Page 3 - TR What Women Want Feb 2016

HEART smart The best (and worst) foods for cardiovascular health
No one wants to hear from their doctors that they have joined the millions of people across the globe to be diagnosed
with heart disease. The Heart Foundation reports that heart disease, which includes diseases of the heart and cardiovascular system and stroke, is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, affecting both men and women and most racial and ethnic groups.
Many factors contribute to the development of heart dis- ease, including smoking, lack of exercise and stress. Diet and whether a person is overweight or obese also can have a direct link to heart health. Diet, particularly for those with diabetes and poorly controlled blood-sugar levels, is a major concern. Worldwide, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults 18 years and old- er were overweight, said Jessica Bradley, a dietitian at Unity Health-Harris Medical Center in Newport.
“Overweight and obesity are linked to more death world- wide than underweight people,” she said. “A raised BMI is a major risk factor for diseases such as heart disease and stroke, which are two of the leading causes of death.”
Bradley said that being overweight or obese can raise blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lower “good” HDL cholesterol.
A variety of foods are considered helpful for maintaining a strong and healthy heart and cardiovascular system, while others can contribute to conditions that may eventually lead to cardiovascular disease or cardiac arrest. Moderation en- ables a person to sample a little of everything, but not to make any one food a habit. The following are some foods to pro- mote heart health and some foods you might want to avoid.
Good
➤ Treenuts:Treenutscontainunsaturatedfatsthatcanhelp lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) and improve HDL (the good stuff). Nuts are also a filling source of protein and other healthy nutrients.
“Foods with fiber, eaten in moderation, have been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure,” said Athan Stoy- iouglou, interventional cardiologist at White River Medical Center in Batesville. “Almonds are a great source of fiber. The rule of thumb is to use your hand to decide the right portion, generally a half cup, or what fits in the palm of your hand.” ➤ Whole grains: Whole grains contain complex carbohy- drates for energy, as well as protein and fiber. Fiber can help scrub cholesterol from the blood, lowering bad cholesterol levels.
➤ Fatty fish: Many cold-water, fatty fish, such as halibut, herring and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Omega-3s can also be found in walnuts, flax- seed and some soy products.
“Chicken and fish have less saturated fat than most red meat,” Bradley said. “The unsaturated fats in fish, such as salmon, actually have health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and some plant sources may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
If consuming red meats, Bradley said to look for lean cuts that usually contain the words round, loin or sirloin on the package. She also recommends trimming off as much fat as possible before cooking, pouring off the melted fat after cooking and using healthier cooking methods, such as baking, broiling, stewing and grilling.
➤ Beans: Beans and other legumes are an excellent source of protein and can be a stand-in for meats that are high in saturated fat. Beans also contain cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and folate, which can reduce blood homocystein levels. The Bean Institute reports that consuming beans may reduce cholesterol levels by roughly 6 to 10 percent.
➤ Raisins:Raisinscontainantioxidantsthatmayhelpreduce inflammation. Inflammation is often linked to heart disease and other debilitating conditions. Fresh produce is also a good source of antioxidants.
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The Continuity Care Clinic at Unity Health-Harris Medical Center provides primary care and disease management in Newport. Located at 1200 McLain St., Suite G, internal-medicine residents are doctors of osteopathic medicine who are fully licensed practitioners. They are residents in training through Unity Health’s inaugural class of the Graduate Medical Education Program. Internal-medicine physicians specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. A benefit of this type of clinic is the focused attention of all four providers, who are closely following the patient’s medical needs. The Continuity Care Clinic is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday. Appointments to see Dr. Wesley Cunningham, Dr. Ziad Ghneim, Dr. Conrad Braaten or Dr. Saw San can be made by calling 870-523-9852.
Cold-water, fatty fish, such as halibut and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy.
Poor
➤ Fried foods: Many fried foods have little nutritional value, as they tend to be high in saturated and trans fats. French fries are particularly bad because they are carbohydrates, fried and then doused in salt.
➤ Red meats: Enjoying a steak is probably not as bad as eating a deep-fried brownie, but it’s best to limit red-meat consump- tion to about 10 percent or less of your diet. Red meats can have a considerable amount of cholesterol, saturated fat and calories. ➤ Added sugars: Sugar can increase blood pressure and tri- glyceride levels. Sugar often hides out in foods that you would not associate with the sweetener. Plus, many people unwittingly consume too much sugar simply through sugar-sweetened beverages and ready-to-eat cereals.
“When looking for a food, you should first look at the nu- trition label to view the sugar count, carbohydrate count, salt count and trans-fat count,” Stoyiouglou said. Stay away from foods that are high in these substances.
Stoyiouglou said to look for words such as syrup, sucrose, glucose, maltose, sweetener, dextrose and lactose to identify hidden sugars. Foods with these words in the ingredients should be eaten in low moderation or avoided completely, he said.
Another suggestion to limit sugar intake is to be mindful of the sugar content of drinks.
“Limit added sugars by avoiding sodas, electrolyte and en- ergy drinks, sweetened iced tea and sweetened coffee drinks,” said Karen Szelinski, clinical dietitian at Unity Health White County Medical Center in Searcy. “Natural fruit juices are high in natural fruit sugar, so watch portion sizes and, instead, use a just a splash of fruit juice to flavor your water. Purchasing plain, unsweetened yogurt and kefir, a dairy drink, can also help avoid unnecessary added sugar.”
➤ Saltyfoods:Leavethesaltshakerinthespicecabinet,and opt for herbs for flavoring, advises the American Heart Associ- ation. High-sodium diets are often to blame for hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease.
—Courtesy of Metro Creative with contributions by Cody Graves, special sections writer
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