The Mediterranean diet remains what I have attempted to most closely use as a guide in determining healthy foods for me. I am not saying I am a strict follower of the Mediterranean diet. I would if I could. I do not cook, and do not do the grocery shopping. I don't eat much poultry and almost no fish. The salads, olive oil, vegetables, cheese, yogurt, fresh fruits, foods of the Mediterranean diet I do incorporate into my diet. Especially the cheese, yogurt, olive oil and salads. What the Mediterranean diet has in common with the French Paradox, or French diet, is the high amount of fat that is consumed. Yet cardiovascular disease rates remain low. One reason is thought to be the good health effects of olive oil. Another variable is the difference in the fat based foods consumed. The Mediterranean diet consisting mostly of monounsaturated fats and the absence of large amounts of fat from fried fast foods, processed snack foods and the such. Also, eating smaller portions and a more physically active oriented lifestyle is a part of the diet of the people of the Mediterranean.
There seems to be one common thread I have found in researching the French and Mediterranean diets. More emphasis in the culture of enjoying the meal, and dining experience as much as the food itself. They seem to have the same greater enjoyment of freshly prepared, simpler foods and dishes. I think we all will agree that before we changed our eating habits and lifestyle, the quality and dining experience were not necessarily important. It was more about satisfying our desire for instant gratification through food, followed by when and what are we going to eat next. Sound familiar? Any regrets? I know I do. I sometimes think about for how long I abused and neglected my body and health for my personal gratifications.
Snacking is another problem for me. More so than anything else I have changed in my eating habits, is the desire to snack between meals. That has been the most difficult. I hope I have mastered that by taking advantage of snacking. Having smaller meals and eating small amounts of fruit in between meals to lessen the desire for the foods I use to have for snacks. If I have a larger meal for dinner, then I make sure I eat nothing afterwards. I still will drink a very small glass of skim milk before bedtime, if I am hungry, rather than eating something. I will repeat what I have told you before about changing your total eating habits to healthy. For me, I do not see the desire to go back to the old ways to ever completely go away. There will always be that hunger battle inside yourself. Some small parts of the food desire that is. I do not ever think about having a hamburger, fries, a beef steak dinner or food like that. I don't dream about an extravagant Thanksgiving turkey dinner. It is the small things I miss. The candy bar, popcorn at a movie, my private supply of butter pecan ice cream, chocolate milk, or a pecan pie. Yes, in some ways I think it will be like being on a diet from now until I go away, or give in. And I definitely do not plan on giving in. Very early in the beginning of this blog I discussed that to me, in my past eating was like being addicted to drugs. The desire will never ever go away and there is no, "well maybe just once won't hurt." Once you go back, there is no turning around.
Cindy says I should never end these on a downside. Easy for her to say. She can eat Cheetos and Snickers candy bars. I need to tell you a while back she brought home a Snickers for me which I left lying on the kitchen counter for days until it magically disappeared. I ask about it and she said she had gotten mad at me and ate the Snickers to teach me a lesson................... Don't ask. I have absolutely no idea.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Resveratrol In Grapes And Wine #114
Yes, you read it correctly. The last posting number was #112 and this is #114. There is no #113. How quickly you have forgotten. There was no posting #13. Go back and read #15 getting back on track. We must not test or tempt the dark forces of 13. Not that I am superstitious, I just don't want to put you in a uncomfortable situation knowing how you feel about the dark forces of number 13 and all.
Grapes are a favorite of mine which we discussed in an earlier posting. I have long eaten grapes and consider them a regular part of my current heart healthy diet. Grapes are a low glycemic index food, which is good. See #103 Good Carbohydrates. If you are eating grapes you should know to eat the skin of the grapes. The grape skin contains some very healthy phytonutrients such as resveratol which researchers believe play a major role in your longevity genes. Few foods rank as highly as grapes in their amount and variety of healthy nutrients. In general terms, the health benefits derived from eating grapes include, cardiovascular, protects from free radicals, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol control, anti-aging and longevity, lowers the risk of some forms of cancer.
