Sunday, February 14, 2010

Heart Month - Healthy Tips For The Heart!

We will be focused on tips for keeping your ticker in top shape for the entire month of February.

Tip 1 - Scale down on the White Stuff!
Americans eat more than 22 teaspoons of sugar (about 350 calories worth) and nearly 2 teaspoons of salt per day, both habits can do a number on your heart. Sugar ups your weight, blood pressure and triglceride levels; excessive salt raises blood pressure by making your body retain fluid.

So what's the fix? The American Heart Association (AMA) recommends getting less than 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt per day; however, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) reduction would mean 6 percent fewer new cases of heart disease, heart attacks and deaths.

Women are recommended to get no more than 6 teaspoons or 25 grams of sugar per day. 9 teaspoons/38 grams per day for men. If a women cut back on this plan by limiting foods and beverages containing sucrose, fructose or glucose, she could lose about a 1/2 a pound a week. A man would loose slightly less.

Give it a try and post your results.

No comments: