13 Heart-Healthy Meals

13 Heart-Healthy Meals

Every time you decide what to eat, you either increase or decrease your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. Let that inspire you to choose triglyceride-friendly meals.

“Changing the diet can have dramatic effects on triglyceride levels,” says Robert Bonow, MD, former president of the American Heart Association and professor of Medicine at Northwestern University. In fact, a healthy diet -- plus exercise and weight loss if you’re overweight -- can cut your triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%.

The meals below can help lower your triglycerides. You may need to adjust portion sizes to meet your calorie level.

Breakfasts That Protect Your Heart

Start the day off with healthy decisions. Choose one of these delicious breakfasts.   

Cereal & Berry Bowl

1 cup 1% or skim milk

1/2 cup oatmeal with 1-2 Tbsp of chopped walnuts

Or 1 serving of cold cereal, with 5 or more grams of fiber and 8 or less grams of sugar

1 cup raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries on top

Egg Sandwich

1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, or 1/4 cup egg substitutes

1 cup or more of diced tomatoes, spinach leaves, minced onion, and mushrooms

1 tsp trans-fat-free margarine or a small amount of olive oil

2 slices whole wheat toast

1 orange in sections or 1/4 cantaloupe on the side         

Yogurt Parfait

1 cup low-fat or nonfat yogurt

1 cup high-fiber cereal

1 sliced banana, 1 cup mango, or 1 peach

A small handful of almonds on top

Salmon Bagel

1 whole-grain bagel

1 oz sliced smoked salmon

1 Tbsp low-fat or nonfat cream cheese

Capers or fresh dill

1 cup melon cubes with any type of berry on the side

Lunches to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack

Here are some flavorful lunches you can pack, and a few you may even be able to buy.

Soup & Salad

1 cup vegetable, black bean, or lentil soup (or any low-fat or vegetarian soup)

5 whole-wheat crackers

2 cups salad made with dark greens, like spinach, mixed greens, or radicchio

1 cup of any combo of colorful, chopped veggies: broccoli, carrots, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, snow peas, tomatoes

1 cup fruits: apples, grapes, kumquats, pears

1 Tbsp salad dressing made with olive oil or canola oil (or nonfat dressings)

Sandwich With Double Crunch

2 slices whole-wheat bread or 1 hamburger bun

2 oz tuna

1 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise

Minced onion

Dill pickle relish or sugar-free sweet pickle relish

Top with thin slices of apple or pear for crunch (1 medium piece of fruit)

Add this crunchy side: 

Finger Salad

1 cup veggies like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and red pepper strips mixed with fruit such as apple, grapes, or pear (with peel)

Chinese Delight

1 cup veggie stir-fry with 2 oz shrimp, chicken, or tofu (request olive or vegetable oil)

1/2 cup whole-wheat pasta or rice (brown or wild)

1 cup pineapple chunks

A Friendlier “Burger”

2 oz grilled chicken breast on whole-grain sandwich (with 1 Tbsp low-fat or nonfat mayo)

1 cup side salad

1 piece of fresh fruit

Chicken Dinner

3 oz skinless grilled or broiled chicken (breast or dark meat)

1 baked sweet potato, served with 1 tsp trans-fat-free margarine

1 cup steamed broccoli with red pepper rings

1/2 cup light ice cream, frozen yogurt, low-fat or nonfat pudding, with 1 tsp chopped pistachios

Pasta Night

1 cup whole-wheat pasta or spaghetti squash

1 can of Italian diced tomatoes

1 cup or more of sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, peppers, or onions – veggies you like best

Add 3.5 oz. ground turkey breast, tofu, or crumbled meat substitute

Add basil, oregano, or rosemary, whichever flavor you prefer that night

1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, dry grated, reduced fat

Wine: 1 glass for women, 2 for men (Skip the alcohol if your triglycerides are over 200 mg/dL)

