Fish Oil More Effective than Drug

This post was originally published as Fish Oil More Effective than Drugs by Laurel on Health Food blog.

New research from Europe found that fish oil supplements are more effective than a popular cholesterol medication at helping people with chronic heart failure. When someone has chronic heart failure, their heart becomes enlarged and fails to fill with blood to pump it through the body. In the study, almost 3,500 patients were given an prescription formula omega-3 pill on a daily basis. About the same number of patients took a placebo. The patients were followed for about four years. A parallel study gave one group the cholesterol drug Crestor and placebo pills to the other group.

When comparing the results from both studies, researchers found that taking fish oil (omega-3) supplements are slightly more effective than the drug. Dr. Richard Bonow, Chief of Cardiology at Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago and former president of the American Heart Association, says that “it’s a small benefit, but we should always be emphasizing to patients what they can do in terms of diet that might help.”

Dr. Jose Gonzalez Juanatey from the European Society of Cardiology says these new findings may give patients a new treatment and offer a change of dietary recommendations for people with chronic heart failure. Juanatey said, “this reinforces the idea that treating patients with heart failure takes more than just drugs.”

Break from your to-do list and all your rules

This post was originally published as Healthy Vacation Prep by Laurel on Health Food blog.

This weekend I’m going on a long overdue girl’s trip to a bed and breakfast and a few small wineries. My friends and I are so excited to be together and get a break from our regular routines. Going on vacations are sooooo nice, but they can put a damper on your healthy habits. I find that even if I’m in great shape, taking a few days off exercise and healthy eating makes it hard on my body to get back to my good habits when vacation is over.
Overall, I like to keep a low-key attitude on vacation. I stick to my regular routine when possible, but I’m still going to enjoy myself and have some splurges. This weekend I know we’re going to get some splurge food like pizza or BBQ. I know that we’ll probably drink too much wine and eat more than normal. Plus, I know I’m not going to any dance classes. It’s just the facts.
But, part of vacation is relaxing and letting yourself have a break from your to-do list and all your rules.  I like to plan some healthy habits in advance so the trip is enjoyable, and I can still feel great when I get back. Here’s my list for this weekend:

• Bring my favorite tea bags and packets of stevia in my purse. This way I always have my favorite breakfast pick-me-up, no matter where we are.
• Bring my yoga pants so I can do light stretching and pilates exercises in the morning while I’m waiting to take a shower (4 girls with one bathroom should leave PLENTY of time).
• Schedule in exercise as part of the fun. My girls and I plan to do an outdoor hike one of the days to soak up some fresh air and sunshine.
• Order vegetables or salads for side dishes. This is an easy request for almost any restaurant.
• Bring my water bottle everywhere so I am really hydrated and energetic.
• Relax and breathe. Vacation is the time to de-stress and enjoy life to the fullest.

I’ll be sure to snap a few pics of my food while I’m gone (I just can’t help myself) and maybe share one or two on the blog next week. Cheers! Wishing everyone a great weekend.