Many people don’t take off work when they feel bad, so they go to work often passing the germs to others, contaminating surfaces and spreading the misery.  This often leads to more people getting sick.

Catching a cold is one of the most commonly occurring illnesses; on average, children have six to eight colds per year and adults have two to four.

The cost of the common cold

The cost of a simple cold can really add up. U.S. Consumers make approximately 26 trips a year to purchase over-the-counter products to treat their symptoms with the average consumer spending $338 per household, according to the data collected by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

That makes a serious dent in your pocket. Then there are the concerns about over-the-counter cold remedies…

For at least 10 years, research has linked anticholinergic drugs — a type of drug that includes nighttime cold medicines — with cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dementia in older adults.

And the most widely used cold medications containing phenylephrine have been removed from shelves after the FDA found they do not help relieve decongestion.

Is there a better way? Well, there’s no magic cure for the common cold, but you might find a way to ward one away, shorten the duration or ease your symptoms.

We have all heard about garlic which is believed to be useful for the treatment of the common cold. But does it actually work?

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Clinical research

The most researched antibacterial activity of garlic is attributed to allicin. It is believed that Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, described the effect of garlic for the first time in 1858, although no reference is available.

And as the years of interest in garlic have ticked on, modern research has found garlic to be effective against many strains of bacteria.

But what about the virus behind the common cold?

There have been mountains of research to see how it stacks up. But in the scientific world, it’s almost standard practice to end research conclusions with, “… although the results were reliable this single trial isn’t enough to validate that garlic has antibacterial and antiviral properties…”

So, we’ll just share the research and let you make up your mind…

• After reviewing the evidence of a 2014 study that assessed 146 participants for over three months, researchers concluded: People who took garlic daily instead of a placebo had fewer colds when comparing to the placebo group.
• Another study explored the effects of aged garlic on the immune system.  This study concluded that aged garlic could partly be responsible for the reduced severity of colds and flu reported by the participants..
• A large 12-week study revealed that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by a whopping 63 percent when compared to a placebo. Not only that, but the average length of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70 percent!

Overall, garlic appears to carry some clout for preventing the common cold, and we may know why…

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Getting your garlic on

Allicin, which is the active ingredient in garlic, and other sulfur-containing compounds in garlic have been shown to boost the disease-fighting response of some types of white blood cells in the body when they encounter viruses.

Garlic products sold as supplements vary widely in the amount of allicin, they contain. The lower the amount of allicin, the less effective a garlic product may be.

But considering the effects of eating enough raw garlic to boost your health, supplementing may be the less offensive route.

American Family Physician suggests one to two cloves of raw garlic per day. More than that and you may experience a burning sensation of the mouth or stomach — not to mention heartburn, gas nausea, body odor and bad breath.

Garlic is safe to consume by mouth for most people however some can have allergic reactions. Raw garlic can cause severe skin irritation.

Garlic is a natural blood thinner, so if you’re on blood-thinning medication, make sure your doctor gives you the OK to either supplement it or eat more of it.

Sources:

Garlic for the Common Cold — Cochrane

Consumer Healthcare Products Association Statistics — CHPA

Aged Garlic Extract Modifies Human Immunity — The Journal of Nutrition

Preventing the common cold with a garlic supplement: a double-blind, placebo-controlled survey — Advances in Therapy

Garlic: A review of Potential Therapeutic Effects — Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine

Antiviral activity of garlic extract on influenza virus — ResearchGate

The post What garlic can do for the common cold appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But would you believe there may be an even easier way?

A surprising finding from an international study of 40 people shows that stretching is superior to brisk walking for people diagnosed with high blood pressure or people at risk…

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Stretch, walk or both?

The research examined 40 men and women with a mean age of 61 and divided them into two groups for the 8-week study. The participants all had stage 1 hypertension. 

Before the study, Dr. Phil Chilibeck, Ph.D., kinesiology professor and co-author, and his colleagues measured the blood pressure of the participants over 24 hours with a portable monitor in sitting and lying positions.

The first group stretched their whole body for 30 minutes daily for 5 days weekly and the second group walked briskly for the same time and frequency. 

The group who stretched saw bigger changes in blood pressure across all three types of measurement. However, the walkers lost more body fat from their waist. So, you can imagine what walking and stretching could do!

