Heart Health: Risks and Prescription for a Healthy Heart

In developed countries, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over the age of 55. How do you know if you are at risk? And what can you do to keep your 'ticker' healthy before heart disease strikes?

You are at higher risk of developing heart disease when you:

1. Reach menopause. It is believed that the decrease in estrogen is the cause, however hormone replacement therapy is no longer recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease. Certain hormones (estrogen with progestin) actually have been found to increase the risk of heart disease, blood clots and stroke in some women, as well as increasing the risk of breast cancer.
2. Have high blood pressure. Your heart has to pump harder and your blood vessel walls become damaged making them more susceptible to getting clogged with plaque.
3. Have high cholesterol. Too much cholesterol can block arteries.
   
4. Have diabetes. High blood sugar can damage your arteries, making them prone to plaque development.
   
5. Smoke. If you smoke and take the pill, you are at even greater risk than if you smoke exclusively.
   
6. Don't exercise. The risk of developing heart disease for inactive women is twice as high than for active women.
   
7. Are overweight. The greater the excess weight, the greater your risk of developing heart disease.
   
8. Have a family history of heart disease that was diagnosed before the age of 55.
   
9. Have a certain race or socio-economic profile. Black and South Asian women, and women with lower levels of education and income are at higher risk.
   

So, now that you know the risks, what can you do to keep your heart healthy? Well, from the list above, there are a few things you can't do much about, like reaching menopause. However, you can do the following:

1. Exercise regularly, ensuring that your heart is pumping in its "training zone". The heart is a muscle that needs to be worked to remain healthy, just like all your other muscles.
2. Lose excess weight and maintain your ideal weight range throughout your lifetime if at all possible. Even a 10% drop in weight will reap huge benefits for you and your heart. Your energy level and vitality will also increase as a result.
   
3. Quit smoking. Not only will your heart and circulatory system reap the benefits, but your lung capacity will increase and your risk of developing certain related cancers will decrease (e.g. lung and throat cancers).
4. Reduce your cholesterol levels by decreasing your intake of saturated fats (e.g. butter, meat and whole milk) and eliminating trans fats completely from your diet (e.g. certain margarines and products made from shortening). Eat a diet high in soluble fiber (e.g., oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, beats, barley). You may also require cholesterol-lowering drugs as prescribed by your physician.
5. Keep your stress levels low and spend time in leisure activities that help to reduce stress. Maintain a balanced life that includes time for you to focus on your needs exclusively. Consider meditation as a daily practice as it reduces stress levels considerably. It is also a prescription for longevity. Long-term meditation results in a lower biological age for many.
   
6. See your doctor regularly to have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. Many potential problems, if caught early, can be eliminated before they do irreparable damage.
   

One of my favorite heart-healthy recommendations is to laugh! And laugh! And laugh ... a lot! So, be happy - your heart will thank you.

Talk to you all tomorrow.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Interesting Article About Aging and Longevity

Today, I ran across an article in a great health and fitness blog that focused on an important point that I made in last Thursday's article about Aging: Effects and What You Can Do. Specifically, I asserted that consuming fewer calories throughout your life (actually maintaining a slight caloric deficit daily) is a recipe for reaching the age of 100 years.

Take a look at the article entitled Less Food For More Life, as well as the other interesting articles found at this blog.

I'm back tomorrow with a longer post about your health, fitness and wellness.

Until then, have a great remainder of the day!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Aging: Effects and What You Can Do

Theories and effects of aging on the body continue to be well-documented in gerontological studies. Many anti-aging drugs and products are marketed vigorously to individuals to "ward off" the so-called "inevitability" of aging. Well, is it really inevitable? Do we have to age in a predictable way? Let's look closely at the effects of aging and what you can do to age more slowly and more healthfully.

First off, what do gerontologists theorize about the aging process? They categorize aging into two sets of theories:

1. We are just "programmed" to age in a predictable manner according to a certain preset timeline. In this case, our bodies age according to our gene make-up, or our changing hormones, or our declining immune systems.
   