Easy Fish

4 oz grilled or sauteed salmon or tuna steaks

Or grilled or broiled shrimp kabobs

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup steamed asparagus with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup wheat couscous with mushroom broth and sliced scallions

1 cup roasted tomatoes

Vegetarian Night for Meat Lovers

1 (8 inch) corn tortillas

1/3 cup refried beans (fat-free or vegetarian)

2 Tbsp salsa

1 oz low-fat or fat-free Mexican cheese

1/2 cup slices of avocado

2 oz crumbled veggie sausage or meat substitute

Beer: 1 glass for women, 2 for men (no alcohol if your triglycerides are over 200 mg/dL)

5 Ways to Save on Medical Costs

5 Ways to Save on Medical Costs

But you can save money on medical care without harming your health, experts say. Follow these tips to trim your health care expenses by hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars.

1. Ask Questions

"Doctor, is this test really necessary?"

It's not always easy to question your doctor. But if money is tight, and you're worried about the added cost of an exam, it's important to speak up, says Davis Liu, MD. Liu is a family doctor with the Permanente Medical Group in California. He's the author of The Thrifty Patient: Vital Insider Tips for Saving Money and Staying Healthy.

"The best way to save money if a doctor does recommend a test is to ask, 'Why?'" Liu says. Is the test necessary for the doctor to make a diagnosis? Can it safely be postponed while you wait to see if your symptoms improve?

"Most diagnoses can be determined by doctors listening and taking a good patient history and then a physical exam," Liu says. "The testing is helpful if the diagnosis isn't clear and more than one possibility remains."

2. Compare Prices

With the rising cost of health care it pays to shop around, says Jeffrey Rice, MD.

Rice is chief executive officer of Healthcare Blue Book. Healthcare Blue Book is a free online consumer guide that helps people determine fair prices in their area for health care products and services.

"The most important thing is that patients understand the cost of their care before they get their care," Rice says. "Most people who have insurance think that if they stay in-network they're going to get the network discount and it doesn't matter where they go" for their care. "It absolutely matters."

"In-network" refers to a list of health care providers who have reached agreements with your insurance company on how much they'll charge for their services. You generally will pay less for providers on that list. 

But it still pays to compare prices within the list. For example, insurers often pay an allowed amount of between $500 and $3,000 for the same MRI, Rice says. "There are huge price variations, and you really need to be careful to not be overcharged."

3. Take Advantage of Online Tools

In a medical emergency, you call 911, period. But if it's not an emergency, could you go to an urgent care center, a store clinic, or a community clinic?

"Actually, the better question is: When do you seek medical care and when do you not need to?" Liu says.

This doesn't mean you should take chances with your health. But online tools can help you decide when it's safe to treat yourself or when to seek medical care.

When you do need medical care, walk-in clinics such as those at pharmacy chain stores "can do basic medical care quickly and possibly at less cost than traditional urgent care centers," Liu says 4. Switch to Generic Drugs

Consider switching to generic medications when possible. The FDA says generic drugs use the same active ingredients and work the same way in the body as brand-name drugs, but they cost 30% to 80% less.

"Generic medications are safe and equally effective as more expensive, newer medications," Liu says.

Other ways to save money on medicines:

·         Check to see whether you are eligible for drug assistance programs in your state.

·         Check with the company that makes your medicine to see if you qualify for financial assistance.

·         Shop around your neighborhood or legitimate online pharmacies for the best prices on prescription drugs.

Liu suggests looking into the $4 generic drugs offered at some national chain stores.

Lower-priced medications are sometimes offered online, but you need to be careful about illegal web sites that sell unsafe drugs. The FDA web site has information that can help you stay clear of risky Internet purchases.

5. Talk With Your Doctor About Pill Splitting

Some people save money by splitting pills in half. Here's how this method works.

Let's say your doctor wants you to take 10 milligrams (mg) of a certain prescription drug. It's possible that the cost of buying a supply of 10-mg pills is the same as buying the same number of 20-mg pills.