Dr. Chilibeck suggested that positive benefits could be achieved in a shorter routine emphasizing larger leg muscles such as quadriceps and hamstrings. There have been several research studies suggesting with regular practice, yoga may modestly reduce high blood pressure.

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Why stretching is important

Why does stretching improve blood pressure? According to Easy Health Options editor, Virginia Tims-Lawson, one of the researched benefits of even just passive stretching is reduced arterial stiffness, which certainly could explain better blood pressure. And passive stretching is about as easy as it gets!

Dr. Chilibeck and colleagues are looking to expand the scope beyond blood pressure in future studies and further explore some of the other physiological effects of stretching. It couldn’t come at a better time…

With more people working from home these days, sitting in a chair all day and getting out very little, we can’t help but be reminded of the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, much less what tight muscles do to your mobility. Tight hamstrings make it more difficult to get the full range of motion of your knees and legs, which inhibits walking. Adding regular stretching to your daily schedule helps keep muscles, long, lean and more flexible. 

As we get older it becomes more important to stretch because flexibility naturally declines over time. The areas that lose the most flexibility are the shoulders, hips, spine and knees. 

And, according to Dr. Chilibeck, stretching is super easy to incorporate into your daily routine. You’re not at the mercy of the weather and it’s easy on your joints, which is a big plus for people with osteoarthritis. It doesn’t require a big commitment of time, another barrier to exercise for many people. “When you’re relaxing in the evening, instead of just sitting on the couch, you can get down on the floor and stretch while you’re watching TV,” he said.

7 additional benefits of stretching

• Increased flexibility
• Increased range of motion
• Improves your posture
• Helps to heal and prevent back pain
• Improved performance in physical activities
• Decreased tension headaches
• Gives your mind a mental break

Sources:

Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure: USask study — EurekAlert!

Yoga linked to lowered blood pressure with regular practice — Reuters.com

The post The amazing effects of stretching for better blood pressure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s the king of the digestive system and plays important roles in processing and storing the nutrients you get from food or vitamins, breaking down fat, excreting hormones, blood clotting and removing toxins from the body.

Yet most of us have never had a liver test.

If your liver was having some problems, could you tell? Probably not. When it comes to the health of your liver, the signs are often “silent.” By the time you or the doctor notice something has gone awry, liver disease has often progressed and caused damage.

It’s hard to get health back to a liver that is damaged. If caught too late, a liver transplant may be the only option.

That doesn’t mean you just have to wait and see and hope. In fact, there are two major reasons to get your liver tested…

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If you’re a baby boomer – get tested

Baby Boomers — those born between 1945 and 1965 — are five times more likely to have hepatitis C. That’s because boomers were born before tests that screened blood and medical equipment for infection was commonplace.  Additionally, testing for hep C was not available until 1990.

If you are a baby boomer you need to march into your primary doctor’s office and ask for a liver function blood test, such as the ALT and AST. It’s simple and can be done at any time because the tests don’t require fasting. AST and ALT are considered to be two of the most important tests to help identify liver toxicity, liver disease or liver damage. 

But what if you’re feeling healthy… should you still get tested?  Absolutely. Many people living with the virus are asymptomatic — meaning they don’t exhibit symptoms — and, unfortunately, can pass the disease on through sex or blood contamination.

Left untreated, hep C can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and liver cancer. In some cases, a liver transplant may be required. Treatment has advanced in recent years, however, and depending on what type of hep C a person has, it is curable. But the less damage or scarring to the liver, the better the chances with treatment.

Many people live with the virus and may not show symptoms until they experience liver failure. So, a blood test is vitally important for its detection and cure. These tests are part of a routine chemistry panel and are usually covered by insurance. 

Other factors that can increase the risk for hep C can be found here.

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If you have these factors associated with NAFLD — get a liver test

If you have risk factors associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) you should also get tested. 

Fatty liver disease occurs in 30 percent of the population. In its mildest form, this disease doesn’t cause much trouble, however, if untreated it can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and develop into cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. 

Keep in mind, blood tests aren’t always conclusive. NAFLD patients often have normal enzymes despite having serious liver disease, so an ultrasound may be required.

