10 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

The heart is a vital organ in the body and is needed to stay alive. It is important to take care of it to maintain a long, healthy life. There are a variety of ways to keep a strong heart, most of which are a part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Learn Family History
Family history is a large factor in heart health. If a you have a relative, such as a parent or sibling, who suffered a heart attack before the age of 60, and also a second-degree relative, like an aunt or uncle, who had a heart attack, you are 10 times more likely to suffer from a heart attack than someone who has no heart disease in their family, according to an interview with Dr. Emily Senay on CBS News. It is important to learn your family's heart history.

Healthy Diet
A diet high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids and limited in refined sugars and trans fats will lower cholesterol and contribute to a healthier heart. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help control weight and blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Eating fish, such as salmon, that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids will help lower the risk of death from coronary artery disease.

Take Vitamins
Vitamins are an essential part of maintaining heart health and contribute to the well being of the cardiovascular system. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamins B6 and B12 help prevent clogged arteries. While many vitamin-rich foods may contain these, it is a good idea to at least take a daily multivitamin.

Limit Alcohol
In moderation, some studies have shown alcohol to increase good cholesterol, therefore being beneficial to the heart. However, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to high blood pressure and heart failure, according to the American Heart Association.

Sleep
Not only will sleep improve your mood and ability to function, it is also increases heart health. According to U.S. News & World Report, there was a sleep study done with middle-aged adults, and those who got an extra hour of sleep at night had a lower risk for artery-clogging calcification that can lead to heart disease.

Reduce Stress
Life can become fast-paced and stressful all too easily, therefore, it is important to take time every day to relax. People who are in stressful situations have a tendency to not exercise, overeat or start smoking. Also, according to the American Heart Association, stress can be linked to high blood pressure.

Don't Smoke
Smoking can lead to a number of health issues, including heart disease. Your risk of heart disease increases drastically with the number of cigarettes smoked.

Control Weight
According to the American Heart Association, obesity can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, all of which heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease. Having more fat, especially in the waist area, there is a higher risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart attack. Someone is considered obese when her weight is 20 percent or more above the normal range.

Exercise
Physical inactivity is a major risk for cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association. Exercise increases heart rate and builds strength and endurance. It is important to exercise five times a week for about half an hour each time. However, it is also very important not to push your body too far, because that can result in adverse effects on the heart, such as high blood pressure.

Know Your Numbers
It is important to have routine doctor's visits to check numbers such as blood pressure and cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL and blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure is the single largest risk factor for a stroke.

Healthy Food Choices in a Chinese Restaurant

Chinese food is one of the healthiest food choices available. Jeffrey Nevid, author of the book, "Health in the New Millennium," encourages restaurant patrons to eat Chinese food the "Chinese way, not the American way." Traditionally, Chinese families eat a lot of rice, with some fish, meat and vegetables. Westernized Chinese food is unhealthy and includes dishes that are heavy in meat and sodium, as well as deep-fried foods. Fortunately, it is easy to make healthy food choices in Chinese restaurants.

Avoid Deep-Fried Foods
Traditional Chinese food is not usually deep-fried. Avoiding deep-fried foods will help keep your meal healthy and authentically Chinese. Westernized versions often include deep-fried options to satisfy American taste palates. Fried foods are made with excess oil and carbohydrates, which make deep-fried dishes especially fattening. It is easy to replace fried options for healthy dishes. For example, instead of fried wontons or egg rolls, order steamed dumplings. Or, ask for non-fried versions of the deep-fried dishes.

Order More Vegetables
Many of the calories in Chinese dishes come from meat. To avoid these extra calories, order dishes that favor vegetables over meat. If you have a favorite meat dish, ask them to use less meat and more vegetables. Order steamed vegetables as a highly nutritious option. Steamed vegetables aren't stir-fried with oil. Though some stir-fry dishes may contain less oil, the lack of oil in steamed vegetables makes the dish healthier. Consequently, they are low in fat, calories and sodium. Moreover, favoring vegetables over meat makes it easier for you to cut down on eating high-calorie meats.

Order More Rice
Eating a higher rice-to-entrée ratio helps to lower the sodium and fat content in your portions. Nevid suggests a 1-cup-entrée-to-1-cup-rice ratio when eating. Moreover, order white or brown rice instead of fried rice. Fried rice is stir fried with oil, and contains many more calories than plain white or brown rice.

