Sister to Sister

As a woman, you may feel that a heart attack is not the greatest risk you face. But the threat is very real, especially in the years leading up to and following menopause, when hormonal changes can open the door to heart disease. Understanding the heart attack symptoms in women, as well as signs of early cardiac troubles, and your own risk factors for cardiovascular disease, can significantly increase your chances of survival.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer of women in America, accounting for over one-third of all deaths. That's more than the combined death rates from breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers.

Heart Attack Warnings Can Be Subtle

Studies on cardiac events in women reveal that many women may experience prodromal -- or early -- symptoms of cardiac distress in the days, weeks, or even months leading up to a heart attack. Unfortunately, many of these signs may be dismissed as nothing out of the ordinary -- by both women and their doctors. The most common early warning signs include:

Unusual fatigue -- Fatigue is a common complaint and one that may indicate that you're simply missing out on sleep, fighting a virus, overextending yourself, or experiencing a side effect to medication. But unusual or extreme fatigue may also be an early heart attack symptom or a warning sign of heart disease. In one study, more than 70% of the women surveyed experienced marked fatigue in the days or weeks prior to their heart attacks.

Sleep disturbances -- Although it's not unusual to feel tired due to a lack of sleep or a particularly demanding week or month, you should take special notice of any unusual or prolonged disturbance in your sleep patterns. A recent study revealed that almost half of the women who had recently suffered a heart attack also experienced sleep disturbances in the days or weeks leading up to their attacks.

Shortness of breath during normal daily activities, indigestion, and anxiety may also be early heart attack signs or symptoms of cardiac distress in women.

So how do you know if your symptoms are serious? Getting into the habit of noting your typical aches and pains and your normal reactions to foods and activities may help you recognize when something is truly amiss. Also, remember that if you have risk factors for heart disease, you should be especially vigilant about monitoring how you feel -- particularly if any of your usual symptoms are often early heart attack signs. If you experience worrisome or unusual changes in your energy level, comfort, or sleep habits, you should discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider, especially if you have heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, a smoking habit, or a sedentary lifestyle.

Acute Symptoms in Women

Although chest pain is considered to be one of the classic signs of a heart attack in both women and men, the sudden, violent chest convulsions portrayed on TV or in movies may not be experienced by all women.

Fortunately, we now know of several more moderate signals a woman's body sends to alert her that she is having a heart attack.

Severe chest pain may occur during a heart attack, but women also report pain or discomfort in other areas of the body before or during a heart attack. Pressure, tightness, aching, or burning in your upper back, neck, shoulders, and arms, or even in the jaw or throat can be signs of heart distress. Women have also described the discomfort as a sharpness, a fullness, or a tingling.

Shortness of breath, fatigue, stomach pain, cold sweats, dizziness, indigestion, or nausea also may occur during the acute phase of a heart attack.

Learning about the many different acute symptoms of heart attack can help ensure that you seek emergency care when you need it. Keep in mind that not all of these symptoms occur in every attack, and some symptoms may go away and then return.

Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack

As a woman, after 40, your risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) starts to rise as your body stops producing estrogen naturally and your cholesterol levels increase. Although taking estrogen through hormone replacement therapy was initially thought to protect against CHD, clinical trials have found that it does not offer cardiac protection and may increase the risk of heart disease and ovarian and breast cancers.

So what can you do to protect your heart and reduce your risk of heart attack? Plenty.Controlling your cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight can greatly reduce your risk of heart attack.

Start with these seven steps:

1. Check your blood pressure regularly. If it's high, and you are prescribed medication, take it exactly as directed, even if you feel fine.
2. Stop smoking, if you smoke. Try this plan, or ask your doctor for help.
3. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, and low-fat dairy to get your daily dose of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
4. Choose healthful unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
5. Reduce stress levels at home and at work. Try this deep-breathing technique.
6. Limit your alcohol intake to no more than one glass per day.
7. Get 30 minutes of exercise every day, and keep your weight within healthy limits.

Don't Ignore How You Feel

Research shows that women tend to ignore signs of illness or attribute their symptoms of cardiac distress to something else. If you are feeling unusual fatigue or pain and discomfort, don't dismiss it. The fact that warning signs may occur as much as 1 month before an attack gives you valuable time to seek medical care that may save your life.

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If you are one of the millions of Americans with coronary artery disease, adopting an exercise program could help lower your risk factors. This February marks “Go Red For Women,”an effort to raise awareness about women and heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, “Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America.” Worldwide statistics according to WomensHeart.org include, “8.6 million women dying from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women.”

Here in America, the site tracked, “267,000 women dying each year from heart attacks, with another 31,837 women dying each year of congestive heart failure, representing 62.6-percent of all heart failure deaths.”

An even more daunting statistic is the mortality rate of women to men, “Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen.”

According to the American Heart Association, “Heart disease – also called cardiovascular disease – is a simple term used to describe several problems related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. As the plaque builds up, the arteries narrow, making it more difficult for blood to flow and creating a risk for heart attack or stroke.”

The good news is that through exercise we can take control and not become a rising statistic in this epidemic, but it does involve physical effort.

The American Heart Association said our lifestyle could play a role in our inactivity which contributes to heart disease. “It is more difficult today to create an active lifestyle. People are less active due to technology and better mass transportation.”

Ladies, we should take the suggestions of the AHA and start walking to prevent heart disease. “Studies show that for every hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by two hours.”

While the statistics may seem overwhelming, there is hope that walking or increasing your mobility gives you the power to control your risk factors. Studies show that regular physical activity can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease.

The AHA suggests at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise. That breaks down, according to the AHA to 30 minutes a day, five times a week. If you are unable to sustain that level it also okay to break it down into ten or fifteen minute intervals throughout the day.

As always, it is important to consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. It is my experience as a trainer in seeing tremendous improvement when someone begins exercising while also consulting with a physician.

With proper training and monitoring, you will not only decrease your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, you’ll improve all aspects of your life.

Sources:

“Go Red For Women – Heart.org.” Amercian Heart Association. Web 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG

“Women and Heart Disease Facts, WomensHeart.org.” Women’s Heart Foundation. Web 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.womensheart.org/content/heartdisease/heart_disease_facts.asp

“American Heart Association Guidelines– Heart.org.” Amercian Heart Association. Web 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalki...

“Get Moving. Where do I start? – Heart.org.” Amercian Heart Association. Web 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalki...

“The Price of Inactivity – Heart.org.” Amercian Heart Association. Web 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalki...

Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training.

Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.

Reviewed February 7, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

Heart disease is one of the more interesting conditions of our generation simply because there are many actions we can take proactively to help prevent heart disease from developing, or if we have heart disease, to improve our outcome.

One of the ways to improve heart health is by lowering stress levels, controlling high blood pressure, and improving blood cholesterol levels. If you’re looking for a fun, relaxing activity to spice up your day and keep your heart healthy, why not consider yoga?

More than 4000 years old, the practice of yoga originated in India. Using breathing, meditation, stretching, and poses and postures, yoga focuses on the mind-body connection promoting both physical and emotional well-being.