Some risks or symptoms that are associated with NAFLD include:

• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• Poor diet
• Lack of exercises
• An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• High triglycerides
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Sleep apnea
• Gout

Keeping your liver healthy

From the list above, it’s obvious that your metabolic health can have a big impact on the health of your liver. So, in addition to watching your weight, keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar (conditions that contribute to metabolic syndrome) in line can promote a healthy liver. Here are some guidelines to do just that, along with a few for good measure:

• Eat a balanced and healthy diet (avoid processed foods and excess sugars)
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Regular exercise (consider low impact — walking, swimming, yoga, and stretching)
• Avoid toxins
• Don’t share personal hygiene items
• Wash your hands regularly
• Follow directions when taking medications
• Control alcohol intake

The best way to fight liver disease is to avoid it. Help keep your liver healthy and happy with a balanced diet full of nutrients that promote optimum wellness. 

Sources:

The Risk factors that mean you need a test for liver disease— Healthblog University of Michigan Health

Why are baby boomers more prone to Hep C? Connection, Risk factors, and More — Healthline.com

The post Two reasons to have your liver tested appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Moringa is native to India and grown in Asia and Africa and is becoming quite popular for its nutritional properties and medicinal compounds. When we called it a vitamin powerhouse, we weren’t joking…

Moringa has 7 times more vitamin C than oranges and 15 times more potassium than bananas!

So far, scientists have investigated only a fraction of its many bioactive plant compounds. But that’s changing — partly because a Fogarty-funded researcher, Dr. Carrie Waterman, a natural products chemist at the University of California, Davis, secured a five-year development award to explore moringa’s potential and bring to light the scientific evidence behind this superfood that comes from a plant traditionally known as “the miracle tree.”

Some of the claims that Dr. Waterman is delving into include the plant’s anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and antioxidant potential as well as its effect as a beneficial brain health agent. 

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Anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties

A growing body of evidence suggests that moringa helps fight sustained inflammation, which is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

In 2015, Dr. Waterman and colleagues published a 3-month study that showed feeding mice with 5 percent moringa concentrate while eating a high-fat diet improved glucose tolerance and insulin signaling. These moringa-fed mice didn’t develop liver disease and gain 18 percent less weight than the control group.

A small study of 30 women found that taking 1.5 teaspoons (7 grams) of moringa leaf powder every day for three months reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5%, on average.

These results provide evidence that moringa intake may be a useful tool in managing weight in obese individuals, including the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Moringa leaf powder has been effective at lowering blood sugar and cholesterol in diabetic patients. Waterman hopes results from the research project, and these studies will fuel interest and funding for human clinical trials.

Antioxidant

Moringa leaves contain antioxidants that fight free radicals causing oxidative stress and cellular damage. Moringa contains flavonoids, polyphenols and ascorbic acid, which prevents the damage and degradation of free radicals cause in the cells of the organs in our bodies and keeps them functioning at their best.

Brain health

Moringa supports brain health because of its antioxidant, high content of vitamins E and C, and neuro-enhancer activities. These plant extracts show promising preliminary results as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. It also plays a role in memory, increased dopamine and serotonin (happy hormones), and could potentially treat depression in the future.

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How to use moringa powder and tea

Dr. Waterman plans to apply for NIH and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding to support additional research into how consuming moringa can affect inflammation and chronic disease in humans. “It can both generate income for farmers, as well as provide food security,” she said. “I think moringa can be a smart tool in our toolbox of strategies to approach global health needs in an environmentally and socially conscious way.”

In Western countries, the dried leaves are sold as dietary supplements in powder or capsule form.

• Add it to your smoothie
• Sprinkle it into your soups
• Add to your salad dressing
• Mix it in with baked goods
• Try moringa-infused teas

Research has shown that it is safe to eat the leaves, seedpods and leaf extracts. Moringa is available as a powder, pill, oil and tea. Pregnant women should not eat the bark, root, or pulp and use caution if breastfeeding. Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking prescription drugs.

Sources:

Scientist studies the moringa plant’s medicinal, nutritional benefits — NIH Fogarty International Center

Effect of supplementation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) and amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) leaves powder on antioxidant profile and oxidative status among postmenopausal women — Springer Nature

Oxidative DNA damage protective activity, antioxidant and anti-quorum sensing potentials of Moringa oleifera — NIH 

Effect of plant extracts on Alzheimer’s disease: An insight into therapeutic avenues — National Institutes of Health

6 Science based health benefits of moringa oleifera — Healthline.com

The post Moringa: An anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic superfood appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

These symptoms are often treated with a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. Research has shown many acid reflux drugs can increase stroke risk by as much as 94 percent.

