Welcome to the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News. The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was designed to help firefighters become more heart-healthy and lower the incidence of heart attack related deaths in the fire service. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it benefits not only you, but others in your fire department, family and community.

1. NVFC Releases 2007 Heart-Healthy Exhibit Schedule
2. New Heart-Healthy Cookbook Proves Eating Healthy Has Never Tasted Better
3. Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program to Launch Printed Newsletter
4. The Risks of Smoking
5. Ten Foods to Eat
6. Chef Kevin Harris’ Heart-Healthy Recipe
7. Heart-Healthy Tip
8. Small Steps

NVFC Releases 2007 Heart-Healthy Exhibit Schedule

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) will exhibit its Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program booth at several fire and emergency service trade shows in 2007. The booth includes several features to help promote heart-health and heart attack awareness among the emergency services.

Once again, the NVFC has teamed up with L&T Health and Fitness, an award-wining fitness management and health promotion company, to offer free health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose. Over 12,000 firefighters, emergency services personnel, and their family members have been screened through the Heart-Healthy Firefighter booth to date, and several thousand more will be screened in 2007.

Chef Kevin Harris of Food For Love, Inc., will also be on hand to provide heart-healthy cooking demonstrations. Harris selects different heart-healthy recipes for each show and proves to attendees that heart-healthy cooking does not have to be difficult or bland.

Heart-Healthy Firefighter spokesperson Erron Kinney will be traveling with the program to various events to sign autographs and promote the importance of heart health among the emergency services. Kinney is both a tight end for the NFL team Tennessee Titans and a volunteer firefighter.

“We are very excited that Erron Kinney will be able to attend some of the shows with us, and to be teaming up again this year with L&T Health and Fitness and Chef Kevin Harris to provide an interactive health experience at key industry trade shows,” said Maggie Wilson , Director of Health and Safety for the NVFC. “Heart attack continues to be the leading cause of firefighter deaths, but every firefighter and first responder we reach at these shows is a step towards reversing this terrible trend.”

Heart-Healthy Firefighter 2007 Booth Schedule

Fire Rescue East
January 24-27
Prime F. Osborn Convention Center
Jacksonville , FL 32204

Firehouse World
February 25-31         
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego , CA

FDIC
April 19-21       
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis , IN

Fire Expo 2007
May 18-20
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex

Harrisburg , PA
Firehouse Expo
July 26-28       

Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore , MD 
Fire-Rescue International
August 24-25

Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, GA

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The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program has developed a new cookbook with heart-healthy recipes that fire and emergency services personnel can use both at the firehouse and at home. The delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes will help firefighters stick to their nutritional goals without sacrificing any of the taste.

The cookbook is part of the NVFC's national effort to decrease the risk of heart attack among firefighters and emergency services personnel through proper nutrition, fitness,  and health education. Many of the recipes included in the cookbook came from firefighters across the nation who have accepted the challenge to become heart-healthy.

Free copies of the cookbook will be available at the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter booth at trade shows and conferences throughout the year. Stay tuned the Heart-Healthy website at www.healthy-firefighter.org for additional information.

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Craving more hints, tips, resources, and information to keep you and your department heart-healthy throughout the year? Then the new Heart-Healthy Firefighter newsletter is what you need! The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program is launching a bi-monthly printed newsletter to provide individuals and departments with helpful advice, ideas, and suggestions related to maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. Besides news and updates, each issue will have tips, recipes, resources, guidelines, and much more that can help keep you on track with your nutrition, fitness, and heart-healthy goals.

Do you have a question about becoming heart-healthy? The newsletter will have a special section devoted to answering your questions about the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, nutrition, fitness, and anything else you want to know about heart-health.

Please send your submissions to:

Brooke Marshall c/o NVFC
1050 17th Street, NW Suite 490 Washington , DC 20036

You may also submit questions via email to bmarshall@nvfc.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Look for the first issue of the Heart-Healthy newsletter early this year. To sign up for this free newsletter service, contact Brooke Marshall at 202-887-5700 ext. 21 or at bmarshall@nvfc.org.

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The 1982 Surgeon General's Report stated that "Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the United States ." This statement is as true today as it was in 1982. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use is an acquired behavior, one that the individual chooses to do, smoking is the most preventable cause of premature death in our society.

Who Smokes?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 46.2 million US adults were current smokers in 2001 (the most recent year for which numbers are available). This is 22.8% of all adults (25.2% of men, 20.7% of women) - nearly one in every four people.

When broken down by race/ethnicity, the numbers were as follows:

• Whites 24.0%
• African Americans 22.3%
• Hispanics 16.7%
• American Indians/Alaska Natives 32.7%
• Asian Americans 12.4%          

Alarmingly, the numbers were higher in younger age groups. Almost 27% of those 18 to 24 years old were current smokers. Nationwide, 22.9% of high school students were current smokers in 2002. White and Hispanic students were among the highest in terms of cigarette use.

