Listen Up Ladies -- Here's How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Listen Up Ladies -- Here's How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

(ARA) - Heart Disease kills more American women each year than all other causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer, but don't let that statistic scare you. According to the American Heart Association, the number one cause of death is also the single most preventable cause of death, and lifestyle factors play a key role.

If you smoke…
Put down the cigarettes. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases HDL (good cholesterol) and increases the tendency for blood to clot.

If you do everything possible to avoid exercise…
Change your attitude and join a gym. Exercise is a great habit to develop that will help you with heart health. It can help lower your blood pressure, improve your blood circulation and keep your weight down.

If you're guilty of regularly eating a non-healthy diet that includes a lot of fat and sugar…
Change your tune! According to the Cleveland Clinic, women who hold excess fat around the middle of their bodies are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Although there is nothing you can do to change your body type -- you can take steps to keep your weight at a healthy level.

A good place to start is by figuring out ways to work the foods that have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease into your diet. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition lists these as including apples, bran, grapefruit, red wine, strawberries, chocolate and pears.

Of all these foods, perhaps the most versatile is the pear. Here are some examples of how adding pears to your diet can benefit your health:

* You can reduce the number of calories you consume at the main course by 12 to 13 percent if you begin a meal with foods that have a lot of bulk or volume, but few calories. A pear fits this bill exactly because of its high fiber and low caloric content, just 100 calories for a medium pear.

* Spice up salads with heart healthy ingredients. A sliced pear makes an excellent addition to a green salad along with blanched sweet potatoes, pistachios and lean chicken. This is a filling, healthy meal that will do your heart good and tastes delicious.

Here's a tasty recipe you may want to try:

* Curried Pear, Pistachio and Grilled Chicken Salad (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients for salad:
6 cups mixed, washed and torn salad greens or spinach
3 large ripe Bartlett Pears, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 small red onion, sliced
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast fillets, chilled

Ingredients for the curry-chile vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced

Directions: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble salad, toss half of the dressing with the salad greens. Divide evenly among 4 salad plates or bowls. Top with pears, nuts, bell pepper and onion. Slice each chicken breast into strips and lay over salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

* Avoid added sugars in your diet whenever possible. Table sugar, honey, brown sugar and other sweeteners offer no value to our diet other than empty calories.

This doesn't mean, however, you have to skip dessert. Imagine a lusciously sweet and healthy fresh, poached pear for dessert each night. This recipe for poached pears includes a small amount of added sugar, but also incorporates heart healthy ingredients like wine and chocolate along with the fiber-rich pears. Bosc is the traditional variety used for poached pears, but any variety can be used.

*Wine Poached Pears in Chocolate Sauce (Makes 6 servings)

6 pears, peeled and sprinkled with the lemon juice as they are peeled
1 lemon, squeezed for juice
peel of 1 orange
2/3 cup sugar
2-1/4 cups of water
1 bottle of red wine
1 stick of cinnamon
1 peppercorn
1 pinch of salt
Fat free chocolate syrup

Directions: Stand the pears in a pan, not touching each other. Sprinkle with the sugar. Add the salt and wine. Then add the orange peel, cinnamon, and peppercorn. Bring the pears to a boil over high heat. As soon as the wine starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Gently lift the pears from the syrup with a slotted spoon, place on a platter or bowl and set aside. Boil the juice down until it is reduced by half. Set aside to cool.

To serve: Pour chocolate into individual serving bowls and warm slightly in microwave. Place poached pear on top of chocolate and drizzle with poaching juices. Top with additional chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings.

For more heart-healthy recipes that include pears, log on to www.calpear.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

SIDEBAR

Warning Signs that a Woman May Be At Risk for a Heart Attack

* Feeling really tired -- even after getting enough sleep.
* Trouble breathing
* Trouble sleeping
* Feeling sick to the stomach
* Feeling scared or nervous
* New or worse headaches
* An ache or burning feeling in the chest, feeling "heavy" or "tight" in the chest
* Pain in the back, between the shoulders
* Pain or tightness in the chest that spreads to the jaw, neck, shoulders, ears or the inside of the arms
* Pain in the belly, above the belly button

Should you feel these signs - do not ignore them. Go to your doctor or clinic right away.