April 26th, 2012...Save the Date!

Our next Cardio Wellness Community Forum will be held on April 26th, 2012.  Last quarter we had over 150 individuals come out and share an evening of HEALTH together.  We are looking forward to meeting more of our community at our next Community Forum.  So, invite your Friends and Family for a night out for your HEALTH.  
Event is Free

Healthy Appetizers and Drinks will be served

Presentations by Dr. Richard Moe, Dr. James O'Keefe and Becky Captain, NP

See attached flyer for details. 

RSVP to Vicki at 816-751-8388 or vcarson@saint-lukes.org

Healthy Snacks Under 200 Calories

4 oz plain non fat Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup berries sprinkled with 1 teaspoon walnuts or almonds
Raw veggies with hummus or small handful of nuts

4 oz plain non fat Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon of all natural peanut butter and apple or celery slices

Apple slices and celery sticks with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter or almonds

1 oz unprocessed cheese and small piece of fruit

Baked apple slices with cinnamon sprinkled on top  (lightly drizzle with olive oil or spray olive oil on top before cinnamon)

1/2 cup pineapple chopped or 1/2 cup of blueberries with non fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup non fat cottage cheese with tomato slices and 1 teaspoon of sunflower seeds

Zucchini and cucumber slices with 1 oz of low fat ranch dressing

1 medium sweet potato baked with cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2% String cheese and small apple or sliced cucumber/zucchini

1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1/2 slice of pear

1/4 avocado with non fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup edamame with 6 almonds

1/2 cup slow cooked oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of all natural peanut butter or cinnamon and 1 tablespoon pecans 

1 medium banana mashed with 1 teaspoon walnuts and 1 teaspoon peanut butter

8 oz skim milk with 1/2 oz dark chocolate

6 fresh apricots or 28 grapes with 1/2 oz low fat cheese

Turkey roll ups:  2 slices white meat turkey rolled in 2 lettuce leaves

2 hard cooked egg whites with cup of sliced cucumber

2 slices Wasa Fibre Crisp bread with 4 teaspoons hummus

1 cup carrots with 2 tablespoons of light ranch dressing

2 Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb Wedge Spread on cucumber slices

2 oz fat free mozzarella dipped in 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce

2 cups fresh strawberries or raspberries and 2 tablespoons of crushed nuts

1 8oz can reduced sodium V8 juice and 1 small handful nuts

1 cup plain non fat Greek Yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon crushed pecans

Fruit Dessert: (mix together)  1 cup of sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon low fat cool whip mixed with 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with 1 teaspoon of crushed walnuts

Fruit Dip:  (mix together)  1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder with 1 teaspoon peanut butter.  Serve with sliced apples or pears of 1/2 banana

Fruit Salad:  1 medium sliced apple, 1 medium orange peeled and sliced and 2 kiwis peeled and sliced

Yogurt Smoothie:  (mix in blender)  1 cup frozen peaches, strawberries or raspberries with 1/2 cup non fat cottage cheese and 1/2 cup non fat yogurt


Joan O'Keefe's Protein Pancakes:  (mix in blender and cook)   1/4 cup non fat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup egg beaters, 1/2 cup slow cooked oats, 1/3 mashed banana, sprinkle with cinnamon and top with 1 teaspoon peanut butter

What Kind Of Omega 3 Supplement Are You Taking?

Did you know that fish oil producers are threatening species that are vital to the health of our oceans?  That’s right the increasing demand for fish oils can be the cause of the killing off of the very fish that clean our ocean waters.

Click here for the complete story by Time Magazine

What makes matters worse is that it is all for nothing!  Calamarine Oil is NOT fish oil but contains the essential omega 3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA we need.  Calamarine oil is derived from several species of deep water squid.  Squid has a short lifespan and they spawn in large numbers allowing for them to multiply quickly.  In addition to having a large supply of squid…these squid are already being caught!  This is the same squid served in restaurants as Calamari.  Therefore, those Omega 3 capsules that are from Calamarine oils…are from the squid that were already being caught for Calamari.  By using Calamarine oils we are not disturbing our ecosystem.

Now that you know where Calamarine oil is from and that it maintains our current ecosystem; how can this help YOUR health and the health of our patients?   Fish Oils and Calamarine oils contain 2 of  the healthiest Omega 3 fatty acids:  EPA and DHA.   Your body needs both; but, the health benefits of each differ.

• DHA is better for your blood pressure
• DHA is better for your vision
• DHA is better for macular degeneration
• DHA is better for Alzheimer’s dementia
• DHA is better for brain health
• DHA is better for maternal-childhood development
• DHA is better for CV prevention

Additionally, DHA is good for one’s general health and for reducing inflammation in the body and for reducing one’s triglycerides. 

