Higher blood calcium levels may help lessen the severity of ischemic stroke as well as speed recovery. Ischemic stroke occurs when an artery becomes clogged and blood is unable to reach the brain. Those patients in a recent study who had higher blood calcium levels were less affected by the incidence of stroke and recovered more functionally. The stroke patients who had lower blood calcium levels were more likely to die in hospital.

Blood calcium loss can occur if calcium is deficient in a daily diet. Good sources of calcium include dark leafy green vegetables, dairy products and dried beans. Effective ways to avoid depleting the bodys calcium levels include decreasing salt and caffeine intake, avoiding excess protein and getting the right amount of vitamin A daily.

Many adulthood patterns become set in adolescence, and teaching teens to make healthy food choices will help them prevent future heart disease. A team of dietitians have identified effective methods for promoting fruits and vegetables over sugary treats.

The best way found to help teens learn to make healthy food choices for themselves are household eating rules. Parents are key players in making sure that nutritious snacks are always available at home, that fruits are eaten at breakfast and vegetables with dinner, and that access to sugary snacks and sodas are limited.

Another effective method are adolescent behavior change strategies, aimed at 13-years and older, when teens begin to make more of their own independent choices. These strategies involve goal-setting and dietary journaling, to meet the recommended five a day fruit and vegetable serving guidelines.

Magnesium is an important yet overlooked mineral integral to a healthy heart. The average American diet only provides about half of the recommended daily allowance, which is 400 mg. Magnesium helps keep the heart beating smoothly, aides in maintaining healthy blood pressure, and relaxes arterial muscle tissue.

Deficiency of magnesium in heart and arterial tissues can result in a muscular spasm that causes an oxygen-supplying artery to clamp shut, resulting in sudden death. This incidence is known as ischemic heart disease, or a suffocation of the heart.  Hardened arteries, which lead to heart attacks, can also be caused by a lack of magnesium-- without which the body cannot properly assimilate calcium.

Excellent sources of dietary magnesium include dark chocolate, nuts, avocados, milk, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, lentils, wheat germ, bran, and some meat. Dietary supplements, including combo calcium-magnesium capsules, can be found in most health food stores.