2. We age over time due to "errors" that occur as a result of the environmental damage that results from a host of factors, like free radical damage and general wear and tear.

The effects of aging on the body are numerous. They include aging of the body's systems, including:

1. The heart and arteries - the heart muscle thickens resulting in a lower pumping rate and the arteries lose elasticity causing the heart muscle to work harder
   
2. The kidney and bladder - the kidneys do not clear waste as well and the bladder's capacity decreases, perhaps leading to incontinence
   
3. The muscles and bones - muscle tone decreases and bones lose density over time
   
4. Sight and hearing - seeing fine details may be more difficult and the ability to hear high frequencies decreases
   
5. The immune system - the T cells that fight infection are replaced more slowly and their function decreases
   
6. The brain and lungs - there may be a reduction in the connections between neurons in the brain and lung capacity decreases
   
7. The body's fat location - fat moves deeper into the body around vital organs
   

So, all this sounds daunting, right? What can you do to combat most of these effects and age more slowly and healthfully?

1. Eat plenty of foods rich in antioxidants (like blueberries) or take vitamins (like Vitamin E) that are known for their antioxidant qualities to fight free radical damage.
   
2. Limit the amount of bone and muscle loss that occurs by exercising regularly, especially strength-training exercises (at least 3 times per week), and consider supplements such as bone formulas.
   
3. Protect your heart and circulatory system by keeping your saturated fat intake low (resulting in lower cholesterol levels), have your cholesterol checked regularly, and consider heart-healthy supplements like CoQ10.
   
4. Keep your heart, circulatory system and lungs in good working order with regular cardio workouts (power-walking is a great daily exercise and not hard on the joints).
5. Give your immune system a boost by eating healthfully, getting plenty of sleep, keeping anxiety and stress levels low and fighting colds and flu with appropriate remedies and rest.
6. Keep your brain sharp by doing crosswords and memory games (like the popular Sodoku), daily meditation (30 minutes morning and night), or take memory support supplements as recommended or required.

Other valuable recommendations:

1. Since appetite levels tend to change and the nutrients in our food chain are decreasing considerably over time, take a daily multivitamin for improved health and well being.
2. Wear protective clothing (long sleeves, large brimmed hats, etc.) and sunscreen (also apply to the ears, under the eyes and the lips) to protect against the damaging effects of the sun on your skin.
3. Give up smoking because it dehydrates your skin and causes wrinkling and potentially can lead to cancer.
4. Apply nutrient-rich anti-aging skin formulas and creams and consider taking longevity formulas.
   
5. Maintain a calorie-restricted diet and a healthy weight. This is one of the keys to living past 100 years of age. In fact, centenarians are typically people that have maintained a healthy smaller body size their entire lives. But, it's never too late to start.

So, start implementing the recommendations above and live a long and healthy life. You know you deserve it!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Menopause: Coping with the Symptoms

Menopause marks the end of menstruation. During the transitionary period both leading up to and following the last period, women enter perimenopause. Throughout this time, which typically begins in a woman's late 40's, the ovaries no longer respond predictably to the brain hormones that are released during the menstrual cycle. The ovaries fail to produce an egg each and every month, resulting in irregular periods and sometimes lighter or heavier bleeding and shorter cycles. Ultimately, the ovaries fail to produce an egg and menstruation ceases.

It is during the perimenopausal time period that blood hormone levels change and women have to contend with a host of symptoms. Now, these symptoms range in severity and do not affect all women equally. In fact, most women only experience a few of them, primarily hot flashes. But how do women cope with all this change? And what are the other symptoms exactly?

