2Inspire Health & Fitness Magazine #15 - December 2020

Heart Healthy Habits Practical Lifestyle Changes That Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

2Inspirenutrition.com December 2020 FREE

What to Do If You Get Chest Pain While Exercising Understanding the Dangers of High Cholesterol

A Conversation with WBFF Bikini Pro Model

Daniela Laura

INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

Heart Healthy Habits- pg. 3 What to Do If You Get Chest Pain While Exercising - pg. 12 A Conversation with WBFF Bikini Pro Model Daniela Laura - pg. 17 Understanding the Dangers of High Cholesterol - pg.24

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Heart Healthy Habits Practical Lifestyle Changes That Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease Who Is At Risk For Heart Heart disease is the Disease? number one killer in America. Here are some In the media there’s a lot shocking statistics provide of talk about diseases by the Center for Disease like cancer, Alzheimer’s Control. and whatever disease is a current hot topic. The • About 610,000 people truth is that while these die of heart disease in diseases are certainly the United States every frightening, none of them year – that’s 1 out of has the same impact on every 4 deaths. health and well-being that • Heart disease is the heart disease does. leading cause of death for both men and 3

women in the United States.

• About every 25 seconds, someone in the U.S. will have a coronary event, and every minute, someone will die from a coronary event.

• Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack.

(Source: http://www.cdc.gov/ heartdisease/facts.htm)

And almost everyone has a risk factor for heart disease. Before we take a look at those risk factors, let’s define what heart disease really is, and why it’s such a deadly disease.

heart disease increases.

Your arteries can become narrowed and damaged as you age. As this happens, it can cause your heart to work harder. Remember, your heart is a muscle and it never gets a rest. If it has Heart disease is an to work harder to pump umbrella term for any type blood throughout your of disorder or condition body, it’s likely to give out that affects your heart. In sooner. most cases what happens is that your arteries are What’s Your Gender? weakened. You may suffer from atherosclerosis, Men have a greater risk of which is a condition heart disease. However, that develops when a once a woman goes substance called plaque through menopause, builds up in the walls of her risk of heart disease the arteries. increases.

The buildup narrows the arteries and makes it more difficult for the blood to flow through. Clots can form, which can stop blood flow. The stress and strain on your heart can cause the walls to thicken.

If a clot forms it can stop blood flow and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Let’s take a look at the risk factors. Chances are you’ll see yourself in some of these risk factors.

The Risk Factors of Heart Disease How Old Are You? 4

As you age, your risk of

Family Matters People with a family history of heart disease have a greater risk of developing heart disease.

And if your parent developed it before age

55, then your risk increases even more.

Lifestyle Habits A diet that’s high in fat, salt, sugar or cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease. If you’re overweight or live a sedentary lifestyle then your risk of heart disease also increases. And smoking is a serious risk factor. Smoking is a major cause of heart disease for both men and women.

Medical Conditions People with certain health issues or medical conditions also have a higher risk of heart disease.

For example, if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes your risk increases.

Interestingly, diabetes

raises the risk of heart disease in women more than it does in men.

The Stress Connection

may be seeing yourself in several of these risk factors.

Here’s what you need to know…

More risk factors equals Stress has been connected more risk. Your risk for to several medical heart disease multiplies as conditions including your number of risk factors obesity, high blood increase. Having just one pressure, and heart risk factor doubles your disease. The hormone risk for heart disease, but cortisol is released during if you have two risk factors times of stress and can your risk of heart disease is cause damage to your now fourfold. If you have tissues including your three or more risk factors arteries and your heart. then your risk for heart disease increases more So stress, lifestyle, and than tenfold. some factors beyond your control are all risk factors Some risk factors are more for heart disease. You serious. For example, if you have diabetes or you’re a smoker you’re at greater risk for heart disease than others.

factor. Early prevention is key.

Early Prevention Is Key The sooner you begin reducing your risk of heart disease, the better.

Remember that each risk factor that you reduce or eliminate lowers your chances of getting heart disease exponentially.

Early prevention is about changing your lifestyle and habits to support a healthy circulatory system and a strong heart. Let’s start by taking a look at the role that diet plays in heart health.

The Components of a Heart Healthy Diet

What you put into your body has a direct impact on your health. While the occasional indulgence While many risk is okay, a daily diet of factors are beyond indulgences cause your control, and problems. some start during childhood, there So what is considered an are many risk indulgence? factors that are in your control.

Foods that are high Because your in sugar, saturated fat, risk increases cholesterol, and salt are as the number all indulgences. The good and intensity of news is that these foods your risk factors are easy to identify. In increase, it makes general an indulgence is a sense to take steps processed food. to reduce each risk

A heart healthy diet is a diet that is:

a piece of fruit or a bowl of oatmeal. A processed breakfast might look like • Low in salt a store-bought muffin or • Low in trans fats a bowl of cereal. (Cereal • Low in saturated fats made from whole grains • Low in cholesterol with no added sugars may • Low in processed sugar be okay.)

In general, that means if you eat a whole foods diet, you’re on the right track.

A whole food is a food that has been processed or refined as little as possible, and is free from additives or other artificial substances.

Why Does a Whole Foods Diet Matter?

• Lean meats • Whole grains • Fruits • Vegetables • Healthy fats from nuts and seeds You reduce your risk of heart disease. That’s pretty great, right? Let’s take a look at the two critical components of your diet that impact your heart health, fat and sugar, and what they do for your health.

Whole foods matter because they not only provide your body with what it needs to thrive, it also has nutrients that are proven to lower your risk of heart disease. Yes, when Cholesterol A whole food breakfast you eat a diet that is rich might look like an egg and in: Fat and sugar impacts 6

your cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is generally reported HDL and LDL. HDL stands for highdensity lipoprotein and LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. High density is “good” cholesterol and LDL is “bad”. It’s easy to remember if you remember LDL is lousy.

Your cholesterol may also be reported as a total of LDL and HDL. Your risk for heart disease increases as your total amount of cholesterol increases.

• In general, your total cholesterol goal should be less than 200 mg/dl.

• Your HDL should be higher than 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women. The higher the better for this number!

• LDL should be less than 130 mg/dl.

Cholesterol is a waxy compound that is found in the cells of your body.

Your body actually needs cholesterol to make hormones and some nutrients like vitamin D. However, too much cholesterol can contribute to clogged arteries.

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A diet low in cholesterol, saturated and trans fat,

and simple sugars will help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.

High Blood Pressure There are many reasons why your blood pressure may be high. It may be due to a hereditary condition. You may be salt sensitive, which means that too much salt can raise your blood pressure.

Dehydration can raise blood pressure as well.

In many cases, blood pressure can be controlled through a healthy diet and exercise.

Many physicians recommend what’s often referred to as the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet reduces your intake

of saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and alcohol.

It also increases your intake of foods that are rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Generally speaking, if your diet is rich in whole, unprocessed foods, it is both low in cholesterol and also supports a healthy blood pressure.

Diabetes We’ve already discussed the incredible increase in your risk of heart disease if you have diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, controlled, and in many cases it can be eliminated with a healthy diet. It requires you to avoid foods that are high in processed sugars. Again, a whole foods diet doesn’t include any added sugars.

Your diet plays a critical role in your health, including the health of your heart. Simply by cutting back on your processed foods and eating more whole foods, you’ll reduce your risk factors. If you have any of the risk factors already mentioned, it’s time to pay attention to what you eat.

Your priorities include eliminating trans fats, reducing saturated fats, and reducing or eliminating processed sugar. Switch to whole grains and eat more fruits and vegetables. You can change your life and your heart health one good habit at a time.

Speaking of good habits, next let’s take a look at exercise. Diet and exercise combined can help ensure that you have a healthy heart for as long as you live.

The Heart Healthy Importance of Exercise & Maintaining a Healthy Weight

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or pet. Now walk back up those stairs. How does your heart rate differ with the extra weight? It’s probably beating faster.

This is because extra weight requires your heart to work harder.

With each pound that you gain over what would be considered a normal and healthy weight, you cause your heart to work harder.

Extra weight also generally means that you have other risk factors. You may be pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides. All of these are risk factors for high blood pressure. It’s why it’s so important to maintain a healthy weight.

So how do you maintain a healthy weight? We’ve already talked about the role that diet plays in your heart health. Exercise is the other component that can make a significant difference in your weight and your heart health.

Your heart is a muscle.

When you exercise you Climb the stairs in your not only strengthen your home and pay attention to heart, you also burn fat your heart rate. Then pick and calories so that you up something heavy like can maintain a healthy a bag of books, a sack of weight. It’s also important dog food or a small child to point out that exercise

does more than just help you lose weight.