The founder of Cardiac Yoga, and president of Positive Health Solutions, M. Mala Cunningham, PhD, believes that the practice of yoga will prevent and even reverse heart disease.

“Hand in hand with leading a heart-healthy lifestyle, it really is possible for a yoga-based model to help prevent or reverse heart disease. It may not completely reverse it, but you will definitely see benefits,” said Cunningham. (AHA 1)

Yoga practitioners exhibit an increase in flexibility, strength, and muscle tone. Practitioners report lower stress levels and improvement in blood pressure levels.

Yoga has also been demonstrated to improve lung capacity, heart rate, circulation, and respiratory function.

It’s proven particularly effective for dealing with the stress associated with a cardiac event such as a heart attack and post-heart attack depression which is frequently experienced by some cardiac patients.

A 2009 study conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee, in Uttrakhand, India, found that yoga practitioners had higher rates of heart rate variability, or HRV, than non-yoga practitioners.

HRV is an indicator of how healthy the heart is. People with cardiac problems generally have lower HRV rates than those with healthy hearts. In the Institute’s study, HRV rates were higher in yoga practitioners even when no cardiac condition was present and had healthier hearts than non-yoga practitioners.

There are many different types so if you’re new to yoga, it’s important to select the class that’s right for you. For those concerned with heart health, Cunningham recommended selecting a trained cardiac medical yoga instructor to maximize the benefits to your heart.

Despite the fact that some types of yoga, such as Ashtanga, can be quite vigorous, the American Heart Association does not consider yoga to meet the requirements for weekly physical activity so yoga should be treated as an addition to your lifestyle and not a substitution for your regular workout.

Sources:

Yoga and Heart Health. American Heart Association. 02 Feb 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalki...

Inderscience Publishers (2009, November 9). Yoga boosts heart health, new research finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 5, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121216.htm

Deepak Chopra, M.D. Weekly Health Tip: Yoga’s Health Benefits. The Huffington Post. 18 Jul 2011.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/yoga-heart-health_b_900621.html

Reviewed February 6, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

Every day, I am looking for exciting new healthy recipes to cook and prepare for my family. I have surfed through dozens of websites looking for easy-to-prepare healthy meals.

Some of my favorite recipe websites include:

• Supercook.com http://www.supercook.com/ This site is fantastic. You type in the ingredients you have on hand and it delivers a plethora of recipes you can cook at home.

• Allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/ This is the TripAdvisor of cooking websites. It delivers photos, ratings, reviews and recommendations for recipes.

Read the reviews for recommendations on how to cut the fat content of the recipe. You can also sign up for a daily and weekly email which delivers “the week’s hottest recipes.”

• Eating Well.com http://www.eatingwell.com/ also offers a plethora of healthy recipes. It offers low calorie recipes for your crock pot, diet/health/nutrition tips, and features.
For example, this week it features ʺthe best and worst girl scout cookies.ʺ
http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/the_best_worst_girl_scout_co...

• Cooking Light.com http://www.cookinglight.com/ is another spectacular healthy recipe website. This beauty is well-organized and has something for everyone.

A perfect example is one of this week’s features called ʺGuy Foods Lightened.ʺ http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/guy-foods-lighten... The site tweaks ʺguy foodsʺ with easy recommendations on how to prepare the meals in a healthier manner.

However, the downside to many of these recipe websites are the calories and fat content of each recipe. Another downside to finding recipes online are the “special“ ingredients a recipe may require.

For example, Oprah’s Favorite Turkey Burger recipe (link: http://www.food.com/recipe/oprahs-favorite-turkey-burger-from-donald-tru...) requires Major Grey's chutney. This chutney has to be ordered online since my grocery store doesn’t carry it.

One key recommendation is to read the comment sections of the recipe. People are really helpful in volunteering information on how to prepare a reduced calories and fat content in recipes. Also, some comments offer ingredients which you can substitute.

• Another incredible website is Healthy Eating by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/healthyeating/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCook...
This website delivers a plethora of heart healthy recipes. It also features pictures of the completed recipes with dietary and nutritional information. This sight is organized and easy to follow. Also look in the left-hand column for healthy family meals and dinners.

• Another gem is the Recipe Finder by the USDA. http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/index.php
This no-fuss website allows you to search for a recipe in English as well as Spanish. For example, if you type in pancakes, a number of recipes pop up in the search. It also gives you helpful hints, costs for the recipe, printing options, and shopping list options.

Remember, yoga, meditation, exercise and watching what we eat could all reduce our risk of heart disease. Symptoms of a woman suffering a heart attack can be different than a man's and may include fatigue, indigestion and pain in her jaw.

Listen to your bodies, ladies.

Most importantly, feed it the proper fuel to live a healthy and prosperous life.

References:

NHLBI Deliciously Healthy Eating Recipes. NHLBI Healthy People 2010 Gateway. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/healthyeating/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCook...

SNAP-Ed Connection: Recipe Finder. SNAP-Ed Connection: Recipe Finder. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/index.php

Reviewed February, 3, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

As the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., heart disease is responsible for more than one-third of all female fatalities.

The condition poses a unique threat to women because the symptoms can be very different from the ones men experience – leading many women to believe they aren’t at risk.

Senior managing health editor of FoxNews.com, Dr. Manny Alvarez, recently sat down with comedian and co-host of The View, Joy Behar to talk about heart disease in women.

Behar said she thinks that most women believe breast cancer is the number one killer of women because there is not enough awareness about heart disease.

“Women go to the gynecologist, get their pap smears, their mammograms,” she said. “I think women are pretty vigilant, but when it comes to heart disease, I think we have thought it is a man’s disease more than a woman’s disease.”

Behar said heart disease runs in her family. Her mother had her first heart attack when she was 50 years old and went on to have heart disease. She was on blood thinner medication for many years and eventually died from a stroke. Two of Behar’s uncles died in their 50s from heart attacks.

To raise awareness about women’s heart health, she partnered with Bayer aspirin to develop a guide called Straight Talk: A woman’s guide to heart health. The guide is full of comprehensive information for women and can be downloaded for free at www.Iamproheart.com.

Alvarez said he thinks that not only is it important for women to be informed about heart disease, but it could be potentially life-saving.

“The signs and symptoms of heart disease for women are sometimes a little more atypical,” Alvarez said. “It can be very subtle, it can be a small arm pain or in the neck or the face. So as a woman you’ve really got to pay attention.”

“I want to let women know, it is an issue, and you need to get your heart checked,” Behar said.

For more information on Behar’s awareness campaign, visit www.Iamproheart.com/

Relateds:
Toddler’s rare condition highlights need for universal cholesterol screening in kids *
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/18/toddlers-rare-condition-highlig...

1 in 3 adults is obese
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/17/cdc-1-in-3-adults-is-obese/

Is being a chef the most dangerous profession? *
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/19/is-being-chef-most-dangerous-pr...

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/18/joy-behar-partners-up-against-h...

February marks Valentine’s Day and it's also American Heart Month.

