Tips to protect your Heart Health this Winter

Many people are unaware of the risks that low temperatures and winter storms can cause to their minds and hearts, who is director of education and outreach at the hospital. Shoveling snow, for example, is one of the most stressful and risky activities people do in the winter since it can raise blood pressure and dramatically increase people's risk for a heart attack.

To protect your heart health this winter, follow these safety tips:

• Stretch and warm up your muscles with light activity before engaging in rigorous physical activity, such as shoveling.
• Stay warm. Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm the air you breathe. Dress in layers and cover up with a windproof and waterproof outer shell.
• Instead of lifting a shovel, push it to remove snow.
• Pace yourself and take breaks while you are shoveling snow.
• Enlist a friend to help you shovel. This way you will have less work to do and will not be alone in case of an emergency.

Anyone who is obese, older than 50 or has suffered a heart attack should talk to their doctor before shoveling snow or starting a new exercise program.

Still Continuing problem with Diabetes

Health & Fitness Tips: Diabetes is a Chronic Disease characterized by elevated levels of blood sugar. 

Complications of uncontrolled diabetes:

• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
• Damage to the kidneys, nerves and eyes.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• High Cholesterol.
• High Blood Pressure.
• Infections of the urinary tract or skin.
• Stroke.
• Peripheral vascular disease.

However, good blood glucose control can help prevent these complications.

Prevention Guidelines of Heart Disease

As you plan to take steps to prevent or lower your risk of heart disease, there are some important numbers you need to keep in mind. We all know we need to exercise and observe our blood pressure, cholesterol and weight to keep our heart and cardiovascular system healthy. But expressive your target numbers provides a concrete way of monitoring your progress towards that vital goal.

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have put out heart disease prevention guidelines, which were co-published in the Circulation Journal as well as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Here is a summary of the guidelines:

Blood Pressure :

• Less than 130/80 mm Hg if you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease
• Less than 140/90 mm Hg.

Blood Cholesterol :

• LDL (Low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol) of less than 100 mg/dL
• Reduce intake of soaked fats, trans fats and cholesterol and add plant sterols and soluble fiber to diet,take omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil capsule form.

Physical Activity :

• 30 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week.
• Conflict training 2 days a week.

Weight :

• BMI (Body mass index) measure of body fat based on height and weight of 18.5 to 24.
•  Waist limits of less than 40 inches for men; less than 35 inches for women
  Diabetes.
• HbA1C (measure of glycated hemoglobin in the blood) of less than 7 percent.

Smoking :

• Zero revelation to first-hand or second hand smoke

Health and fitness Tips: Keeping Diabetes Under Control

Whether you need to lose weight, gain weight or stay wherever you are, if you're diabetic, eating the right food can help you manage the disease.
People with diabetes must take more care to make sure that their diet is balanced with insulin and oral medications, and to exercise to help manage their blood glucose levels, says the American Diabetes Association. Sticking to a meal plan can help you get better your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, and also help keep your weight on track.
This might sound like a lot of work, but your doctor or dietitian can help you make a meal plan that is best for you, one that fits into your schedule and lifestyle. When you make healthy food choices, you will improve your overall health, and you can even help prevent complications such as heart disease, some cancers, and hypertension.

Health Tips: Cut Down on Sodium

Many foods and recipes contain lots of salt (sodium), which can raise your blood pressure.

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests how to cut down on sodium in your diet:

• buy vegetables that are fresh, canned or frozen without any added salt.
• Stick to fresh meat, fish and poultry as a replacement for of processed or canned products.
• Season foods with salt-free seasonings, spices and herbs. Avoid instant pastas, rice and other foods with prepackaged seasonings.
• If you do eat canned foods, rinse the contents to wash off some of the sodium.
• Avoid prepared foods such as frozen pizzas or entrees.
• Buy lower-sodium varieties of your preferred foods.

How Type 2 Diabetes Peoples Can Lose Weight, Keep It Off

An demanding lifestyle change program helped people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and keep it off, a new study shows. The program also led to improved control of blood glucose levels and concentrated risk factors for cardiovascular disease, both of which are critical in preventing long-term complications caused by diabetes.
The study integrated 5,145 overweight or obese people, average age 58.7, with type 2 diabetes. About half were assigned to a lifestyle intervention that included diet changes and physical activity designed to achieve a 7 percent weight loss in the first year and maintain it in following years.
The other participants were assigned to a diabetes education and support group that held three sessions a year to discuss diet, exercise and social support.
After four years, the participants in the lifestyle interference group had lost an average of 6.2 percent of their body weight, compared with 0.9 percent for the diabetes support group. The lifestyle interference group also had greater improvements in fitness, blood glucose control, blood pressure and levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.
"Even though the differences between the two groups were greatest initially and decreased over time for several measures, the differences between the two groups averaged across the four years were substantial. The results indicate that the intensive lifestyle intervention group spent a considerable time at lower cardiovascular disease risk," the researchers wrote.