Doctors and scientists have learned that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to poor health, including heart disease.

In fact, people who don’t exercise have higher rates of death and heart disease compared to people who perform even small amounts of physical activity like gardening and walking.

Hormones are released during exercise and metabolic functions are utilized. These both help keep your body’s systems operating like they’re supposed to. When you live a sedentary lifestyle, your body essentially slows down, and this slowdown causes disease, weight gain, and even depression.

training.

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with added weight.

How Much Should You Bodyweight is usually Exercise?

Types of Exercise to quite enough to build Consider strength and burn fat Generally speaking, most and calories. Before you people should exercise a There are two types of begin exercising it’s always minimum of 30 minutes a exercise to consider and important to check with day. Depending on your to integrate into your your doctor. Make sure current fitness level and workout program. They that the exercise program age there are different include cardio, which kicks you’re using is appropriate recommendations about up your breathing and for your health and fitness the intensity. Here are a heart rate, and strength. level. few considerations: Strength training builds strength in your muscles, If you’re new to exercise, New to exercise? Begin tendons, ligaments and start small. Set one goal with walking at a bones. Both are great for that you know you can moderate pace for 30 you, and in combination achieve and build on it. minutes or more a day. they’re an excellent weight It’s difficult to make large Don’t push the intensity at loss approach. changes to your lifestyle. the beginning.

However, if you add five Cardio exercises include minutes each week to Walking for exercise? but aren’t limited to: your daily workout, you’ll Strive to walk at least be able to reach that 30 10,000 steps each day.

• Brisk walking minute minimum quickly.

This equates to about five • Cycling miles a day.

• Swimming This same, one achievable • Jumping rope goal at a time, approach Intermediate exerciser?

• Dancing can be used to replace Exercise at a moderate • Jogging bad habits with good to intense level. Get your ones. Diet and exercise heart rate up into the fat Strength Training exercise are an essential part of burning zone, which is includes anything that maintaining a healthy about a 6-7 on an intensity works a large muscle weight and preventing scale. (A “1” would be not group. For example: heart disease. There are at all intense and “10” other habits, however, that would be working as hard • Squats can ruin all of your hard as possible.)

• Lunges work. Let’s explore those • Pull-ups habits next.

Taking fitness to the next • Push-ups

level? Once you’re able to • Sit-ups Heart Healthy Habits to exercise for a minimum • Plank Embrace of 30 minutes a day at • Dips a moderate to intense Improving your heart level, you can add time to These movements don’t health and reducing your your workout or strength need to be performed risk of heart disease is

about more than diet and exercise. In fact, there are some habits that can completely negate or wipe away the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise.

In this section we’ll take a look at three heart healthy habits to embrace, starting with the most important thing that you can do for your heart and your health.

Stop Smoking Smoking can single handedly cause heart disease. You don’t need any other risk factors.

Smoking alone can destroy your heart.

Unfortunately, many people know that smoking is bad for them, but they don’t know why. Here are some of the underlying reasons why smoking is so bad for your heart.

When you breathe tobacco smoke, your blood changes. Your triglyceride level rises, and your “good cholesterol” level falls.

The chemicals in tobacco prevent your body from repairing damages to the lining of your arteries.

Clots form in these damaged spaces.

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Smoking causes plaque

buildup in your arteries.

This clogs your arteries and makes it more difficult for the blood to flow. Your heart has to work harder to push the blood through your body and can cause a heart attack. Additionally, these plaques can rupture and cause clots, which can block arteries and cause you to have a stroke.

Secondhand smoke is a killer too.

Inhaling secondhand smoke is enough to block arteries and cause heart attack or stroke. Here are a few statistics for you if you don’t believe that secondhand smoke is dangerous: • Secondhand smoke causes nearly 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the U.S. among nonsmokers.

• Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent The good news is that if you’re a smoker, or are around a smoker, your heart health begins to improve almost immediately if you just

stop. In fact, within 12 hours of quitting smoking, the level of poisonous carbon monoxide from cigarettes returns to normal in your body.

After one year of not smoking, your risk of heart attack is half what it was when you smoked, and 15 years after quitting you now have the same risk as that of a non-smoker.

If you smoke, get help quitting and start today.