So, here they are. The symptoms of menopause include:

1. Backaches
2. Fatigue
3. Insomnia
4. Mood changes
5. Memory lapses
6. Headaches and hot flashes
7. Hair becomes thin and dull
8. Teeth loosen and gums recede
9. Breasts droop and flatten
10. Nipples become smaller and flatter
11. Risk of cardiovascular disease increases
12. Skin becomes drier and rougher
13. Abdomen loses some muscle tone
14. Incontinence may occur
15. Bone mass decreases and bones become more brittle
16. Vaginal changes (dryness, itching, shrinking)
17. Body hair thickens and darkens

Looking at the above list, you can see that proper diet and exercise, especially strength-training, can help cope with the 2 most severe symptoms (11 and 15), which can lead to heart attack and osteoporosis. A healthful lifestyle of regular diet and exercise also may tackle many of the other symptoms including backaches, fatigue, insomnia, mood changes, breast drooping and loss of abdominal tone.

Meditation is perfect for increasing brain function and improving memory, while several vitamins and dietary supplements can deal with insomnia, hot flashes, mood changes, memory lapses, thinning and dulling hair, risk of cardiovascular disease, dry and rough skin, and decreasing bone mass.

If you are contending with some or many of the symptoms of menopause, know that you are not alone. There are several resources online to help you understand and deal with the plethora of changes in your body. Deal with them and emerge into the next stage of your life with vigor and abandon!

Take care of yourselves and share some of your challenges with us when you can.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength Training: Beautiful Glutes, Thighs and Calves!

To build a balanced physique, your strength training efforts need to focus on both the frontal and the rear physique. So far, we have examined exercises for the entire frontal physique. Now, we will be completing the rear physique with exercises targeting the glutes, the rear thighs and the calves. We left off our discussion with the triceps.

In Know Your Muscles, I explained the whole concept of understanding your anatomy so that you are able to build full-body strength training routines that target every important muscle group. The result is a beautiful, sculpted physique and a fat-burning engine (even at rest)! So, let's go.

Exercises that target the gluteus medius include:

1. Seated machine abduction, and
   
2. Cable single-leg abduction

Those targeting the gluteus maximus include:

1. Barbell and dumbbell squats
2. 45-degree leg press and horizontal leg press
3. Cable single-leg kickbacks, and
4. Butt blaster machine

Building your rear thighs (hamstrings) should involve exercises such as the following:

1. Prone machine leg curls and seated leg curls
2. Single-leg machine curls
3. Dumbbell prone leg curls
4. Stiff-leg deadlifts, and
   
5. Goodmornings

Now, to complete the rear body, let's look at the calves. For the gastrocnemius muscle do any of the following exercises:

1. Standing machine and standing dumbbell calf raises
2. Standing bodyweight and standing single-leg calf raises, and
   
3. Leg press machine calf raises

Finishing off the calves with these exercises that target the soleus muscle:

1. Seated machine calf raises, and
   
2. Seated barbell calf raises

That's it. We are done with your body. You've now got a plethora of exercises to choose from to target your entire body, yielding a fat-burning engine and resulting in a gorgeous, lean physique. Again, if you want any of these exercises explained to you in more detail, just comment to this post.

Some of our future strength-training posts will involve building some great routines for you to show you just how easy it can be!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully. for life

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Vitamin E: Good for Your Heart?

Vitamin E is best known as an antioxidant that fights free radical damage. But is vitamin E really good for your heart? Let's try to make some sense of the current "confusing" research and the link between vitamin E and your heart.

The journal Circulation, published by the American Heart Association recently reported that vitamin E can reduce the risk of blood clots. In a study of over 40,000 women who were studied for a period of 10 years, supplementation with vitamin E resulted in a decreased incidence of the formation of blood clots. This was especially true for women who had a history of developing blood clots, a serious life-threatening condition.

For athletes or people who exercise, vitamin E has also been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the body, resulting in less damage to muscles. The benefit is less muscle soreness and less recovery time, great news for people who strength train and for bodybuilders.

Here is where the vitamin E research gets a little confusing. A 10-year study of over 9,000 Americans at risk of developing heart disease found that people who took 400 international units of vitamin E daily did not show a reduced risk of heart attack. In fact, those who supplemented with vitamin E actually were at higher risk.

