Blu-Flow study spotlights wild blueberries’ support of cardiovascular and cognitive function

By Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, LD

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month, a good time to learn more about how
we can help support our own brain health with lifestyle choices. Interestingly, the same lifestyle
habits that can benefit our brains also help our hearts (read more on this connection here).
These habits include things like being physically active, getting enough sleep and managing
stress. And of course, eating a brain-healthy diet, including plenty of fruits and veggies, is
always a top suggestion for helping to boost both cardiovascular and cognitive function.

What did the study show?

A study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds to the growing
body of research showing that consuming a moderate portion of wild blueberries daily can
improve blood vessel function and some aspects of cognitive function. In the randomized,
placebo-controlled clinical study, called BluFlow, 61 healthy adults aged 65 to 81 were divided
into two groups: one group consumed a beverage made with wild blueberry powder (equal to
about ¾ cup of berries) for 12 weeks, while the other group consumed a well-matched placebo
beverage. Those participants who received the wild blueberry beverage showed improvements
in certain aspects of vascular function, including:

  • A significant increase in flow-mediated dilation
  • A decrease in systolic blood pressure

They also demonstrated significantly better performance than the placebo group on two
measures of cognition:

  • Improved accuracy and quicker reaction time in an executive function test
  • Improved episodic memory in a word recall test

Cognitive and vascular improvements from consuming wild blueberries have been
demonstrated in multiple studies previously with participants who were under physiological

stresses such as high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and cognitive decline. Yet, the fact
that these benefits were shown in a healthy group of participants is particularly encouraging
because it’s typically more challenging to show improvements in a population that’s already
healthy. Also, it suggests that a broader population may also experience cognitive and vascular
benefits from eating wild blueberries daily—that’s good news for healthy adults and wild
blueberry lovers alike!

Is blue the clue to the benefits?

Wild blueberries are especially rich in anthocyanins, the flavonoid pigments that give the tiny
berries their purple-blue color. In fact, wild blueberries have 33% more of these pigments than
regular blueberries. What’s so special about these pigments? They have potent antioxidant
capacity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them powerful allies in the fight against chronic
disease.

According to Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, one of the Blu-Flow study’s authors and an Associate
Professor in Nutrition at the Department of Nutritional Sciences of King’s College London, the
pigments may be the key to the positive cardiovascular and cognitive effects shown in the
study. “We think the effects are driven by the blue pigments in the berries, the anthocyanins,”
said Rodriguez-Mateos. “It’s clear from this study that consuming wild blueberries is beneficial
to cognitive function, as well as vascular health. This is consistent with what we already know
about the health benefits of anthocyanin-rich foods,” adds co-author Professor Claire Williams,
Chair of Neuroscience in the School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences at the University
of Reading.

Looking ahead to the next Blu study

Another study from the Rodriguez-Mateos and Williams teams is on the horizon. This one will
also feature wild blueberries, and will further investigate their vascular and cognitive effects on
participants from age groups across the lifespan. Stay tuned!

A New Dietary Recommendation to Boost Heart Health—Bring on the Berries, Tea and Cocoa

By Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, LD

A month dedicated to hearts is romantic, but it can also be an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to taking care of our hearts. February is Heart Month, when the American Heart Association encourages us to adopt heart-healthy lifestyle and eating habits, such as consuming a wide variety of colorful fruits and veggies (including wild blueberries, of course). 

In general terms, produce provides nutrients, fiber and other compounds that support a healthy cardiovascular system. Now a new recommendation published by experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), gives us something more specific to aim for in our pursuit of a heart-healthy diet: getting more flavan-3-ols. 

What are flavan-3-ols?

Don’t let the science-y name scare you off! Flavan-3-ols are phytonutrients, also known as bioactives, or bioactive food compounds, (a term that the National Institutes of Health suggests we use for substances that provide health benefits other than those of basic nutrition). Flavan-3-ols are found in common foods and drinks like berries, apples, cocoa, red wine and tea. Like the anthocyanins in wild blueberries, flavan-3-ols are part of the flavonoid group of phytonutrients. Although flavan-3-ols are not essential for our survival like vitamins and minerals are, research has confirmed a role for them in helping to prevent and lower the risk of chronic diseases. “Consuming foods that are high in flavan-3-ols and low in added sugars and saturated fat can help reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” notes Taylor Wallace, PhD, CFS, FACN one of the Expert Panel who co-authored the recommendation.   

