Thoughtful Thursday With HHWN

Enjoying A Healthy Lifestyle with

 Bryant and Anita Hewitt

Thursday November 8, 2012

Food To Chew On:

Thursday – Overcoming Cynicism

Psalm 1:3 (KJV)

 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Thought For The Day:

The only way to overcome cynicism is to replace it with God’s authority, guidance and strength.

Thoughtful Thursday… we all need to be mindful about the food we eat and ask ourselves is it good for my Heart? How much fat, oil (fatty oils), fast foods, how is it cooked? All that goes into what we consume on a daily bases… and all of us are guilty for making poor choices about our bodies… so today we are going to be more mindful about our intake… it is never too late to begin again…. Or I might have blown it today. So start tomorrow  by making healthier choices… it is that simple. Be encourage you can do it J.

So we are going to talk about heart healthy and yoga exercises today … have a wonderful day and evening…

Medication-free strategies to help prevent heart disease

Eat a heart-healthy diet

Eating a special diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan can help protect your heart. Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, which can help protect your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Major sources of saturated fat include:

·        Red meat

·        Dairy products

·        Coconut and palm oils

Sources of trans fat include:

·        Deep-fried fast foods

·        Bakery products

·        Packaged snack foods

·        Margarines

·        Crackers

Look at the label for the term "partially hydrogenated" to avoid trans-fat.

Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are a good natural source of omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.

Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, and one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that becomes a health hazard.

Yoga Exercises

·        Surya Namaskar is best done with mantra chanting

Through their power of vibration, the Sun Salutation mantras have a subtle yet powerful and penetrating effect on the mind and body. Each of the 12 Surya Namaskar poses have 12 corresponding mantras recited in honor of the Sun. Further, as you do each posture, take your attention to the particular chakra (12 chakras for every posture). For example, in the first pose (Namaskarasana), we take our attention to the Anahata Chakra located at the heart level. Doing your Sun Salutations with mantra chants and awareness on chakras, adding a feeling of gratitude, adds a profound spiritual and meditative aspect to your practice.

·        Sun Salutation can be a warm-up or a stand-alone exercise

Choose your own yoga plan

For busy yogis – Sun Salutation → Relax in Yoga Nidra

If you have more time – Warm-up stretches
→ Sun Salutation (start slow, go fast, wind up slowly)
→ Intense yoga postures → Relax in Yoga Nidra
→ Finish with pranayama & meditation

The latter works best for those who are pressed for time. A few rounds of Sun Salutation can provide a comprehensive body workout in a span of 10-15 minutes! As a routine practice, 6 sets or 12 rounds of Sun Salutation are sufficient. You can also do it as a warm-up exercise, before getting into Padma Sadhana or other intense yoga postures. If you are practicing Surya Namaskars as part of your warm-up, you can do them at a somewhat faster speed. When you practice them as part of the yoga posture practice, you can keep slow to medium speed. After a few rounds, the body feels light and flexible and the stretches in the active yoga postures become deeper. If you have backache, avoid practicing Sun Salutations at a fast pace.

A Healthy Menu

Thursday

Make a yogurt parfait with plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of low-sugar granola and 1 cup of fresh fruit for breakfast. Enjoy a homemade turkey burger on a whole-wheat bun for lunch and have a baked sweet potato on the side with low-fat pudding for dessert. Broil 3 1/2 oz. of tilapia seasoned with lemon pepper and have with 1 cup of quinoa cooked with 1/2 cup of mushrooms and 1/2 cup frozen peas. For snacks, cut up a red bell pepper and eat with 2 tbsp. of hummus -- check the sodium content -- and a banana with 1 tbsp. of natural, no-salt-added peanut butter.