Saturday, February 24, 2007

New AHA Guidelines

In case you missed this in the news, the American Heart Association recently announced some new important guidelines. Here is a highlight of some of the recent changes:

- Recommended lifestyle changes to help manage blood pressure include weight control, increased physical activity, alcohol moderation, sodium restriction, and an emphasis on eating fresh fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.
- Besides advising women to quit smoking, the 2007 guidelines recommend counseling, nicotine replacement or other forms of smoking cessation therapy.
- Physical activity recommendations for women who need to lose weight or sustain weight loss have been added – minimum of 60–-90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (e.g., brisk walking) on most, and preferably all, days of the week.
- The guidelines now encourage all women to reduce saturated fats intake to less than 7 percent of calories if possible.
- Specific guidance on omega-3 fatty acid intake and supplementation recommends eating oily fish at least twice a week, and consider taking a capsule supplement of 850–1000 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in women with heart disease, two to four grams for women with high triglycerides.
- Hormone replacement therapy and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are not recommended to prevent heart disease in women.
- Antioxidant supplements (such as vitamin E, C and beta-carotene) should not be used for primary or secondary prevention of CVD.
- Folic acid should not be used to prevent CVD – a change from the 2004 guidelines that did recommend it be considered for use in certain high-risk women.
- Routine low dose aspirin therapy may be considered in women age 65 or older regardless of CVD risk status, if benefits are likely to outweigh other risks. (Previous guidelines did not recommend aspirin in lower risk or healthy women.)
- The upper dosage of aspirin for high-risk women increases to 325 mg per day rather than 162 mg. This brings the women’s guidelines up to date with other recently published guidelines.

You can read more of this report at the AHA's website.

No comments:

Jason Hodge

Certified Personal Trainer
Medical Exercise Specialist

Bringing over 13 years of personal training experience to the Katy, TX area, Jason Hodge strives to improve the health of local residents by helping them lose weight and eliminate pain. While Jason has numerous educational accomplishments, he feels that his greatest asset is his concern for others. Trying to lose or get out of pain is a very tough journey, physically and emotionally. It is my committment to help everyone that I can.

Jason Hodge has been featured in:

  • Katy Magazine
  • Absolutely Katy Magazine
  • Houston Chronicle
  • OnlyKaty.com
  • Freckletown.com

Jason Hodge also:

  • Has Been featured twice on a national radio show
  • Leads the Katy Chamber Health and Wellness Committee
  • 2007 Katy Sun Readers' Choice Award - Personal Trainer of the Year
  • 2008 Katy Sun Readers' Choice Award - Personal Trainer of the Year
His education experience includes:
  • Bachelors in Kinesiology
  • Coopers' Institute Certified Personal Trainer
  • NASM - Certified Personal Trainer
  • NASM - Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist
  • NASM - Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist
  • Titleist Performance Institute - Golf Fitness Instructor
  • AAHFRP - Medical Exercise Specialist
If you are looking for a personal trainer, contact me today.