Top tips for a healthy pregnancy – Part 1

Top tips for a healthy pregnancy – Part 1

Pregnancy is a very important phase in a woman’s life, not only for her, but also for the unborn child. It is in the woman’s interest to make this journey safe and healthy to achieve the end result of a healthy baby.

Top tips for healthy pregnancy

Here are some pointers to make sure you achieve his goal.

1. If you think you are pregnant or even if you plan to get pregnant, plan a visit to your doctor and make sure you are doing everything right to conceive; from eating the right food to avoiding alcohol and smoking. Even being in a smoke filled room is an absolute no. If you are pregnant, you may be required to take supplements in addition to your food. Vitamins like folic acid, iron, calcium and even multi-vitamins are sometimes needed to fill in the gaps. Folic acid, in particular is very important in the initial stages to prevent neurological problems in the baby.
2. Make sure to discuss your food habits with your doctor. You may be advised to include cereals like ragi, whole wheat, jowar or bajra in your diet as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a good idea to reduce processed food, junk food, fried food and sweetmeats as they tend to have empty calories that increase your weight but do not supply essential elements that the body needs. The importance of a balanced diet during pregnancy cannot be emphasized enough.
3. If you have countless cups of coffee in a day, cut back now. All caffeine containing beverages should beminimised or preferably stopped. Substitute with green tea or low fat milk with honey.
4. Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain during the course of your pregnancy. If you are underweight, you should put on twelve to eighteen kilos during the nine months, but if you are overweight, ten kilos is the upper limit.
5. Learn to do Kegel’s exercises. This set of exercises increases the tone of the vaginal and perineal muscles and eases the pain during labour and delivery. Another important aspect and means to control pain is by learning the correct way to breathe. Lamaze is a form of breathing that you and your partner can learn and practise so ensure a smooth labour.

Some hospitals and nursing homes encourage you to attend antenatal classes where all these aspects are covered and you are encouraged to ask questions and erase your doubts.

In the next part we’ll tell you more about the types of birth, medications and lifestyle changes that may have to make once the child arrives.

10 diet dos and don’ts during pregnancy by expert dietician Naini Setalvad

10 diet dos and don’ts during pregnancy by expert dietician Naini Setalvad

Naini Setalvad, a renowned nutritionist and diet and obesity consultant gives out some handy dos and don’ts for mothers-to-be about eating habits.

1: Every pregnant woman needs to understand that she is NOT eating for two people. She only requires 300 more calories than her normal diet.

2: You need to get your required number of calories from all food groups and not just fat.

3: Eat lots of leafy greens. They are a good source of iron which helps our red blood cells carry oxygen better. More oxygen in the blood means better nutrition of various parts of the body leading to better health of you and your baby.

4: Include dried figs in your diet to satisfy your sweet cravings and to prevent constipation. They are also a good source of calcium.

5: Sprinkle sesame seeds on your salads. They are packed with folic acid which is essential in the proper DNA synthesis of the growing foetus and improves the all-round health of a pregnant mother.

6: Eat good quality protein. It can also be mixed with green vegetables for example, mix dal and palak to make a healthy dish.

7: Add a vegetable juice or soup to your diet plan. This can be had in-between meals as a small snack instead of gorging on unhealthy, readymade stuff.

8: You don’t have to glug down too many glasses of milk. This is a misconception that many mothers have which needs to be changed.

9: Not all mothers-to-be have cravings during pregnancy. Cravings normally set in when the meals aren’t balanced. Once you start eating healthy at the right time, they will decrease. An Indian thali is very well-balanced as it has different flavours like salty, sweet, spicy, pungent, etc. When all the different taste buds are satisfied, the cravings decline.

10: Many women suffer from morning sickness in the first three months. To beat this, they can try eating dried toast or ginger juice as these help relieve nausea

15 facts about colon cancer and diet\Health

15 facts about colon cancer and diet\Health

Colon cancer, rectal cancer, colorectal cancer - here are 15 quick facts on diet and other things to get you up to speed.

1: Colon Cancer, rectal cancer and colorectal cancer have long been considered the preserve of old men with 85% of cases in the over 50 age group.

2: Birmingham University showed localised oestrogen as a possible culprit.

3: Another likely factor are carcinogenic bile acids that you make yourself. Its production is stimulated by animal fats and alcohol.

4: However research has shown that aspirin, fish oils, garlic and ginger can all turn off the production. Vitamin D also has a strong protective influence. All these should be in your diet.

5: Polyps and inflammation are precursors to colon cancer. They too can be "calmed" by aspirin, aloe vera, garlic, ginger, curcumin and fish oils.

6: Japanese research has strongly implicated salt as a major cause. Doubling your salt intake doubles your risk.

7: Another possible cause is yeasts, and thus an imbalance between good bacteria and the bad guys like yeasts, fungi and microbes. Good bacteria are essential to good digestion and production of essential anyi-cancer vitamins like B-12, folic acid, niacin, biotin and vitamin K from whole grains and greens. Antibiotics, steroids and chlorinated water destroy the good guys.

8: Destroying the good bacteria leaves the yeasts free to multiply and flourish, being commonly found in infected intestines. Garlic, Pau d´Arco, caprylic acid and wormwood will kill them off if you add a no-sugar, no-alcohol, no-refined foods, no-yeasts, no-dairy diet.

9: The Boston Nurses study showed that the only vegetable that made a significant difference to colon cancer risk rates was garlic.

10: Parasites are more common than you think. They too may be a culprit. Try Neways Purge/Parafree.

11: Keep a good, natural fibre intake. Fibre should be inside your everyday foods - nuts, vegetables, seeds, fruit - not falsely added to it.

12: Smoking increases the risk of colon cancer. It´s much easier to cut out smoking!

13: Sunshine and vitamin D is a tremendous colorectal cancer preventer. If you cannot spend 30 minutes a day in the sun, take vitamin D supplement.
14: Watch your weight. Your fat will store excess toxins and also make oestrogen - you don´t need either.

