How Healthy is Your Heart? Take the 12-Minute Heart Test

Your heart rate is an indicator of your cardiovascular fitness. How quickly it slows down after exercise is an important measurement.

To measure your heart rate recovery, exercise vigorously for five minutes and then take your pulse. Wait two minutes. Then calculate your heart rate again. If you have an average level of fitness, it will drop by 55 beats. Well-conditioned people will see a higher drop, perhaps 70 beats. Generally, the faster you recover, the better your fitness and the lower your risk of heart disease.

Highly Effective Natural Treatments for High Blood Pressure

Untreated high blood pressure can damage many organs in the body and increases the risk for stroke, brain hemorrhage, heart attack, and kidney failure at an early age.

Diet

Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium – Adequate intake of the minerals calcium, potassium, and magnesium is necessary for blood pressure control. When the diet lacks these minerals, supplementation may improve blood pressure control. Potassium-rich foods include avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, grapefruit, nectarines, oranges, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green peas, potatoes, and squash. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts, rice, bananas, potatoes, wheat germ, kidney and lima beans, soy, and molasses.

Herbs and Nutritional Supplements

Garlic – There have been a number of studies examining the effects of garlic supplements on blood pressure. Garlic appears to lower blood pressure by 5 to 10%. It can also lower cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, discourage clot formation, and promote blood circulation.

Hawthorne Berry- Hawthorne Berry helps to offset the increased demands made on the heart for those who are overweight. It also helps recondition and tone-up the heart muscle while reducing body weight.

Hibiscus Flower- The use of hibiscus for the treatment of hypertension has a long traditional history In a clinical trial those consuming hibiscus showed an 11.2% lowering of the systolic blood pressure and a 10.7% decrease in diastolic pressure 12 days after beginning the treatment.

Other Herbs- known to be heart friendly and supportive of heart health include Buchu, Uva Ursi, Juniper Berry and Green Tea Extract. All are safe and present no interaction issues with prescription medications.

You will find all of these herbs and more in our Healthy Choice Blood Pressure Formula™. It’s all natural and each bottle contains a 45-day supply.

Learn more about Healthy Choice Blood Pressure Formula™

Are You Making These 7 Critical Dietary Mistakes?

Most Americans, 76 percent in fact, believe they have healthy eating habits, according to a 2004 poll. Yet 57 percent of the nearly 4,000 adults polled also considered themselves overweight. How can this be? Either the healthy eaters aren't being active enough, or we all have different definitions of "healthy eating."

Everyone, even "healthy" eaters, make mistakes. Here are the biggest dietary mistakes that people make (and still think they're eating healthy).

1) Not eating breakfast (or other meals)- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as your body is literally breaking the "fast" you were in overnight. Your body needs nutrients in the morning to get going -- and not giving them to it will leave you famished (and prone to overeating or binging on junk food) come lunchtime.

2) Drinking lots of fruit juice- Fruit juice does have some vitamins, however, it is also filled with sugar and a lot of extra calories. Some of the lower quality brands also contain artificial colors and flavors and even more added sugar. The healthier choice? Skip the juice and grab a piece of fruit instead, or prepare fresh juice from fruit at home.

3) Drinking Diet Sodas Excessively-Many people think that switching from regular to diet soda is a healthy choice. True, you are getting fewer calories and sugar, but even diet soda is unhealthy. Rather than putting a bunch of artificial sweeteners, flavors and colors (not to mention the caffeine) into your body, you're much better off with plain water or herbal tea.

4) Overloading the Pasta-Pasta got a bad rap during the "low-carb" craze, but there's still a large group of people who swear by it. Pasta, particularly the kind made from whole grains (not refined white flour), can be part of a healthy diet. The trick is to eat it in moderation, as the carbs can raise your blood sugar and lead to a surge of insulin in your body otherwise.

5) Too Many Energy Bars or Sports Drinks- Energy bars, though marketed as health foods, are often little more than over-priced candy bars. Some do have added nutrients, but most have some form of sugar and a lot of calories. Sport's drinks, similarly, are often loaded with sugar (and artificial flavors and colors) and -- unless you're literally running marathons -- you probably don't need those extra calories.

6) Cutting Out All Fat From Your Diet- All fat is not your enemy. In fact, fat is vital for your body to function properly (or at all). The important thing is to know which fats are healthy and which are not. Fats to definitely avoid include trans fats (found in commercial baked goods, margarine, doughnuts, French fries and other snack foods).

Note that monounsaturated fats, the kind found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts, and omega-3 fats, the kind found in fish, are exceptionally healthy and should definitely be included in your diet.

7) Focusing Your Diet on Frozen "Healthy" Dinners-These meals may give you some vegetables and protein, and certain varieties will help you to stay trim by limiting your portion size (if that's all you eat), but they are not especially healthy. Many are lacking nutrients and contain preservatives and other unwanted ingredients.

If you are eating a healthy diet or find snacking and overeating is causing you to hold on to extra pounds read about Hoodia, the most exciting natural weight loss discovery in years. Find out why everyone is talking about Hoodia.

Learn more about Healthy Choice Hoodia-Slim RX™.

The Hidden Dangers of Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

Cholesterol-lowering drugs are the best-selling drugs in history, taken by tens of millions of people. And while the pharmaceutical and medical establishments proclaim them to be "perfectly safe" - they are not.

So, what are some of the side effects that have been clearly associated with "the most popular drugs in history"?

• liver and kidney failure
• irritability and hostility
• permanent nerve and muscle damage
• cognitive decline and memory loss
• fatigue and intolerance to exercise
• the destruction of vital CoQ10, leading to heart
failure
• cancer

Any one of these would be a hefty price to pay. Especially considering that, in most cases, an appropriate diet, nutritional supplements, and physical exercise can normalize your cholesterol without any negative side effects.

(Reference: "Hidden Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs" by Shane Ellison, M.Sc.)

Want an effective and totally safe alternative? Read what this customer had to say about CholesterolCare™

Read more testimonials and get the full story.

How to Avoid Diabetes, One of Today’s Major Health Challenges.

Harvard researchers who recently completed an 18-year study of more than 125,000 people found that taking in extra magnesium significantly reduces the risk of Type-2 diabetes. You should aim for at least 150 to 200 milligrams per day from supplements or -- even better -- the food you eat. Not surprisingly, processed foods are usually stripped of this nutrient. The foods highest in magnesium are leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Get all the Fiber You Need Without Dining on Cardboard.

Fiber keeps you regular, lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, and can help prevent colon cancer and heart disease. But many foods have very little fiber. So how can you get the recommended 20 grams per day?

Avocados are a good start: One avocado contains 12 grams of fiber. Other tasty high-fiber foods include raspberries, black beans, artichokes, and apples.

• Highly Effective Natural Treatments for High Blood Pressure

• Are You Making These 7 Critical Dietary Mistakes?

• The Hidden Dangers of Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

• How to Avoid Diabetes, One of Today’s Major Health Challenges.

• Get all the Fiber You Need Without Dining on Cardboard.