So, what's the verdict? Should you or should you not supplement with Vitamin E? Well, if you are at risk of heart disease or blood clotting, loading up on vitamin E for its heart-healthy benefits appears not to be the correct course of action. Consult with your physician first.

Now, if you have a healthy heart and a healthy circulatory system, vitamin E supplementation may be right for you, especially if you exercise regularly. There is a ton of research showing the positive effects of taking a vitamin E supplement. A great resource can be found at Vitamin & Herb University. There, you'll find everything you need to know about vitamin E and summaries of all of the current research.

That's it for now. Talk to you tomorrow.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength Training: Work Your Triceps

Continuing with our series Know Your Muscles, we will now look at another group of muscles of the rear physique, the triceps. We left off our examination of the rear body muscles with exercises that focused on Building a Beautiful and Sculpted Back.

There are several strength-training exercises that target this muscle group, including:

1. Close-grip bench presses
2. Lying curl bar extensions
3. Seated overhead barbell extensions
4. Single-arm dumbbell extensions
5. Dumbbell kickbacks
6. Cable pushdowns
7. Reverse-grip cable pushdowns, and
8. Machine triceps extensions
   

Completing the back of the arm, let's look next at exercises that target the forearm extensors:

1. Reverse wrist curls
2. Reverse barbell curls, and
3. Rope wrist roller
   

And finally, the infraspinatus (the only visible muscle that is part of the critical rotator cuff). Key strength-training exercises include:

1. External dumbbell shoulder rotation
2. External cable shoulder rotation
   

For a good triceps workout, checkout out the article Working Those Triceps for Beautiful Arms.

Want help with any of these exercises? Then respond to this post with a comment. I'll be happy to explain any of the exercises to you, including giving you tips on proper form and technique.

That's it for now. Tomorrow we will look at Vitamin E, the recent research and the implications for Vitamin E supplementation.

Have a great night!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Supplements: The Facts About Folic Acid

Most of you probably are aware that folic acid supplements are highly recommended for pregnant women, but did you know that folic acid is also recommended for people who suffer from depression and hormonal imbalances too? Sounds great, but what are some of the other recommendations regarding folic acid supplementation? Read on to find out.

Folate is a B vitamin (the synthetic form is folic acid) that has been found to protect against birth defects, in particular spina bifida. It is advised that women who are trying to get pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume a folic acid supplement. Interestingly enough, folic acid supplementation has also been found to help prevent pregnancy amnesia.

People who are at risk of stroke can see their risk drop by an estimated 18% by taking a folic acid supplement. Further, when taken at higher doses, folic acid has been shown to help reduce symptoms of depression and regulate hormonal imbalances, acting as a natural alternative to estrogen supplementation.

Finally, folic acid supplementation can help prevent memory loss in seniors who have sufficient quantities of vitamin B12 in their bodies.

All this sounds great, but is there a potential downside? Yes there is. For individuals with leukemia, arthritis or blocked arteries, consumption of foods fortified with folic acid can lead to certain amounts of folic acid remaining in the blood stream. This unmetabolized folic acid can cause complications for sufferers of these diseases/ailments.

Another word of caution. Research has shown that folic acid supplementation may help to ward off cancer in healthy individuals (which is great), but the opposite effect is believed to occur in people who already have cancer. In the latter case, folic acid may actually accelerate the growth of cancerous cells.

So, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant, take your folic acid supplement as directed by your physician. At risk of a stroke? Looking for a natural estrogen replacement therapy? Depressed? Experiencing some memory difficulties, but otherwise a healthy senior? Talk to your doctor about supplementation with folic acid.

Have a great weekend!

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.
Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength-Training: A Beautiful Sculpted Back is Possible!

Building your rear physique is the next stage in our strength-training series entitled: Know Your Muscles. Up until now, we've completed the frontal physique. For today, let's talk about exercises that will assist us in building a beautiful and sculpted back - great for summer tank tops!