15: Everyone over 50 can be screened and accuracy is pretty good. This really is prevention if you catch the problem at the polyp stage. Research is clear, polyps or not: A fish oil (or Krill oil) a day keeps the doctor away.

10 Tips for Mental Wellness\Health

10 Tips for Mental Wellness\Health

Over time, our every day stressors can bring us down. Whether it’s the news, work, family responsibility, or just the plain wear-and-tear of life, at times it can seem like too much. The burdens of life weigh heavy on our shoulders, and we’re left counting down the days until the next vacation, the next little slice of ‘fun’ – the next break. Here are some simple tips to make that burden feel a little less heavy, or perhaps hardly there at all.

1. Organize

One of the main reasons we get on edge is because we encounter things we didn’t plan or couldn’t foresee. These rouge waves of life will happen regardless, but with good organization on your part, you can minimize the occurrence and make sure that you contribute little to their existence. Sit down with a daily planner or get a calendar for your desk. Time constraints created by running around or forgetting things stresses you out as well as the people around you. Take a minute, organize, and follow your plans!

2. Treat Your Body Well

One staple of a healthy, happy life is good nutrition and proper body maintenance Make sure you have a well-rounded diet, which is possible (believe it or not) with good organization and well-calculated trips to the store.  I choose 3-4 meals I’d like to be able to have any day, get a nice stock pile, and then day-to-day I’m able to put whatever I want together. Waking up an extra 30 minutes early and making lunch is a great habit to get into! It requires for you to go to bed a bit earlier, as sleep is vital, but it’s well worth it.

3. Exercise

There are always the two sides to the healthy body coin – the diet and the exercise. You can’t give yourself a really healthy body unless both sides are maintained. That said, develop a exercise regimen. Shoot for at least 30 minutes a day, unless you can spare more time, in which case devote an hour.  It doesn’t make a difference if it’s jogging or resistance training, as long as you’re keeping active.

4. Express yourself

Don’t try to bottle up every emotion and thought. Self-expression is a great thing, and it helps us maintain a good attitude. Think of a few activities you’d love to do through out the week and try to make at least one of them happen – maybe a trip to the museum or beach? Whatever it is, let your true self reveal itself. If you can do that, then you can be yourself.

5. Laugh Everyday

Laughter really is the best medicine. Chemically, it stimulates the brain and literally makes us feel better. It’s good for those around us too. So crack a funny joke, or enjoy a good laugh with your coworkers. Whatever it is, laugh!

6. Practice Humility

While you should always have self-confidence, reflect on yourself and know your faults. Don’t be ashamed of them, but rather aware of what they are and how you can work on them. Accept it – you’re not perfect!

7. Avoid the ‘Sins’

Drugs and alcohol offer the easy solution out, but they come with a price: dependence. This should be a tax too burdensome on any, as you should always know you can work through life with your own character and spirit if it ever required it. Instead of these, find the beautiful, happy things in life and cherish them.

8. Accept the past, but don’t forget it

Some people suggest forgetting the past – don’t do it! The past is what we learn from; it is life’s great teacher. Unfortunately, the minute we forget the past is the minute we repeat it. That doesn’t mean we can’t accept it though. Know your past and its dilemmas, accept it, and move on.

9. Know who you want to be and what you want to do

Have goals as a person, both for your own character and for your life’s pathway. A wise man once said the focus of our attention determines our reality. That said, focus hard on your goals. You’d be surprised of how attainable they are!

10. Remember Why You’re Doing it

Always remember your loved ones and your reason for working so hard. Self-sacrifice is just that – sacrifice – but you can find solace in that when you need to. If you follow the tips above, and remember why it’s so important,  you be feeling better every day in no time.

6 Symptoms of Women's Heart Attacks\health

6 Symptoms of Women's Heart Attacks\health

When a heart attack strikes, it doesn’t always feel the same in women as it does in men.

Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but  many experience vague or even “silent” symptoms that they may miss

Ever wish you could see inside your arteries? These blood vessels deliver oxygen-rich blood to every corner of our bodies. Maintaining the flow is essential to life and health. Atherosclerosis causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries, creating slowdowns in blood flow. Even worse, atherosclerosis can trigger sudden blood clots. Heart attacks and strokes are the often-deadly result. If we could see what was going on in our arteries, we might think twice about our lifestyle choices. Could...

These six heart attack symptoms are common in women

1. Chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side. It's usually "truly uncomfortable" during a heart attack, says cardiologist Rita Redberg, MD, director of Women’s Cardiovascular Services at the University of California, San Francisco. "It feels like a vise being tightened."
2. Pain in your arm(s), back, neck, or jaw. This type of pain is more common in women than in men. It may confuse women who expect their pain to be focused on their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw. The pain can be gradual or sudden, and it may wax and wane before becoming intense. If you're asleep, it may wake you up. You should report any "not typical or unexplained" symptoms in any part of your body above your waist to your doctor or other health care provider, says cardiologist C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
3. Stomach pain. Sometimes people mistake stomach pain that signals a heart attack with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer. Other times, women experience severe abdominal pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on your stomach, says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York.
4. Shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms. "It can feel like you have run a marathon, but you didn't make a move," Goldberg says.
5. Sweating. Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack. It will feel more like stress-related sweating than perspiration from exercising or spending time outside in the heat. "Get it checked out" if you don't typically sweat like that and there is no other reason for it, such as heat or hot flashes, Bairey Merz says.
6. Fatigue. Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they've been sitting still for a while or haven't moved much. "Patients often complain of a tiredness in the chest," Goldberg says. "They say that they can't do simple activities, like walk to the bathroom."

Not everyone gets all of those symptoms. If you have chest discomfort, especially if you also have one or more of the other signs, call 911 immediately.

