Take good care of your heart. It's the only one you've got. Take heart with berries, beans, and other healthy fare. Here as some foods that are good for the heart.
Oatmeal
Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.
Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties—which contain more fiber—and top your bowl off with a banana for another 4 grams of fiber.
Salmon
Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third.
"Salmon contains the carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant," says cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, the author of Lower Your Blood Pressure In Eight Weeks. But be sure to choose wild salmon over farm-raised fish, which can be packed with insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals.
Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost.
Avocado
Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to up the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.
"Avocados are awesome," says Dr. Sinatra. "They allow for the absorption of other carotenoids—especially beta-carotene and lycopene—which are essential for heart health."
Olive oil
Full of monounsaturated fats, olive oil lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces your risk of developing heart disease.
Results from the Seven Countries Study, which looked at cardiovascular disease incidences across the globe, showed that while men in Crete had a predisposition for high cholesterol levels, relatively few died of heart disease because their diet focused on heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Look for extra-virgin or virgin varieties—they're the least processed—and use them instead of butter when cooking.
Nuts
Walnuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids and, along with almonds and macadamia nuts, are loaded with mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Plus, nuts increase fiber in the diet, says Dr. Sinatra. "And like olive oil, they are a great source of healthy fat."
Berries
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries—whatever berry you like best—are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.
"Blackberries and blueberries are especially great," says Sinatra. "But all berries are great for your vascular health."
Legumes
Fill up on fiber with lentils, chickpeas, and black and kidney beans. They're packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and soluble fiber.
Spinach
Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.
But upping your servings of any veggies is sure to give your heart a boost. The Physicians' Health Study examined more than 15,000 men without heart disease for a period of 12 years. Those who ate at least two-and-a-half servings of vegetables each day cut their risk of heart disease by about 25%, compared with those who didn't eat the veggies. Each additional serving reduced risk by another 17%.
Flaxseed
Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseed can go a long way for your heart. Top a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with a smidgen of ground flaxseed for the ultimate heart-healthy breakfast.
Soy
Soy may lower cholesterol, and since it is low in saturated fat, it's still a great source of lean protein in a heart-healthy diet.
Look for natural sources of soy, like edamame, tempeh, or organic silken tofu. And soy milk is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. But watch the amount of salt in your soy: some processed varieties like soy dogs can contain added sodium, which boosts blood pressure.
Everyone knows that it is beans.
"Beans, beans, good for the heart.
The more you eat, the more you fart
The more you fart, the better you feel
So eat more beans for every meal."
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
10 Best Foods For Your Heart
Posted by Lisa at Tuesday, June 28, 2011Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Window From Which We Look
Posted by Lisa at Tuesday, June 21, 2011I got countless forwarded e-mails in my inbox and I hardly read them. I just choose what I want to read and the rest stayed unread until this time but this one really caught my attention. This is pretty humbling. Read on....
A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside. "That laundry is not very clean", she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."Her husband looked on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this."
The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."
And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Christian Song
Posted by Lisa at Saturday, June 18, 2011I first heard this song over the Christian radio I've been listening to many years ago. I enjoyed listening to the lyrics and the melody was so easy to learn. I got the lyrics and learned the song. Then I taught it to the youth in our church and we sang it during our worship service.
Isang Silip sa Langit
Ptr. Rolly Cayabyab
Sa langit walang lumpo
Doon walang nakakalbo
Mga ngipin ay kumpleto
Good bye na sa pustiso
Sa langit walang bulag
Walang matang nanlalabo
Mga pipi’t, mga bingi
Lahat ay gagaling kay Kristo
Walang pulubi sa langit
Doon walang magkakasakit
Wala na ring magugutom
Lahat tayo’y titira sa mansion
Wala ng graft & corruption
Wala na rin ang polusyon
Doon walang libingan
Buhay ay walang hanggan
Sa langit walang krimen
Good bye na sa kidnapping
Wala na ring mga sugal
Good bye na pati sa jueteng
Sa langit walang brown-out
Walang baha, wala ng lahar
Ginituan ang lansangan
Doon tayo mamasyal
Doon walang nagagalit
Doon wala ng masungit
Doon walang naiinggit
Punung-puno doon ng pag-ibig
In heaven there is no fear
The Prince of Peace is there
Kung nais mo sa langit
Kay Hesus ka kumapit (2x)