Keeping it Healthy on Valentine’s Day: The Gift of Chocolate

To many of us, February means Valentine’s Day, a pleasant respite from the dark of winter. The good news is that it is just around the corner! Candy or flowers from somebody you love can make this the best—or at least the sweetest—holiday of the year. However, that may soon be history, according to a friend of mine. With all the talk about healthy eating and avoiding sweets, she’s afraid the best part of Valentine’s Day may be on its way out.

Not so fast, I say, as long as we stay with chocolate candy. There’s an increasing amount of scientific evidence that chocolate is actually good for us. Consider this:

  • A new Swedish study of more than 30,000 women followed for 10 years reported that those who ate at least 45 grams of chocolate per week (about two candy bars) had a 20% lower risk of stroke than those who ate less than 9 grams of chocolate per week (Larsson et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;58(17):1828-1829).
  • A review of seven studies found that five of the studies showed an association between higher levels of chocolate consumption and reductions in cardiovascular disease and stroke risk (Buitrago-Lopez et al. BMJ. 2011;343:d4488).
  • Several studies, including a 2010 German study of more than 19,000 people followed for more than 8 years, found that the 25% of people who consumed the most chocolate had lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart attack and stroke (Buijsse et al. Eur Heart J. 2010;31(13):1616-1623).

What is it about chocolate? Cocoa and chocolate are high in polyphenol antioxidants, especially flavanols. These compounds appear to have multiple beneficial actions, which include reducing inflammation, improving vascular health principally by reducing blood clotting, and lowering levels of “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (Galleano M et al. J Cardiovasc Pharma. 2009;54:483).

So, you may even help that special person’s health by giving chocolates this year. Stick to dark chocolate (more flavanols) and avoid confections with sugary, gooey centers. If you want to dress it up a bit, choose chocolate with almonds (a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids) or some other nut or fruit bark, and your gift will be a real hit. Have a happy, healthy Valentine’s Day!

 

Janet R. Maurer, MD, MBA, FCCP, is Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, and a clinical advisor at National Imaging Associates, where she is responsible for providing oversight to clinical teams and ensuring adherence to evidence-based guidelines. She is an active Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and active member of the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Her ACCP leadership involvement has included being a trustee of The CHEST Foundation; Chair of the AQuIRE Committee; and a member of the Quality Improvement and Health and Science Policy Committees. She has worked extensively in developing programs to help people stay well by developing healthy living habits and by learning to self-manage chronic disease.

 
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Posted by on Feb 8, 2012 in Eat a Healthy Diet | 0 comments

Technology Can Help You Meet Your Health Goals in 2012!

OneBreath® focuses on nine prevention areas to improve overall health.  There are countless technology resources available to help you meet your health goals.  Here are a few notable resources:

  • Whole Foods Market Recipes App. This free iPhone® app allows you to specify your dietary needs and search by ingredient. Recipes also list nutritional information and cooking instructions.
  •  Choosemyplate.gov. This site’s SuperTracker gives you personalized nutrition and physical activity plans, tracks your food and physical activities, and provides tips and support to make healthy choices.
  • Digifit App. This free iPhone® app is great for tracking workouts. It maps your route; gives you time, distance, and speed; and also tracks your weight, blood pressure, and sleeping habits. The app provides voice feedback, charts your overall workout stats, and allows you to share your fitness routine with friends via Facebook and e-mail.  Plus, you can integrate your iTunes® music into your workout.
  • LiveStrong’s MyQuit Coach. This free quit smoking app helps with goal setting, gives helpful tips for quitting smoking, lets you track your daily progress and personal motivations for quitting, offers a community of people also working to quit smoking, and provides financial and health data to motivate you to quit. More than 1,000 people have reviewed the app in the app store, and it has received a 4.5 star rating.

 

Which technology tools or Web sites do you use for help in meeting your health goals?  Be sure to share on OneBreath’s Facebook wall at www.facebook.com/onebreathorg.

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Posted by on Jan 11, 2012 in Eat a Healthy Diet, Get Regular Exercise, Healthy Resolutions, Quit Smoking, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Improve Your Health and Mood by Following These 10 Simple Steps

Stuck at work? Don’t get stuck at your desk. Studies show that taking simple breaks throughout the day can help improve your mood and health. Here are 10 simple ways you can improve your health and mood during your lunch hour.

