Heart-healthy tips for the whole family!
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
Philippines
April 10, 2007 11:38am CST
Most of the heart disease begins in childhood. Whether or not your family has a history of heart disease, it's important to help your children reduce their future risks. I have came across some heart healthy tips for the whole family. You and your hubby could also benefit from a few simple changes in your lifestyle. With the help of these tips, try to make a big difference in your overall health starting today. Hope they will help you even a bit.
1. Baking, broiling, grilling and boiling are the best ways to cook your meals.
2. Use nonstick cooking spray to cut down on fat. Or better yet, use olive oil, which can cut heart risk up to forty percent.
3. Choose lean cuts of meat--sirloin and round are great choices. Don't forget to trim any visible fat from the meat and drain off any extra fat after cooking.
4. Eat at least two servings of fish a week. Putting fish in your menu list every week easily prevents heart-related diseases.
5. Give the salt one less shake over the saucepan or your plate. After all, processed foods are often already high in salt.
6. Instead of stick margarine or butter, use soft tub margarine instead.
7. An apple or two a day really does help keeping the doctor away. Even drinking 12 ounces of apple juice lowers risk of a heart attack or stroke in half. Or an orange a day too will be great.
8. Cut down your kid's intake of high fat commercial desserts such as cakes, pies or ice cream.
9. Fiber is a wonderful substitute for fatty foods.
10. Stop smoking!(^^,)
11. Exercise! Get the family to play some sports or swear it out in the gym. Never forget that you need to exercise three to four days a week for at least 15 minutes at a time.
12. Get out and have vigorous fun with the pack. Like hiking, bicycling or swimming are just a few of the exciting ways to spend time with the family and a great way to keep in shape.
Enjoy your summer! (^^,)
Source: "Mommy academy"
11 people like this
25 responses
@Tir_Na_nOg (508)
• Ireland
10 Apr 07
Thanks for all the useful tips Aphroditei. I think I am already accusomed to most of them. Fish is my favourite food and most of our meat is grilled. We rarely fry anything. Now if I could just keep up with the exercise and quit the smoking I think I could have quite a few years left to go.
3 people like this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
10 Apr 07
i am a fish lover, too. especially when it's cook as a soup. really yummy! better than most meats.
1 person likes this
@bluewings (3857)
•
10 Apr 07
I do atleast 10 out of the 12 listed here.Even if I don't go for the apples , I have lots of apple juice.I exercise,don't smoke,have loads of fun,eat fish,use less salt,don't go without fiber.So,I have a 17% chance of heart diseases.Hmmm,well,I have to keep something for the doctors to point out .Otherwise ,they might think I am perfect,which arouses suspicion,lol.Thanks for sharing the tips,Aphroditei!:)
2 people like this
@bluewings (3857)
•
11 Apr 07
lol,Thanks,Aphroditei! I love the smileys you use:)
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Hmmm,perfect? why not?! (^^,LOL) Just kidding. And it is good to be healthy, it will lessen you to spend on doctor's fees which are really expensive nowadays. Keep it up! Take care my friend! And by the way, you still have a perfect score too.. Hmmmm! Keep up the good work! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
11 Apr 07
thank you for sharing the info. In India where i live, heart attack is emerging as a major killer specially among the 35-45 age group. the stress and strain of our daily life is such that whatever little time we get, we just feel like sleeping and relaxing. exercising is definitely not a part of our life, though we regret it much. other than that, even i try to follow most of those directives stated by you. but olive oil is not a viable option since we bengalis love our mustard oil. but we take fish daily so i guess that makes it up. good health to you and your family.
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Thank you Sudipta for sharing! Good heatlth to you too and your family! Havea nice day! Stay healthy! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
11 Apr 07
that's just wonderful. you have covered almost all, if i may just add to it:
1. olive oil is the best medium for cooking
2. fruits, vegetables and tea are good source of antioxidants - we should consume more of those
3. avoid: overeating and physical exercise for 2 hours after a meal.
4. we can use small forks and spoons (smaller than the standard size). survey shows this actually reduces amount of food intake.
thank you
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Thanks for adding Mimpi! Great! I didn't wanted to add to much, because I'm guilty of not following them all(^^,LOL)But it is good to be reminded from time to time. And also by the way, the use of smaller plates is recommended too. Stay healthy Mimpi! Keep up the good work! Have a beautiful day! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
That was informative, aphroditei.
1. I rarely cook my own food. There are only three people in my house so I mostly bought food from a nearby restaurant.
2. I do use nonstick cooking spray.
3. I only eat red meat about twice a month. I never eat pork meat though.
4. I ate fish yesterday. Its delicious and real saucy.
5. The only salt I'm using is the organic one. Quite costly but a healthy choice.
6. I use unsalted or less fats butter.
7. I seldom eat apple. I always buy bananas, mangoes and seedless grapes.
8. I only allowed a few indulgence of those sinfully sweets on few occasions.
9. I regularly drink water despite not eating too much fiber foods. This works well with me.
10. I don't smoke.
11. My only exercise is doing household chores. It helps to sweat out those extra calories I'm taking in.
12. I go for swimming and badminton from time to time.
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Hmmm! You're very healthy Bunnycharms! And thank you for adding unsalted or less fats butter. I'll that more than margarine. Keep up the good habits! Stay healthy! Take care!(^^,)
1 person likes this
@piropos (312)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
I am suffering from coronary artery disease and in fact I already had angioplasty early last year. The reason for this is my poor choice of food that I was eating, which started as you said, during childhood. If I have been guided as to what good foods to eat, then probably I would not have been suffering this disease. No, I'm not blaming my parents for not doing this, because even as an adult, and already knowing unhealthy foods can make me ill, I would still eat as much as I wanted to. But still, reading articles and advises such as yours should have informed and convinced me to take care of myself more carefully. I am bringing up my children aware of this fact and though I am having difficulty making them eat as much vegetables and fruits that they should eat, they have learned to avoid eating fatty foods and junk snacks. Hopefully, they have not inherited my genes for poor health.
