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Which oils are healthy? 

Eating fat can be heart-healthy if you pick the right kind. Too many of us cut fat willy-nilly and replace it with refined carbs, so we miss out on the benefits of healthy fats, says Suzanne Rostler, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in Framingham, Mass. What’s more, eating lots of refined carbs—like white bread and white rice—can increase triglyceride levels, which can contribute to heart and blood vessel disease.

Adults should get 20% to 35% of their calories from fat, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Here’s how to make sure you’re getting enough of the right kind.


Trans fat

Goal: Limit or eliminate
Trans fats are liquid oils bombarded with hydrogen so they stay solid at room temperature. They’re found in many processed and fried foods.

Trans fats increase total cholesterol and LDL, or bad cholesterol, and lower HDL, the good cholesterol.

Food manufacturers can say a product is trans fat free if it contains less than half a gram per serving. These can add up. Check a product’s ingredient list. If you see the words hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or shortening, it contains trans fat; you’re better off leaving it on the shelf.

Saturated fat 

Goal: Limit
Saturated fat increases total cholesterol and LDL, and may boost your type 2 diabetes risk. Meat, seafood, and dairy products are sources of saturated fat. Some plant foods, like palm and coconut oil, also contain it. Animal or vegetable, saturated fat carries the same risks.

Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products to get their key nutrients while cutting saturated fat.

The Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than 10% of total calories come from saturated fat. So if you eat 2,000 calories a day, for example, keep your saturated fat intake below 22 grams.



Unsaturated fat

Goal: Get more!
Unsaturated fats are mostly good guys—although trans fat is technically an unsaturated fat. However, healthy unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, while trans and saturated fats are solid.

To increase your unsaturated fat, replace solids, like butter, with olive and vegetable oils, and swap red meat for seafood or unsalted nuts. (Seafood and nuts also contain saturated fat, but usually less than red meat.)

The two main types of unsaturated fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats; their chemical structure is slightly different, as are their health benefits.



Cholesterol
Goal: Limit
Scientific understanding of the dangers of dietary cholesterol has shifted. "It used to be thought that eating dietary cholesterol, like in shrimp or eggs, would raise cholesterol," Rostler explains. "It does to some extent, but it’s more important to focus on not eating saturated and trans fats."

For people with normal cholesterol levels, Rostler says, the current recommendation is no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily, while people at high risk of heart disease should consume less than 200 milligrams daily. For perspective, one egg contains about 200 milligrams of cholesterol.




  
Polyunsaturated fats
 
Goal: Get more!
You can find polyunsaturated fats in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils such as corn and safflower oil, and fatty fish. This category encompasses omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are known as essential fatty acids because our bodies don’t make them—we have to get them from food.

Polyunsaturated fats can help lower your total cholesterol level, says Sari Greaves, a registered dietitian and nutrition director at Step Ahead Weight Loss Center, in Bedminster, N.J.



Monounsaturated fats

Goal: Get more!
Monounsaturated fats raise HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL. Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados are good sources.

Trade sour cream dip for hummus (which is rich in olive oil) or guacamole; use veggies or whole-wheat chips to dip. Try peanut oil in a stir-fry to jazz up your diet while helping your heart, says Greaves, who is also an American Dietetic Association spokesperson and coauthor of The Cardiac Recovery Cookbook.

Unsalted nuts contain monounsaturated fat, but they’re high in calories. Sprinkle them on salads or yogurt, rather than eating a 170-calorie handful.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Goal: Get more!
In the world of good fats, omega-3s are superstars. They fight inflammation, help control blood clotting, and lower blood pressure and triglycerides.

Fatty fish like albacore tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources, Greaves says. You don’t have to break the bank to get them; canned Alaskan salmon and canned sardines are okay too.

Vegetable sources include soy, walnuts, and some vegetable oils. There are no specifics on how much you should consume, but the American Heart Association suggests eating at least two 3.5-ounce servings of fish each week.


 Omega-6 fatty acids

Goal: Jury still out
Most of us have no trouble getting enough omega-6s, which are found in vegetable oils and many snack foods.

The ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s in the typical Western diet is around 10 to 1. Some research suggests that between a 2-to-1 and a 4-to-1 ratio reduces the risk of death from heart disease.

There has been some controversy over whether omega-6s can actually be harmful to the heart, but Greaves and Rostler agree that as long as you’re eating them instead of saturated or trans fats, and you make a point of upping your omega-3 intake, you’ll be helping your ticker.

How to lower blood pressure

People with hypertension often need several medications to control blood pressure. But lifestyle changes can ratchet it down too, and maybe even eliminate the need for drugs.

"Anybody who has hypertension should be encouraged to work with their physician to try various things that might help them lower their blood pressure without the use of pharmacologic agents," says Matthew Burg, PhD, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Here are 10 natural ways to lower your blood pressure.