How much do we need for heart benefits?

A systematic review of over 156 randomized controlled trials and 15 cohort studies (previously published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) informed the group’s recommendation, and it was an involved 2 year-long process. From all that work, the group distilled a recommendation for the general adult population: consume a diet that provides 400-600mg of flavan-3-ols per day. This amount has been associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and specifically with improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Scientists are still investigating exactly how these compounds work in the body, but it’s believed that much of their cardiovascular benefits stem from a combination of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, among others. The most documented benefit of diets higher in flavan-3-ols was improvements in vascular health (particularly in lowering blood pressure and boosting blood vessel flexibility) and blood glucose and lipid levels. 

What should I eat to reach the recommended amount of flavan-3-ols?

Kim Stote, PhD, MPH, RDN, another member of the Expert Panel that co-authored the recommendation, says research shows that most men and women in the U.S. fall far short of the 400-600mg flavan-3-ol goal for heart benefits. “Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that adults over age 20 currently consume about 170mg of flavan-3-ols per day. But it’s actually not that difficult to hit the mark,” explains Stote. “For example, you could meet the recommended level of flavan-3-ols by drinking 1-2 cups of brewed black or green tea, and eating ½ cup of berries and a small pear throughout the day,” says Stote. Consuming fruits and vegetables definitely makes it easier to reach the flavan-3-ol target. 

Where do blueberries and anthocyanins fit in?

The flavan-3-ol content of foods and drinks varies widely, and there are many fruits and vegetables that don’t contain abundant flavan-3-ols, but have other important, health-promoting bioactives. This is why Dr. Wallace suggests (and health authorities agree) that eating a diet containing a plentiful amount and wide variety of produce is a smart health move in general. “I think diversifying the diet is always a good idea,” says Wallace.

“Blueberries of all kinds tend to have higher levels of anthocyanins than most other foods, but aren’t as high in flavan-3-ols as some other foods. So it’s a trade-off, and the two groups of compounds likely exert synergistic effects for health promotion,” explains Wallace. “I would argue that anthocyanins have as much—if not more—data that demonstrates their preventative cardiometabolic effects,” adds Wallace. 

Keep in mind that all berries are healthy. Choose those that taste best to you (we are partial to the extra blueberry-ish taste and convenience of frozen wild blueberries), and eat them regularly.

Flavan-3-ol content of selected foods:*

Brewed green tea, 8 oz.                      318mg

Brewed black, 8 oz.                             277mg

Red wine, 5 oz.                                   16.6mg

Blackberries, 1 cup                             63.7mg

Small apple                                         15.3mg

Blueberries, 1 cup                               10mg

Raspberries, 1 cup                              8.7mg

Strawberries, 1 cup                             6.9mg

Red or green grapes, 1 cup                 5.8mg

Cocoa powder, 1 Tablespoon             13mg

Sources:

* Kristi M Crowe-White, Levi W Evans, Gunter G C Kuhnle, Dragan Milenkovic, Kim Stote, Taylor Wallace, Deepa Handu, Katelyn E Senkus, Flavan-3-ols and Cardiometabolic Health: First Ever Dietary Bioactive Guideline, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 13, Issue 6, November 2022, Pages 2070–2083, https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac105

Can What We Eat Help Our Brains as We Age?

Do you forget where you placed your keys or have trouble remembering small details? Forgetfulness is a normal part of aging and may affect some of us more than others as we grow older. Unfortunately, for many of us —even if we are healthy now— a diagnosis of dementia could loom. Dementia is not a normal part of aging, and scientists are still researching why and how some people get dementia while others don’t.

Even though we may not be able to control whether or not we end up with dementia (our genetic blueprints put some of us at significantly higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life, for instance), we certainly can take steps to help support healthy brain aging. One of the easiest lifestyle factors we can take control of to help our brains is diet.

Good Heart Health Linked with Good Brain Health

One way to think about eating for brain health is this: what’s good for the heart is probably good for the brain, too. Conditions related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, also increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, this “head-heart” connection is so prevalent that some studies indicate that over 80% of people with Alzheimer’s disease also have cardiovascular disease.  While more research needs to be done before we really understand how vascular health is related to brain health, there’s no harm in giving your heart health some extra attention now. Consider adopting a Mediterranean style diet or following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Both of these support a healthy heart (and therefore a healthy brain) by:

  • Limiting red meat
  • Encouraging more fish and poultry
  • Emphasizing an abundance of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains
  • Limiting sodium and sweets

One major difference between the two eating styles is that the Mediterranean diet includes liberal amounts of olive oil, while the DASH diet advocates a lower fat intake overall.

