Heart Healthy Chili Con Carne Recipe
Chili con carne is a favorite dish all over the United States and worldwide, due to it’s hot and spicy flavor and quick and easy preparation. Based on an old Mexican recipe for chilli, dating back to the 1800’s, it is possibly the most famous example of Latin food, and has also been adopted as the the official dish of the state of Texas.
There are many chili con carne recipes to choose from, but this Chili hot con carne recipe will have your taste buds popping, with it’s rich beefy taste and it’s hot sauce, combined with heart healthy ingredient list bursting with flavor. We have modified it for maximum health benefits, so with this chili con carne recipe you know exactly what has gone into your food – this creation is low in salt and saturated fat with no added preservatives or chemicals.
There is growing evidence that diet can contribute significantly to the fight against the risk of heart attack and stroke, so we have created this to be especially healthy – if you’re concerned about your heart health, why not try making this delicious recipe?
Why is this recipe for Chilli con carne good for your heart health and lower blood pressure?
* we use red palm and Canola oil, one of the healthiest cooking oils
* we use fresh garlic which is reputed to help lower blood pressure
* we use fresh chili peppers with heart health giving properties
* we take all fat off of the steak before grinding
* we use no added salt or sodium substitute
This recipe is easy to prepare, economical and very popular. You can use it as part of a heart healthy diet which can give big health benefits for the health conscious who also like their food to taste good. It is also a great warming winter recipe which can help to decrease the cold weather heart attack risk as part of the overall ‘keep warm’ heart health strategy. If made as directed it can certainly help to make you feel warmer and help to improve your blood circulation!
Ingredients (serves 4 people)
You can see the main ingredients for the chili sauce here, with the full listing below :
* 4 Tablespoons of Red Palm and Canola Oil
* 6 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
* 5 small onions, coarsely chopped
* 800g beef steak, all fat removed, then ground in a meat grinder (or 800g lean minced steak from the grocery store)
* 5 large juicy red tomatoes
* 10 ounces mushrooms (optional)
* 400g can chopped tomatoes
* 410g can red kidney beans
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 low salt beef stock cubes
* 3 red chilli peppers, sliced thinly
* 1 green chilli pepper, sliced thinly
* 1 tablespoon mixed herbs
* Boiled Rice for serving
Cooking Instructions
Preparation time – Approx. 40 minutes. Cooking time – 25 minutes.
Heart Pacemakers may be powered by the Heart itself
British Scientists have invented a new type of medical heart pacemaker that draws some of its power from the heart itself. This is an important breakthrough in the field of self powered devices which can be implanted into the human body.
Although the discovery was part of an experimental project, it is an important breakthrough in UK pacemaker research which could bring benefits to the design and manufacture of heart pacemakers, defibrillators and other implantable medical devices.
The research was carried out at Southampton University Hospital in the United Kingdom, and produced a device which was capable of producing approximately 17 percent of all the electricity required to run the pacemaker from the energy of the beating heart.
Battery free pacemaker within a few years
According to Dr Paul Roberts from the University Hospital ‘This was a proof-of-concept study, and we proved the concept’. The researchers believe that a battery-free heart pacemaker could be available within the next few years, which will reduce the long term pacemaker cost and help to reduce pacemaker problems.
Heart Pacemakers are fitted to people who suffer from abnormal heart rhythms – also known as arrhythmia – under the advice of a doctor or cardiologist. Arrhythmia, although not usually serious can be a distressing complaint where the heart beats slower or faster than normal, or beats erratically, which can be very worrying for the sufferer. In very rare cases the arrhythmia can be fatal, with as many as 500 deaths per year attributable to the condition in the United Kingdom each year.
Pacemaker technology
The heart pacemaker is a small, battery powered electronic medical device which is usually surgically implanted under the collar bone of the pacemaker patient. It works by sending precisely timed electrical impulses to the heart to control the rate of the heart’s beating, and keep it to a constant rate.
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Another type of device – also implanted, is the cardioverter defibrillator which is similar to the pacemaker, but is capable of detecting dangerous abnormal heart rhythms. It then sends small electric shocks to the heart to correct the problem arrhythmia. There are also other special types of pacemaker for tachycardia, or a bradycardia pacemaker, or ones used to help to treat heart failure are available.
Pacemaker battery replacement currently requires a surgical operation
In all of the above examples, although the battery life varies between different manufacturer’s pacemaker types, it will usually need replacing after eight to ten years.
The pacemaker procedure for battery replacement involves another surgical operation that has to be performed under general anaesthetic sedation.
This is a costly operation, costing as much as 15,000 dollars or more, so the arrival of a battery free pacemaker is eagerly awaited by the medical profession, and health insurance
companies worldwide.
Cold Weather Heart Attack Risk!
There is a growing body of evidence that indicates the increased likelihood of suffering a heart attack or stroke during periods of cold, or extremely cold weather conditions. This is supported by data from hospital admission statistics, that the number of people admitted with heart attacks tends to increase during the winter months. The problem is more likely to affect the elderly and those who are already suffering from the symptoms of coronary heart disease, or angina, and is backed up by several scientific studies.
Why the cold can affect the heart?
Whilst not one of the primary coronary heart disease causes, the cold weather can still cause problems for the heart and the circulation, when the temperature dives, or for existing sufferers can exacerbate the symptoms of a heart problem. Why?
The blood tends to thicken in cold weather
Very cold weather may cause changes to the thickness of the blood by activating blood platelets, which means that a person has an increased risk of developing blood clots when their blood is cold.
If the person already has arteries which are clogged with cholesterol, high levels of saturated fat, and narrowed through atherosclerosis, this additional blood thickening may be enough to tip the balance and trigger a clotting related heart attack or stroke.
People tend to exert themselves more in cold weather
Most harsh winter weather increases a person’s risk of heart attack due to over exertion. There is a double whammy of physical exertion combined with the effects of the cold on their body. How many of us have gone charging out into the yard to shovel away the snow, when we usually lead physically inactive lifestyles? Most folks are just not conditioned to the physical stress associated with this type of heart exercise and don’t recognise the dangers of being outdoors in cold weather. (This applies equally to Winter sports fans who do not take proper precautions). Extremely cold weather may also affect the heart by increasing the heart rate and raising the blood pressure. The combined cold and extra strain on the heart causes the increased risk of heart attack. People with coranary heart disease often suffer heart chest pain or discomfort, called angina pectoris when they are exposed to cold weather. Many people with high risk factors may be unable to differentiate between muscular chest pain, and angina symptoms, as both types of chest pain may be related to over exertion.
There is a greater risk of developing hypothermia in cold weather
Hypothermia is a life threatening condition where the body temperature falls well below normal – typically below 95 degress fahrenheit or 35 degrees centigrade, and requires emergency medical treatment. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, lack of coordination, mental confusion, slow reactions and sleepiness. It occurs when the body cannot produce enough energy to keep the internal core temperature sufficiently high. Heart failure is the most common form of coronary problem caused by hypothermia. Although Hypothermia can affect people of all ages, elderly people and children are most vulnerable as their ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature is reduced. Many older people are not aware that they are becoming hypothermic, so it is especially important to check on elderly relatives and friends during extended periods of cold weather.
How to protect yourself against heart attack and stroke during cold weather
Extreme Cold health protection begins with knowing the risks, and taking appropriate precautions! If you go out in cold weather, wrap up warm and wear several layers of clothing as this traps air between layers, forming a protective insulation. Also, wear a hat, as much of the body’s heat is lost through the head. Keep your hands and feet warm too, as they can lose heat quickly. If you have a heart problem and are outside in cold weather, you should avoid sudden exertion – for example, shovelling snow or pushing a car.
Even walking through heavy, wet snow or snow drifts can strain a person’s heart.In extremely cold weather it may be advisable to stay indoors and keep warm. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before going outdoors or when outside. Alcohol gives an initial feeling of warmth, because blood vessels in the skin expand. Heat is then drawn away from the body’s vital organs.
Implement a heart healthy diet. The advantages of a heart diet cannot be over emphasised. This is a lowerbloodpressurecheap.com special tip – if you try one of our delicious spicy authentic recipes – Chinese, Asian or Italian – which are specially modified and packed with heart healthy ingredients, you can get the immediate benefit of a hot spicy meal combined with the longer term benefits of thinner blood, improved circulation and reduced cholesterol. It is always a good idea to consult your doctor if you have any concerns about extremes of temperature or have plans to travel to a country with a cold climate.
Overweight parents to be paid to walk their children to school
The UK is poised to invest over $50 million to reduce the statistics of obesity in parents and help them to improve their health and fitness levels. The cash will be used to launch the ‘healthy towns’ campaign, and follows publication of a report warning that nine out of ten British adults will be overweight or obese by the year 2050.
Manchester is a very unhealthy city according to the United Kingdom health authorities. In fact it is one of the most unhealthy cities in the UK, with the lowest male life expectancy, and the fourth lowest female life expectancy in England. One of the major health problems is obesity, and the way in which being overweight effects a person’s overall health, including the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. This is why Manchester has been chosen to pilot the healthy towns scheme, which is sponsored by the government and is aimed specifically at fat parents.
overweight help
Whatever the root causes of their obesity, parents in the United Kingdom may now qualify for overweight help in the form of free healthy food, or free sports equipment, or membership of their local gym. These measures have been proposed by the British Government to help solve parents problems related to how to loose weight, and reduce the ever growing overweight statistics.
New proposals due to take effect in 2009 will allow obese parents who choose to walk their children to school to receive special benefits and rewards, under the new plans to tackle the obesity epidemic in Great Britain.
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This may also help to reduce the growing number of cases of obesity in children, whilst helping the childs parents at the same time. Going for a run could also be an earner. Joggers would swipe their cards at machines in parks and collect points given in accordance with the distance run. Machines could be placed in schools and at stations so parents and commuters could swipe their cards, although details have yet to be finalised.
cash for exercise
Those who attend exercise classes to help keep fit, or attend slimming clubs to help lose weight would also be eligible for the above rewards, which would be collected using a points scheme based around the established supermarket type loyalty cards. The points earned could be used to buy healthy food, sports equipment or workout sessions at the local gym. Participants could earn even more rewards by actually losing weight, depending on how much they lose. If the trial proves to be successful in reducing overweight issues, it could be rolled out across the whole country.
There are some critics of the new scheme however, who have stated that payments amount to bribery, and that the scheme is wide open to fraud, because points would be given just for turning up at various locations. Matthew Elliot, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘This whole scheme is so dubious because there is clearly potential for abuse and fraud. It would be so easy for someone to hop out of their car for a second to go and swipe their card, enabling them to claim they had walked to school.’ He went on to say ‘Healthy people pay enough tax already without having to bribe the obese or put cash into the pockets of fraudsters.’
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