The Heart of the Matter

The recent sad news of Tim Russert's sudden and untimely death at such a relatively young age stunned millions of Americans. Ultimately it was reported that his heart attack was partly the result from a history of coronary heart disease. You hear this time and time again; a seemingly healthy person from the outside suddenly has a heart attack and you can't understand why. But appearances can be deceiving and sometimes you have to look deep inside to find the answer. There are many reasons as to why one may develop heart disease. Unfortunately, some factors that may lead to a heart attack can be asymptomatic, and others are entirely in our control, like smoking, high blood pressure and weight. There is a high correlation to being overweight and heart disease and in particular where you store that fat. Yes I'm talking about belly fat. Not the kind you can pinch, but the layer of fat that lies deep and covers your organs. 

How do you know if you are at risk? One of the easiest indicators to measure belly fat is simply to take a tape measure and measure your waist circumference (the area between your hip bone and belly button). If your waist measures >35 inches for women and >40 inches for men, its time to change your diet and get off the couch! I was watching Dr. Mehmet Oz (frequent Oprah guest and co-author of YOU on a Diet, which I recommend for your personal library) on Good Morning America yesterday morning and he gave     5 great tips to trim belly fat. I thought they were worth repeating: 

1. Avoid added simple sugars. In other words read nutrition labels and if anything ends in "-ose" put it back on the shelf. A few culprits include soda, and products with refined sugars (think processed foods). 
2. Limit alcohol consumption. Moderation, moderation, moderation!! An excessive amount of alcohol can raise the level of triglycerides (fat in the blood) as well as increase your calorie intake. According to the American Heart Association the recommendation for alcohol is: 1-2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. That means (1) 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits. 
3. Get a good night sleep. Studies have shown that people who get less than 4 hours of sleep a night are more likely to be obese than those who get at least 7 hours a night. By not getting enough sleep, the part of your brain that controls appetite leads the body to think you are hungry when you probably aren't. 
4. De-stress your life. Of course it would be great to get rid of all the things that stress us out, but while that seems unlikely, think about your reaction. It's during the "flight or fight" response when we get stressed that our body releases cortisol, adrenaline and insulin. An increase of cortisol increases appetite and has been shown to lead to increased fat storage, especially around the mid section. 
5. Get moving! Unfortunately sit-ups won't give you six-pack abs if you are carrying that extra weight...no matter how many you do! That doesn't mean forget doing them altogether. It means in order to see that definition you crave you have to burn fat too! All it takes is 30 minutes a day of some type of aerobic activity, which could be as simple as 30 minutes of fast walking. Of course, it's always best to consult your doctor and/or trained professional to develop the best program for you. 

It's a true but sad fact that the older we get our metabolism slows down and as a result the amount of fat in our body slowly increases. That's why it's even more important to eat right and exercise. If you think you are at risk, no time like the present to start doing something about it. Not only will you look great for the summer, but your heart will thank you too! 

For more information go to www.americanheart.org

Other books by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizan include YOU the Owner's Manual and                    YOU Staying Young