Study Conclusion: Having home-grown fruits and vegetables available for kids makes them more apt to eat healthy.

I start with the conclusion of the study because I'm not so sure that I agree with everything that comes before it. You see, this recent study, conducted at St. Louis University's Obesity Prevention Center, found what is pretty much stated above. After interviewing approximately 1,600 parents of pre-school aged children who reside in rural southeast Missouri, they found that kids who were given homegrown fruits and veggies were more likely to consume the recommended five to thirteen servings per day.

With childhood obesity rates on the rise, dangers of heart disease are becoming something of concern for our children as well as our adult population. Naturally, this whole growing-and-eating healthy vegetables and fruits push is a step in the right direction to combat the issue. What's my problem with it, then? Availability.

It is expensive to eat healthy. It is also expensive to grow healthy food. I'm by no means a green thumb, but I know that to grow crops, you at the very least need some land! Kids living in poor communities most likely live in apartments, not houses. Consequently, they do not have deeded access to any area in which to grow fruits and vegetables.

I hate to come across as negative with all this, but I just don't think it is as easy as the report makes it seem. True, kids can plant gardens in school -- but that's assuming that they are going to school. True, kids who eat fresh vegetables will be more inclined to reach for this healthy snack instead of a Twinkie and a bottle of soda -- but the twinkie and soda only costs about two bucks and can be bought today, whereas growing fresh vegetables and fruit can cost quite a bit of money upfront and will not be ready to eat until months after being planted. And true, kids from homes with fresh gardens are more likely to see their parents eating healthy fruits and vegetables -- but that's also assuming that their parents are home and are not instead working two or three part-time jobs, just to make rent and provide as best as they can for their kids. Quite frankly, they don't have time to sit around and watch flowers grow.

I don't mean to turn this into a social commentary, but I feel that addressing the obesity problem and the rising rates of cardiovascular disease is not something that should be assigned arbitrarily, but should be done through initiatives and methods that can be applied universally. Planting fresh fruits and vegetables in a garden may be a viable solution for .001 percent of the population (and a good one at that for those people), but it does little to help the remainder of the people at risk.

These days everyone's scared of spinach -- and for good reason given the recent E. Coli outbreak. The good news is, it is still safe to eat frozen spinach. In order to eat frozen spinach, you have to boil it -- which removes any risk of exposure to E. Coli. Spinach is an excellent source of Lutein, a heart healthy antioxidant carotene.

People with high levels of carotene in their blood have been found to have the best cardio protection. There are other great alternatives to spinach, such as carotene-containing dark leafy green kale. In addition, kale, collard greens, and beet greens -- the leafy part of the stalk attached to the beet -- contain twice as much Vitamin C as spinach.

The American Heart Association offers an online grocery list builder that allows you to create a shopping list of heart-healthy foods. You can browse by manufacturer or category -- Beverages; Biscuit & Bread Mixes; Breakfast Foods; Soups; Cheeses; Egg Substitutes; Flavored Milks; Soy Milk; Yogurts; Yogurt Drinks; Deli Meat; Desserts; Frozen Foods; Fruits & Vegetables; Meat & Poultry; Pasta, Sauces & Grains; Seafood and Snacks. You can even customize the list by adding items you know to be heart healthy.

Each item listed by manufacturer or category is a food item bearing the heart-check mark. Once you are done creating your grocery list online, simply print it out and take it with you on your next shopping trip. This is a new service and more items are being added, such as the recent addition of Eurofresh Campari Tomatoes; Kirkland Signature Premium Brisket Roast Beef and Milton's Healthy Multi-Grain Plus Bread.

Alas, no products are listed under the coffee category -- yet. But it looks like a very cool service and available for everyone who wants to use it.

After conducting a study involving 29,000 people in 52 countries, the INTERHEART researchers have concluded there are nine risk factors that can predict more than 90 percent of heart attacks. The nine factors are:

• Cigarette smoking.
• Abnormal ratio of blood lipids.
• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Abdominal obesity.
• Stress.
• Lack of daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Lack of daily exercise.
• Regular and moderate alcohol drinking offer modest protection against heart attack.
  

"These risk factors appear to predict the majority of the risk in virtually every region, every ethnic group, in men and women and in the old and the young," said Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences. "This suggests that the message of preventing cardiovascular disease can be quite simple and, generally, similar across the world."

INTERHEART researchers state that conventional wisdom has held approximately half of all heart attacks can be predicted, but their study suggests that almost all heart attacks can be predicted ahead of time. Some are lifestyle factors that can be modified or changed, the remainder can be controlled through monitoring and medication.

You can eat as much as you want, as often as you want -- as long as what you eat is low-calorie, a new study reports. People who eat a diet heavy in vegetables and fruits, low-cal dairy, whole grains and lean meats. Those who consume more low-calorie foods also dramatically increase their intake of nutrients.