Smoking is the biggest lifestyle change that you can make. However, it’s not the only one. Let’s take a look at the impact of sleep on your heart health next.

Are You Getting Enough Sleep? The Sleep and Healthy Heart Connection Sleep is the time when your body accomplishes several important tasks.

Your body releases many metabolic hormones during the night, including Human Growth Hormone. It also takes the opportunity to rest, refresh, and renew. When you don’t give your body enough downtime your systems struggle. You’re not able to respond to stress as well, your

immune system suffers, and you can even gain weight because your hormone levels become imbalanced.

Sleep is so essential to health and wellbeing that scientists and researchers are constantly studying the effects of not enough sleep. In 2011, the European Heart Journal reviewed more than a dozen of the largest studies.

body’s resistance to insulin, which is a risk factor for developing diabetes. We’ve already stressed the connection type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Finally, not enough quality sleep increases your C-reactive protein.

This is released when you’re under stress or your body is dealing with inflammation. When your CRP is high, it’s a risk factor for heart disease.

All together they looked Interestingly, it can also at the results of almost cause you to be hungry 475,000 people. They even when your body found that people who doesn’t need additional didn’t get enough sleep calories. High CRP can had a 48% increased risk of cause you to overeat. developing or dying from Obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and a 15% heart disease. greater risk of developing or dying from stroke.

So how do you get enough sleep? Experts While scientists aren’t say that you should get exactly sure why sleep between 7-9 hours of and heart health are connected, they do believe that sleep impacts blood pressure and the health of the arteries.

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Additionally, when you get enough good quality sleep, your heart is able to rest. It doesn’t stop, of course, but your blood pressure and heart rate do go down as you sleep.

Additionally, a lack of sleep can increase your

quality sleep each night.

Creating a sleep routine can help. If you believe you have a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, talk with your doctor. There are steps you can take to recover.

We’ve talked about how sleep can reduce your body’s stress response.

Next we’ll take a look specifically at stress and how it impacts your heart health.

Reduce Stress and Improve Your Heart Health For many, stress is a part of life. Unfortunately, chronic stress can cause damage to your health. When you’re under stress your body releases hormones like cortisol. These hormones have a purpose when your life is in danger.

But when you’re stressed because you’re stuck in traffic and late for a meeting, the hormones serve no purpose.

Nonetheless, they’re released and chronic stress means that they’re released often. In this situation, they cause damage to your cells.

This damage at the cellular level can and does occur everywhere in your body, including your heart and arteries. Additionally. When you’re stressed your heart rate and blood pressure increase. It causes your heart to work harder, but unlike the hard work from exercise, you don’t get the beneficial hormones that exercise provides.

Chronic stress also causes overeating and has been linked to insomnia, obesity, and a number of other issues that can lead to heart disease.

However, there are other steps you can take to reduce and eliminate stress. These include: • Laughter • Meditation • Participating in activities that bring you joy • Finding a community of friends • Spending time with your family • Reducing or eliminating triggers • Deep breathing • Progressive relaxation • Yoga Learn to notice when you’re feeling stressed and find methods to reduce it.

You might go for a walk or practice deep breathing for a few minutes. You’ll not only feel happier and more relaxed, you’ll also enjoy better heart health.

However, there’s one step that we haven’t talked about and that’s the There is good news. importance of knowing and tracking your Exercise and a heart numbers. We’ve talked healthy diet both help about different blood your body manage the cholesterol levels and effects of stress and can we’ve also talked about actually reduce your stress. blood pressure and heart rate.

Additionally, a good night’s sleep can also help However, we haven’t really your body manage stress. discussed how to measure those numbers, how

often to measure them, and why the numbers are important. So let’s take a look at that next.

The Importance of Regular Health Screenings The next time you’re at your doctor’s office make sure that you get the critical numbers. We’re talking about your: • Cholesterol • Blood pressure • Blood Sugar • Weight These numbers are risk factors. We’ve talked about high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and blood sugar as it relates to type 2 diabetes. We’ve also talked about how being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. Let’s break the numbers down for you quickly and talk about what the numbers mean.

Cholesterol A total cholesterol score of less than 180 mg/dL is considered optimal.

This is your HDL and your LDL numbers combined.

Of course you want your HDL to be as high as possible and your LDL to be significantly lower.

Your doctor will take a blood test to measure your cholesterol and work with you to understand the numbers and what your next steps may be.

