FitSugar

Are You Eating Too Much Cholesterol?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:30 -0700

I was vegan for a short time in college, and was shocked when I had my cholesterol tested and found it was high. I wasn't even eating cholesterol! The thing is, your liver makes cholesterol and it's actually essential for your body to function normally. Cholesterol is also found in food and appropriately called dietary cholesterol. Since your body produces enough, you don't need to worry about getting any from diet. What you do need to worry about is getting too much.

A healthy person with healthy cholesterol levels can safely consume 300 milligrams a day. If your levels are high, aim for less than 200 mg a day. Are you eating too much? Find out how much cholesterol is in your favorite foods when you read more.

Food	Cholesterol (mg)
1 Hard-Boiled Egg	212
1 cup Skim Milk	5
1 cup Lowfat Milk (1%)	15
1 cup Lowfat Milk (2%)	20
1 cup Whole Milk	34
1 oz. Cheddar Cheese (1 slice)	29
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese	20
2 tbsp. Cream Cheese	26
2 tbsp. Butter	61
5.3 oz. Fage Total Classic Greek Yogurt	35
5.3 oz. Fage Total With Honey	20
6 oz. Chobani No-Fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt	0
6 oz. Stonyfield farms Organic Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt	7
1/3 Pound Hamburger Patty	90
5 inch Hot Dog	24
4 oz. Filet Mignon	75
4 oz. Organic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast	70
4 oz. Tilapia	55
3 oz. Salmon	85
2 tbsp. Mayonnaise	8
3 oz. Sour Cream	11
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	120
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	115
9 Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses	5

High cholesterol levels in the blood can put you at risk for heart disease. So answer these two questions for me: have you had your cholesterol levels tested, and are you getting too much?

Extreme Obesity As Bad As a Lifetime of Smoking

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0700

We typically think of smoking as the baddest of all bad habits, but a new study suggests that extreme obesity could be just as unhealthy. In fact, being extremely obese - that is, 100 or more pounds over your healthy weight - could take as many as 10 years off your life. These revelations come out of a new analysis based on studies of more than 900,000 people, mostly from the US and Western Europe, and will be published in an upcoming issue of The Lancet. Researcher Richard Peto of Oxford University equates the danger of extreme obesity to lifelong smoking; it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Even people not considered extremely obese are at risk. "Obese" indicates a BMI of 30 or greater, and an estimated one-third of US residents fit into this category. For those people who are about 40 or more pounds overweight, life expectancy could be shortened by as many as three years. In overweight people, every five-point increase in BMI can increase the risk of early death by 30 percent.

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Heart Disease No Longer the World's Leading Killer?

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:31 -0800

Heart disease has been king of the killers for some time, but new research from the World Health Organization shows the disease will likely be dethroned by another leading killer during the next couple decades. Cancer is projected to increase by 1 percent each year, and the WHO expects that 27 million new cancer cases will be introduced to the world by 2030.

The emerging economies of China, Russia, and India are of particular concern because of the large population in those countries that smokes. According to John R. Seffrin, CEO pf the American Cancer Society, tobacco was responsible for 100 million people deaths worldwide in the last century and could at this rate kill a billion in the 21st century. Those numbers are truly scary! Additionally, cancer is on the rise in Western countries because of high-fat diets and sedentary lifestyles, while Asian countries are seeing more cases of breast cancer and more women African countries are suffering from cervical cancer.

Has anyone in your life been affected by some type of cancer?

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Tune In and Raise Your Awareness on Heart Disease

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0700

What is the number-one killer of women? Breast Cancer? Ovarian Cancer? Car accidents? Diabetes?

If you said heart disease then you are correct. The problem is that very few women know this. Let alone are aware of the risk factors associated with the disease and most do not understand how they can prevent heart disease in the first place.

If you have 30 minutes tomorrow, tune in to Go Red For Women presents - Untold Stories of the Heart on NBC (check the schedule for local times). The show features Marie Osmond (her mother and grandmother died due to heart disease) and is hosted by Hoda Kotb, and aims to raise awareness through the personal stories of nine actual women living with heart disease. It may not change your life, but at the very least it will help make you aware of heart disease and the toll it can take if you don't do something to prevent it.

Another Reason You Should Be Eating Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been skipping breakfast, despite all the health benefits it offers, here's yet another reason that you may want to get up ten minutes earlier to enjoy breakfast each morning.

New research has found that eating breakfast reduces your risk for heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure. Compared with having your first morsel of food later in the day, eating something in the morning creates smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin after all the meals you eat for the rest of that day. This does not mean you should start the day with a high-fat or high sugar meal - you should really focus on a breakfast that is heavy in whole grains, fruits, and healthy protein sources. For a list of breakfast ideas that fit into the requirements just read more.

A bowl of steel-cut oatmeal topped with fruit and walnuts
A bowl of high-fiber, whole-grain cereal such as Fiber One, Kashi Autumn Wheat, or Cheerios with milk and sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit
6 or 8 ounces of 1% yogurt with blueberries and sunflower seeds
A whole-grain English muffin with peanut butter
an omelet made with one egg and one egg white, or egg substitute, served with whole-grain toast and orange slices
A smoothie made with milk, yogurt, orange or pineapple juice, strawberries or blueberries, and banana, plus some oat bran, ground flax seeds, or wheat germ for extra fiber and healthful oils

I'm feeling happy that my morning bowl of Cheerios with a banana is protecting my heart. I always knew it was doing some good, but I like having research to back it up. Do you usually eat a breakfast that falls into the suggested requirements?

