We hope this article reaches you before you make a dash out of the office for a lunch full of health mistakes. However, lunch hour is probably not the only time women make bad food decisions.
Many of the health issues that we deal with could be reduced or even prevented if they were more cautious with food choices.
Although health problems can be hereditary (and there's no escaping that), daily habits, including food choices and fitness patterns, can determine the severity of diseases.
According to the National Stroke Association, one half of all African-American women will die from stroke or heart disease. Ironically, this is one health issue that is not always caused by genetics.
We must fight the facts.
Icilma Fergus, MD. FACC., assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, says one of a woman's best preventative measures is to eliminate processed foods and foods made with high fructose corn syrup from her diet.
According to the National Stroke Association, one out of three African Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is cause by high levels of sodium and water in the blood stream, which cause the veins to pump with agitated force.
Fergus recommends green leafy vegetables as one of the top healthy food options to reduce high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
"[Green vegetables] are a source of fiber which cleans out your intestines; they are low in calories and high in nutrients," says Fergus, chair of community programming for the Association of Black Cardiologists.
Sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in broccoli, increases the amount of enzymes that can deactivate free radicals and carcinogens, which causes certain types of cancer. Free radicals and carcinogens change the body's DNA and cause tumor growth.
According to Stanford Medicine's cancer center Website, phytochemicals fight off bacteria found in plants, and can also be found in green vegetables, dark berries (raspberries and blueberries) and soy nuts.
Fergus also says the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, balance good and bad cholesterol levels to reduce heart risks, but it also drags tumor developments.
"You want to make sure you include fish in your diet," Fergus says. "Fish should most likely be baked, broiled or boiled."
Other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include kidney beans, flaxseeds and nut oils.
Aside from eating foods packed with phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to stick to a fitness diet.
"The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to stay fit," Fergus says.
With alarming high blood pressure and stroke rates, it is important to choose foods with specific benefits using alternative cooking methods and incorporate a fitness routine in your daily schedule.
It can be difficult to challenge habits that you are comfortable with, but it will reduce various cancer types, hypertension and stroke risks.
Many of the health issues that we deal with could be reduced or even prevented if they were more cautious with food choices.
Although health problems can be hereditary (and there's no escaping that), daily habits, including food choices and fitness patterns, can determine the severity of diseases.
According to the National Stroke Association, one half of all African-American women will die from stroke or heart disease. Ironically, this is one health issue that is not always caused by genetics.
We must fight the facts.
Icilma Fergus, MD. FACC., assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, says one of a woman's best preventative measures is to eliminate processed foods and foods made with high fructose corn syrup from her diet.
According to the National Stroke Association, one out of three African Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is cause by high levels of sodium and water in the blood stream, which cause the veins to pump with agitated force.
Fergus recommends green leafy vegetables as one of the top healthy food options to reduce high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
"[Green vegetables] are a source of fiber which cleans out your intestines; they are low in calories and high in nutrients," says Fergus, chair of community programming for the Association of Black Cardiologists.
Sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in broccoli, increases the amount of enzymes that can deactivate free radicals and carcinogens, which causes certain types of cancer. Free radicals and carcinogens change the body's DNA and cause tumor growth.
According to Stanford Medicine's cancer center Website, phytochemicals fight off bacteria found in plants, and can also be found in green vegetables, dark berries (raspberries and blueberries) and soy nuts.
Fergus also says the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, balance good and bad cholesterol levels to reduce heart risks, but it also drags tumor developments.
"You want to make sure you include fish in your diet," Fergus says. "Fish should most likely be baked, broiled or boiled."
Other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include kidney beans, flaxseeds and nut oils.
Aside from eating foods packed with phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to stick to a fitness diet.
With alarming high blood pressure and stroke rates, it is important to choose foods with specific benefits using alternative cooking methods and incorporate a fitness routine in your daily schedule.
It can be difficult to challenge habits that you are comfortable with, but it will reduce various cancer types, hypertension and stroke risks.
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