Great Heart Chat with Dr. Gregory D'Onofrio About Heart Disease in Women

Thanks to Dr. Gregory D'Onofrio, cardiologist from Stamford Hospital, for sharing his expertise with the Stamford BetterU participants last night! 

Dr. D'Onofrio discussed the importance of combining diet and exercise to improve cardiovascular health.  He focused on cholesterol levels, what the numbers actually mean, and the long term affects the have on our cardiovascular system.   He also answered several questions about statins, diabetes, and heredity from the BetterU participants.

More than 80% of heart disease in women can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. That's what the BetterU program is all about. But knowing your own heart disease and stroke risk, knowing your family history and keeping track of your cholesterol and blood pressure can go a long way to avoiding heart disease and stroke.

Use the American Heart Association's Go Red Heart Checkup online tool take the to assess your main cardiovascular health risk factors. It only takes a few minutes and along with your results, you’ll receive a Personal Action Plan. Think of it as a customized guide to help you achieve your fitness and nutrition goals, live heart smart, and put an end to the No. 1 killer in women.

START THE HEART CHECKUP!

A poem about life

Life
~By: Julie Alswanger
Life is worth living.
Even when your down.
Life if worth living.
So lets turn it around.
Life is worth living.
So lets give it our all.
Life is worth living.
Even when we fall.
Life is worth living.
So lets get to work.
Life is worth living.
Even when it hurts.
My life is worth living.
So i will continue to strive.
Life is worth living.
So lets continue to shine.

Life changing

This program has changed my life. I have become more energetic, and I am not able to jog my laps instead of just walking them. This program has also helped me to realize that i am not alone, I am not the only person who is trying to become a better and healthier person. My Nutritionist, personal trainer and fellow better U members have been extremely supportive throughout the journey. I cant wait to see what the future hold for all of us, and to see how well we have all done once we reach the end of this program. I plan to keep exercising, and eating right after this program is over, and i encourage everyone in the better U program to do the same. Together we can change our lives, we can become healthier and help guide others to do the same.

Wonderful information

Although I was late I really enjoyed dr. Dnofrio's speak on heart disease.  We all can make little changes that in the end all add up to big changes. We are living longer as the doctor described tonight by just making small changes. We live in a society that wants instant gratification and we don't realize that if we take the time and put in the energy we will reap the benefits maybe not instantly but in time.  I was also excited to see the other women that are in the better u program as well. We all live busy lives and can't be together all the time so I really appreciate my time with these special women when we do get to be together. I hope to see more of us on Wednesday at Mill River. 

Better U "Babes" at the CT Food Bank Walk 4/27/14

As sometimes happens, several members of out team had changes in plans so the Better U "Babes" were just me and my husband Evan yesterday.  We managed to get a quick picture in the shirts Greg from the Heart Association was kind enough to provide but it was chilly so Evan has 3 layers on... The walk itself was 2.5 miles, all beachfront, really lovely.  Heading out for our sailing trip, back May 7th.  After we return, will see if anyone wants to do a team for the Hope in Motion Walk on June 1 as a sort of finale for our program.

Comprehensive Heart Disease Articles

Here's a link to this month's AARP Magazine, which has a comprehensive women's heart disease article (mentioning the Go Red campaign) and an article for men about atrial fibrillation:
http://pubs.aarp.org/aarptm/20140405_PR?folio=28#pg30

Keeping it all together

I am a very positive person, but recent events in my life personnel, financial and medical have derailed my efforts in this process.  It has kept me from excerising the last 2 weeks and also from counting calories daily.  I do have the mentality that there is always tomorrow and it is true. So I will try everyday to make a good effort to help myself on this journey.  I know we are half way thru and I am not anywhere weight wise that I thought I would be. But I also do realize that my journey is just that, MINE, no one elses. I cannot measure the small gains that I have learned up against others.  In the end of this journey, I will take away alot of new things and leave some old things behind.  Again I have to remember, this is not the biggest loser event, its a life changing event.

Having a special meal without derailing weight loss efforts

Really enjoyed a special dinner my friend made tonight and don't have the "I blew it" feeling that accompanied many meals in the past.  Asked her for a preview of the menu a couple days ago and planned accordingly.  I had lots of fruits and veggies in my breakfast, lunch and snack so had about 800 calories of my 1400-1600 calorie range left to spend and I enjoyed very calorie.