Drinking red wine and the French Paradox. I was not at all familiar with, nor had ever heard this term until I begin to do more research on grapes. I read several sources and most agreed with what I initially found. "French Paradox is a description of the low occurrence of heart disease in French people who have a diet containing high amounts of saturated fats." Some medical studies indicate that this low incidence may be the result of the regular consumption of red wine. This has chiefly lead to the theory that moderate regular drinking of red wine, as the French do, will reduce the risk of heart disease. The theory is somewhat based on the effects of resveratrol from the grapes found in the wine. Several articles I have read state that red wines are a source of "low levels" of resveratrol and contradict the cardiovascular benefits of drinking wine. They dispute the positive effects of resveratrol, not in the grapes, but in the low levels found in wine. Grape skins are rich in resveratrol content but apparently are not fully processed in wine making. The health benefits from eating grapes are not challenged, only how strong the benefits of red wine. Therefore, you can decide for yourself. I do not think it would stop me from drinking red wine (which I do not) for possible health benefits or enjoyment.
Now, for what I found more interesting for us as heart patients, and more practical. Two books and authors offer the following reasons for the French being more heart healthy. The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower, and French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. Good fats versus bad fats. Most of the fats (80%) found in the diet of the French are dairy and vegetable based. Cheese, yogurt, whole milk. They eat more fish. Their full fat foods have a lower sugar content. Americans eat low fat and no fat foods which tend to contain much more sugar. The French diet avoids snacks between meals. French consume less food items as soda, snack foods, and deep fat fried foods. Smaller portion sizes. French tend to savor food at a meal along with the pleasure and satisfaction of the meal. More emphasis on freshness, quality, and variety of food consumed. The following is what I got from all of this: Mark out the word French everywhere you see it, and enter heart healthy. No offense to the French please. This is all about eating the foods, and living the heart healthy lifestyle we have been talking about for months.
We have readers from around the globe and we all share the same heart difficulties and desires to be healthy. You do not have to be French and have access to fine dining and expensive wines to eat healthy. Americans are probably the worst when it comes to having a choice of eating good healthy food or the complete opposite fast food way. We all have some amount of capacity and reasoning power to research and determine what healthy food choices and alternatives are best for us. Quite frankly, I write with little or no knowledge of what foods are easily available in other countries. But I will bet most of you do your homework like I do and find the foods that work best for you.
Thanks for your interest and sharing with the rest of us in striving to be heart healthy individuals. A word of caution. Grapes are noted for being one of the most insecticide applied on during growth, fruits or vegetables. Grapes should be thoroughly washed to rid them of all pesticide residue before eating.
Grapes are a favorite of mine which we discussed in an earlier posting. I have long eaten grapes and consider them a regular part of my current heart healthy diet. Grapes are a low glycemic index food, which is good. See #103 Good Carbohydrates. If you are eating grapes you should know to eat the skin of the grapes. The grape skin contains some very healthy phytonutrients such as resveratol which researchers believe play a major role in your longevity genes. Few foods rank as highly as grapes in their amount and variety of healthy nutrients. In general terms, the health benefits derived from eating grapes include, cardiovascular, protects from free radicals, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol control, anti-aging and longevity, lowers the risk of some forms of cancer.
Drinking red wine and the French Paradox. I was not at all familiar with, nor had ever heard this term until I begin to do more research on grapes. I read several sources and most agreed with what I initially found. "French Paradox is a description of the low occurrence of heart disease in French people who have a diet containing high amounts of saturated fats." Some medical studies indicate that this low incidence may be the result of the regular consumption of red wine. This has chiefly lead to the theory that moderate regular drinking of red wine, as the French do, will reduce the risk of heart disease. The theory is somewhat based on the effects of resveratrol from the grapes found in the wine. Several articles I have read state that red wines are a source of "low levels" of resveratrol and contradict the cardiovascular benefits of drinking wine. They dispute the positive effects of resveratrol, not in the grapes, but in the low levels found in wine. Grape skins are rich in resveratrol content but apparently are not fully processed in wine making. The health benefits from eating grapes are not challenged, only how strong the benefits of red wine. Therefore, you can decide for yourself. I do not think it would stop me from drinking red wine (which I do not) for possible health benefits or enjoyment.
