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You havent been eating your greens all these years just to appease your grandparents, parents, concerned uncles and doctors, have you? The latest research suggests that your diet doesnt just affect your physical health, it plays a significant role in regulating your mood and mental health as well.

Here's how: low blood sugar, low levels of hydration, use of alcohol and caffeine can all affect our mood that can devolve into feeling anxious. Similarly, eating meals at different times every day, without a set routine can also lead to hypoglycemia and cause emotional dysregulation.

Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.

Recently, a large study done by the University of Toronto looked into the connection between diet and the chances of getting an anxiety disorder. The study, published in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that unhealthy diets caused significant emotional impairment and were one of the risk factors for anxiety disorders.

All of this leads us to one clear conclusion: well-balanced diets that consist of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables are our best bet for overall good health. But how do you get the requisite three to five servings of fruit-and-veg daily, without getting tired of eating the same seasonal fruits every day? Here are some ideas:

Getting the requisite servings of fruits and vegetables can feel boring and repetitive. Here are some ways you can make these targets more appetizing:

1. Start right:Include fruits and vegetables in your breakfast to get off to the right start and cover a part of the requirement before you even leave home. Have a banana or an apple as youre getting ready. Or a mushroom and spinach omelette. You can also add grilled tomatoes to your egg sandwich or have a hearty with vegetable juice with carrots and apple. A spinach-banana smoothie is another winning combo.

2. Keep the fruit visible:This is a handy trick since fruit is inviting to look at and is an easy snack to consume. If the fruit is accessible as you are leaving the house, or foraging for food, you are more likely to eat it over sugary snacks. Try setting up a gorgeous fruit basket in your living room, and notice if it encourages you to grab an extra orange while watching TV or guava on your way out of the house for work.

3. Make desserts a little healthier:Desserts allow us a touch of indulgence - often it is not practical to give them up entirely but you can modify desserts to remove the sugar and add fruit for sweetness instead. Try using a mix of fruits - mix seasonal berries with cream for a quick treat. Or have a baked pear with honey and walnuts if your sweet tooth can wait for the 40 minutes it takes to prepare this dish.

The recent study in Canada focused on women and found that those who consumed less than three fruits and vegetables a day had 24% higher odds of getting anxiety disorders. Diets lacking balance and containing a limited amount of fruits and vegetables were associated with being overweight. If total body fat exceeded 36%, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder increased significantly - by 70%.

Poor diets leading to excess body mass are known to cause inflammation in the body which, in turn, can cause anxiety. Consuming highly processed foods and avoiding nutrient-dense ones can lead to nutrient deficiencies and lead to inflammation as well.

An emerging field of study, the gut-brain axis is beginning to show the relationship between gut health and emotional wellbeing. The neurotransmitter serotonin is synthesized mostly by the gut microbiome (about 95% receptors are also in the lining of the gut) and alterations in this chemical affect brain functioning and mental health.

In short, eating at least three pieces of fruit a day and an equal number of veggies daily is the key to fitness as well as happiness. Eat five, and you get a thumbs-up from preventive cardiologists, too!

Read HowFruits Lower the Risk of Depressionfor more information.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Feb 28, 2020 14:28:25 IST

Tags : Balanced Diet, Benefits Of Fruit, Diet And Anxiety, Diet And Depression, Diet And Mood, Diet For Good Mood, Diet News, Diet Study, Fruit In Diet, Good Diet News, Happiness Diet, Is Fruit Good For Health, NewsTracker, Vegetables For Health, Weight Loss

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Live to eat: How to add the right number of fruits and veggies to your daily diet - Firstpost

That pixie cut seemed like a good idea at the time. But nowyoure staring in the mirror, and the reflection looking back is more, Eek!than chic.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy

Is there anything (anything?!) you can do to speed up the growing-out process? Dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, gives us the long and short of it.

The hair on your head grows in cycles. At any time, about80% of your hair is actively growing. The remaining strands are either in aresting state or preparing to die and fall out.

If your hair is shedding like crazy, see a doctor to rule out any illnesses or nutrient deficiencies that might be responsible. But if scissors not shedding are at the root of your problem, youll have to summon some patience: Hair grows a measly 4 to 6 inches per year.

When you want your hair to hurry up and grow already, Dr.Bergfeld recommends these tips:

Take care of your health issues, she says. Hormonal abnormalities, anemia and other nutrient deficiencies can short-circuit the growth pattern. Before experimenting with supplements and vitamins, Dr. Bergfeld recommends having your doctor do some tests to identify any possible deficiencies.

A well-rounded, nutritious diet is important for head-to-toe health, including the hairs on your head. Avoid diets that cut out entire food groups, Dr. Bergfeld cautions. And if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, make sure youre getting all the protein types and nutrients your body needs. A doctor or dietitian can help you create a well-balanced eating plan.

Hair thats weak and damaged will break long before it reaches great lengths (or even medium lengths). Avoid bleach and chemical treatments that can damage hair.

Like chemicals, heat styling can damage your hair. Try to avoid frequent blowouts and step away from the curling iron. If you cant resist, use a heat protectant before you style.

Fine, coarse, curly, colored different hair types have different needs. If your hair is dry, for instance, wash it less frequently and use a heavier conditioner. If your hair is fine or very curly, it can be easily damaged. Avoid brushing while its wet and use products designed for your hair type.

Scheduling a haircut can feel counterproductive when you want your hair to get longer. But regular trims keep hair from breaking and getting even shorter, Dr. Bergfeld notes.

Split ends run up the hair fiber like a rip in your stockings. You need to clip those off.

Look to the root of the problem, Dr. Bergfeld suggests. If your scalp is itchy or flaky, that translates to inflammation, which turns off hair growth. To keep your scalp happy, try anti-dandruff shampoos or avoid heavily fragranced shampoos and conditioners, which can irritate sensitive skin. If your scalp is healthy, your hair will be the best it can be, she says.

Dr. Bergfeld adds that its best to skip shampoos and serums that claim to contain hair-growing vitamins. Those dont penetrate the hair, she explains.

Sadly, theres no magic formula to transform you into Rapunzel at least not yet. Major cosmetic houses have some of the best chemical scientists in the world, she says. Lots of researchers are working on this.

