another low sodium find!

Click on the title of this post and it will take you to a website with no salt, no sugar seasonings. Think I'll give some of these a try! www.nosaltnosugar.com if the link doesn't work in the title.

Know your six!

Six Numbers That Matter Most for Your Heart

Cholesterol Total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or lower.
HDL ("good" cholesterol) of 50 mg/dL or higher, if you're a woman, or 40 mg/dL or higher, if you're a man.
Optimal LDL is 100 or lower


Fasting Glucose Less than 100 mg/dL -- Optimal
100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL -- Pre-Diabetic
More than 125 mg/dL -- Diabetic

Blood Pressure Less than 120/80 mm Hg – Normal
120/80 mm Hg to 139/89 mm Hg -- Prehypertension
140/90 mm Hg to 159/99 mm Hg -- Stage 1 hypertension
160/100 mm Hg or higher -- Stage 2 hypertension

Body Mass Index (BMI) Less than 18.5 -- Underweight
18.5-24.9 -- Healthy Weight
25-29.9 -- Overweight
30-39.9 -- Obese
40+ -- Morbidly Obese

Physical Activity 30 minutes of exercise 6x week

Sleep 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night
Too little sleep can promote calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes

New Low Sodium Food find

Just a quick note to tell you of a low sodium food find that my Mom discovered. Mary B's open kettle dumplings. The package she had says zero sodium. They are in the freezer section and we've found them only at Walmart in our area. So, for all those that never thought they would get to enjoy chicken and dumplings because of the sodium, you now can! They are DELICIOUS. I've seen nutrition facts online that say 40 mg sodium per 6 oz but the package my mom had said zero sodium in the entire package. Not sure why the difference but wanted to pass this along to others on a sodium restricted diet. They are cholesterol free also and the package she had was low fat. So, look at your local walmart to see if they carry them. Mom said it's much easier than making dumplings from scratch and just as tasty! I can vouch for the taste!

Also, there is a product called Anne's flat dumplings that have absolutely no sodium in them either. Click on the title of this blogpost for their website. Looks like you can only order in bulk but they do have a list of stores that carry their products. I've never seen these in my local Kroger or Walmart but according to the website, some locations do carry these.

Interview with WCPO for the Go Red for Women Luncheon

Click on the title of this blog post if you'd like to see what aired on WCPO on Thursday, April 21. The Go Red for Women luncheon is coming up on May 5. If you have never been, you will LOVE it. There is so much information about heart health, shopping, educational sessions. You'll come away very empowered IF you take it to heart!

The event will be at Duke Energy Center from 9 am until 1:30 pm. Ginger Zimmerman, a heart transplant survivor will be this years keynote speaker. Details at: https://ahacincinnati.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/20102011CincinnatiGoRedLuncheon/YourEvent/tabid/242154/Default.aspx

Copy and past the link into your browser address.

Heart of Gratitude

Today, I am thinking of a friend I have never met. I prayed for her last year after hearing her story from our youth pastor. Her name is Megan Moss. What an awesome story of hope and faith she has to share. I remember being so thankful when the news came last year that she had a heart. This after being told she was too sick to receive one if in fact one did come. Her family prayed along with thousands of people all over the United States and God showed up right on time....after doctors had done all they could do and science said there was no hope God's healing touch came. God is always right on time, never too early, never too late. Her family has incredible faith and NEVER gave up praying or believing. God answered their prayers and today I am rejoicing with them. I remember praying for her all night when the news came she was too sick to have surgery if a heart came. I'll never forget the feeling I had the next morning when I checked her fathers blog and the post read: We Have a HEART! Megans temp went down from the pneumonia and she was able to have the surgery and receive the heart from her donor. This was an absolute MIRACLE. I'll never forger her story or the faith this family demonstrated in their darkest hour. So, Today, I just wanted to put a poem and a scripture to tell the world how grateful I am for the miracle he gave Megan Moss and for my own miracle. I will never forget what God has done. I remember telling my doctor when I was first diagnosed: My God is bigger than your science. Today, I am living proof and so is Megan Moss. Click on the title of this post to read her father's blog. You can also read her blog at www.meganrmoss.blogspot.com

Heart of Gratitude:

With a heart full of gratitude I want the world to know,
So I can share this feeling, you reap what you do sow.

For gratitude bubbles over when your heart appreciates,
Your prayer that was answered, even though you had to wait.

So count your many blessings. This we all must do.
For your new heart of gratitude will always carry you through.

Deborah J Birdoes

Quote from Scripture:
Come and see what God has done, how awesome his work
in our behalf. Ps. 66:5

Exciting News!

I have some exciting. On Wednesday, April 20, I will be interviewed by Carol Williams for WCPO, channel 9 Cincinnati. They are interviewing me about my story with heart disase. This will be used to promote the Go Red for Women Luncheon coming up May 5th. Not sure when the segment will air. Prayers appreciated! I am so thankful for this opportunity to support such a great cause. I am humbled by the opportunities God has given me because of heart disase. I'm a bit nervous too!

Reposting an old favorite recipe for heart healthy mac and cheese at 120 mg sodium per 1/2 cup!

I wanted to repost this recipe because I had a comment on an old post and someone misunderstood the nutrition contents of this recipe. They mistakenly looked at the nutrition info at the bottem of the page, which is for regular mac and cheese and very high in sodium. This recipe is a healthy version of an old favorite made so those on a sodium restricted diet can enjoy mac and cheese once again. This recipe contains 120 mg of sodium per 1/2 cup, not 1180 as one reader mistakenly thought. I just thought I'd sahre it again in case anyone might want this recipe.

Ok, all of us that suffer with heart failure know that it's impossible to find low sodium mac and cheese. The best thing to do is avoid this on buffets, socials, etc because mac and cheese can contain 800-2000 mg sodium in 1/2 to 1 cup! So, here's a recipe I wanted to pass along. It's low sodium and low fat....very heart healthy. You CAN enjoy mac and cheese again!

Makes 8 servings -serving size 1/2 cup

2 cups Macaroni ( I use whole wheat pasta to make this even healthier!)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1 egg medium size, beaten
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 cups (4 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded, low fat
nonstick oil cooking spray

1. Cook macaroni according to directions. (Do NOT add salt to the cooking water.)
Drain and set aside.

2. Lightly spray saucepan with non stick cooking oil spray and saute onions for
about 3 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine macaroni, onions, remaining ingredients and mix
thoroughly.

4. Transfer mixture into casserole dish, sprayed with non stick cooking oil.

5. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let Stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition fats: Calories: 200, Fat 4 g, Saturated fat 2g, cholesterol 24 mg,
Sodium 120 mg

Compare this to a regular serving of mac and cheese which is for a 1 cup serving. Below represents what a regular "unhealthy" portion of mac and chees would contain. Above recipe is for a healthy version at 120 mg per 1/2 cup serving.

This is nutrition facts for regular mac and cheese, not the posted recipe.
calories 370, calories from fat 160, total fat 18 g, saturated fat 11 g, cholesterol 40 mg and sodium 1130 mg in 1 cup! That's twice what a healthy person needs in a day!