Health Expert Lisa Nelson shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/45112/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/45112/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/45112/index http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/114816/confirmed Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:39:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson About five years ago there was a lot of speculation about whether or not you could be overweight and still considered fit. I haven't heard as much about this lately, but came across a study conducted in the Netherlands which found some obese individuals to not be at increased risk for heart disease due to their weight.   I'm going to share what they learned because I don't want you to start seeing headlines saying you can be fat and still... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/114816/confirmed http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/113376/motivation Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:08:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson On your journey to heart health and weight loss it all really comes down to changing your habits. If you've ever tried to make a diet or lifestyle change you know it's not an easy process. You need a compelling reason to keep moving forward. What is your compelling reason? There are two different types of motivators - intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when you are motivated by internal factors. This form of motivation drives... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/113376/motivation http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/112239/overweight Mon, 24 May 2010 12:07:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson Study after study has shown a clear link between overweight and obesity, as defined by a high body mass index (BMI), with an increased mortality risk. However, new research indicates using BMI as a tool to measure health risk in older individuals may not be so accurate.   What is BMI   Body mass index is calculated using an individual's height and weight. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in centimeters squared. BMI is... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/112239/overweight http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/110867/5-celebrity Tue, 04 May 2010 13:01:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson One sure fire way to reduce you risk for heart disease is to shed excess pounds. If your body fat is too high - especially your abdominal fat - your risk for health problems rises, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. By taking proactive steps that lead to weight loss you can significantly reduce your risk for developing heart disease.   I've had the pleasure of speaking with JJ Virgin,... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/110867/5-celebrity http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/110534/taking-care Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:29:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson You can prevent heart disease by following a heart healthy diet and lifestyle. However, many individuals spend little time on prevention and then must scramble to "fix the problem" once diagnosed. It's much easier to take preventive action than it is to reverse a disease after the fact.   I had the pleasure of speaking with Australian nutritionist Cyndi O'Meara. She's had international and national success with her two books Changing... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/110534/taking-care http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/109269/insurance Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:42:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson Let's say you are having chest pains. You know you should contact your physician and/or head to the emergency room, but does the thought of medical bills cross your mind first? Do you delay seeking medical help due to financial worries?   Not much is known about how health insurance (or a lack of health insurance) impacts your decision to seek your doctor's care during an emergency medical situation. A study was recently published in the... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/109269/insurance http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/109183/patients Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:00:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson The Health Care Reform Bill was signed on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Now, I have not read this bill that is several thousands of pages in length. However, I want to share with you some of the provisions that impact health care from a nutrition standpoint.   Healthy Aging: Preventive Services for Adults 55-64   A grant program for state and local health departments and Indian tribes will be established. The grant will be used to... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/109183/patients http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/106676/soda-taxed Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:38:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson In January 2010, New York governor David A. Paterson proposed placing a tax on sugar sweetened beverages as a way to decrease intake of high calorie drinks. The thinking is that by reducing the intake of high calorie, high sugar beverages the rate of obesity will be decreased along with obesity related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and cancer . By reducing obesity related diseases healthcare costs for the state would be... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/106676/soda-taxed http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/105557/breakfast Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:31:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson When you eat breakfast in the morning do you find you are hungrier throughout the day? I recently had someone comment that this was what they experienced and for that reason they choose not to eat breakfast.   As you know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it's essential to your heart health success. In a previous post I showed how eating breakfast is even linked to weight loss .   So, let's address why you may... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/105557/breakfast http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/103401/questions Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:37:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson Last month I gave you the opportunity to submit the questions you'd like answered by hypertension expert Dr. Mark Houston. Many of you took advantage of the opportunity and asked a question - thank you! You'll be very pleased with the results of this interview and the answers Dr. Houston provided. Lisa Nelson RD: It is typically recommended that cholesterol medications be taken prior to bed. Would you explain the reason why? Also, is... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/103401/questions