 Exercise more
By following current guidelines on exercise—30 minutes a day, most days a week—you can bring down your blood pressure significantly, says Gerald Fletcher, MD, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla., and a spokesman for the American Heart Association. If you’ve been sedentary, try aerobic exercise to reduce your systolic blood pressure—the top number—by three to five points, and the bottom by two to three, says Dr. Fletcher.

People who get moving are often able to reduce the number of hypertension medications they’re on, he adds. Pick something you like—walking, running, swimming, cycling—and stick with it.


 Eat bananas

You probably know that eating too much salt can raise blood pressure, but most people aren’t aware of the benefits of potassium, which counters sodium’s ill effects. Most don’t get enough of this mineral.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people with hypertension may especially benefit from upping the amount of potassium in their diet. Adults should get at least 4,700 milligrams a day. A few good sources: bananas (422 milligrams each), a baked potato with skin (738 milligrams), orange juice (496 milligrams per cup), and nonfat or low-fat yogurt (531–579 milligrams per 8 ounces).




Cut salt 

People with normal blood pressure, moderately high blood pressure, and full-fledged hypertension can substantially reduce their blood pressure by cutting salt intake. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that people with hypertension limit their intake of salt to less than 1,500 milligrams (600 milligrams of sodium) a day.

We get most of our sodium from processed foods, so stick with whole foods. When you do eat foods with nutrition labels, be sure to check their sodium content.







Don’t smoke

Smokers are at higher risk of hypertension. But even though tobacco and nicotine in cigarettes can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure, smoking itself is not thought to cause chronic hypertension.(Instead, factors associated with smoking, like heavy alcohol consumption and lack of exercise, might be responsible.)

Nevertheless, quitting smoking may help you lower your blood pressure a bit, says Dr. Fletcher. And, of course, the other health benefits are countless.



Lose weight

Research has consistently shown that dropping just a few pounds can have a substantial impact on your blood pressure. Excess weight makes your heart work harder. This extra strain can lead to hypertension, while losing weight lightens your cardiovascular workload.

If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight may be enough to get your blood pressure under control.







Cut back on alcohol

Even though moderate drinking—no more than one drink a day for women, and two a day for men—has heart-health benefits, drinking too much can elevate blood pressure in some people.

Research has found that consuming more than two drinks a day increases the risk of hypertension for both men and women. If you do drink, enjoy your alcoholic beverage with a meal, which may blunt its effects on blood pressure.




De-stress

Managing the stress in your life effectively may help reduce your blood pressure, but there’s not enough research to offer a step-by-step stress-reduction plan for everyone, says Burg.

"There are a number of things that people have developed as practices to induce a state of relaxation and ... which one is better, which is the right one, these are questions that remain to be answered in clinical trials," he says. Nevertheless, Burg recommends that people with high blood pressure look into stress management and find an approach they will be able to practice consistently.


Yoga

Yoga is a great de-stressor. A New Delhi study recently found that yogic breathing exercises reduced blood pressure in people with hypertension, possibly through their effects on the autonomic nervous system, which governs heart rate, digestion, and other largely unconscious functions.

But people should not think of yoga as providing the same benefit as aerobic exercise, Burg says. "Each potentially produces benefit in different ways."






 Skip caffeine

Coffee has some health benefits, but lowering blood pressure isn't one of them. Caffeine can cause short-term spikes in blood pressure, even in people without hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure, it’s a good idea to moderate your caffeine intake to about two cups of coffee per day. You can check whether you’re sensitive to caffeine’s blood-pressure-boosting effects by checking your blood pressure before and within a half hour after consuming your caffeinated beverage. If it increases by 5 or 10 points, you could be caffeine sensitive.




Meditate

Meditation—whether it involves chanting, breathing, visualization, or all the above—can be an effective stress-management tool for many people, Burg says. Again, the important thing is that it makes you feel good, and that you can commit to doing it consistently.

Dealing with chronic illness

If you’re in chronic pain, it’s challenging for you and your friends and family. This is particularly true if you have an "invisible" condition like fibromyalgia, which is hard for other people to understand.

"I think people cannot see how it affects us—at least not like a cast on a broken arm or an open wound," says Lyn Batt, 58, who has fibromyalgia. "I remember looking at my leg thinking that the burning, knife-like pain did not even make my skin red."

If you’re not getting the support you need, try one of these 11 tips.


Share your knowledge

Nothing hurts more than to have someone dismiss your pain or treat you with skepticism and resentment if, for example, you can’t clean the house the way you used to. Unfortunately, it happens.

If he or she is willing, bring that person along to your doctor’s visits, says Charles Cutler, MD, an internist in Norristown, Pa., and former chair of the American College of Physicians Board of Governors.

Talk beforehand about the questions you both might want to ask and the issues you’d like to discuss. Be sure to write them down before you go


Expand your support system

Even supportive friends can tune you out if you talk about the same pain every day, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic. "It almost becomes like a weather report."

Instead, share with others. "If you just need to vent or have somebody hear and share, that’s what pastoral counselors, support groups, and online support groups are for," he says.