Health Effects of Smoking
Each year, a staggering 440,000 people die in the US from tobacco use. Nearly one of every five deaths is related to smoking. Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.

Cigarette smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths. It is a major cause of cancers of the lung, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, pharynx (throat), and esophagus, and is a contributing cause in the development of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, liver, uterine cervix, kidney, stomach, colon and rectum, and some leukemias.

About 87% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. It is very hard to detect when it is in the earliest, most treatable stage. Fortunately, lung cancer is largely a preventable disease. Groups that promote nonsmoking as part of their religion, such as Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists, have much lower rates of lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers.

But cancers account for only about half of the deaths related to smoking. Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke, and contributes to the severity of pneumonia. Tobacco has a damaging affect on women's reproductive health and is associated with increased risk of miscarriage, early delivery (prematurity), stillbirth, infant death, and is a cause of low birth weight in infants. Furthermore, the smoke from cigarettes has a harmful health effect on those around the smoke.

Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the CDC estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking.

But not all of the health problems related to smoking result in deaths. In the year 2000, about 8.6 million people were suffering from at least one chronic disease due to current or former smoking, according to the CDC. Many of these people were suffering from more than one smoking-related condition. The diseases occurring most often were chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.

Ingredients in tobacco: Cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless and pipe tobacco consist of dried tobacco leaves, as well as ingredients added for flavor and other properties. More than 4,000 individual compounds have been identified in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Among these are about 43 compounds that are carcinogens.

Cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless and pipe tobacco consist of dried tobacco leaves, as well as ingredients added for flavor and other properties. More than 4,000 individual compounds have been identified in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Among these are more than 60 compounds that are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).

There are hundreds of substances added by manufacturers to cigarettes to enhance the flavor or to make the smoking experience more pleasant. Some of the compounds found in tobacco smoke include ammonia, tar, and carbon monoxide. Exactly what effect these substances have on the cigarette consumer's health is unknown, but there is no evidence that lowering the tar content of a cigarette improves the health risk. Manufacturers do not provide the public information about the precise amount of additives used in cigarettes, so it is difficult to accurately gauge that public health risk.

Nicotine addiction:
Addiction is characterized by the repeated, compulsive seeking or use of a substance despite harmful consequences. Addiction is often accompanied by adverse physical and psychological dependence on the substance. Nicotine is the addictive drug in tobacco. Regular use of tobacco products leads to addiction in a high proportion of users.

In 1988, the US Surgeon General concluded the following:

• Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addicting.
• Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes addiction.
• The pharmacologic and behavioral processes that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
• Nicotine is found in substantial amounts in all forms of tobacco. It is absorbed readily from tobacco smoke in the lungs and from smokeless tobacco in the mouth or nose and rapidly spreads throughout the body.

Tobacco companies are required by law to report nicotine levels in cigarettes to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) but are not required to show the amount of nicotine on the cigarette brand labeling. The actual amount of nicotine available to the smoker in a given brand of cigarettes may be different from the level reported to the FTC. Although 70% of smokers want to quit and 35% attempt to quit each year, less than 5% succeed. The low rate of successful quitting and the high rate of relapse are related to the effect of nicotine addiction.

Health Benefits of Quitting
In September 1990, the US Surgeon General outlined the benefits of smoking cessation:

• Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to persons with and without smoking-related disease.
• Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers. For example, persons who quit smoking before age 50 have one-half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared with continuing smokers.
• Smoking cessation decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.
• Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.
• The health benefits of smoking cessation far exceed any risks from the average 5-pound (2.3-kg) weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting.
• The risk of having lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day, the age at which smoking began, and the number of years a person has smoked.

The risk of having lung cancer and other cancers can be reduced by quitting. The risk of lung cancer is less in people who quit smoking than in people who continue to smoke the same number of cigarettes per day, and the risk decreases as the number of years since quitting increases.

People who stop smoking at younger ages experience the greatest health benefits from quitting. Those who quit by age 35 avoid 90% of the risk due to tobacco use. However, even smokers who quit after age 50 substantially reduce their risk of dying early. The argument that it is too late to quit smoking because the damage is already done is not true.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Health

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Apples
Apples are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Fresh apples are also good sources of the vitamin C — an antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage. Vitamin C also helps form the connective tissue collagen, keeps your capillaries and blood vessels healthy, and aids in the absorption of iron and folate.

Almonds
These tear-shaped nuts are packed with nutrients — fiber, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and calcium. In fact, almonds have more calcium than any other nut — 70 milligrams (mg) in 23 almonds. And one serving of almonds provides half of your body's Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin E. Like all nuts, almonds provide one of the best plant sources of protein. And they're good for your heart. Most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated fat — a healthier type of fat that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Blueberries
Blueberries are a rich source of plant compounds (phytonutrients). As with cranberries, phytonutrients in blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections. Blueberries may also improve short-term memory and promote healthy aging.

