Top 5 Heart Healthy Gift Ideas from CCNM

It's that time of the year when we stress about, er, take joy in, buying gifts for others. But what to get for those trying so hard to develop good healthy habits? Fret not! We have procured a list of healthy, good habit-forming gifts that are safe and doctor-approved. Let's get to it:

1. What's healthier (and tastier) then a basket of fruit? Not much. Keeping it local,  Denville mainstay for the past 70 years, J&M Gourmet Foods, has a great selection of fruit baskets that will deliver locally on the same day or ship it overnight. The Famous J&M Fruit Basket for $49.95 is our go-to selection but there are numerous others from which to choose.

2. Did you know that gardening can burn up to 1,260 kJ an hour while also working those core muscles? Once the winter snow thaws and the green begins to show its time to get out there and get healthy. So why not do it with some new tools. For the guys who do the heavy lifting, cutting, pruning there are plenty of power tools to satisfy even the manliest of gardeners. Check out Home Depot or Lowe's for the latest deals on cordless hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, etc. And for the ladies, new gloves, gardening tools and even plants/seeds ordered online are an awesomely healthy way to get spring started. Check out White Flower Farms  for the best online plant selection.

3. This device that looks like its from 2021 is worn like a watch and does actually tell time. However, it tells much more than that. The Nike Fuelband also monitors your daily activity and translates that into energy spent. It counts your steps and uses an accelerometer to calculate your level of exertion. It then syncs with your mobile device wirelessly and can give you daily reports about how you've done. If you also want to keep an eye on your shut-eye the Fitbit One Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker also monitors your sleep cycle and can actually be set to wake you at the optimal point in the cycle so that you'll srise feeling well-rested and ready to go.

4. Full disclosure: I want this gift! We are finally at the point in our technological advancement where we no longer have to be impeded by annoying swinging wires while we run or connection points that no longer connect well. Welcome to the wonderful world of wireless accessories. They connect to any iPod, iPad, iPhone, Android, or any other Bluetooth enabled device, so you can listen and control your music play, advancing or rewinding the track and pausing from up to 32-ft. away. It even has a microphone that lets you make or take calls on your cell phone — the music stops when a call is in progress, and resumes playing when you hang up. So good.

5. Finally, from Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, it was previously reported that moderate intake of alcoholic beverages (1 to 2 drinks per day) is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in populations. That's good! We can use that evidence-based data for a great gift idea. Why not support the local wineries of NJ and grab 2007 Unionville Red Montage Big O, which has won multiple national awards and the distinction of Best Wine in NJ from the Star Ledger and Tastings.com. Or, go to your local store and pick up a bottle of red wine for a friend. Remember though, the benefits only exist in moderate intake!





From all of us at CCNM, have a Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, and a Healthy New Year!!

Don’t Be a Holiday Heart Attack

Don’t Be a Holiday Heart Attack
We don't want to be too much of a downer but it's hard to argue with cold hard facts and unfortunately, the data shows that you are more likely to die of a myocardial infarction on Chritsmas or New Year's than on other days.

This does not mean you are more likely to have an MI, though. So why would people perish more often on these days? Are the docs and RNs frolicking in the ER? Unlikely. The most reasonable explanation is that people are relucttant to ruin their own good time (and embarassed to ruin other people's good time) by admitting that something may be seriously wrong. 

Waiting the additional 30 minutes to present to the ER may ruin the Holidays for years to come as delay in presentation is one of the leading causes of death, associated with a heart attack. The quicker you call 911, the sooner an ECG can be done and the sooner a diagnosis can be made. As we say in the cardiac cath lab, time is muscle.