If you feel heart attack symptoms:

• Don’t delay getting help. "Women generally wait longer than men before going to the emergency room," says Rita F. Redberg, MD, MSc, FACC, director of Women's Cardiovascular Services for the UCSF Division of Cardiology in San Francisco. Even if you think your symptoms aren’t that bad or will pass, the stakes are too high.
• Don't drive yourself to the hospital. You need an ambulance. If you drive, you could have a wreck on the way and possibly hurt yourself or someone else.
• Don’t have a friend or relative drive you, either. You may not get there fast enough.
• Don’t dismiss what you feel. "Don't worry about feeling silly if you're wrong," Goldberg says. You have to get it checked out right away. 

"People don't want to spend hours in an emergency room if it isn't a heart attack," Bairey Merz says. "But women are actually good at deciding what is typical for themselves and when to seek health care."

Feeling Tired? Try a One-Minute Energy Booster\Health

Feeling Tired? Try a One-Minute Energy Booster\Health

Many times throughout the day we need a little energy recharge. Rather than reach for the sugar or caffeine, why not try a one-minute energy boost? It might perk you up and give you the extra push you need to complete tasks during your busy day.

Energy Supply

Why is personal energy is in short supply these days? It seems like our lives have become increasingly more hectic. We are constantly on the go with work, errands, family obligations and more!

We are meant to have cyclical breaks of rest every so often throughout the day, not just at night when we fall into bed.

We are meant to have cyclical breaks of rest every so often throughout the day, not just at night when we fall into bed. It’s hard to get those moments of relaxation in a modern world that’s all go, go, go. Our bodies have varying rhythms throughout the day with both high and low points.

One particular low point for most people occurs sometime around 2 to 3pm. Usually that’s when we reach for the soda or candy bar. Since we don’t always have the luxury of taking a break when we feel low energy, we can try a one-minute energy boost as an alternative to less healthy choices.

One-Minute Energy Boosters

In the time it takes to drink a soda or eat a candy bar, you can try one of the 10 following energy boosters. They can all be done in a minute, so you don’t have to feel guilty about taking time away from work or other tasks. You can use a timer if you’d like or just do the activity for a short period.

1. Walk.

Get up and walk around for one minute. Just getting away from your desk and moving can help boost your energy. It will get your blood flowing throughout your body. You’ll also get a chance to gain a quick change of perspective.

2. Stretch

If you can’t get up to walk around for one minute, then try stretching. Stand up, raise your arms and move them around. Stand on your tiptoes a few times. Bend at the waist and try some twists. Do any stretching motions you’d like and see if you can keep it up for one minute.

3. Breathe

It seems pretty obvious that we are constantly breathing, so why a reminder? So many times we are hunched over a desk or using bad posture that we are not breathing properly. We tend to be shallow breathers. Take one minute to just breathe fully and deeply, feeling it in your diaphragm. This is called “belly breathing” because the focus is on your belly, not just your chest.

4. Stairs

If you have a chance to walk around, try climbing the stairs in your office building or home. Go up and down a few times. It doesn’t need to be at a fast pace. Climbing stairs will get your blood pumping and get some more oxygen to your cells and brain.

5. Music

Put on some lively, energizing music. It will probably get your feet tapping, perk up your mood and help you to shift your energy.

6. Laugh

Scientific studies have shown that laughter can boost energy levels in addition to improving mood. Those feel good hormones get going with a good laugh.

7. Water

Energy levels can lag throughout the day due to dehydration. Many people don’t drink enough water. Make sure you are well hydrated. A nice refreshing glass of cool water can help boost your metabolism.

8. Sunlight

If possible go outside and enjoy a minute of sunshine. It will help with melatonin production to keep you awake and alert. If that’s not possible check if indoor lighting is sufficient.

9. Aromatherapy

Pleasing scents can help perk you up, especially citrus-based ones like lemon and orange. Use a spray, incense or scented candles.

10. Chew Gum

Chewing a minty flavored gum or popping a peppermint candy in your mouth can also give you a little lift.

Next time you feel a lull during the day try a one-minute energy booster and feel refreshed!

Top 10 health benefits of walking every day\health

Top 10 health benefits of walking every day\health

It’s a gentle, low-impact form of exercise that’s easy, free and suitable for people of all ages and most abilities. Here’s why it’s so good for you

1. It strengthens your heart

Regular walking has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. It lowers levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and keeps blood pressure in check. 

"Anything that raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping is a workout for your heart and circulatory system," says personal trainer Stuart Amory. According to the Stroke Association, walking briskly for up to 30 minutes can help prevent and control the high blood pressure that can cause strokes – reducing your risk by up to 27 per cent.

2. It lowers disease risk

As well as heart disease, a walking habit can slash your risk of developing type 2 diabetes asthma and some cancers. A study in the British Medical Journal showed taking more steps every day can help ward off diabetes. And according to the charity Walking For Health, regular exercise such as walking could reduce risk by up to 60 per cent. Those of us who are active have around a 20 per cent lower risk of developing cancer of the colon, breast and womb than those least active.

3. It keeps weight in check

"If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to burn about 600 calories a day more than you’re eating," says Amory. "Putting one foot in front of the other is one of the easiest ways to do that." A person weighing 60kg burns 75 calories simply by strolling at 2mph for 30 minutes. Increase that to 3mph and they’ll burn 99 calories. Speed it up to a fast walk (4mph) and that’s 150 calories – the equivalent of three Jaffa Cakes or a jam doughnut. "Walking also increases muscle mass and tone and the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism – so the more calories you burn, even at rest," he adds.

4. It can help prevent dementia

Dementia affects one in 14 people over 65 and one in six over 80. We know being active has a protective effect on brain function and regular exercise reduces dementia risk by up to 40 per cent. And, according to Age UK, older people who walk six miles or more per week could avoid brain shrinkage and so preserve memory as the years pass.

5. ...and osteoporosis, too

"Walking counts as a weight-bearing activity," says Amory. "It stimulates and strengthens bones, increasing their density – really important, especially for women. It also helps maintain healthy joints so may stave off conditions such as arthritis."

