Archive by category 'Healthy Heart'

Healthy Heart

Healthy Heart — No Comments
13
Feb 12

Healthy heart recipes complement any good yoga routine

If you're a member of a holistic health community, you probably take weekly exercise classes with your fellow enthusiasts. Maybe you do stretching, deep breathing, tai chi or qigong. While you're at it, you might try attending to your dietary well-being by incorporating healthy heart recipes into your daily eating regimen.

After all, yoga and meditation exercises can certainly keep your mind and body vigorous, but not if your diet is unhealthy.

With that in mind, here are some tips for eating right as part of your holistic well-being:

1. Dump snacks and processed foods. If you're eating junk food that contains processed grains, fats, oils, sugars or excess salt, now is the time to stop. These foods can drag down your overall health, limit your stamina and increase your risk of heart problems.

2. Load up on veggies. The USDA recommends filling one-half of every plate with produce. And for good reason: Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, they contain virtually no cholesterol or saturated fats and you can eat as much of them as you want!

3. Eat whole grains. Bleached flour is out. Tip: Unless your pasta says "whole grain" on the box, it isn't.

4. Try green tea. This mild, warming beverage has been used for millennia as a gentle, all-purpose holistic remedy.

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
18
Nov 11

U.S. population may soon be in need of healthy heart diet, yoga exercises

Americans know the value of a healthy heart diet, which is why so many of us eat right and exercise, right? Wrong, said a public health expert at Northwestern University.

According to Mark Huffman, who is a professor of preventative medicine and cardiology, if American eating habits don't change, by 2020, 83 percent of men and 72 percent of women will be either overweight or obese.

Already, 72 percent of males and 63 percent of females fall into these categories. Without a radical restructuring of the way we take care of our hearts and metabolic functioning, we may be headed for a crisis, Huffman stated.

He estimated that at their current rate of increase, overweight- and obesity-related healthcare costs will top $1.1 trillion by 2030.

Yikes! It sounds like it's time for adults to begin spending more time attending to their whole-body health. Such an effort may be the better for including a healthy heart diet. Likewise, yoga and meditation benefits cardiac function, pulmonary health and holistic well-being.

If you're looking to shed a few pounds and keep your heart healthy, try looking into the yoga options in the DC area.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
29
Sep 11

Yoga exercises may promote a healthy heart

In the U.S., heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No wonder so many people come to Washington, DC yoga classes in the pursuit of a healthy heart.

But can yoga really improve your cardiovascular well-being? After all, many varieties of the holistic health system involve minimal aerobic exercise.

Be that as it may, numerous studies point to the potential health benefits of regularly engaging in yoga. These reports typically note that there is more to holistic heart health than mere aerobic activity. Being able to reduce your blood pressure, lower your heart rate or reduce your stress levels can contribute to better cardiovascular fitness.

For instance, a study published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure found that heart failure patients who used yoga therapies were better able to stabilize their bloodborne biomarkers for inflammation.

These organic molecules, including interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and extracellular superoxide dismutase, point to dangerous inflammation when they are in flux. The team found that participation in yoga classes seemed to bring these biomarkers closer to a state of equilibrium, as compared to traditional therapies.

Similar results appeared in a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. By measuring the levels of the same inflammation-related biomarkers, researchers found that African-American heart failure patients who engaged in yoga were able to improve their cardiac well-being better than those who used a daily walking regimen.

Other scientific investigations have suggested that doing yoga can increase insulin sensitivity, regularize heartbeat for arrhythmia patients or lower blood pressure. Such effects could be of real benefit for yoga enthusiasts looking to keep their hearts healthy.

More than 631,000 Americans die of heart disease each year, the CDC estimates. This means that cardiac problems account for one in every four deaths in the U.S.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
14
Sep 11

Yoga, laughter promote healthy hearts, experts say

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) wants to prevent more than 1 million strokes and heart attacks over the next five years, but how should individuals go about attaining a healthy heart? Studies have shown that laughing yoga may be a good start.

More than a decade of investigations conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore suggests that laughter is an effective way to improve vascular function and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Lead researcher Michael Miller recently announced that his latest studies confirm findings announced 10 years ago – namely, that while eating healthy heart foods is important for good vascular health, so is laughter.

Miller described a series of experiments designed to demonstrate the effect of different emotional states on blood vessels. He said that his team asked hundreds of volunteers to watch funny or sad movies, or, alternatively, to discuss happy or disturbing situations.

He explained that simultaneous vascular monitoring indicated that people who watched tragic films – for example, Saving Private Ryan – experienced vasoconstriction, or the tightening of the inner lining of blood vessels (a tissue known as the endothelium).

By contrast, participants who laughed their way through comedies like There's Something About Mary experienced the opposite effect. Their veins and arteries dilated, contributing to endothelial flexibility.

