The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), in partnership with the Adult Congenital Care Cardiac Associates (ACCCA), presented the findings of a multi-center congenital heart disease study at ACC.10 this week, that show more than half of parents of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) do not understand the need for their children to receive life-long care by an adult CHD specialist at an Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) center.

The “Parental Knowledge” study surveyed 492 parents of children with certain congenital heart defects from nine pediatric congenital heart centers nationwide. More than half of these parents were found to have incomplete knowledge of their children’s future specialized health care needs.

More than one million adults in the United States live with congenital heart disease. Nearly half of them require life-long cardiac care from an ACHD specialist, yet only a fraction of that population actually receives it. Studies have shown that lapses in specialized care can last 10 years or more and may result in adverse health outcomes.

“A lapse in specialized care for people living with CHD likely includes a lack of education about their condition,” said Amy Verstappen, president and CEO of the ACHA. “It remains very difficult for us to reach out to people who have been lost to care, so we place a great importance on educating parents and families to ensure more children with CHD grow up receiving the lifelong treatment they need.”

When the Parental Knowledge survey is complete, the ACCCA and the ACHA will begin the “Life-Long Cardiac Care” educational campaign. Brochures and posters will be distributed at the research sites, as well as at other pediatric heart centers, a network of parent support groups, and online CHD-related chat rooms.

“Ninety-six percent of parents surveyed in the Parental Knowledge study were interested in learning more about their children’s future care,” said Sue Fernandes, PA-C at Children’s Hospital Boston, and the coordinator of the study. “This provides us with an excellent opportunity to develop an educational campaign and future research projects to ensure we are targeting the population most at risk of being lost to specialized cardiac care.”

Facts About Congenital Heart Disease:
• In the United States, 1 out of every 100 babies is born with a heart defect.
• Congenital heart disease is the #1 birth defect with more occurrences than Spina Bifida, Down syndrome or hearing loss, yet many are not aware of this condition.
• In most cases, scientists do not know the cause but feel both environmental and genetic factors appear to play a role.
• Today, most heart defects can be corrected or helped with surgery, medicine, or devices, such as artificial valves and pacemakers.
• In the last 25 years, advances in treatment of heart defects have enabled half a million U.S. children with significant heart defects to survive into adulthood.

For more information about the Adult Congenital Heart Association, contact (888) 921-ACHA, or visit www.achaheart.org.

An editorial that was recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that people who sit for extended periods of time, either at work or in front of the TV/computer, have a higher risk of disease than those who move around more. They defined “sedentary” behavior as a lack of whole-body muscle movement as opposed to a lifestyle without exercise.

Recent research has indicated that sitting in front of the TV for hours at a time increases risk of premature death from heart disease. Women’s risk for the metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, increases 26% for every extra hour of sitting in front of the TV. Whole-body muscle inactivity is also associated with obesity and possibly some types of cancer.

So it is true that taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking your car further away and walking the extra steps is actually beneficial. Next time you need to talk to a co-worker, take a walk to his/her desk instead of sending an email or walk into the bank or restaurant instead of using the drive-thru. All extra activity counts and may actually help you live a healthier life!!

For more healthy tips visit www.heart-strong.com.

You’ll Be Amazed: For National Nutrition Month, American Dietetic Association’s Ideas For Helping Kids Develop A Taste For Healthy Food

Children learn their habits, attitudes and beliefs from their parents and other caregivers, and that includes their willingness to try new and healthy foods. For National Nutrition Month®, the American Dietetic Association encourages adults to be good role models and teach your children how to appreciate nutrition and enjoy healthful eating.