 

1.    Take a 30-minute walk. Walking can help decrease your risk for type 2 diabetes, help you manage your weight, and lower your blood pressure. Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic on how to get started walking for exercise.

2.     Check out quick and healthy recipes online for dinner ideas. The Cooking Light magazine Web site offers hundreds of Superfast 20-Minute Cooking Recipes.

3.     Try some simple desk yoga. Ladies’ Home Journal offers 10 poses that will help you relieve stress and keep you alert during your workday.

4.     Write down a few things you are thankful for. The Change Blog’s article titled, “How Gratitude Can Change Your Life” explains the benefits of recognizing and recording gratitude.

5.     Call a friend for a quick chat.

6.     Register yourself for a weekend dance, yoga, or fitness class.

7.     Get inspired by checking out a TED talk on a topic of interest.

8.     Drink a glass of water. WebMD outlines six reasons to stay hydrated.

9.     Listen to your favorite music at your desk on Spotify for free.

10. Check out the OneBreath®  Healthy Resolutions contest.

 

What suggestions do you have for mood lifters during lunch? How do you keep yourself moving at work? Share your ideas at facebook.com/onebreathorg.

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Posted by on Jan 4, 2012 in Eat a Healthy Diet, Get Regular Exercise, Healthy Resolutions, Maintain a Healthy Weight, Manage Stress | 0 comments

You are what you eat. Small changes to your eating habits can result in a healthier 2012.

Making small changes to your eating habits help you meet your healthy resolutions. Here are four quick and easy ways to incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle.

Eat fish. Research continues to show that people who eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, cod, and albacore tuna, have a lower risk for developing heart disease. Results of this recent study offer even more support. Add fish to your diet at least two times a week for a positive impact on your heart health.

Choose healthy foods when eating out. Choosemyplate.gov gives excellent tips on how to select healthy foods when eating away from home. You don’t have to give up dining out, but making healthier choices can trim your waistline and improve your overall health.

Plan your meals ahead. Planning ahead before you go to the grocery store will help you choose healthier options, such as fruits and vegetables; avoid junk food temptations; and even save you money. Check out these links for more information on meal planning:

 

Snack smart. Keep healthy snacks at your desk, such as almonds, low-fat cheese, whole-grain crackers, or carrot sticks and hummus. Having healthy snacks handy when a mid-afternoon lull sets in will make you less likely to reach for the candy dish.

Are you making any small changes in your eating and cooking habits to help you meet your new year’s healthy resolution?  Share your ideas at facebook.com/onebreathorg.

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Posted by on Dec 28, 2011 in Eat a Healthy Diet, Healthy Resolutions | 0 comments

Get a Healthy Start to 2012!

OneBreath wants to help you get a healthy start in 2012. Share your own healthy resolutions to be entered into our contest, which runs until January 13, 2012, at 12:01 am ET. You could win a Healthy Resolutions prize package valued at more than $200, including a $100 donation to OneBreath made in honor of the randomly drawn winner of the contest; the cookbook, Comfort Food Fix: Feel-Good Favorites Made Healthy by Ellie Krieger, RD, The New York Times best-selling author and host of Healthy Appetite on the Food Network; Nike+ SportBand; $40 Whole Foods gift card; OneBreath drawstring bag; and a Love Your Lungs® wristband.

There are six ways to enter the contest, and you can enter multiple times.

1.      “Like” OneBreath on Facebook.

2.      Share your healthy resolutions on our Facebook wall. (https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/OneBreath/163703196974528)

3.     Become a member of OneBreath.org. Register here. https://onebreath.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=290

4.     Follow #onebreathorg on Twitter.

5.     Tweet your healthy resolutions and tag @onebreathorg and #healthyresolutions.

6.     Tweet about your healthy resolutions and encourage your friends to make their resolutions using @onebreathorg and #healthyresolutions.

 

We encourage you to tell your friends and family about this contest via Facebook post, tweet, or e-mail, or send a Healthy Resolutions e-card https://www.onebreath.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=364 to encourage healthy habits in 2012 and support OneBreath’s mission!

 

The winner will be selected randomly and will be announced and notified on OneBreath’s Facebook wall.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Posted by on Dec 20, 2011 in Healthy Resolutions, Uncategorized | 0 comments