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Today one may find themselves bogged down under endless “to-do” lists at work and feeling as though they can’t come up for air. With the increasing number of heart disease cases in America and other health related issues today, it is important that we keep our bodies healthy. However, this entails work on our part. No time for working out? You can’t go for a 30 minute walk after work or on the weekends? How about some simple exercises right at your own desk at work? It may sound impossible and you may worry about people seeing you, but moving our bodies around during the day, leads to a healthier you.

An article in WebMD quoted Joan Price, author of The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book, to say “We are made to move, not sit at a desk 12 hours a day. As ergonomic as your desk or chair may be, sitting produces back pains, headaches, and listlessness. You become less productive.”

With this in mind, we may wonder what we could possibly do at work that would actually be considered productive exercise. This is the first in the series of two articles on this topic. This week covers aerobics at work as well as some low impact exercises and next week will cover stretching at work and other helpful tips.

Following is information from WebMD, by Jean Lawrence, that will help give you some ideas of how you can get up and move while at work.

The article asks the question: can you actually go beyond working out the kinks and get some meaningful exercise in your cubicle?

Kelli Calabrese, MS, an exercise physiologist and spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, says yes. Calebrese believes in 60-second or 10-minute bursts of aerobic exertion. “This is cardio– if you get in your [target] heart rate zone,” she says. (continue reading…)

Many of us strive for younger and healthier looking skin. We use sunscreen and drink water hoping that will be enough to give us that glow we want. There are other ways though as the article from Eatingwell.com brings out below. Another healthy resource for our skin is the food that we eat! Below is a recipe from Eatingwell.com that is not only healthy and delicious, but it helps your skin in many ways as well.

Keep your skin looking younger and smoother with these healthy skin foods.

Sunscreen helps keep your skin healthy and beautiful, protecting it from the outside in—but key nutrients in certain foods can shield your skin from damage from the inside out: vitamin C, lycopene, omega-3s, caffeine and isoflavones in soy. Better yet, many of the same foods that can boost your defenses against skin cancer (the most common type of cancer) will also help keep your skin smoother and ward off wrinkles. These recipes are packed with foods that are good for your skin.

Edamame Succotash with Shrimp

We give succotash—traditionally a Southern dish made with corn, lima beans and peppers—an update using edamame instead of limas and turn it into a main dish by adding shrimp. To get it on the table even faster, purchase peeled, deveined shrimp from the fish counter instead of doing it yourself. Make it a meal: All you need is a warm piece of cornbread to go with this complete meal.

 Servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced, or 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 10-ounce package frozen shelled edamame, (see Tip), thawed
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn, (about 2 cups), thawed
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound raw shrimp, (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Leaving the drippings in the pan, use tongs to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; let cool.
2. Add oil to the pan. Add scallions (or onion), bell pepper, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in edamame, corn, broth, vinegar and salt. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle shrimp on both sides with lemon pepper. Scatter the shrimp on top of the vegetables, cover and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it on top. (continue reading…)

February 3, 2012 is National Wear Red Day – a day that Americans learn about and reflect on the dangers of having an unhealthy heart and wear read in support for women’s heart disease awareness. Back in 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) knew they had work to do when cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 each year. People were not seeing the seriousness of having a healthy heart and knowing what the warning signs were. It was because of this that the American Heart Association created Go Red For Women which was a way to present the facts and provide women with the knowledge and tools they need to take care of their hearts.

With heart disease continuing to be the number one killer of women – 1 in 3 deaths each year, it is no wonder why the American Heart Association is so passionate about getting their message out about heart health. Below you will find valuable information from the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women website that spells out the warning signs of a heart attack in women. It is very important to educate yourself on how to have a healthy heart because you may save not only your own life but you can help your friends and family as well.

Overview

More women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking. Make it your mission to learn all you can about heart attacks and stroke — don’t become a statistic. CALL 9-1-1

Heart Attack

A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.

Signs of a Heart Attack:

1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
5. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1…Get to a hospital right away.

Stroke

Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death in America. It’s also a major cause of severe, long-term disability. Stroke and TIA (transient ischemic attack) happen when a blood vessel feeding the brain gets clogged or bursts. The signs of a TIA are like a stroke, but usually last only a few minutes. If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help.

Call 9-1-1 to get help fast if you have any of these, but remember that not all of these warning signs occur in every stroke.

Signs of Stroke and TIAs

1. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. Research from the American Heart Association has shown that if given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

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Last week we had an article that discussed the Million Hearts national campaign that has the goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. In the article we mentioned we would feature articles to help educate readers on what heart disease is, as well as what cardiovascular disease and strokes are. We hope our readers will be able to learn what causes these conditions and what they can do to help prevent them. The following article is from the Million Hearts website.

Heart disease, including heart attack and stroke, affect people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. However, some groups are at higher risk. With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes happening every year in the United States, it’s important to know the risks.