6. It tones your legs, bum – and tum

A good walk can help strengthen and shape your legs, giving great definition to calves, quads, hamstrings and lifting your glutes (buttock muscles) – especially if you add hills. But if you really pay attention to your posture as you walk, it can tone your abs and whittle your waist, too.

Fitness expert Joanna Hall is founder of the Walkactive method of 'conscious' walking for better posture and overall fitness results. She says: "Think about lengthening up through your spine to create space between your earlobes and shoulders. Relax your shoulders, pull in your tummy and pelvic floor and imagine you have a cup of water balanced on top of each hip bone that you don’t want to spill. As you walk with this posture, your shoulders will naturally rotate and this works your oblique abdominal muscles – you’ll be taking inches off your waist with every step." Check out these 12 fitness videos on how to tone your body

7. Let’s not forget your arms

"Your speed when walking comes from your arms," says Hall. "Hold them at a comfortable level, bent at the elbow, and swing them backwards and forwards as you walk. Swing them faster and you’ll automatically speed up. And all this movement tones your arms, shoulders and upper back." Bye bye, bingo wings!

8. It boosts your vitamin D levels

If you’re walking outside in daylight, you’ll be boosting your body’s stores of vitamin D – a nutrient that’s hard to get from food, but that we can synthesise from exposure to sunlight. Many people in the UK are deficient in vitamin D and it’s a nutrient that plays a big role in everything from bone health to immunity. While sun safety is still important experts agree that exposing as much skin as you can to the sun, little and often and without burning, will help you to produce sufficient vitamin D.

9. It gives you energy

It might seem like a paradox (and the last thing you might feel like) but a brisk walk is one of the best natural energizers around. It boosts circulation and increases oxygen supply to each and every cell in your body, helping you to feel more alert and alive. It wakes up stiff joints and eases muscle tension so you feel less sluggish. Always have a mid-afternoon energy slump at work? Head out for a walk at lunchtime instead of sitting in a café or at your desk and see what a difference it makes. Here are some other quick ways to boost your energy levels

10. It makes you happy

The ability of exercise to boost mood is undisputed. Studies have shown regular, moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking) to be as effective as antidepressants in cases of mild to moderate depression. Getting active releases feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream, reducing stress and anxiety. And don’t forget it’s often a social activity – joining a walking group or meeting friends to walk and chat is a great way to banish feelings of isolation and loneliness. A survey by the charity Mind found 83 per cent of people with mental health issues look to exercise to help lift their mood. For greatest benefit, they say, get active outdoors and somewhere green. Check out our tips on how to join a walking group

Family Dinner Ideas:4 Summer Recipes from Gazpacho/Food

Family Dinner Ideas:4 Summer Recipes from Gazpacho/Food

Gazpacho

This dish is about as chill as it gets, and the best part is that its simple, often involving fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. From a traditional chunky red gazpacho made with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and plenty of tomato juice, to the more imaginative Andalusian-inspired white gazpacho blending pureed almonds, grapes, cucumber and garlic, gazpacho is one of those dishes that goes down easy on a hot summer evening. Make this soup a meal by serving it alongside a crisp green salad and a wedge of crusty bread.

Ceviche

A classic Latin American no-cook staple, ceviche involves cooking seafood (fish and/or shellfish) in an array of citrus juices, onions, pepper and spices. The process involves marinating raw seafood until it is essentially pickled in the citrus juices, giving it the appearance of being cooked. Naturally, only the freshest seafood will do for this dish since youre essentially working with it raw. A quick tip is to cut shellfish into a small dice before adding to the marinade. This will expedite the cooking process. Serve ceviche with homemade corn or flour tortilla chips or fill hard-shell tacos with the mixture. Note: If the thought of uncooked fish is too much to bear, you can always poach the seafood briefly in boiling water before marinating it in the citrus juices, although be forewarned, this can create a chewy texture and loss of flavor.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Nothing says summer more than salad, and the proverbial Chinese chicken salad is not only a crowd pleaser, but its easy to whip up sans oven. Made from a mixture of fresh greens, crispy wontons (or Chinese noodles), cabbage, green onions and of course, shredded chicken, this hearty salad is its own one- pot meal. For added ease, stay out of the kitchen completely. Buy and shred a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Theyre perfect for making chicken salad, filling burritos, soft tacos, quesadillas or topping a pre-cooked pizza crust (a la barbecue chicken pizza).

Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Basil

A bit of butter, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil transforms roasted vegetables into a flavorful sauce for pasta. You could easily modify this recipe to use any vegetables that are in season.

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication\Health

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication\Health

By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure — the top number — of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure — the bottom number — of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications you're taking more effective. You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve it.

Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general:

• Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm).
• Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 cm).
• Asian men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 36 inches (91 cm).
• Asian women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 32 inches (81 cm).

2. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity — at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you haven't been active, increasing your exercise level can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks.

If you have prehypertension — systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 — exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help.

But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. Those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:

• Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
• Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
• Be a smart shopper. Make a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.
• Cut yourself some slack. Although the DASH diet is a lifelong eating guide, it doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you wouldn't find on a DASH diet menu, such as a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy.

4. Reduce sodium in your diet

Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. The recommendations for reducing sodium are:

• Limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less.
• A lower sodium level — 1,500 mg a day or less — is appropriate for people 51 years of age or older, and individuals of any age who are African-American or who have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:

• Track how much salt is in your diet. Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
• Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
• Eat fewer processed foods. Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed lunch meats are high in sodium.
• Don't add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your foods.
• Ease into it. If you don't feel like you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.

5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and men older than age 65, or more than two a day for men age 65 and younger. Also, if you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. There's more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol.

If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.

• Track your drinking patterns. Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals 12 ounces (355 milliliters, or mL) of beer, 5 ounces of wine (148 mL) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (45 mL). If you're drinking more than the suggested amounts, cut back.
• Consider tapering off. If you're a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe high blood pressure for several days. So when you stop drinking, do it with the supervision of your doctor or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks.
• Don't binge. Binge drinking — having four or more drinks in a row — can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.

