Now that many of us are under pressure to make our lifestyles healthier, many will opt for what they believe quick-fixes to their unhealthy habits, rather than making the effort to completely overhaul their lives. I think the increased use to vitamins is evidence of this -- rather than trade in french fries for 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day, people seem to instead opt to get their nutrients in pill form.

Vitamins can be beneficial in people who already have a healthy lifestyle but it's not a substitute for healthy habits. Take these findings for instance -- new studies show that taking common vitamins does little to promote heart health in women, whereas eating fruits and veggies high in vitamin C, E and Beta Carotene on a daily basis can help your ticker.

There are no quick fixes. Take control of your health today -- it's worth it!

Folic acid is an important nutrient for heart-health, some studies are showing. How do you know if you're getting enough? A diet full of fruits and veggies should mean your getting your daily intake, but if you suspect you might not, talk to your doctor. There are plenty of supplements out there that can help you get the folic acid you need. Or the answer might be as simple as adding cereal to your morning routine -- many of the options that line the cereal aisle can pack 100% of your RDI in Folic Acid.

Other good sources of folate include asparagus, broccoli, bananas, nuts, spaghetti and bread.

Red wine, red wine, red wine. Yes, we are all so impressed by red wine and its reported ability to reduce one's chance of heart disease. In fact, I did a post a few days ago about the potent defense against heart trouble that is red wine. But, what if you're not a drinker? Let's say, for example, you're in a position where even having one drink is not a good idea for you. Does this mean that you will forever remain bereft of the heart healthy benefits of red wine? According to an article in the American Journal of Clincal Nutrition, this isn't the case at all.

Besides grape juice, the obvious non-alcoholic alternative to red wine, you can also source some serious flanonoids from apples and pears. After examining what more than 34,000 women ate over a 20 year span and the diseases they developed, researchers found that women that ate apples and pears regluarly had the lowest risk of death from heart conditions.

The high levels of the anti-inflammatory flavonoids found in these fruits help prevent clots from forming, working to ensure proper blood vessel function. For more info. on what fruits and vegetables you should be eating, go to www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.com for a complete run-down.

The American Heart Association offers an online grocery list builder that allows you to create a shopping list of heart-healthy foods. You can browse by manufacturer or category -- Beverages; Biscuit & Bread Mixes; Breakfast Foods; Soups; Cheeses; Egg Substitutes; Flavored Milks; Soy Milk; Yogurts; Yogurt Drinks; Deli Meat; Desserts; Frozen Foods; Fruits & Vegetables; Meat & Poultry; Pasta, Sauces & Grains; Seafood and Snacks. You can even customize the list by adding items you know to be heart healthy.

Each item listed by manufacturer or category is a food item bearing the heart-check mark. Once you are done creating your grocery list online, simply print it out and take it with you on your next shopping trip. This is a new service and more items are being added, such as the recent addition of Eurofresh Campari Tomatoes; Kirkland Signature Premium Brisket Roast Beef and Milton's Healthy Multi-Grain Plus Bread.

Alas, no products are listed under the coffee category -- yet. But it looks like a very cool service and available for everyone who wants to use it.

After conducting a study involving 29,000 people in 52 countries, the INTERHEART researchers have concluded there are nine risk factors that can predict more than 90 percent of heart attacks. The nine factors are:

• Cigarette smoking.
• Abnormal ratio of blood lipids.
• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Abdominal obesity.
• Stress.
• Lack of daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Lack of daily exercise.
• Regular and moderate alcohol drinking offer modest protection against heart attack.
  

"These risk factors appear to predict the majority of the risk in virtually every region, every ethnic group, in men and women and in the old and the young," said Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences. "This suggests that the message of preventing cardiovascular disease can be quite simple and, generally, similar across the world."

INTERHEART researchers state that conventional wisdom has held approximately half of all heart attacks can be predicted, but their study suggests that almost all heart attacks can be predicted ahead of time. Some are lifestyle factors that can be modified or changed, the remainder can be controlled through monitoring and medication.

Many adulthood patterns become set in adolescence, and teaching teens to make healthy food choices will help them prevent future heart disease. A team of dietitians have identified effective methods for promoting fruits and vegetables over sugary treats.

The best way found to help teens learn to make healthy food choices for themselves are household eating rules. Parents are key players in making sure that nutritious snacks are always available at home, that fruits are eaten at breakfast and vegetables with dinner, and that access to sugary snacks and sodas are limited.

Another effective method are adolescent behavior change strategies, aimed at 13-years and older, when teens begin to make more of their own independent choices. These strategies involve goal-setting and dietary journaling, to meet the recommended five a day fruit and vegetable serving guidelines.

A new study from Spain provides further evidence that a diet high in healthy fats, such as those found in nuts and olive oil, better prevent heart disease than low-or-no-fat diets. Previous research of Mediterranean peoples whose regional diet contains a high amount of fat revealed a very low incidence of heart disease.

Researchers prescribed a Mediterranean-style diet to a group of men and women 55 and older. This diet-style is well balanced with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fish, with most fat sourced from olive oil and nuts such as almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. Red meat and processed food intake was also highly limited. Virgin olive oil, high in healthy monounsaturated fat, is the least processed of olive oils and thus retains many of its antioxidant properties. It also contains nutrients found to prevent inflammation of the blood vessels. Healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts and olive oil have been found to be of overall benefit to the cardiovascular system.

After three months, the Mediterranean eaters experienced improvements in cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Those participants who were prescribed the alternate low-fat diet that aimed to cut out most all dietary fats showed a dramatic decline in good HDL cholesterol. They also showed no change in blood pressure or sugar levels.

An interesting study released recently in the Journal of Physiology and Behaviour reports a genetic link to like and dislike of foods in children, in addition to socialized taste. For example, children like to eat meat and fish because of inherited genes. A taste for fruits, vegetables, and sweets, however, is determined by parental influence. The study was initiated with the intent of discovering how some people end up with poor nutritional skills in an effort to prevent obesity, which is linked to increased occurrence of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Researchers studied over 200 pairs of same-sex twins, comparing 103 identical sets and 111 non-identical sets. The idea behind studying twins was that identical pairs share the same genes, so any difference in their individual tastes would have to be linked to environmental influence and not their biology. Researchers then asked the mothers to identify their childrens like or dislike of 77 different foods in the categories of meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, and sweets.

The results were that genetics played a large role in deciding whether the children liked or disliked meat and fish. However, genes did not have much say in whether or not the children liked certain fruits, vegetables or sweets-- suggesting that a taste for any of these foods is attributed to how they are regarded in the home environment. One way parents can ensure early healthy dietary choices is to show their children a preference for fruits and vegetables with enthusiasm, always keeping them plentifully stocked at home. Making good future diet choices is also supported by limiting exposure to sweet treats, as well as not highlighting them as something coveted and desirable.