Prostate cancer prevention: What you can do

Prostate cancer prevention: What you can do

You may help avoid prostate cancer by exercising and eating a low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish. But the jury's still out on supplements and medications.
There's no sure way to prevent prostate cancer — but you can make some choices that might help. Prostate cancer is complicated, and researchers are still trying to understand the full range of factors that cause it — and determine which prevention strategies are safe and most effective.
Experts know that diet and lifestyle choices play a part in prostate cancer risk. Some medications and supplements also show promise in preventing prostate cancer, but more research is needed in this area.
While any man can get prostate cancer, it's most common in older men, men with a family history of prostate cancer and in black men. While age, genetics and race are factors you can't change, there are some factors you can control.
Here are a few things that you can do to help lower your risk of prostate cancer — and a few things that are still not proved, but might help. These steps may also help prevent other cancers and health conditions such as heart disease.
Nutrition and preventing prostate cancer
So far, research does not support definite nutritional guidelines for preventing prostate cancer. However, you can reasonably act on these suggestions:
Don't overeat. Eat moderate-sized portions and keep your calories under control.
Avoid high-fat foods. Prostate cancer rates vary greatly from one country to another, with the highest rates appearing in countries where people tend to eat a lot of fat. A diet high in saturated fats (such as animal fats found in red meat) may pose the greatest risk.
Make healthy choices. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread. Limit sweets and salt.
Drink alcohol in moderation. Generally, this means no more than two drinks a day for men.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. A diet high in fruits and vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of various kinds of cancer. Recent studies cast doubt on the theory that lycopene — an antioxidant found in tomatoes — lowers prostate cancer risk. But don't stop eating tomatoes. Eating plenty of all kinds of vegetables, including tomatoes, may help ward off prostate cancer and other cancers.
Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. While a diet high in most kinds of fat is linked to a higher risk of cancer and other health problems, there is an exception. Omega-3 fatty acids — a type of fat found in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel — appear to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Experts are still studying other foods to see whether they help prevent prostate cancer. While the verdict's still out, eating more of these foods probably won't hurt — and may help prevent cancer and other health problems:
Eat soy products and legumes. Soybeans and other legumes contain phytoestrogens, which are plant-based chemicals that behave like the hormone estrogen in the human body. These chemicals might help to prevent prostate cancer. In fact, one possible explanation for lower rates of prostate cancer in Asian men is that they eat more soy protein.
Drink green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants such as polyphenols that may help prevent certain cancers and other health problems.
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Obesity and prostate cancer
Researchers have not established a direct link between obesity and incidence of prostate cancer. However, obesity might affect levels of hormones related to prostate cancer risk.
Strategies for preventing obesity include:
Following guidelines for a healthy diet
Meeting with your doctor to develop a plan for physical activity
Doing some form of aerobic exercise for 30 minutes or more daily
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Obesity
Aerobic exercise: What 30 minutes a day can do
Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid tool
Drugs to prevent prostate cancer
Current research does not support the routine use of any drug to prevent prostate cancer, but several medications show potential benefits. Experts are studying certain drugs that affect testosterone levels. While these medications may help prevent prostate cancer, they can also cause side effects and are not generally recommended as routine use in preventing prostate cancer.
Selenium and vitamin E
Some nutrition research suggests that daily doses of the mineral selenium, vitamin E or both may help to prevent prostate cancer. The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, a large study launched in 2001, is following up on these observations. By its projected endpoint in 2013, the study will have data on prostate cancer incidence and treatment from more than 32,000 men.
A word of caution: Before using any supplement, talk to your doctor. Taking vitamins, herbal medicines or nutritional supplements can pose health risks, especially in high doses. This is especially important if you're taking other over-the-counter or prescription medications.
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Finasteride (Oral Route)
Selenium Supplement (Oral Route)
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Prostate cancer risk: A common-sense perspective
Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men, exceeded only by lung cancer. Even so, prostate cancer affects far more men than it eventually kills. According to the National Cancer Institute, about one-fifth of men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Yet only 3 percent of American men will die of the disease.
Why does the number of prostate cancer diagnoses exceed the number of deaths by such a large ratio? One answer is that prostate cancer progresses more slowly than many other types of cancer. Many men live with it for years. Many survive disease-free after treatment. And others refrain from treatment while closely monitoring the cancer's progression — an approach known as "watchful waiting."
To keep your risks in perspective, stay in regular contact with your doctor about your prostate health. Ask about prevention strategies that make the most sense for you, given your current health and medical history.
An annual prostate checkup can't reduce your risk of cancer, as perhaps a healthy diet and exercise can. If prostate cancer does develop, a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test may discover the problem in its earliest stage when treatment can be most effective.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Prostate cancer screening: Should you get a PSA test?
Prostate cancer: Does PSA level affect prognosis?
Cancer prevention: 7 steps to reduce your risk
Prostate cancer guide
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Early prostate cancer antigen (EPCA): A better prostate cancer test?
Frequent sex: Does it protect against prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer
MayoClinic.com Bookstore
'Mayo Clinic on Prostate Health,' Second Edition (Softcover)
'Mayo Clinic on Managing Incontinence' (Softcover)
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You’re Not Perfect – So Stop Trying to Be!