Celebrate this month, and every month, by taking extra care of your heart. Purchase some tasty, delicious and nutritious foods which keep your heart pumping healthy and strong.

Eating the right foods for your heart can decrease your risk of heart disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ʺCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.ʺ

Foods good for your heart include lots of fruits and vegetables. For the budget conscious, choose fruits and vegetable which are in season.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service these include fruits and vegetables good for you and your heart include:

• Dried fruit
• Fresh fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, pears, and peaches
• Frozen berries without added sugar
• Canned fruit in 100 percent juice, not syrup
• Frozen vegetables without added butter or sauces
• Leafy greens for salads
• Canned vegetables low in sodium (salt)
• Fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, and spinach

Also, avoid fried foods and other items with trans fat. Other items with trans fat include cookies, cakes and fatty meats.

Incorporate these types of items into your food shopping and heart healthy diet:

• Non-stick cooking spray
• Vegetable oil (canola, olive, peanut, or sesame oil)
• Margarine and spreads (soft, tub, or liquid) with no trans fats
• Light or fat-free salad dressing and mayonnaise

Eat items which are low in sodium and have no salt. Try low sodium soups, canned vegetables, lunch meats, cheese, etc.

Other heart health food tips include increasing your fiber intake. You can increase your fiber with vegetables, oatmeal, and whole grain breads/pasta.

According to Eating Well Magazine, their top 15 heart healthy foods include:

• Yogurt
• Raisins
• Whole grains
• Beans
• Salmon/fish
• Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts and peanuts)
• Dark chocolate
• Tomatoes
• Apples
• Berries
• Pomegranates
• Bananas
• Popcorn
• Green tea
• Wine/alcohol

And, the Huffington Post’s top seven recommendations for reducing heart disease include:

• Oatmeal
• Salmon
• Nuts
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Berries
• Beans
• Broccoli

Other heart healthy foods recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service these include:

• Lean cuts of meat and other foods with protein.
• Fat-free or low-fat milk products
• Whole-wheat or whole-grain as the first ingredient listed on the label

References:

7 Heart-Healthy Foods. The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/30/heart-healthy-foods_n_1174942.html
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20553573,00.html

CDC Features - Heart Month. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth

Heart Healthy Foods: Shopping List - healthfinder.gov - Live well. Learn how. healthfinder.gov - Your Source for Reliable Health Information. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/ViewTool.aspx?toolId=2

Our Top 15 Heart-Healthy Foods | Eating Well. Healthy Recipes, Healthy Eating, Healthy Cooking | Eating Well. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/heart_healthy_diet_center/top...

Reviewed February 2, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

For the first time in 15 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued new guidelines for school lunches. The new rules, which were released to the public on January 25, 2012, have been hailed by the American Heart Association, or AHA, as a “huge win” for children’s health.

Nancy Brown, AHA CEO, issued a statement indicating that the new guidelines will play a “critical role in helping young Americans maintain a healthy weight, and ensure that their lives are free of heart disease and stroke.” (AHA 1)

Obesity is one of the risk factors for heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 percent of all children in the United States are obese. That’s approximately one in five and the trend does not appear to be reversing. Many more children are also overweight.

Approximately 32 million children in the United States participate in the school lunch or breakfast program. The new guidelines are designed to reflect the newest nutrition information.

Beginning in the fall of 2012, parents can expect to see an increase in whole grain foods, fat-free or low-fat milk products only, lower calorie meals, an increase in fruits and vegetables, the limitation of saturated and trans fats and the lowering of sodium amounts.

By improving nutrition in the school setting, proponents hope that the new food choices will help children maintain a healthy weight and promote general good health.

The new guidelines are not perfect. Schools will still be able to offer some junk food favorites such as pizza, and some argue that sodium guidelines still have room for improvement. Also, it’s important to note that children play a role in their food choices when they aren’t with you and need to therefore be educated and encouraged to make healthy choices.

One mother I spoke to indicated that at her daughter’s school, they have a salad buffet and other items that students may purchase in addition to the basic lunch. Unfortunately, the salad buffet also included bread sticks, puddings, pizza and ice cream.

Fortunately, this school district provided an online forum where parents could check to not only see how much money their child spent on lunch each day, but exactly what food items were purchased. As a result, the mother was able to take corrective action and help her daughter understand which food choices were acceptable.

While it may seem unnatural to think of children and heart disease, the reality is that as obesity rates in children increase, conditions which were previously thought of as belonging specifically to the adult world are now impacting children’s health.

As a result of obesity, many children now exhibit multiple risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.

Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease. The majority of obese children -- 70 percent -- have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Almost 40 percent have two or more heart disease risk factors. In addition, children who are obese are more likely to become obese adults with such obesity contributing to potentially serious health conditions.

By educating children on the importance of healthy eating habits, it may be possible to reverse the obesity trend in children and not only improve their health now, but in the future as well. Talk to your children about heart-healthy food choices and ensure that they get enough daily physical activity.

Side Bar:
If you’re interested in learning more about what changes to expect in school lunch requirements, visit the following for more information: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/comparison.pdf/

Could your child be obese? Obesity in children is measured differently than in adults because body composition varies by age and sex.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Growth Chart indicates the recommended weight guidelines by age and sex. In general, children who are between 85 and 95 percent on the Growth Chart are overweight and children above the 95th percentile are considered obese.

For more information visit: http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/cdc_charts.htm/

Sources:

American Heart Association Says USDA Nutrition Standards Mean Better Health for the Nation’s Children. American Heart Association. 25 Jan 2012. http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/american-heart-association-says-225788....

U.S. Obesity Trends. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 21 Jul 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.HTML

Basics About Childhood Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 26 April 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html

Nutrition Standards for School Meals. US Department of Agriculture. 02 Feb 2012. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htm

USDA Unveils Historic Improvements to Meals Served in America’s Schools. US Department of Agriculture. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/PressReleases/2012/0023.htm

Reviewed February 2, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jessica Obert

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

The all-day empty calorie feast that happens each year around the Super Bowl can be a challenge for anyone concerned about his or her waist, hips and thighs. That’s especially true if you are a “people-pleaser,” says a new Case Western Reserve University study.

The research showed that hungry or not, some people eat in an attempt to keep others comfortable.

“They don’t want to rock the boat or upset the sense of social harmony,” says Julie Exline, a Case Western Reserve psychologist and lead author of the study, published today in the journal Social and Clinical Psychology.

That could be a big problem in a social setting such as a Super Bowl party. Turning down snacks when others are indulging is tough for everyone, but it poses a special problem for people-pleasers, Exline said.

“If people-pleasers feel a sense of social pressure to eat, they will often eat more in an attempt to match what others around them are eating.” But this often comes at an emotional price.

"Those who overeat in order to please others tend to regret their choices later. It doesn't feel good to give in to social pressures," Exline says.

The Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association forecast Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks on the big game day, including 11.2 million pounds of potato chips, 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips, 4.3 million pounds of pretzels, 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 pounds of nuts.

If you do the math, the average armchair quarterback will consume 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacking alone.

