Juice with Added Plant Sterols Helps Lower Cholesterol

Even With Heart Disease Awareness on the Rise, Prevention Remains Critically Important for American Women (NHLBI)

Heart risk factors less common in fish lovers (Reuters)

All kids should have cholesterol tests: study (Reuters)

Portuguese-style menu may be good for the heart (Reuters)

Work stress can raise women's heart disease risk (Reuters)

Can walking help guard against stroke? (Reuters)

Mediterranean diet helps existing heart disease, too (Reuters)

Does happiness make for a healthy heart? (Heart Disease News)

Evidence growing for vitamin D-heart health link (Reuters)

Reducing Heart Attack Risk - U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH))

Heart Disease Prevention - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Your Guide to a Healthy Heart - U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH)

Healthy Heart Handbook for Women - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH))

Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH)

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in 2008 describing the types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits.

Physical Activity and Public Health in Older Adults. Recommendation From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association
Circulation. 2007;116:1094-1105.

Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendation for Adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association
Powell KE, Blair SN, Franklin BA, Macera CA, Heath GW, Thompson PD, and Bauman A. Circulation 2007;116;1081-1093.

Sport and Health. European Union 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines

Appropriate Planned Vegetarian Diets Are Healthful, May Help in Disease Prevention and Treatment - Position Paper of the Am. Dietetic Assn.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases....Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals.

Total Diet Approach to Communicating Food and Nutrition Information -Position of the American Dietetic Association
“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the total diet or overall pattern of food eaten is the most important focus of a healthful eating style. All foods can fit within this pattern, if consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with regular physical activity.”

Weight Management- Position of the American Dietetic Association
This position paper presents the current data and recommendations for weight management, including the evidence supporting the value of portion control, eating frequency, meal replacements, and very-low-energy and very-low-energy diets, physical activity, behavior therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgery.

Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners - Position of the American Dietetic Association
By increasing palatability of nutrient-dense foods/beverages, sweeteners can promote diet healthfulness. Scientific evidence supports neither that intakes of nutritive sweeteners by themselves increase the risk of obesity nor that nutritive or nonnutritive sweeteners cause behavioral disorders. However, nutritive sweeteners increase risk of dental caries. High fructose intakes may cause hypertriglyceridemia and gastrointestinal symptoms in susceptible individuals. Thus, it is the position of The American Dietetic Association that consumers can safely enjoy a range of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners when consumed in a diet that is guided by current federal nutrition recommendations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary References Intakes, as well as individual health goals.

Caring for a Woman's Heart: Setting the Stage for Family Health (CPE Program)
Join JoAnne M. Foody, M.D., Kathy Berra and moderator Catherine Christie, PhD, RD, for this informative and thought-provoking presentation on women and cardiovascular health.

Taking Women's Health to Heart (PCNA- CPE)
In this program, leading medical and nutrition experts Dr. John Bisagnano, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Clinical Preventive Cardiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr.Lynn Braun, a nurse practitioner in the Rush University Medical Center Preventive Cardiology Center and the Heart Center for Women, and registered dietitian Roberta Anding, a nationally recognized educator and nutrition expert, provide an update on women and heart health, including the latest research and trends; disease development and treatment; and effective nutrition and lifestyle strategies that help your female patients and clients improve their heart health.

Emerging Research on Potential Relationship between Vitamin D & Cardiovascular Health (PCNA - CPE)
In this free CPE program from the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), vitamin D expert Dr. Michael F. Holick explains the biology of vitamin D from the perspective of human evolution, reviews risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency, and discusses the appropriate biochemical marker for vitamin D status, the evidence for the safety of physiologically meaningful doses, reviews clinical recommendations, and discusses emerging research on the potential relationship between vitamin D and cardiovascular health.

Move It!-Research Updates from the Activity Side of the Energy Balance Equation (CPE)
In this program, physical activity and health researchers Dr. Steven Blair and Dr. Timothy Church discuss the “fit versus fat” debate, the difference between exercise and physical activity, and research related to the role of fitness in weight loss/weight management and quality of life issues, heart disease mortality, depression and cancer. They also discuss the growing support for the role of physical activity in promoting healthful aging and preventing serious diseases, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, plus effective strategies for motivating clients to increase physical activity in their daily lives.

Exercise is Medicine: Understanding the Evidence (Webinar)
Physical inactivity has an astonishing breadth of harmful health effects and the association between an inactive and unfit way of life persists in virtually every subgroup of the population. As the costs associated with such diseases have soared, it is clear that physical inactivity is one of the major public health problems of our time. In this program, Dr. Robert E. Sallis, chairman for the Exercise is Medicine initiative and immediate past- president of the American College of Sports Medicine, discusses the growing evidence supporting the health benefits of physical activity and the role of health professionals in Exercise is Medicine (EIM).

Mindset: A New Strategy for Health Behavior Change (CPE)
Does it seem as though your patients know what they need to do to improve their health but still do not do it? In this program, one of the world's leading researchers in the field of motivation, Stanford University psychology professor Dr. Carol S. Dweck, author of MindSet, discusses how helping individual's identify and change their MindSet can be of benefit in the health behavior change process. Dr. Lola Coke, a nurse and motivational interviewing expert, discusses how the Mindset approach fits in with current lifestyle behavior theories and models and how to use these strategies to promote effective behavior change.