You’re Not Perfect – So Stop Trying to Be!

By Jorge Cruise, LifeScript Fitness Coach
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Don’t get me wrong – doing things to the best of your ability is a good rule of thumb. But some people take this motto to an unhealthy extreme. Seeking perfection is not only unrealistic, but it’s also a huge burden to carry. Perfectionists may start out with the best of intentions – wanting to better themselves or their situation – but they end up becoming control freaks. When something minor goes wrong, they feel like it’s the end of the world. This creates an obscene amount of stress that’s enough to drive anyone batty! If you fall into the trap of perfectionism, especially when it comes to your body, you need to learn to accept your imperfections. Maybe you compare yourself to glossy photos of supermodels. Guess what? They’re airbrushed to look perfect. Away from the pages of magazines, they have imperfections, problem areas and bad hair days just like everyone else. So, remember: Nobody’s perfect… and that’s the beauty of it.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Don't Worry, You're Not Going to Starve

Don't Worry, You're Not Going to Starve

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Believe it or not, going hungry is one of the most common fears dieters face. “If I don’t eat the whole sandwich, I know I’ll be hungry in about an hour. And since I’ll be stuck in that meeting, I’d better eat the whole thing now, even though I’m not really hungry for it.” Sound familiar? If this is you, it’s time to get realistic. A little hunger is nothing to be afraid of. But if you’re convinced you can’t deal with the pangs of “starvation,” then heed this advice: Carry a granola bar (or dried fruit, nuts or another healthy snack) in your bag, purse, glove box, and/or briefcase. Then you’ll have no excuse for overeating when you’re not really hungry for more – you’ll know you have a hunger-calming, healthy snack at your fingertips whenever you need it. Having backup is always a good plan!

One Diet Blunder Is OK

One Diet Blunder Is OK

By Jorge Cruise, LifeScript Fitness Coach
Friday, July 18, 2008
“I’ve already blown it today, so I might as well give up.” I know how discouraging it can feel after you lose control and make a dieting mistake. But you can’t let it weigh you down, or you’ll never lose the weight! In fact, you’ve never blown it until you’ve given up altogether. One overeating episode will not ruin your entire diet, and you can still hop back on that wagon and head for success. Think of it like this: For the same reason fat is so hard to lose, it is also hard to gain. You have to eat 3,500 excess calories in order to gain just one pound of fat. That’s a lot of food – way more than you’ve ever eaten in one sitting. So chalk up your mistake to just that – a minor setback, not a diet-ending catastrophe.
Your coach,Jorge Cruise

Red Wine May Make Meat HealthierHealthy

Red Wine May Make Meat HealthierHealthy Compounds in Red Wine May Offset Potentially Unhealthy Compounds in Meat, Study Shows

By Miranda HittiWebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
June 27, 2008 -- Having a meaty meal? Drinking a little red wine may make it healthier, thanks to compounds in red wine, an Israeli study shows.
The researchers cooked turkey thighs and then ground them up for the study. They fed the ground turkey to rats, with or without red wine that had been stripped of its alcohol.
When the rats finished eating, the researchers analyzed the rats' stomach and blood chemistry.
The rats that had eaten the turkey meat without the wine had high levels of chemicals that promote oxidation, which has been linked to cancer , atherosclerosis, and other serious diseases, the study states.
But the rats that got the turkey meat and the red wine had less of those oxidation chemicals in their stomach and blood after their meal.
Chalk that up to antioxidants called polyphenols in red wine, say the researchers, who included Shlomit Gorelik, MSc, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Red wine's antioxidants balanced out the turkey meat's oxidants, and the stomach was the "bioreactor" where that balancing act took place, Gorelik's team reports.
Red wine isn't the only way to get polyphenols. Good sources also include onions, apples, tea, red grapes, grape juice, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and certain nuts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Diets high in fat and red meat are contributory risk factors, whereas the consumption of polyphenol-rich fruits, vegetables, and their derived beverages during the meal seems to reduce these risk factors and provide important protective benefits for human health," the researchers write in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The researchers say their findings are in line with other research in people. But they didn't follow the rats to see if drinking red wine led to better health or longer lives.