Sometimes cholesterol can be controlled with diet and exercise. Sometimes medications like statins are recommended.

after a meal or a glucose drink. The test measures the amount of glucose in your blood. Normal blood sugar levels are generally less than 100 mg/dL after fasting for at least 8 hours.

habits all at once is really hard.

The key to lasting change is to make one focused and positive step at a time.

Identify a priority and start working on that goal.

For example, you might Finally, you probably know swap out your daily soda your weight. You’ll want and sugary coffee drink to meet with your doctor for water. Once you’ve to talk about a healthy established that habit you Blood Pressure weight for your age, body might start walking for composition, and gender. thirty minutes a day. Then Ideally, your blood They’ll be able to give you you can focus on adding pressure will be less a guideline about where more fruits and vegetables than 130/80 mm Hg. you should be. to every meal. Each step Your blood pressure helps you get closer to a is usually measured at Knowing your numbers lifestyle that will keep your the beginning of every gives you the information heart healthy for years to doctor’s appointment. you need to make come. Each small step is Ask the nurse what your educated decisions about important. measurements were. your health and wellbeing. You can live a heart The top number is your However, the key to healthy life and systolic pressure, and making changes and significantly reduce your that measures the peak following through on your risk of suffering from pressure in the arteries. heart healthy decisions the biggest killer in the The bottom number is can be challenging. country. Start today. Make your diastolic pressure and one small change to your it’s the lowest pressure. lifestyle and improve your Your doctor may again Getting Heart Healthy heart health. recommend diet and One Small Step at a Time lifestyle changes or they may put you on blood So you go to the doctor pressure medication if you and the doctor says, “Lose have high blood pressure. weight, change your diet, exercise, and reduce your Blood Sugar stress.” You walk out the door thinking, “okay. I Blood sugar levels aren’t know what to do.” Then generally tested unless you get home and start the doctor believes that trying to implement you may be prediabetic dozens of lifestyle changes or diabetic. They’ll take only to realize that trying your blood before and to tackle that many new

What to Do If You Get Chest Pain While Exercising

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When you experience chest pains several thought processes might begin to take place. You may wonder if you are having a heart attack.

You might also be doing something physically strenuous, and think your pain is associated with that physical activity and not a sign of a possibly dangerous heart problem.

The health of your heart is much too important

to ignore, so knowing exactly what to do when you experience chest pain while exercising could prove to be a bit of lifesaving knowledge.

The First Step – Stop What You Are Doing Let’s say you are jogging, and you begin to feel a tightening or constriction in your chest. Even though you may not be

experiencing a symptom of a dangerous heart condition, you should stop jogging immediately.

The same applies to lifting weights, cycling or performing body weight exercises. Your specific activity does not matter, only that you stop exerting yourself physically if you experience chest pains of any kind.

If possible, find

somewhere calm and comfortable to relax. Let your breathing return to normal. If your chest pain goes away, that could or could not be a good sign.

Whatever physical activity you were performing may have caused some pain in your chest muscles. On the other hand, you could have been overstressing your heart, and when you stop working out or exercising your heart rate returned to normal and the pain disappeared.

Chest Pains with Breathing Problems If an unnatural lack of breath accompanies your chest pains while you are physically active, this is a classic sign that a heart attack may be on the way.

Chest Pains Plus Discomfort in Other Parts of Your Body

Physical discomfort while exercising is common.

You probably know how different parts of your body feel when you are working out. One thing to The key here is look out for when you are understanding the natural physically active is if chest breathing patterns you pains are accompanied display during physical by discomfort or pressure activity. If your breathing in your arms, jaw, back, is more difficult than usual neck or stomach. This while you are exercising combination can predict or working out, and chest the onset of a heart Diagnosing Your Chest pains are present, you attack or cardiovascular Pains should consult a doctor condition. immediately.

