Archive | December, 2009

Why aren’t women heart attack survivors showing up for cardiac rehab?

30 Dec

After a cardiac event, a 3-6 month program called cardiac rehabilitation can help survivors gradually improve their physical fitness, learn about nutrition, meet other heart patients, and get support to quit smoking,  lose weight or make other heart-healthy lifestyle changes to improve heart health. Cardiac rehab reduces mortality by 25%, reduces angina symptoms, increases functional capacity, improves lipid (cholesterol) levels, reduces smoking by 25%, enhances psychological wellbeing, and improves exercise tolerance for all - including the elderly, frail or people with congestive heart failure, .

Cardiac rehabilitation really works!  We know that completing a program of cardiac rehab can be very effective in reinforcing improved habits.  A 2001 University of Calgary research team lead by Dr. Kathryn King found that six months after finishing cardiac rehab, participants demonstrated higher health maintenance expectations and overall behaviour performance scores – and these indicators continued to improve over time.

But when I did a 4-month stint at cardiac rehabiliation after my own heart attack, I was vastly outnumbered by male participants, and was also one of the youngest in the group by a decade or two. Where did all the women go?  (more…)

My favourite brunch recipe for heart-healthy Blueberry Almond French Toast

26 Dec

 

The best thing about this heart-smart brunch recipe for eight is that you make it the night before. Ten minutes of easy prep time, about eight hours of overnight sitting time, and 50 minutes of baking time next morning, filling your kitchen with that irresistible vanilla-cinnamon aroma while you’re off showering and making coffee.

And did I mention that it also looks and tastes fabulously delicious? Perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry holiday houseguests!  
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Carolyn’s Heart-Smart Blueberry Almond French Toast for Eight

The night before, spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Slice one whole-wheat baguette (about 18″ long) and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer in the baking pan.

Whisk together:

  • 8 large eggs
  • 8 large egg whites
  • 2 cups non-fat milk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 c. Canadian maple syrup

Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, spreading it around so the liquid saturates the bread.

Scatter 2 c. fresh blueberries evenly on top. (If using frozen berries, don’t add them or the almond/brown sugar mix below until the next morning just before baking, as frozen ones tend to ’bleed’ all over the place).

Sprinkle top with:

  • 1/2 c. sliced natural almonds
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Cover tightly and refrigerate pan overnight.

Next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover the baking pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm from the oven (best!) or at room temperature with a big dollop of low-fat vanilla yogurt or low-fat sour cream (our preferred family favourite!) and drizzle lightly with more Canadian maple syrup.

Enjoy!

                   

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Original recipe from The Food Network adapted by Carolyn Thomas

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Want more delicious heart-smart menu hits from Heart Sisters ? Check out my favourite heart-healthy recipes for:

The ‘Merry Christmas Coronary’ and the ‘Happy New Year Heart Attack’

18 Dec

Did you know that December 26th (celebrated as our Boxing Day holiday in the UK, Australia, Germany, Greenland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and here in Canada) is historically one of the most dangerous days of the year for people vulnerable to cardiac problems?

And many of these ‘Merry Christmas Coronaries’ will hit people who didn’t even realize they were at risk when they unwrapped their gifts the day before.

Dr. Samin Sharma, director of interventional cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, says:

“This time of year is notorious for heart attacks, heart failures, and arrhythmias.”

It’s widely accepted that the holiday season tends to see increased numbers of cardiac events. One study in 2004 by researchers at the University of California, San Diego and Tufts University found that heart-related deaths increase by 5% during these holidays. Another study in 2008  found that daily visits to hospitals for heart failure increased by 33% during the four days after Christmas.

Anecdotally, cardiologists often report that their hospital Emergency Departments stay relatively quiet on Christmas Day itself. Then, come December 26th, they see a surge of cardiac traffic. (more…)

Best gifts to give a heart patient

14 Dec

I came across a brilliantly helpful list of Christmas gift ideas for those living with arthritis, and this made me wonder if you might need some inspiration about what to get that special heart patient on your gift list – at Christmastime or for any occasion.

Personally, I’m hoping Santa stuffs a new electric heating pad into my stocking, hint, hint. But I decided to turn to my always generous-of-spirit heart sisters at Inspire’s WomenHeart online support community to ask these heart disease survivors:  “What’s on your Christmas wish list this year?” Here are 20 of their informed responses . . . (more…)

Help your heart by de-stressing for the holiday season

10 Dec

Ah, Christmas. . .  Joy to the world, peace on earth, blahblahblah. For some, the Hallmark card fantasy of the perfect family Christmas is nigh impossible to achieve without the accompanying requisite levels of artery-clogging stress and anxiety by the time the New Year arrives.  As Michele Meyer writes in Heart Healthy Living this month:

“Whether your family resembles the Waltons or the Sopranos, few family gatherings are without potential for unspoken tensions.”

And if you’re sometimes tempted to just skip Christmas and go straight to Mother’s Day, consider some of these stress-busting tips this year from Toronto author Susan Stern (Awakening Your Life Skills) who says that we should all start a plan in advance for de-stressing the holiday season as much as possible.   For example:  (more…)

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