The Council's research shows snacking on potato chips, the most popular nosh, will account for 27 billion calories and 1.8 billion grams of fat. To put that in context, 1.8 billion grams of fat is equal to the weight of 13,000 NFL offensive linemen at 300 pounds each.

Exline’s study looked at the eating habits as a way of determining how the same behaviors that affect food consumption can surface in other areas of the individual’s life.

People-pleasers feel more intense pressure to eat when they believe that their eating will help another person feel more comfortable,” Exline said. “Almost everyone has been in a situation in which they’ve felt this pressure, but people-pleasers seem especially sensitive to it.”

Beth Hubrich, a registered dietitian with the Council recommends pre-planning your Super Bowl event and menu to include no-fat and low-fat chips and dips. She says choosing fat-free potato chips for the big game could save up to 300 calories per person.

When it comes to dips, it is possible to cut the fat without losing the flavor.

• Try salsa, which is fat-free or substitute reduced-fat sour cream and non-fat yogurt.
• Use fresh herbs and spices such as cilantro, parsley and hot peppers to add great flavor.
• Add fresh vegetables and low-fat dips to your party tray for a healthy appetizer.
• Serve lean turkey chili for a low fat alternative to traditional beef chili or forego the meat altogether. Top it with greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Also, try getting a little extra physical activity to burn off super bowl snacks by tossing the football at halftime or walking to a neighbors house to get a play by play or plan a pre-game workout, Hubrich says.

The Calorie Control Council has a list of healthy Super Bowl party-worthy spreads and dip recipes online at http://www.caloriecontrol.org/recipes-for-a-healthy-lifestyle

Lynette Summerill, an award-winning writer and scuba enthusiast lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in newspapers and magazines around the world.

Sources:

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. People-Pleasing through Eating: Sociotropy Presents Greater Eating in Response to Perceived Social Pressure. AL Zell, M Hamilton, A Swenson, E Bratslavsky. JJ Exline Published and accessed 1 February 2012

Calorie Control Council release. Score big on game day. Beth Hubrich. 24 January 2012. Accessed online 1 February 2012 at: http://www.caloriecontrol.org/pressrelease/score-healthy-super-bowl-reci...

The Daily. Hold the Extra Burgers and Fries when People-pleasers Arrive; Case Western Reserve release. Susan Griffith. Published and accessed online 1 Feburary 2012 at: http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=5168

Reviewed February 1, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

In an interview with Rachael Ray which is scheduled to run on February 2, 2012, the First Lady Michelle Obama said her favorite Super Bowl food was nachos.

Finding a heart healthy recipe for nachos isn’t impossible. Here are a few tips for healthier nachos.

Use blue corn tortilla chips instead of the regular white corn chips. If you can, omit the cheese and sour cream on your nacho platter.

Make a fresh pico de gallo. This Mexican salsa is simple to make and uses only eight fresh ingredients.

Pico de Gallo Recipe

Ingredients
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper (to taste), cilantro and green onion.
2. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Stir until evenly distributed.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For those who are looking for additional heart healthy recipes for this Sunday, the “Forks over Knives” website provided several plant-based recipes. The following recipes are provided by “Forks over Knives” and Julieanna Hever, R.D.

These plant-based recipes are easy to make. For a filling Super Bowl meal, try the corn muffins and lentil chili.

Whole-Grain Corn Muffins

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup 100 percent pure maple syrup
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine flaxseed with almond milk and set aside to allow it to gel for 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir applesauce and maple syrup together and add in flaxseed/almond milk mixture. Then sift in corn meal, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well-combined, but avoid over-mixing. Add in the corn kernels.
4. Either using a silicone 12-cup muffin pan or a 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper, spoon out equal portions of batter into the cups.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Serve warm.

Lentil Chili

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder or smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups green lentils, rinsed
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans
• zest and juice of 1 lime

Directions
1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic in 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Stir occasionally and cook until vegetables soften, approximately 5-7 minutes.
2. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, ground chipotle powder, and cayenne pepper and cook for an additional minute, stirring well.
3. Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and remaining vegetable broth into the soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft, approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. When lentils are cooked, zest and juice lime into the chili and stir. Taste and add spice according to preference. Serve hot with Whole-Grain Corn Muffins.

The site also has recipes for Hearty Nachos, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Tapenade, and BBQ Tofu “Wings.”

Go to http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes-for-super-bowl-xlvi/ for the above recipes.

References:

Forks Over Knives | Recipes for Super Bowl XLVI. Forks Over Knives | The Official Movie Website. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes-for-super-bowl-xlvi

Pico De Gallo Recipe - Allrecipes.com. Allrecipes.com - recipes, menus, meal ideas, food, and cooking tips. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pico-de-gallo

Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

In the United States, we experience more than one million heart attacks per year, which is approximately one heart attack about every 30 seconds. The American Heart Association predicts that in the next 20 years more than 33 million Americans may develop some form of heart disease.

Not only can heart disease cause instant death with a heart attack, it is also costly. For example, the average by-pass heart surgery costs more than $112,000 dollars and more than 450,000 procedures are performed annually.

The annual cost totals more than $50 billion dollars. These monies might be better spent on education and research about the proper foods to prevent heart disease and heart attacks.

There are different schools of thought regarding the type of diet to follow for a healthy heart.

One very interesting diet recommendation is Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s plant-based diet. Dr. Esselstyn’s diet has been highlighted in the movie ʺForks Over Knivesʺ and in his book ʺPrevent and Reverse Heart Disease.ʺ

Dr. Esselstyn studied the cultures which had zero to very little heart disease. These cultures include the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, Papua New Guinea highlanders, rural Chinese and central Africans.

The mantra of Dr. Esselstyn’s diet is to eat nothing that has a mother or a face. Also, his diet has no meat, dairy, oil, fish and chicken. The plant-based diet recommends whole grains (cereal, pasta, etc.) beans, vegetables (yellow, green, red) and fruit.

For many, Dr. Esselstyn’s diet is difficult to follow because of our meat-based culture. However, there are many who are following Dr. Esselysten’s diet.

After his second heart disease scare, former President Bill Clinton decided to follow Dr. Esselstyn’s diet. These high-powered CEOs and former CEOs are either vegetarians or vegans. They include Michael Eisner, John Mackey, Russell Simmons, Steve Winn and Mort Zuckerman.

According to the Franklin Institute, other heart-healthy diet choices you might want to consider are the following diet guidelines:

• Beware of chemicals in your food like caffeine, MSG, and other food additives.
• Total fat intake should be less than 30 percent of total calories daily.
• Cholesterol intake should be no more than 300 milligrams per day.
• Sodium intake should be no more than 3000 milligrams per day.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake should be no more that 10 percent of total calories daily.
• Saturated fatty acid intake should be less than 10 percent of total calories daily.
• Monounsaturated fatty acids make up the rest of total fat intake, about 10 to 15 percent of total calories daily.