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Is There Any Way to Make Your Hair Grow Faster? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

I believe convenience, time and lack of discipline are three blockages that can be hard to work with. Changing habits takes a discipline and if a person is not committed its easy to deviate from a healthier routine. Being busy, which is part of our culture, can make eating healthier and spending time getting exercise a little harder because it might be more convenient to just grab food out, rather than taking lunch or forgoing exercise to work longer or sleep longer.

As a part of my series about 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Val Minos. Val has been practicing yoga for 18 years and teaching for over five years. When she teaches she tries to create an experience for students that will leave them feeling strong, powerful and flexibility both physically and mentally. She currently teaches private and group yoga classes and is a holistic wellness coach both online and in-person, while also spending time writing on her blog where she speaks to yoga, holistic nutrition and wellness.

Thank you so much for doing this with us, Val! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

Istarted swimming and dancing when I was 8. When I was 10, I started running and have been a distance runner ever since. Spending much of my life as an athlete, yoga seemed like the next step which has allowed me to slow down, listen and enhance inner and outer strength and flexibility.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

When I was a public educator, I would teach yoga to my kindergarten students. It turned out one of my students dads, who was single, was interested in yoga because his 5 year old would tell him about the poses she did in school. We ended up bonding over our similar interests in yoga and wellness. Eight years later, hes my husband and we practice yoga together while our four year old jumps all over us!

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

When I started teaching yoga and fitness classes I was really bad at keeping my left and rights straight. I would say left when I was stepping my right foot forward and have to correct myself. Its gotten better but now I have decided to laugh and make little jokes about any mistakes or mixups. It helps my students to see that Im human and that I dont take myself too seriously.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

After spending almost two decades working in health and fitness as a school classroom and physical education teacher, yoga instructor and holistic wellness coach on top of living with an autoimmune disease, I have found that family, friends and fitness class students have asked for help. Living with Celiac Disease means I have to be careful with my dietary choices and I have days where I need to tone exercise down. Im able to support clients in picking up the intensity to get results while allowing for self-care and down time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I taught yoga, mostly for free my first year after teacher training mainly because I lived in a small town that only had two yoga studios and too many yoga teachers to count. I took a year off from my full-time job to have a child and focus on making private yoga my new career. Being super pregnant and later having a newborn, proved to be very difficult in starting a brand new business all on my own. I ended up getting a very flexible yoga teaching position at a local recreation center. It turned into the best opportunity. I build many relationships that ended up allowing me to continue to grow my yoga business by teaching private groups and at a local private golf club community. I owe the coordinators at the recreation center a lot for taking a chance on a pregnant lady with a dream!

Ok thank you for all that. Now lets move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that its important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, its often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

I believe convenience, time and lack of discipline are three blockages that can be hard to work with. Changing habits takes a discipline and if a person is not committed its easy to deviate from a healthier routine. Being busy, which is part of our culture, can make eating healthier and spending time getting exercise a little harder because it might be more convenient to just grab food out, rather than taking lunch or forgoing exercise to work longer or sleep longer.

Can you please share your 5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve Ones Wellbeing? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

Numerous studies have been done showing that exercise helps fight many life threatening illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Exercise can also help improve cognitive function for a time after exercise. It also boosts mood!

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

Strength training, aerobic exercise and stretching is very important for aging. Specific exercises would depend on the person and her/his current activity level. Walking or biking might be a great way to start with aerobic exercise. Starting with simple body weight exercises like push-ups, planks and air squats would be a great place to start for strength training. Yoga or pilates are good places to start for working on flexibility.

In my experience, many people begin an exercise regimen but stop because they get too sore afterwards. What ideas would you recommend to someone who plays sports or does heavy exercise to shorten the recovery time, and to prevent short term or long term injury?

Making sure to stay hydrated and add protein right after or very soon after playing sports or working out can help keep the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) from kicking in at high gear. Adding some active recovery or massaging of sore spots can also help bring some relief as well. The most important thing to remember is to continue with physical activity!

There are so many different diets today. Can you share what kind of diet you follow? Which diet do you recommend to most of your clients?

Food as medicine and having Celiac Disease means I cant eat gluten but I also have other sensitivities so Ive found sticking to a grain free diet is the most helpful for me to maintain optimal health. Diets are hard to stick too and many people end up restricting food too much so I tell clients to make little sustainable changes that can be lifelong not just short term.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

Born to Run has been one of the best books Ive read in the past few years. I enjoy books that have real stories that inspire me to be better. Running has been a big part of my life and reading that book gave me the confidence to train for and run a full marathon, which is something I never thought I would do.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Using yoga and wellness practices to bring more awareness to the crisis our Earth is in. Being someone who is into health and fitness, taking care of myself goes hand in hand with taking care of the Earth. Consuming less, re-using and actively staying away from plastics and toxins as much as possible. If we put toxins into our body, we are basically undoing all the good from focusing on health and wellness.

Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

Being like a tree, let the dead leaves drop. -Rumi

Ive always had a hard time letting things go. Keeping this in mind has allowed me to move forward, face things that seem scary or difficult and pursue my dreams.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Honestly, there is not one specific person I admire. There are traits I see in successful people that I aspire to like honesty, drive, willingness to help others and who dont apologize for their beliefs. People who stay true to themselves no matter how successful they are.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Im on Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Facebook.

Instagram: @altyogavibe

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM2uqunvOX3k8hZhyLvuRow

Pinterest:www.pinterest.com/altyogavibe1

Facebook: @altyogavibe

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

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5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One's Wellbeing, with Val Minos and Dr. William Seeds - Thrive Global

As a single woman, I'm familiar with those "joys of cooking for one" articles and books the pieces encouraging women to nourish themselves without needing a partner to justify the culinary effort.

It's all very romantic, the push to treat yourself as the love of your life. But I say screw self-partnering.

Instead, why not cook as if we're feeding our own imaginary kids? We all know offspring are far more special. They come from your bodily organs, whereas a partner only hails from an app or a bar.

For one week, I decided to devour this concept by eating the meals of a toddling child and reporting on my findings.

I am a childless adult, and damn do I eat like one. I love my kitchen time.

