FitSugar

Heart Attack Signs Quiz

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:30:00 PST

Do you know the signs of a heart attack? It is national heart health month and a new study revealed that only one in four Americans know the signs of a heart attack. When a heart attack strikes, time is of the essence. The earlier the response the better the chances of survival. Take heart and take this quiz! The answers could help you save a life.

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Take the Quiz

Join Diet Coke in Support of Women's Heart Health and Win a Dress Worn by Heidi Klum

FabSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:00:22 PST

February is American Heart Month, and our friends at Diet Coke want you to join them in raising awareness of women's heart disease.

The Heart Truth™ - a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease - introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. This year, Diet Coke is teaming up with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to raise awareness of this important issue. And from now until March 10, just visit MyCokeRewards and you can enter for a chance to win the red dress designed for Heidi Klum to wear at the 2008 Oscars! For every sweepstakes entry, Diet Coke will contribute $1 to support women’s heart health awareness and research, up to $250,000*.

For more information,

No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes open only to My Coke Rewards members 13 and older. My Coke Rewards loyalty program open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia 13 and older. For official rules, prize descriptions, and alternative method of entry, visit www.mycokerewards.com. The red dress shown here is not the designer dress offered in the Red Dress Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited.

*Contribution by Diet Coke is made to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, and will be used to further the efforts of women's heart health awareness and research. For more information about the Foundation, visit fnih.org. Participation by Coca-Cola and FabSugar.com does not imply endorsement by DHHS/NIH/NHLBI.

© 2008 The Coca-Cola Company. “DIET COKE” is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company. The Heart Truth and Red Dress are trademarks of DHHS. For more information about The Heart Truth, visit www.hearttruth.gov. Oscars ® is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and is used under permission.

Don't Worry: Anxiety Is Bad For Your Heart

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:00:00 PST

Although most women mistakenly believe that cancer is the biggest threat to their lives, heart disease is actually the leading cause of death among women in the US. While lack of exercise, obesity, high cholesterol and smoking are all predictable causes of heart disease, stress and anxiety are also culprits. Recent research suggests that the complicated physiological reactions to stress, including rises in blood pressure, affect your heart health. While there are many stress creating elements, like job strain, social isolation, personality traits, even anxiety producing phobias, more and more evidence suggests a relationship between the risk of cardiovascular disease and elevated stress. Although more research needs to be done on the complicated relationship between the stress, anxiety, emotions and heart health, many cardiac health experts recommend stress reduction as a preventive measure.

If you are a stress case, there are both short term and long term health benefits to figuring out how to lower your stress level. Don't reach for a smoke or fatty comfort food (both are not good for your heart health) when times are stressful or emotionally rough. Talk to a friend, exercise, get enough sleep, or get a relaxing massage, to help relieve your stress. Taking a couple of deep breaths is a simple and cheap remedy; after all air is free.

What is your healthy stress relief? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Do You Know CPR?

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:30:00 PST

Being that February is heart health month, I thought I would tell you that the American Heart Association is urging more people to be trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). It seems that not many Americans are trained in the potentially life saving treatment.

It is estimated that only 15 to 30 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander before emergency medical services personnel arrive on the scene. CPR is crucial for a heart attack victim's survival because with every minute without CPR the chances of making it through the episode of cardiac arrest fall by up to 10 percent.

Those statistics motivate me to get re-certified in CPR, how about you? Are you certified in CPR? Have you ever performed CPR in an emergency? If so, share the details in the comments section below.

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Quiz: Let's Get to the Heart of the Matter

FitSugar — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:00:00 PST

How well do you know your heart? Let's take a look and see. Here's a short quiz to see if you know what is really going on with your heart.

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Take the Quiz

The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2008 Fashion Show

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:45:00 PST

This year's Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2008 Fashion Show had some big stars show up in support of Heart Health Month. From Heidi Klum to Molly Sims to Liza Minnelli, the ladies were looking radiant in their red dresses - minus Laura Bush who apparently didn't get the memo and wore white (wtf?). To see more pics of the celebs including Heidi Klum, Sara Ramirez, Molly Sims, Jenna Fischer and more supporting awareness of Heart Disease just

View 14 Photos ›

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Don't Just Wear Red, Eat It Too!

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:30:00 PST

Discover the power of eating heart-healthy red foods during the first-ever National Eat Red Week, Feb. 4-10, 2008 in support of Heart Health Month.

Why? Well, studies from the University of Michigan suggest that the pigments that produce the red color in many fruits and vegetables like fresh cherries and tomatoes, are actually powerful disease-fighting antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation associated with atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries - and reduce certain risk factors for heart disease.

To learn more and to donate $1 to the American Heart Rate Association by simply clicking a button (no cost to you) visit Choosecherries.com.

Have you eaten any red foods today? I am curious so tell me in the comments section below.

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National Wear Red Day Is Tomorrow!

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:45:00 PST

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer among women? If you did, congrats but there are a lot of folks out there who are unaware. So let's help get the word out.

Feb. 1 is National Wear Red Day. Celebrate the kickoff to American Heart Month with National Wear Red Day tomorrow by wearing red in support of women’s heart disease awareness. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol that reminds us that women suffer from heart disease. Plus it provides an opportunity for everyone to promote the awareness movement by showing off something red of their own.

Top 10 Mistakes You Make on the Elliptical Trainer

Prevention — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:08:59 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Lisa Hoehn, Prevention

As the weather drops, more and more people head straight to one machine in their gym - the elliptical trainer. According to a 2008 report from the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, the number of users of elliptical trainers in health clubs grew sevenfold from 1997 to 2007. And while you may be proud of yourself for making it to the gym and squeezing in some cardio, taking a lackadaisical approach to your elliptical workout and casually spinning your legs while reading a magazine or watching TV isn't going to blast away those holiday cookies. Here, 10 mistakes you frequently make on the elliptical and how to fix them so you maximize calorie burn while adding fun to your ho-hum routine.

Top Workout Ideas For When the Gym Is Too Crowded

1. You’re too lazy to enter your information.
Most machines are calibrated for a 150-pound person - but personalizing your stats will help you get a more accurate calorie read. Aim to burn around 100 calories per 10 minutes, says Jennifer Cassetty, an exercise physiologist.

2. Your resistance is zero.
You might feel like a million bucks spinning at a mile a minute, but without resistance, you’re not going to see results, says Röbynn Europe, a personal trainer at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Make sure that you’re using enough resistance to push and pull through the stride. Then continue at a moderate pace until you feel like you’ve done all you can do. "You shouldn’t feel like you have even five minutes left in you when you step off," she says.

3. You're a sloucher.
Standing up straight helps to lengthen your abs, giving you a chance to engage your core and even work your upper body muscles, Cassetty says. Certified personal trainer Neal I. Pire, MA, CSCS, president of Inspire Training Systems in New Jersey, recommends hopping on a machine with an upper body component so you can engage even more muscles - and blast more fat. Can't find a machine that lets you pump your arms? Let go: some research suggests that leaning on machine armrests during exercise reduces calorie burning.

How to Buy a Cardio Machine

4. Your machine sounds like it’s going to take off.
If you can hear the purr of the machine while you’re exercising, it means that you’re going too fast without enough resistance - which means you're not getting the most calorie burn out of your time, Cassetty says. Keeping a steady, moderate pace at a resistance that forces you to use your muscles will get, and keep, your heart rate up.

Learn four more fitness mistakes after the break.