Take These Doctor’s Tips To Heart
Dr. Karol Watson, co-director, Preventative Cardiology Program UCLA Medical Center, offers several ways to help prevent, and reduce the risks, for heart disease.

There are simple steps you can take to lower your chances of developing heart disease and reducing key risk factors, such as high cholesterol and obesity. The good news is that women can decrease their risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent by leading a healthy lifestyle.

As a cardiologist at UCLA, I tell my patients that being proactive to help prevent heart disease can really pay off. This approach is particularly important for African-American women, who generally have higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors – such as high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.

Be Smart About Your Heart
Does your family have a history of heart disease? If so, that increases your risk. So, it’s very important to follow a healthy-heart lifestyle to decrease the likelihood of developing heart disease.

Sounds Like A Plan
A heart-healthy eating plan is vital to lowering cholesterol. The revised American Heart Association guidelines, released in 2000, focus on good-for-us foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein. Diets containing foods like Cheerios cereal that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Keep a journal of what you eat daily, so you can chart your progress and take notes.

The Whole Grain Story
Nine out of 10 Americans don’t eat the recommended three servings of whole grain foods each day for a total of at least 48 grams of whole grain. Whole grain is good for the heart, and can help you maintain a healthier weight. A growing body of evidence supports that people who consume diets rich in whole grain tend to have a healthier body weight than those who don’t. Cheerios is the only leading cold cereal clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1½ cup servings daily of Cheerios reduced bad cholesterol an average of 4% when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol for six weeks. 

Action Step
Try 10 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity three times a day. Find a friend or two (or three), and exercise with someone else. It makes a workout a social occasion you won’t want to miss. Do what you love – walk, run, swim, dance – it all counts!

Kick It
If you smoke – and about one in five black women do – find a way to break the habit. If you can, in just one year you’ll reduce your risk for heart disease by 50-percent. Talk with your doctor and make an action plan to stop smoking.

The Joy of Soy!
When it comes to cholesterol, less is more when referencing LDL (bad) cholesterol. Nearly half of black women have a total cholesterol level that’s too high*. Take steps to lower bad cholesterol by adding soymilk to your diet. According to the FDA, “25 grams of soy protein a day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” Just one serving of 8th Continent® soymilk gives your body 6.25 grams of soy protein each day. Try a delicious Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie on for size and sip up some soy goodness.

Click here to download the smoothie recipe