Vitamin D and heart disease
Vitamin D may prevent heart disease, especially in men. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported that men who took 600 IU of vitamin D a day were 28 percent less likely to suffer from heart disease or stroke, as compared to men who took 100 IU or less a day.
So how much should you take? Healthy adults should take 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily. People over age 70 should take 800 IU.
Sunlight is a natural source as it helps our body produce vitamin D, just 10 to 15 minutes exposure will do it. But that can be a challenge for people who live in northern climates, especially in the winter months when the rays of the sun are not strong enough to produce the required amounts of vitamin D in our bodies.
Other sources include oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines; foods fortified with vitamin D like milk, yogurt, orange juice and some ready-to-eat cereals; and vitamin supplements. You could also take a tablespoon of cod liver oil which has 1,360 IU.
But more is not necessarily better – above 4,000 IU a day the risk of adverse effects increases. If you want to make sure you are getting enough vitamin D, contact your doctor about having your level check through a blood test.
Beware of hidden sodium in favorite foods
Too many Americans – about 90 percent – eat more than the recommended daily allowance, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week.
Too much sodium can increase your risk of high blood pressure. And high blood pressure can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
The main culprit is not the salt shaker on your dinner table – it’s processed and prepared foods. More than 40 percent of our sodium intake comes from 10 foods, with bread and rolls being the worst. (We tend to eat a lot of bread which adds up to a lot of sodium.)
The top 10 worst offenders are:
- Breads and rolls
- Cold cuts and cured meats
- Pizza
- Poultry, fresh and processed
- Soups
- Sandwiches like cheeseburgers
- Cheese
- Pasta dishes
- Meat dishes (like meat loaf with tomato sauce)
- Snacks like chips, pretzels and popcorn
Americans eat about 3,300 mg of sodium a day – well above the recommended 2,300 mg a day, and more than double the recommended 1,500 mg limit for African Americans, people who are over age 50, and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, according to the report.
So, what can you do?
Eat fresh when possible, and buy the least processed food available.
Start checking nutrition labels on everything you eat and keep track of your daily sodium intake. The Food Tracker tool in your Walkingspree account makes tracking sodium and other nutritional concerns – like fat and cholesterol – easy.
And when eating out, ask about the sodium content in the menu items or check restaurant and fast food websites for nutritional facts.
Knowing how much sodium a food item contains will help you make heart healthier food choices.
Sliced Bread by Can Atacan
Eat Smart! Finding hidden food traps
Unless you take time to measure everything you eat, you may be falling into “hidden food traps”.
People don’t realize how much they are eating, according to Brian Wansink, PhD, whose research has focused on perceived consumption vs. actual consumption.
One study Wansink conducted found that something as simple as the shape of a glass increased the serving size. Even though both glasses had the same volume, people poured about 37 percent more liquid in short, wide glasses than in tall, skinny glasses.
“Most of us have too much chaos going on in our lives to consciously focus on every bite we eat . . . The secret is to change your environment so it works for you rather than against you,” said Wansink during a presentation at the American Psychological Association’s 119th Annual Convention.
So how do you make this work for you? By making these few changes, participants in a Wansink study lost up to two pounds a month.
- Eat off of salad plates instead of dinner plates
- Keep healthier food at eye-level in the fridge and cupboards, and keep unhealthy food s out of sight
- Eat in a dining area and not in front of the TV
Eat Smart! Another reason to rethink your sugary soft drink choice
Here is something to think about before you pop open another bottle of your favorite sugary beverage. A new Danish study suggests drinking regular soda pop not only adds weight but contributes to belly fat – the kind of fat linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The study focused on ectopic fat – the unhealthy fat that builds up in the abdomen and liver, around the heart, and in muscles. It is more dangerous than the subcutaneous fat found under the skin. Excess fat in the liver also increases risk of liver disease.
Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark asked 47 participants to drink either a liter of water, skimmed milk, diet soda or regular soda every day for six months.
Results showed that the regular soda drinkers had more than double the amount of fat in their liver and muscle tissue compared to the other participants. The regular soda drinkers also had higher amounts of abdominal fat and increased cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood.
The study noted skimmed milk drinkers had no negative effects on the fat in the liver, muscles, abdomen or blood. They also noted that the diet soda had almost the same effect as water.
The study’s conclusion: Drinking regular soda every day increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease; therefore you should keep your intake of these drinks to a minimum.
So, before you grab that regular cola, consider switching to a club soda (carbonated water) or unsweetened iced tea or even a tall glass of icy cold water.
Eat Smart! Celebrate the benefits of tea during National Hot Tea Month
January is National Hot Tea Month and on a cold wintery day, nothing can be more refreshing than a steaming cup of tea.
Tea contains antioxidants, has less caffeine than coffee and actually keeps you hydrated.
It is the second most popular beverage in the world, behind water. All tea – be it white, green, black or oolong – comes from the same plant and all varieties are beneficial. The difference is in the processing. For example, white tea is harvested from young plants. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and has more amounts of polyphenols than black or oolong tea.
Research shows that the amount of polyphenols in 4-6 cups of green tea a day can lower risks of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. But do not add milk to your tea. German researchers have found that milk blocks the beneficial polyphenols in tea.
Tea has no calories plus it has a third less caffeine than coffee, about 30 milligrams. Green tea may even help boost your metabolism slightly. In a small study, participants burned about 65 more calories a day when they drank tea as compared to an equal amount of water. The study also reported a significant increase in fat oxidation (turning fat into energy) with tea over water.
Drinking 4 cups of tea not only hydrates as well as a liter of water, but is a great antioxidant, protects the immune system, guards against a variety of cancers and even boost your metabolism.
And with flu and cold season upon us, there is nothing more soothing than drinking a cup of hot tea.
Brewing the perfect cup of tea
Take your pick – white, green, black or oolong – and brew a pot of refreshing and healthy tea. The key to a great cup of tea is in the brewing time – longer does not make it better, it makes it bitter. Follow these simple four steps to a great cup of tea.
1) Place one bag or one teaspoon of leaves for each 8 oz. cup of water in your cup or teapot.
2) Heat the water in a kettle, boiling for black tea, hot, not boiling for white or green tea.
3) Pour over the tea and step away from the cup or pot. Resist all temptation to dunk the bag or stir the leaves during the brewing process.
4) Keep an eye on the clock – it only takes a few minutes.
Suggested brew times:
- White: 4-5 minutes
- Green: 1-2 minutes
- Black: 2-3 minutes
- Oolong : 3 minutes
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