The MIND Diet approach

This MIND Diet was specifically created by researchers to target age-related brain health and dementia. It’s basically a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (the acronym stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). The MIND Diet goes further with specific, listing 10 foods to incorporate more often (including how many servings per week), and 5 foods to avoid. Berries are specifically mentioned as a food to consume at least twice a week. Other foods to include are green leafy veggies, other vegetables, nuts, and beans. Interestingly, research suggests that even moderate adherence to the MIND eating plan is associated with lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease.

Are there specific foods associated with better brain health?

By now you may have a good idea of which foods are thought to be “brain boosting” foods. Here are some specifics about the positive associations between certain foods and brain health as we age:

We know that diet is important to a healthy brain, but so is exercise. A recent study of individuals with existing cognitive impairments revealed that the combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise may be the ticket to reversing an aging brain.

Having a brain that keeps “firing on all cylinders” is something we all hope for as we grow older. When you make healthy changes to your diet and if you start a regular exercise routine, remember you’re doing something good for your brain.

Heart Healthy Wild Blueberries are Perfect for Valentine’s Day

By Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

Hello and Happy February! Did you know that February is National Heart Month?

wild blueberry scones

As a Registered Dietitian, I’m all about bringing awareness to heart disease and how people can prevent it. So let’s get the bad news out of the way first: heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to 1 in 4 deaths. Risk factors for heart disease are things like poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, and diabetes.

The good news? Since heart disease risk factors are mostly lifestyle related, heart disease can often be prevented by making healthier choices, like eating better and exercising.

The even better news is that our delicious little blue friends, Wild Blueberries, are a great way to do this!

As I shared in last month’s post, Wild Blueberries are a rich source of a type of phytochemicals called polyphenols, which boast a wide array of protective health benefits due to their antioxidant qualities. In fact, research has shown that including Wild Blueberries consistently in diets may help improve or prevent cardiovascular disease due to a reduction in chronic inflammation and improved lipid profiles. (Cardiovascular disease includes heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.)

The flavonoid anthocyanin, a phytochemical found in blue-pigmented fruit, is particularly high in Wild Blueberries compared to regular blueberries. A recent study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who eat three or more weekly servings of berries may reduce their risk of heart attack by up to 33%. Another study, a recent randomized controlled trial, found that daily consumption of blueberries helped to reduce blood pressure in post-menopausal women with pre- and stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure). This is because anthocyanins are believed to help dilate arteries, helping to counter plaque buildup. There’s good news for men too. Another study found that Wild Blueberries can improve vascular function in healthy men, even from intake of just ¾ cup a day.

Bottom line: Wild Blueberries are both delicious AND functional – there’s no reason not to eat up, especially since they are available year round in the frozen food section.

wild blueberry scones lemon

To inspire you to eat for your heart this month, here’s a fun recipe to try. I know what you’re thinking – wait, scones? I thought I was supposed to be eating healthy? Well, these are healthy! Not only are they packed with antioxidants from the Wild Blueberries, but they also boast protein from the Greek yogurt and milk, and fiber from the whole wheat pastry flour. Even better is that they have very little added sugar – only 3 tablespoons – and instead get their bright flavor and sweetness from the lemon zest and Wild Blueberries. This would make the perfect breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day, either for your significant other, or as a treat to yourself! Good for the heart, both literally and figuratively. Enjoy!

wild blueberry scones heart

This heart healthy breakfast also makes a great pre-workout snack – enjoy it before heading out for your workout of choice! Need some workout inspiration? Here’s one of my recent favorite workouts – you can customize it to make it as short (or long) as you like.

wild blueberry scone ingredients
wild blueberry scones1

For more tasty and easy Wild Blueberry recipes, check out my post from last month – it includes a couple full day’s worth of breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner ideas!

MVS_Oster Bryan McCay IMG_1057

Anne Mauney is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian and the writer behind the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food, which she started as a way to motivate others to lead happier, healthier lives through nutrition and exercise. Anne has a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition and owns a private practice where she helps clients to lose or maintain weight, feel healthier, and improve their relationships with food. Her fitness tips and recipes have been featured in The Huffington Post, Glamour, SHAPE, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, and Woman’s Day. Check out her blog for easy healthy recipes, health tips, and more. You can also find her on Twitter @fANNEtasticfood, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. 

