My Favorite Fruit–Or Is it A Vegetable?

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Summer in the United States begins on June 21, 2018. Is the time of year the children are off from school—we plan fun in the sun activities and vacations. When I think of summer, one word comes to mind—WATERMELON!! It has always been my favorite fruit and I eat it for breakfast whenever possible. AND it is good for us! It contains 92% water and is nutrient dense.

You notice I called it a fruit. Others say it is a vegetable in the squash and cucumber family. In fact, in 20017 Oklahoma made it their state vegetable.

Are You Taking Care Of Your Heart?

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Want to lower your cholesterol and enhance your heart health? My cholesterol always ran slightly higher than normal, but my doctor was not concerned…until my heart attack.

This is based on my personal experience with Cholesterol Prescription Drugs!! Do they work? Absolutely….but at what cost? There are so many side effects from the prescription cholesterol drugs–statins!!

Mayo Clinic reports about statins  that  “they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people and may rarely cause liver damage.” Mayo Clinic also says if you are currently on a statin (Cholesterol Drug), do not stop taking it without consulting your doctor.

Are There Good Fats?

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For years we have been told that FAT is our enemy and to avoid it!! But did you know that there are healthy fats that are essential to our health? These are Omega-3 fatty acids. EPA and DHA -and are primarily found in certain fish. Our bodies need these essential fatty acids to function but they also provide some great health benefits.

So what are the health benefits?

*Supports cardiovascular health

*Lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels

*Increases HDL (good cholesterol)

*Supports normal blood pressure levels

*Supports Healthy Brain Function

*Boosts immune system

You can see from these positive benefits that most of us can benefit from Omega 3—and especially those of us with heart problems. I read in Web MD that we should have 2-3 servings weekly of anchovies, bluefish, herring, mackerel, salmon (the wild rather than farmed is richer in Omega 3s), sardines, sturgeon, lake trout or tuna.

Is Eating Salmon Good for Your Heart?

Posted inBrain Health, Health, Wellness2 Comments

Omega 3 fatty acids are crucial to your health—especially your heart and brain!! Two important ones are EPA and DHA and are found in certain fatty fish. ALA’s are found in certain nuts and seeds. Most of the Omega 3 benefits have been found in EPA and DHA. The best food sources of EPA and DHA are salmon, sardines mackerel, grass fed beef and certain seeds and nuts –these are listed from highest to lowest amounts of Omega 3’s.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Just eat those foods—especially the salmon-and you will be fine!!

EAT YOUR SALMON—-OR NOT??

Who Needs Omega 3?

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Does everyone need an Omega 3 supplement? I will let you be the judge of that.

Here is my story—I have been health and weight conscious all my life. I had always maintained a reasonable (not perfect) weight–exercised regularly–ate healthy—never drank and never smoked. No one was more surprised that I was when I had a significant heart attack 8 years ago.

Following my hospital stay, my cardiologist put me on prescriptions that he said I would have to be on the rest of my life AND told me to always take Omega 3. In fact, my cardiologist has never had a heart problem and he takes Omega 3 regularly. He checks in every six months to be sure I am continuing to take my Omega 3.

Do You Eat Even When Not Hungry?

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We love our food!! We eat to maintain and support our bodies, but some of us eat even when we are not hungry. Or we eat when we are hungry and never stop until we are stuffed.

Overeating can lead to weight gain and obesity, but there are so many other risks associated with overeating. It can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Web MD says Type 2 Diabetes means your body cannot use insulin correctly and this makes your blood sugar levels harder to control. If left untreated, this can lead to other problems like damage to your kidneys, your eyes and your heart.

Then consider depression and anxiety. Often overweight people suffer with these. Are they bought on by overeating and being overweight….or does the depression or anxiety cause a person to continue eating way past the full signal? Either way, the extra pounds are just not good for your body!

Inflammation

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I had my 6 month appointment with my cardiologist last week. I mentioned my Omega 3 capsules. He told me if I ever got an aftertaste from them, I should freeze them and then it wouldn’t happen. I had no idea of this!! He told me the purpose of the Omega 3 (fish oil) is to reduce inflammation. Well, it turns out inflammation does damage to many more areas of our body than the heart.