“The most important thing you can do is offer your children as many new foods as possible, as early in life as possible,” says registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Sarah Krieger. “It takes much longer to accept new foods when you are older.
“It’s amazing what kids will try,” Krieger says. “Hummus, beans, tropical fruits – whatever is available locally in your area, you can get your kids to enjoy it.
“Involve your children in grocery shopping and meal preparation as much as possible,” Krieger says. “Kids are more likely to try new things – especially fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products – if they are involved in choosing and preparing them.”
A survey by the American Dietetic Association Foundation showed parents have more potential to influence their children’s behavior, including their eating habits, than anyone else. In fact, parents outrank sports celebrities as the person the child “would like to be most,” according to the survey. By eating healthy foods and offering them to your children, you can give your kids opportunities to learn to like a variety of nutritious foods.
Kids can develop a liking for new dishes by researching recipe ideas. “Encourage them to go through cookbooks, or look online. There are Web sites that have hundreds of thousands of recipes you can search, and it makes meal preparation more real for children if they can find recipes themselves,” Krieger says.
One final piece of advice for parents, Krieger says: “Offer healthy foods and eat them yourself, rather than lecture your children. Just do it, put a smile on your face and your kids will follow.”

The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org for more info.

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health (December 2009), Yale researchers tested the effectiveness of menus that included calorie information and also notified customers that the average adult should consume approximately 2,000 calories daily.

In this study, 303 adults were given one of three menus: the first had no labeling at all, the second had calorie information only and the third had calorie information plus the recommended 2,000 calorie daily intake.

The people in the two groups with labeled menus ate about 14% less calories than those that ordered off the menu without any labels. Also, the diners that ordered off the menu with the 2,000 calorie recommendation reported a lower intake of calories over the rest of the day. They ate about 250 calories less than the people in the other 2 groups!

Bottom line: Paying attention to those calories that are listed on the menu can actually help you consume less. Also, it is important to keep in mind the daily 2,000 calorie goal so you can plan your calories accordingly.

For more heart healthy tips visit us at www.heart-strong.com.

In a recent study published in Circulation January 2010, Australia researchers reported that people who watched more than 4 hours of television daily had a 46% higher all cause mortality rate and an 80% higher risk of cardiovascular death during the study period.

The study followed 3,846 men and 4,954 women for 6 years. The average age of study participants was 50 years of age. Every hour of sitting in front of the TV raised a person’s risk of cardiovascular death by 18% and cancer death by 9%. Although they studied people sitting in front of a television, it is suggested that this risk can be associated with any long periods of sitting.

The heavy TV watchers had the most negative health effects regardless of other cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and lack of exercise.
Time spent watching TV can be spent on physical activity and healthy lifestyles to improve health and prevent disease.

So, the skinny TV’s may be making us fat!!!! Time to get up and get moving!!!

For exercise tips and healthy lifestyle information visit us at www.heart-strong.com.

YES IT DOES!!!! A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that those who quit smoking after a heart attack lived longer than those who didn’t quit. They also discovered that just cutting down the number of cigarettes smoked improves survival time.

The study followed 1,500 heart attack survivors for 13 years. First time heart attack survivors who quit smoking were 37% less likely to die during the study period. This reduction in risk was similar to those heart attack survivors who never smoked-a 43% lower risk of death during the study compared to those who continued to smoke.

During the study period, 427 people died. The highest risk was to those who continued smoking, even when other risk factors such as obesity, exercise and overall health were taken into consideration. The good news is that risk is reduced 11% for every 5 cigarettes that are eliminated.

THE BOTTOM LINE: It is NEVER too late to quit smoking!!! Even if you have already had a heart attack, you can live longer if you cut back or kick the cigarettes totally!!!

Last time we reviewed some heart healthy eating and drinking tips for the holiday season. This week, we would like to share some more tips from healthy traveling practices, physical activity and stress management tips.

Having a heart healthy holiday may be easier than you think!

Heart Healthy Travel Tips:
1) If you are delayed in the airport or train station don’t just sit there and complain, get up and walk around!! All extra steps count!
2) If you will be eating on the go, try to pack a few healthy items in your carry on bag-like an apple, orange, banana or granola bar.
3) If you buy something at the newspaper stand/candy shop opt for the nuts over the candy bar. They are high in fiber and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
4) If you will be eating at one of the airport restaurants, opt for the salads minus the creamy dressings, bacon bits, and cheese. Instead, go heavy on the veggies and light/fat free dressings or vinaigrettes. If you want to “sink you teeth” into a sandwich opt for the grilled chicken or turkey club type sandwich and ask for dressings or sauces on the side. Avoid the fried, fatty foods.