We had a glass of champagne, followed by a fresh ricotta, arugula and tomato salad.  The main course was roasted chicken, sauteed broccoli rabe and artichoke risotto.  For dessert, I brought frozen Greek yogurt topped with mangoes and berries with a strawberry, blackberry and raspberry sauce.  The big difference for me was slowly enjoying one serving of everything and not going back for seconds (or thirds) as I always would have in the past.  I came in just over 1500 calories for the day, had a lovely meal and am a happy camper.

Weekend tips

If your like me , weekends are the hardest days to continue exercising and eating right. I found some tips online that are very helpful to help keep you on task during your weekends.


Did you know that even if you stick to a healthy diet or exercise routine all week, weekend overeating could result in an average gain of 9 pounds a year? That's what researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found in a recent study published in the journal Obesity.


~Think thin. Keep your weight loss goals in mind on the weekends so all your hard work during the week isn't wasted. An occasional splurge is fine, but don't make it a regular thing. When you're socializing, focus more on the people and conversation -- and less on the food.


~Beware beverage calories. Calories from alcohol, sodas, and juices add up quickly; before you know it, you've downed several hundred extra calories. Alcohol can also loosen your resolve to eat healthy. Consider liquid calories as extras, because they don't fill you up or reduce the amount of food you eat. Enjoy one glass of wine instead of two, order light beer instead of regular, or have your cocktail with club soda or diet soda to help keep calories under control.

~Eat a healthy breakfast . You've got time to enjoy breakfast on the weekend, so do so. Just avoid the giant farm-style breakfasts loaded with fat, sodium, and calories. Have an egg or two, whole-grain toast, and some fruit. Or choose a bowl of high-fiber cereal with low-fat yogurt and fruit. A healthy breakfast sets the tone for the day. Successful losers never leave home without it.


~Get physical. Instead of spending extra time on the couch, use your weekend time to take a bike ride, go for a hike, play tennis, or simply go walking with your family and friends. Even shopping at the mall can be exercise. Strap on a pedometer and strive for 10,000 steps each day.


~Plan ahead. If you're headed for a party or out to dinner, eat less that day and/or power up your physical activity. When you're planning to be out running errands, pack healthy snacks or a lunch to help yourself avoid the high-calorie offerings at fast-food restaurants and the food court.


~Focus on healthy eating and moderation. You've probably got more time on the weekends, so why eat processed foods? Take the time to prepare and enjoy whole foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy. Cook up a pot of soup or chili, or cut up veggies to enjoy as snacks. Eating fiber-rich whole foods and lean protein will keep you feeling satisfied for hours.


~
Eat more meals at home. It's harder to control your eating when you eat out. One study showed that people who ate out 13 times per month ate 32% more total calories than those who ate out four times monthly. Portions are larger at restaurants, and you have less control over how the food is prepared. When you cook at home, you can prepare exactly what you like, and you're in charge of the ingredients.

Another inspirational poem written by me!!!

Lets be healthy.
Lets live our lives.
We can fight this.
One day at a time.
Lets learn to live.
In healthier ways.
So we can be.
In a better place.
~By Julie Alswanger

Inspirational poem written by me!!!!

We can do this.
You and I.
We will fight.
Lets give this a try.
We will be strong.
And we will succeed.
Just believe in yourself.
And follow me.
~By Julie Alswanger

 

Five healthy smoothest that actually tastes good!!!!!

 

Carrot Mango Smoothie

1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup water



Green Smoothie1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
1/2 banana
A small handful of almonds
3 to 5 raw brazil nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons cacao or carob powder
1/2 can of full-fat coconut milk




Kale Banana Smoothie1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 ripe banana
1 cup loosely packed chopped kale
1/4 cup water



Chocolate Beet Berry Smoothie1/2 cup peeled chopped
 raw beet
1 banana
1 cup strawberries 
(may sub blueberries 
or raspberries)
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder



Raspberry Almond Smoothie 1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup low-fat plain greek yogurt
1/2 medium banana
1/2 cup fresh (or frozen) raspberries
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon honey

Ricotta and Eggplant Stacks from Go Red Cookbook

My hubby Evan and I made these yesterday from the Go Red Cookbook (p. 192) and they make a very festive looking and filling meal (see pics), especially when using multi-colored peppers.  The flavor was better today but they were still a bit bland (I used dried basil and I'm sure fresh would have helped) so I would consider adding Italian seasoning and a little crushed red pepper next time.  I skipped the oil due to broiling, which brought the calories down to 150 per stack so we each ate 2 as a main course.  Because we doubled the recipe, we went through 2 rounds of broiling, which was a bit time consuming.  Evan came up with the idea of grilling the eggplant and peppers next time, which would be faster and might add flavor.  Definitely worth a try if you're looking for a very low cal substitute for eggplant parmigiana.