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Can You Be Both Overweight and Fit?

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:00:00 -0700

When it comes to heart problems, it has been assumed that it's OK to be a bit overweight as long as you exercise regularly. New research is challenging this notion and this new research shows that being active can decrease but not eliminate your risk of heart problems. A new study that followed 39,000 women over 11 years discovered that weight actually plays a significant role in heart health.

The women participating in the study were assessed by their level of activity as well as their Body Mass Index (BMI). Women who exercised moderately (brisk walking or jogging) for 30 minutes most days of the week were considered active, and those who exercised less were categorized as inactive. To see the results of the study, read more.

MSNBC reports the study's findings like this:

Compared with normal-weight active women, the risk for developing heart disease was 54 percent higher in overweight active women and 87 percent higher in obese active women. By contrast, it was 88 percent higher in overweight inactive women; and 2½ times greater in obese inactive women.

The study shows exercise helps overweight women decrease their risk of developing heart disease, but the extra weight still contributes to their overall risk. Maintaining a healthy weight is important since two out of five women over the age of 50 will have heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems, it's good to start thinking about this now. Exercising and eating a healthy diet, essentially making important lifestyle changes will help your heart and your overall health.

Fit's Tips: Thin doesn't necessarily equal healthy either. If you are thin and have a low BMI but also smoke, are inactive, or eat foods high in saturated fat, you may be increasing your risk for heart problems as well.

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Doctors to Sports Fans: "Simmer Down This Sunday"

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:00:00 -0800

It turns out that when it comes to cardiac problems a major sporting event is right up there with financial stress, losing a loved one, and natural disasters. So if you're a big Giants or Patriots fan, or if you just tend to get all riled up in the heat of the game, researchers are warning us all to take it easy this Super Bowl Sunday, but especially those at risk for heart disease.

This comes after a new finding that suggests when serious sports fans are watching their team play in a big game, they face more than twice the risk of suffering a heart attack.

What's more? Sports fans can encompass all the factors that put you at risk for heart disease such as leading a sedentary lifestyle, eating junk food, smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, and getting stressed out by the game.

So relax this Sunday, and go Pats!

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Join Diet Coke and Wear Red For Women's Heart Health

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Did you wear your red today? If not, then our friends at Diet Coke thought you should know that today is National Wear Red Day. Every year on the first Friday in February, people all around the country wear red to raise 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 for a very special Red Dress Sweepstakes. 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 the official rules, read more.

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 FitSugar.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.

Heart Disease Affecting Younger Women

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 08:45:00 -0800

If you think heart disease only happens to older folks, then think again.

Recent research has found that heart disease is affecting more younger women (ages 35-44) than ever thanks to the increasing rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and other harmful risk factors.

Keeping this scary statistic in mind, I think now would be a good time to remind you of some heart healthy foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals - all of which have the power to keep your heart healthy while not breaking your diet. To find out the top ten read more

High fiber cereals and breads
Fish (salmon and tuna)
Legumes (beans and peas)
Nuts (walnuts and almonds)
Skim milk
Blueberries
Apples and oranges
Carrots
Tomatoes
Spinach and kale

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Carrying a Few Extra Pounds May Not Be a Bad Thing

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:30:00 -0800

Well, this news has come in just in time. Now that candy-driven Halloween is over and we're preparing to gorge ourselves on Thanksgiving, a new study shows that being 25 pounds overweight doesn't appear to raise your risk of dying of cancer or heart disease. Having a little extra weight may help you to survive various illnesses such as emphysema, pneumonia and certain injuries. Those between the ages of 25 and 59 benefit the most from being a little chubby.

Researchers aren't sure why extra padding may help. Some say that extra weight may provide “additional nutritional reserves.” University of South Carolina obesity researcher Steven Blair, believes that it's possible to be fat and fit. He feels that Americans have been slapped in the face by fears of the obesity epidemic. While it's true that many Americans are obese, the number of deaths attributed to it has been exaggerated.

There's more to this study though. To hear about it then read more

You see, a little extra weight may not cause any problems, but being 30 or more pounds over the recommended weight for your height categorizes you as obese. Carrying that much extra weight around can put you at risk for diabetes, kidney disease, certain kinds of cancer, and high blood pressure and cholesterol that could lead to heart disease.

Many experts feel that this study is just the tip of the iceberg, and that more research needs to be done to address whether or not cancer and heart disease occurs more often in people who are overweight, or if genetics or other lifestyle choices have more of an effect.

So the point here is that a few extra pounds won't kill you, but 30 pounds or more could be detrimental to your health. Don't obsess about being ultra thin because it doesn't necessarily make you healthy. Be sure to eat a diet full of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Try to exercise regularly, and that should keep you at a healthy weight.

Fit's Tips: Your BMI (Body Mass Index) measures your body fat based on your height and weight. If you're not sure what a healthy BMI is for your height, check out Fit's Calculator.

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