Let's look at the lats (latissimus dorsi) and the traps (trapezius) first, followed by the rear shoulders (deltoids) and the lower back (erectors). We will also include the supporting muscles of the lats, the teres major.

Working first the lats and the supporting muscles (the teres major), some key strength-training exercises that target this region include:

1. Chin-ups and pull-ups
2. Wide-grip, closed-grip and curl-grip pulldowns
3. Seated cable rows and seated machine rows
4. Dumbbell and barbell bent-over rows
5. Straight-arm pullovers

Next are the traps. Some of the best strength-training exercises for the traps are:

1. Barbell, dumbbell and machine shrugs
2. Upright rows
3. Straight bar pulldowns.

Targeting the rear deltoids (shoulders) is possible with the following exercises:

1. Bent-over lateral raises
2. Cable rear lateral raises
3. Pec deck machine rear laterals

And finally, there is the lower back (erectors). Here, you want to target with these exercises:

1. Weighted hyperextensions and hyperextension machine
2. Good Mornings
3. Prone floor and ball back extensions
4. Barbell and stiff-leg deadlifts

So that's it. The final posts will look at the triceps, the visible muscles of the rotator cuff (infraspinatus), the forearm extensors, the buttocks (gluteus), the rear thighs (hamstrings) and the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus).

After that, you will be able to build any number of workouts from the many exercises I've provided in my various strength-training posts. Reply to this post if you need information about any of the exercises mentioned above.

Take care,

Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.
Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Soy Protein: What is the Truth About Soy?

If you haven't heard much about the benefits of soy protein, you could be missing out. Now, if you eat soy regularly, do you know that soy has a potential downside too? In fact, there are risks associated with eating soy. So, here are the straight goods, both good and bad, about soy protein.

First off, let's talk about the benefits of consuming soy protein. Eat soy because:

1. It has been shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels (the bad cholesterol).
2. It has a beneficial effect on heart health.
3. It has been linked to improved prostate health.
4. It can help reduce menopausal symptoms.
5. It helps maintain muscle mass, which is critical for bodybuilders.
6. It has recently been linked to increased bone mass and reduced bone fracture in older women.

How about that for some great benefits? And for most vegetarians, soy protein is a staple. As for non-vegetarians who consume meat, fish and poultry, maybe not so much. Before making a recommendation on how much soy you should consume, let's turn to the risks of eating soy protein.

Although there is still debate on the matter, studies have shown that the primary risk for women who consume high amounts of soy is an increased risk of developing breast cancer. This is especially true for women who are in high risk groups already. The culprit? The plant-based estrogens called isoflavones found in soy are believed to play a role. No doubt there will be further research because some claim that these isoflavones in fact reduce your cancer risk.

Suffice to say, that if you are a vegetarian, ensure that you do not solely consume soy daily. Instead, eat other high-protein food sources in your diet, such as chickpeas, beans and lentils. If you are a non-vegetarian, by all means add soy to your diet because of the many benefits mentioned above. Finally, if you are at high risk of developing breast cancer, avoid soy and talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

One further note: Flaxseeds are a great alternative for anyone who doesn't eat soy. Also consider a soy protein supplement, especially if you strength-train. It'll help you build muscle and get lean.

So that's it. Check out some of the great soy recipes online. When prepared properly, soy is delicious!

Until tomorrow,

Sandy Huard, Women's Health Supply International

Supplements for Women: Iron, Potassium and Calcium

Supplements like iron, potassium and calcium are often a necessity for women whose diet may be deficient in any one or more of these minerals. Although it is always best to consume a diet rich in all of the essential vitamins and minerals, this is often not possible.

Let's talk about natural sources of iron, potassium and calcium and some of the do's and dont's associated with consumption, followed by some recommendations regarding supplements.

First up is iron. Iron carries oxygen to the body, aids in immune function and cognitive development, metabolizes energy and regulates body temperature.

Iron is mostly conserved and used daily. Women have a more difficult time storing iron than men and menstruating women lose some iron each month.