Fibrotalk has an online forum. The National Fibromyalgia Association and endfatigue.com both have support group directories.

.

Be choosy

Support groups, whether online or in real life, tend to fall into two categories, says Dr. Teitelbaum: those where people go to vent, get emotional support, and talk about the difficulties in their lives, or those where people focus on new research and getting well.

Depending on your needs at any given time, both approaches may work for you. But don’t be afraid to ditch or switch if a group just isn’t a good fit. "If you feel like you’ve been sucked dry by vampires, don’t go back," he says.


Find a new doc, if necessary

It’s bad news if a relative doesn’t have your back, but unacceptable if your doctor doesn’t.

Supporting chronically ill patients is one of the most important functions of a primary care doctor, says Dr. Cutler.

"Patients really do want to look to a primary care doctor, one that has both the personality and the practice setup that allows for the time to aid a patient who’s dealing with chronic illness," Dr. Cutler says. If you’re not happy, ask around. "If your neighbor, friend, or cousin likes his or her doctor and you like your neighbor, friend, or cousin, then the chemistry might be right."



Let people say "no"

If you have a chronic illness, you need to be able to ask for help when you need it, says Dr. Teitelbaum. But you also need to be OK with family and friends saying "no" sometimes, he adds.

When people feel they cannot say no, it can lead to an unhealthy, codependent relationship, which may ultimately trigger burnout in even your strongest supporters, according to Dr. Teitelbaum.

"This will leave it feeling good on both sides," he notes.


Consider therapy

If you have a chronic illness and your relationship is blowing up at the same time—such as a spouse or partner who’s openly hostile or doesn’t believe you are truly sick—seek counseling.

Family therapy or couples counseling can help you and your loved ones adjust to the demands of a debilitating, life-changing illness.

"The type of counseling is not as important as the mind-set of the counselor," Dr. Teitelbaum says, adding, if it feels good, it’s a good sign.

Dr. Cutler says cognitive behavioral therapy helps people work on their coping approaches, and talk therapy can be "hugely helpful."



Educate the people around you

Helping people understand what’s going on in your body and why it’s making you miserable can be frustrating, especially if—as with fibromyalgia—you look perfectly well, says Batt.

"People need to understand, they need to learn, because without that education they can’t see it, and when they can’t see it, they don’t believe it," she adds.

Luckily, there’s a wealth of information to help people understand chronic illnesses. Dr. Cutler recommends doing a little Web surfing. Reliable sources include the Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus.



Sharpen your own coping skills

People with fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses need support, but they also need to develop their own tools for managing the disease and coping with pain.

Support groups can be helpful in this respect; you can talk with other people about what works for them, and what doesn’t.

One strategy that might help is distracting yourself, either by reading, watching a movie, or engaging in a favorite hobby; studies suggest distraction is an effective coping mechanism when it comes to pain.




Find a medical home

According to Dr. Cutler, the practice setup that works best for chronically ill people is the patient-centered medical home, in which patients have a physician-led team that oversees all their needs. More practices are adopting this approach.

"You don’t need only a doctor; you may need a nurse practitioner, a social worker, a psychologist, a dietitian, and all of that is provided at a medical home," he says. It can help you get support, he adds, because doctors have more time to spend with patients.

To learn more, go to the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative and the American College of Physicians websites.



Join in when you can

When you’re up for it, make time for fun with family and friends—even if it’s just a trip to the mall, Dr. Teitelbaum says.

This doesn’t mean you have to tramp through dozens of stores; you can hang out and rest in the food court when you need to. Just let others know that they don’t have to hold back their activities and that you’ll join them for what you feel you can handle.

If you like to travel, you should; again, just don’t push yourself too hard and make sure your companions understand your limitations.

"You can still join in and not feel excluded and left out," Dr. Teitelbaum says.

Think of "no" as an opportunity

Batt says her family has been very supportive overall, but there have been moments—especially early in her illness — when they got tired of helping.

"There are times you’re counting on your family and something else comes up and interferes and takes their focus away," says Dr. Cutler. "I think that’s part of the human condition."

When this happens, Dr. Teitelbaum says, look at it as a chance to learn other ways to get help, or to help yourself. In these situations, people should "reexplore what they can do for themselves," he adds. "They may be pleasantly surprised."

Memantine, also known by its brand name, Namenda, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only for moderate-to-severe cases of Alzheimer’s, although doctors often prescribe it “off-label” for milder cases of the disease.
“We conclude that there is a lack of efficacy in mild Alzheimer’s,” says the lead researcher, Lon Schneider, M.D., a professor of psychiatry, neurology, and gerontology at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles. “We think physicians, patients, and caregivers should simply know this.”
People with mild Alzheimer’s have impaired short- and long-term memory and typically experience difficulty with tasks such as paying bills, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Those with moderate disease may have trouble remembering their address or phone number and can become confused about the day of the week or their whereabouts.

