Search Results for: blog ten questions to ask your doctor about heart disease

Would You Get a Genetic Test For Your Kid?

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A study shows that, if given the opportunity, most parents would get a genetic test done on their child. It’s an interesting insight into the perception many parents have of those direct to consumer genetic testing kits. These kinds of kits have already raised concerns with lawmakers and regulators in the United States. If you could get a genetic test that would analyze your child’s DNA, would you use it? I don’t mean the kind of genetic testing that your doctor would prescribe or order. I am referring to the over the counter genetic test kits that consumers can purchase … Continue reading →

Wear Red Day: Friday, February 6, 2009

Pull something red out of your closet on Friday — it’s National Wear Red Day here in America. Why wear red? Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. Wear red to help support heart disease awareness for women! It doesn’t matter what you wear — shirt, dress, socks, tie, hat — as long as it’s red. National Wear Red Day and the Heart Truth campaign come from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes for Health. The goal of these campaigns is simple: spread the message about how serious heart disease … Continue reading →

Tips for Reducing Your Stroke Risk

A stroke can strike at any age — it isn’t just a problem for senior citizens. Women between the ages of forty-five and fifty-four are at especially high risk of a stroke. What can you do to protect yourself? Here are some tips from the American Stroke Association. Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure encourages plaque build-up… plaque can form clots that cause stroke. Get your blood pressure levels checked at least every other year. Manage cholesterol. High cholesterol also encourages plaque build-up… plaque can form clots. Get your cholesterol levels checked at least every five years. Quit smoking! Lighting … Continue reading →

The Right Incentive Can Help You Fight Heart Disease

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Are you at risk for heart disease? Are you already suffering from some form of heart disease — like high blood pressure or high cholesterol? Here’s a more important question: what are you doing about your heart disease risk, and why? Are you losing weight, eating a healthy, balanced diet, and exercising regularly? Or are you just coasting along and not making any lifestyle changes in order to reduce your risk? Cardiologists report that having the right incentives for fighting heart disease are just as important (sometimes more important) than anything else. Look at my mom, for example. She has … Continue reading →

Migraines and Vision

If you have a history of migraines and other headaches, you may be more likely to have retina damage than people who don’t have a history of migraines and headaches. A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is linking retinopathy (retinal damage) with migraines. Retinopathy can lead to severe vision impairment and even blindness. Worse, both retinal disease and migraines have been linked with stroke. Migraine headaches affect approximately seventeen percent of women and six percent of men in the United States. Scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes migraines, though they suspect that both blood … Continue reading →

Chiropractic Care: Cautions

Chiropractic care — like many health treatments — is not for everyone. The people who are most likely to benefit from chiropractic care are: People who have been experiencing pain for three weeks or less People who have no damage in the nerves leading from the spine to the legs In general, chiropractic treatments are very useful for treating back pain and addiction. However, there are some conditions that don’t mix well with spinal adjustment. Avoid (or postpone) visiting a chiropractor if you: Have an infection. Wait until you’re healthy before seeing a chiropractor. Are experiencing inflammation. Again, wait until … Continue reading →

Amazing Meditation

Meditation really is amazing — studies have shown that meditation can have some impressive effects on the human body. A study from the American Journal of Cardiology found that people who practiced Transcendental Meditation actually lived longer than those who didn’t. A study from the University of California at Irvine found that people who meditate show less activity (as much as fifty percent less) in the pain centers of the brain. Another study from the University of Pennsylvania found that meditating twice daily reduced the severity of congestive heart failure — increasing survival rates. A study from the Preventive Cardiac … Continue reading →

Lower Cholesterol With Sterols and Stanols

Have you heard about sterols and stanols yet? These plant compounds are super healthy for your heart! Studies show that sterols and stanols can cut your risk of heart disease by twenty percent! Studies from around the world are proving the power of sterols and stanols. Adding just two grams of either sterols or stanols to your daily diet can cut your total cholesterol by as much as ten percent — often in just two weeks. That’s pretty amazing. A ten percent reduction in total cholesterol is what gives you that lowered risk of heart disease. How do they work? … Continue reading →

The Rainbow of Antioxidants

The more colorful your diet is, the more antioxidants you get. Antioxidants help repair and reduce cell damage all over your body, for a laundry list of beneficial effects: Keep your skin plump and firm. Keep your memory sharp. Prevent disease. Prevent arterial hardening that can lead to heart disease or stroke. Every different color of fruit and vegetable offers the body a different type of healthy antioxidant and other nutrients. Inside and out, antioxidants are good for you. Red fruits and veggies, like tomatoes, red kidney beans, red onion, red bell pepper, radicchio, and watermelon, are full of lycopene. … Continue reading →

A Kinder, Gentler, Healthier Cup of Coffee

Good news, coffee lovers: coffee may just be good for you! Outside of caffeine addiction and calorie-laden specialty drinks, a cup of java does have some health benefits for us. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, International Journal of Cancer, and Prevention magazine all agree: two or three cups of caffeinated drinks (including coffee) each day can give more than your energy level a boost! Cut your risk of dying from heart disease by thirty one percent or more. Lower your risk of developing colon cancer. Premium blends may be chock full of cancer-fighting antioxidants (some more than others). Want … Continue reading →