In an interview with CNN’s Dr. Sanja Gupta’s ʺThe Last Heart Attackʺ special, Dr. Dean Ornish of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute said, ʺheart attacks could be as rare as malaria today if we simply put into practice what we already know.ʺ

References:

Heart Healthy Diet. Franklin Institute. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/healthy/diet.html

Martin, D. S. The 'heart attack proof' diet? - CNN.com. CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/19/heart.attack.proof.diet/index.html

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from
http://heartattackproof.com

Reviewed January 31, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

February is upon us and once again hearts are the theme. Little pink, red, and white hearts decorate checkout lines, greeting cards, and of course, the confectionery aisle. Hearts and chocolate do go so well together, don’t they?

While we’re celebrating love, it’s also the perfect time to focus on our heart health as the American Heart Association, or AHA, kicks off American Heart Month.

Heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States each year. Every 25 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a heart attack.

Once thought of as a man’s disease, we now know that heart disease is an equal opportunity killer. It prematurely takes the lives of more women each year than all cancers combined.

Believing that these statistics are unacceptable, the mission of the AHA is simple -- “To build healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.” (AHA 1)

One of the initiatives sponsored by the AHA to further the goal of a world free of heart disease and stroke is the Go Red for Women initiative.

A national endeavor, Go Red for Women is uniquely focused on educating women about heart disease, their personal heart health risk, and how they can take charge and empower themselves to build a different heart healthy future.

This is accomplished through community outreach events targeted to the unique needs of women when it comes to heart health, along with educational programs and much-needed research focused on understanding and improving the outcome for a woman’s heart health.

As AHA and Go Red for Women partner together during American Heart Month, be certain to look for events in your community -- or sponsor an event yourself -- to raise awareness of heart disease, educational activities, health screenings, fundraising activities and more.

Just a few of the many activities slated for American Heart Month include the State of Women’s Health Webinar and National Wear Red Day.

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, along with Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Secretary, will kick off the American Heart Association on February 1, 2012 with the State of Women’s Heart Health Webinar.

The webinar will be held on February 1, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. This is the first time the AHA is conducting this type of webinar so don’t miss it!

To register, visit http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=84704.

National Wear Red Day is Friday, February 3, 2012. Show your support for women’s heart health by wearing red on Friday. Wear Red Day activities help to promote awareness of women’s heart issues.

You can participate by wearing red, telling five friends, enrolling in the 12-week Better U program to improve your heart health, participating in heart walks, or creating your own event to raise awareness.

For more information on National Wear Red Day activities, visit http://goredforwomen.org/wearredday/

Sources:

National Wear Red Day. American Heart Association. 2012. http://goredforwomen.org/wearredday

American Heart Month. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 31 Jan 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth

h2012 Go Red For Women Kickoff. American Heart Association. 05 Dec 2011. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/2012-Go-Red-For-WomenHeart-Month-K...

Reviewed January 31, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

Cardiac tamponade is a serious cardiac condition. Potentially life-threatening, it’s caused when the heart becomes compressed and is put under pressure, as a result of fluid buildup in the spaces surrounding the heart muscle, or myocardium, and its outer covering, or pericardium or sac.

As a result, the ventricles become constricted and blood flow is interrupted. Because blood flow becomes restricted, persons with cardiac tamponade may experience sudden drops in blood pressure.

Cardiac tamponade may occur as a result of numerous conditions. In some instances, it may be a complication of pericarditis. Pericarditis is a condition where the pericardium becomes irritated or inflamed which may lead to excessive fluid buildup resulting in cardiac tamponade.

Other conditions such as late stage lung cancer, heart attack, thoracic aneurysms, heart tumors, heart surgery, other types of heart wounds, systemic lupus, radiation therapy, or kidney failure may also lead to the development of cardiac tamponade.

Cardiac tamponade symptoms
Because of the extra pressure that is placed on the heart, symptoms of cardiac tamponade are somewhat similar to symptoms for other cardiac-related conditions.

People with this condition may experience difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, fainting, rapid breathing, dizziness, or drowsiness. Due to the reduced blood flow, the skin may appear pale or have a grey or blueish tint.

Chest pain may be experienced that becomes worse with coughing or deep breaths. The pain is described as “sharp” and “stabbing” and may be located in the back, abdomen, neck or shoulders.

In some cases, the abdomen may experience swelling and neck veins may become distended. People with cardiac tamponade may experience heart palpitations along with general anxiety, low blood pressure, and a weak pulse.

Cardiac tamponade tests
A diagnosis of cardiac tamponade is generally confirmed by an echocardiogram. Other tests that may be used include an ECG, x-ray of the chest, CT, MRI, or coronary angiography.

Cardiac tamponade treatment
Because cardiac tamponade is potentially life-threatening, it’s essential that the excessive fluid surrounding the heart be drained. This is accomplished by a procedure known as pericardiocentesis and must be performed in a hospital or similar medical setting.

The procedure involves the insertion of a needle into the sac to drain the fluid. Sometimes, a pericardiectomy may be performed. In this procedure, a portion of the pericardium is removed.

Because cardiac tamponade patients often experience blood pressure which is too low, medication may be prescribed to raise blood pressure levels until the procedure can be performed. In addition, cardiac tamponade patients may be given oxygen to help reduce the demands on the already overtaxed heart.

Cardiac tamponande complications
Cardiac tamponade is life-threatening. Untreated, it can lead to death. Other complications include pulmonary edema and heart failure.

Cardiac tamponade prognosis
If treated, the prognosis is generally favorable. It should be noted that even with treatment, it’s possible for cardiac tamponade to reoccur.

Cardiac tamponade prevention
Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to prevent cardiac tamponade. If you have risk factors for conditions that may lead to cardiac tamponade, you should discuss with your physician to determine if your risk is higher than normal. Risk awareness may aid in early diagnosis.

Sources:

Reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R Eltz. Cardiac tamponade. A.D.A.M Medical Encyclopedia, National Center for Biotechnology. 17 May 2010. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001245/

Pericarditis. The Mayo Clinic. 29 Apr 2011. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pericarditis/DS00505/DSECTION=complicat...

Reviewed January 25, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When children have high cholesterol or blood pressure, their parents may have increased risks of diabetes and heart disease down the road, a new study finds.

The study, of 519 Ohio families, found that a 12-year-old's weight, cholesterol and blood pressure helped predict the odds of a parent developing heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes over the next three decades.

Researchers say the findings suggest that screening kids could have the "bonus" of spotting at-risk parents.

"Pediatric risk factors -- cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure -- identified families where parents were at increased risk," said Dr. Charles J. Glueck of Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati, one of the researchers on the study.

One reason that's important, he told Reuters Health, is that many parents may not get check-ups themselves, but will regularly take their kids to the doctor.

However, not everyone agrees that children should have numerous screening tests.

It's standard for children to have their weight and blood pressure measured at "well-child" visits to the pediatrician. But only recently did experts start recommending cholesterol checks.

In November, the U.S. National Institutes of Health issued new guidelines saying children should have their cholesterol measured between the ages of 9 and 11, and again between the ages of 17 and 21. The American Academy of Pediatrics also endorsed the recommendation.

That was a shift from what experts had traditionally recommended -- namely, screening cholesterol only in certain at-risk kids, like those with diabetes or a family history of early heart disease.