My mother is from a large Portuguese Malaysian family, so I grew up with exquisite fusion dishes that took both time and spice. I was the kid with tiered steel containers of homemade dumplings and a ginger-sesame reduction to make my white-bread peers weep.

These days, living far from home, I make an effort to cook for myself. I spend Sunday shopping for fresh produce, fondling avocados with the care of a prostate specialist, smelling herbs with the vigor of a mid-level apothecary owner in the 1600s. I spend most of the afternoon preparing meals for the week. I own seven kinds of balsamic vinegar. There's chili sauce in my bag. You get it.

It's fair to say I had the organizational, meal-prep aspect of this eating challenge covered. I just lacked the ability to keep flavors simple.

It certainly wasn't Christmas, but a tree and gingerbread person cutter were all I had first thing in the morning. Serena Coady

The last time I ate like a baby, it was when I had all four wisdom teeth extracted. The last time I ate like a toddler, I was a toddler. The last time I fed a toddler, I gave him homemade sweet-potato gnocchi with burnt sage butter. Evidently, some research was required.

According to the National Health Service, children ages 12 to 26 months old require omega-3 to support their rapidly evolving brains, iron for healthy blood, calcium for bone growth, and protein so they can get supremely jacked (just kidding).

As a vegetarian kidult, this meant I had to incorporate protein-rich ingredients like eggs, legumes, and dairy, and omega-3 rich ingredients like chia seeds and walnuts instead of fish.

I normally do this, but this time I needed to make the food bland, yet somehow more appetizing to a toddler.

The NHS also recommends avoiding salt, sugar, spice, and sweet drinks like juice or flavored milk. Another takeaway from my research is that toddlers do not drink alcohol.

Toddlers also require consistent meal times each day to regulate their appetite. For the week, I ate breakfast at 7 a.m., lunch at noon, and dinner at the humble hour of 6 p.m.

I've never loved porridge for breakfast, but apparently kids do. Or are expected to. Serena Coady

Armed with NHS knowledge and Pinterest screenshots of "colorful fun healthy kids food," I shopped for ingredients and meal-prepped for the week.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

I made sure each meal was packed with nutrients and color. It needed to look fresh, exciting, and appealing to a young child.

I also chopped everything to prevent choking. Even though I'm proud of my fully developed chewing skills, I needed to get into character.

By the end of the week, here's what I had learned.

I learned that boiled eggs are the most comforting breakfast. Serena Coady

I eat breakfast most days, but it's not a priority. I scoff Vegemite toast as I'm walking out the door or ladle granola into my mouth on the train. And when I'm hungover? Catch me in the McDonald's, station-side.

My week eating like a toddler changed this. The suggested mealtimes got me out of bed earlier than usual. Rising to prepare a filling breakfast and sitting down to enjoy it was satisfying; I was starting the day by taking quality time for myself.

One parenting guide proposed that the dining table be a distraction-free zone, so the child can focus on eating. So the phone went away. As a result, breakfast became more of a sacred time, which helped me mentally prepare for work.

Eating wholesome toddler's breakfasts also made me realize that I need to eat more in the morning. Or rather, eat differently. I usually feel hungry about two hours after breakfast and end up snacking to avoid my trademark mid-meeting stomach grumbles. After incorporating more protein into my breakfast this week, however, I remained full until lunch.

Boiled egg with soldiers was my favorite breakfast of the week. Chopping toast into fingers made me eat the bread slowly instead of wolfing it down in one heartburn-inducing chomp. It also helped me savor how delicious melted butter tastes in the morning.

This week taught me that breakfast should be enjoyable. It's a reward for bothering to wake up early.

Being this organized is fairly satisfying. Serena Coady

Sitting in the breakroom, surrounded by colleagues eating premade supermarket meals or last night's leftovers tossed into old Tupperware, I experienced a range of emotions.

My food stood out. It looked so curated. Most adults don't compartmentalize every ingredient in this way.

As I gazed down at the cheese, Emily Blunt's iconic "The Devil Wears Prada" bit came to mind: "Right before I feel I'm going to faint, I eat a cube of cheese." Perhaps my colleagues would wonder if I were on a crash diet.

At the same time, I felt strangely proud of my lunch. When I looked at the chopped carrots and perfectly bite-size tomatoes, I had to acknowledge it looked as if love had been put into it. As a child, I never fully appreciated the effort my mother put into my lunches every day. Looking back, I wish I thanked her more.

As I usually bring leftovers for lunch, having such a basic meal made me recognize the freedom that comes with not having to heat up food, too. With my packed container of goods I was more willing to head out for a picnic-style lunch. Fun!

One parenting tip I received was to finely dice prunes and sneak them into meals. I presumed this was another parental stealth tactic to summon stools out of their children, only I didn't understand just how well it would work on me. I will not be using this ingredient in the future.

Another toddler diet tip was to drink water between meals, instead of juice or milk, as these will only lead to "mealtime battles." Therefore, rather than drinking a midafternoon hot chocolate which never fails to make my jeans stress against a bloated stomach I stuck to water.

The disciplined nature of mealtimes also improved my routine. Avoiding stodgy beverages between meals and skipping beer or wine with dinner made me feel lighter and more ready to exercise later that evening.

Welcome to bland land: We don't have any condiments here. Serena Coady

Once I got into the mindset of eating to nourish a child, it was easier to refrain from eating junk and drinking alcohol. If I was in doubt about giving into my desires to demolish a block of chocolate or a pint of beer, I'd ask myself: "Would I want my niece or nephew to have this?"

One parenting guide implores parents to find out whether their child is actually hungry. "Try distracting him with a fun activity he might just be bored!" Strong4Life said. The presumption of gender aside, I figured this information would be useful.

When I found myself wanting to eat between meals, I took myself for a walk. Turns out it makes sense to step away from my desk instead of reaching for snacks.

Forgoing my standard dash of hot sauce was the most difficult part of the week, but eating basic meals with mild flavors made me appreciate the simple goodness of individual ingredients. In my typical diet, I would be less inclined to notice the sweetness of a cherry tomato or the umami hit of cheese because these would be drowning in Cholula.

In a millennial world in which Sunday drinks and midweek work meetings are likely to run overtime, I wouldn't be able to keep this rigid diet going, but there are elements I plan to take away.