The team concluded that laughter of any sort appears to have a positive effect on vascular health.

Any activities that regularly encourage a good chuckle, cackle or guffaw – like laughing yoga – could decrease the risk of negative cardiovascular events, researcher said.

These findings may be a boon for the USDHHS, which announced that it has launched an initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and potentially save $444 billion in annual medical costs.

Called Million Hearts, the initiative will encourage Americans to take better holistic care of their hearts.

Related items

Healthy Heart — 1 Comment
8
Sep 11

Yoga + healthy heart diet = potential cardiovascular improvements

Perhaps you've tried going on a healthy heart diet and found that you couldn't make much headway. Alternatively, you may have tried doing yoga without addressing your nutritional needs and found that you were not experiencing improvements. Never fear! The key to a healthy heart may consist in combining these two activities.

Anyway, that is the thrust of a study published in the journal Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. Drawn up by researchers at the Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine in Germany's Hannover Medical University, the paper is blunt: adding a vegetarian diet to a yoga regimen may work wonders.

Coming to this conclusion involved asking dozens of participants to take part in a three-month yoga program designed to keep them active and in shape. These individuals were also fed a healthy daily diet that was based mainly on fruits and vegetables.

The team described this fare as "lacto-vegetarian," since volunteers were given dairy products. Therefore, while not vegan, the diet was quite tightly controlled.

After the study period, researchers found that a number of the participants' health risk factors had dropped precipitously, including their body mass indices, cholesterol and blood pressure. Likewise, their hormone levels had balanced noticeably.

"Urinary excretion of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, aldosterone, as well as serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were reduced, while cortisol excretion increased significantly," the group noted. These changes indicate that participants may have altered their stress- and anxiety-related hormone levels for the better.

Other studies have reaches similar conclusions. A report appearing in the Journal of Association of Physicians of India found that middle-aged adults who do yoga may experience dips in oxidative stress.

Another paper, this one in the Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, noted that many prior studies have pointed to yoga as a heart health-improving system. Researchers collected a total of 70 previously published reports detailing the positive effects that stretching and deep breathing can have on one's cardiovascular condition.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — 1 Comment
24
Aug 11

A healthy heart diet can keep yoga practitioners strong

Plenty of things contribute to good cardiovascular condition, from eating right and exercising to relaxing with yoga. Even maintaining a good marriage is good for your blood pressure, according to an article appearing in the Washington Post. However, generally speaking, it all starts with a healthy heart diet.

How, you may be asking, does eating right affect your ticker, and what does this have to do with yoga?

Well, yoga is a holistic health system, meaning that its primary goal is to address the well-being of every aspect of your body. Since your heart and circulatory system are so key to longevity, it's little wonder that yoga often focuses on invigorating the tireless muscle that beats in your chest.

One of the many ways that Washington, DC yoga classes attempt to improve enthusiasts' heart health is through instruction in proper nutrition.

The first thing you need to know about a heart-healthy, yoga-appropriate diet is that it typically contains plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Numerous health organizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention among them, emphasize that you need to be eating at least five cups of fresh produce each day. Grains and proteins are also quite important.

These foods give your body the energy it needs to maintain yoga poses, stretch and breathe deeply. However, energy may be derived from even the unhealthiest of foods. What's really special about eating a wholesome diet is that it keeps your arteries clean and allows your body to cleanse itself of toxins.

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) states that in the absence of a healthy diet, plaque begins to build up the the arteries. Over time, this accumulation of cholesterol and fatty acids can gradually narrow the blood vessels, increasing your blood pressure.

Without a major dietary change, this process can lead to a heart attack. In the U.S., coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death among men and women alike, the NHLBI states.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
19
Aug 11

Doing yoga may contribute to a healthy heart

If you've been told that you have high triglycerides or that your diet leans too heavily on processed snacks, it may be time to start working on getting a healthy heart. Besides abstaining from sugar and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, what else can be done to keep your ticker in good shape? Yoga and meditation exercises, that's what.

In recent years, more than a few studies have suggested that the holistic health regimen may improve cardiovascular health. This may come as little surprise, considering that research consistently indicates just how effective yoga programs can be at reducing pain and improving well-being.

The Yoga Journal noted that yoga can keep the heart fit, even though the system is low-impact and relatively relaxing. The source recounted an experiment conducted by John Schumacher, a yoga instructor and 20-year veteran of the Washington, DC, yoga scene.

Schumacher believed that his heart health was excellent, even though he only practiced stretching, posing and deep breathing. To prove his suspicion, he underwent a physical and a battery of blood tests.

The results? The 52-year-old had less than a 1 percent chance of experiencing a heart attack, which is excellent for a man his age, the source noted.

