In February you can hardly turn on the TV or browse the Web without seeing reminders about heart health. Do you know your heart heredity?  It's important.  I've mentioned before that my Chicago Grandfather Meredith (originally from near Niles MI) died of heart disease at age 63 in 1944.   I should have told you that the other one, Grandfather Kellogg, probably did too.  He died suddenly at age 60 - either stroke or heart attack - in 1913, leaving his young second wife and their 2 children, ages 9 and 13.  They resided in Lancaster NY near Buffalo.  Both grandmothers, incidentally, did much better, living to 97 and 83.

Besides the two grandmothers, the good news for me is that my parents reached 87 and 89 and my older brother is doing well.  You might want to jot down the names, ages, diseases or issues that caused the deaths of at least 2 generations before you.  Even more is better. One warning:  genealogy is highly addictive, so you may get hooked if you start to look at your family tree.  I am - and enjoy spending time on this wonderful hobby.

Did you know that heart disease is still our #1 killer?  And that its cousin, stroke, is #3?  Altogether 26% of all deaths are due to heart disease.  Heart disease has always been a big threat to men, but is continuing to rise in women.  Let's look at ten lifestyle strategies for promoting a healthy heart.  Evaluate how you're doing as you read through these.

1.  Make more healthful food choices.   How often do you eat whole grains, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy, fresh fruit & vegetables, lean meats and poultry?  Limit your trans fats, partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils, as well as avoid added salt & sugar, alcohol.

2. Lose the belly fat & keep it off.  The visceral fat that's found in a beer belly or apple-shaped body is very dangerous.  It increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some types of cancer  This visceral fat also produces more inflammation than fat found in other parts of the body.  Inflammation is a key player in many chronic diseases.  There's an excellent Cinch Inch-Loss Program that can help you with weight - and a way to get free Cinch products from Shaklee when you join in February or March, 2011.

3. Get more of the sunshine vitamin.  That's Vitamin D, which is far more versatile than we'd thought.  Known for helping to build and maintain strong bones and teeth, Vitamin D also supports our heart function, immune system & facilitates healthy cell development.  Try Shaklee's new Vita-D3 (1000 IU).
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