By following a toddler's diet, I found that instead of lunch being leftovers, a selection of fresh vegetables that aren't just salad is an easy way to add variety to the midday meal.

By the end of the week I had given up on the cute presentation and the plastic plates. Serena Coady

I also learned that my breakfast lacks protein. I'm not being filled up with toast and granola alone. So, I'll add more protein-rich ingredients like eggs, scrambled tofu, or peanut butter to my morning routine.

In terms of mindfulness, I hope to make more time to sit down and eat breakfast. This won't be realistic on days when I'm so beer-brained I press snooze six times, but I'd like to try.

Read this article:
I ate like a toddler for a week, and it transformed my relationship with breakfast - Insider - INSIDER

Alongside that realisation was an emerging body of research that showed the body has a biological imperative to maintain its weight.

Interval Weight-Loss for Women.

The concept of the set-point theory is that our bodies attempt to regulate themselves by returning to a certain set-point when we either eat too much or not enough. In the case of not eating enough, when the diet stops as it inevitably does, the bodys evolutionary response is to store a little extra fat for the next time it is starved.

According to the theory, we can redefine our bodys set-point without dieting, removing food groups or counting calories. Rather people focus on eating whole foods, paying attention to portion sizes and satiety as well as going slowly; aiming for one month of minimal weight-loss (about two kilograms) followed by one month of maintenance to allow the body to adjust and reset.

Set-point not only helps to explain why dieting or just eating less doesnt work in the long run, but it has also changed the approach of many clinicians working in the space, including Fuller's.

His latest book is Interval Weight Loss for Women.

[Women] go through significant life events that men never have to worry about, Fuller explains. We see these struggles with patients in our clinics.

Three of the biggest life events are transitioning into adulthood, pregnancy and menopause.

Theyre buying into social media influences, they are dieting younger and they are dieting themselves into a weight problem.

Were seeing the greatest increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the young, particularly young females, Fuller says. The young are following unhealthy eating practices, theyre buying into social media influences, they are dieting younger and they are dieting themselves into a weight problem when they may not have had a weight issue.

Pregnancy and becoming a parent often means less sleep, less time, more stress and unhealthy cravings as well as a sense of pressure to return to pre-pregnancy weight, he explains.

Later on in life, there is that transition through menopause and the struggle with weight that comes with that, Fuller says. Theres a large factor going on there with sarcopenia [progressive and generalised loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength] and the declining muscle mass ... and theres also the progressive decline of oestrogen from the ovaries which make certain areas more prone to weight gain.

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On top of this, Fuller adds, is the unfair targeting of women by the weight-loss industry, which means they are more susceptible to it.

There are a few surveys out there that its something like 60 diets by mid-lifetime that women and men have been on, Fuller says, And because women are unfairly targeted and more likely to do something about it ... this leads them to gain weight quicker.

Despite the title of the book, Fuller insists his aim is to help women escape the diet trap for good and, in doing so, improve their health in the long-term.

The purpose of it is to empower, particularly women, to understand what is happening in their bodies at these times in life and if you go and react to that problem, by buying into the $100 million weight-loss industry and the shakes that go with it, you will accelerate the problem, Fuller says.

Setting goals that arent weight-loss oriented, but about family, the life people want to live or their health, is an important part of process, he adds.

The book is named weight-loss because that is unfortunately what people are reacting to in terms of their struggle, Fuller explains. People are looking for that weight-loss solution and then, when they read the information, they understand the focus needs to come away from weight-loss and towards health.

Its equipping the person with the education around weight-loss and hopefully when theyve read that information theyre able to make that shift towards health.

Interval Weight-Loss for Women, RRP $32.99, is available through Penguin Life

Sarah Berry is a lifestyle and health writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Read more here:
Why we need to 'overhaul' our attitude to weight - The Sydney Morning Herald

captionMuscle at rest burns very few calories compared to the brain, heart, and kidneys.sourceiStock

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that break down the food we eat into energy and muscle.

Though many people think that they will lose weight if they speed up their metabolism, this isnt necessarily true. Heres what you need to know about the complicated relationship between metabolism and weight-loss.

When people refer to metabolism being fast or slow what they are really referring to is a measure of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR determines the number of passive calories that you burn these are the calories that your body uses up while at rest.

A popular misconception is that adding muscle will help you metabolize calories faster and while this is partially true, muscles at rest actually burn very few calories. Most of the metabolizing energy you expend is through your brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs that are constantly at work keeping you alive and healthy.

There is evidence that cardiovascular exercise can help boost your metabolism for a short period after you work out, but this effect only lasts for an hour or so and is not usually enough to cause significant weight loss.

Theres also the myth that eating certain foods will speed up your metabolism. But the reality is that even if certain foods can affect your BMR its not nearly enough to make a noticeable difference in your weight. In order to lose weight, you must create a deficit between the calories you consume through food and the calories you burn through a combination of diet, physical activity, and passive metabolic processes that are largely out of your control.

The sad truth is that its hard to change your BMR in any significant way. The fact that some people naturally have a faster BMR than others is largely due to genetics.

A review, published in 2011 in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, that examined 9 twin studies and 19 family studies found that metabolic syndrome and some of the symptoms associated with it including obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance are common among families, suggesting a significant heritability factor.

The exception to this rule comes up only for rare illnesses like Cushings syndrome or hypothyroidism, which both slow metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism becomes less efficient, or what we think of as slowing down, says Heather Seid, a registered dietician and Bionutrition Program Manager at Columbia University.

There are many reasons your metabolism slows down, including losing muscle mass and changes in your cells. But the main reason for metabolism change is that people become less active as they get older.

Unfortunately, you cant completely stop your metabolism from slowing down as you age but exercise may give you a boost. Studies show that keeping active as you grow older can help curb a metabolism slowdown.

Read more here:
How metabolism works and why you cant speed it up to lose weight - Business Insider

Feb 22, 2020; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Jessie Vargas in training camp as he prepares for his February 29, ... [+] 2020 bout against Mikey Garcia.

Ahead of his welterweight bout against former four-division wold title holder, Mikey Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs), theres a calm in Jessie Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs) that seems unnatural considering he's set to square off with one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in boxing.