A simple technique for cutting multiple cherry tomatoes in half

Here's a one-minute video with a safe and simple way to prep these little beauties:
http://www.wimp.com/cherrytomatoes/

Holidays

I was once told "taste everything, eat nothing" but I didn't understand that mentality.  Then it was explained to me. Taste everything that you want, just dont eat it all at once.  When the holidays come around or even a BBQ or party, we all seem to want to eat everything at once and not be choosie with what we end up eating.  So when the time comes and you are at these events ask yourself, if I just take alittle of what I want and taste it, I will then be able to determine what it is that I actually want to eat.  By the time you take a small taste of what you want. You will notice there really isn't any room left to eat anything else and you have not felt deprived.  To all my BetterU buddies and coaches. Happy Holidays and Happy Spring!

Dr. Choi from Stamford Hospital Chats About Heart Disease Prevention

BetterU participants recently participated in an engaging discussion with Dr. Joonun Choi, cardiologist from Stamford Hospital, in the second of five cardiovascular disease informational lectures.  

Dr. Choi discussed the effects that large quantities of salt and sugar can have on the cardiovascular system, as well as the importance of portion control in diets. He said there are many factors which can impact our food choices, including food companies who spend billions on marketing unhealthy products. Dr. Choi also discussed the "magic pill" when it comes to disease prevention--the benefits of regular exercise.  He also answered several specific questions that the group about cardiovascular disease.

Thank you, Dr. Choi, for sharing your expertise with the BetterU participants and helping to prevent heart disease in women!

For more info on preventing heart disease in women, visit www.goredforwomen.org !

We need to stop overflowing our tanks

You know that awful feeling when the gas pump doesn't switch off and you see gas spill on the ground and get wasted?  It hit me last night when Gabriela made a comment about "food being fuel" that we don't seem nearly as concerned about eating more than we need to run our bodies.  I just need to look at my hips, tummy, etc. to realize I've been topping off my tanks for years.  The other thing I thought about is you wouldn't be surprised if your car developed some knocks and other problems if it got fed cheap, low octane gas all the time so why should we expect our bodies to perform at their best if we shovel in junk food or too many empty calories?  Let's treat our bodies as well as our cars from now on.  The Better U Challenge is like being up on the lift -- we're checking under the hood and seeing what's working and what's not.  Let's make sure that we take care of this important asset, give it a little high test from time-to-time and schedule some routine maintenance for ourselves.

Thanks

I want to thank everyone for helping me become a better me, this program is so full of support and thanks to that i believe i am doing quite well if my new life style change. I think all of us in this program are doing a wonderful job in this program. Everyone is so supportive i just want to send out a great big thank you. I wish the best for each and every one of you during the rest of this program, together i believe we can truly make a change in the way woman take care of themselves to become healthy and happy.

My Artichoke recipe

I have shared my Artichoke recipe with a few of my fellow better U friends, I personally love artichokes so i thought id share it with all of you!!!


1. cut off the stem.
2. cut off the sharp tip of each leaf.
3. open up every layer of the artichoke.
4. rinse the open artichoke in water and leave it wet.
5. stick the wet artichoke into the microwave for five or 6 minutes depending on how bug it is.
6. the water on the artichoke will cook it while in the microwave.
7. Sometimes artichokes have little hairs you should use a spoon to gently scrape it out but  leave as much heart as possible because it’s the best part.
8. to eat you simply pull off a petal and use your bottom teeth to scrape off some of the soft flesh.
9. you may dip the artichoke leaves into many dips like melted butter, plain olive oil or a vinaigrette.
10. EAT AND ENJOY!!!!!!

Week Five: Weight Control For Your Heart

Very Important – Know Your Body Mass Index (BMI)BMI indicates if you are at a healthy weight for your height. It's important to know your BMI number since obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Visit the BMI calculator to get your number.