There had to be a better way. So, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital looked to the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the longest-running studies on women’s health, established in 1989 with 116, 671 nationwide participants.

Here’s what they found…

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5 ways to say bye to GERD

This study collected data from the Nurses’ study that included almost 43,000 women, aged 42 to 62, who were questioned about GERD or heartburn symptoms from 2005 to 2017.

And that data concluded that the following diet and lifestyle guidelines can greatly reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms:

• Maintain a normal weight
• No smoking
• Moderate to vigorous physical activity for 30 minutes (daily)
• Restricting coffee, tea, and sodas – 2 cups (daily limit)
• Following a prudent diet (details below)

The researchers’ statistical model allowed them to calculate the “population-attributable risk” for GERD symptoms associated with each of the five lifestyle factors. The researchers discovered that participants who more closely followed the five lifestyle factors lowered their risk of symptoms by 37 percent.

That means by just adhering to the five lifestyle factors, women can substantially reduce their symptoms, making medication unnecessary for most — and, most importantly, taking that increased stroke risk out of the equation.

Evidence medication isn’t the only answer

Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH, the study’s senior author, stated, “This study provides evidence that common and debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms could be well controlled in many cases with diet and lifestyle modifications alone.”

But another significant aspect of this study is that it is one of the first to demonstrate physical activity in controlling GERD — something Dr. Chan was surprised to find.

“We were particularly interested in the effectiveness of physical activity,” says Chan. “This is one of the first studies that has demonstrated its effectiveness in controlling GERD.” This effect, he suggests, could be due in part to exercise’s effect on the motility of the digestive tract. “Being physically active may help with the clearance of stomach acid which causes heartburn symptoms,” he says.

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Alkalize your diet

Adopting a “prudent diet” was one of the five recommendations from the study. When it comes to acid reflux an alkaline diet that balances pH levels is certainly prudent.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it helps to eat foods that have a higher pH because they are more alkaline and can offset stomach acid. Foods like:

• Bananas
• Melons
• Cauliflower
• Fennel
• Nuts

They also suggest high-fiber foods that help curb overeating, a contributor to GERD:

• Whole grains such as oatmeal, couscous and brown rice.
• Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and beets.
• Green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and green beans.

Author Dr. Andria Schmedthorst also has tips for alkalizing your diet for peak health.

Great homemade heartburn remedies include apple cider vinegar (diluted with water), ginger tea and lemon water. Also, here are 4 natural and safe reflux remedies recommended by my colleague Jedha Dening.

Sources:

Diet and lifestyle guidelines can greatly reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms — EurekAlert!

GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn) — Johns Hopkins Medicine

The post 5 ways to douse GERD that won’t raise your stroke risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But it makes it hard to always be on guard while watching our waistlines during this festive time. However, one way you can better control your weight, and most importantly, your health, is not to forget to include foods with plenty of fiber.

Fiber-rich foods help you feel full faster with fewer calories. But that’s not all…

Research has consistently shown that people who eat high-fiber diets have a reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal disorders, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

But national consumption surveys indicate that only 5 percent of the population meets the recommended daily fiber intake levels, which is shockingly low.

Hopefully, two recent studies that demonstrate the powerful effects of fiber on the entire body will have most of us changing our ways…

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Lack of fiber does damage that’s hard to repair

Both studies, named for the lead researchers, started by feeding a group of mice a diet that was extremely low in fiber. And to no big surprise, the low-fiber diets rapidly led to weight gain, high blood sugar and insulin resistance in the mice.

But why?

The Bäckhed study found that mice developed problems with the protective mucus layer in the colon after just 3-7 days of eating the low-fiber diet: this mucus layer became more penetrable and bacteria were able to reach the epithelial cells of the colon, which is something you see with leaky gut disease.

The Gewirtz study observed that the colons of mice on the low-fiber diet shrank significantly in thickness. And not only did large amounts of gut bacteria die off after mice ate a low-fiber diet, but the mice also developed unhealthy imbalances of different gut bacteria strains. 

“Both our paper and the Bäckhed paper are essentially reaching the same conclusion that the lack of fiber results in bacteria encroaching into the mucus layer, and those bacteria are promoting low-grade inflammation, contributing to metabolic syndrome,” says Andrew Gewirtz, who studies the intestinal epithelium at Georgia State University’s Center for Inflammation Immunity & Infection.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and is indicated by symptoms including weight gain, high blood sugar and blood pressure as well as abnormal cholesterol levels.