Blueberries are also a low-calorie source of fiber and vitamin C — 1 cup of fresh blueberries has 83 calories, 3.5 grams of fiber and 14 mg of vitamin C.

Broccoli
Besides being a good source of calcium, potassium, folate and fiber, broccoli contains phytonutrients — a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamins A and C — antioxidants that protect your body's cells from damage.

Red beans
Red beans — including small red beans and dark red kidney beans — are good sources of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and thiamin. They're also an excellent low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and dietary fiber. Red beans also contain phytonutrients that may help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids — a type of fat that makes your blood less likely to form clots that may cause heart attacks. Omega-3s may also protect against irregular heartbeats that may cause sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth of artery-clogging plaques, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and is a good source of protein.

Spinach
Spinach is high in vitamins A and C and folate. It's also a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, calcium, iron and magnesium. The plant compounds in spinach may boost your immune system and may help keep your hair and skin healthy.

Sweet potatoes

The deep orange-yellow color of sweet potatoes tells you that they're high in the antioxidant beta carotene. Food sources of beta carotene, which are converted to vitamin A in your body, may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Sweet potatoes are also good sources of fiber, vitamins B-6, C and E, folate and potassium. And like all vegetables, they're fat-free and relatively low in calories — one small sweet potato has just 54 calories.

Vegetable juice
Vegetable juice has most of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in the original vegetables and is an easy way to include vegetables in your diet. Tomato juice and vegetable juices, which include tomatoes, are good sources of lycopene, an antioxidant which may reduce the risk of heart attack, prostate cancer and possibly other types of cancer. Some vegetable and tomato juices are very high in sodium, so be sure to select the low-sodium varieties.

Wheat germ
At the center of a grain of wheat is the wheat germ — the part of the seed that's responsible for the development and growth of the new plant sprout. Though only a small part of the wheat seed, the germ is a highly concentrated source of nutrients, including niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc. The germ also contains protein, fiber and some fat.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Health

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Try this heart-healthy recipe created by Chef Kevin Harris of Food For Love, Inc. For more information, go to www.1foodforlove.com.

Walnut Crusted Breast of Chicken with Ginger & Apricot Glaze

Chicken Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, butteflied and pounded lightly
2 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt and pepper

Walnut Crust Ingredients
4 oz. Toasted Walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
1 tbsp Chopped Italian Parsley      
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Apricot-Ginger Glaze Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 tbsp pickled ginger with juice
1 tsp chili garlic puree
2 tbsp white wine
½ cup apricot preserves
1 tsp salt 

Preparation:

Walnut Crust
Toss all of the ingredients for the Walnut Crust and set aside.

Chicken
Mix the olive oil, white wine, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Coat the chicken with the mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat your sauté pan or your grill and sear the chicken one side. Turn the chicken breast and coat with the walnut crust. Cook for two minutes to finish.

Apricot-Ginger Glaze
Heat a small sauce pan with the olive oil on medium heat and add the shallots. Cook for two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for five minutes until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Coat chicken with glaze and serve.

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Make Exercise a Part of Your Every Day

People who make exercise part of their everyday routine gain the most health advantages – and are most likely to continue.

Researchers have found that about 30 minutes of exercise three to four times per week may help decrease your risk of several types of cancer, including colorectal, breast and prostate cancers.

Exercise before or after the hottest time of the day and make sure you wear sunscreen, a hat and long sleeves, whenever possible.

Here are some exercise suggestions:

• Bike through your neighborhood or local parks. 
• Schedule family evening walks as often as possible. 
• Challenge the kids to regular tennis matches, one-on-one basketball or other sports. 
• Set up a friendly neighborhood soccer scrimmage for a workout for all ages. 
• Take the family for weekend nature hikes at local parks or hiking trails. 
• Toss the football, baseball,  or Frisbee with your children. 
• Reacquaint yourself with the game of tag by playing with your children. 

Make exercise a lifelong habit, but see your doctor first before beginning an exercise program or new physical activities.

Walking for Wellness

The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (walking, bicycling, yard work) on 5 or more days each week. Walking is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve your overall health. Not only does regular walking strengthen your heart, lungs, bones, and muscles, but it also helps your body resist and fight illness. Perhaps the most noticeable benefits of walking are an increase in energy and a positive impact on mood—regular aerobic exercise helps prevent anxiety and depression.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Health

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1. Instead of eating out, bring a healthy, low calorie lunch to work.
2. Ask your sweetie to bring you fruit or flowers instead of chocolate.
3. Speak up for the salad bar when your coworkers are picking a restaurant for lunch, and remember calories count, so pay attention to how much and what you eat.
4. When walking, go up the hills instead of around them.
5. Walk briskly through the mall and shop 'til you drop ... pounds.
6. Clean your closet and donate clothes that are too big.
7. Take your body measurements to gauge progress.
8. Buy a set of hand weights and play a round of Simon Says with your kids - you do it with the weights, they do without.
9. Swim with your kids.
10. Walk to work.

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