Breaking News: Berries, Women & Heart Disease

Study Says Berries May Substantially Lower Women’s Heart Attack Risk

A new Harvard study finds that women who eat three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries each week may reduce heart attack risk by as much as 33%.

Researchers credit anthocyanin, a dietary flavonoid found in these colorful berries, for improving blood flow and countering plaque build-up.

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women — more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. This latest research indicates that a simple change in diet could have major implications for what is one of today’s biggest health challenges. It also expands the list of berry benefits, which includes brain health, cancer prevention, and lowered Type 2 diabetes risk.

Read more about the study:

Berries May Lower Women’s Heart Attack Risk 

Berries Show Heart Boosting Power for Women: Harvard Study

Women With A Berry-Snacking Habit May Have Healthier Hearts (Audio)

You can find the latest research about heart health, as well as a wide range of berry health studies at Wild Blueberry Research. 

Walnuts: Cracking the Case of Heart Health

Nuts have always been part of our daily diet recommendations. But they are dogged by their dark side – one that likely developed as a result of their ubiquity as an over-indulged in, high-calorie snack. They can be found in the ingredient list of many processed foods, are a perennial companion for chocolate, and end up in bottomless bowls at parties and bars across the country. And while nut consumption and production has risen sharply over the last decade, overall consumption of tree nuts – hard-shelled fruits of a plant, a category that excludes the peanut – is relatively low in the U.S.

Too bad. Tree nuts, in particular the walnut, are superior when it comes to heart health. The walnut’s claim to fame? It is brimming with unsaturated fats, notorious combatants of bad cholesterol levels, and it is crammed with omega-3 fatty acids, famously good for the heart.

Omega-3s are made up of a number of different fatty acids. The most well-known are known as DHA, EPA and ALA. Walnuts are an excellent source of ALA –  a 1-ounce serving has 2.5 grams. In fact, a diet including things like soy protein and nuts has been shown to lower LDL levels (the bad cholesterol) even more than statin drugs or a low-fat diet, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. They also provide fiber, vitamin E, cholesterol-lowering plant sterols, and (drumroll, please) they are satisfyingly delicious.

If you are focused on health heart, start thinking like a squirrel and take a crack at a nut that waves the flag of heart health: the walnut.


New Nut Research

Walnuts have been well-researched when it comes to their health benefits, and the research into their functional food potential continues to show promise. A 2010 study showed that adding walnuts to the daily diet of adults with Type 2 diabetes for two months significantly improved blood vessel health. Walnuts added to the diet improved “endothelial function”, an indicator of heart disease risk, lending evidence to the walnut’s potential role in diabetes prevention. Results of the study also indicate that walnuts earn their superfood status, especially when they are part of a Mediterranean diet.

Is there something in there? by Dawn Huczek, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  Dawn Huczek

In addition to their potential for Type-2 diabetes prevention, they have powerful antioxidant ability, and they have a great deal of cancer prevention potential. They have been found to control inflammation, influence gene expression, help reduce body fat, and boost fertility in men, according to published research. And, they have a hidden advantage: they are effective at controlling appetite because of their powerful ability to satisfy and keep us feeling full – one of the best payoffs we get for ingesting calories.


Replacement Strategy 

Rarely do we think of eating healthy by urging ourselves to simply “Eat!” But that’s sometimes just the advice we need to fill our nutritional gaps. Maintaining a healthy heart often accompanies a course of action of eliminating bad foods. But adding good foods, especially those that are known to improve important heart numbers by lowering LDLs, like walnuts, is an equally important strategy.

We mentioned nuts’ dark side – they are high in calories – so moderation is the key. Experts recommend 1-1 ½ ounces per day, or up to 20 walnut halves. Helping demolish the benefits of the nut are health sabotagers that love to cling to them, such as salt, sugar and chocolate, which can negate their nutritional power. At the same time, weight gain is not inevitable. In the diabetes study above, subjects did not gain weight. Instead, they used replacement strategies that helped them make room in their diets for the walnut calories.