Fats Help Keep Your Salad Healthy

Fats Help Keep Your Salad Healthy

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer
Thursday, July 10, 2008

Think you have to ban fatty salad dressings forever? Many dieters think losing weight means you have to cut corners (which is true) by cutting out fatty foods like salad dressing (which is not true). While it’s a fact that when you leave off fatty salad dressings you may be reducing the total number of calories in your meal, you’re also reducing the total number of carotenoids you absorb from the phytochemical-rich assortment of veggies in your salad. Carotenoids are a class of pigments found in vegetables. They make carrots orange, green peppers green and tomatoes red, and they also act as powerful antioxidants. These healthy compounds, however, are fat-soluble, meaning they need to be digested in the presence of fats in order to cross the intestinal wall and be absorbed into the body. That means that if you’re not eating some amount of fat with your salads, whether from the dressing, shredded cheeses, avocado, or other source, you won’t be able to benefit from the all the fat-soluble nutrients, carotenoids and antioxidants found in the vegetables. How much fat do you need then? Research shows that you need to eat at least six grams of fat along with your meal in order to absorb these healthy, fat-soluble compounds. Check the label of your favorite salad dressings and opt for one that has a healthy amount of unsaturated fats, such as an olive-oil based dressing. Or just add a quarter of an avocado to your salad for seven grams of fat, six of which are heart-healthy unsaturated fats

DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dash-diet/HI00047
DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure

The DASH diet emphasizes portion size, eating a variety of foods and getting the right amount of nutrients. Discover how DASH can improve your health and lower your blood pressure.

