But there was another important consequence that resulted from losing my dad. I became acutely aware of the importance of heart health, and the active role we can play in protecting it.
The numbers are tough to digest: 42 million women in the U.S. are currently living with or at risk for heart disease; 1 woman dies every minute from cardiovascular disease; and 64% of those women had no previous symptoms.
But here's the good news: cardiovascular diseases can usually be prevented and even reversed. The greatest advice in our education is that heart disease can be virtually eliminated by controlling three factors: cholesterol, smoking, and blood pressure. In other words, what we put into our bodies and how we move them are the greatest weapons in our battle against this #1 killer of women.
It's Your Life, Control It
Your lifestyle (not your genes - your lifestyle) is the #1 factor in determining whether or not you'll have a heart attack. You can start by cutting back on cholesterol intake and bringing your blood pressure into line. Try some of the following tips to start improving your heart health:
* Eating meat and animal fat has been linked with a high incidence of heart disease. Even if you're not ready to say goodbye to meat completely, making vegetarian meals one or two days a week could make things interesting at the dinner table. Beans, soy and legumes can make for surprisingly delicious meat substitutes.
* Cut back on high-fat dairy products. These days, there is no shortage of other tasty options - you can find soy, rice, almond or even hemp-based products in almost any grocery store.
* Heart-healthy salmon is also a great option for your protein source. Not sure what to do with it? Try my Asian Glazed Salmon recipe - a real crowd pleaser:
Asian Glazed Salmon
3 tbsp. white or yellow miso (soy bean paste)
3 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons water
Nonstick canola oil cooking spray
4 salmon filets (4 to 6 oz. each)
Chopped scallions
Preheat boiler. Combine miso, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl, mixing until well combined. Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with canola oil spray. Arrange fish on baking sheet, skin side down. Coat each fish piece with the miso mixture. Broil fish 6 inches from heat for 10 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. Sprinkle with scallions. Serves 4
* Walnuts, almonds and other nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help keep blood vessels healthy. (Of course, nuts are also high in calories, so remember; a little bit goes a long way.)
* Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods can reduce your LDL (the "bad" cholesterol). Start your day with oatmeal and sprinkle it with some almonds and flax seed. And as a bonus, you'll find that you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
* Olive oil contains antioxidants that can also lower your LDL cholesterol, but leaves your HDL (the "good “cholesterol) untouched. But again, oil is very high in calories so only use about 2 tablespoons a day!
* Heart-healthy fiber is available in every type of plant. Fiber helps flush carcinogens, toxins, excess hormones and cholesterol out of your system.
* So, just like your mother taught you, it's important to eat our vegetables and fruits. The Cancer Project says to shoot for about 40 grams of fiber a day.
* Serve whole-wheat baked goods instead of those made with refined white flour; and use whole-wheat pastas in lieu of those made from refined flour.
Move to the heart-Beat
And, of course, eating is only half the battle. Physical activity, particularly a balance of cardio and strength exercise, helps keep our heart muscles working at their most optimum. Mayo Clinic says it best:
"People who are inactive tend to have high heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each contraction and the stronger the force on your arteries. Lack of physical activity also increases the risk of being overweight."
So don't waste any more time, start reducing your chance for heart disease by changing your lifestyle and moving your body.
3 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons water
Nonstick canola oil cooking spray
4 salmon filets (4 to 6 oz. each)
Chopped scallions
Preheat boiler. Combine miso, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl, mixing until well combined. Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with canola oil spray. Arrange fish on baking sheet, skin side down. Coat each fish piece with the miso mixture. Broil fish 6 inches from heat for 10 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. Sprinkle with scallions. Serves 4
* Walnuts, almonds and other nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help keep blood vessels healthy. (Of course, nuts are also high in calories, so remember; a little bit goes a long way.)
* Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods can reduce your LDL (the "bad" cholesterol). Start your day with oatmeal and sprinkle it with some almonds and flax seed. And as a bonus, you'll find that you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
* Olive oil contains antioxidants that can also lower your LDL cholesterol, but leaves your HDL (the "good “cholesterol) untouched. But again, oil is very high in calories so only use about 2 tablespoons a day!
* Heart-healthy fiber is available in every type of plant. Fiber helps flush carcinogens, toxins, excess hormones and cholesterol out of your system.
* So, just like your mother taught you, it's important to eat our vegetables and fruits. The Cancer Project says to shoot for about 40 grams of fiber a day.
* Serve whole-wheat baked goods instead of those made with refined white flour; and use whole-wheat pastas in lieu of those made from refined flour.
Move to the heart-Beat
And, of course, eating is only half the battle. Physical activity, particularly a balance of cardio and strength exercise, helps keep our heart muscles working at their most optimum. Mayo Clinic says it best:"People who are inactive tend to have high heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each contraction and the stronger the force on your arteries. Lack of physical activity also increases the risk of being overweight."
So don't waste any more time, start reducing your chance for heart disease by changing your lifestyle and moving your body.
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