Research shows that overeating can be detrimental to more than just your waistline-it may greatly increase your risk of a heart attack.
Overeating makes the body work harder, requiring the heart to pump more blood to the stomach and intestines.  In addition, researchers at the Mayo Clinic say that heavy consumption of fatty foods can also lead to changes that cause blood to clot more easily.  One Mayo Clinic study showed a fourfold increase in heart attack risk in the two hours after eating a big meal.  Researchers in Israel have conducted similar studies and report a sevenfold risk.

To help you do your best to enjoy a heart smart Thanksgiving without having to deprive yourself, follow these tips:

• Be aware of the high fat items- and eat them in moderation: many of your Thanksgiving favorites may be deceptively high in calories and fat.  Be aware that those fried, creamy dishes and cheese-filled casseroles will be among the culprits.  If you can't control the ingredients that go into a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size.

• Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can make you dehydrated.  Drinking water will not only help keep you hydrated, but is also a healthier alternative to sodas and other high-calorie beverages.

• Don't arrive with an empty stomach: people generally eat more and eat faster when they are hungry.  A healthy breakfast and lunch will help you avoid overeating at dinner time.

• Don't make dinner an all-you-can-eat buffet: fill half of your plate with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.

• Skip the skin: when digging in to the turkey, remove and discard the skin to help reduce your fat and cholesterol intake.  Trying to keep your portion size to about four ounces, or ½ cup is also a good idea.  This will also help you save your appetite for those tasty side dishes!

• Side Dishes - watch your portion size: eating smaller portions will help save you from overeating-and this way, you can sample all the different foods.

Cardiology Services at Mountainside Hospital

Mountainside Hospital holds the distinction of being one of the few community hospitals in New Jersey licensed by the state to perform emergency angioplasty, a critical lifesaving procedure to open clogged arteries in response to a heart attack.  Studies show that the quicker a patient undergoes emergency angioplasty, damage to the heart muscle is reduced and future heart function and quality of life are often improved.

Mountainside's interdisciplinary team of heart specialists has developed a powerful program for identifying, treating and managing cardiovascular disorders.  They specialize in the latest minimally invasive techniques, fast and accurate testing and diagnosis, nutritional counseling, weight loss and emergency lifesaving procedures.

Along with those cute freckles, our parents and grandparents can pass on the likelihood for certain diseases and disorders.  Birth defects, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, stroke or cardiovascular problems, mental illness and learning disabilities are some of the possibilities.  Fortunately, learning our family health histories allows us to take action and watch for signs of trouble. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 96 percent of Americans say that knowing their family health history is important, but less than a third of them actually know their family history.  A study by the Cleveland Clinic revealed that recording family histories may be even more important than previously realized.  The study indicated that analyzing patterns of familial illness can actually be a better indicator for increased risk of some cancers than genetic testing.

Holiday gatherings can be the perfect place to discuss your family's health history.  Ideally, your health history search should cover three generations on both sides of the family.  Be sure to take notes and fill in your family medical tree from root to tip.  Like real trees, your family medical tree keeps growing, so add new facts as people age and pass on the information to others in your family.

Mountainside E-Doc: A simple tool to create your family health history and much more

Mountainside Hospital offers a free web-based tool called Mountainside E-Doc to facilitate communication between patients and their healthcare providers.  Mountainside E-Doc is a free,
value-added service provided by Mountainside Hospital for affiliated doctors and their patients. E-Doc efficiently links state-of-the-art medical care with a secure, userfriendly, state-of-the-art communications network.

How does E-DocWork?

 
To take advantage of E-Doc, click here, register at your doctor's office, or use the E-Doc link on the mountainsidehosp.com home page. E-Doc is easy to use. Simply follow all onscreen instructions and prompts. You must be an established patient of a participating physician to qualify. 

When creating your account, you can also register to communicate with doctors on behalf of your children and other immediate family members.  If you or a family member is under the care of multiple physician specialists, a convenient "Find Your Doctor" search feature is available. New physicians are constantly being added to E-Doc and patients are encouraged to ask their physicians to join.  Once your registration is completed, you'll receive password protected access to several useful components:

Electronic Personal Health Record

• A convenient way to maintain, view, update and correct your health records
• The best means for sharing your health information

Appointment Scheduling

• Schedule, change or cancel an appointment with any participating physician

Message and Information Exchange

• Receive written pre-visit instructions and other information from your doctors
• Send brief notes and receive confidential replies

Test Results

• View results of routine lab and diagnostic imaging tests

Prescription Fulfillment

• Expedite accurate fulfillment of prescriptions via three-way communication between you, your doctor and the pharmacy