The DASH diet focuses on lowering your blood pressure and keeping it under control. DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, could lower your blood pressure by a few points in just two weeks. Over time, your blood pressure could drop by eight to 14 points.
The DASH diet offers other health benefits, too, such as protection against osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The DASH diet is especially effective in reducing blood pressure in blacks and older adults. If adopted early and combined with other lifestyle changes such as exercising more and quitting smoking, the DASH diet can prevent high blood pressure (hypertension).
The DASH diet: What to eat
The key to the DASH diet is variety, including lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. It also includes some fish, poultry and legumes. You can eat red meat, sweets and fats in smaller amounts. This variety means the DASH diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, total fat and sodium, while rich in protein, fiber and healthy nutrients, particularly magnesium, potassium and calcium.
The DASH diet now has two versions: the standard DASH diet and the lower sodium DASH diet. Both DASH diets aim to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, but the lower sodium DASH diet encourages an even further reduction in the amount of sodium you eat. This can help to reduce blood pressure even more than can the standard DASH diet. You don't need to modify the DASH diet any further than reducing the amount of salt you eat to follow the lower sodium version.
DASH diet components
Here are the food groups in the DASH diet and tips on incorporating them into your meals:
Food group
Servings
Serving sizes
Whole grains
6 to 8 a day
1 slice bread 1 ounce (oz.) dry cereal 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal
Fruits and vegetables
8 to 10 a day
1 cup raw leafy vegetables 1/2 cup fruit or low-sodium vegetable juice 1 medium piece of fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
Fat-free or low-fat dairy
2 to 3 a day
1 cup milk or yogurt 1 1/2 oz. cheese
Lean meats, poultry and fish
6 or fewer a day
1 oz. cooked meats, poultry or fish (3 oz. of meat is about the size of a deck of cards)
Nuts, seeds and beans
4 to 5 a week
1/3 cup nuts 2 tablespoons (tbsp.) peanut butter 2 tbsp. unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas
Fats and oils
2 to 3 a day
1 teaspoon (tsp.) soft margarine 1 tsp. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. mayonnaise 2 tbsp. salad dressing
Sweets
5 or fewer a week
1 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. jelly or jam 1/2 cup sorbet, gelatin 1 cup lemonade
Sodium
1,500 to 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day (the lower the amount of sodium, the greater the blood pressure lowering effect)
1,500 mg of sodium equals about 4 grams, or 2/3 tsp., of table salt
Whole grains (six to eight servings a day) These include breads, cereals, rice and pasta. They're a good source of energy and fiber.
Choose whole grains because they have more fiber and nutrients than do refined grains. For instance, use brown rice instead of white rice, whole-wheat pasta instead of regular pasta and whole-grain bread instead of white bread. Look for products labeled "100 percent whole grain" or "100 percent whole wheat."
Grains are naturally low in fat, so avoid spreading on butter or adding cream and cheese sauces.
Vegetables and fruits (eight to 10 servings a day) Vegetables. Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes and other vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins, and such minerals as potassium and magnesium. Don't think of them as mere side dishes — a hearty blend of vegetables served over brown rice or whole-wheat noodles can serve as the main dish for a meal.
Fresh or frozen vegetables are both good choices. For maximum benefit from canned vegetables, make sure they don't have added salt.
To increase the number of servings you fit in daily, be creative. In a stir-fry, for instance, cut the amount of chicken in half and double up on the vegetables.
Fruits. Fresh or dried, many fruits need little preparation to become a healthy part of a meal or an on-the-go snack. Like vegetables, they're packed with fiber, potassium and magnesium and are almost always low in fat — coconut is one exception.
Add a glass of orange juice to breakfast to start the day off with fruit. Have a piece of fruit at lunch and one as a snack, then round out your day with a dessert of fresh fruits topped with a splash of low-fat yogurt. Remember that grapefruit juice can interact with certain medications, such as statins, so check with your doctor before drinking it.
Leave on edible peels whenever possible. The peels of apples, pears and most fruits with pits add interesting texture to recipes and contain nutrients and fiber.
Dairy (two to three servings a day) Milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products are major sources of calcium, vitamin D and protein. But the key is to make sure they're low in fat or fat-free, since dairy products can also be a major source of fat.
Low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt can help you boost the amount of dairy products you eat while offering a sweet treat. Add fruit for a healthy twist.
If you have trouble digesting dairy products, you may benefit from over-the-counter products that contain the enzyme lactase, which can reduce or prevent the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Or choose lactose-free products. Even people who have trouble tolerating milk can generally tolerate yogurt. Some people tolerate milk if they drink it with a meal in small portions, 4 ounces (120 milliters, or mL) at a time or less.
Meats, poultry and fish (six or fewer servings a day) Meats are rich sources of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. But because even lean varieties contain fat and cholesterol, try to limit animal-based foods.
Keep in mind that the DASH diet considers a serving of meat to be small — about 1 ounce (oz.). A piece of lean meat the size of a deck of cards is about 3 oz (85 grams).
The DASH diet suggests that meals not be centered on meats. Cut back typical meat portions by one-third or one-half and pile on the vegetables instead.
Trim away skin and fat before cooking, then broil, grill, roast or poach instead of frying.
You can enhance the heart-health benefits of DASH by eating fish such as salmon, herring or tuna. These types of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower your total cholesterol.
Nuts, seeds and beans (four to five servings a week) Almonds, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, lentils and other foods in this family are good sources of magnesium, potassium and protein. They're also full of fiber and phytochemicals, plant compounds that may protect against some cancers and cardiovascular disease.
Nuts may have gotten a bad rap over their fat content, but they contain good types of fat — monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids. They're high in calories, however, so they should be eaten in moderation. Try adding them to stir-fries, salads or cereals.
Soybean-based products, such as tofu and tempeh, can be a good alternative to meat because they contain all of the amino acids your body needs to make a complete protein, just like meat. They also contain isoflavones, a type of natural plant compound (phytochemical) that has been shown to have some health benefits.
Fats and oils (two to three a day) Fat helps your body absorb essential vitamins and helps your body's immune system. But too much fat increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The DASH diet strives for a healthy balance by providing 30 percent or less of daily calories from fat, with a focus on the healthier unsaturated fats.
Become a savvy shopper and read food labels on margarines and salad dressings so that you can choose those that are lowest in saturated fat and are trans fat-free.
Saturated fat and trans fat are the main dietary culprits in raising your blood cholesterol and increasing your risk of coronary artery disease. Keep your daily saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your total calories by limiting use of meat, butter, cheese, whole milk, cream and eggs in your diet, along with foods made from lard, solid shortenings, and palm and coconut oils. You should avoid trans fats — a type of fat found mainly in processed foods such as crackers, baked goods and fried items — as much as possible.
Sweets (five or fewer a week) Even on the DASH diet, you can have sweets in small amounts.
Try to eat fat-free or low-fat sweets, such as sorbets, fruit ices, jelly beans, hard candy, graham crackers or low-fat cookies.
Although it can be high in calories, dark chocolate is another good choice if you're craving something sweet. Dark chocolate contains a substance that can help lower your blood pressure and can enhance your results from the DASH diet. Just be sure to keep your portion size small (about 1 oz. or 28 grams).
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) and sucralose (Splenda) may help satisfy your sweet tooth while sparing the sugar. But remember that you still must use them sensibly. It's OK to swap a diet cola for a regular cola, but not in place of a more nutritious beverage such as milk or low-sodium vegetable juice.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Whole grains: Hearty options for a healthy diet
Main attraction: Fresh vegetables 10 ways
Color your diet: Fresh fruit 10 ways
Lean meats: 10 tips for low-fat cooking
Buying beef? A guide to choosing the leanest cuts
Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart
Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
Beans and other legumes: Types and tasty tips
Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy
Dietary fats: Know which types to choose
Artificial sweeteners: A safe alternative to sugar
Cutting back on sodium
The fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products that have center stage in the DASH diet are naturally low in sodium. That means it'll take less effort to reduce the sodium and salt in your diet.
The recommended upper limit of salt you can eat each day is 2,400 milligrams (mg). If you have prehypertension (120/80 millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg, to 139/89 mm Hg) or high blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg to 159/99 mm Hg), it's recommended to reduce the amount of salt you eat to 1,500 mg to help control the condition.
When you read food labels, you may be surprised at just how much sodium some processed foods contain. Even low-fat soups, canned vegetables, ready-to-eat cereals and sliced turkey from the local deli — all foods you may have considered healthy — often have lots of sodium. Choose low-sodium varieties, and you may find you don't even notice the difference.
Still, some people may find it hard to abruptly cut back to 1,500 mg a day. If you have trouble cutting back on sodium and table salt, do it gradually. That'll give your palate time to adjust. It can takes six weeks or more for your taste buds to get used to less salty foods, but the drop in your blood pressure will be worth the adjustment.
Here are some ways to reduce the sodium and salt in your diet without sending your taste buds into a panic:
Add spices or flavorings to your food instead of salt. Season broccoli with lemon juice or oregano and popcorn with curry or garlic powder, for instance. Try salt-free seasoning blends.
Don't add salt when cooking rice, pasta or hot cereal.
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
Buy foods labeled "no salt added," "sodium-free," "low sodium" or "very low sodium." Be cautious of foods marked "reduced sodium" or "light sodium." These labels mean that the sodium has been reduced by 25 percent to 50 percent, compared with the regular version, but these foods may still be very high in salt.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Sodium: Are you getting too much?
Alcohol and the DASH diet
Aside from salt, drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure. The DASH diet recommends limiting alcohol to two or fewer drinks a day in men, and one drink a day for women.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
DASH nutrient mix
By following the DASH diet, you'll be getting more nutrients that can help lower your blood pressure. The mix of potassium, calcium and magnesium in the DASH diet acts as a diuretic, helping the body excrete salt.
Mineral
What it does
Where it's found
Potassium
Balances the amount of sodium in your cells
Many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, dairy products
Calcium
Not proved to prevent high blood pressure, but eating too little is linked with high blood pressure
Dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish with edible bones, calcium-fortified foods
Magnesium
Deficiency linked with higher blood pressure
Legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, lean meats
Putting it all together
The DASH diet is based on a diet of 2,100 calories a day. If you're trying to lose weight, though, you may want to eat around 1,600 a day. The DASH diet is not designed to promote weight loss, but it can be used as part of an overall weight-loss strategy. You may need to adjust your serving goals based on your health or individual circumstances — something your health care team can help you decide.
Use the DASH food group guidelines and the guide to recommended daily servings to get started with your own menu planning. Consult the guidelines to help plan some sample menus for yourself, or talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian if you need more help creating menus.
To help you get started on the DASH diet, consider these strategies:
Change gradually. People seeking healthier lifestyles often try to change too much at once. Instead, change one or two things at a time. If you now eat only one or two servings of fruits or vegetables a day, try to add a serving at lunch and one at dinner. Rather than switching to all whole grains, start by making one or two of your grain servings whole grains. Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat gradually will also help prevent bloating or diarrhea that may occur in some people who aren't used to eating a diet with lots of high-fiber grains, fruits and vegetables. You can also try over-the-counter products to help reduce the gas from beans and vegetables.
Forgive yourself if you backslide. Everyone slips, especially when learning something new. Remember that changing your lifestyle is a long-term process. Find out what triggered your setback and then just pick up where you left off with the DASH diet.
Reward successes. Reward yourself with a nonfood treat for your accomplishments.
Add physical activity. To boost your blood pressure lowering efforts even more, consider increasing your physical activity in addition to following the DASH diet. These two interventions together are more successful at lowering blood pressure than either alone.
Get support if you need it. If you're having trouble sticking to your diet, talk to your doctor or dietitian about it. You might get some tips that will help you stick to the DASH diet.
Remember, healthy eating isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. What's most important is that, on average, you eat healthier foods with plenty of variety — both to keep your diet nutritious and to avoid boredom or extremes.
RELATED
DASH diet: Shopping and cooking tips for healthy eating
DASH diet: Avoid hidden dangers when dining out
Sample menus for the DASH eating plan
DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings
DASH diet recipes
Low-sodium recipes
MayoClinic.com Bookstore
'The Mayo Clinic Plan: 10 Essential Steps to a Better Body & Healthier Life' (Hardcover)
Web Resources
American Heart Association
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH

This Lean Protein Can Help You Drop the Pounds

ArchiveThis Lean Protein Can Help You Drop the Pounds
FREE DAILY DIET TIP

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer
Monday, June 30, 2008
Does your diet need more beans? If you’ve been relying only on meat to supply your protein, mix it up by serving up a big bowl of beans. Beans come in all shapes, sizes and flavors, which means there’s a bean out there for everyone. Kidney, black and pinto beans are fabulous in chili, which can be prepared meat-free for a lean dinner that is super low in calories, high in fiber and will really fill you up. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) lend great flavor and texture to cold salads and hot soups alike and are the base for a favorite low-calorie dip – hummus. Spice up your chicken and rice with a Caribbean jerk-seasoned black bean salad or add pizzazz to your kabobs by serving them up with a side of hot curried lentils. Add an Asian flair to your party with steamed edamame beans (soybeans) lightly dusted with sea salt. Any way you dish it up (unless we’re talking about refried beans, which are cooked with lard), beans are a figure-friendly food that you just can’t beat for a source of delicious, lean protein.

Cholesterol: The top 5 foods to lower your numbers

Cholesterol: The top 5 foods to lower your numbers

Diet can play an important role in lowering your cholesterol. Discover five foods that can lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.
Can a bowl of oatmeal help prevent a heart attack? How about a handful of walnuts, or even your baked potato topped with some heart-healthy margarine? A few simple tweaks to your diet — like these — may be enough to lower your cholesterol to a healthy level and help you stay off medications.

Oatmeal and oat bran

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes.
Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. Ten grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

Walnuts, almonds and more

Studies have shown that walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks.
A cholesterol-lowering diet in which 20 percent of the calories come from walnuts may reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 12 percent. But all nuts are high in calories, so a handful (no more than 2 ounces or 57 grams) will do. As with any food, eating too much can cause weight gain, and being overweight places you at higher risk of heart disease. To avoid gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health

Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Research has supported the cholesterol-lowering benefits of eating fatty fish because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. However, to maintain the heart-healthy benefits of fish, bake or grill it. If you don't like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
You can take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the beneficial effects, but you won't get all the other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.
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Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart
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Olive oil

Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat.
Some research suggests that the cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. But avoid "light" olive oils. This label usually means the oil is more processed and lighter in color, not fat or calories.
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Olive oil: What are the health benefits?

Foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols

Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks fortified with plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237 milliliters) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.
Plant sterols or stanols in fortified foods don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Nor do they interfere with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K.
The American Heart Association recommends foods fortified with plant sterols for people with levels of LDL cholesterol over 160 milligrams per deciliter (4.1 mmol/L).
Consider your diet first
Before you make other changes to your diet, think about cutting back on the types and amounts of fats you eat, which can raise your cholesterol. That way, you'll improve your cholesterol levels and health overall.
When cutting fat from your diet, focus on saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats, like those in meat and some oils, raise your total cholesterol. Trans fats, which are sometimes used to make store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes, are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels because they raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), "good" cholesterol. You should try to limit the number of calories you eat daily to less than 10 percent from saturated fat, and eliminate as many trans fats from your diet as possible.
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Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy
Dietary fats: Know which types to choose
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'The Mayo Clinic Plan: 10 Essential Steps to a Better Body & Healthier Life' (Hardcover)
Web Resources
American Heart Association
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Cholesterol levels: What numbers should you aim for?

Cholesterol levels: What numbers should you aim for?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-levels/CL00001

Figuring out the best cholesterol levels to aim for can be confusing. But here's some help setting your cholesterol number targets.
It's important to keep your cholesterol levels within healthy limits. And if you have other risk factors for developing heart disease, you need to be even more careful — especially with your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol level.
Interpreting your cholesterol numbers
Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood in the United States and some other countries. Canada and most European countries measure cholesterol in millimoles (mmol) per liter (L) of blood. Consider these general guidelines when you get your lipid panel (cholesterol test) results back to see if your cholesterol falls in optimal levels.
Total cholesterol(U.S. and some other countries)
Total cholesterol*(Canada and most of Europe)

Below 200 mg/dL
Below 5.2 mmol/L
Desirable
200-239 mg/dL
5.2-6.2 mmol/L
Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above
Above 6.2 mmol/L
High

LDL cholesterol(U.S. and some other countries)
LDL cholesterol*(Canada and most of Europe)

Below 70 mg/dL
Below 1.8 mmol/L
Optimal for people at very high risk of heart disease
Below 100 mg/dL
Below 2.6 mmol/L
Optimal for people at risk of heart disease
100-129 mg/dL
2.6-3.3 mmol/L
Near optimal
130-159 mg/dL
3.4-4.1 mmol/L
Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL
4.1-4.9 mmol/L
High
190 mg/dL and above
Above 4.9 mmol/L
Very high

HDL cholesterol(U.S. and some other countries)
HDL cholesterol*(Canada and most of Europe)

Below 40 mg/dL (men)Below 50 mg/dL (women)
Below 1 mmol/L (men)Below 1.3 mmol/L (women)
Poor
50-59 mg/dL
1.3-1.5 mmol/L
Better
60 mg/dL and above
Above 1.5 mmol/L
Best

Triglycerides(U.S. and some other countries)
Triglycerides*(Canada and most of Europe)

Below 150 mg/dL
Below 1.7 mmol/L
Desirable
150-199 mg/dL
1.7-2.2 mmol/L
Borderline high
200-499 mg/dL
2.3-5.6 mmol/L
High
500 mg/dL and above
Above 5.6 mmol/L
Very high
*Canadian and European guidelines differ slightly from U.S. guidelines. These conversions are based on U.S. guidelines.
LDL targets differ
Because LDL cholesterol has a major association with heart disease, it's the main focus of cholesterol-lowering treatment. But it's not as simple as the chart may appear. Your target LDL number can vary, depending on your underlying risk of heart disease.
Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, your target LDL may be below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you're at very high risk of heart disease, you may need to aim for an LDL level below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).
So who's considered at very high risk? If you've had a heart attack or if you have diabetes or carotid or peripheral vascular disease, you're at very high risk. In addition, two or more of the following risk factors might also place you in the very high risk group:
Smoking
High blood pressure
Low HDL cholesterol
Family history of early heart disease
Age older than 45 if you're a man, or older than 55 if you're a woman
Elevated lipoprotein (a)
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Coronary artery disease
Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Types of cholesterol
LDL cholesterol can build up on the inside of artery walls, contributing to artery blockages that can lead to heart attacks. Higher LDL cholesterol levels mean higher risk. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent arteries from becoming clogged. Higher HDL cholesterol levels generally mean lower risk.
A blood test to check cholesterol levels — called a lipid panel or lipid profile — typically reports:
Total cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol
Triglycerides, a type of fat often increased by sweets and alcohol
For the most accurate measurements, don't eat or drink anything (other than water) for nine to 12 hours before the blood sample is taken.
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Cholesterol test: Sorting out the lipids
High blood cholesterol
Blood tests for heart disease
Lifestyle changes
If your LDL cholesterol is too high, the first thing your doctor will probably suggest is lifestyle changes. Eating more soluble fiber, found in oatmeal, beans, fruits and vegetables, and less saturated fat and cholesterol can improve your cholesterol levels.
Being overweight and inactive tends to increase your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol, exactly the opposite of what you want. Exercise and weight loss can help reverse this trend. This is especially important for people who have large waist measurements — more than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) for men and more than 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) for women — because people with this body shape are more likely to develop heart disease.
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Waist-to-hip ratio: A risk factor for heart disease?
Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy
Medications may be needed
When lifestyle changes aren't enough to reach your cholesterol targets, your doctor may prescribe medications to help lower your cholesterol levels. These drugs, such as statins, aren't a replacement for lifestyle changes. You'll still need to eat properly and exercise.
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Cholesterol medications: Consider the options
Statins: Are these cholesterol-lowering drugs right for you?
Niacin to boost your HDL 'good' cholesterol
A hidden risk factor
High cholesterol has no symptoms, but your genetic makeup — reflected in family history of high cholesterol or heart disease — might make you more prone to the condition, even if you eat right and exercise. That's why it's so important to have a baseline cholesterol test at age 20 and have follow-up tests at least once every five years. Finding the problem early allows you to take action before it's too late. Your doctor may recommend more frequent cholesterol tests if your total cholesterol level or LDL cholesterol level is high.
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Tool: LDL cholesterol calculator
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MayoClinic.com Bookstore
'The Mayo Clinic Plan: 10 Essential Steps to a Better Body & Healthier Life' (Hardcover)
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Heart disease prevention: 5 strategies keep your heart healthy

Heart disease prevention: 5 strategies keep your heart healthy

You can prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Here are five strategies to help you protect your heart.
Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history, age and race — there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.
Take steps to avoid heart disease — don't smoke, get regular exercise and eat healthy foods. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are five heart disease prevention tips to get you started.
1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products
"If you smoke, quit," advises Sharonne Hayes, M.D., a cardiologist and director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "That's the most powerful, preventable risk factor for heart disease."
When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.
In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by constricting blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Even so-called "social smoking" — only smoking while at a bar or restaurant with friends — is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease.
Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don't do either. Worse, this risk increases with age, especially over 35.
The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.
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2. Get active
You already know that physical activity is good for you. But you may not realize just how good it is for you.
Regularly participating in moderately vigorous physical activity can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease by nearly a quarter. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.
Regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease by increasing blood flow to your heart and strengthening your heart's contractions so that your heart pumps more blood with less effort. Physical activity also helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.
Federal guidelines recommend that you get at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts offer heart benefits, so if you can't meet those guidelines, don't give up. And remember that things like gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don't have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts.
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3. Eat a heart-healthy diet
Consistently eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Limiting your intake of certain fats also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils. There's growing evidence that trans fat may be worse than saturated fat because unlike saturated fat, it both raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol. Sources of trans fat include deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers.
Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people, for instance, need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day.
"There's a huge amount of data to suggest that fruits and vegetables are highly effective in preventing not just cardiovascular disease, but cancer and other diseases as well," Dr. Hayes says.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish are a good natural source of omega-3s. However, pregnant women and women of childbearing age should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they contain levels of mercury high enough to pose a danger to a developing fetus. But for most others, the health benefits of fish outweigh any risks associated with mercury. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.
Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. Above that, it becomes a health hazard.
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Alcohol and your health: Weighing the pros and cons
4. Maintain a healthy weight
As you put on weight in adulthood, you gain mostly fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
How do you know if your weight is healthy? One way is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat.
BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
The BMI is a good but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference is also a useful tool to assess abdominal fat. In general, men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches. And women, in general, are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches.
Even small reductions in weight can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.
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Weight loss: 6 strategies for success
5. Get regular health screenings
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.
Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more frequent checks if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.
Cholesterol levels. Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of heart disease.
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Prevention pays
Heart disease is often avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated, and it doesn't mean you need to live a life of self-deprivation. Instead, find ways to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle — and you may well enjoy a healthier life for years to come.
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'The Mayo Clinic Plan: 10 Essential Steps to a Better Body & Healthier Life' (Hardcover)
Web Resources
American Heart Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart?

Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart?

Red wine and something in red wine called resveratrol might be heart healthy. Learn the facts, and hype, regarding red wine and its impact on your heart.
Red wine has long been touted as heart healthy. Some have suggested that the apparent health benefits of red wine, namely reducing your risk of heart disease, are behind the so-called French paradox. The French are regular drinkers of red wine and have relatively high amounts of saturated fat in their diet. Despite this fat intake, the French have lower rates of heart disease.
While the news about red wine might sound great if you enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal, doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to drink alcohol because too much alcohol can have a host of harmful effects on your body.
But despite the caution, doctors do agree that something in red wine appears to help your heart, though it's unclear just exactly what that "something" is. Recent research has indicated a substance called resveratrol, which is found in the skin and seeds of grapes used to make wine, has promising heart-healthy benefits.
Resveratrol isn't the only substance in red wine that looks promising. The alcohol in red wine also appears to be heart healthy. Understand what's known — and not known — about red wine and its possible heart-health benefits.
How does alcohol help the heart?
Various studies have indicated that moderate amounts of all types of alcohol benefit your heart, not just alcohol found in red wine. Some heart-healthy benefits of alcohol include:
Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol
Inhibits the formation of blood clots
Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol
Is red wine better?
Red wine in particular seems to have even more heart-health benefits than other types of alcohol, according to a large Danish study from 2000. The study, known as the Copenhagen City Heart Study, found that those who drank red wine had about half the risk of dying of heart disease as those who didn't.
Additional studies have given mixed results — some confirming the Danish finding, others showing red wine isn't any better than beer, white wine or liquor for heart health. As a result, the American Heart Association says there's no clear evidence yet that red wine is superior to other forms of alcohol when it comes to possible heart-health benefits.
The pro-red wine studies suggest antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. These antioxidants come in two main forms: flavonoids and nonflavonoids.
Flavonoids. These antioxidants are found in a variety of foods, including oranges, apples, onions, tea and cocoa. Other types of alcohol, such as white wine and beer, contain small amounts, too, but red wine has higher levels.
Nonflavonoids. These antioxidants found in red wine have recently been of particular interest because they appear to help prevent arteries from becoming clogged with fatty blockages. However, these studies mostly involved mice — not humans. Resveratrol is the nonflavonoid that researchers are most interested in.
Resveratrol in red wine
Some researchers believe that resveratrol might be the key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots.
Research in mice given resveratrol has indicated that the antioxidant might also help protect them from obesity and diabetes, both of which are strong risk factors for heart disease. However, those findings were reported only in mice, not in people. In addition, to achieve the dose of resveratrol used in the mice studies, a person would have to consume 100 to 1,000 bottles of red wine a day.
Some companies sell supplements containing resveratrol. However, doctors caution that not enough is known about resveratrol's effects to endorse resveratrol supplements. Research into the potential heart-health benefits of resveratrol is continuing.
Resveratrol in grapes and other foods
The resveratrol in red wine comes from the skin of grapes used to make wine. Because red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than is white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol. Simply eating grapes, or drinking grape juice, has been suggested as one way to get resveratrol without drinking alcohol. Some studies have suggested that red and purple grape juices have some of the same heart-healthy benefits of red wine.
Other foods that contain some resveratrol include peanuts, blueberries and cranberries. It's not yet known how beneficial eating grapes or other foods might be compared with drinking red wine when it comes to promoting heart health. The amount of resveratrol in food and red wine can vary widely.
Drink in moderation — or not at all
Red wine's potential heart-health benefits look promising. Those who drink moderate amounts of alcohol, including red wine, seem to have a lower risk of heart disease. However, more research is needed before we know whether red wine is better for your heart than are other forms of alcohol, such as beer or spirits.
The American Heart Association doesn't recommend that you start drinking alcohol just to prevent heart disease. Alcohol can be addictive. Too much increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems. In addition, even small amounts of alcohol can cause cardiomyopathy — weakened heart muscle — and heart failure in some people. If you have heart failure or a weak heart you should avoid alcohol completely.
If you already drink red wine, do so in moderation. Moderate drinking is defined as an average of two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
A drink is defined as 12 ounces (oz.) of beer, 5 oz. of wine or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits.
The limit for men is higher because men generally weigh more and have more of an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than women do.
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