The bottom line? Go nuts but keep your head. If you are eliminating cheese as a snack or on a salad, use walnuts as a stand-in. Reaching for a mid-day cookie? Swap with the walnut. Nuts can also come in handy when you are seeking something healthy that still provides a little crunch, or if you are eliminating proteins (think bacon) but desire a “meaty” flavor. Add walnuts to cereal, oatmeal, rice and quinoa, or try them in pizza (really!) when oily toppings are off limits.

If you are a bona fide nut nerd, consult the NuVal scale – one of the simplest ways of measureing nutrition (from 1 to 100), to judge your nut varieties in proper context. Walnuts set a high bar with a score of 82, followed by the almond (81). Contender coulda-beens include the pistachio (69) and the pecan (67). Consult this healthy nut slide show at Lifescript  for the run-down.

Love dry roasted? No problem. They usually have no additional oils and the same health benefits as raw. Even peanuts – not true nuts, but legumes – are relatively healthy in moderation, though they don’t measure up to the walnut’s nutritional advantages. They come in at 29 on the NuVal scale.

See the Mayo Clinic for a comprehensive list of nut benefits.

Mix It Up! Try These Walnut Recipe Ideas 

Eating Well’s Zucchini Walnut Loaf not to mention their Baked Apples with Dried Fruits & Walnuts are perfect for ingredients profuse in the waning summer season.

Elevated Existence offers this Walnut Encrusted Salmon for an Omega-3 blast.

 

Study Finds More is Better for Heart Health

A heartening new study for those concerned with cardiovascular health made news this week. The study from University of Oxford found that those who consumed eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 22% less likely to die from heart disease than those who consumed three or fewer servings.

The research all but turns the fruit and veggie mantra from mythical home remedy to scientifically proven health advice, especially when it comes to the heart. According to the report, on the strength of the study doctors reportedly feel, “it may erase and remaining doubts concerning fruits and veggies, and cardiovascular health.” 

Add a Serving, Reduce Your Risk

While the recommendation is for eight servings, researchers have shown that every serving of fruits and vegetables above three reduces the risk of dying of heart disease by 5%. It’s an encouraging aspect of the research for those who feel overwhelmed by the recommendation of eight servings a day. While eight may seem like a lot, the bottom line is: more is better. And, what some of us may not know is that three ounces of fruit is a serving, so eating a large apple, orange, banana, or 3/4 of a cup of blueberries means you’ve knocked two servings off your list, making eight a little more achievable.

As one report points out, even diet organizations like Weight Watchers don’t count the calories from fruits and veggies – they are essentially free caloric intake. In addition, eating more fruits and vegetables probably means you are not eating those things that are detrimental to your health. These foods take up lots of room in your stomach, and the effect on weight can contribute to heart health as well.

There’s simply no downside to adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. It’s a win-win no matter how you slice it, dice it, sprinkle it or peel it.

Watch the video and read the article about the connection between heart health and fruits and vegetables.

Do it for your heart! We’ve got 31 ways to get fruits and veggies into your diet.

New Heart Data “Scary & Disturbing”

Not meeting heart health criteria? Unfortunately, the chances are pretty good that you aren’t. Recent findings from the American Heart Association characterize the extent to which we are taking care of our hearts in pretty ugly terms. Following the presentation of the latest data at an annual meeting of the American Heart Association, an AHA spokesperson called the country’s success at meeting goals for heart health – goals that will save our lives – both scary and disturbing.

The AHA outlines seven steps to heart health (here from WebMD), and following most of these steps – the benchmark is six or seven – has shown in studies to decrease the risk of dying by 56%. These guidelines break it down into steps that help you get to know your digits – things like BMI, blood sugar and cholesterol – and get them into alignment for your heart’s sake. If you think you might be a grim statistic, now is not the time to be ashamed. Be motivated. Take a moment to get heavy on Life’s Simple Steps toward increasing your chances of living a longer, healthier life.

One the AHA’s seven steps toward protecting our heart is meeting requirements of a healthy diet. This important heart healthy step is broken down into these five components to make “healthy diet” a little less vague and more achievable:

  • Eat more than 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.
  • Have oily fish such as salmon, trout, and herring at least twice a week.
  • Eat sweets sparingly.
  • Have three or more servings of whole grains a day.
  • Eat fewer than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day.

The AHA recommendations include meeting four of five of these keys to fulfill healthy diet requirements.

Simple principles for some pretty serious stuff. But we know simple isn’t always easy. If you feel like you’ve got to start from scratch when it comes to your heart, seven steps can seem like a lot. But remember, there is no reason not to start with one: the AHA reminds us that for every step we take, we’ve decreased our risk of dying by 18%.   