Heart Healthy Activity Tips:
1) Participate in outings that involve physical activity like skiing, sleigh riding, ice skating and walking.
2) At the shopping malls park in the furthest spot from the store to increase your walking.
3) Go window shopping and enjoy the holiday decorations. Take your pedometer with you and count your steps. Aim for 10,000 steps per day!
4) Dance at holiday parties.
5) Schedule exercise/physical activity into you routine. Exercise increases your energy level.
6) Take the dog for a walk and enjoy the holiday decorations in the neighborhood.
7) Go Christmas caroling.
Cut down your own Christmas tree.
9) Take the stairs whenever possible instead of elevators and escalators.

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress:
1) Schedule some down time for yourself to relax and de-stress
2) Learn some relaxation techniques and use them throughout your stressful days. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can be very relaxing.
3) Include a chair massage for yourself during holiday shopping trips.
4) Remember to have fun each and every day. Find some humor in every day life. Laughter is a great way to relieve stress.
5) Try to always keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with happy people.
6) Try not to focus on money issues every day. If you have made financial mistakes in the past, use it as a learning experience and avoid similar mistakes in the future.

For additional heart healthy information visit us at www.heart-strong.com.

HAVE A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON and a Wonderful 2010!!!!!

Well, the Holidays are almost upon us and if you are anything like me…you are thinking about some of those delicious holiday treats and gatherings with family and friends. Almost every event that you attend will tempt your will power: cocktail parties, Christmas parties, office parties, etc. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa…food and drink will abound! Tasty hors d’oeuvres….Eggnog …Christmas cookies…Toasting the New Year with your favorite cocktail…etc.etc.etc.

Here are some tips to help you make it through the holiday season without too much damage to your waistline. There are things you can do to try and minimize weight gain during this tough season!

Heart Healthy Holiday Eating Tips:
1) Do not go to holiday parties hungry to avoid overeating at the party.
a. Eat regular meals before the party – do not skip meals.
b. Drink plenty of water before you go.
2) Avoid talking/socializing around the buffet or in the kitchen.
3) Walk around the buffet table first so you can choose the foods you really enjoy-which might be near the end of the table.
4) Watch your portion sizes-moderation is key. Choose a smaller plate if you have an option!
5) Eat slowly! Put your fork down between bites. Eating slower allows you to feel full when you have eaten enough.
6) Avoid high fat items-fried, buttery, creamy, and cheesy; fill your plate with healthy choices like fruits, vegetables, and baked, grilled or broiled options. Try to minimize sauces, dressings and condiments, if possible. These usually add a lot of calories to your food!
7) Bring a healthy meal or snack to a potluck dinner.
Take healthy snacks with you when you go food shopping. NEVER go food shopping when you are hungry.
9) If you are the cook – select healthy dishes prepared in a healthy manner.
a. Try to bake, broil or grill food, avoid fried frying.
b. Use low fat sour cream, cheese, and milk in recipes.
c. When baking, try to use fat free sprays or lower fat ingredients.
d. Try to add beans to salads, casseroles and appetizers (beans add fiber to the meal and helps you feel fuller).
e. Select whole wheat/whole grain products – crackers, bread and pasta (avoid white flour).
f. Serve fresh fruit for dessert or include it in dessert options with low fat cool whip or dark chocolate.
g. Offer bite-sized desserts that are low fat.
h. Serve fruit and vegetables as the main dish and meat as a side dish.

Heart Healthy Drinking Tips:
1) Limit alcoholic beverages to 1 or 2 servings per day.
2) Drink a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages.
3) Eat food prior to and while drinking alcoholic beverages.
4) Do not drink and drive.
5) Choose lighter options to cut back on extra calories – try spritzers, lite beer or low calorie mixers. Avoid drinks mixed with cream and frozen drinks.

Hopefully some of these tips will help guide you through the holiday celebrations. Remember, even small healthy changes count!

Join us next week when we discuss healthy travel tips and ways to stay active and decrease stress during the holidays.

All of us at Heartstrong wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season!!

For more healthy tips, visit us at www.heart-strong.com.