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Eat
Your Way to Heart Health
 What is a prudent
anti-aging approach to heart health? While the benefits
of cardiovascular activity are well-established and often receive the
bulk of attention when discussing heart health, the scientific literature
suggests a number of nutritional approaches also are worthy of
consideration for achieving optimal cardiac fitness. Here are three
you can incorporate into your daily diet starting today. Talk to your
doctor for more information.
The Power of (Healthy) Protein. Previous studies have linked consumption
of red meat to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Adam
Bernstein, from Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues studied data collected on 84,136 women, ages 30 to 55,
enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study. The research team examined the
women's medical histories and lifestyles, including dietary habits, and
tracked the incidence of non-fatal heart attacks and fatal coronary heart
disease for 26 years.
Women who consumed two servings per day of red meat, as compared to
those who consumed only half a serving per day, had a 30 percent higher
risk of developing coronary heart disease. By comparison, the data also
showed that eating more servings of protein sources such as poultry, fish
and nuts was significantly associated with a decreased risk of coronary
heart disease. Compared to eating one serving each day of red meat, women
who substituted other protein-rich foods experienced a significantly lower
risk of coronary heart disease.
Where's the Watermelon? Watermelon is a rich natural source of
L-citrulline, a compound closely related to L-arginine, which is crucial to
the formation of nitric oxide, which helps to widen blood vessels and
thereby mediate blood pressure. Arturo Figueroa, from Florida State
University, and colleagues evaluated four men and five women, average age
54 years, with pre-hypertension (134/77 ± 5/3 mmHg). Subjects were randomly
assigned to six weeks of watermelon supplementation or placebo, followed by
a four-week washout period and then crossover. The team
found that supplementation with 6 grams of L-citrulline from watermelon
improved arterial function and lowered aortic blood pressure in all
pre-hypertensive subjects.
Healthy Fats, Healthy Heart? Low HDL (high-density lipoprotein,
"good" cholesterol) levels and high LDL (low-density lipoprotein,
"bad" cholesterol) levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular
disease. David Jenkins, from St. Michael's Hospital (Ontario, Canada), and
colleagues recruited 17 men and 7 postmenopausal women to complete a very
low saturated fat diet before being randomly assigned to either a
high-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diet or a low- MUFA diet. Both
groups of patients were assigned to a specific vegetarian diet that
included oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant, okra, soy, almonds and a plant
sterol-enriched margarine.
In the high-MUFA group, the researchers substituted 13 percent of
calories from carbohydrates with a high-MUFA sunflower oil, with the option
of a partial exchange with avocado oil. The team found significant reductions
in blood cholesterol levels over the two-month study period for
participants, with the replacement of 13 percent of total calories from
carbohydrate by monounsaturated fats in the dietary portfolio resulting in
a 12.5 percent increase in HDL and 35 percent reduction in LDL.
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Meditation,
Not Medication
 Antidepressants have
been the mainstay treatment for depression, an approach that has garnered
significant criticism over the years from those who believe the drugs are
widely overprescribed and unsafe. For example, in some cases,
antidepressants appear to actually increase the risk of suicidal thoughts
and/or behaviors; certainly not a desired consequence for anyone, but
particularly for someone suffering from depression.
Now for some good news: Research is suggesting alternative treatments
may be as effective as - and definitely safer than - antidepressant
medications. Case in point: a study published in the Archives
of General Psychiatry that suggests meditation benefits
depression patients in remission from the disorder.
In the study, patients who learned how to meditate 40 minutes a day
instead of taking antidepressant medication were as likely to avoid a
relapse as patients taking antidepressants or a placebo (an inactive pill
patients believed contained medication to help them control their depression
symptoms).
Keep in mind that depression, particularly major depressive disorder,
goes far beyond "feeling blue"; symptoms can severely impact
home, school and work life. For additional information about depression
including the warning signs, visit the NIMH Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/index.shtml.
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Extraordinary
Exercises
 Here's a common snag
with people who exercise consistently, especially during the first few
months of a new year: You don't look forward to doing the same exercises
you did last year. Although squats, push-ups, lunges and pull-ups are the
foundation for most, if not all exercises, they can get monotonous over
time and your body could do the thing we don't want it to do: plateau. If
your body plateaus, it means it essentially gets used to the exercises
and figures out a way to burn less calories efficiently. That means a less
productive workout for you, which is never a good thing. Here are some
challenging variations on common exercises that will take your workout from
ordinary to extraordinary:
"Uchimata"
Push-Up Variation: From a one-leg push-up position and squeezing the glute (buttock) of your support leg,
slowly lower your body as one unit until your chest grazes the floor and
pause for a count. From there, use your glute to slowly raise your lifted
leg as high as you can without overly hyperextending your lower back. Then
push back up to the starting position, switch sides and repeat for time. The
one-leg lift really increases the demands on your core, lower back, glutes,
and hamstrings; and since it shifts your weight forward onto your hands, it
really challenges your shoulders, too.
Vertical Squat
Jump: Stand in the start position for a body-weight squat,
then squat down and jump up as high as possible.
Lunge Hops:
Start in the bottom of a split-squat position (one leg in front, one in
back). Your front thigh should be parallel to the floor, your torso upright
and your abs braced. Jump up explosively and switch leg positions in the
air. Your back leg becomes the front leg, and vice-versa. Absorb the
landing with your muscles. Keep your abs braced and torso upright.
Alternate sides without resting between sides. Repeat for 10 reps total.
Inverted Rows:
Set a bar at hip height in the Smith machine or squat rack. Lie underneath
the bar and grab it a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart. Row
(pull) yourself up the top position with your upper back and lats. Keep the
abs braced and body in a straight line from toes (knees) to shoulders.
Slowly return to the start position. Repeat for 10 reps. (For beginner
inverted rows - keep feet on the ground.)
Hope these twists on some original exercises get you excited and ready
for a new, better you in 2011. After all, having an arsenal of exercises
that you can do safely and effectively is the only true way to lose weight,
gain strength and stay healthy in the long term. Now go out there and get
started! Remember to talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise
routine, particularly if you have a health condition that could impact
performance or safety.
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