Maybe, its the fact that the former two-division title holder enters as a +425 underdog at the MGM Grand Sports Book (Garcia is a -500 favorite) despite him being the bigger fighter. Maybe its because hes in his own words had the best training camp of his career. Whatever the cause of this chill demeanor, in speaking with Vargas, I quickly understood that that calm stems from his overall confidence in self and that hes already visualized solving all the challenges Garcia will present him with this Saturday on DAZN (8 p.m. ET) at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, TX.

I spoke with Vargas on what made this training camp the best ever and how he envisions a signature win against Garcia.

You mentioned in an Instagram post that this is the best camp of your life. Why has this camp been the best yet?

Its been the best one because it has all been properly organized. Im not doing too much and not doing insufficient training. Its all scheduled to how my body is feeling while still pushing me to the limit but also giving me the proper time to rest. I think thats very important for an athlete at my level. There have been no distractions whatsoever and the focus has only been on the task at hand. My moments away from the gym, Im either relaxing, doing some studying and watching my opponent or watching the sparring sessions that Ive done.

Its been very calm, but very efficient because were always working on something new. When its time to spar, its been about working to perfection and making sure that things are just as we expect when were processing a punch, a step to the side or quick head movement. Its all been working in our favor and there has been nothing but good days in this training camp.

What can you contribute to that type of positivity?

I guess you can say its the experience that I have now at 30-years-old. I just feel that I have the experience to know what I need to focus on and I have a great team that continues to push me to do better. Theyre never happy with what Im doing because its always we can do better and I love that about them. They see good things but they see ways to make things better. Im a student of the game so whenever you bring something new to me, I accept it and take it in like a sponge. The diet has been helping me to benefit me in becoming strong each and every day in the gym. I dont feel tired, exhausted or depleted. Everything has just been working out.

There is a calm to you that you typically dont see in a lot of fighters this close to a fight. How would you describe the space youre in?

Thats a good way of looking at it. I feel very calm, very efficient is the word. I train hard but I make sure I put in the time to get enough rest on a daily basis to perform better the following day. That just comes with the experience after several of years. Youre definitely going to make some mistakes in the beginning and you learn from them in training camp and you get to a position where Im at where you better understand whats at stake and the sacrifices that come with wanting to be your best.

You had to drop a considerable amount of weight, beginning around the holiday season. Was that something that was a struggle?

It wasnt that bad. The last time I fought was (last) April, so I guess I got used to it. You get used to the point where you know you have to maintain your weight and I dont like to go above 165, even on my off time. I like to stay between 160-165. I know what I like, and I know whats good for me. Ill take in as much protein as I can and as little carbs on my time off. Say in the wintertime, when Christmas hits, I might have one tamale and Ill pack on a lot of chicken on the side. I got my protein on the side and that way it feels like Im having more tamales.

I also drink a lot of water before each meal so that way I dont have the want to consume big meals. I have my own ways of cheating whenever I do want a cheat meal, but the minute that training camp begins, then everything changes. Thats when the full diet comes on. When I was moving up to 154, I was eating a lot more food and I felt like it was too much, but I would do it because I wanted to move up. At 147, Im just bringing down the portion of the meals, making sure Im taking in the proper amount of protein and the proper amount of carbs. On days where Im going to have a strong training session, I make sure to take in a ton of carbohydrates. Its a mixture when it comes to the diet and on my off time.

Feb 22, 2020; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Jessie Vargas in training camp as he prepares for his February 29, ... [+] 2020 bout against Mikey Garcia.

What foods would you would consider your cheat meals?

Id say every now and then a pizza, burger. Those are the main ones with being in the U.S. and being an American (laughs). Those are definitely my weaknesses, but I also love chocolate any type of chocolate. Ever since I was a kid, I always enjoyed sweets too much of it actually. Ice cream also! Thats life for me. I love it.

Outside of the diet, what are the other methods youve used to aid in cutting weight?

In the beginning, it was longer runs just to keep the weight down and get in shape. Running steep hills just to work the legs and keep them strong. Now that its a little closer to the fight, now we start bringing in the speed and making sure that the body is performing quickly and explosively. Its all a matter of scheduling it properly. We worked the power shots at the beginning of camp and now its more of the combinations, explosive punches and now were making sure that we have quick and explosive leg movements.

At the reduce weight, in what ways do you feel different with your movements in the ring?

I feel faster and more explosive. My reaction is quick and thats going to be very important in this fight.

What do you visualize happening on Feb. 29?

I feel like its going to be a good fight. I see myself maintaining control throughout the entire fight. Garcia is going to come. Hes a warrior and I give him credit. Hes a good fighter and Im not going to take anything away from him. I think when he wants to come in, Im going to hit him until he decides to look for another alternative. Once that happens, Ill start applying the pressure and breaking him down, picking him apart little by little and shocking him with several big right hands right to the chin, which are going to be a big impact in the fight. Hes going to be surprised at the power that I possess and I see myself coming out with the victory in extraordinary fashion. After that, Mikey is still a good fighter and can still be champ at 140 pounds.

See the article here:
Despite The Odds, Jessie Vargas Expects Signature Win Over Mikey Garcia - Forbes

When financial journalist Janet Alvarez left business school in 2011, she was buried under a $150,000 mountain of student loans and medical debt.

It was incredibly stressful, Alvarez tells NBC News BETTER.

Alvarez lost her high-paying job as a communications director for a financial firm during the 2008 recession, and used the opportunity to go back to school. In 2011, she graduated with an MBA from Arizona State University, but was unable to nab a lucrative job at the time. The first gig she landed was as a finance writer a job that paid less than 40 percent of what she used to make. Whats more, she lost her health insurance while she was unemployed, and an unexpected illness left her swimming in medical bills.

Combining budgeting techniques with financial acumen, Alvarez slowly started to dig herself out of debt. While it was hard, Alvarez, 40, says the experience has given her the confidence to manage her finances when times get tough.

There is always something to be done, there are always ways to improve your situation, and no bad situation lasts forever, she says.

Heres how Alvarez, now the executive editor of Wise Bread, a personal finance website, climbed out of debt in just 6 years.