BMI 18.5 or less = underweight

BMI 18.5 to 24.9 = healthy

BMI 25 and 30 = overweight

BMI 31 and above = obese

If your BMI is in the overweight or obese category, don't be discouraged. You are working now, by following the BetterU program's physical activity and eating recommendations, to improve your health. Keep it up and you can get that number to go down!

Choose A BetterU WeightHere's how you can get on track for an improved weight:

Know Your Calories. Find out your recommended number of daily calories. To start losing weight, you'll need to reduce your food intake by 250-500 calories per day.

Set a Weight Goal. If you are overweight, a good goal is to lose 5-10% of your body weight. A safe rate for weight loss is ½ to 2 pounds per week.

Stay Balanced; Calories in = Calories out. Weight is a matter of energy balance. To keep your weight the same, your calories in must equal the calories your body uses. To lose weight, you have to either increase your calories out, reduce the calories you consume, or both.

Get Active! Move more. All movement burns calories. Increase the intensity of what you already do. You burn about the same number of calories per mile walking or jogging. But you burn them faster if you pick up the pace.

Don’t “reward” a workout with food. Go for a walk to help you fight non-hunger urges to eat. Keep track of your physical activity! Here is a log you can use.

Eat Healthy! Watch your portions. Try pre-portioned meals and snacks. Don’t drink your calories. Reach for water first. Pay attention to hunger. Eat before you get too hungry; stop eating before you feel full. Keep track of your eating!

Did You Know?A number of risk factors for heart disease and stroke can be addressed by improving your physical fitness – no matter what your size. Focus on making healthy food and physical activity choices. For substantial health benefits do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. It's important to remember that a healthy weight doesn't necessarily mean your heart is healthy.

Don't Fall for Traps and Trip-Ups - Traps and trip-ups include emotions, situations, places, or even people that influence you to get off track. You've got to recognize and address these triggers for less healthy choices. For example, you may have a cookie-eating weakness when you get stressed, or avoid physical activity because you're too tired after work.
Once you've discovered your traps and trip-ups you should plan how to avoid them. Remember, even if you can't control your situation, you can control your choices. And the more healthy choices you make, the more likely you'll achieve your A Better U Course For Success!

Think about the goals you have worked toward in your weekly Course for Success. What barriers have you discovered? What has worked to help you overcome them?

Check In With Your Choices – Stop Emotional Eating - Many women let their emotions get in their way of their choices. Here are suggestions for avoiding this common trap:

Recognize how your mood affects your food. Stress, sadness, boredom, and even happiness can lead to unwanted calories and weight gain. Just a handful of potato chips every day can add about 1,000 calories per week. That could make you gain 4-pound in three months and 16-pounds in a year! Some women, on the other hand, lose their appetite and have poor nutrition during emotional times. It is important to know how your moods influence your food so you can make healthier choices.

Use healthy coping skills. After you understand your emotional eating patterns, develop an action plan. Think of ways to cope with emotions that don't involve food. For example, if you've had an intense day at work or you've been juggling carpools for your kids, avoid flopping down on the couch and flipping the remote control while eating your favorite chips at night. Instead, give yourself a 15-minute timeout and take a walk, do some stretching exercises or call a friend for support. Chances are you'll feel better and will have forgotten about those chips that were calling your name.

4 Weeks In...

Well 4 weeks in, thought I would be alot more thinner, but not the case.  But I have learned alot, not only from everyone, but from myself.  I learned that at times we may not be perfect in our eatng or excerises, but there is always the next meal to make it healthy, or the next day to make time for excerise.  This journey has been not onlybeen a  physical learning process, but a mental one as well.  I realize that when you call this a life long journey of learning, it doesn't seem as hard or as scary. I take one day at a time, one meal at a time. I try to change one thing at a time. It is alot easier and alot less scary.  I hope you all are enjoying this amazing spring weather this weekend.  May you all find comfort and guidence in your own personnel journies. 

Want a Healthier Heart? Plan on it!

Guest post by Gavin Pritchard, Stamford Hospital

Knowing your risk for heart disease and stroke is a huge first step toward optimizing heart health.  Leaving it at just knowing, however, simply isn’t enough.  To make progress, and truly move toward reducing your risks, requires action.  And action takes a plan.     