Order Family-Style
Family-style is when different entrees of larger portions meant for five to six people are shared around the table. Ordering family-style gives you the freedom to order a balanced meal, and to limit excess food intake. When ordering separate dishes, restaurant patrons are limited to the nutrients on their own dish. Instead, order a balanced meal to share with friends and family. Include vegetable, meat and rice dishes. When ordering separate dishes, restaurant-goers often eat directly from the entrée plate, which increases their intake of high-calorie sauces that make a large percentage of calories in a Chinese meal. Moreover, Chinese entrees are very generous, and eating too much food on your own is excessive. Eating family-style encourages people to take small amounts of food each time. Transferring portions to your rice bowl keeps the majority of high-calorie sauces on the plate, and prevents you from overeating.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy Foods

Children are born with a predisposition to prefer sweet, salty and savory tastes, so getting them to eat the flavors associated with many healthy foods will take time, persistence and positive experiences. With your patient guidance and their personal involvement in choosing and preparing healthy food, kids of all ages can re-wire their taste buds to like and even prefer healthier fare.

Introduce Foods Slowly
Pressuring or bribing your child to eat something they are unfamiliar with or don’t like the taste of is not the path to success, according to USNews.com. Instead, start when they are young, offering positive opportunities to try new foods, one bite at a time. And since kids might need at least five to ten exposures to a new food to begin to like it, be patient with the process. Also, pick a time of day when they are hungry enough to eat the only choice in front of them, such as an afternoon snack of hummus and crackers. For older kids, have healthy food choices ready to grab as they head out to school or sports activities, giving hungry tweens or teens the chance to make their own decisions on which new foods to try.

Model Good Behavior
Kids look to parents to show them how to behave, and the area of nutrition is no different. According to Parents.com, your non-healthy eating habits can lead your kids to believe this is normal and therefore send the wrong messages about food. On the other hand, if your kids see you trying new vegetables, fruits or whole-grain bread, they’ll learn it’s OK to venture into new food territory and that they may even find some new favorites. Other ways to be a good role model: let your kids see you reach for a healthy snack and opt out of super-sizing.

Get Kids Involved
Kids who help plan, shop for and prepare healthy meals will show more interest in eating them too. Work with your kids to come up with a list of easy, healthy and delicious food ideas for snacks and meals. Take them with you when you go grocery shopping or to the local farmers market. Use these trips as an opportunity to talk about reading nutrition labels, choosing ripe produce and the benefits of fresh versus pre-packaged foods. When you get home, have them help you make the meal. Young children can open packages and wash produce, and as they get older, they can mix up a salad, cut vegetables and help bake or cook.

Make it Fun
Kids are all about having fun, so make eating healthy fun too. Registered dietitian Julie Burns, on Parents.com, suggests giving food silly names, such as calling broccoli florets “baby trees,” or using cookie cutters to create mini anything and everything. Show your kids that desserts can be a part of a healthy diet and fun as well, by creating frozen yogurt pops or fruit parfaits. When eating healthy is fun, kids will learn to see it as a natural part of their everyday lives.

How Does Greasy Food Affect Health?

Fried chicken, french fries, greasy pizzas, burgers and any other foods dripping with oil should be consumed in moderation to avoid increasing your risk of disease and unhealthy weight gain. Steaming, baking or roasting, broiling and grilling food are healthier, less greasy options for preparing meals. The health effects of greasy food not only depend on how greasy it is but also on whether you use saturated or unsaturated oil.

Increased Risk of Obesity
Foods fried in oil, often called grease when it appears on the food, are higher in calories due to the high caloric content of oil. For example, 100 grams of fried chicken has about 60 more calories than 100 grams of roasted chicken. The "greasiness" of food depends on the way you cook it and how much oil you use. Using just a little oil in a pan to sauté food makes food a little greasy, shallow-frying makes it more greasy, and deep-frying makes it especially greasy and high in calories. When you eat more calories than you burn in a day, your body stores the extra energy. Continuing this pattern over time causes weight gain, which can lead to becoming overweight or obese.

Reduced Nutrient Intake
A study published in the "Journal of Zhejiang University" in 2011 found that stir-frying bamboo shoots in oil increased their fat content by over 500 percent. Meanwhile, it lowered their protein and amino acid content. Another study published in the same journal in 2009 found that compared to all other cooking methods, stir-frying with oil caused significant losses of vitamin C and chlorophyll in broccoli. Because frying foods decreases their levels of micronutrients, eating too many fried foods could potentially cause nutrient deficiency.

Higher Triglyceride and Cholesterol Levels
Food could be fried in a saturated or unsaturated fat. Saturated fats, which are solid or semi-solid when stored at room temperature, include shortening, stick margarine, lard, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, including vegetable-based oils and soft margarine. If you fry your food, it's healthier to do so in an unsaturated fat. Saturated fats increase your cholesterol levels, whereas unsaturated fats can improve cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of saturated fats to no more than 6 percent of your total daily caloric intake to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In a 2,000-calorie diet, this is about 12 grams of saturated fat.

Increased Risks of Heart Attack and Stroke
Because heavily consuming greasy foods that were cooked in saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, your risk of both heart disease and stroke is elevated. Too much saturated fat causes plaque to build up in your arteries over time, blocking blood flow and putting you at a high risk for heart attack and stroke.