If that's the case, your doctor can prescribe the 20-mg pills and you can cut them in half. That way, you'll have twice as many pills for the same price.

But pill splitting can be risky. Some tablets -- because of their size, shape, ingredients, or design -- cannot safely be split. Capsules and time-released drugs, for example, should always be taken whole.

The FDA and the American Medical Association advise against pill splitting unless it is specified in the drug's labeling.

Always check with your doctor first about splitting pills to make sure it's safe.

8 Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk

8 Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk

These lifestyle choices may make cancer less likely.

You’ve seen the hype-filled headlines: “The Cancer Prevention Diet!” “Slash Your Risk of Cancer in Half in Just Minutes a Day!” Is it true that you can cut your cancer risk with simple choices you make every day?

Well, there’s nothing magic about cancer prevention, no “killer app” that can instantly keep you healthy. Genetics play a big role in cancer, so even if you try to live a perfectly healthy life, it’s possible that you may develop cancer.

But experts estimate that at least a third of all adult cancer cases are linked to lifestyle, which is within your control.

With every healthy choice you make -- and every unhealthy habit you drop -- you’re chipping away at your cancer risk. Here are eight of the healthiest habits you can develop to help prevent cancer (plus a ninth one that experts are still cautious about).

What Are Your Cancer Risks? Find Out Here

1. Be Smoke Free.

Lung cancer kills more women and men in the U.S. than any other cancer -- 28% of all cancer deaths, or about 160,000 people every year. The vast majority of those deaths are due to smoking.

And that’s just lung cancer. Smoking has also been linked to more than a dozen other cancers and accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths overall.

That's why many doctors will tell you that the biggest anti-cancer step you can take is to stop smoking, or never start. But even if you’re having trouble quitting entirely, you can reduce your cancer risk significantly by just cutting back.

A study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2010 found that smokers who cut back from about 20 cigarettes per day to less than 10 per day reduced their lung cancer risk by 27%. It’s a good first step, but don't stop there; quit completely for your health's sake.

Even if you’re a nonsmoker, don’t assume smoke isn’t permeating your life. About 3,000 cases of lung cancer each year occur as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke, and there are strong indicators that other cancers may be linked to secondhand smoke as well.

“If you’re in a closed bar or nightclub and 100 people in there are smoking, you might as well be,” says Mack Ruffin IV, MD, MPH, a professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Michigan and an expert in preventive oncology. “If you leave a bar and your clothes are smelling of tobacco, you’ve inhaled a lot of cigarette smoke.”

So think twice before spending regular nights out in smoke-filled clubs, or letting your child ride home regularly with someone who smokes in the car

2. Don't Weight.

Many people probably know that carrying too much weight around isn’t good for your heart, but did you know that it’s a major risk factor for cancer as well? Obesity is the culprit behind some 14% of cancer deaths, and more than 3% of new cancer cases, every year.

“Our No. 1 recommendation for cancer risk reduction is to stay as lean as possible within a healthy weight range. This may be one of the most important ways to prevent cancer,” says Alice Bender, MS, RD, manager of nutrition communications at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

In November 2007, the AICR put out an expert report summarizing how food, nutrition, and physical activity affect cancer and cancer prevention. Being overweight, according to the AICR report, is linked to a wide variety of cancers, including esophageal, pancreatic, gall bladder, breast, endometrial, and kidney cancers.

3. Bust a Move.

All forms of physical activity help to prevent many forms of cancer, according to the AICR Expert Report. You may not get six-pack abs with 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, but a number of studies have found evidence that just this much physical activity can cut your risk of many common cancers by 30% to 50%.

“It doesn’t matter that much what kind of exercise you do, or when -- just do it,” Ruffin says. “Let’s correlate it to smoking. If you can cut your weight down to a healthy range, increase your physical activity, and increase your fruit and vegetable intake. That’s the equivalent to stopping smoking if you were a smoker. People don’t understand how important these factors are, because they creep up over your life span.”

