Healthy Heart?

If you think that's a question only your grandpa or your dad needs to worry about, read on...

Young men and women don’t usually worry about things like high blood pressure, but the fact is that it's a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease – heart attack and stroke – which is the leading cause of death in most country.

The good news is that cocoa supplements could help reduce blood pressure because cocoa is known to contain compounds that dilate the blood vessels. 

Researchers in Germany are conducting a trial to test whether capsules of cocoa polyphenols could significantly reduce blood pressure. If the results are positive, they could replace traditional blood pressure drugs.

Though dark chocolate contains the same polyphenols as cocoa, most chocolate bars also contain a lot of sugar and fat, which can eliminate the benefits.  Chocoholics can now take heart and come out of the closet. Chocolate also contains flavonoids, a biological component of plant foods that can help reduce risk for heart disease. Chocolate, in moderation can be once again a part of a balanced diet.

Flavonoids are found in all plant-derived foods in varying amounts. Various flavonoids have been shown to prevent oxidation, chelate (bind) metals, stimulate the immune system and also reduce an allergic response, prevent formation of carcinogens, impede cancer cell growth, and protect against bacteria and viruses according toAgricultural Research magazine from the USDA. Different flavonoids perform different functions in protecting our health. Chocolate contains the flavonoids Catechins also found in tea ( regular black tea, not herbal teas) and this flavonoid in the diet has been show to help protect the heart from disease.

If you’re not into supplements, choose a bar that is high in cocoa and low in added sugar to enjoy some of the health benefits of cocoa. Also, avoid smoking and drinking excessively, eat well and exercise regularly to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

Nutrition

From Wiki
Nutrition (also called nourishment or aliment) is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary (in the form of food) to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet.

The diet of an organism is what it eats, and is largely determined by the perceived palatability of foods. Dietitians are health professionals who specialize in human nutrition, meal planning, economics, and preparation. They are trained to provide safe, evidence-based dietary advice and management to individuals (in health and disease), as well as to institutions.

A poor diet can have an injurious impact on health, causing deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, and kwashiorkor; health-threatening conditions like obesity and metabolic syndrome, and such common chronic systemic diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

And most of us already know there are major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, fiber, minerals, protein, vitamin, and water. But for now  I will discuss about five nutrients that could help you lose weight, build muscle and beat heart disease...

Vitamin D

This vitamin's biggest claim to fame is its role in strengthening our skeleton. But Vitamin D isn't a one role nutrient. A study found out that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Surprise? This is because D may reduce inflammation in our arteries.

Vitamin D is created in our body when the sun's ultraviolet rays penetrate our skin. However, if we stop going out in the sun or always stay in shade, the Vitamin D will start to diminish from our system. So, take a supplement and multivitamin of 1400 IU of this Vitamin D if you can't stay under the sun...Edward's family and friends from 'Twilight' very aware about this vitamin...

Magnesium
This lightweight mineral is a multitasker. It's involved in more than 300 bodily processes. Low level of this mineral may increase your blood level of C-reactive protein, a key marker of heart disease. So, hit with magnesium rich food such as cashew nuts and navy beans because without enough magnesium, every cell in our body has to struggle to generate energy...


Vitamin B12
Consider this vitamin as your guardian of gray matter. In a study, older people with the lowest levels of B12 lost brain volume at a faster rate over a span of 5 years than those
with the highest levels.

            

Hit the mark with lamb and salmon but most accessible source may be fortified cereals. So, eat a bowl of 100 percent B12-boosted cereal and milk every morning and you will be covered.

Potassium

Without this essentials mineral, your heart couldn't beat, your muscle wouldn't contract, and your brain couldn't comprehend this whole sentence. Why? Potassium helps your cells use glucose for energy.         

People most load up with the wrong minerals, sodium. High sodium can boost blood pressure, while normal potassium levels works to lower it. Half avocado or one banana contains 1/8 of recommended 4,700 mg a day. Other fruits such as kiwi, carrot, tomato, or even broccoli packed with this minerals. Not a fan of either fruit? Pick some potatoes-a single large spud is packed with 1,600 mg.


Iodine

Your thyroid gland requires iodine to produce the hormones T3 and T4, both of which help control how efficiently you burn calories. This means insufficient iodine may cause you to gain weight and feel fatigued. Since iodized salt is an important element, you might assume you're swimming in the stuff...ermm...sprinkling more salt on top of an already sodium-packed diet (how we love the 'kicap kipas udang' and all...) isn't a great idea, but iodine can also be found in a nearly sodium-free source such as milk (ocean fish also abundant in iodine). Animal feed is fortified with the element, meaning it travels from cows to your cereal bowl. Not a milk person? Eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day; both are a good sources of iodine.


So folks...now most of you not short of key nutrients anymore. Go and have a date with your doctor, test your blood and all, check yourself up so you know whats wrong with you...Get balance diet and make sure you eat right and smart. Follow these advices...and a cannibal who would like to eat you will never consider you junk food...haha.

Health concern...

,From Wiki

Health is the general condition of a person in all aspects. It is also a level of functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism, often implicitly human.

Health also was defined (WHO) as being "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".

Also known as "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."

Overall health is achieved through a combination of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being, which, together is commonly referred to as the Health Triangle.

There are four general determinants of health including human biology, environment, lifestyle, and healthcare services. Thus, health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

My concern here are how could we maintain our health? Achieving health and maintaining healthy is an ongoing process. Effective strategies for staying healthy and improving one's health include in our social activity, hygiene, how we manage our stress and most important...our diet.

My late dad once told me, most of the diseases would comes from what we eat. There's thousands of diseases and seems like the world would face new kind of diseases in future (we've been in war with AIDS and H1N1 already). You could browse most of all the Diseases and Condition here...

Nowadays people concern about their physical appearance, how to lose weight, how to whiten their skins and so on...but without healthy living and healthy eating, those promising weight loss and all won't do any good. So my suggestion... eat right, eat less but with balance diet and sweat your body (go for a jog, sports, yoga etc) at least twice a week will do for you...