And some critics questioned the new guidelines, pointing out that there's no hard data showing that screening kids' cholesterol helps their heart health in the long run.

In 2007, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) -- an expert panel with federal support -- said there was "insufficient" evidence to recommend for or against routine cholesterol tests for children and teenagers.

"There is still a lot of debate going on," Glueck said.

But he thinks the current study, plus another recent analysis of the same group, give some needed information. "Our findings provide some hard data: If you know children's risk factors, what does that tell you? It tells you a lot," Glueck said.

HEART DISEASE, STROKE, DIABETES

The study, reported in the Journal of Pediatrics, included 852 school students who, at an average age of 12, had their cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides and weight measured. They were reassessed 26 years later -- as were their parents, who were 66 years old, on average.

In nearly half of the families -- 47 percent -- a parent had suffered a heart attack, stroke or needed a procedure to clear blocked heart arteries by the end of the study period. In 37 percent, a parent had developed diabetes.

Overall, Glueck's team found, parents were about twice as likely to suffer early heart disease or stroke (age 60 or younger) when their child had had high blood pressure at age 12.

Parents' odds of cardiovascular problems at any age were also higher when their child had had high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol or triglycerides.

And when children were overweight, their parents' odds of developing diabetes or high blood pressure doubled.

In an earlier study, Glueck's team had found that childhood test results also predicted the kids' own risks of developing heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure by their late-30s.

All of that suggests that childhood screenings can help predict future risks -- in kids and parents. But there is no hard evidence that screening children actually cuts their odds of diabetes or cardiovascular disease in the long run.

STUDY UNLIKELY

To pin that down, Glueck noted, researchers would have to follow a large group of screened children for decades into adulthood, and compare them to a group who'd been randomly assigned to forgo screening as kids.

"It's very unlikely a study like that would ever be done," Glueck said.

There's also a question of expense, since the cost of screening all children for high cholesterol adds up, for an uncertain benefit. And if a child were to be put on a cholesterol-lowering statin, no one is sure what the potential side effects of early and long-term use might be.

That's one reason the USPSTF did not come down on the side of universal screening.

According to Glueck, most children with high cholesterol could be treated with a healthier diet. It's estimated that about 15 to 20 children out of every 300 U.S. kids may have high cholesterol that's related to diet and lifestyle.

A smaller proportion -- about one in every 300 to 500 children -- have an inherited form of high cholesterol called familial hypercholesterolemia. That causes high LDL levels starting early in life, and often leads to heart disease by the time a person is in his 40s or 50s.

Those kids may be placed on statins.

High blood pressure is a common ailment in society. This silent disorder if not treated can lead to devastating complications.

Changing one's lifestyle and losing weight is the first choice in trying to lower high blood pressure. If that doesn't work, medication is the only remaining option.

However, many consumers do not want to take expensive blood pressure pills for the rest of their life. These individuals have now been turning to alternative health care for their illness.

Many herbs, lotions, potions and minerals are hyped up to lower blood pressure, but the majority are without any merit.

Now there is a study claiming that drinking black tea can help lower high blood pressure. Black tea is known to be rich in flavonoids and it is believed that these chemicals may lower the blood pressure.

In the present study, drinking three cups of black tea everyday for six months, lowered blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg. (1)

How black tea lowers blood pressure is speculative. These researchers claim that black tea lowers the tone of blood vessels or perhaps increases levels of nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator.

Other means of lowering blood pressure may be related to lowering of body weight and visceral fat. Unfortunately laboratory work does not support all of these theories. In this study, none of the patients claimed to have lost weight or body mass.

This study only looked at effects of black tea on people whose blood pressure was normal, and not people who already had hypertension. The blood pressure lowering was very modest.

However, other studies on black tea have shown the exact opposite -- no effect on blood pressure or on cholesterol. (2)

Black tea has been consumed for hundreds of years by the Orientals, and there is no evidence that they have a lower incidence of hypertension compared to Westerners. In fact these populations often have far more resistant hypertension.

For the time being, all consumers should know that black tea is not a substitute for the treatment of high blood pressure. The present treatment of high blood pressure requires medications. Black tea is a great social beverage and is meant to be enjoyed as such.

Sources

1. Hodgson J, et al "Effects of black tea on blood pressure: A randomized controlled trial"
Abstract: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/172/2/186

2. Trautwein EA Purified black tea theaflavins and theaflavins/catechin supplements did not affect serum lipids in healthy individuals with mildly to moderately elevated cholesterol concentrations.
Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19639377

Reviewed January 25, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

Named for cardiologists Dr. Louis Wolff, Sir John Parkinson and Dr. Paul Dudley White, WPW syndrome affects approximately one out of every 500 people. Although it may affect people of all ages, WPW often presents for the first time during late teens or early 20s.

It’s also one of the more common causes of a rapid heartbeat, or tachycardia, in young children and infants.

Sometimes referred to as preexcitation syndrome, WPW is a condition which is caused as a result of an extra electrical signal pathway between the atria or upper chambers of the heart and the ventricles or lower heart chambers.

This electrical shortcut or bypass may cause persons with WPW to experience a heart rate that is much more rapid than normal. This super-charged heart rate is referred to as supraventricular tachycardia.

One of the more common symptoms of WPW is a rapid heart rate. However, rapid heart rate is not experienced by all WPW patients. Other symptoms may include conditions such as shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, or light-headedness.

Some WPW patients also experience heart palpitations or chest pain. It’s also common to experience periods of anxiety or to tire during normal exercise.

WPW can be quite serious and may result in sudden death. During an episode of WPW tachycardia, the heart rate may exceed 230 beat per minutes.

The symptoms for WPW in infants are different than in adults. Parents should watch for shortness of breath and heartbeats which are rapid and easily visible on the infant’s chest.

Other symptoms include poor eating along with inactivity. In addition, the infant may not be alert.

If your doctor suspects that you have WPW, he may order an electrocardiogram or ECG. WPW’s characteristic extra electrical bypass signal creates a specific type of delta or pre-excitation waves which is detectable on an ECG.

Sometimes, your physician may use a Holter monitor to determine if you have WPW. A Holter monitor is a device which is generally worn for 24 to 48 hours and records all of the heart’s activity during that period.

The actual location of the extra electrical pathway is detected by an Intracardiac electrophysiology study (EPS). This study is must be conducted in a medical facility and involves placing electrodes in the heart itself.

Treatment for WPW varies and may include medications such as adenosine, amiodarone, and antiarrhythmics such as flecainide (Tambocor) or propafenone (Rythmol, Rythmol SR) to help maintain a normal heart rate. Vagal maneuvers are also helpful in slowing the rapid heart rate for some WPW patients.

The vagus nerve helps regulate heart rate. Vagal maneuvers may affect the vagus nerve and aid in slowing a heart rate which is too rapid. These include coughing, facial ice packs, or bearing down similar to bearing down when taking a bowel movement.

Persons with WPW should also avoid substances such as caffeine and alcohol which may cause their heart rate to rise.