In 2003, the FDA approved memantine for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease, but two years later the agency rejected an application from the manufacturer, Forest Laboratories, to expand the approval to mild Alzheimer’s.

The drug has nevertheless remained popular for that purpose. Nearly one-fifth of all people with mild Alzheimer’s received the drug in 2006, and the rates may be far higher in some hospitals and practices, according to the study, which appears in the journal Archives of Neurology. Many neurologists—40 percent, by one estimate—even prescribe the drug for mild cognitive impairment, a condition that may or may not progress to full-blown dementia.

Dr. Schneider and his colleagues reanalyzed data from three clinical trials that included 431 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease and 697 with moderate Alzheimer’s. The trials were originally sponsored by Forest, but the new analysis was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and other non-industry sources. (Dr. Schneider has served as a consultant for Forest.)

Patients with mild Alzheimer’s who took memantine showed no improvement in mental function and their ability to handle everyday tasks (such as bathing and dressing) compared to those who took placebo, either within any one trial or when all of the data was combined.
The drug did appear to be slightly more effective for moderate Alzheimer’s. Patients taking memantine continued to experience mental decline while on the drug, but less so than patients taking a placebo. Even in
this group, however, the evidence for memantine’s effectiveness was “meager,” the researchers concluded.

Bad habits for your heart
Everyone wants to have a healthy heart. Still, cardiovascular disease affects more than 1 in 3 adults in the United States.

The good news is that some simple, everyday habits can make a big difference in your ability to live a healthy lifestyle.










Here are the 17 worst habits for your heart, and how to avoid them.






Watching TV

Sitting for hours on end increases your risk of heart attack and stroke, even if you exercise regularly.

“Intermittent exercise doesn’t compensate for the time you sit,” says Harmony R. Reynolds, MD, associate director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.

Why? The lack of movement may affect blood levels of fats and sugars.

Dr. Reynolds advises walking around periodically and, if you’re at work, standing up to talk on the phone.




 Leaving hostility and depression unchecked

Are you feeling stressed, hostile, or depressed? It can take a toll on your heart.

While everyone feels this way some of the time, how you handle these emotions can affect your heart health. “Those likely to internalize stress are in greater danger; research has shown a benefit to laughter and social support,” Dr. Reynolds says.

“And it’s helpful to be able to go to someone and talk about your problems.”






Ignoring the snoring

More than a minor annoyance, snoring can be a sign of something more serious: obstructive sleep apnea. This disorder, marked by breathing that is interrupted during sleep, can cause blood pressure to skyrocket.

More than 18 million Americans adults have sleep apnea, which increases the risk of heart disease. People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for sleep apnea, but slim people can have it too.

If you snore and often wake up feeling tired, talk with your doctor; there are easy ways to screen for apnea, says Robert Ostfeld, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City.



Not flossingWhile the exact reason is unknown, there is a strong link between gum disease and heart disease, Dr. Ostfeld says.

If you don’t floss, sticky, bacteria-laden plaque build up over time, which can lead to gum disease. One theory is that these bacteria trigger inflammation in the body.

“Inflammation promotes all aspects of atherosclerosis,” Dr. Ostfeld says. Treating gum disease can improve blood vessel function.





 Withdrawing from the world

It’s no secret that on some days, other human beings can seem annoying, irritating, and just plain difficult to get along with.


However, it makes sense to strengthen your connections to the ones you actually like. People with stronger connections to family, friends, and society in general tend to live longer, healthier lives.

Everyone needs alone time, but you should still reach out to others and keep in touch whenever you can.




You’re either all or nothingCall it the Weekend Warrior Syndrome.

“I see so many people in their 40s and 50s dive into exercising with good intentions, hurt themselves, and then stop exercising all together,” says Judith S. Hochman, MD, director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at NYU’s Langone Medical Center.

With exercise, it’s wise to aim for slow and steady. “It’s more important to have a regular exercise commitment,” says Dr. Reynolds. “Be in it for the long game.”






Drinking (too much) alcohol

Sure, studies suggest a small amount of alcohol may be good for your heart. Alas, too many over-imbibe.

Excess alcohol is linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and heart failure. In addition, the extra calories can lead to weight gain, a threat to heart health.

If you drink, stick to no more than two drinks per day for men, and no more than one a day for women. (One drink means a 12-ounce beer or 4-ounce glass of wine).



OvereatingBeing overweight is a major risk factor for heart disease, and 72% of men and 64% of women in the U.S are overweight or obese.

Try to eat less, avoid oversize portions, and replace sugary drinks with water.

Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Hochman also suggest cutting portion sizes for high-calorie carbohydrates (think refined pastas and breads) and watching out for foods labeled “low-fat,” which are often high in calories.





Assuming you’re not at risk

Cardiovascular disease—including stroke, heart disease, and heart failure—claims more lives in the United States than any other illness, including cancer.

“Don’t assume you’re not at risk,” says Dr. Ostfeld.

High blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, being overweight, and smoking are all risk factors that should be kept in check.




Eating red meat

It’s best to think of red meat as an occasional treat rather than the foundation of a daily diet. Red meat is high in saturated fat, and there’s also evidence that processed meat, such as bacon and hot dogs, increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Ideally, less than 10% of your diet should come from animals and animal products, Dr. Ostfeld advises.

Can’t part with the beef? Choose a lean cut of red meat and limit your intake. “People have to know that if you want a steak a few times a month, it’s OK,” Dr. Hochman says. “It’s what you’re eating three times a day that’s the issue. Be in it for the long haul. Eat a balanced diet.”





Being a health procrastinator

Check in with an MD so that you know your numbers for cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

If these are elevated, you’re at risk for silent killers like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

One thought: The lifetime risk of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure, for adults in their mid-50s is approximately 90%, even with those who never had a problem before. “The general point is that just because you didn’t have it at 24 doesn’t mean you don’t have it at 54,” Dr. Ostfeld says.



Smoking or living with a smoker

Sure, you’ve heard it a million times before: Don’t smoke. But it bears repeating.

“Smoking is a total disaster for your heart,” says Dr. Ostfeld. Smoking promotes blood clots, which can block blood flow to the heart, and contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries.

It’s also a smart bomb aimed at everyone around you, Dr. Ostfeld says. In fact, about 46,000 nonsmokers who live with a smoker die from heart disease each year because of secondhand smoke.








Stopping or skipping meds

Let’s be honest: Taking pills is a pain. There can be side effects. And it’s easy to forget your meds, especially if you feel fine.

“High blood pressure is called the silent killer because you don’t feel it,” Dr. Ostfeld says. “Saying you feel fine is not a justification for stopping these pills.”

There are 30 types of high blood pressure medications, so there are choices if one isn’t working, Dr. Hochman says. “If one medication doesn’t work, we can try something else.”





Avoiding fruits and vegetables

“The most heart-healthy diet is a plant-based diet,” Dr. Ostfeld says. That means loading up on fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and protein, and keeping junk food to a minimum. In fact, new federal dietary guidelines recommend that half of each meal should be composed of fruits and vegetables.

Research has found that people who eat more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day had about 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke than people who ate less than three servings per day.





Ignoring physical symptoms

If you used to walk up three flights of stairs without a problem, but suddenly you’re short of breath after one flight or have chest pressure, it’s time to call your doctor—now. Never assume it’s because you’re out of shape.

Doctors say “time is muscle,” meaning the quicker you get treatment for possible trouble, the less likely you are to have permanent damage to your heart muscle.

“It’s better for it to be much ado about nothing than sitting on a heart attack for six hours,” which is not uncommon, Dr. Ostfeld says.




Being a salty snacker

The more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure rises. One in three American adults has high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, kidney failure, and heart attack.

“Steer clear of packaged junk food, read the labels for sodium content, and stick to the outer portions of the supermarket, which is where the fruits, vegetables, and (unsalted) nuts are,” Dr. Ostfeld says.

Most of us should keep sodium intake below 2,300 milligrams a day. If you have high blood pressure or are over 50, cut back to 1,500 milligrams.


Eating empty calories

Foods high in sugar, fat, and oil deliver calories, but very few—if any—nutrients your body can use.

Studies have shown that a diet full of empty calories increases the risk of obesity and diabetes.

Look for foods dense in nutrients, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Lean meats and poultry, along with fat-free and low-fat milk, are good choices as well.

Pasta is always on the menu

Here’s how to spa up your noodles and still have a fabulous meal.

Whole-Wheat Linguine with Saffron and Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients: whole-wheat linguine, extra-virgin olive oil, red onion, saffron threads, garlic, roasted red peppers, capers, red wine vinegar, thyme, kosher salt, pepper, Parmesan chees

A big part of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia is learning exercises to help your body relax before bed. One way to do this is through progressive tensing and relaxing of your muscles while lying in bed.

"Start at one end and work your way up or down your body," says Joyce Walsleben, PhD, assistant professor at New York University School of Medicine. "Feel your muscles clench and then release, how they're lying on the bed, how the covers fall over your body. Make it as elaborate or inconsequential as needed to put you into a cocoon of sleep."

 Another version of muscle relaxation: Imagine a wave of relaxation flowing down your body, from your head to your feet. You can give the wave a color, sound, or temperature.

"You should personalize the experience as much as you want," says Kathy Doner, MD, who runs a hypnotherapy practice in Sebastian, Fla. "You might start by just noticing your breath with your hand on your tummy. Then with each out breath, focus on a different section of the body and say a word like 'calm,' 'relax,' or 'peaceful,' whatever works for you. You're redirecting your attention to a part of the body, and when the mind is focused on the body, it's not thinking 'I can't sleep.'"

To try progressive muscle relaxation tonight, follow these step-by-step instructions.


