Go Red for Women Archives

Heart Healthy Begins with an A B C Smoothie February 4, 2015

Heart Healthy Begins with an A B C ~ Smoothie!

GO RED FOR WOMEN®
2015 FACT SHEET

*Women are strong. We are smart. We solve problems. Women can do anything men can do. And, there are some things we’re even better at – dying of heart disease and stroke. Like breaking barriers? Go Red! And help break the one against heart disease.

It’s not just a man’s disease. Each year, 1 in 3 women die of heart disease and stroke. But we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes.

When it comes to beating heart disease and stroke, change can be the cure. Make a change at GoRedForWomen.org.

Go Red For Women is about much more than wearing red on National Wear Red Day. It’s about making a change.”
Staying heart healthy can begin with eating these 3 things everyday.

AVOCADOS

BANANAS

CARROTS

Avocados – fats account for around three quarters of the calorie count of an avocado. Most of it is monounsaturated fat, in the form of oleic acid. Monounsaturated fat is considered to be a “good fat” which reduces levels of bad cholesterol in your blood and lowers your risk of stroke and heart disease.

Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6. According to the American Heart Association, B vitamins help break down homocysteine—an amino acid that at high levels is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Carrots are a very good source of both antioxidant alpha and beta carotene, which are converted in the body to retinol (vitamin A), good for skin, lungs, immune system and heart health.

Salads and smoothies are great ways in which to include heart healthy ingredients into your daily diet. If you don’t like “green” smoothies why not try an ABC Smoothie using ALMOND MILK, BANANAS AND CARROTS.

What is your favorite way to make a smoothie?

I’m getting so excited, and can’t wait to see you at Friday’s link party with me and the lovely Robin @robincharmagne as you show us your “Wear Red for Women” OOTD (outfit of the day).

Share your thoughts

Retire Don’t Rot ~ 10 Tips to Take a Stand Against Just Sitting January 21, 2015

Hello friends, according to the American Heart Association, being physically active is important to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers. To improve overall cardiovascular health, they suggest at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember. You will also experience benefits even if you divide your time into two or three segments of 10 to 15 minutes per day.

I wanted to repost this from October as a gentle reminder for us to get up and move!

Most of you know that my grandmother lived to be 98, and if her body didn’t fail her, I’m sure she would have lived until way past 100, just as her father did, why, because she remained active. Every morning she was up, and if she wasn’t going to the MOT Senior Center, she was downstairs in the kitchen eating breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee by 8:00 am.

If she stayed home for the day, in her room she would be “messing with papers”, talki ng on the phone, reading her Bible or writing in a journal. She loved to watch her favorite television programs, The Price is Right, and General Hospital, and after dinner it was “Wheel of Fortune”.

She ate when she was supposed to with a “little something sweet” for dessert. I never heard her complain about pain or an illness other than when her arthritis acted up, but I knew because I could smell the Apple Cider Vinegar she used to rub on her legs.

My grandmother didn’t officially retire until she was in her 80’s but she never let her body just sit. She remained active both physically and mentally, three days a week at the Senior Center and Church on Sundays. She continued to grocery shop, wash and iron her own clothes until she no longer could. After she became bedridden, for a year I kept her body clean and her mind sharp, we watched TV, played board games, had long conversations and I read to her in the evenings.

Personally, I don’t think that we were put on this earth to work hard all of our lives without an opportunity to just rest and retire. Retirement however, should not be an open invitation to sit around doing nothing allowing our minds and bodies to rot. Doing nothing but sitting all day increases the risks of getting Type 2 Diabetes, a decline in cognitive skills, and possible death from a stroke, cancer and heart disease.

If you or someone you love finds themselves with nothing to do after retirement, take a STAND against just SITTING with these 10 Tips. Try to get up and move for at least 10 minutes for every hour of sitting.

1. Walk on a treadmill while watching TV

2. Take a short walk around the house or go up and down the stairs

3. Pace while talking on the phone

4. Weather permitting, go outdoors and pull a few weeds or sweep the stoop

5. Walk to the mailbox or around the block with a neighbor, the kids or a pet

6. March in place during commercials

7. Turn on the radio or music channel and dance like nobody is watching

8. Use soup cans and do arm curls

9. Use a Hula Hoop or jump rope between programs

10. Chores – stretch while cleaning the mirror, mopping the floor or dusting

Join in on the conversation, what tips do you have for getting in 30 minutes of physical activity each day?

New Year ~ New You!

24 Comments

Archive for the ‘Go Red for Women’ Category