Heart Disease kills more American women each year than all other causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer, but don’t let that statistic scare you. According to the American Heart Association, the number one cause of death is also the single most preventable cause of death, and lifestyle factors play a key role.
If you smoke…
Put down the cigarettes. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases HDL (good cholesterol) and increases the tendency for blood to clot.
If you do everything possible to avoid exercise…
Change your attitude and join a gym. Exercise is a great habit to develop that will help you with heart health. It can help lower your blood pressure, improve your blood circulation and keep your weight down.
If you’re guilty of regularly eating a non-healthy diet that includes a lot of fat and sugar…
Change your tune! According to the Cleveland Clinic, women who hold excess fat around the middle of their bodies are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Although there is nothing you can do to change your body type -- you can take steps to keep your weight at a healthy level.
A good place to start is by figuring out ways to work the foods that have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease into your diet. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition lists these as including apples, bran, grapefruit, red wine, strawberries, chocolate and pears.
Of all these foods, perhaps the most versatile is the pear. Here are some examples of how adding pears to your diet can benefit your health:
* You can reduce the number of calories you consume at the main course by 12 to 13 percent if you begin a meal with foods that have a lot of bulk or volume, but few calories. A pear fits this bill exactly because of its high fiber and low caloric content, just 100 calories for a medium pear.
* Spice up salads with heart healthy ingredients. A sliced pear makes an excellent addition to a green salad along with blanched sweet potatoes, pistachios and lean chicken. This is a filling, healthy meal that will do your heart good and tastes delicious.
Here’s a tasty recipe you may want to try:
* Curried Pear, Pistachio and Grilled Chicken Salad (Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients for salad:
6 cups mixed, washed and torn salad greens or spinach
3 large ripe Bartlett Pears, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 small red onion, sliced
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast fillets, chilled
Ingredients for the curry-chile vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
Directions: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble salad, toss half of the dressing with the salad greens. Divide evenly among 4 salad plates or bowls. Top with pears, nuts, bell pepper and onion. Slice each chicken breast into strips and lay over salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing.
* Avoid added sugars in your diet whenever possible. Table sugar, honey, brown sugar and other sweeteners offer no value to our diet other than empty calories.
This doesn’t mean, however, you have to skip dessert. Imagine a lusciously sweet and healthy fresh, poached pear for dessert each night. This recipe for poached pears includes a small amount of added sugar, but also incorporates heart healthy ingredients like wine and chocolate along with the fiber-rich pears. Bosc is the traditional variety used for poached pears, but any variety can be used.
*Wine Poached Pears in Chocolate Sauce (Makes 6 servings)
6 pears, peeled and sprinkled with the lemon juice as they are peeled
1 lemon, squeezed for juice
peel of 1 orange
2/3 cup sugar
2-1/4 cups of water
1 bottle of red wine
1 stick of cinnamon
1 peppercorn
1 pinch of salt
Fat free chocolate syrup
Directions: Stand the pears in a pan, not touching each other. Sprinkle with the sugar. Add the salt and wine. Then add the orange peel, cinnamon, and peppercorn. Bring the pears to a boil over high heat. As soon as the wine starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Gently lift the pears from the syrup with a slotted spoon, place on a platter or bowl and set aside. Boil the juice down until it is reduced by half. Set aside to cool.
To serve: Pour chocolate into individual serving bowls and warm slightly in microwave. Place poached pear on top of chocolate and drizzle with poaching juices. Top with additional chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings.
For more heart-healthy recipes that include pears, log on to www.calpear.com.
Courtesy of ARA content
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
As the school year winds down, the sun was shining high as Morris Elementary School and the community celebrated student success with a splash. click for more
The Berkshire Community College community celebrated outgoing President Ellen Kennedy for the innovation, kindness, and curiosity she has fostered on campus over the last 14 years. click for more
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Anthony Salatino Jr. says his memory is getting a little foggy about his time in the Army.
But he remembers how terrible D-Day was, and feeling lucky he wasn't among those in the initial invasion force 82 years ago. click for more