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Oh, I hope you are doing well now. I have poor eating habits too and I found those tips more like a friendly reminder. I was quite uneasy to post it first, because maybe most of the people know about it.
But after reading your response, I'm glad I did it and I'm happy you appreciate it. And I must agree with you, it is good to teach our children to eat healthy so they would avoid further heart illness, or lesser consequences of it. Because like you say we can't not totally rule out the inheritation of genes. But at least they'll be aware at an early age of the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
Hope you are doing well now. Thank you for sharing. Welcome to mylot! Happy Posting and enjoy your stay here! Have a nice day Piropos! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
10 Apr 07
i think i have done all those on the list you've given. my mom is very strict when it comes to our health. i have a brother with leukemia and so, his food should be always healthy and so on with the rest of the family.
i just don't like apple juice at all that's why i only take the apples instead plus all other fruits there is.
it's nice to eat healthy not just for my brother who is sick but also for the sake of the whole family.
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
I agree with you Maryann! And it also sets a good habits for the family to eat healthy, especially for children. So that when they grow up, they already know how to eat healthy. Keep up the good work! Have a nice day! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
11 Apr 07
It sounds like you have a good reference there for helping to raise a healthy family. In addition to helping fight heart disesas these tips will lessen the chances of you having to deal with heart burn and reflux. Be healthy and have fun;
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Thank you Gardengerty! Stay healthy too and have a lots of fun! have a nice day! (^^,)
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
11 Apr 07
great tips. Over the years I have implemented some of them, but not all. I still fry but very little, mostly I do my food in the oven.
2 people like this
@kaplya (1578)
• India
10 Apr 07
wow it's a quite useful post!!:) by the way i m a vegetarian so of course i don't eat meat but yet i don't include fruit in my daily meal! also i m very lazy about work outs;) so i guess maybe i have a danger of heart disease..perhaps i should start to think now..thank u!!:)
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
You're welcome! I'm not into exercise too. So sometimes I also have to remind myself. It is good to know that you have appreciated this post. Take care my friend! (^^,)
2 people like this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
11 Apr 07
That is great that you posted that. It is important to know these things that is for sure. I know I am very guilty of not following those habits most of the time. I am getting better at it, I rarely fry anything anymore and I do buy leaner cuts of meat. It is just so expensive these days! Fish is not a big item in our house because my daughter only likes fish sticks, LOL! I do excercise at least once a day and try to encourage my daughter to do it as well. She does walk alot and rides her bike. I try to keep her away from the television and the internet. She will sit for hours at the computer if I let her. I will have to take into consideration some of the other things you listed here! Thanks for posting that!
2 people like this
@sunup13 (420)
• Canada
10 Apr 07
Thank you for the informative post. Now that I am a mom I think more about nutrition and how I am going to feed her when she is grown up. I must admit I don't eat very well right now, but I do have a five month old that takes up most of my time and I always have to eat quickly while she is entertained.
2 people like this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
I had the same problem before, to take care of your baby really takes a lot of time. And sometimes you tend to forget about your own nutrition. I'm glad that somehow my post did help you. Just some firendly tips for us, busy moms. Take care! Keep up the good work! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@jc_star10 (953)
• Indonesia
11 Apr 07
Thank you for the info here. I never knew that apple will help you reduce heart attack or stroke. I seldom eat apple. Not that i don't like it, i just don't feel like want to eat it. Fist in every menu list, i agree with you. Fist definetely help to prevent heart disease. Especially salmon. And i never knew olive oil will help you to reduce heart risk too. There are a lot of information here. Thanks you again.
2 people like this
@weemam (13372)
•
15 Apr 07
There are heart problems in my family and my hubby had a triple bypass last year , he was a smoker when he was young and this had done a lot of damage , I think this is a brilliant discussion , anything that can prevent anyone going through major surgery can only be a good thing good for you my friend , I hope both the young and the old people take note of what you have written xx
1 person likes this
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
4 May 07
Thank you my friend for your response. And yes, prevention is better than the cure, and to set good healthy habits for children will keep them healthy and fit. Have a great day! (^^,)
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
15 Apr 07
An excellent list of ideas for heart healthy living! Thanks for sharing. Hopefully people realize how important it is to raise your child from infancy to use healthy choices!
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
4 May 07
Thank you for your response Hockeygal! Have a great day! (^^,)
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
I do too most of them, but the exercise part is tough. Especially that I have to take care of my family. I seldom have time on my own. And I'm still trying to figure how I can squeeze in some good work up. Hmmm? Anyway, thank you for sharing. Take care! Have a nice day! (^^,)
1 person likes this
@kkerix (403)
• United States
11 Apr 07
i wish to god that i had started to take things serious many years earlier, i was not quick enough to get on the health boat. my ship sank in the harbor. cancer at 40 years young. i try hard to maintain a healthy life style now, but i fear i may be to late.
mahalo, oahu lopaka.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
11 Apr 07
Thanks for sharing. They are really tips for a healthy living.
I have read that eating fresh fruits has better benefits compared to drinking fruit juices. Also, it is recommended to have 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
@Aphroditei_5279 (2465)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Thank you for adding too Whyask! Stay healthy! Have fun! Have a great day! (^^,)