4. Plant Your Plate.

There are a number of different foods that may help to prevent certain types of cancer. “For example, tomatoes, watermelon, and other foods containing lycopene have evidence showing that they probably reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” Bender says.

But if you’re aiming to slice your risk of many cancers across the board, load your plate with plants, particularly non-starchy vegetables and fruits. That’s why the AICR report’s No. 4 recommendation is to eat mostly foods that come from plants -- at least 14 ounces every day. The Mediterranean diet, St. Tropez diet, and the green diet all are based on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Diets that tend to prevent cancer are rich in plant-based foods.

AICR’s “new American plate” plan offers an easy cheat sheet on eating to prevent cancer. Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains should cover two-thirds of your plate; the other one-third should contain lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy.

5. Drop the Drink.

When it comes to health, alcohol wields a double-edged sword. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that light alcohol consumption, especially red wine,may be beneficial for heart health.

But on the other hand, it appears that any alcohol consumption can raise your risk of cancer.

“For cancer, there is no safe level of alcohol,” Bender says. “It’s a dose response: The more you drink, the greater the risk, especially for certain cancers like those of the mouth, throat, and esophagus.” And if you smoke, too, the combined effects of drinking and smoking shoot your risk for these up even higher.

What to do? Both the AICR expert report and the American Cancer Society recommend that women limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day, and men no more than two.

6. Shake Off Stress.

“People always want to know if stress can raise your cancer risk,” Ruffin says. “There’s no convincing evidence that, by itself, stress is an independent risk factor for cancer. But what it cando is lead people to engage in unhealthy behavior in an effort to cope with stress. If you’re overeating, drinking, or smoking to self-medicate your stress away, those behaviors all raise your cancer risk.”

So instead, Ruffin recommends finding healthy ways of coping with stress, like exercise (which helps to reducecancer risk), meditation, and journaling.

 7. Pull Down the Screens.

Many screening tests for various cancers, like mammograms and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, don’t actually prevent cancer -- they just catch it at a very early stage, when it may be more treatable.

But other tests, like Pap tests and colonoscopies, can help detect precancerous changes that, if left untreated, can turn into cervical cancer or colon cancer.

There are many confusing messages about what screening tests different people should use, and when. Instead of trying to figure it out on your own, Ruffin says, talk to your doctor about your individual situation.

Take screening mammograms, for instance. The question isn’t “Should women under 50 get mammograms?” but “Should I,given my own personal situation and family health history, start mammograms before 50?”

“And don’t think one conversation is enough,” Ruffin says. “Things about your health situation change, and so does our knowledge about cancer and screening. Ask your doctor about it this year, and next year, and the year after that

8. Dig Your Roots.

Ruffin advises all of his patients to learn their family health histories in detail. “Family history is where we can really create a personalized strategy for cutting cancer risk and catching it early,” he says. “But it’s a piece I don’t think people bring up nearly often enough.”

So next time you have a family reunion, make it a project to gather information on who’s had what health condition and when. “Gather on Skype or Facebook or face to face and talk about this,” Ruffin says.

The Surgeon General’s Family Health History Initiative lets you create a personalized diagram that you can download to keep on your own computer, or copy and share with other family members to keep the info flowing.

9. Aspirin -- Maybe, and with a Dose of Caution.

Should you take aspirin to prevent cancer? The jury’s still out, but at least some evidence points that way. A large study published in 2010 found that daily use of low-dose aspirin can cut the risk of death due to certain cancers (primarily lung, colorectal, and esophageal cancer) by as much as 21%.

But regular aspirin use can come with side effects, especially stomach bleeding and irritation. Most experts say it’s way too soon to recommend a cancer-fighting aspirin a day.

“We’d all like preventing cancer to be as easy as taking a little pill, but the fact is that you’ll reduce your cancer risk much more by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and eating fruits and vegetables than you will by taking aspirin,” Ruffin says.

Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin on a regular basis for any reason