Canadians Count to Ten for Health

Canadian food guidelines have been published, and Canada isn’t off the hook when it comes to getting their fruits and veggies. Recommendations for the amount of fruits and vegetables that Canadians should consume come in at 7-10 for adults. It’s in alignment with American guidelines, which represents a departure from the previous 5-A-Day campaigns of the past.

Winter is the perfect time to keep fruit and vegetable servings in mind – even with great opportunities in frozen, it’s the time of year that presents the most challenges when it comes to recommended servings. It seems that when the ground is frozen, the produce that comes from it just isn’t on our mind like it is in the summer. But it’s a mind set that’s easy to change; winter presents plenty of options. As the Canadian recommendations remind us, a single serving is one half cup of fresh, frozen, or canned fruit or vegetables, or one half cup of 100% juice. A cup of raw leafy vegetables or salad counts as a single serving, as does a single piece of fruit.

If you’re from the States, you can take a lesson from those just slightly North, offered up by Canadian Red Seal chef Gordon Desormeaux – that’s Chef Dez to you.

Chef Dez has some helpful advice about how to achieve the recommended servings. Here’s a great one: Get it in your cart. He suggests buying the recommended serving amounts for each member of your family for the number of days you are shopping for. For example, a family of four will need 84 servings of fruit and vegetables combined, for the next three days, based on an average of seven servings each. He suggests buying them before proceeding to the other departments and aisles, and building meals based on those initial selections. Keep items like bulk frozen fruits (think wild blueberries) on your shopping list that can be used whenever you need them.

Here’s a sampling of some other F&V tips we love from the Great White North to slip in your back pocket. Thanks Chef Dez.

  • Serve every piece of chicken or fish on a bed of sautéed spinach leaves.
  • Have fresh lettuce, tomato, and onions on hand at all times to give an instant Mediterranean flair to your sandwiches.
  • Buy something completely new to your family at least once per month.

Take Off!  You can consult the Canada Food Guide for more information, no matter where you hang your hat.

Shake Baby Shake – For Your Heart!

So you’ve decided the risk of dying from heart disease is not one you are willing to take. You’ve decided to attack these seven steps from the AHA with a vengeance. You know your blood pressure numbers, you’ve quit smoking, you’re getting your exercise, and now you’re focused on maintaining a healthy diet.

Start by getting your servings. There are loads of ways to integrate the F and the V into your life. Here’s one we just heard about especially for the tech savvy that can curb your instinct for grabbing a “bad” snack when a better one will do – just shake it! JuggleFit is an app for iPhone and iPad created to help people beat holiday weight gain and start eating better by focusing on the array of possible snacks your can enjoy when cravings hit.

Here are the basics: shake your phone, and it turns into a virtual slot machine which eventually lands on one of 200 snacks or “mini-meals” that use three basic ingredients. All focus on the simple and the mostly healthy, whether you choose something sweet or something savory. Shake it up to find Greek yogurt, wheat germ and blueberries, or maybe avocado, lemon and garlic (recipes and calorie counts are included). It’s worth a try – JuggleFit is free now through December 12, and surrounding yourself with options that motivate you can start the snowball rolling toward reducing your chances of dying from heart disease. Simple as that.

Sterols & Stanols: Improving the Cholesterol Picture

You may have seen references to them on your orange juice or yogurt carton. You may know about them because you are making efforts to lower high cholesterol. They are phytosterols, otherwise know as plant sterol and stanol esters, or simply sterols and stanols. They are naturally occurring compounds found in plant cell membranes, and they come with an interesting benefit. Because phytosterols are structurally similar to the body’s cholesterol, when they are consumed, they compete with cholesterol for absorption in the digestive system. As a result, cholesterol absorption is blocked, and blood cholesterol levels are reduced.

Because of this natural process, consuming phytosterols in recommended quantities has been shown to lower total cholesterol up to 10 percent and LDL (that’s your bad cholesterol) up to 14 percent. Here is the FDA’s health on phytosterols:

“Foods containing at least 0.65 gram per serving of vegetable oil plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

A Satisfying Middle Ground?

