Healthy food for your heart

Foods loaded with heart-healthy nutrients that help protect your cardiovascular system

Dietary advice for reducing heart disease risk includes eating a balanced diet with less saturated fat from red meats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar, more fiber and for many people, fewer total calories. We can reduce our chances of developing heart disease by eating a diet that is high in fruit and vegetable content. Add these foods to your diet to make your cardiovascular system more healthy

TOMATOES:

Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce heart disease risk. Add thick slices of tomatoes to sandwiches and salads or enjoy tomato sauce on whole wheat pasta. In fact, cooked tomato sauce and canned tomato sauce that you buy in the store both contain more lycopene than raw tomatoes. The red colour of tomatoes is due to the antioxidant lycopene, research has linked eating plenty of tomatoes, especially cooked, canned, pastes and sauces with a reduced risk of heart disease. Tomatoes are a source of antioxidant vitamins C and E, flavonoids and potassium, which may help to regulate blood pressure.

POMEGRANATE

A daily glass of pomegranate juice slows down the damage caused by cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease, it also reduces blood pressure and more than doubles the levels of health-boosting antioxidants in the blood.

PUMPKIN

Pumpkins are lavishly supplied with betacarotene, the antioxidant which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Betacarotene has a range of beneficial effects on the body, preventing the tissue damage caused by free radicals that can lead to heart disease, cancer and accelerated ageing. Half a cup of pumpkin provides a quarter of the recommended daily allowance of betacarotene and a healthy dose of heart-protecting potassium.

FISH

Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that protect your heart by reducing both inflammation and the risk of blood clots. These fats also work to keep your cholesterol levels healthy. Eat salmon or other oily ocean fish like tuna, sardines or herring at least two times per week. For a heart-healthy meal, try grilled salmon steaks with a green vegetable and a side salad with a sprinkling of lemon juice instead of high-calorie salad dressing. Oily fish such as sardines are a really good source of omega 3s and sardines eaten with the dissolved bones are an incredible rich source of minerals.

BROCCOLI

Broccoli and Broccoli Sprouts belongs to the crucifer family of vegetables, They contain a number of chemical compounds including carotenoids and indoles, which inhibit the production of cancer cells. Broccoli is very rich in vitamin C - weight for weight, it contains more than an orange. It contains antioxidant vitamin E and is a good source of calcium and B2. Because broccoli is a good plant source of iron, It contains sulphoraphane - which may help protect the heart from high blood pressure,heart disease, and stroke.

AVOCADO

One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate. Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease than those who don't. The vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione in avocado are also great for your heart.

GRAPES

Eating grapes may not only please your palate; it may also improve your heart health. Grapes reduce cardiovascular risk by lowering blood pressure, improving heart function, reducing inflammation throughout the body and reducing signs of heart muscle damage

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BERRIES

Eating a diet rich in berries may help to keep your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure and increasing levels of 'good' cholesterol. Eat your fill of fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Berries (fresh or frozen) are a highly concentrated source of polyphenols, disease-fighting antioxidants also found in red wine, grapes, chocolate, and nuts.  

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Health Checklist for Women Over 40

Breast Cancer Screening

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Mammogram Checks for breast cancer 40 Annually Doctor's breast exam May detect breast cancers missed by mammography 20 Annually; Every three years for women 20-40

Cervical cancer screening (one of the following):

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Pap smear and pelvic exam Checks for cervical cancer 18 Annually, then every 2-3 years after three normal annual Pap smears in a row Pap smear plus HPV DNA test and pelvic exam Alternative, some experts recommend as more precise means to check for cervical cancer 30 Every three years

Colorectal cancer screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Colonoscopy Outpatient procedure in which a doctor inserts a long, flexible instrument - about 1/2 inch in diameter - into the rectum to view the rectum and entire colon. Many experts say colonoscopy is the most accurate colon cancer screening 50 Every 10 years, more often for those with a family history or history of colon polyps. Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) Stool is tested for blood -- a possible sign of colorectal cancer 50 Annually (in combination with flexible sigmoidoscopy) Flexible sigmoidoscopy Outpatient procedure for examining the lower portion of the large intestine, called the sigmoid colon. A special instrument with a tiny camera attached is used. 50 Every 5 years (in combination with FOBT) Air-contrast barium enema Barium is given as an enema, and then air is blown in to make the barium spread over the lining of the colon, producing an outline of the colon on X-ray. This helps to reveal any irregularities in the lining, such as a polyp. 50 Every 5 years *Your doctor will pick which screening test is best for you.

Skin cancer screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Total body skin exam Doctor examines your skin to detect precancerous and cancerous skin growths 50, or earlier for people with a family or personal history of skin cancer or with excessive sun exposure Annually

Heart disease screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Blood cholesterol test Measures amount of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL, and "good" HDL cholesterol circulating in the blood. Levels of triglycerides, another blood fat, are also usually checked. 20 Every 5 years, or at your doctor's discretion Blood pressure check Measures blood pressure, an indicator of heart risk 18 At least every other year, more often if above normal Fasting plasma glucose Measures blood sugar, an indicator of diabetes risk 45 Every three years, or at your doctor's discretion

Eye disease screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Glaucoma test Measures eye pressure and eye health 60 for normal, healthy adults; 40 for those with risk factors for glaucoma (family history,nearsightedness, diabetes, or African-American) Annually

Bone health:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Bone mineral density test Used as an indicator of bone strength and osteoporosis risk 65 or around age of menopause; earlier for women with previous fragility fractures, family history of osteoporosis, on medications that cause bone loss, or have problems with calcium absorption. At your doctor's discretion

Thyroid health:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Thyroid hormone test Blood test that determines whether thyroid gland is functioning properly 35 Every 5 years

Vaccines/immunizati ons:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Tetanus booster Restores protection against tetanus infection Varies Every 10 years Pneumonia vaccine Provides lifelong protection against pneumonia 65 or earlier in people with risk factors, such as heart failure, lung disease, alcoholism, and others Once in a lifetime Influenza vaccine Provides protection against common influenza strains 50 or earlier Annually