So, how do you tell if In all cases, if you feel the pain you are feeling Chest Pains and Dizziness pain in your chest while in your chest is a sign of exercising or working out, heart problems or just Sometimes merely stop what you are doing muscle soreness? The bending over and rising immediately. Listen to truth is, it can be very too quickly can cause your body. It will send you difficult to differentiate you to feel lightheaded. signals that something is those 2 issues. You should However, if you experience wrong. This may be in the remember that almost all dizziness and chest form of mild discomfort heart attacks start slowly. pains at the same time, from muscle pain, or it You will first feel a very low especially when you could be delivering a red level of discomfort. You are exerting yourself alert message that you may feel a little pressure physically, you should stop need immediate medical or squeezing, or of feeling exercising immediately. attention. If you are that you are “full” right in uncertain whether your the middle of your chest. It Dizziness can lead to a chest pain while exercising is not uncommon for this physical injury when you is a sign of physical or pain to come and go, but are working out because cardiac stress, don’t you should definitely seek it throws your balance off. take the risk of ignoring medical attention if this This is also a sign that you the pain. Seek medical experience continues for may be experiencing a attention immediately. more than a few minutes serious heart problem. after you stop exercising.

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A Conversation with Daniela Laura

This month, 2Inspire welcomes INN health coach, personal trainer and WBFF Bikini Pro Model Daniela Laura.

Dani was born in Brazil and moved to the United States in 2006. She’s been competing since 2015 and embraces the hard training that precedes a competition. Today, she shares some of the reasons she fell in love with competing.

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was what I really wanted.

But my view changed as soon as I arrived at the first event. Once I met the other athletes and stepped out onto the Daniela Laura: I arrived in stage that first time, I the U.S. in 2006, looking realized that competition for a better life. I started was something that I really working and met my husband in 2007. We had did enjoy. Since then, I look forward to training our first child, Isabella, in October 2008 and our son, hard so that I can show improvement every time I Anthony, in 2012. step onto the stage.

Dennis: So it’s been a Dennis: With COVID, how busy decade for you— are you able to work out how did you get into effectively? the health and fitness industry?

Dani: Thankfully, I have a little gym at home.

Dani: When I first started During COVID-19 we training in 2010, I did it expanded the gym and to improve my physical appearance. Once I started purchased a leg press and leg extension/curl training and seeing my machine. This allowed progress, I loved it. Then, me to continue my about five years ago, training just like when I fitness started to grow a was training at the gym. lot on social media and I got the opportunity to see However, I also discovered that I could train outside. a lot of famous Brazilian athletes all over Instagram. I often went to the Jersey This inspired me to begin Shore and trained by the beach, using my gym training harder and start learning about the human mat and light dumbbells. body, proper nutrition and I did mostly bodyweight exercises and was muscle growth. surprised that I could get such an effective workout.

When I first thought I still incorporate these about competing and outdoor training sessions I entered a show, I was into my routine several not sure if competition Dennis Postema: Tell me about why you moved to the United States from Brazil.

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days a week.

Dennis: What is a regular training day like for you?

Dani: I usually work out for 45 minutes to an hour.

During my off-season I’ll add another 15 or 20 minutes of cardio. If I’m in competition mode, I add 30 to 45 minutes of cardio.

Dennis: Is there a big difference between the competition period and noncompetition period in terms of what you eat?

Dani: Yes. It changes a lot.

My preferred diet is to eat foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates. I also eat a small amount of good fats and limit bad fats and sugars. When I’m prepping for competition, usually I eat five to six meals a day and it’s oats and eggs, chicken, sweet potato, vegetables, a lot of greens, Spanish arugula and protein shakes.

Dennis: How long is the competition season?

Dani: Usually 12 weeks, but because I’ve been doing this for so long, it depends on what my body looks like. The last prep, it took

seven weeks for me to be ready.

Dennis: Tell me about your personal training and health coaching.

stage, I fell in love. I’m like, “This is what I want to do.”

It’s always so fun. There’s always something good about competing; that’s what keeps me going.

competing with yourself, and as long as you are better than you were yesterday, you are winning.

Focus on yourself and just do your thing and go out there with confidence and Dennis: Was it scary the Dani: I enjoy helping others, especially when it first time you stepped out show your work and be proud of yourself. That’s comes to teaching proper on stage? what I do. workout techniques and proper diet. I provide Dani: Oh yeah, it was. I Dennis: What do you people with diets, messed up my whole suggest for people who nutrition and workout presentation, I was very are trying to get down to programs either online or nervous. their ideal weight? in person. I currently train people in my home gym Dennis: How long are you but during the spring and usually on stage during a Dani: They have to train and they have to diet summer, I also trained competition? properly. Stop eating so individuals and groups much junk and start doing outdoors. I just recently Dani: It depends on how “went live” with a new many girls are competing a little exercise daily. It’s fitness app. in my class. Usually, it’s 15 simple. You’ve just got to to 20 girls, so we just walk be consistent.