It’s easy to understand why phytosterols are in fashion – this natural process has the potential to be very valuable for those of us trying to keep our heart healthy and our cholesterol at less than dangerous levels. And, phytosterols have the potential to offer a satisfying middle ground: a natural way to improve cholesterol that falls between just eating right and taking medication. As always, there are some things worth keeping in mind when it comes to sterols and stanols. Here’s the run-down:

  • Reduction in cholesterol occurs with regular use.
  • According to the American Heart Association, maximum effects are achieved at 2 grams per day – more than this does not provide more benefits.
  •  They simply don’t replace medications – if you are at risk, eat well and keep your meds.
  • Recommendations are part of a healthy lifestyle. While polysterols can be helpful, for those at high risk, they can’t do they job all by themselves.

Polysterols, Where Are You?

Since the FDA claim, we can find them in more places then you might think. Polysterols can be found in whole foods and pill form, but you are most likely to encounter them in the supermarket, as part of a growing number of fortified food products.

First, phytosterols are naturally present in many whole foods. Vegetable oil, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and most fruits and vegetables have polysterols, but only in small quantities. The amount required to lower cholesterol is 500 mg per day, and these natural sources fall short. That’s when foods fortified with sterols and stanols take the stage. Popular fortified foods include butter spreads, some cooking oils, salad dressings and yogurts. Some juices, such as Minute Maid Heart Wise Orange Juice for example, are fortified, and milk, rice milks and soy milks can be as well.

The American Heart Association does not recommend sterol and stanol-fortified foods for everyone, suggesting instead that those who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol or have had a heart attack should use them. This seems counter to current consumer trends, however. Since we have come to understand that phytosterols can have a positive effect on a very ubiquitous health ailment, the expectation is that we’ll see many more foods in the supermarket that will include them. In effect, if you are in the market for phytosterols, you’ll be able to choose how you get them, whether it’s in a breakfast cereal, a snack bar – even in chocolate.

(In addition to fortified foods, supplements exist, but experts generally advise against them. The effects are simply unclear, and the benefits appear to be very small.)

Getting these beneficial phytosterols naturally or through fortified foods may seem to be a palatable compromise to taking cholesterol medication. But while supplementing the body with healthy foods is a good idea, it’s worth repeating that medication is necessary those who have proven to have a need. Stanols or sterols by themselves will simply not protect someone with risk factors. As always, it’s something to consult your doctor about to find out the best way to protect your ticker for the long term.

The Cleveland Clinic has more info about sterols and stanols.

Heart Help

There’s lots of information out there to help you get informed about heart health and nutition. WebMD shows us an array of foods that will make anyone happy to be eating heart healthy with
25 Foods that Will Save Your Heart. You’ll also do well to consult the American Heart Association about guidelines and risk factors when it comes to this all important organ.

Heart Health & Wild Blueberries

Eating heart healthy foods is job one for anyone concerned about heart health and cardiovascular disease. If seeking out natural ways to increase your heart’s longevity is your mission, look no further than the wild blueberry. Here’s four heartening reasons:

A blueberry-enriched diet may protect the heart muscle from damage. Due to their ability to act as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, wild blueberries can help limit heart harm that comes from aging and lifestyle.

A diet of blueberry supplementation can provide cardiovascular support. Blueberries may support cardiovascular health through reducing plasma cholesterol levels.

Blueberries may reduce the build up of so called “bad” cholesterol. By reducing buildup of LDLs, wild blueberries contribute to reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke, thanks to their powerful antioxidants.

Wild blueberries could help regulate blood pressure and combat atherosclerosis. Studies show that they have the potential to decrease the vulnerability of heart blood vessels to oxidative stress and inflammation.

Get the skinny on heart health research and other health benefits of wild. Then, take heart at the myriad ways there are to begin caring for this precious organ that is quite literally at the center of your health.

Mediterranean for Dummies: Understanding A Diet’s Baffling Benefits

It really doesn’t matter whether you are focused on heart health, cancer prevention, weight loss, or just maintaining good health. You can’t ignore the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Just when we think the research-backed rationale for going Mediterranean is old news, something puts it back on the radar. It’s just a fact of healthy life: making the eating habits of many of the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea the basis of your nutritional goals is a smart move.