Now, for what I found more interesting for us as heart patients, and more practical. Two books and authors offer the following reasons for the French being more heart healthy. The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower, and French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. Good fats versus bad fats. Most of the fats (80%) found in the diet of the French are dairy and vegetable based. Cheese, yogurt, whole milk. They eat more fish. Their full fat foods have a lower sugar content. Americans eat low fat and no fat foods which tend to contain much more sugar. The French diet avoids snacks between meals. French consume less food items as soda, snack foods, and deep fat fried foods. Smaller portion sizes. French tend to savor food at a meal along with the pleasure and satisfaction of the meal. More emphasis on freshness, quality, and variety of food consumed. The following is what I got from all of this: Mark out the word French everywhere you see it, and enter heart healthy. No offense to the French please. This is all about eating the foods, and living the heart healthy lifestyle we have been talking about for months.
We have readers from around the globe and we all share the same heart difficulties and desires to be healthy. You do not have to be French and have access to fine dining and expensive wines to eat healthy. Americans are probably the worst when it comes to having a choice of eating good healthy food or the complete opposite fast food way. We all have some amount of capacity and reasoning power to research and determine what healthy food choices and alternatives are best for us. Quite frankly, I write with little or no knowledge of what foods are easily available in other countries. But I will bet most of you do your homework like I do and find the foods that work best for you.
Thanks for your interest and sharing with the rest of us in striving to be heart healthy individuals. A word of caution. Grapes are noted for being one of the most insecticide applied on during growth, fruits or vegetables. Grapes should be thoroughly washed to rid them of all pesticide residue before eating.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Exercising For Heart Patient Conditioning #112
I would like to make some changes to my workout routine. This comes not long after I have told you how settled into my current routine I am. I may want to do more cardiovascular exercises. Specifically I am thinking about adding 15-20 minutes a day on a cycling machine. At the same time I may not do all of the strength exercises I do. Maybe reduce the number of chin ups, pull ups, and push ups. One reason is I am beginning to show some upper body strength as the result and that is not what I need or want to do. I really would like to be more muscle tone as a runner and not strength oriented. Now I think this is a good example of directing my efforts on what is good for my heart health circumstances. Which is of course what you, as a heart patient should also be doing. We are sharing what has worked for us individually. I really think my efforts, presently, should be more about maintaining a healthy weight. Not weight loss. Continuing to build cardiovascular strength. Not muscles. Increasing my stamina and endurance, much like a distance runner. As we have discussed before, as a heart patient and accepting the effects of age, I am not pushing myself to be a runner. Running is what I would like my next step in exercise becoming, but I am afraid it is too late for me to begin running. Now before you tell me otherwise, I know some of you probably do run and you are probably long past being a spring chicken. I would think you have been running for quite some time and your body, muscles, bones, and joints are in shape and conditioned for running. But to start running at this point I am not so sure about in my circumstances. I am certain I could run a respectful pace and distance for my age and not hurt my heart. I truly believe my heart would be up to a moderate level of running. I am quite sure my bones and joints however would not be up to the task. You know my daughter Michelle and her husband are still competing in triathlons and those events do have an age class and competitors who are well past 65 and into the 70's years of age. But most of these folks are seasoned athletes and are not newcomers. I am sure there are some who have started late in life, but more than likely they have lived a pretty healthy lifestyle for most of it. Now, with all of that being said, it is never too late, as far as age is concerned, and especially for us heart patients, to completely change to a heart healthy lifestyle.
Michelle and her husband remain highly competitive within their respective triathlon classes. They will normally finish within the top 6 and it is not unusual for them to place in the top 3. Whoever finishes the highest has "bragging rights" and it motivates them to train that much harder for the next event.
I just finished reading the book 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand. It is an amazing story about the life of an Olympian runner of the 1930's, Louie Zamperini. He is 95 years old and continues to live an active and athletic life. If you are still suffering from the effects of heart surgery, the loss of your normalcy and maybe feeling sort of sorry for yourself, read this book. Surely it will inspire you to reclaim your health and better your heart health lifestyle.
Michelle and her husband remain highly competitive within their respective triathlon classes. They will normally finish within the top 6 and it is not unusual for them to place in the top 3. Whoever finishes the highest has "bragging rights" and it motivates them to train that much harder for the next event.
I just finished reading the book 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand. It is an amazing story about the life of an Olympian runner of the 1930's, Louie Zamperini. He is 95 years old and continues to live an active and athletic life. If you are still suffering from the effects of heart surgery, the loss of your normalcy and maybe feeling sort of sorry for yourself, read this book. Surely it will inspire you to reclaim your health and better your heart health lifestyle.
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