The body responds to stress with muscle tension, which can cause pain or discomfort. Progressive muscle relaxation reduces muscle tension and general mental anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation often helps people get to sleep.
Procedure

You can use a prerecorded audiotape to help you go through all the muscle groups, or you can just learn the order of muscle groups and work through them from memory.
Choose a place where you can lie down on your back and stretch out comfortably, such as a carpeted floor.
Inhale and tense each muscle group (hard but not to the point of cramping) for 4 to 10 seconds, then exhale and suddenly and completely relax the muscle group (do not relax it gradually). Give yourself 10 to 20 seconds to relax.
When you are finished, return to alertness by counting backwards from 5 to 1.
Muscle groups and how to tense them
Hands: Clench them.
Wrists and forearms: Extend them and bend your hands back at the wrist.
Biceps and upper arms: Clench your hands into fists, bend your arms at the elbows, and flex your biceps.
Shoulders: Shrug them.
Forehead: Wrinkle it into a deep frown.
Around the eyes and bridge of the nose: Close your eyes as tightly as possible. (Remove contact lenses before beginning the exercise.)
Cheeks and jaws: Smile as widely as you can.
Around the mouth: Press your lips together tightly. (Check your facial area for tension.)
Back of the neck: Press your head back hard.
Front of the neck: Touch your chin to your chest. (Check your neck and head for tension.)
Chest: Take a deep breath and hold it, then exhale.
Back: Arch your back up and away from the floor.
Stomach: Suck it into a tight knot. (Check your chest and stomach for tension.)
Hips and buttocks: Press the buttocks together tightly.
Thighs: Clench them hard.
Lower legs: Point your toes toward your face, as if trying to bring the toes up to touch your head. Then point your toes away and curl them downward at the same time. (Check the area from your waist down for tension.)

Progressive muscle relaxation is sometimes combined with meditation

We spend roughly a third of our lives in our bedrooms. So it’s not surprising that the state of your boudoir can affect not just the quality of your sleep and your sex life (duh), but also your stress levels, your allergy symptoms, even your exposure to toxins.

Like a lot of us, I suffer from allergies, I don’t sleep as well as I’d like, and I’m definitely always looking for ways to improve my health. So I invited five healthy-living pros—an allergist, a sleep doc, a green-lifestyle specialist, a stress expert, and a sex coach—into my house to assess the state of my bedroom. Turn the page for the surprising health and happiness hazards the experts uncovered, and their tips for turning my bedroom (and yours!) into a truly restorative retreat.

Let there be (less) light The first thing the sleep expert notes is that my near-transparent shades don’t block out the moonlight—let alone streetlights at night. "Melatonin, a hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle, is secreted at night in response to darkness," explains Samuel L. Krachman, DO, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. "Light interferes with its production, making it harder to fall into a deep, restful sleep." In fact, two new studies suggest that exposure to light at night could affect not only your snooze quality but also your blood pressure, glucose levels, ability to regulate body temperature—even cancer risk. He suggests adding blackout curtains, or any opaque shade, to darken the room.

Stop the log-sawing My main sleep complaint, though, is my husband’s snoring. Can Dr. Krachman help with that? His suggested fix: a sleep positioner—a belt with soft foam attachments that will keep my husband from sleeping on his back, which tends to bring on the snoring. For my part, I can wear earplugs and/or run a white-noise machine to dampen the sound.

The green expert’s take
Detox your pillow. Horrified. That’s the only word to describe the reaction of environmental-lifestyle expert Danny Seo when he spies my memory-foam pillow. He tells me that the petroleum-based synthetic foam my Shannon Greer

pillow is made of can emit volatile organic compounds Shannon Greer(VOCs) that can
cause headaches, nausea, eye and throat irritation, and may even contribute to asthma. A better bet would be a natural latex pillow made from rubber trees, he says. But if I’m wedded to the feel of the memory foam (which I am!), I should at least cover it with a 100% cotton pillow protector, which would reduce my toxic load.

Go low-tech Seo is pleased that there’s no TV in the room. But he urges me to move the cordless phone base station, laptop, and electric alarm clock off my night table because of the radio frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) they emit. While the jury is out on the health impact of EMFs (some studies link them to a slightly higher risk of cancer; others have found no direct connection), why risk keeping these EMF sources next to my head all night long?

What the stress expert says
Rethink clutter Stress and trauma expert Barbara Rubel agrees that laptops and cell phones don’t belong in the bedroom—but for another reason: They’re potential stress-causers. So are the piles of material I need to read for work. My personal stress bugaboos are my husband’s dresser-mess—a jumble of change and receipts—and the clothes he leaves on the floor. Rubel’s first tip is to come up with an organizing solution that works for both of us. But she has a plan B: "If you can’t change the system, reframe your thinking. What is positive about seeing your husband’s jeans on the floor? It means he’s here and he’s healthy!" This idea hits home; my husband narrowly escaped the terrorist attacks on 9/11, so I do feel lucky to have him here—jeans on the floor and all.