The Benefits

  • It helps prevent diabetes. Recently, a large study published by the renown British Medical Journal showed that healthy people who followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • It contributes to weight loss. Another recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that a restricted-calorie Mediterranean diet could be even more effective for weight loss than a low-fat diet.
  • It’s never too late. Late adoption of the Mediterranean lifestyle can increase longevity and reduce the risk of chronic disease for the elderly as well as other segments of the population.
  • It has been linked to stroke prevention.
  • It offers huge heart health benefits. The diet provides thousands of micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, including the essential elements that go to work on preventing heart disease.
  • It’s more than a two-fer. The diet has also been found to help protect against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, and the risk of Parkinson’s, among other conditions.
  • It cannot be replaced by a supplement.
  • It can offset bad genes.
  • It can increase your lifespan. On the Greek island of Crete, Cretans live longer than any other populations in the world. In studies of those closer to home, longevity was a byproduct for those on the diet in addition to disease prevention.

The X Factor

There are mounting health benefits to going Mediterranean, but there’s also something mysterious about this diet. There’s an X factor involved in the diets of those living overseas that we can’t seem to replicate by simply eating olive oil, or consuming lots of fruits and veggies. Making those efforts is a great start, of course, but it doesn’t mean automatic health.

For example, The New England Journal of Medicine has shown that it may not be the olive oil itself, but the interaction or synergy between all the foods that leads to the health benefits. When foods interact, they can provide benefits that are more than the sum of their parts, and that could be part of the Mediterranean mystique.

Also, eating in Mediterranean countries seems to be synonymous with leisurely dining, taking pleasure in the experience of eating, and savoring meals – another factor that defies quantifying. The residents of these countries generally enjoy food; it is at the center of conviviality. Ever had a meal with a table full of French diners? Prepare to stay a while, sample many dishes, and when you do finally leave the table, don’t be surprised if there is food left behind on the plates.

Finally, another baffling feature of this diet is that “diet” is really a misnomer. There is no real Mediterranean diet, after all – the diet itself is a dietary pattern that includes eating less animal protein, eating few saturated fats, having lots of fruits and vegetables, and integrating the keystones listed below.

Clearly, those who live in proximity to this famed sea are not just eating the right foods, they are also living a different lifestyle than many Americans. Is it that they are less sedentary? Probably. Is it that they have a different relationship with food? Perhaps. The point is, we cannot seem to fully replicate the phenomenon of the magical region of the Mediterranean in other geographical areas.

Nevertheless, following the keystones of this diet has a clear health benefit.

The Keystones

  • Monounsaturated fats. The most popular MS is olive oil (which does double duty by replacing butter), but other unsung heroes of monounsaturated fats are avocado, fish, and canola oils. They are anti-inflammatory, fight disease at the cellular level, and have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and oxidative stress. But be warned: no two-handed pouring a la the TV chefs. Passion for EVOO does not mean losing the measuring spoon.
  • Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.
  • Limiting red meat. Mediterranean dieters max out on red meat at just a few times a month.  Fish and poultry makes an appearance at least twice a week, but even these proteins are eaten in moderation in favor of things like veggies, grains and legumes.
  • Drinking red wine. Much has been made of the red wine element of this diet as well as red wine’s benefit for the heart, but wine consumption may be part of the X factor. It is generally done in moderation – 5 ounces a day for women and no more than 10 ounces for men – as part of enjoying a meal and may be part of the synergy that is a feature of Mediterranean meals.
  • Fruits and vegetables. Plants are the cornerstone of this diet. Consider that Greeks eat an average of nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If you are not Greek (or you are Greek but live in, say, Altoona) shoot for at least 10 – and yes, they can be small.
  • Nuts. While nuts are high in calories (and restraint is difficult), in moderation they provide good fats, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and are fantastic for heart health. They are not, incidentally, honey-roasted, dry roasted, salted or covered in chocolate or sugar. Natural peanut butter and tahini are great options, too.
  • Replacing refined flour products with whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta.
  • Minimally processed, fresh, and preferably local foods. A hallmark of the Mediterranean lifestyle is by sticking by these three tenants. Sure, calorie for calorie and nutrient for nutrient, setting off to the Farmer’s Market can seem trivial, but it contributes to a lifestyle that values real food and its origins, and the rest will follow.

Get Smart

The jury is in on the benefits of Mediterranean. It’s true that no one can replicate the diet’s inscrutable power when it comes to good health and longevity, but experts and nutritionists agree, you can’t win if you don’t play.

Here’s some fun ways to get in the game from WebMD:

Fig Kebabs on Mixed Greens

Mediterranean Magic Popcorn

Lentil Bulgur Pilaf With Squash

Caramelized Onion and White Bean Flatbread