            No one size fits all, so crafting a plan that is manageable, personalized, and effective, is key.  Proper planning will increase your chances for successful lifestyle modification over time.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating your heart healthy plan. 

Be a Goal Getter

Now that you know your risks, target your efforts specifically toward managing them.  Let the bounty of science backed recommendations from the American Heart Association be your guide.  Setting goals that are specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic, and that establish a time frame of both short term and long term, will make your efforts most efficient and allow them to have the greatest potential for success.  If you need additional help with goal setting, a member of your personal health team, such as your primary care physician, cardiologist, registered dietitian, and/or exercise physiologist, can provide needed guidance and support.

 Write it down and you won’t go wrong

Having a visual, written representation of your plan allows you to keep it in plane site and see your goals, and the steps you want to take to get there, often.  In addition to writing down your goals, your plan might include a schedule for the upcoming day and/or the upcoming week, with meals and snacks drafted out (make your shopping list from this!), built in time for prepping and cooking heart healthy recipes, as well as time carved out for physical activity.  You can even use the template to self-monitor by checking off what you’ve done as you move through the week, and mark how you’ve modified things, if you did so.  Keep it in a binder when complete, and it’s great for future reference.

Bend with the Breeze

Embrace the spirit of flexibility as you move forward with your plan!  Trees that are too rigid tend to break and/or get knocked down when winds get rough, but trees that stay flexible and sway with heavy winds, stay upright the longest.  As the saying goes, life happens, so plan on it.  Allow yourself some wiggle room and permission to not be perfect.  Doing so will likely help you stick with your healthy lifestyle longer, be less stressed, and have more fun doing it.  Successful lifestyle change doesn’t happen overnight.  This is a journey, not a short term, one day event.  Keep moving things forward toward your goals, no matter what

Simplify

Complicated doesn’t necessarily mean better or more effective, so why not keep it simple!  The simpler you make things, the more likely you are to not get overwhelmed, and the more likely you are to stick with your plan.  Maybe you’re planning the same breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the entire week, or you’re starting out with a shorter exercise time and intensity than is recommended.  That’s ok!  You can always add variety and you can always increase your time and duration of your workout as you progress.  Build the good habits first, and add complexity later, as you move forward

See things differently

Progress doesn’t always happen as fast as we would like.  It’s often easier to get down on ourselves than to lift ourselves up.  Perception is power!  Boost your spirits and your self-confidence by giving yourself credit for andy and all successes, whether it’s having an extra vegetable in the morning, choosing whole grain bread on a sandwich, taking a 15 minute walk when you had planned on your usual 60 minute workout, or planning your meals for the next day.  Emphasize the positive things that you’re doing, and try not to beat yourself up for the things you’re not doing yet.  How we perceive things and think about things, really affects our emotions, and ultimately our actions.  So think positive!  The glass can be half full all the time if we let it be!    

Gavin Pritchard, RD, CDE, CD-N

Dietitian-Chef

Population Health and Prevention

Stamford Hospital

Thank you

To Gavin for teaching us tonight how to cook delious food in an easy way. It was fun and easy to learn. We are so lucky to have this journey. 

Great grocery store tour tonight

Cora, the new dietician and nutritionist at ShopRite, took us on an hour and a half tour of the store.  All along the way, she pointed out healthy brands and cooking options and told us how to put together quick, nutritious meals using things like bagged salad from the produce dept. combined with grilled chicken or roasted turkey from the prepared foods section.

I learned about the wide range of Mrs. Dash salt-fee seasonings and sauce packets, got tips on using pure extracts (almond, vanilla, chocolate, etc.) to flavor plain yogurt or oatmeal and got guidelines for cereal and snack bars that they should contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and less than 8 grams of sugar.

There's way too much to tell but the good news is that Cora made up goody bags for each of us with recipes, coupons and a heart health magazine.  Thanks to ShopRite, Stamford Hospital and American Heart Association for creating this very educational experience.

Week Four: Surround Yourself with Support

When you let people know you are choosing a path for healthier living, it helps to make you accountable. Set up your own support system with friends or family to stay on top of your goals. Why are healthy lifestyle choices important to you? Keep those reasons top of mind.

You want to live longer? Research says you can start by surrounding yourself in support and engaging in healthy behaviors more often. It can be hard to ask for help, but reaching out to your friends, family, neighbors, or people in community organizations can help you build a support team that will push you to reach your goals.