6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke

On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.

You should also avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

7. Cut back on caffeine

The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure, but it's unclear whether the effect is temporary or long lasting.

To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.

8. Reduce your stress

Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling.

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and make regular doctor's appointments

If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before getting started.

Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure.

• Have a primary care doctor. People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs.
• Visit your doctor regularly. If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have.

10. Get support from family and friends

Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure.

If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

6 Symptoms of Women's Heart Attacks\Health

6 Symptoms of Women's Heart Attacks\Health

When a heart attack strikes, it doesn’t always feel the same in women as it does in men.

Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but  many experience vague or even “silent” symptoms that they may miss.

Shocking Heart Deaths: Why They Happen

Someone in the prime of their life -- a professional sports star, teen athlete, marathon runner, or other seemingly healthy person -- isn't supposed to collapse and die from heart disease. But it occasionally happens, making sudden cardiac arrest front-page news. The rare nature of sudden cardiac arrest among the young is precisely what makes it so attention-grabbing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sudden cardiac death kills 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 300,000 athletes under age 35, more often males...

These six heart attack symptoms are common in women

1. Chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side. It's usually "truly uncomfortable" during a heart attack, says cardiologist Rita Redberg, MD, director of Women’s Cardiovascular Services at the University of California, San Francisco. "It feels like a vise being tightened."
2. Pain in your arm(s), back, neck, or jaw. This type of pain is more common in women than in men. It may confuse women who expect their pain to be focused on their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw. The pain can be gradual or sudden, and it may wax and wane before becoming intense. If you're asleep, it may wake you up. You should report any "not typical or unexplained" symptoms in any part of your body above your waist to your doctor or other health care provider, says cardiologist C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
3. Stomach pain. Sometimes people mistake stomach pain that signals a heart attack with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer. Other times, women experience severe abdominal pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on your stomach, says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York.
4. Shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms. "It can feel like you have run a marathon, but you didn't make a move," Goldberg says.
5. Sweating. Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack. It will feel more like stress-related sweating than perspiration from exercising or spending time outside in the heat. "Get it checked out" if you don't typically sweat like that and there is no other reason for it, such as heat or hot flashes, Bairey Merz says.
6. Fatigue. Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they've been sitting still for a while or haven't moved much. "Patients often complain of a tiredness in the chest," Goldberg says. "They say that they can't do simple activities, like walk to the bathroom."

 

.

Top 10 tips for a healthy heart\health

Top 10 tips for a healthy heart

There are many steps people can take to try to prevent heart disease. You can start by concentrating on key lifestyle areas such as eating, exercise, smoking and drinking, and considering other factors like family history, diabetes and stress.

1. Stop smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a person can do to live longer. If you are a smoker, you are twice as likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. But from the moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack starts to reduce. With public smoking bans recently introduced, there has never been a better time to give up.

2. Cut down on salt. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Avoid foods like crisps, salted nuts, canned and packet soups and sauces, baked beans and canned vegetables, pork pies, pizzas and ready meals. Many breakfast cereals and breads that appear healthy also contain high levels of salt, so keep your eye on these too.

3. Watch your diet. A healthy diet can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and can also help increase the chances of survival after a heart attack. You should try to have a balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, oily fish, starchy foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice. Avoid foods like biscuits, cakes, pastries and dairy products that are high in saturated fats and sugar.

4. Monitor your alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Binge drinking will increase your risk of having a heart attack, so you should aim to limit your intake to one to two units a day.

5. Get active.The heart is a muscle and it needs exercise to keep fit so that it can pump blood efficiently round your body with each heart beat. You should aim for 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day. If this seems too daunting, start off gently and build up gradually. Keeping fit not only benefits your physical health - it improves your mental health and wellbeing too.

6. Manage your weight. The number of people who are overweight in Britain is rising fast - already more than half of the adult population is overweight or obese. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health and increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, start by making small, but healthy changes to what you eat, and try to become more active.

7. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked by your GP. The higher your blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy. People with high blood pressure run a higher risk of having a stroke or a heart attack. High levels of cholesterol in the blood - produced by the liver from saturated fats - can lead to fatty deposits in your coronary arteries that increase your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diseases that affect the circulation. You can help lower your cholesterol level by exercising and eating high-fibre foods such as porridge, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

8. Learn to manage your stress levels. If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much and this may increase your risk of a heart attack.

9. Check your family history . If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

10. Make sure you can recognise the early signs of coronary heart disease . Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm or stomach which comes on when you exert yourself but goes away with rest may be the first sign of angina, which can lead to a heart attack if left untreated.

Yoga Hayakrivar candidates stand for!

Kind of, sort of uniformed students in school examinations the student with the necessary Hall Tickets and writing materials were concentrated in one place. After all, the location is not central to the choice of a temple. Yes, plenty of memory, and giving the choice upsetting removed, achieving the highest score arulpali the yogic hayakrivar koviltan it. Parents and teachers with the country's various regions from the landing student, student reward hayakrivar at the feet of their Hall ticket and pen, pencils evil with his blessings with joy, satisfaction with the turn were. If you know a little about this temple blessings to you and your children have to go and return. Kanchipuram District Chengalpattu circle Chetty earns village 400 years old sritevanata Perumal temple is here. Varadaraja deity from the service continues to maintain. past 1848 - the year tiruvahintapurat to all brought Devanatha Vishnu, hayakrivarum, and Thanjavur brought from Ram devotees procession of pilgrims from all blessing come. The horse-faced Yoga hayakrivar four hands conch cakkaratari the state of yoga is. Career worship of academic progress are available, memory caktikutum the examination is to assist the school to college students, student hall ticket purchased for their chosen subject pens come here with hayakrivar feet of keeping his blessing to the taking. This continues for several years, and the student, the student pays to choose the time of writing the ten and a common exam for class XII students, girl students are invading. It is for this reason that the name of the temple has been settled hayakrivar deed. From Chennai, Chengalpattu on the way cenkalpattirku front Singaperumal temple area from the right hand side of the three-kilometer driving a peaceful, beautiful Chetty deed Village come. This village is at the center of this hayakrivar temple. 7.30 pm from 12 noon until 4 pm to 8 pm Opening up style. From Chengalpattu, Singaperumal come from the temple in vehicles like auto, low high. Devotees come and go as easily as the chief minister recently introduced Small pascai Devotees claim that incorporate this channel.Devotees unable to attend in person at the yagna and puja offerings and pens made ​​hayakrivar Image Deployment takes a packet in the mail. For the temple phone number: 8675127999. Temple will be opened only at the walk to the phone. Further call on hold and taking the land will go inside the temple so often the phone without worry about work again, and try again. Yoga hayakrivar grants you the amokamay

