Interesting Heart Facts

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Healthline is a great website that has a list of interesting facts on all kinds of subjects. Of course, we think the most interesting list is the Heart Facts. Here’s just a sample of the cool things we’ve learned:

  1. The average heart is the size of a fist in an adult.
  2. Your heart will beat about 115,000 times each day.
  3. Your heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day.
  4. An electrical system controls the rhythm of your heart. It’s called the cardiac conduction system.
  5. The heart can continue beating even when it’s disconnected from the body.
  6. The giraffe has a lopsided heart, with their left ventricle being thicker than the right. This is because the left side has to get blood up the giraffe’s long neck to reach their brain.
  7. A woman’s heart beats slightly faster than a man’s heart.
  8. Death from a broken heart, or broken heart syndrome, is possible but extremely rare.
  9. The fairy fly, which is a kind of wasp, has the smallest heart of any living creature
  10. If you were to stretch out your blood vessel system, it would extend over 60,000 miles.

Visit https://www.healthline.com/health/fun-facts-about-the-heart#2 for more interesting heart facts!

Ways to Prevent Heart-Disease

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Although, genetics does plays a part in your overall heart-health, there are steps you can take to help lower the risk of heart disease. If you follow these 3 strategies you’ll be well on your way to a heart-healthy lifestyle.

1. Exercise for 30 minutes a few times a week

Daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease. Exercising helps to keep you more energized, alert, and aids into your overall heart-health. If you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as, maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

2. Don’t smoke or use tobacco

If you smoke or use tobacco the risk factor for developing heart disease is significant. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Eating healthy is vital for protecting your heart-health. You can start by including fruits and vegetables in your diet. There is also a special diet known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). This is an eating plan which helps to protect your heart.

Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, which can help protect your heart. Low-fat sources of protein such as, beans and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

In order to prevent heart disease, it is important to take care of your heart-health!

Information is taken from Mayo Clinic

Nutritional Foods for a Healthier You

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We sometimes feel that in order to be healthy, we need to cook up a storm of healthier concoctions. This doesn’t have to be the case.

Here are  5 superfoods that barely need any preparation or time – just your time in the grocery store.

1. Blueberries: A few blueberries in the morning can do wonders for your heart. Blueberries are high in fiber, which ultimately helps lower cholesterol, maintain a healthy sugar level, and lowers blood pressure. In our opinion, that’s a triple win situation for your heart-health!2. Apples: ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is a true saying! Apples are not only delicious but they are packed with healthy nutrients. They can help lower cholesterol, maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and will lower your risk of cancer and heart disease.

3. Broccoli: As much as you may want melted cheese on it to get rid of that icky taste, it actually has many health benefits. Here’s the good thing about broccoli- you can eat it in three ways, boiled, sautéed, and raw. Whichever way you choose to eat it, it is high in fiber and helps strengthen your immune system, bones, and eyes. It’s nutrients can also help fight certain cancers.

4. Avocado: You can eat avocado in any which way you like and it’s just a simply delicious fruit! Just throw on a bit of salt and pepper and you’re good to go! Avocados are packed with healthy fats and nutrients, which ultimately helps stabilize your blood sugar and lowers cholesterol. This will help prevent heart disease, stroke, circulatory disease, and high blood pressure.

5. Coffee: Last but not least, a good ol’ cup of Joe! Studies show that 4 cups of coffee a day can decrease the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes! Although, it is important to remember to drink in moderation- too much caffeine can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. This is why it is important to drink coffee during the day compared to the night to prevent health issues and eliminate it from your system before bed. You also want to consider decaf.

Now that you know these  5 super-foods, all you have to do is pop into a grocery store, buy a few items, and you’re good to go! Being healthy doesn’t have to be difficult.- There are many ways to be healthy which don’t include much time or effort.

Resources:

 

Happy International Women’s Day! – Protecting Heart-Health

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Heart disease is not only the #1 contributor to premature death in men, but is also the #1 contributor to premature death in women. In light of International Women’s Day, we wanted to share some tips and resources on how to improve your heart-health.

1. Being Active

Doing any kind of physical activity, whether it be walking, swimming or running is good for your heart. Doctors recommend at least  30 minutes of physical activity each day to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Exercise helps to lower blood pressure, which overall helps reduce your risk.

2. Sleep

The recommended sleep per night is  7 to 8 hours. When you receive proper sleep, it gives your body the ability to slow down your blood pressure and heart rate. If you don’t sleep enough, your body constantly produces adrenaline and stress hormones, which keep you awake. That means your blood pressure and heart rate doesn’t slow down as much as it should, and that hurts your heart.

3. Healthy Eating

Eating healthy is essential to having a healthy heart. When you reduce foods with trans fats and replace it healthier food options it aids into a healthier heart.  Fortunately, we have many heart-healthy recipes that you can use towards developing a heart-healthy diet.

Resources

Heart And Stroke Foundation

They have many great resources on what to look out for and how to improve your health.

Participaction

They’re a wonderful resource for learning about and trying new exercises or sports. They not only have great resources for adults, but also for kids on what you can do to stay fit throughout the year.

Congratulations to the 2018 Mikey Network Award Recipients

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Each year The Mikey Network awards a scholarship grant for students at the Ryerson University School of Nutrition, to recognize academic excellence and the promotion of nutrition to prevent chronic heart disease.

We would like to congratulate Sarah Muncaster and Adalia Yang (not present in the photo) for being this years Mikey Network Award recipients!

Each of the students was asked what this award meant to them. Here is what they had to say:

“I’m honoured to receive the Mikey Network Award in acknowledgment of my passion for promoting nutrition to help prevent chronic disease. Its awards like this that can help students focus on their true passions and work towards making a real impact in the field of Nutrition. I can’t thank the Mikey Network enough for this gift!”

-Sarah Muncaster

“I am very grateful to have been considered and granted this award and would like to deeply thank the donors for their generosity and support of Ryerson students with this scholarship. It truly means a lot to receive this encouragement and backing.”

–Adalia Yang

Congratulations, Sarah and Adalia! We hope that this award provides motivation, encouragement, and is one of the first steps in helping you to make the world a healthier place!