Weight Debate

There are certain risk factors for heart disease that you have no control over and cannot change, such as getting older or having a family history of early heart disease. But you do have control over other major risk factors for heart disease that you “can” change, such as being physically inactive, not maintaining a normal weight, being overweight, smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, not eating healthy, and diabetes.

1. Physical Activity
You can become physically active and stay physically active. Physical inactivity is one of the several major risk factors for heart disease, and the good news is… you can do something about it. Get up and get moving!! Regular physical activity helps to lower your risk of heart disease by burning extra calories, which helps you to lose excess weight or stay at your desirable weight. read more »

Some people are afraid to be physically active after they have had a heart attack. The good news is… regular, moderate physical activity can

• Help reduce a persons risk of having another heart attack.
• Improve a persons chances of survival.
• Help a person to perform everyday tasks more easily and to do so without chest pain or shortness of breath.

If you have already had a heart attack, it is very important for you to talk with your doctor. read more »

There are many simple steps you can take each and every day to achieve a happy and healthy lifestyle for you and your family. Even small changes in your life will add up to big results.

• Do NOT go to the grocery store feeling hungry.
• Do not skip breakfast.
• Use fat free milk instead of whole milk.
• In the morning, get a whole grain head start with oatmeal or whole grain cereal.

read more »

Heat Related Illnesses
Being hot for too long can cause many illnesses, all grouped under the name hyperthermia: heat cramps, heat edema, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. In this post we will be discussing heat stroke.

Almost every summer there is a deadly heat wave in some part of the country. It is important for a person to get relief from the heat quickly. If not, they might begin to feel confused or faint. Their heart could become stressed, and maybe stop beating.

Even short periods of high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Doing too much on a hot day, or spending too much time in the sun, or staying too long in an overheated place can cause serious heat related illnesses. read more »

Electrolytes are the salts and minerals that affect the amount of water in your body, muscle activity, and other important functions. Electrolytes are in your blood, urine and body fluids. When you maintain the right balance of electrolytes, this helps your body’s blood chemistry, muscle action and other processes.

Calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphate, chlorine, bicarbonate, and magnesium are all electrolytes, which you get from the foods you eat and the fluids you drink. read more »

Laxatives are medicines you buy in a store that will make you have a bowel movement. One common cause of constipation can be the abuse of laxatives.

The common belief that people must have a daily bowel movement has led to self medicating with OTC (over-the-counter) laxative products.

Although people may feel relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result, laxatives may become habit-forming, can lead to dependency and decreased bowel function. read more »

Some facts about fiber:
The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. For children it is 10 grams, plus the child’s age. For example, an 8 year old child would need 10 grams + 8 years = 18 grams of fiber per day. Both children and adults often eat too many refined and processed foods from which the natural fiber has been removed. Most Americans eat only half the recommended amount of dietary fiber each day. read more »

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.

These diseases account for 7 of every 10 deaths and affect the quality of life of 90 million Americans.

Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable.

You can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases. read more »

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI is one way to tell whether you are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.

The formula used for BMI calculation is: BMI = (weight in pounds ÷ (height in inches)² ) x 703. Example:

BMI = your weight in pounds ÷ by your height in inches ÷ by your height in inches x 703. Example: A person who is 140 pounds and 5’6′.
140 pounds divided by 66 inches divided by 66 inches times 703 = a BMI of 26 (22.59 rounded off).

Standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults:

• A BMI below 18.5 is underweight.
• A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the healthy range.
• A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight.
• A BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

Body Mass Index Calculator for Adults
The calculator below provides BMI and the corresponding BMI weight status category. Use the body mass index calculator below for adults 20 years old and older.

BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Excess body fat can lead to:

• A higher risk for premature death
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Problems with cholesterol and triglycerides
• Gout
• Gallbladder disease
• Lung problems
• Arthritis
• Certain kinds of cancers

Another way to find out if you are at risk for health problems caused by overweight and obesity is to measure your waist.

• If you are a woman and your waist is more than 35 inches, your risk of disease is higher.
• If you are a man and your waist is more than 40 inches, your risk of disease is higher.

Note:
Because BMI does not show the difference between fat and muscle, it does not always accurately predict when weight could lead to health problems. For example, someone with a lot of muscle – such as a body builder – may have a BMI in the overweight or obese range, but still be healthy and have little risk of developing diabetes or having a heart attack.

Drinking too much alcohol can, over time, damage your heart and raise your blood pressure. Alcoholic beverages have calories, and are low in nutritional value. If you drink alcohol, you should do so moderately.

For women, moderate drinking means one drink per day.
For men, it means two drinks per day.

One drink counts as:

• 5 ounces of wine
• 12 ounces of beer
• 1 and 1/2 ounces of 80-proof hard liquor

Research suggests that moderate drinkers are less likely to develop heart disease than people who don’t drink any alcohol or who drink too much.

Red wine drinkers in particular seem to be protected to some degree against heart disease. Red wine contains flavonoids, which are thought to prevent plaque buildup. Flavonoids also are found in:

• Red grapes
• Berries
• Apples
• Broccoli

Drinking more than one drink per day increases the risks of certain cancers, including breast cancer. If you are pregnant, could become pregnant, or have another health condition that could make alcohol use harmful, you should not drink.

Note:
With the help of your doctor, decide whether moderate drinking to lower heart attack risk outweighs the possible increased risk of breast cancer or other medical problems.