April 4, 2003- Beta Carotene Is Best
Reducing your risk of a heart attack may be as easy as eating a couple handfuls of peanuts each week.

In a study, men who ate nuts at least twice per week had a 46% lower chance of dying suddenly of a heart attack compared to men who rarely or never ate nuts. Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts are all good nuts to try.

Eating a low-fat diet--and eating healthful unsaturated fats when you do eat fat--can help reduce your chances of cardiovascular diseases.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, ©2003 

April 13, 2003- Any Dozen Will Do
Many people wonder, is jogging better than walking?  Well for certain distances, walking may improve your health profile as much as jogging.

In a recent study, overweight people who briskly walked 12 miles per week experienced the same significant benefits to their cholesterol profiles as people who jogged the same amount. Additional miles of exercise were associated with an even more dramatic improvement in participants' cholesterol profiles.

Exercising regularly can help increase your cardiovascular health and decrease your cholesterol levels.
SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine, ©2003

April 20, 2003- Hearty Tomato
You may be able to help keep your heart young by asking for extra tomatoes on your sandwiches.

Recent research has linked blood levels of lycopene, a nutrient found in abundance in tomatoes, with heart health. In a recent study, people with low blood concentrations of lycopene had thicker artery walls compared to people with high blood levels of lycopene. Thickened artery walls can be an early sign of atherosclerosis.

To get the most lycopene in your diet, choose tomato sauce and tomato soup, along with fresh tomatoes. Processed tomato products tend to contain more lycopene compared to fresh tomatoes. Other good sources of lycopene include watermelon and red grapefruit.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ©2003

April 27, 2003- Mango Madness
You may be able to help keep your heart young by treating yourself to beta carotene-rich mangos.

Diets high in beta carotene may be protective against cardiovascular disease, according to research. In a study, people with the highest intake of beta carotene had the lowest risk of suffering a heart attack. In addition to mangos, other foods rich in beta carotene include sweet potatoes, apricots, and yellow bell peppers.

Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can decrease your chances of cardiovascular diseases.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ©2003