Heart Disease and Age

Many people mistakenly think of heart disease and stroke as conditions that only affect older adults. However, a large number of younger people suffer heart attacks and strokes. More than 150,000 heart disease and stroke deaths every year are among people younger than 65.

Heart Disease and Race

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States for adults of all races. However, there are big differences in the rates of heart disease and stroke between different racial and ethnic groups. Minority groups are more likely to be affected by heart disease and stroke than others—which contributes to lower life expectancy found among minorities.

As of 2007, African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease than were non-Hispanic white men. African American adults of both genders are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure and 10% less likely than their white counterparts to have their blood pressure under control. African Americans also have the highest rate of high blood pressure of all population groups, and they tend to develop it earlier in life than others.

Heart Disease and Gender

Women in the United States experience higher rates of heart disease than men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women, killing nearly 422,000 each year. Following a heart attack, approximately 1 in 4 women will die within the first year, compared to 1 in 5 men.

Heart Disease and Income

Men and women of all economic backgrounds are at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, there is a significant difference in the rates of heart disease between high- and low-income groups. Individuals with low incomes are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, and stroke than their high-income peers.

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On September 13, 2011, a national initiative was announced by Million Hearts to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. Since one in three deaths occur in the United States due to heart disease, it is vital that we educate ourselves on the terrible disease. Over the next few months we will feature articles that will help educate readers on what heart disease is, as well as what cardiovascular disease and strokes are. We hope our readers will be able to learn what causes these conditions and what they can do to help prevent them.

The following is taken from http://millionhearts.hhs.gov.

Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are the co-leaders of Million Hearts within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, working alongside other federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Food and Drug Administration. Key private-sector partners include the American Heart Association, and YMCA, among others.

Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Million Hearts aims to improve heart disease and stroke prevention by:

• Improving access to effective care.
• Improving the quality of care.
• Focusing more clinical attention on heart attack and stroke prevention.
• Increasing public awareness of how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.
• Increasing the consistent use of high blood pressure and cholesterol medications.

Million Hearts brings together existing efforts and new programs to improve health across communities and help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives.

• Learn more about the science of Million Hearts in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
• Check out Million Hearts in Circulation, [PDF-286K] a journal of the American Heart Association
• See the Million Hearts perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine
• See the Million Hearts press release issued on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 [PDF-132K]

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The following is valuable information from the American Heart Association that will help us prevent heart disease by showing us how to know if we have risk factors and if we do, how we can manage them.

Heart-Health Screenings (Updated:Mon, 25 Jul 2011 by the American Heart Association)

The key to preventing cardiovascular disease is managing your risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high total cholesterol or high blood glucose. But how do you know which risk factors you have? The best way to find out is through screening tests during regular doctor visits.

“Regular cardiovascular screening is important because it helps you detect risk factors in their earliest stages,” said Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., director of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., and an American Heart Association volunteer. “This way, you can treat the risk factor with lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapies, if appropriate, before it ultimately leads to the development of cardiovascular disease.”

Few of us have ideal risk levels on all screening tests. However, if you do have test results that are less than ideal, it doesn’t mean you’re destined to develop a serious cardiovascular disease. On the contrary, it means you’re in position to begin changing your health in a positive way.

“For many patients, screening results can serve as a wake-up call,” Franklin said. “Higher than optimal cholesterol or body mass index, for example, may drive home the message that it’s time to modify your diet and get more physical activity. When the test comes back and you see abnormal numbers, it becomes personal. Suddenly, the idea of making lifestyle changes isn’t just a recommendation in a pamphlet. It’s something that can impact your life and health.”

All regular cardiovascular screening tests should begin at age 20, except blood glucose measurements, which should begin at age 45.

You will probably require additional and more frequent testing if you’ve been diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition such as heart failure or atrial fibrillation, or if you have a history of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular events. Learn more about these more specific tests at the American Heart Association’s Conditions site. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with a condition, your doctor may want more stringent screening if you already have risk factors or a family history of cardiovascular disease. (continue reading…)

 From EatingWell:  EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (2008)

Our revision of creamy chicken and dumplings uses whole-wheat flour for the dumplings and adds lots of vegetables to the filling. The delicious, satisfying results are packed with beneficial nutrients and dietary fiber, and because we don’t use canned soup for the sauce, sodium levels are drastically reduced. To go even lighter, try the recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

6 servings (1 1/3 cups stew & 3 dumplings each) | Active Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

• 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Dumplings

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Toss chicken with 2/3 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in broth, water, peas and the reserved chicken. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.
3. To prepare dumplings: Meanwhile, stir whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Drop the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the simmering chicken stew, making about 18 dumplings. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the dumplings are puffed, the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 463 Calories; 15 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 91 mg Cholesterol; 45 g Carbohydrates; 34 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 629 mg Sodium; 412 mg Potassium

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

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