continues to work with palms from ancient seeds found in archaeological sites around the Dead Sea to eventually plant an ancient date grove. However, they are still searching for a female of the Judean Palm species to assure the survival of the tree. The researchers hope that these new dates can be used as they were in ancient times, when date palms were known to cure many diseases and infections, promote longevity, and act as a mild aphrodisiac. This will be a truly fascinating way to get a taste of history!

Author: Gal Shyli Dayan

Sources:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080612-oldest-tree.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/051122-old-plant-seed-food/

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/extinct-tree-grows-anew-after-archaeologists-dig-ancient-seed-stockpile.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judean_date_palm

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/date-palm-grown-2000-year-old-seed-dad.html

http://www.haaretz.com/life/archaeology/.premium-1.649823

Busted: The Industry Selling Us Fake Herbal Supplements

In 2013, a Canadian Government study found that there are at least 65,000 dietary supplement being sold in America, and over 150 million Americans buying them consistently. Herbal supplement sales made an estimated $6 billion in 2013 alone. Needless to say, we're talking about a hugely profitable industry.

However, recent DNA tests of big brand herbal supplements are discovering the truth about these outrageous earnings. Do herbal supplements sell like hot cakes? Yes. Are the big-brand supplement companies saving tons of cash by loading pills with cheap ingredients and lying on the labels? Absolutely.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman commissioned an involved DNA study of thousands of bottles of store-brand herbal supplements. The results were shocking enough to warrant cease-and-desist letters to Target, GNC, Walmart and Walgreens, demanding that mislabeled supplements be taken off the shelves.

Four of the five tested products (which claimed to benefit a variety of ailments ranging from depression to prostate issues), were found to contain none of the ingredients listed on the bottle. Instead, cheap fillers such as wheat, beans, rice, and even house plants were discovered in these pills.

As Schneiderman pointed out, this is a huge liability issue. Individuals with certain food and plant allergies are being put at risk whenever they ingest a mislabeled supplement. For this reason, it has been strongly advised that those with various dietary restrictions resist purchasing big-brand supplements for good.

In one of the tests, all of which took place at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, Walmart-brand pills said to contain echinacea, an immune-boosting herb, showed not a single trace of echinacea DNA. GNC-brand products marketed to contain St. John's Wort actually held garlic, rice, and a tropical house plant. Ginseng pills were found lacking any amount ginseng. This list goes on and on.

The company with the most shocking test results was Walmart, where only 4% of the products had DNA from the plants listed on the labels. Each product was tested at least five times, on three to four samples of each supplement.

GNC and Walgreen's have agreed to give the Attorney General detailed information on production and quality control, while suspending the sale of certain supplements. Walmart is flat out refuting the claims, stating that their own studies show no such disparity between labeling and product content. Still, Walmart will comply by removing some products from their shelves in the state of New York.

It is clear that the supplement industry is in major need of reform. In the meantime, consumers are becoming more conscious about their supplement intake and are switching to small-brand, organically certified pills.

Non-labeled fillers that the tests discovered ranged from citrus, pine, and primrose to wild carrot and even unidentified, non-plant material.

Do you know what's in your pills?

Author: Nate Morgan

Learn more at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/05/herbal-supplements-fake-health-canada_n_6624762.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2015/02/03/cease-and-desist-orders-hit-walmart-walgreens-and-others-for-herbal-supplement-sales/

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/buyer_beware_gnc_walmart_target_walmart_new_york_a.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/snake-oil-supplements_n_6602940.html
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/dna-barcoding-new-york-dietary-supplement