(Family Features) Survivors of heart attacks or strokes may have additional health and personal care needs, often relying on a family member or close friend to help. While caregivers take on a valuable role, they also pay unique physical and emotional tolls.

In fact, a growing body of scientific research shows people who serve as unpaid caregivers may not get the care they need to live longer, healthier lives, according to the American Heart Association, which is celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service.

Caregiving typically involves a range of duties from providing health care services, such as changing bandages and giving medications, to helping with personal needs like bathing, dressing and meal preparation. Administrative tasks like scheduling medical appointments, filing insurance claims and paying household bills may also be necessary.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1 in 5 U.S. adults provides some form of regular care or assistance to a family member or friend with a health problem or disability; 58% are women and nearly one-third provide care for at least 20 hours per week.

“The typical caregiver likely has an ever-growing and changing to-do list and most of them probably do not add ‘take care of myself’ to that list,” said American Heart Association volunteer Lisa Kitko, Ph.D., R.N., FAHA, dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing and vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center. “While caregiving can be a very rewarding experience, it can also take a huge physical and mental toll on even the strongest person.”

Prioritizing your own physical, mental and emotional health allows you to better help your loved one, Kitko said. Consider her tips for caregivers to care for themselves:

• Knowledge is power. Learn everything you can about your loved one’s condition.
• Set boundaries. Say “no” when it’s appropriate, don’t dwell on what you can’t change and recognize you’re trying your best.
• Maintain a healthy diet, limit caffeine and get adequate rest.
• Stay current with your own medical and dental appointments. Inform your health care provider if you’re experiencing any signs of depression.
• Find a support system. Share your feelings with someone who wants to listen or understands what you’re feeling, like the American Heart Association’s online Support Network, which includes a section just for caregivers.
• Nurture your spiritual life and focus on things you’re grateful for each day.
• Make time for yourself and friends. Participate in activities you enjoy, including regular physical activity.
• Be prepared for possible medical emergencies. If you’re caring for someone at risk for heart attack or stroke, recognize the warning signs and call 9-1-1 if he or she experience any. Learn Hands-Only CPR; research shows most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home. Be ready to save a life by calling 9-1-1 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest.

“‘Take care of yourself so you can take care of others,’ are definitely words to live by for caregivers – everyone tells you that and it certainly makes sense, but it’s hard,” Kitko said. “There is a lot of stress associated with knowing someone is depending on you … That is why taking care of yourself really should be the first item on your caregiver checklist.”

Learn more about caregiving and cardiovascular disease at heart.org.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
American Heart Association

(Family Features) Begin building tiny, healthier practices into routines you already have to help make it easier to establish habits you can stick to. This concept is called “habit stacking,” and it can help you improve habits from morning to night.

Consider those busy mornings when you need an on-the-go solution rather than opting for sugary foods and drinks, turn to Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies that include unsweetened green tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can support heart health.

This no-sugar-added recipe from Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, can help you enjoy healthier mornings while checking emails or hydrating before heading to the office.

Choosing beverages with no added sugars can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the  American Heart Association, making these smoothies perfect for building into a morning routine. Because it’s predominantly water, which is needed to keep your body running at its best, unsweetened tea provides a delicious way to hydrate without ditching those healthier habits.

Visit Heart.org/eatsmart to find more habits that contribute to heart health.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 3          cups water
• 8          single-serving green tea bags
• 16        ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
• 2          medium bananas, peeled, cut in half and frozen
• 1          cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 2          teaspoons fresh-grated peeled gingerroot (optional)
• 2          teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
• 2          teaspoons chia or flax seeds (optional)

1. In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
2. In food processor or blender, process tea, berries, bananas and yogurt until smooth. Add gingerroot and vanilla, if desired, and process until smooth. Pour into four glasses. Sprinkle with chia seeds, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (without optional ingredients): 136 calories; 1 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 3 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 18 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 8 g protein.

SOURCE:
American Heart Association

AgriLife Extension entomologist talks mosquito menu preferences

 by Ashley Vargo

If you feel like you’re the victim of itchy mosquito bites more often than others, it may not be all in your head.

Mosquitoes looking for a blood meal use sensory cues like exhaled carbon dioxide, body heat and odor to find their prey. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Sonja Swiger, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology and self-proclaimed mosquito magnet from Stephenville, said there is some scientific evidence that mosquitoes have preferences for who to land and feed on.

Mosquitoes primarily rely on carbon dioxide to locate their targets, Swiger said. Body temperature and odor also play significant roles, so anything that alters these factors can make someone more or less attractive to mosquitoes.

To separate evidence from anecdotes, Swiger discussed some of the attributes or conditions that studies have shown to entice mosquitoes.

Blood type matters, sometimes

Several studies have shown mosquitoes prefer type O blood. One study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found a mosquito species preferred to land on type O blood compared to others, but the difference was only significant between type O and type A.

Though it’s often reported that mosquitoes prefer type O blood, Swiger said it’s worth considering the limitations of these studies.

“Some projects have shown that there may be some correlation between blood type and mosquito preference, but in a comparative study, there’s always a winner,” she said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the absolute winner all the time.”

Some foods and alcohol

People who are intoxicated tend to put out more carbon dioxide and sweat more, which seems to attract mosquitoes — possibly along with other unknown factors.

Swiger said diet can also impact mosquito attraction, though the extent of its effect hasn’t been fully explored. Garlic and vitamin B are often anecdotally reported to deter these bugs, but the evidence is limited.

However, Swiger said bananas and other high-potassium foods have shown to attract mosquitoes, perhaps because they lead to an increase in lactic acid production in the body, which helps mosquitoes locate animals.

This also impacts a person’s skin microbiota, or the microorganisms living on the skin.

“There is some research to support that changing your diet will make you give off different scents,” Swiger said. “So, it may be possible to change your attractiveness to mosquitoes based on what you’re eating.”

Pregnancy attracts mosquitoes

Pregnant women also seem to attract more mosquitoes, primarily because of the increased carbon dioxide output. It’s estimated that women in the advanced stages of pregnancy exhale about a 21% greater volume than non-pregnant women.

Swiger said this goes along with other physiological changes, like increased body temperature, that together make pregnant women easier for mosquitoes to find.

A taste for the local flavor

Sometimes mosquitoes develop more specific tastes in a location over time as an evolutionary trait.

“Mosquitoes in certain neighborhoods can become accustomed to specific scents and start to prefer those over others,” Swiger said. “Their generations are about two weeks long, and urban mosquitoes that bite humans often don’t travel far. As a result, they seem to get familiar with the local scents.”

Other genetic predispositions

There’s still much to uncover as far as mosquito preferences. Swiger said there seems to be other genetic predispositions for what attracts mosquitoes, but these aren’t all clear just yet.

“If you find yourself swatting more mosquitoes than your friends, there is probably some science behind it,” she said. “While there’s no getting around genetic predispositions, staying covered and using repellant might just help you tip the scales in your favor.”