33 Most Unhealthy Foods You Should Avoid\Health

33 Most Unhealthy Foods You Should Avoid\Health

With so much talk of healthy foods and what you should be eating, the foods that are the worst for us can get overlooked. The reason it’s so hard to avoid these kinds of food is because the things that make them bad also make them taste good. Fatty foods typically taste good, so do sweet and salty ones, which means a lot of the foods you love are likely not the best things you can have.

But you don’t have to resort to living like Tom Hanks in Castaway, there are plenty of foods that you can turn to that taste amazing and won’t jeopardize your well-being. It’s about learning why certain foods are bad, so you can make better choices on a day-to-day basis. That being said, here are some dietary landmines to watch out for, and step around.

Trans Fat

This is the most notorious of the unhealthy ingredients they put in foods, and has even led for a ban on them in New York City. Avoiding it is tricky, no thanks in part to the FDA that allows food manufacturers to say there’s no trans fat in foods, even when there is. Since 2 grams is the most you should have in a day, allowing foods with 0.5 gram or less to call themselves trans fat free is a real problem. You’re best off avoiding trans fat-containing foods completely.

Fast Food

We all know we shouldn’t eat fast food because it’s bad for us, but part of the reason is because of all the trans fats and other additives they use to make the food taste good. The problem is not just that there is trans fat in the foods, but that the portion sizes quickly multiply those contents and before long you have a week’s worth of trans fat in one meal. A large french fry from McDonald’s supplies 4 day’s worth of trans fat by itself.

Packaged Cookies

Even the beloved Girl Scout Cookies still sneak some trans fat in, despite a label that says “trans fat free”. You may be able to justify those because they only happen a few times per year, but check to see if your favorite store bought cookies are made with partially hydrogenated cooking oils, chances are they are including Chips Ahoy and Keebler, although some brands like Oreos now use “high oleic” oils instead so they can provide shelf-stable cookies at a reasonable cost.

Cake Frosting

The cake itself might not have trans fat, but chances are if the frosting isn’t made from scratch it will likely have trans fat in it. Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle Chocolate frosting doesn’t have much “homestyle” about it. Chances are you wouldn’t be using partially hydrogenated oils in your homemade frosting. One serving provides nearly a full day’s worth of trans fat, so you’d better be extra careful about all of the other food you eat that day.

Pancakes

If you get your pancakes out of a box, you might not even suspect they might contain trans fat because it starts off in powder form. Bisquick for example has nearly 5g of trans fat in each cup. Makes you think twice about using pre-made mixes and just take the extra minute or so to come up with your own batch so you know everything that’s in it.

Microwave Popcorn

Most of the popular brands of microwave popcorn have trans fat of some sort in them. One of the biggest offenders is Pop Secret, which supplies 5 grams of trans fat per serving. Sounds like a lot since it more than doubles your daily allowance. The big thing to remember is that few of us stop at one serving of popcorn as we snuggle up to watch a movie at home.

Frozen Meals

Most people buy frozen dinners for a quick and easy meal, or to help lose weight. But many of them are laden with hydrogenated oils which in turn means they contain trans fat in some amount. In order to avoid these types of meals simply check the label for both hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Since you’ll most likely be microwaving these meals, you’re also adding to their unhealthiness, further destroying any nutrients they might contain, and processing the ingredients even further.

  High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

This is an ingredient that didn’t exist before 1960, but has a strong appeal to food manufacturers because it’s so very sweet, cheap to make, and easy to store. According to David Zinczenko in The Abs Diet, the human body doesn’t have a shut-off switch for HFCS the way it does with real sugar. This leads us to keep drinking a cola or eating sweet treats long after we would have stopped if they were naturally sweetened.

Colas and Sodas

These are the number one offender because they’re so ubiquitous. 7UP once tried to claim that their soda was made with all-natural ingredients, saying that because it comes from corn HFCS is all-natural. They no longer phrase it this way, and other colas blatantly have it listed as the most abundant sweetener. In ordinary Coca-Cola it’s the only sweetener used.

Yogurt

Although many dieters add yogurt to their daily menu, they’d better watch out at the sweeteners it contains, with many of the brands using High Fructose Corn Syrup to make them taste good. Going with a light version of yogurt no doubt means you’re getting an artificial sweetener, which can be just as bad.

Ketchup

Most ketchup ends up on french fries, and few stop to consider that it’s actually acting to make the fries more unhealthy. That’s because it uses High Fructose Corn Syrup as it’s #3 ingredient – at least a bottle of America’s #1 Bestselling ketchup: Heinz. There’s 4g of sugar total, and the majority of that will come from HFCS.

Cereals

Many people turn to cereals as a healthy start to their day, or as a nutritious breakfast for their children. Kelloggs is a big offender with several popular brands containing HFCS including Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Smorz, Rice Krispies, and Special K. Kelloggs is not the only ones in on the act, with General Mills adding it to Trix, and Post adding it to Oreo O’s.