Finally, a word from the sexpert
Nix mood-killers My snuggly flannel comforter is deemed a liability by sex coach Amy Levine. "Cozy is not sexy," she says. Also not sexy: family photos. I can see how the ’70s-era picture of me, my sister, and my dad on my nightstand is not exactly libido-boosting. Another major no-no is lack of privacy—we have no locks on our door to keep out the kids!

Up the romance factor Levine recommends adding items to my room that make me feel sexually confident and empowered. Though the specifics are different for everyone, she says, some suggestions include an inviting chair to use as an alternate lovemaking spot, fresh flowers, and sensual touching objects (think silk and feathers). We do have night table drawers for stashing "pleasure props." Now if we could just lock the door, resist the siren song of the cozy comforter, and actually use those props!

Other tips and tricks for a healthy boudoir
• Lose those pillows: Sneeze-proof your bed with hypoallergenic casings on your pillows and mattress. And get rid of throw pillows, which can be a breeding ground for dust mites.

• Kick off your shoes: Better yet, leave those kicks out of the bedroom altogether. They track in toxins from the outside world.

• Less is more: Candles cast a sexy glow, but some can also emit irritating VOCs. Stick to just one or two that are 100% soy.

• Time to unplug: Electronic devices can stress you out, interfere with sleep, and sabotage your sex life. "Unless you’re a doctor on call, you don’t need a BlackBerry by the bed," says sleep expert Samuel L. Krachman, DO

So, did the tips help?
My first priority after the experts left was to move the electronics off my nightstand. I also cleared away the nostalgic photos and piles of magazines. Since buying new curtains isn’t our most urgent home-improvement need, I’m exploring what a darker room would feel like by donning a soft sleep mask instead. I actually think it helps me fall asleep faster. (Unfortunately, my husband has resisted trying the anti-snoring sleep positioner.) My new pillow and mattress encasements are making the bed a bit crinkly, but I’m hoping they’ll have me breathing easier. Finally, we’ve decided to have that pesky leak repaired for good. It’ll be a big hassle (we’ll have to rip out and replace the whole wall) and a major investment, but if it helps keep us healthy, it’ll be worth it.

Traditional American fare—just like the American waistline—is looking more than a little pudgy these days.

Even though some states enjoy healthier reputations than others (Yes, Colorado, we mean you), no state is completely guilt-free when it comes to dishes with huge portion sizes, super-high calorie counts, or sky-high fat content.

So if you want to sample some of these regional favorites on your next road trip, your best bet may be to minimize your portion size.

 While you may consider yourself lucky to be working long hours—or working at all—in the current economy, your diligence may be undermining your health in the long run.

People who work an average of 11 or more hours per day have a 67% higher risk of suffering a heart attack or dying from heart disease than people who work a standard seven- to eight-hour day, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Those who work between 10 and 11 hours per day have a 45% higher risk.

Work schedules may be an overlooked and underutilized early warning sign for heart disease, the researchers say.

If doctors simply asked their patients “How many hours do you work?” during office visits, an additional 5 percent of the people who have heart attacks each year might be identified beforehand as being at risk, says the lead researcher, Mika Kivimäki, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London.

Routinely burning the candle at both ends may not increase heart risk by itself, but it may be an indicator of an unhealthy lifestyle in general, according to experts who weren’t involved in the research. The study didn’t show a cause-and-effect relationship between long hours and heart attacks, they point out, and the apparent link could be due to a number of complicated health factors, including stress, lack of exercise, and eating high-calorie takeout rather than healthy home-cooked meals.

“Somebody who works hard may eat fast food and not be very active, so it may not be the long hours that give them heart disease,” says Stephen Kopecky, M.D., a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. “It’s eating fast food and being inactive.”

The study, a new analysis of a larger, long-running study known as Whitehall II, followed more than 7,000 healthy, middle-aged civil servants in the U.K. for an average of 12 years. More than half (54%) of the participants reported working seven to eight hours a day, while roughly 15% and 10% said they worked 10- and 11-hour days, respectively.

The new findings suggest that work hours should be added to the standard list of risk factors for heart disease, the authors say. These factors—which include age, sex, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and history of smoking—are combined in what’s known as the Framingham risk score, a 10-year estimate of heart-disease risk named after a multigenerational study in Framingham, Mass.

Scott Shurmur, M.D., the director of preventive cardiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha, notes that the study did not include information about the participants’ diets, activity levels, or family history of heart disease, and says that it may be premature to change current practice. “It makes sense,” he says, “but it’s hard for me to lay a specific cause and effect on working long hours when we know so little else about the patients.”

And the findings may not translate to all ethnic groups and nationalities, says Robert Scott III, M.D., an associate professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, in Temple. “This looked at civil-servant workers in Britain who were largely white males and at low risk,” he says. “That limits the analysis.”

What’s more, the type of work, and how much you enjoy it, may make a big difference, Kopecky says. While sitting behind a desk for 11 hours may be unhealthy, farmers are notorious for working 12 or even 14 long, hard hours a day—and they tend to live longer than average, he says.