And guess what?  Calamarine oil is highest in DHA!
So when you are looking to take Omega 3 fatty acids or recommending them to your patients…recommend them in the form of Calamarine oil!  I take CardioTabs Extra StrengthOmega 3 Oils.  In 2 capsules I get 1200 mg of the DHA + EPA combined (800 mg of which is DHA!) and 600 IU of Vitamin D3.
Help save our oceans and give yourself and your patients a high quality supplement.

References:

Mori, T.A. and Woodman, R.J. The independent effects of eicosapentaenoic acid

and docosahexaenoic acid on cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Curr Opin Clin
Nutr Metab Care. 2006; 9(2):95-104.

Mori, T.A.; Bao, D.Q. et al. Docosahexaenoic acid but not eicosapentaenoic acid

lowers ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate in humans. Hypertension. 1999;
34(2):253-260.

Mori, T.A.; Watts, G.F. et al. Differential effects of eicosapentaenoic acid and

docosahexaenoic acid on vascular reactivity of the forearm microcirculation in
hyperlipidemic, overweight men. Circulation. 2000; 102(11):1264-1269.

Erkkila, A.T.; Matthan, N.R. et al. Higher plasma docosahexaenoic acid is

associated with reduced progression of coronary atherosclerosis in women with
CAD. J Lipid Res. 2006; 47(12):2814-2819.

Bazan, N.G. Cell survival matters: docosahexaenoic acid signaling, neuroprotection

and photoreceptors. Trends Neurosci. 2006; 29(5):263-271.

Mukherjee, P.K.; Marcheselli, V.L. et al. Neurotrophins enhance retinal pigment
epithelial cell survival through neuroprotectin D1 signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S
A. 2007; 104(32):13152-13157

Schaefer, E.J.; Bongard, V. et al. Plasma phosphatidylcholine docosahexaenoic acid

content and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Heart Study.
Arch Neurol. 2006; 63(11):1545-1550.

Suzuki, H.; Morikawa, Y.; and Takahashi, H. Effect of DHA oil supplementation
on intelligence and visual acuity in the elderly. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2001; 88:68-
71.

Colombo, J.; Kannass, K.N. et al. Maternal DHA and the development of attention

in infancy and toddlerhood. Child Dev. 2004; 75(4):1254-1267.

Cheruku, S.R.; Montgomery-Downs, H.E. et al. Higher maternal plasma

docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy is associated with more mature neonatal
sleep-state patterning. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 76(3):608-613.

Helland, I.B.; Smith, L. et al. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3
fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children's IQ at 4 years of age.
Pediatrics. 2003; 111(1):e39-

Becky's Update

Hi All.  Apologize for taking time away from the blog the last couple of months. 

At the Cardio Wellness Center were I work we are expanding and have hired new employees to the team.  Tammy Gazzano, is our scheduler and is great with making sure all your needs are met when making appointments for both Shirley Verbenec, NP and myself... as well as keeps track of our yearly data.  (Did you know last year we completed over 2500 patient visits.  82% of those visits were we patients with known heart disease and less than 1% of those visits had a heart event!)  Vicki Carson is our Coordinator and she is in charge of keeping the clinic running smoothly and coordinating all our programs.  Shirley Verbenec is another Nurse Practitioner who specializes in preventive cardiology and weight loss. She will begin seeing patients tomorrow! Our technician many of you already know, Valencia Lewis is still at the Cardio Wellness Center drawing your blood and taking vital signs and measurements (she has been nominated for Employee of the Quarter by the way) and Judy Donnelly is the Cardio Wellness Nurse...she has been helping our patients for over a decade now.   Feel free to get to know each team member at your next visit.

January 26th, 2012 we held our first Cardio Wellness Community Forum.  We had an unbelieveable turn out with over 150 people from our community attending.  Thanks to all of you who came out to help make this a success.  Great job to Vicki in working her first program with the Cardio Wellness Center.  We will have these quarterly with our next one scheduled for April 26th, 2012 at Saint Luke's Northland Medical Park, Conference Center.  More information will be posted soon.  RSVP to Vicki at 816-751-8388. 

And in February our annual weight loss competition began.  We have the highest turn out ever for participants in the weight loss competiton...we doubled last years registration!  This years 1st place prize for the female winner is just over $3900.  Good luck to all our participants. 

In February this year for Heart Month the Cardio Wellness Center partnered with all the Kansas City Metro area HyVees for "Cooking With Cardio Wellness" ...we had 130 people come out to one of these events.  It was fun celebrating heart month with YOU.

So even though I have been away from the blogging....my mind has still be on giving back and helping others live a optimal life. 

I have had several questions in regards to people wanting information on fish oils, weight loss and healthy snack ideas....so in the next few weeks...I will be posting on these topics.  If there is a topic your prefer send your ideas my way and I'll see what I can do.

Becky