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

You’ll have to familiarize yourself with the other names that MSG can hide behind, including glutamic acid, monopotassium glutamate, natrium glutamate, monoammonium glutamate, yeast extract, gelatin, calcium glutamate, magnesium glutamate, soy protein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, autolyzed yeast, and Textured protein, just to name a few. The most dastardly way to disguise it: “natural flavors”.

Ranch Dressing

 It’s America’s favorite dressing and dipping sauce, but ever wonder why you can’t get enough of it, and why it makes so many things taste better? One of the most popular nationwide brands, Hidden Valley Ranch, has it in its ingredients, as well as Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, and other artificial flavors and sweeteners.

Fried Foods

Set aside the high amounts of trans fat, saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol that comes with frying foods, since that’s been covered many times before and most of us already know about those dangers. Another reason to avoid eating fried foods is that most of them will contain MSG. One of the easiest ways to get fried food with MSG in it is to stop into KFC and order anything fried from their menu. They’re not the only culprit, not by a long shot. MSG is prevalent in so many packaged foods that it’s almost a given that if it comes from a major food supplier, is fried and comes in a package, it will contain some amount of MSG.

Packaged Chips

The more flavoring a chip has, the more MSG and other artificial ingredients you can expect it to have. It’s hard to come up with exact numbers of how much MSG they contain, because it’s not required to list it on the Nutrition Facts. You can get an idea of how prevalent it is by how far down the ingredients list it is. The further down, the less it has, but just remember that they’ll sneak it in using different names, so while Monosodium Glutamate might be near the bottom, a different substance may be closer to the top.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have been under the spotlight for decades now as health food advocates point out that they can come with a list of side effects, much like a drug. The side effects that are claimed by those against sweeteners like aspartame include some really severe conditions, such as depression, insomnia, blindness, tinnitus, hives, and a contributing factor to things like Alzheimer’s and MS. Whether they’re wrong or right it seems best to sidestep the problem altogether.

Light Foods and Beverages

If you’re calorie conscious you might be attracted to foods that are advertised as Lite or Light, since they’ll have fewer calories than their regular counterparts. But what you’re trading the calories for is typically artificial sweeteners that might be calorie-free but have their own side effects and health hazards.

Diet Colas and Sodas

Diet sodas don’t contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, but in its place are sweeteners like aspartame. The debate rages on whether aspartame is as bad as the claims being made, but why get involved with it? It’s definitely not good for you, and if you’re drinking diet drinks you’re concerned about your health and well-being. It’s best to replace them with all-natural beverages that are low in calories, but still have some flavor, like green tea.

Packaged Diet Snacks

Many of these snack packs come in 100 calorie sizes, which appeals to many dieters. But in order to get them to taste good and not add too much to the bottom line they include different unnamed artificial sweeteners in them. Whether or not these are bad for you is under question, but they’re certainly not good for you, and it’s a little unnerving when they won’t tell you exactly what’s in the food.

Sodium

High levels of sodium, or salt, can really wreak havoc on your body. Not only does it cause you to retain water, but it also increases blood pressure and can lead to complications with the heart. Almost all heart patients are put on a low-sodium diet, whether they suffered a heart attack, stroke, or are at risk for them. It makes sense to watch your sodium levels long before it reaches the point of a doctor telling you to do so, or forcing you onto a diet to help save your life.

Cheese

Cheese also has copious amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, which is why you want to go easy on it as far as your daily diet goes. But there is another factor of cheese to consider, and that is the amount of sodium it contains. Be sure to stay away from Cheez Whiz, as that has almost a quarter of the RDA of sodium in one serving. And even cheeses that are often considered healthy pack a sodium punch. For example feta cheese has about half the daily limit of sodium in a 100 gram serving.

Salty Snacks

The problem with salty snacks is that the salt makes you keep eating them. Once you have the salty flavor on your taste buds you automatically reach for another chip. And the sodium is only one concern, as these snacks are usually cooked in partially hydrogenated oils giving them trans fats, and use artificial seasonings and flavorings.

Lunch Meats

Because of the processing they go through most lunch meats are packed with extra sodium as well as nitrates. There are plenty of reasons to take a pass on lunch meats, or at least to read the labels before you buy in order to make sure that you are getting meat that isn’t loaded with fillers and additives. Some other top concerns are the bacteria listeria which can pose a problem for pregnant women, sodium nitrate which could potentially be cancer-causing, and added oils and sweeteners which add to the fat and carb count.

Pizza

One slice of delivered pizza can contain a full day’s worth of sodium depending on the toppings and type of crust you order. It’s mostly because of the high cheese content, but also because there’s salt and MSG in the dough, and if you’re getting toppings like pepperoni, sausage, ham, and any other cured and processed meats, you’re going to be doubling down on your sodium intake.

Cholesterol

The feds say that 300mg of cholesterol a day should be your limit. The foods below will get you to that limit pretty quickly, especially if you eat more than the recommended serving size, which is pretty easy to do in most cases. Not all cholesterol is bad for you, so be sure that you’re differentiating between the good kinds and the bad kinds, and not cutting out all foods that contain any cholesterol. These foods will increase your levels of LDL cholesterol, aka the bad kind, and are best avoided or consumed in limited quantities.

Ice Cream

Anything that tastes as good as ice cream does can’t be good for you, and as it turns out one of the reasons to avoid it is the high levels of cholesterol it contains. While one serving might not get you there, many of us don’t stop at one serving, and it’s very to overeat when it comes to ice cream, especially if we’re eating it due to emotional reasons.

Eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Dublin Mudslide because you’re feeling blue, and you’ll stack up 240mg of cholesterol, nearly a full day’s worth. If Haagen Daaz is your choice you and you decide to go healthy with their “5” line-up that uses just five ingredients, you’re still looking at nearly 235mg if the taste moves you to finish the pint.