When medications fail, cardioversion or shock treatment may be used in severe cases of WPW to restore a normal heartbeat. Another common treatment preferred by physicians is catheter ablation.

Catheter ablation involves inserting a tube into the heart where special radio frequencies are used to destroy the extra electrical pathway that is causing the problem. If other heart problems exist, open heart surgery may be performed to correct the condition.

For most patients with WPW, the long-term outlook is good. The majority of WPW patients -- 85 to 95 percent -- who undergo catheter ablation experience no further symptoms.

It should be noted that complications can -- and do -- sometimes occur. Some people may experience blood pressure which is lower than normal. Medications may cause side effects and complications may occur from surgery. It’s also possible to experience heart failure with WPW.

If you have WPW, you should contact your physician immediately if you experience breathing difficulties, rapid heartbeat, or chest pain.

In addition, people with WPW should make certain that others know to call 911 immediately if fainting occurs as this could be a symptom of a serious escalation of their condition and may be life-threatening.

Sources:

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, National Center for Biotechnolgoy Information U.S. National Library of Medicine. 08 Aug 2011.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001206

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The Mayo Clinic. 25 Feb 2011. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome/DS00923

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. MedlinePlus. Retrieved Jan. 23, 2012
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000151.htm

Intracardiac electrophysiology study (EPS). A.D.A.M Medical Encyclopedia,
National Center for Biotechnology Information U.S. National Library of Medicine. 16 May 2011.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004318

Reviewed January 23, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who get a moderate amount of certain plant compounds in their diets are less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, a large study finds.

The research, on nearly 100,000 older U.S. adults, found that those getting the most flavonoids in their diets were less likely to die of heart disease or stroke over the next seven years than those who ate the least flavonoids.

The compounds are found in a range of plant foods, including many fruits (like berries, citrus and apples) and vegetables (like kale, spinach and broccoli), nuts, soy, dark chocolate, tea and wine.

Research shows that flavonoids have a number of benefits, including fighting inflammation and acting as antioxidants -- which means they help protect body cells from damage that may lead to chronic diseases and cancer.

In the current study, the researchers divided participants into five groups according to the amount of flavonoids in their diets.

The one-fifth with the highest flavonoid intake were 18 percent less likely to die of heart problems or stroke than the fifth with the lowest intake.

That difference is "modest, but still relevant," said lead researcher Marjorie L. McCullough, of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta.

Given that heart disease and stroke are so common, even a modest risk reduction can make a big difference on the population level, McCullough noted in an interview.

It's not clear that flavonoids, themselves, actually lowered people's cardiovascular risks.

But flavonoid-rich foods are the types of foods we should be eating anyway, McCullough pointed out. "This provides further support for getting more of those foods in your diet," she said.

The findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are based on more than 98,000 men and women who filled out questionnaires on diet, lifestyle and medical history. At the time, they were about 70 years old, on average.

Over the next seven years, 2,771 people died of heart disease or stroke. That included 615 deaths in the fifth with the lowest flavonoid intake at the outset, and 515 deaths in the fifth with the highest intake.

When McCullough's team accounted for other factors -- like smoking, exercise habits and weight -- people getting the most flavonoids had an 18 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular trouble.

Flavonoid-rich foods also contain many other healthful nutrients, McCullough said. So it's hard to know whether the compounds, themselves, deserve the credit for the lower cardiovascular risks.

For example, another recent study linked magnesium-rich foods, which include nuts and dark leafy greens that are also high in flavonoids, to lowered stroke risk. (See Reuters Health story of January 13, 2012.)

The bottom line is that getting more plant foods in your diet may make a difference in your health and longevity, according to McCullough.

And these findings suggest it may not take a huge diet change, she said.

The people with the highest flavonoid intake in the study averaged about 20 servings of fruits and 24 servings of vegetables per week. The lowest-intake group got about 11 servings of fruit and 18 servings of vegetables per week.

Lower risks were also seen among older adults whose flavonoid intake fell in between the highest and lowest groups, however.

"So even adding one serving of flavonoid-rich food a day could be beneficial," McCullough said.

In general, experts recommend getting plenty of fruits and vegetables for the good of your overall health. The "DASH" diet recommended for lowering blood pressure and protecting your heart suggests four to five servings of fruit and the same number of vegetable servings each day.

A half cup of cooked vegetables or a medium-sized piece of fresh fruit would be examples of a serving.

One caveat, McCullough said, is to be careful not to douse your flavonoid-rich foods in sugar, fat or salt. "Try to keep them close to their natural form," she said.

It’s generally accepted that engaging in regular physical exercise is good for your heart health on many levels. Regular exercise lowers blood pressure, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and keeps the heart muscle itself in good shape enabling it to continue to properly do its job.

Keeping fit appeared to be a bit easier in past generations. Children were able to freely walk or ride their bikes to school. Our grandmothers often walked to the corner grocery store every day for fresh fruits and meats. Television did not yet totally dominate after school hours and Nintendo, home computers, and lap tops weren’t common -- or invented.

Life today is obviously very different, revolutionized in large part because of the automobile, along with television and home computing. There’s certainly no doubt that owning an auto makes the morning commute and other everyday tasks much easier.

According to findings released as a part of the INTERHEART study, the very conveniences that make our daily commute so easy and evenings so pleasant are also responsible for increasing our risk of heart attack.

Sponsored by the World Health Organization and World Heart Federation, the INTERHEART study included approximately 29,000 participants located in 55 countries. In this controlled study, around 10,000 participants were heart attack patients with the remainder showing no signs of heart disease.

Most of the research conducted on heart disease and risk factors for heart attack are based on studies conducted in developed countries. Since there is little data to assess the impact of these risk factors on specific ethnicities, geographies, or underdeveloped countries, the INTERHEART study focused on heart attack and risk factors within such defined geographies and ethnicities to determine if all risk factors applied equally.

According to study findings, persons from low and middle income countries who owned an auto or television are at greater risk for heart attack than their less affluent counterparts who didn’t own such luxuries.

As we already know from first-hand experience in the United States, while autos make our lives more convenient, they also leave us less active. Television is another culprit that promotes a less heart healthy, more sedentary, lifestyle.

Not surprisingly, the findings confirmed that when exercise or physical activity is a daily part of your life, the risk of heart attack is reduced. Those with jobs that require mild or moderate activity enjoy a heart attack risk which is 11 percent lower than their counterparts with sedentary or desk jobs. This protective benefit to the heart only extended to mild and moderate activity and not hard manual labor.

Movement during leisure time was also found to benefit your heart and lower the risk of heart attack. Those engaging in mild exercise reduced their risk for heart attack by 13 percent.

The results for those engaging in either strenuous or moderate increased dramatically showing a 24 percent reduction in risk for heart attack. On the other hand, person owning both an auto and television were found to have an increased risk of heart attack by 27 percent!

The INTERHEART findings were consistent across all countries regardless of income. The message seems clear. If you want to reduce your risk of heart attack, get moving! To keep your heart healthy, simply look for more opportunities to get up and move.

Simple changes such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work, a daily walk about the building during your lunch hour, skipping a television show in the evening to play ball with your children, or turning off the television to go for a walk around the block, can make a big difference to your heart health.

Exercise is not only good for your body, it’s a relatively simple and inexpensive way to keep your heart healthy and prevent heart disease and heart attack.

Sources:

European Society of Cardiology (2012, January 11). Global study sheds light on role of exercise, cars and televisions on the risk of heart attacks. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111090611.htm

Grace Rattue. Heart Attack Risk Linked To Car Ownership And Owning A TV. Medical News Today. 12 Jan 2012. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240271.php

A Global Study of Risk Factors in Acute Myocardial Infarction. Inter-heart Study: Population Health Research Institute. 2012. http://www.phri.ca/interheart/index.htm

Reviewed January 18, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

I’m a full-time freelance writer and while I write for many people on a wide variety of topics, the work that I do here for Empowher is perhaps the most rewarding because it has the power to change -- and sometimes save -- lives.

This week, research and reality coincided in a very real way that brought home the power of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, and a well-trained 9-1-1 dispatcher to save lives.

My daughter’s roommate is a 36-year old male. Earlier this week, he came home from work and didn’t feel well. He went to the store, purchased a common over-the-counter antacid and came home and took it. What happened next was frightening to say the least.

According to my daughter, he looked at her and told her to get the kids up because she needed to take him to the hospital. Before she could react, his next words were, "Wait -- Call 9-1-1," and then he simply collapsed in the floor.

The 9-1-1 operators were outstanding and walked her through the CPR process while they waited for the emergency personnel to arrive. The quick actions of the 9-1-1 operator in correctly assessing the situation, and then instructing her how to apply CPR in a stressful situation, saved a life.

According to a new scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association, or AHA, in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the 9-1-1 dispatchers can improve the survival rates for cardiac arrest victims by doing exactly what the dispatcher did above.

The 9-1-1 dispatcher followed AHA resuscitation guidelines by correctly assessing the situation, and then helping my daughter -- the bystander -- perform CPR immediately until help arrived.

By helping bystanders perform CPR immediately rather than waiting until EMS arrives, the AHA believes that the lives of more victims can be saved. This certainly proved to be true in the case of my daughter’s roommate.

According to the lead author of AHA’s new scientific statement, E. Brooke Lerner, PhD, of the new scientific statement, “It isn’t as common as you think, that you call 9-1-1 and they tell you what to do.” (AHA 1)

Because the application of immediate CPR by bystanders in the Chain of Survival for cardiac victims has been considered weak in the past, the AHA has identified this as an area for improvement for 9-1-1 dispatchers.

To improve survivability from cardiac-related events, the AHA recommends EMS and 9-1-1 dispatchers be trained to assess the situation to determine if a cardiac event has occurred. If so, 9-1-1 dispatchers need to be able to “confidently” provide instruction to the caller on how to do CPR.

The AHA also recommends that communities put performance measures in place to determine how long it takes from the time of the call until CPR begins. Finally, these performance measures should be included as a part of any EMS quality assurance program.

According to the AHA, there are approximately 380,000 cases each year of sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital which are handled by EMS. Of these, only 11 percent survive.

This is due in part to the lack of immediate CPR or other life support interventions. It’s believed that the survivability rates can be doubled by improving the Chain of Survival and helping bystanders conduct CPR immediately.

In the case of my daughter and her roommate, she had strong, well-trained support from the 9-1-1 dispatcher and the result was a life saved.

If you don’t know how your local EMS department measures up, encourage them to explore and implement the new AHA recommended resuscitation guidelines as a performance and quality measurement for your community EMS.

The life saved just might be someone you know.

Sources:

9-1-1 dispatchers can save more lives by coaching bystanders in CPR. 09 Jan 2012. American Heart Association.
http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/9-1-1-dispatchers-can-save-more-221449....

Bystander CPR instructions for emergency medical dispatchers. American Heart Association. 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/Science/ScientificStatements/Eme...

9-1-1 Dispatchers Can Save More Lives by Coaching Bystanders in CPR
ScienceDaily. Retrieved Jan. 15, 2012. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211829.htm

Reviewed January 16, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images

In February, American Heart Month will kick off, and hopefully you’ll come across at least one event that will inspire you to not only learn more about your heart health but take positive action to improve your lifestyle and reduce your heart disease risk factors.

Once the commitment is made to get heart-fit, finding a place to start on the path to a healthier heart can be daunting. Where can you turn for help? Why not try the American Heart Association?

One of the misconceptions that many may have is that the American Heart Association, or AHA, is focused on raising money for heart research. While sponsoring research is certainly one of their endeavors, they do a lot more than just sponsor heart-friendly legislation, raise money, and fund research.

The AHA is also the catalyst for many programs aimed directly at educating the public about heart health and then providing tools to help you implement heart-healthy, life-promoting changes. One of those tools is the Go Red Heart CheckUp.

The Go Red Heart CheckUp is one of the initiatives sponsored by Go Red For Women fundraising activities. Go Red for Women is one of the American Heart Association causes.

The Heart CheckUp provides an opportunity to assess your 10-year heart attack risk, and put together a plan of action from the comfort and privacy of your home. The assessment is short and can easily be completed in less than 10 minutes.

The Heart CheckUp takes you through a series of questions designed to assess where your heart stands on 10 different heart disease risk factors. Questions cover topics such as age, sex, family history, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, diabetes, and fasting blood sugar levels.

The Heart CheckUp tool then provides you with instant feedback regarding individual risk factors for heart disease along with a 10-year heart attack risk factor rating. All feedback is based on your input so be honest! No one will see the results unless you want to share them.

The report specifically focuses on modifiable risk factors such as smoking, weight, high blood pressure, or unhealthy cholesterol levels, where you can make changes that may change your long term heart -- and life -- prognosis.

For each risk factor, the tool provides you a report that is visually pleasing and language that is easy to understand. The Heart CheckUp even provides users the opportunity to play with the numbers and see how changing your risk factor changes your risk levels.

Using an interactive graphical interface, users are able to view current risk results against the what-if numbers making it easy to see how small changes may have a big impact on your overall heart attack risk.

The Heart CheckUp tool also provides users with information on metabolic syndrome. Users are able to print out a Risk Report as well as a suggested Action Plan Report with recommendations to address individual risk factors for heart disease.

Knowledge is power so if you don’t know what your risk factors are for heart disease, you owe it to yourself to learn more. The Heart CheckUp is an easy way to get a quick-and-dirty reading on the state of your heart.

Take the assessment, discuss the results with your health care provider, and then take action!

To take the Go Red Heart CheckUp, visit https://www.goredforwomen.org/hcu/index.aspx/

“To build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.” American Heart Association

Sources:

Real People, Working with us in our fight to build healthier lives. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Giving/YourDollarsatWork/Your-

Dollars-at-Work_UCM_303641_SubHomePage.jsp#
GoRed Heart Checkup. American Heart Association. 2012. https://www.goredforwomen.org/hcu/index.aspx

Reviewed January 12, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Photo: Getty Images