After the fallout from the low-fiber diet, the two research teams tried different treatment approaches to repair the damage to the mice’s health…

Bäckhed’s research team found that a transplant of gut bacteria from a healthy mouse could undo some of the harmful changes to the colon mucus layer and supplementing the mice with Bifidobacterium (a beneficial bacteria) helped colon mucus growth issues. Inulin (a type of fermentable fiber) was necessary to lower the penetrability of the mucus layer.

Gewirtz and colleagues found that they could reverse some aspects of metabolic syndrome in the mice, like promoting weight loss and greater blood sugar control, but not triglyceride levels, by switching the mice to a diet of 20 percent inulin. However, the insulin supplements weren’t enough to return the mouse gut to its original bacterial diversity.

They concluded that, according to Gunnar C. Hansson, a co-senior author with Bäckhed and a professor in the Mucin Biology Group at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, “Diets that lack fiber alter the bacterial composition and bacterial metabolism, which in turn causes defects to the inner mucus layer and allows bacteria to come close [encroach], something that triggers inflammation and ultimately metabolic disease,” says Hansson. “It is not enough just to add fiber to your diet; it also depends on which bacteria you carry.”

The importance of fiber and bacteria

Basically, there are three key players that keep a gut healthy:

• Fiber — roughage from plant-based foods.
• Prebiotics — a type of fiber the human body can digest that serves as “food” for gut bacteria.
• Probiotics — gut bacteria.

If you eat a balanced diet that includes both regular fiber and prebiotic fiber, like inulin, found in leeks, artichokes, bananas and chickory, you will be way ahead of the game. This balance of healthy fibers should keep your gut teeming with healthy bacteria.

Getting your fiber from whole-food sources is the best route, but we know most Americans eat much less fiber than they should. That’s why more of us are reaching for both fiber supplements and probiotics to bridge the gap. These studies demonstrated the importance of both not only in colon health but total-body health.

Just remember during the holidays, you may have a harder time eating what’s best for you. But these studies are proof that when you get your gut out of balance it’s not so easy to repair the damage.

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Tips for adding more fiber

• Eat whole-grain products such as wheat bran, whole-wheat pasta, wild rice and barley
• Try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
• Lean on legumes, beans and peas. Try adding to a green salad or mix with fresh vegetables
• Eat healthy snacks, such as a handful of nuts and seeds. Low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers
• Stay clear of dried fruits, which have a lot of calories and added sugars
• Eat prebiotic foods which promote the growth of Bifidobacteria
• Eat fermented foods: plain natural low sugar yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha and tempeh
• Go slowly. Adding too much fiber too quickly can promote gas, bloating and cramping.
• Fiber supplements may be needed if dietary needs are not sufficient or if certain medical conditions are present such as diarrhea, constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
• Drink plenty of water when adding fiber, allowing the natural bacteria in your gut to adjust to change.

Sources:

Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap  — American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (NCBI resources)

Dietary Fiber: Essential for a healthy diet  — Mayo Clinic

PSA from your gut microbes:  Enjoy the holidays, but don’t forget your fiber — Science Daily

The post Forgetting fiber over the holidays could do some lasting damage appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For some women, urinary incontinence runs their lives internally, keeping them from activities they used to enjoy, such as dancing, exercising or playing with the kids and grandkids. 

But as common as the problem is, it’s not easy to talk about. You might feel embarrassed and powerless to do anything about it. And worse, some women accept bladder leakage as something they just have to tolerate.

That doesn’t have to be the case…

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 Types of urinary incontinence and causes in women

There are several different types of urinary incontinence, but these three types are most common among women:

• If you experience bladder leakage when you exercise, lift something heavy or sneeze, you may have stress incontinence. This is when physical movement puts pressure on your bladder and causes you to leak urine.
• Urge incontinence is when the feeling to urinate is sudden and urgent and you may have a hard time getting to the restroom fast enough.
• If you suffer from an overactive bladder, you may need to urinate frequently, especially overnight.

A leaky bladder can be a sign of an underlying condition — some normal with age and some related to disease conditions. Typical causes include:

• Changes with age. The bladder muscle can become weaker with age, and also bladder contractions occur more frequently as we get older. 
• Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the pelvic floor muscles or the sphincter which can cause bladder leakage.
• Menopause. Estrogen loss due to menopause can cause pelvic muscles to weaken.
• Diseases like Parkinson’s and Multiple sclerosis can damage the nerves that control your bladder.