The first thing I did was start calling all of my student loan servicing companies federal and private loans negotiating lower interest rates where possible, putting loans on autopay, and finding other ways to reduce the interest rates for the federal loans, she says.

Alvarez managed to get on an income-based repayment program, a program for borrowers with federal student loan debt that allows them to lower their payments based on their income, she says.

While these types of programs can be beneficial, she says its important to understand that they are dependent on the government.

Be aware that just because you sign up for public student loan forgiveness programs, you sign up for income-based repayment, they may not be here 5, 10 or 15 years from now, she says. So you really need to plan ahead for that possibility.

Also, be prepared to be taxed on any student loans the government forgives, she says, since these loans will be treated as taxable income.

Alvarez became proactive about tackling her medical debt. She called up the hospital and physicians groups she owed money to. In talking to them, she learned of a number of medical assistance programs that could help reduce the amount she owed.

These programs apply even for people who are middle income in many cases, she says. Dont assume that you necessarily have income that is too high to qualify. In my case, it wiped out a significant portion of my debt pretty quickly, so then what I was working with was credit card debt, personal debt, and federal loan debt.

Even after landing her first job out of graduate school, Alvarez never stopped looking for new opportunities. She took on various side hustles, and continued to apply for jobs until she managed to find employment that was higher paying.

That enabled me to start paying off my debt much more quickly, she says.

A piece of advice I would give everyone is that like dieting, creating a budget requires you to feel a sense of restriction, and you dont want to restrict too much all at once, because youll go on a binge or youll end up on a diet youll give up on the budget, says Alvarez.

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To avoid this, she advises cutting back only on the expenses you arent going to miss.

For Alvarez, who enjoys eating out on a regular basis, slashing dining from her budget didnt seem like a realistic long-term goal to save money. Instead, she decided to cut back on housing. Living in a big, fancy apartment, she says, just wasnt that important to her.

For me, it was less painful to reduce my housing costs and to reduce my transportation cost because those things mattered less to me and so it doesnt feel like denial, she says.

Alvarez moved from her apartment in Palo Alto, California to a much smaller one about 10 minutes away that cost about $900 less in rent. She was able to use that savings to pay down a significant portion of her debt. She says she also negotiated a rent freeze with her landlord.

If you have a history of good on-time payments for rentals, theres no reason why you cant approach your landlord or your rental agency, and ask them to keep your rent steady once your lease renews, she says. More often than not, youll be successful. Many management companies and landlords are eager to keep good tenants people who dont cause trouble or pay their rent on time.

She says that slashing her expenses and using her savings to pay off debt helped her build up the confidence to stick to her long-term goal.

To pay off her debt as quickly as possible, Alvarez says she used the snowball method. The popular technique, created by businessman Dave Ramsey, requires you to continue paying the same amount on your debt even as you pay down your loans. For example, lets say you have five debts totaling $1,000 a month, and you paid off one of them, bringing the total down to $900. Using the snowball method, you would continue contributing $1,000 a month until all loans are paid off in full, allowing you to pay it off much faster than if you only paid the minimum.

The snowball method is wonderful because it allows you to start with your smallest debt, and once you pay that off you can use the extra money that you have now thats not going towards that debt and apply it to your next biggest debt, Alvarez says.

Once you start mastering your smallest debts, she says, you begin to build the confidence to tackle the larger ones. Plus, she adds, youll have more money to throw at them.

I really found that to be pretty successful in my case, she says, because at the time I really needed the motivation. I really needed to believe that I could handle the amount of debt that I was in.

But she says the snowball method isnt for everyone.

If youre someone who really feels confident in your ability to master debt, if youre somebody who has mastered debt before, if youre somebody whos really pretty financially literate, then it could be wiser to start paying down the debt with the highest interest rate first, she says.

Alvarez took advantage of various rewards programs layering the points and rewards on top of each other to maximize her savings.

I would say that I probably employ dining rewards, transportation rewards programs, cash back rewards, major retailers that I shop at regularly, and then cashback rewards, and then all the points from all of the credit card programs that I use, she says.

By stacking these rewards programs, she manages to receive about 5-7 percent cashback total on all of her expenses for the year, she says.

Thats very significant in my case, she says, that adds up to $5,000 a year thats extra money that I can use for the snowball method and continue applying it towards my debt.

To get started, Alvarez recommends beginning with a category where you spend money the most. For example, if youre someone who regularly shops online, you should look for rewards programs from internet retailers. If youre someone who travels frequently, look into travel rewards and credit cards that give you cash back for travel, as well as hotels and car rental companies that also offer rewards.

In my case, I eat out a lot, so I started dining rewards, Alvarez says, adding: Im finding that Im getting something like $150 worth of free dinners a month.

While Alvarez was paying off her debt, she also built up an emergency fund. She says it's important to have about three months worth of living expenses saved for emergencies.

Its better to have $5,000 in savings and $5,000 in debt, than no debt and no savings, she says. Because if you find yourself with no debt and suddenly your car breaks down or you have a medical expense, you have nothing in savings to pay it off with, and then youre in debt again.

When building your emergency fund, she recommends putting .50 cents of each dollar towards debt and putting the other half in your emergency fund until you have enough saved. She recommends contributing any windfalls to your emergency fund, including work bonuses or financial gifts from family and friends.

Alvarez, who now lives in Philadelphia, says combining these techniques got her out of debt by 2017.

It felt like I was where I needed to be; it felt like freedom, she says.

After a recent divorce, however, she has accrued some debt again, and she is still paying off federal student loans, she says. But shes confident she will be able to pay it off.

I know I have the skill set, I know I have the tools to handle this, too, she says.

Want more tips like these? NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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The financial tactics this woman used to pay off $150,000 in six years - NBC News

WICHITA FALLS, Texas Dressed in cowboy boots and jeans, with an American flag pin on his lapel, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson rolled up at the Red River Harley-Davidson outpost to make his pitch to voters.

I just came from the White House, Dr. Jackson, the former White House physician, told the small crowd gathered upstairs from the Harley showroom. Ive been working side by side with the president. I know all the cabinet secretaries. I have their cellphones. I know the chief of staff, the national security adviser. I can pick the phone up and I can call them. Theyre all friends of mine.