There are many types of people you can choose to recruit for your support team. Each can help you in a unique way. Who in your life matches the descriptions below? These are the people you need to recruit for your support team.

Informational Supporters — provide helpful information/suggestions on health, nutrition and physical activity 

Emotional Supporters — provide motivation and encouragement to keep you going on your

road to heart health

Participatory Supporters — provide a partner with whom you can be active or eat healthy

Logistical Supporters — provide practical assistance such as childcare, transportation, or help

getting other tasks done so you can make time for yourself.

Healthy activities can be more fun if you do them with your support group. You can:

• Get a walking partner or start a walking club in your neighborhood or workplace
• Play active games or go on a bike ride with family or friends
• Walk your dog (a furry friend can offer support too!)
• Participate in local charity walks, such as the American Heart Association's Heart Walk
• Organize a heart-healthy potluck lunch or dinner party
• Go to a farmer's market with a friend to find local fruits and vegetables in season

Doesn't get easier

Each week when I leave my trainor Ivana I say to myself it can't get any harder then today. But to my surprise the next session is just as hard or harder. I surprise myself on how far I have come in such a short period of time. I always thought I could never do that. But I can. So can we all in our own individual ways. Have a great week everyone and see you all at cooking class Wednesday night 

It pays to read food labels

In my effort to cut down on the amount of meat I eat, I decided to try some recipes with tofu.  This weekend's recipe was tofu with a coconut/curry sauce, tomatoes and scallions.  I read the calories and ingredients on the coconut milk can while in the store but didn't notice the saturated fat until after the meal was cooking and I was entering the food into LoseIt.  I was horrified to learn each serving would have more than 20g of saturated fat!  So much for a healthier meal.  Lesson learned.  I will find another curry and tofu option next time.

Pleasing ourselves

Should be our first priority in our life. But somehow at times this is not so. I was told once that a women's confidence is the most attractive thing she could have. I agree. Everyone is different, ever go to a amusement park and people watch, when u look around there are no two people alike. We come in all shapes and sizes. That is what is so wonderful about our world everyone is an individual. We are unique, all amazing, all wonderful in our own way. So embrace YOU, there's no one else like you and it should be like that. We will all come out of this journey differently, some thinner, some the same weight but stronger, some confident, some still a little unsure, but that's ok, see, that's why we are all individuals and we all are wonderful people. Embrace you all of you!

Pants are feeling a little loose

Which is encouraging since that definitely was not the case a month ago.  It feels like all the good nutritional advice from Gavin and all the workouts with Lisa are beginning to show some results.  We were happy to welcome Julie to our workout group today and look forward to spending more time with her.

A few people have told me my face is looking thinner - a good sign but my face was the only body part already able to fit into a bikini - am hoping other parts catch up. :)  I'm going to follow Michele's suggestion to make the scale a less important part of my life and focus on how I feel, how clothes fit, how many flights of stairs I can climb comfortably, etc.

Thank you American Heart Association and Stamford Hospital for this wonderful opportunity.

Learning is the key

Met again with Gavin today and went over my nutrition portion of this journey. What I came out learning is that the weight I want to lose May take a lot longer to lose then I have planned. I started out wanting to lose 30 pounds but since I have only lost about 1.5 so far I was disappointed with that. I figured that I would be well onto losing 6-7 pounds by now. Gavin told me it's a life style change with no ending date. It's not a diet with a beginning and end. It's a start with no end because it's a life long living plan. So I hid my scale and will just move forward with my new lifestyle. 

Women's Heart Health Lecture with Dr. Evelyn Cusack

Dr. Evelyn Cusack, cardiologist with Stamford Hospital discussed women & heart disease with the BetterU participants recently. She discussed how the nutrition and fitness changes participants have made during the first two weeks will improve their cardiovascular health. She said adopting these lifestyle changesinto their lives after the program will have a significant impact on their hearts.

Participants asked about the Mediterranean diet and about sodium intake. So many foods we love are packed with sodium! She also touched of the benefits of organic foods (especially produce) and how some things labeled organic might not even good for you.  

Dr. Cusak also told the group about the prevalence of heart disease in women and about how the Go Red campaign emphasized the various risk factors and unique symptoms for women. 

Thank you Dr. Cusack for sharing your expertise with the group!