American women are often under the delusion that heart disease is a man’s disease. The fact is that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the US. The difference is women tend to have a later onset of heart disease, but are still just as susceptible as men to poor lifestyle choices. Poor diet, lack of regular exercise and smoking all can affect women to a greater degree than men to increase their risk of heart disease.

I have recently authored the book The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life, in which I address many ways to reduce poor health risk factors by improving your choices. Specifically, I have learned about the molecule called resveratrol that is found in red grape skins, which can have very positive health benefits, especially for the heart. Since the discovery of the cardioprotective effects of red wine in the French in the 1970’s, the major focus of both clinical interest and research has been to discover the link between this so called ‘French Paradox.’ How is it that the French can eat extremely fatty foods, yet have a much lower incidence of heart disease than in the US? Over the last 30 years much of the research has concluded that polyphenols, the organic molecules found in red wine grape skins and concentrated in wine, provided most of their cardioprotective benefits.

More recently, researchers at Harvard have shown the polyphenol, resveratrol, also in red wine grape skins, peanuts and the medicinal plant Polygonum cuspidatum, has been shown to be biologically active within human cellular and organ systems and may be the source of this protection. The exact underlying mechanisms for resveratrol’s benefits appear to center on its ability to activate longevity genes or survival genes. These genes are found in all animals, including humans, and have been shown to modulate life span in many species. This modulation occurs when diseases typically associated with aging are reduced by improved cell defense and survival in response to stressors, such as aging. The biological effects of resveratrol also include protection of cells from lipid (cholesterol) breakdown products and reduce oxidative stress, which is responsible for inflammation and plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Resveratrol also has anti–cancer properties and can promotion prolonged cellular lifespan. In recent studies, researchers have verified that resveratrol can reduce heart cell death even when stressed with low levels of oxygen levels.

At present the Resveratrol supplement industry is made up of diverse products from a variety of manufacturers and producers distributed through multiple channels. Go online, and you may quickly become confused by hundreds of different claims and counterclaims. If you decide to take a resveratrol–containing dietary supplement, the optimal product would have the following characteristics:

• Produced in an oxygen–free, nitrogen–rich environment
• Sealed in airtight bottles and vials
• Stored away from heat
• Made with trans–Resveratrol, not cis Resveratrol
• Shown to activate sirtuin activity through professional testing
• Produced by manufacturers who comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Free from fillers and additives such as sugar, starch, gluten and artificial colors of flavors.

There are several Resveratrol–containing products that meet all of the above standards. A few also claim to be manufactured with certified organic ingredients. Reserveage Organics™, sold at various retail stores nationwide, and ResVitale™, sold exclusively at GNC, can both claim these attributes. Other products are also available online, but it is often difficult to determine all these properties. There are also several drink products such as Resveratrol Life Tonic™ that promote having over 100 bottles of wine per ounce. Food sources, such as grapes, red wine, berries, and nuts are also important. In my book, The Longevity Factor, I review many healthy diets and recipes containing food choices with higher levels of resveratrol and other healthy polyphenols.

In summary, resveratrol, a polyphenol, possesses diverse biochemical and physiological actions, including reduction of blood clotting and anti–inflammatory properties. Several recent studies have determined the cardioprotective abilities of resveratrol to block heart muscle injury, atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, and reduce ventricular arrhythmias. Women should be made aware of this exciting information and be able to make the right choices for better heart health. It is important to consult with you healthcare professional prior to taking any supplement if you have a medical condition, taking prescription medications, pregnant or breast–feeding.

Joseph C. Maroon, MD, is a board-certified clinical professor of neurological surgery and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is also the Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience.

New Year resolutions came and went. Spring is lurking around the corner and you find yourself still wanting to lose weight and in need of motivation. Let this new season motivate you to make a fresh start. Spring will motivate you with longer days and a much wanted warmer weather. You are not training for Boot Camp or for the New York marathon. Just getting more activity than what you are used to is a great start! It’s time to break down barriers, face fears, look at a healthier future, and finally make fitness a way of life.

Understanding the Power

Let me put it in simple terms. Regular physical activity will keep you young and help preserve your friends. When you exercise regularly, your mood improves, the quality of your life is enhanced and it helps you burn off stress; therefore you are a happier person and more likeable by those around you. In addition, exercise strengthens your body while it burns calories and helps your body work the way it is supposed to. A simple activity, like walking, is a good weight bearing exercise that helps keep muscles strong – including your heart.