Dr. Jackson left the West Wing in December after rising from President Trumps physician to his unlikely pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs to Trump administration roadkill when he was forced to withdraw his name from consideration amid allegations related to his professional conduct.

Now hes running for Congress in Texas 13th District, one of the most conservative in the country, and his argument is simple. In a primary field of 15 anti-immigrant, anti-abortion Republicans, Dr. Jackson is betting his personal connection with the president is enough to win the Republican nomination tantamount to election.

Standing alongside other candidates wearing cowboy hats and Make America Great Again caps at the forum on Thursday, Dr. Jackson pitched himself as the only one who can walk in the Oval Office unannounced and say, Sir, I need you to stop what youre doing and listen to me, and he will stop what hes doing and listen to me.

That access, he said, would make him an unusually powerful replacement for Representative Mac Thornberry, the Republican who announced last fall he would not seek re-election after representing his district for more than a quarter of a century.

But it is not clear if that connection, combined with his background as a Navy rear admiral, will be enough to help Dr. Jackson overcome some rookie mistakes as a candidate. There have been more than a few.

His campaign organization, for one thing.

Dr. Jacksons campaign manager, he said, is a horse doctor with a full-time job. He has one full-time staff member, a recent college graduate who is also working for free, and he has relied on his wife, Jane, to drive him around the enormous Panhandle-encompassing district, which spans 41 counties. And despite having a power Rolodex, he has never reached into it to ask the right people for help.

On Friday, Dr. Jackson spent the afternoon knocking on doors in Wichita Falls, only to realize that it was a relatively futile exercise since most people werent home. In the evening, he mingled in the bleachers at the Monarch Motor Speedway only to report back to his wife that most of spectators had driven in from Oklahoma.

While waiting for the stock car race to begin, Dr. Jackson laughed when a hunk of mud spun up from the dirt track and landed in his coffee cup, a fitting end to another long day on the campaign trail where it wasnt clear if hed made any progress.

Dr. Jackson, who grew up in Levelland, Texas, returned to the Panhandle after leaving the White House and retiring from the Navy, settling in the district in Amarillo. He thought his connections to Mr. Trump and the extended Trumpworld would make him a shoo-in for the seat, people who spoke to him at the time said.

But Mr. Trump, who now generally adheres to rules put in place by his political shop about whom he endorses and what races he weighs in on, has been silent about Dr. Jacksons campaign. Donald Trump Jr., whom Dr. Jackson considers a close friend, has no plans to get involved in his race or officially endorse him, an aide said. And even Rick Perry, the former energy secretary and Texas governor who encouraged him to run and then endorsed him, has not campaigned for him.

Dr. Jackson is now facing an uphill battle against two well-funded and connected opponents Chris Ekstrom, a Dallas millionaire who recently moved to the district to run and is self-funding his campaign, and Josh Winegarner, a lobbyist who has the backing of the cattle industry he represents and Mr. Thornberry.

But Dr. Jacksons connections to the Trump administration as well as the president and his family are real, even if they have not translated into much support.

Eric Trump has tweeted a supportive message, and Mr. Trump has privately encouraged Dr. Jackson to run. And Dr. Jackson is benefiting, if belatedly, from Trump allies and aides who have only recently realized he needed help and have pitched in, setting him up with a real online fund-raising and phone prospecting operation, which helped to finally get him on air with a commercial a 30-second spot made up entirely of old clips of Mr. Trump praising his character.

At the candidates forum, Dr. Jackson, 52, conceded that he had never really considered running for office. But, he said, Trump is getting re-elected. Thats a done deal at this point.

I thought this is the unique opportunity for me to get in the game, he added. I have an opportunity to get in the fight and do something for our country.

Dr. Jackson, who served in the White House medical unit under the past three presidents, grew close to Mr. Trump after delivering the results of a presidential physical in a briefing at which he promoted Mr. Trumps incredible genes, said he did exceedingly well on a cognitive test and claimed that if he had adhered to a better diet over the past 20 years, he could have lived to be 200.

His hourlong news conference transformed Dr. Jackson into an inner circle Trump favorite, and a candidate, in Mr. Trumps mind, for a cabinet post. It also changed how he was perceived outside the building.

That was the day I got the Trump stamp on me completely, Dr. Jackson said during an interview last week at a coffee shop in Wichita Falls. I was no longer viewed as a nonpartisan physician on military orders, even though I still technically was. What I didnt realize was that it made people much more aggressive toward me when the V.A. nomination came up.

At the time of the allegations against him which included loosely dispensing strong drugs to lawmakers and political aides Dr. Jackson was not allowed to respond because he was an active-duty military officer.

The experience took a toll on Dr. Jackson and his family.

I tell people now that I got Kavanaugh-ed before Kavanaugh did, he said, referring to Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who he believes was falsely accused of sexual assault during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I was the pregame but I didnt know it. I was the warm up.

Dr. Jackson called the allegations against him complete garbage and hinted at behind-the-scenes plotting from both parties to remove a Trump loyalist from contention.

I saw the ugly side of Washington, he said. He noted that despite the scandal, I got promoted in the White House, I maintained my clearance, I stayed in the military, I retired as a Navy admiral. Come on.

Mr. Trump mounted an aggressive defense of Dr. Jackson, even as a bipartisan group of Senators expressed concerns over his record. The president called for Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, to resign for his lead role in releasing details of the allegations against Dr. Jackson.

Mr. Trump called Dr. Jackson one of the finest people that I have met while elevating him to the role of assistant to the president. And in the 13th District, those words may be more important than any accusation.

Im leaning toward Ronny because I have to look at whos electable, said Danny Breegle, a business owner in Wichita Falls who attended the Thursday night forum. He said he was impressed with his rsum and wanted to make sure hes not of the swamp, and now I think hes independent.

But for Dr. Jackson, the question will be whether the last-ditch help from Trumpworld has come too late by Friday, over half of the vote will already be in because of early voting in the March 3 primary.

In the interview, Dr. Jackson admitted that he had not been aggressive in calling in favors, especially from the president. He had so much on his plate. He was going through impeachment, Dr. Jackson said. I thought, Im not going to put Ronny Jackson in the 13th Congressional District on his plate.

