Month: August 2009

Is sudden cardiac arrest the same thing as a heart attack?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 10 Comments

red heart on black

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

One of the reasons that I believed the Emergency physician who had misdiagnosed me with acid reflux during my heart attack was my very inaccurate perception of what a heart attack looks like.

I used to think that heart attacks happen mostly to men.  Old men.  Old fat men who are out-of-shape-chain smokers and heavy drinkers.  Old fat out-of-shape smoking drinking men who one day out on the golf course suddenly clutch their chests and keel over, unconscious.  CPR.  911. Ambulance sirens screaming. Paramedics. Defibrillator paddles. That’s a heart attack, right?

Wrong, my dear heart sisters. Continue reading “Is sudden cardiac arrest the same thing as a heart attack?” →

Doctors on the take: a patient’s guide to fine print in research

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 6 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

I was doing a little light reading in the Archives of Internal Medicine the other day. A study reported there looked at what researchers have dubbed the Eco-Atkins Diet, which replaces the low-carb, high-saturated fat meat protein of the old Atkins Diet with low-carb, low saturated fat vegetable-based protein – such as soybeans, legumes and nuts.(1)

The more I read, the better I liked what I was reading. The study showed that the vegetable-based protein-eating participants not only successfully lost weight on this new Eco-Atkins Diet, but they showed greater reductions in their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels than the control group.

Isn’t this fabulous news for those of us wanting to lose weight as well as improve our heart health?

Well, maybe not.   Read more

My favourite recipe for heart-healthy Watermelon, Feta & Black Olive Salad

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 3 Comments

watermelon baby

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

What could possibly be better in life than an icy cold wedge of freshly-sliced watermelon on a hot summer afternoon? How about an icy cold watermelon salad?  It’s perfect served along with grilled salmon on the barbecue – and a unique heart-smart alternative to the classic picnic standard potato salad.  If you haven’t tried this unusual summertime salad, please do it while watermelons are at their peak in our farmers’ markets.  It’s also a beautiful-looking dish to bring along to your  next potluck this summer – guaranteed to stand out from all those other boring old salads around the table. keep reading to find the full recipe for this salad

Heart-smart eating advice from Uganda

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 3 Comments

uganda red beans

Here’s a cautionary tale and a clear health warning – from faraway Uganda.  North Americans take note.  According to a study reported in The New Vision of Kampala, physicians there appear to be as concerned about the heart health of Ugandans as our own doctors are about us in the Western world.

Researchers from the Mbale School of Hygiene say Uganda’s growing urban population now bears the brunt of increasing rates of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes as they follow a shift away from Uganda’s traditional and unprocessed diet. Foods like luwombo (stuffed banana leaves), dodo (wild greens), cassava (yam-like tubers), potatoes, fish, atapa (millet bread) and malewa (bamboo shoots) are consumed less frequently today than the more Western diet of high salt, high-sugar and high fat processed foods. Some of the most popular big city foods now include fried potato chips, burgers, hot dogs, pickles, pizzas, salty pretzels, sausages, and red meats with high levels of saturated fat. Sound familiar? Continue reading “Heart-smart eating advice from Uganda” →