Products that ease the pain

For people with rheumatoid arthritis, painful flare-ups can make opening a door or getting dressed a daunting struggle.

"The number-one tool that one needs during a flare, by far, is this word called autonomy," says Nortin Hadler, MD, a professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "It means the ability to pace the day and choose activities."

Next on the list, Dr. Hadler says: assistive equipment to help you accomplish daily tasks. Here are 10 household tools to make life easier when pain strikes.

Get a lift

If you have knee pain, raising your seat by a few inches can make all the difference. You won’t have to bend your knees as much to sit down, which will make it a lot easier to get back up, Dr. Hadler explains.

Specially designed pads, like the Sissel Sitfit Plus, make it easy to retrofit chairs for more comfortable seating.

For more of a lift, there’s Upeasy’s Power Seat and Seat Assist (electric and nonelectric, respectively), which will give you a gentle push on your way up. They can be used with pretty much any chair or sofa, and they’re portable.


Appealing peelers


Standard, skinny, swivel vegetable peelers are uncomfortable for pretty much everyone to use, not just people with chronic pain, says Dr. Hadler.

There are several nifty new peelers on the market with large handles that make the job of peeling potatoes, carrots, and other fruits and veggies much less difficult.

Rachael Ray’s vegetable peeler features a big, comfy handle, a brush for cleaning potatoes, and even a point at the end for digging out potato eyes. And it comes in bright colors, so it’s easy to spot in your kitchen drawer.


Slicing and dicing

Several types of knives are available with handles and blades specially designed for people with limited mobility and strength.

Dexter’s DuoGlide knives feature large, soft handles that can be held in several different positions for better control, along with ultra-thin, ultra-sharp stainless steel blades.

After testing the knives independently, the Arthritis Foundation awarded them its ease-of-use commendation.


Open sesame

You have several options if you’re looking for help with opening jars or cans. The simply designed Evriholder Easi-Twist Jar Opener can be used for jars of any size.

For cans, this Oxo steel can opener has large handles and runs with a jumbo-size, easy-to-turn knob. Oxo also has a Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener with a similar large knob, and pliers to keep the lid from falling into the can after it’s removed; even better, it’s dishwasher safe.


Hand-washing is recommended for the steel version.



Shear ease

Dull, poorly designed scissors are unacceptable and unusable if you’re in pain. If you’re willing to spend a little more, Fiskars offers dozens of ergonomically designed, super-sharp shears that make cutting paper and fabric a much more pleasant proposition.

They look nice, too. Several of Fiskars’ products have also won the thumbs-up from the Arthritis Foundation for ease of use. Its products include pruners and clippers for the yard and garden, squeeze punches in dozens of different shapes for crafters, and scissors for cutting paper and fabric.


Getting a grip

Securely installed grip bars are a must for getting safely in and out of the bathtub.

If you don’t always need the help, there are portable versions that you can install as needed; these are also useful for travel. Bridge Medical makes a single-grip bar, as well as a telescoping pivot-grip grab bar that can be installed at a variety of angles.

Grip bars for permanent installation tend to be considerably less expensive. Several websites sell a huge variety of grab bars; some, like Mr. Grab Bar, even offer installation.


Shower power

Long-handled brushes and combs can be extremely helpful if you have pain in your shoulders, arms, or hands that makes using regular hair-grooming aids difficult.

WrightStuff.biz offers a 12-inch or 14-inch handle brush and comb set. (Each comb and brush can also be bought individually.)

The handles are designed to be antislip, and both the brush and comb are curved to conform to the head.

The company also sells long-handled hair and body washers, and a long-handled back scrubber.


Longer reach

There are a variety of devices out there to help extend your reach, in several different sizes and at prices ranging from $10 to $100 or more.

The more expensive versions have special features such as grips or magnets capable of picking up coins—take the Ableware Omnigrip Reacher. And some, like the Ableware Vee-Zee C5 Reacher, can be operated without moving the fingers.

The Alligetter Reacher Grabber, with an LED light mounted at the tip, may come in handy if you’re searching for something small in a hard-to-reach place.


Raise the throne



The same applies for toilet seats, which can be a major challenge to navigate when knee pain strikes. There are a number of raised seats you can buy to adapt standard toilets, some of which come with arms.

You’ll want to make sure the seat is installed securely to avoid slippage. Other things to consider: ease of cleaning and installation.

The Etac Hi-Loo With Brackets received high ratings from Amazon users in all these categories, and it can be used with elongated or standard bowls.


Help in the bathroom

If a flare-up makes even wiping yourself difficult, there are devices that can extend your reach and help you maintain your independence—and privacy.

The Vermont Country Store’s Ergonomic Easywipe has a soft silicone end where you can attach toilet paper, with a button that releases the tissue when you’re done.

There’s also a compact version with a carrying case that you can keep in a purse or pocket.