No matter what I’m doing, around for two minutes. my goal is to motivate and You do your presentation I don’t do anything crazy and extreme unless I’m keep pushing people— and then you line up in make them believe that the back while the others close to competition. The last two weeks before it is possible. I’m the finish their presentation. competition, the diet gets example for them. I have pretty hard and you’re two kids, and I always Dennis: What type of always hungry. But in my tell my clients what I’ve advice would you give everyday life, I just try been through and I really others who want to to eat healthily. I have make them believe in compete? my [cheat] meals on the themselves. weekend. I enjoy my life.

Dani: I would say do it I have a glass of wine. I Dennis: What made you for yourself, because don’t like to have rules. I want to be a competitor? you never know what’s think everyone is different going to happen. No and we have to enjoy life.

Dani: I wanted to see the matter what, there’s It has to be a pleasure, not maximum I could do. always something good The minute I stepped on about competing. It’s you a sacrifice all the time.

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Dennis: How many meals a day do you eat?

Dani: I usually have four to six meals a day when I’m prepping. When I’m off-season, I’m a little relaxed and my meals are bigger because I try not to be so extreme. I try to satisfy myself by eating three or four meals. When I’m hungry, I eat. And if it’s nighttime, I go to the foods that I know are good for my body.

Dennis: What advice would you give to a younger you, or someone just getting started?

Dani: Believe in yourself.

Whatever you want to do in life is possible. Just believe in yourself, have the right mindset and go for what you love.

You can learn more about Dani by visiting her Instagram, @dani_ laurafit, or emailing her at danilaura32@gmail.com.

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Understanding the Dangers of High Cholesterol

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Everyone has heard of high cholesterol. Some foods contain higher cholesterol levels than others, and should be eaten in moderation. If you eat a lot of eggs and ice cream, cheeseburgers and macaroni and

cheese, steak and fried chicken, your cholesterol level might be too high.

You can alternately eat cholesterol-fighting foods like oatmeal, apples, pears, whole grains, beans and salmon to help lower your cholesterol level.

But how do you know if you have an unhealthy level in the first place?

The first move you need to make is have your cholesterol level checked by your doctor or health professional. Once you get

that number, understand that maintaining a high level of cholesterol could lead to the following health dangers.

• Plaque buildup in your arteries • Pain in your jaws • Gallstones • A numbness in your legs • Bloody stool • Chest pains • Heart attack • Mental deficiencies • Hardening of the arteries • Stroke • Hypertension (high blood pressure) • Multiple heart diseases These are just a few of the many physical problems that a high cholesterol level can contribute to. Fortunately, unless you suffer from familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic and inherited disorder, your cholesterol level can be positively and quickly affected by making some simple lifestyle changes. And even if

FH is the cause of your heightened cholesterol, those same lifestyle changes can help lower your numbers to a more acceptable level.

Lose that extra weight By practicing the 5 following smart cholesterol habits, you can lose excess fat and pounds. A simple 5% to 10% drop in body weight significantly reduces your cholesterol level.

Stop chewing or smoking tobacco Tobacco is not required in the human body. It causes increased levels of LDL, leading to an unhealthy cholesterol situation. Just 24 hours after you stop smoking or chewing tobacco your risk of heart disease is cut in half.

Enjoy alcohol … moderately

Drinking 1 or 2 alcoholic beverages 2 to 4 times a week can be healthy for Exercise for 2 to 3 hours you. Anymore than that weekly can do serious damage to your liver, your heart If you can spare 2 to 3 hours a week for moderate and kidneys, and raise unhealthy levels of bad to moderately intense (LDL) cholesterol. exercise, spread out over 3 to 5 days, you can Get enough rest and raise your good (HDL) drink lots of water cholesterol level.

Start eating heart healthy The amazing ability of the simple H2O compound foods to detox and purify your body is close to Whole grains, fruits, miraculous. Drink water vegetables, food rich in dietary fiber – these are all several times throughout heart healthy foods which the day, and combine with plenty of proper rest at naturally regulate your night. This basic one-two proper cholesterol level.

Processed foods, sugar, salt punch can pack lots of and white flour should be health benefits, including helping you regulate avoided.