Healthy Heart Summer Snack Recipe

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	Watermelon slices
	Orange slices
	Bamboo kitchen skewers

1. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter on watermelon slices. Poke a bamboo kitchen skewer through each heart, then complete the arrow with an orange slice tip and tail.

Summer Heart!

We are in the heart of summer...and my heart is feeling it!!! I have noticed that the heat really can make my heart work a little harder. I have been trying to keep as cool as I can, drink plenty of water, and rest as often as I can as well! I try to ride my bike early morning or at sunset when the temperature drops. Any exercise in extreme heat is dangerous because the heart works even harder to get blood and oxygen to your working muscles and it is also helping cool your body down. Believe it or not...sweating is how we cool down...... heat and humidity interfere with the body's natural cooling process. The heart plays a major role in the whole cooling down process......so easy does it during the days of summer !! The more your body cools down...the harder your heart works to pump blood!! Blood volume decreases with fluid loss so the heart has to work harder to pump smaller volumes of blood.

I hope you are enjoying your summer.....stay safe and healthy!

Summer Heart Blessings~
Desiree

Red Wine Benefits for A Healthy Heart

Age gracefully is what red wine is often referred as. Wine drinking had been related to lifestyle, attitude, taste and personal preference. Termed as God’s drink, red wine consist of certain properties which are considered beneficial for human body, especially the heart. Scientists have discovered the reason why red wine appears to protect the heart. According to a report from Washington, Scientists believes that a natural compound found in red wine may protect the heart against the effects of the aging process.
Flavonoids, a natural compound and antioxidant, in Red wine reduce the risk of heart disease by controlling the cholesterol level. These flavonoids lower the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing your LDL or bad cholesterol levels. At the same time these flavonoids actually increase your HDL or good cholesterol levels and decrease the likelihood of blood clotting. Scientists believe that there may be other health benefits from red wine. A recent study discovered that an antioxidant in the skins of red grapes, called resveratrol, may inhibit the growth of tumors in some cancers. It’s possible that resveratrol can help treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as well and new studies are on the way.

Researchers at University of California at Davis have concluded that full-bodied dry red wines contain the highest levels of flavonoids and provide the greatest benefits. The number one wine for supplying the most flavonoids is Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir also ranking highly. Sweeter wines and white wines have less flavonoid and are less beneficial.

Wine health benefits have been around for a long time. It has been linked with all sorts of health benefits over the years: the heart, the lungs, prevention of breast cancer, prostate cancer, tooth decay, longevity and just general wellbeing. But it is very important to take care of the quantity we need to consume. Keeping this fact in mind that moderation is the key, women should drink 4 ounces of red wine daily and men 4-8 ounces.

For people who do not want to drink alcohol, there are alternatives. Some research has pointed out that cranberry juice, red or purple grape juice work as well, maybe better, than red wine. However, fresh grapes do not have as high a concentration of antioxidants as processed grape juice or wine, although some health food stores sell resveratrol as a nutritional supplement. In addition, other studies indicate that black or green tea may be more beneficial than wine in reducing heart disease as well as cancer and other diseases. However, tea, grape juice, or wine consumption doesn't take the place of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, No smoking, low fat foods, and lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, and water are undoubtedly the key to good health.

source: OctanMen.com

The Heart Chart!

Thought I would post this so that we can see how our heart is charted...it truly is an amazing organ! I love my heart!!!!

The Giant Heart~ The Franklin Institute

History of The Giant Heart | The Blood Mobile

click on the above links to read about the Giant Heart that made it's first debut in 1954 in the City of Brotherly Love!!!

Six Steps to a Healthy heart

Six Steps to a Happy Heart

Research has confirmed the healing power of a positive attitude and a good laugh. This is not alternative medicine or the wishful thinking of eternal youth-seeking baby boomers. These six steps are essential for giving yourself a happier, and healthier, heart.

1 Feed your soul
Belief, whether in a higher being, the power of nature or even yourself, is both grounding and healthy. A big part of this is optimism. People who use words such as “joy” and “hope” to describe their attitudes towards life outlive their more pessimistic counterparts by a decade. No matter what your situation, the power to do away with anger and embrace the good things in life lies in your hands.
2 Enjoy life
Some time between leaving our parents’ homes and signing up to a 25-year mortgage of our own, we stop having as much fun as we used to. We all have serious adult responsibilities, but we also have a responsibility to our hearts to let go and have some childlike fun. Studies show that people whose lives are filled with laughter are much less likely to have heart disease.

3 Practise relaxing rituals
As life gets more rushed, stress rises and heart disease follows. You can’t change the world, but you can change your response to it. Daily rituals such as meditation, yoga, quiet time, bedtime relaxation and even just walking a dog can quell stress and reduce your risk of heart disease.

4 Drink a glass a day
Those who enjoy a glass of wine with dinner may lower their heart disease risk by up to 30 per cent. A small amount of alcohol enjoyed most days appears to be better than complete abstinence, and is certainly better than drinking too much. Interestingly, wine, especially red wine, seems to have a more beneficial effect than other alcoholic drinks.

5 Create a safe haven
Make your home a refuge for your heart. Create a soothing ambiance with fresh flowers and plants, music, a relaxing bedroom and some quiet space where you can go when you need to think. Spending most of your time relaxed instead of stressed can halve your heart disease risk.

6 Share yourself
Hearts are happiest and healthiest when they’re in the company of others. Don’t make your life so busy that you can’t make time for loved ones – whether they are your family or your friends, or both. Try to do some of the things you love with friends and family.

From 30 Minutes a Day to a Healthy Heart