Low-calorie density foods are those that contain less calories ounce for ounce while still retaining their mass. Good examples are fruits and vegetables full of fiber and water -- there's still bulk to chew, without the extra weight gain. Calorie dense foods are those full of flour, fat and sugar -- which pack on the pounds even if eaten only in small portions. These include processed snack foods -- especially anything with high oil content like potato chips -- as well as sugary treats and fatty meats. Men who consumed the low-calorie diet consumed 425 less calories, and women consumed 250 less -- though all participants on the diet consumed considerably more food by weight. If you like to eat, eat light.

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.

A new study from Spain provides further evidence that a diet high in healthy fats, such as those found in nuts and olive oil, better prevent heart disease than low-or-no-fat diets. Previous research of Mediterranean peoples whose regional diet contains a high amount of fat revealed a very low incidence of heart disease.

Researchers prescribed a Mediterranean-style diet to a group of men and women 55 and older. This diet-style is well balanced with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fish, with most fat sourced from olive oil and nuts such as almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. Red meat and processed food intake was also highly limited. Virgin olive oil, high in healthy monounsaturated fat, is the least processed of olive oils and thus retains many of its antioxidant properties. It also contains nutrients found to prevent inflammation of the blood vessels. Healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts and olive oil have been found to be of overall benefit to the cardiovascular system.

After three months, the Mediterranean eaters experienced improvements in cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Those participants who were prescribed the alternate low-fat diet that aimed to cut out most all dietary fats showed a dramatic decline in good HDL cholesterol. They also showed no change in blood pressure or sugar levels.

A daily dose of vegetables helps keep the arteries clear, a new study shows. Researchers tested a vegetable rich diet on lab mice bred to quickly develop the arterial plaque build-up that leads to heart attacks and strokes. The results were obtained based on a diet composed of 30 percent vegetables-- and French fries don't count. After 16 weeks, the veggie mice had 38 percent less atherosclerosis, or hardening and narrowing of the arteries, compared to the mice on the veggie-free diet.

The veggie mice also had lower levels of inflammatory protein. Chronic blood vessel inflammation contributes greatly to atherosclerosis. The study focused on the most commonly eaten vegetables: broccoli, carrots, green beans, peas and corn. These, and other veggies, contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant compounds called polyphenols. Along with other antioxidant-rich vitamins, the polyphenols neutralize cell-destroying molecules. So eat your vegetables and have happy arteries.

An interesting study released recently in the Journal of Physiology and Behaviour reports a genetic link to like and dislike of foods in children, in addition to socialized taste. For example, children like to eat meat and fish because of inherited genes. A taste for fruits, vegetables, and sweets, however, is determined by parental influence. The study was initiated with the intent of discovering how some people end up with poor nutritional skills in an effort to prevent obesity, which is linked to increased occurrence of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Researchers studied over 200 pairs of same-sex twins, comparing 103 identical sets and 111 non-identical sets. The idea behind studying twins was that identical pairs share the same genes, so any difference in their individual tastes would have to be linked to environmental influence and not their biology. Researchers then asked the mothers to identify their childrens like or dislike of 77 different foods in the categories of meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, and sweets.

The results were that genetics played a large role in deciding whether the children liked or disliked meat and fish. However, genes did not have much say in whether or not the children liked certain fruits, vegetables or sweets-- suggesting that a taste for any of these foods is attributed to how they are regarded in the home environment. One way parents can ensure early healthy dietary choices is to show their children a preference for fruits and vegetables with enthusiasm, always keeping them plentifully stocked at home. Making good future diet choices is also supported by limiting exposure to sweet treats, as well as not highlighting them as something coveted and desirable.

A polypill was designed in 2003, containing numerous drugs known to help prevent heart disease and combined into one dosage that would cut risk by 80 percent. Shortly thereafter, research began seeking a non-pharmaceutical alternative with the same level of risk reducing effect.

UK scientists designed the polymeal, a diet consisting of several foods known to prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. This alternative is more natural and safer due to the lack of side effects. The polymeal daily menu features wine, dark chocolate, fish (only four times a week), fruits, vegetables, almonds and garlic. The study found that men who prescribed to the polymeal diet were projected to live almost 7 years longer than those not on the diet, and 9 years longer without any incidence of heart disease. Those that do end up with heart disease tend to recover much faster. For women on the polymeal, the onset of heart disease is put off for an additional eight years, and they live an average of five years longer than women who were not on the diet.

Eating a diet rich in plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, will lower your cholesterol naturally. Plant sterols are most commonly found in vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Cholesterol is essential for metabolism and is safely present in all our cells. However, low density lipoprotein (LDL), found in animal products, is known as bad cholesterol because it causes arterial build-up leading to heart attacks. Plant sterols actually block the absorption of LDL, it also blocks re-absorption into the bile in the liver. This lowers the LDL levels in the blood.

Studies have shown that total cholesterol levels can be lowered 15 percent in only 2 weeks by incorporating food products that are supplemented with plant sterols (you still have to get that 30 minutes of exercise a day of course). You can find plant sterol enriched orange juice, yogurt, salad dressing and more at Corowise.com.