Heme iron (in animal products) is better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron (in plant products). The best heme iron sources are red meat (beware the high saturated fat content), poultry and fish. Some non-heme iron sources include dates, artichokes, beans, spinach, broccoli and lima beans.

Here is an iron don't: do not eat iron-rich foods with caffeinated beverages (cola, coffee, tea), red wine, bran or calcium-rich foods because they all inhibit the absorption of iron. So, no beef chili with cheese on top folks.

What about potassium? Potassium helps reduce the risk of hypertension, is involved in sending nerve impulses and releasing energy from food.

Sources of potassium include baked potatoes with the skin, bananas, avocados, cooked artichokes, raisins, orange/prune/tomato juices, dried prunes, lima beans and acorn squash.

Here is a potassium don't: do not eat a potassium-rich meal with green or black tea as they partially inhibit the absorption. Also, if you take aspirin (low-dose ASA) for a heart condition, or you take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis, don't take these drugs with your potassium-rich meal either.

Now for calcium. Calcium is critical for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, especially important for post-menopausal women.

Dairy products are rich in calcium as are sardines or salmon (canned with the bones), fortified orange juice, almonds, broccoli, molasses and sesame seeds.

A calcium don't: don't expect a great calcium boost from foods containing both calcium and oxalic acid because when found together in the same food, they inhibit absorption. Spinach and rhubarb are examples. By all means eat these two great foods, just get your calcium from yogurt or milk or some similar food.

Here is a "do" for minerals in general: do consume them with vitamin C (foods like tomatoes, red peppers, oranges, etc.) as it aids absorption.

Now for some recommendations regarding taking iron, potassium or calcium supplements.

Do not take an iron supplement if you are post-menopausal as too much iron is not a good thing. Do take supplements for any of these minerals if you just don't eat much if any of the foods mentioned above. Also, many vegetarians do not absorb enough iron because they eat non-heme sources from plants. As mentioned previously, calcium is an important mineral for post-menopausal women who are at risk of osteoporosis.

Finally, a multi-vitamin is always a great idea, especially for women who are trying to lose weight and are limiting calories as a result.

I am off to a conference in Atlanta and I will be back on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Caffeine and Energy Supplements: Some Advice

Need a jolt of caffeine to rev up your engine in the morning or throughout the day? Here is some of the latest research, including both the pros and cons of drinking coffee.

Now if you love colas, this article is not for you. You already know that cola is not good for you or neutral at best. Coffee lovers and people with low energy who don't drink coffee, read on.

First the good news about coffee. According to a recent study in the International Journal of Cancer, women who drank 3 or more cups of coffee per day were 50% less likely to develop colon cancer than non-drinkers. Coffee may also cut the risk of other cancers as well, including liver and rectal cancer. It can also slow brain cell loss in elderly women.

Caffeine has also been shown to make athletes run farther and cycle faster. Runners and cyclists who consume about 1 cup of coffee one hour prior to exercise improve both endurance and performance according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Another very recent (but small study) by the University of Georgia in Athens has shown that 2 cups of coffee consumed prior to workout can cut post-workout muscular pain by almost 50%. Interesting findings. Calls for more research, right?

Now for the not so good news. Too much coffee (4-7 cups a day) can raise cortisol levels. Now cortisol is a stress hormone that promotes fat storage, breaks down muscle tissue and increases blood pressure - not a good thing for anyone, especially body builders.

If you have a gene that causes caffeine to linger in your bloodstream for a long time, you could also be at higher risk for heart disease according to researchers at the University of Toronto. You can't know for sure if you have this gene, so drink coffee in moderation and take cues from your body (if your heart is racing, that's not a good sign).

Don't like coffee? Try some of the energy supplements at our store or one of our energy drinks to improve your endurance and your performance, and to boost your energy levels when needed. This will result in improved concentration and better focusing ability as well.

As for me, I love coffee, so I'll grab a great cup of java (tomorrow morning of course). You decide if coffee, energy supplements or energy drinks work best for you.

Have a great night!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International