If he wins the seat, Dr. Jackson will be back on a government salary. If he loses, he said, he plans to make enough money to buy his wife any house in Amarillo she wants.

That is, if he doesnt go back into the Trump administration. Dr. Jackson appeared to leave himself open to the possibility, but said his wife was committed to staying in Texas.

For now, Dr. Jackson said, he has put a cabinet post in his rear view mirror, calling the Veterans Affairs Department a massive bureaucracy and asserting that my ability to impact things will actually be better if Im a congressman, even for the veterans.

One of his regrets was moving on from his post as White House physician before he could help institute the diet and exercise regimen he had planned for the president.

During his infamous news conference, Mr. Jackson said his goal was to help Mr. Trump lose 10 to 15 pounds and that he planned to bring an exercise bike or elliptical machine into the White House residence.

Mr. Jackson said those plans never came to pass. (Mr. Trump had gained four pounds by his following physical.) The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to, he said. But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.

See the original post:
Trumps Doctor Thought He Had a Ticket to Congress. It Hasnt Been So Easy. - The New York Times

By PA/TPN, in Lifestyle 28-02-2020 01:00:00 0 Comments

It's always alarming when a loved one develops cardiovascular disease or suffers a heart attack. As well as worrying about them, it might make you consider your own health too - especially as these things can run in families.

So, if you do have a family history of heart disease and stroke, how concerned should you be? And what can you do about it?

We talked to Dr Gerald Carr-White, a consultant cardiologist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, as well as London Bridge Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, and Philippa Hobson, a senior cardiac nurse for British Heart Foundation .

How important is family history for heart health?

Around 7.5 million people are living with heart and circulatory disease, according to British Heart Foundation, and even though treatments have generally improved, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the UK and Ireland. Family history can be very relevant - but it's important to remember this is part of a bigger picture.

Generally, "the most common thing that tends to run in families is vascular disease, affecting the coronary arteries", says Dr Carr-White. Known medically as 'atherosclerosis', heavily clogged, blocked or narrowed arteries are a recognised cause of potentially life-threatening heart attacks and stroke. It occurs due to a build-up of fatty deposits which, over time, leads to plaque developing within the artery walls.

Family history is one of five or six important risk factors that come into play, says Carr-White: "The others are whether you smoke, whether you've got a healthy diet, whether you exercise. There's also high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol to consider. All of these are very important."

Find out what's actually going on

The first step is to try and have a general awareness of your family history, and if you are concerned, Hobson says it's a good idea to "ask questions about what happened". Did doctors specify a cause? How old were they when it first happened?

"If your granddad or dad was in their 60s or 70s then of course that's still a serious thing, but if there is a family history of very premature heart attack, then you might want to take a more serious look at things like high cholesterol in the family," says Hobson. "Some people may even be born with high cholesterol but just not know about it until something happens."

For example, familial hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic condition that affects around one in every 250 people, causes abnormally high cholesterol from a young age.

"It's also worth pointing out that a lot of the time when people die young or suddenly, while [the cause of death] is often put down to a heart attack, this can sometimes be due to inherited conditions within the muscle or electrics of the heart," adds Carr-White. "So, if you do have a family history of people dying at a young age, particularly if it's below 40, it's worth going for a check-up with a specialist to see if there is anything else running through the family."

Healthy lifestyle habits go a very long way

Understandably, knowing heart problems run in your family can be worrying. "Family history is what's called an 'unmodifiable risk factor'," says Hobson - but that doesn't mean future heart problems are inevitable. "We can't help our family background, but many of the other key risk factors are modifiable. So, it's really about addressing the other risk factors."

Lifestyle plays a vital role here. "Lifestyle measures are the most important thing anyone can do, and probably make more of a difference than anything else," says Carr-White. "So keep an eye on your weight, don't smoke, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet - that probably does more good than all the tablets put together."

This is important for everyone, regardless of family history. For those of us who are more genetically predisposed to developing problems, Carr-White notes that a healthy lifestyle "can make a difference to when those problems present". In other words, we could help delay them, and sometimes prevent them entirely, by living healthily.

He recommends looking to the Mediterranean diet - typically rich in fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy fats found in nuts and oily fish, and low in saturated fat - which is often dubbed the world's healthiest diet, thanks to numerous major studies.

Watching your salt intake can help keep blood pressure healthy, and while exercise is important this isn't just about hitting the gym for an intense workout every now and then. There's lots of evidence that having a generally active lifestyle - think daily walks and avoiding too much time being sedentary - can be just as beneficial.

Don't wait until you have a health scare to start

There's growing evidence on how our diet and lifestyle in childhood impacts health in later life - and it's never too early to start encouraging healthy habits. Plus, the build-up of plaque in our arteries develops over years and prevention is always better than cure. "If you look at the aortas and arteries of adolescents, you can see the early stages of problems with the walls of the arteries," says Carr-White. "So getting those lifestyle habits in from an early age is a good idea."

Know your numbers

Another way we can be proactive is by finding out our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. "High blood pressure and high cholesterol don't normally have any symptoms," says Hobson, "so it's a good idea to have your numbers checked."

Detecting these things early means we can take steps to manage them - through lifestyle adjustments and sometimes medication - before they get worse. You don't have to wait until you're inviting for a routine health check either. In fact, you can often now get these things checked on your local high street. "Chemists and pharmacies are very good at this now, you don't even always have to go to your GP," says Carr-White.

Be symptom savvy

Being aware of potential symptoms is also key, and ensuring you get them checked out quickly, and this doesn't just include chest pain. "Particularly if you're becoming more breathless when you do things, if you're having a very fast heart rate or having blackouts, it's very important to get those checked out. They could indicate narrowing in the coronary arteries, or a weakness of the heart muscle or an electrical problem," says Carr-White.

"It's also worth saying that women often present late with coronary heart disease, and people don't tend to think about this sort of thing as much with women."

Indeed, anyone experiencing symptoms, regardless of whether they fit the 'stereotype' of a typical heart attack victim, should get things checked. As Hobson notes, even very slim people can have clogged arteries.

And Carr-White's final piece of advice? "Everyone should learn CPR," he says. You never know when this vital first aid skill could help save a life.

Read more:
What you need to know about heart disease - The Portugal News

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