Pork Products

If you’re like Homer Simpson and have a close relationship with bacon and pork chops, you might want to think about breaking things off. The amount of cholesterol in many pork items makes them something to avoid, although each cut is not created equally. Ribs have a higher cholesterol count than a pork chop, and one good sized strip of bacon can have 13mg of cholesterol, not to mention plenty of saturated fat and calories. If you’re truly in love with the stuff, consider cutting back or sticking with leaner varieties.

Doughnuts

OK, so we all know that donuts won’t show up on any lists of the healthiest foods, but what ends them up on this list is a combination of fat, sugar, and cholesterol, as well as MSG and trans fat in some cases. The cholesterol levels are also pretty high, and are concern enough to avoid eating doughnuts as a regular breakfast item, reserving them to perhaps a monthly treat.

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat is the type of fat that you want to watch out for, as it’s the kind that clogs your arteries and can lead to heart disease, the number one killer of both men and women in America. The recommended daily allowance for saturated fat is 20g, so you don’t have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the biggest offenders on this list. And this 20g is a cap, it is not something you need to strive to reach each day, but a way to make sure that you keep things under control and don’t overdo it.

Whipped Cream

Many times they’ll ask if you want whipped cream on your hot chocolate or coffee drink. Other instances where whipped cream pops up is on top of pies, or on an ice cream sundae. You might think you’re doing better by opting for Cool Whip at 1.5g of saturated fat per serving, but the trans fat and High Fructose Corn Syrup make it a worse choice. Reddi Wip makes the case that it’s a good choice because it’s made with cream and not oil, and comes in at 1g of saturated fat per dollop.

Fatty Meats

If you don’t opt for a lean cut of meat you’re likely to end up with plenty of saturated fat. When it comes to saturated fat, it doesn’t matter if it comes from natural sources, like a well-marbled piece of beef, or if it’s the kind you get from pre-packaged desserts or snacks. Meats like sausage are big culprits when it comes to saturated fat, with a serving of bratwurst at the big game putting you at over half the daily allowance, over 12 grams of saturated fat.

Milkshakes

Milkshakes are harder to control because they’re in liquid form so you don’t even have to chew. In a few minutes you can suck down half a day’s worth of saturated fat and not even realize it since it tastes so yummy. McDonald’s strawberry milkshake has 8g of saturated fat in a large sized serving, a whopping 40% chunk of the 20g you’re allotted per day.

Specialty Burgers, Whoppers & Big Macs

Unfortunately getting a fancy burger at a restaurant is just as bad for you as the fast food baddies. For example, the Jalapeno Smokehouse Burger w/ Ranch, a Chili’s Big Mouth Burger contains 34g of saturated fat. The Big Mac from McDonald’s clocks in at 10g, and you can nearly double that with their Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese at 19g. Burger King’s Whopper by comparison has the same 10g.

Calories

Foods high in calories can really add to your waistline in a hurry if you’re not careful. The reason they’re so sneaky is because you can consume hundreds of calories quickly and not even be aware of it. A popular dieting theory is that the fewer calories taken in the more weight you’ll lose, all else being equal. That’s why you see people going on low-calorie diets and trying to burn calories in the gym. You don’t have to go to extremes, but minding the calories you consume will lead to a healthier you.

Pasta Dishes

A plain bowl of pasta won’t ruin your day, calorically speaking, but pasta often serves as the foundation for more calorie-laden dishes. A nice slab of Lasagna Classico from Olive Garden for example can tip the charts at 850 calories, more than half of the calories allotted to some dieters. That doesn’t leave much for the rest of the day. Also consider a small serving of Spaghetti with Meatballs from Buca di Beppo that tips the tables at 916 calories.

Dressings

Dressings have claimed their fair share of salads to the dark side. After creating the perfect salad at a salad bar, one that’s low in calories and contains many healthy foods, you can ruin all your hard work by drizzling it with salad dressing. This amps up the calorie count, as well as the fat count, carb count, and cholesterol numbers. French dressing smashes things up with 88 calories in each tablespoon, and Ranch crashes the party with 140, and if you go with the Blue Cheese dressing from Carl’s Jr. you should just stay home because it’s 320 calories per serving with almost all of them coming from fat.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate is making a surge as a health food, but milk chocolate still rules the market and is the most easy to come by. The only problem is that it’s not as healthy for you as dark, and it’s easy to ramp up the calories if you have a chocolate binging episode. There are 3.4 calories in each M&M, 73 in each piece of Godiva chocolate, and 23 in each Hug version of Hershey’s Kisses.

Carbohydrates

It’s not as if you have to go low-carb or no-carb but you should still keep an eye on your carbohydrate intake. In fact there’s even a recommended daily allowance set at 130g. Why are too many carbs unhealthy? Foods high in carbohydrates will be digested quickly and tend to increase your blood sugar levels. This causes a release of insulin, which produces glycogen which gets stored in the body as fat. They’re also responsible for making you feel hungry again quickly, and can lead to more eating and overeating than would otherwise happen.

Bagels

 

For a long time bagels were thought of as a healthy way to start the day, until the no-carb fad came along. Now they are gaining popularity again, but is it justified? A plain bagel from Einstein Bros. Bagels contains 59g of carbohydrates, and uses up 45% of your daily allowance. Chances are when you’re having a bagel, you’re not leaving it plain and are topping it off with cream cheese, butter, jelly, or making a breakfast sandwich with it, which only makes it less healthy for you.

Coffee Drinks

A cup of regular Joe won’t damage your carb levels for the day, but when you get all fancy you’re ultimately created a carb-infused cocktail. A medium cappuccino from McCafe at McDonald’s will cost you 12g of carbs, and a medium sized latte, even with sugar-free syrup, still puts you at 44g of carbohydrates, almost insuring you’re going to go over your daily budget.

Movie Popcorn

No list of unhealthy foods would be complete without movie popcorn on it. This can fit under many categories, including too many calories, too much saturated fat, too much MSG, trans fat from hydrogenated oil, and that doesn’t even count the “butter” topping. But aside from all of that it has plenty of carbs. A large sized bucket has about 90g of carbs in it, with that number varying by location.