Motivational Interviewing in Action: Skills & Tools to Enhance Change in Physical Activity Behavior
Every healthcare professional needs a “toolkit” of different behavior change strategies to deal with diverse populations of patients. This presentation will assist healthcare professionals to utilize these tools when working with patients to increase physical activity. The program will include a role play scenario to demonstrate motivational interviewing principles. In this program, Julie Schwartz, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ACSM-HFS, Nutri-Well Coaching, and Lola Coke, PhD, APRN-BC, ACNS, FAHA, FPCNA, board member of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association provide a lively presentation on the principles of motivational interviewing and other behavior change tools.

Understanding Americans' Approach to Weight Management: The Role of Low-Calorie Sweeteners (CPE Program)
In this webinar, Dr. Adam Drewnowski, an expert in eating behavior and satiety research, and registered dietitian Robyn Flipse discuss factors that impact consumers' food choices and eating behavior and how each relates to weight management challenges, and the role of low- and no-calorie sweeteners in weight management.

Translating Epidemiology into Sound Public Health Advice (CPE)
Do you struggle with what to say when asked about findings from nutritional epidemiological studies? In this program, Dr. Douglas Weed, one of the country’s leading physician epidemiologist, discusses key differences between the scientific literature and how the media communicates nutritional epidemiological data to the lay public. Dr. Weed explores effective communication techniques for use with your patients regarding the risks/benefits of "weak" associations, including what can and cannot be said about association, causation, and risk; and what recommendations (dietary, public health, policy) should and should not be made.

All About Carbohydrates and Health (CPE Program - IFIC)
This free CPE program from the International Food Information Council covers forms of carbohydrates; carbohydrate digestion and energy process; the functional health benefits of whole grains; glycemic index and glycemic load; the functions of sugar in food; the common sugars in food and where they are found; the differences between fructose and high fructose corn syrup; recommendations for carbohydrate consumption; and tips for communicating about carbohydrates and sugars with consumers.

From Science to Communication: Understanding Fructose, HFCS, and Sugars (CPE Program - IFIC)
This free CPE program is available on The International Food Information Council website. Topics covered include the differences between fructose and high fructose corn syrup, including chemical structure, dietary sources and health effects, the physiological effects associated with fructose intake, new fructose intake data and compare levels eaten by the population with those used in many studies, fructose absorption and the problem of fructose intolerance, and how to communicate about sugars in a consumer-friendly manner.

Understanding and Effectively Communicating Food and Nutrition Science: Leading Consumers to Better Health (CPE Program - IFIC)
This free CPE program is available on The International Food Information Council website. Topics covered include identifying elements of nutrition research that are relevant to appropriate interpretation and components of a nutrition study that assist in determining strengths and weaknesses of the research, consumer attitudes and preferences that impact food and nutrition communications and “7 Guiding Principles” for successful communication of food and nutrition research.

Helping Consumers Get the “Big Picture”: Practical Approaches to Promoting a Healthful, Balanced Eating Pattern (CPE Program - IFIC)
This free CPE program is available on The International Food Information Council website. Topics covered include scientific support for a balanced, food-based eating plan and dietary patterns; nutrients of concern and food group shortfalls common in the diets of many consumers; common consumer stumbling blocks that lead to inadequate eating pattern; and practical counseling and communications strategies to encourage consumers to adopt more healthful eating patterns.

A Practical Guide to Risk Communications (CPE Program - IFIC)
This free CPE program is available on The International Food Information Council website. Topics covered include defining risk and understanding risk communication realities from the consumer’s perspective, strategies for addressing the inherent uncertainties in risk communication and how to guide consumers in making informed decisions about risk.

The Heart Truth (NHLBI)
The Heart Truth campaign materials for use in a wide variety of settings, suches as health care facilities, businesses, non-profit organizations, and community group. Site also offers The Heart Truth for Women: A Speaker's Kit, which inclu an easy-to-use speaker's guide and video.

Plant Stanols Fact Sheet (IFIC)

The Exercise is Medicine™ Toolkits and Handouts (EIM)
The Exercise is Medicine (EIM) website has toolkits, patient handouts and materials developed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to help health professionals use exercise as a ‘medicine’ to help prevent or manage many of the most common chronic health conditions.

Hitting the Sweet Spot in an Active, Healthy Lifestyle

The Low-Down on Low-Calorie Sweeteners

Caffeine and Heart Health Fact Sheet (IFIC)
This Fact Sheet from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) provides the science regarding the relationship between caffeine and heart health and addresses common misperceptions.

Hydration & You

BMI Calculator for Adults

Calorie Needs Calculator for Adults

Calories Burned Calculator for Adults

Beverage Calorie Comparison Chart

Create-A-Diet - Choosing Foods on the Heart Healthy Diet (NIH)

ChooseMyPlate.gov Interactive Tools (USDA)

10 Year Heart Attack Risk Calculator (NHLBI)

Energy Balance Calculators and Tools (EUFIC)

The Heart Truth (NHBLI)

CardioSmart (American College of Cardiology)

Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA)

American Heart Association (AHA)

ChooseMyPlate.gov (USDA)

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA)

Exercise is Medicine (EIM)

U.S. National Physical Activity Plan