The surprising heart disease risk you're breathing in

This Week's Tip The surprising heart disease risk you're breathing in You probably know that smog is linked with respiratory problems and lung disease, but did you also know that breathing smoggy air can cause hardening of the arteries over the long term? A February 2005 study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that the longer healthy men and women in Los Angeles were exposed to air polluted with fine particulate matter, the thicker their carotid arteries became. The carotid artery carries blood from the heart to the head and neck, and a thickening of the arterial walls over time is a major risk factor for fatal heart attacks and strokes. More recent studies have confirmed smog's link to heart problems, including recent studies published in American Journal of Epidemiology and Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Tips to help: Stay indoors as much as you can on days when outdoor pollution levels are high. If you have to be outside, limit outdoor activity to the early morning hours or after sunset. Don't exercise outdoors when air-quality reports are low. Get Fit Without Leaving the House More Tips for a Healthy Heart   Heart Friendly Recipe Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin This dish inspired by Costa Rican spices seems exotic, but it uses spices and ingredients you already have around the house: coffee, cocoa and cinnamon. You'll wonder why you've been relegating these flavorings to dessert! Get the Recipe See More Healthy Heart Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 4  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 264 Total Fat: 13.1 g Cholesterol: 89.6 mg Sodium: 66.2 mg Total Carbs: 1.2 g   Dietary Fiber: 3.4 g Protein: 33.7 g View full nutritional breakdown of Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin by ingredient     From Our Healthy Heart Community spin points today (Team Forum) NEW GAME: Two words... change one. (Team Forum) More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy