What Are Complex Carbohydrates

Ways to control irregular heart

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Last fall, my heart started to jump around, and I took it that I had palpitations, although I wasn't sure what palpitations were. It turns out I had atrial fibrillation. Since then, I have been on many medicines for the atrial fibrillation plus Coumadin, a blood thinner. The Coumadin requires frequent trips to the lab. I have a hard time getting around. I don't drive. My doctor suggests ablation. What are your thoughts? — H.M.

ANSWER: Atrial fibrillation is in either first or second place when it comes to heart questions. It means the heart beats rapidly and irregularly. The rapid heart pumps less effectively, and the irregular beat promotes the formation of blood clots in the upper heart chambers. Those clots, or pieces of them, can be carried through the circulation to the brain, where they cause a stroke.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation aims to slow the heart, get it to beat regularly and prevent clots from forming if a regular rhythm cannot be attained.

Medicines sometimes can both slow the heart and restore a normal rhythm. If a normal rhythm is not achieved, the patient will still do well if the heart beats slowly. That patient, however, must add to his or her treatment a blood thinner like Coumadin to prevent clots and a stroke.

Your doctor has suggested a way to restore a regular beat — ablation. A heart doctor inches a special catheter — a thin, pliable tube — from a surface blood vessel to the heart. The catheter is equipped to emit radio waves, which make a series of scars to prevent the generation of erratic signals that spawn atrial fib. The result, when the procedure is effective, is a normal, regular heartbeat. The patient can then kiss Coumadin goodbye. My thoughts are that it's worth serious consideration.

You can also get rid of Coumadin by switching to Pradaxa, a blood thinner that doesn't require lab testing. It's new and is somewhat expensive.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My future husband wants me to go on birth-control pills. Do the pills make a woman less able to have a family when they're stopped? We want to have children, but not right away.

How long can a woman take the pill? — J.W.

ANSWER: In the past 10 years, the birth-control pill has been modified. It contains less estrogen and progestin. There are fewer side effects than there used to be. The pill, in all its variations, does not affect a woman's fertility when she stops taking it.

For A List Of Complex Carbohydrates Try Searching The Internet ...

If you are trying to improve your health through a healthy diet then it is essential that you learn which foods are good carbohydrates. They are full of nutrients and very good for you. Your body needs carbs to function properly but ones which are healthy and not full of sugar. Cutting out refined carbohydrates is important but you will need to replace them with unrefined or complex ones. A list of complex carbohydrates is essential for learning how to eat healthily.

These types of foods are also referred to by several other names including; unrefined carbohydrates, whole grains, high glycaemic index foods, natural carbs and whole foods. These names do not all refer specifically to complex carbohydrates but they are terms for the right sort of foods you should be looking for.

The easiest way to tell whether a food falls into one group or the other is to think about the way it was produced. Simple carbohydrates have been heavily processed and have had many of the nutrients removed. These are foods such as white bread. Complex carbs are closer to their natural form such as lentils or whole-wheat pasta.

Many people have come to see all carbohydrates as bad foods. This may be due to recent fads for low-carb diets. However carbohydrates are necessary for a balanced diet and can be nutritionally rich, satisfying foods.

When looking for carbohydrates which are considered complex look for foods which are unprocessed and in their natural state. These include things such as chickpeas, brown rice, oats, lentils, pearl barley, cornmeal, and wholegrain cereals. There are also some processed foods which are classed as complex carbohydrates such as whole meal or multigrain bread and whole wheat pasta. There are also many fruits and vegetables which you can eat if you are trying to eat more healthily; spinach, lettuce, radish, apricots and prunes to name a few.

There are plenty of healthy carbohydrates and they should form part of a healthy diet. They are full of nutrients and will satisfy your hunger for a long time.

Complex carbohydrates in foods

NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES, FROM FUNDAMENTALS TO FOOD

Eat Carbs, Lose Weight, Drop All the Pounds You Want Without Giving Up the Foods You Love

Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness, A Personalized Program

The Molecular Immunology of Complex Carbohydrates-3