The hardest part is getting started. Once you exercise, you will feel terrific! This is partly due to endorphins, these are feel–good brain chemicals. Adding music to your workout has also proven to enhance your brainpower, be more stimulating than exercise alone, and it makes you feel better mentally and emotionally after working out.

Don’t be a Hater

Many people say they “hate exercise”, but what they hate is the chore of having to do it. Truth is, no one likes chores. The key to success it changing the way you view exercise from a chore to a life–saving physical activity. Then, consider all the things that fall under the category of physical activity – from walking and shopping, to swimming, bike riding, gardening, and yes, love making. This too is a life–saving physical activity. Thinking this way will make it much easier to find activities you enjoy, and exercise won’t feel like a chore if you are enjoying yourself.

So, dare to go outside and enjoy God’s creation. Treat yourself to a good pair of sneakers and a pedometer, get your music ready and hit the streets. Walking can be done almost anywhere. Start by wearing your pedometer for 1 day to determine your typical daily step count. Once you know your average, make it your goal to add at least 2,000 more steps to your day to help you maintain your weight. Know that if you add a few thousand more daily steps you will definitely enter the weight–loss zone.

If you have physical limitations, check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine. Remember that activities done in water or on a stationary bike will take pressure off your joints and may be a safe way to get started.

Be Committed

A good recipe for success in making physical activity a habit is to commit to a program or commit to a friend. Knowing that your friend will be waiting for you to walk in the morning will be a great motivator to get out of bed and get your sneakers on. In the same way, if you make a financial commitment to a gym or class, you will be more likely to go through with it. Exercising together is another way to create strong bonds and spend quality time with those you care with.

Easy Does It

No one expects you to be an Olympian, it just takes taking the stairs more often than the elevator, or parking farther out instead of waiting for that parking space next to the front door. Your goal should be to steadily improve upon your fitness level. You improve by adding just a few extra minutes of exercise or slightly increasing the intensity of your routine. Combine 30 minutes of heart rate–increasing activities, such as walking, biking, or running, with 30 minutes of less strenuous activities, such as car washing, vacuuming or gardening, and you will be on your way to effective weight loss. Your goal should be to progressively increase your exercise routine until you achieve 1 hour of total physical activity every day.

Understanding that exercise will help preserve and improve your life and making the commitment to steadily add physical activity as part of your daily routine, will secure a healthier tomorrow for you. So, take the first step and Spring into fitness this season!

Even women who are considered to be normal weight have shown that it is possible to have excess body fat. Fat stored around the abdominal region raises the risk of carrying an increase in visceral fat (fat stored around the internal abdominal organs). In fact a study of 800 people with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that 45% of the thin women and 65% of the thin men carried excess visceral fat. Normal weight females who had a significant amount of additional body fat had a 2.2 fold increase in risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to normal weight females who had low body fat. Those people who have increased amounts of abdominal fat are at increased risk for cardiovascular events. A waist measurement over 35 inches for females and 40 inches for males increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

So how do you get rid of belly fat? Increase your monounsaturated fats…olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate. Diets rich in monounsaturated fats have been shown to prevent fat stored around the abdominal region better than diets high in carbohydrates and saturated fats.

Reduce the stress in your life… The hormone cortisol, often called the stress hormone increases fat storage around the abdominal region. To decrease stress in your life, build in margins to allow time for yourself…time to take a breath. Get 7–8 hours of sleep at night, the deeper the sleep the better. Those people who get 7–8 hours of sleep compared to those who get less than 6 hours are less likely to be obese. Get activity on a daily basis and get away from stressful situations. Stay positive and get rid of negative thought patterns.

Reduce your caloric intakes… by eating multiple meals (4) of 300–400 calories each. Including some monounsaturated fats, some lean protein and plenty of vegetables will keep your metabolism stoked…and keep you from going hungry.

Exercise daily…walking briskly, jogging lightly or using a stationary ergometer (elliptical machine, stationary bike or cross trainer) at a moderate level of effort for approximately 30 minutes a day has been shown to decrease visceral fat. In one study the equivalent of 11 miles per week of moderate or vigorous exercise prevented accumulation of visceral fat.

Jeff Gilliam is clinical director of ReQuest physical therapy in Gainesville Florida. He is also director of Physicians’ Choice for Weight Loss.