"I've always maintained that yoga provides more than adequate cardiovascular benefits. Now I have the evidence that regular yoga practice at a certain level of intensity will provide you with what you need," he explained to the journal.

Multiple studies back him up. Three recent reports – in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine – found that the introduction of yoga into a personal fitness plan can do wonders for the heart.

The studies determined that people who regularly practiced yoga tended to have lower blood pressure, higher insulin sensitivity and better blood lipid profiles.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
29
Jul 11

DC yoga class encourages attendees to bring their furry friends

Life can be lonely without someone to share it with. Many people rely on their spouses, children, relatives, friends and neighbors for companionship, while others enjoy the company of beloved pets. Some studies have shown that having a dog can reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve the owner's quality of life. This may be one reason why so many yoga classes are now encouraging enthusiasts to bring their pooches. What better way to perform gentle breathing exercises, soothing poses and rejuvenating stretches than in the tranquil company of one's loyal pet?

The holistic mind-body regimen of yoga is designed to simultaneously enhance one's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Combined with a healthy heart diet, engaging in such exercise can help increase longevity and happiness, which may be why millions of Americans have adopted the routine into their daily lives.

The Washington Post reports that one DC yoga class is encouraging attendees to bring their faithful pups along. The sessions will be held at the Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, an establishment that has long been famous for its doggie happy hours, during which singles can mingle at the bar while their trusty canines do the same.

Every Thursday night after grabbing a drink or two and socializing with other guests and their dogs, yoga enthusiasts can gather for a 40-minute class featuring meditation and calming poses. These techniques are meant to soothe both humans and dogs, allowing everyone present to look within, achieve inner peace and brush away the day's tension and anxiety.

Countless individuals who have engaged in the Eastern art of yoga have praised it for its positive effects, both on their minds and their bodies. 

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
28
Jul 11

Performing yoga may be included among other healthy heart tips

Individuals who are looking for healthy heart tips tend to find the usual advice, such as eating fruits and vegetables, exercising and eschewing tobacco. However, performing the holistic Eastern regimen of yoga may rank right up alongside these positive lifestyle behaviors as a way to keep disease at bay. The mind-body system promotes the use of deep breathing techniques, poses and stretches to enhance flexibility and tranquility. The myriad benefits associated with the program may be one of the reasons why yoga and meditation retreats are so popular among Americans.

Recently, the County Journal reported that, for yoga devotee Keith VanGilder, the calming Eastern art ranks right up there with sleep and water. His dedication to the program prompted him to open a yoga studio in his hometown, where he teaches the relaxing techniques alongside his wife and another couple.

The main goal that they shared upon opening the facility? Namely, to improve the health and vibrancy of their community through peaceful yoga and dance, they told the newspaper.

VanGilder and his wife, Susanne, have been teaching the mind-body regimen for over a decade. They encourage students who come to their classes to focus on postures and breathing, which are meant to strengthen and calm the body.

So far, they have drawn in a unique crowd of enthusiasts. Despite the fact that everyone comes from different backgrounds and skill levels, all of them have one thing in common – a passion for yoga.

"Thus far, we've been excited to not draw in the usual suspects," co-founder Kellie Pederson told the news source. "It's really super exciting to see someone who hasn't done a yoga course before."

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

Healthy Heart — No Comments
28
Jul 11

Performing yoga may be included among other healthy heart tips

Individuals who are looking for healthy heart tips tend to find the usual advice, such as eating fruits and vegetables, exercising and eschewing tobacco. However, performing the holistic Eastern regimen of yoga may rank right up alongside these positive lifestyle behaviors as a way to keep disease at bay. The mind-body system promotes the use of deep breathing techniques, poses and stretches to enhance flexibility and tranquility. The myriad benefits associated with the program may be one of the reasons why yoga and meditation retreats are so popular among Americans.

Recently, the County Journal reported that, for yoga devotee Keith VanGilder, the calming Eastern art ranks right up there with sleep and water. His dedication to the program prompted him to open a yoga studio in his hometown, where he teaches the relaxing techniques alongside his wife and another couple.

The main goal that they shared upon opening the facility? Namely, to improve the health and vibrancy of their community through peaceful yoga and dance, they told the newspaper.

VanGilder and his wife, Susanne, have been teaching the mind-body regimen for over a decade. They encourage students who come to their classes to focus on postures and breathing, which are meant to strengthen and calm the body.

So far, they have drawn in a unique crowd of enthusiasts. Despite the fact that everyone comes from different backgrounds and skill levels, all of them have one thing in common – a passion for yoga.

"Thus far, we've been excited to not draw in the usual suspects," co-founder Kellie Pederson told the news source. "It's really super exciting to see someone who hasn't done a yoga course before."

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

← Older Entries