Treatment options for and reduce urinary incontinence

Many treatment options exist, and it may take time to find what works for you. Although it’s a good idea to discuss bladder leakage with your doctor to rule out a serious condition, for the majority of women, it usually comes down to issues of pregnancy, childbirth and menopause taking a toll on the pelvic floor. It may take time to find what works for you.

Non-Invasive treatments

• Decreasing the amounts of fluids you drink three hours before bedtime can help tremendously.
• Eating more fiber to reduce constipation and reducing artificial sweeteners and caffeine can all help improve symptoms.
• Double voiding can be helpful for someone who feels they aren’t emptying well after going to the bathroom. Try this technique: stand up after urinating, then sit back down again to completely empty your bladder.
• Pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Kegel exercises are beneficial when you initially do the exercises with a physical therapist to learn how to perform the exercises correctly. However, many bladder control devices, some with accompanying apps, have been developed to help make it easier to perform these exercises by targeting the right muscles and reminding you to do them.

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Invasive treatments

• Botox injections have been used to treat urgency incontinence for over 10 years. Botox is injected into the bladder wall which helps it relax since spasms can also cause incontinence. Unfortunately, insurance does not often cover this procedure.
• Sling procedures involve using a synthetic material or your own tissue that is inserted through the vaginal opening or a small incision in the abdomen. A sling is placed under the urethra to stop incontinence that occurs with increased abdominal pressure for activities such as jumping, sneezing, running and coughing.  
• Electrical stimulation. There are a variety of electrotherapies that have shown benefits for women. Some administer a small electrical current from within the vagina to stimulate pelvic floor muscles. While others such as electro-acupuncture, use electrical pulses to activate meridians in the body.

Natural remedies to calm your bladder

If your symptoms are mild or you’re not ready for a medical procedure, there are natural options you could consider…

• Pumpkin seed extract. Research has shown pumpkin seed extract can have a positive effect on these annoying symptoms. One such study of 45 men and women with overactive bladder taking the extract daily for 12 weeks showed a 1.7 point reduction on the bladder scoring system, with decreased daytime and nighttime frequency along with decreased urgency.
• Kohki tea — this sweet tea is known for high levels of antioxidants and a protective effect on bladder function.  
• Some studies have found that phytoestrogens, a natural compound in some foods, like soy, sesame seeds, lentils, oats and berries, are associated with improved pelvic floor muscles. Phytoestrogens contain natural estrogens.
• Bladder-friendly drinks include: water, cranberry juice, barley water, diluted squash, caffeine-free teas — but even these shouldn’t be consumed close to bedtime.
• Avoid constipation. Adding fiber to your diet and exercising regularly can help reduce some of the extra pressure on your bladder. Eating foods higher in fiber including beans, whole-wheat bread, fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid bladder irritants. Foods and beverages that are high in spice, sugar and acid, such as citrus and tomatoes, can irritate your bladder.

Sources:

What home remedies work for an overactive bladder — Healthline

Bladder Leakage? 3 Things Women should know about Urinary incontinence — UofMichigan Health Blog

The post What every woman should know about bladder leaks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But what does it mean if you consistently have higher blood pressure readings at night than during the day?

You could suffer from something known as reverse dipping — and face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s…

Nighttime hypertension and your brain

Under healthy conditions, blood pressure varies over 24 hours, with lower values at night. Compared to overall daytime blood pressure patterns, nighttime blood pressure is generally 10-20 percent lower during sleep.

But for some people, that pattern is reversed. Doctors refer to this phenomenon aptly as reverse dipping. Studies show that high blood pressure at night — or nocturnal blood pressure — has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and dementia.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment which interfere with daily life. And it appears reverse dipping can increase the risk.

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Harmful effects of reverse dipping

Researchers at Uppsala University wanted to see how interference caused by nighttime high blood pressure impacts the brain.

“The night is a critical period for brain health. For example, in animals, it has previously been shown that the brain clears out waste products during sleep, and that this clearance is compromised by abnormal blood pressure patterns. Since the night also represents a critical time window for human brain health, we examined whether too high blood pressure at night, as seen in reverse dipping, is associated with a higher dementia risk in older men,” says Christian Benedict, Associate Professor at Uppsala University’s Department of Neuroscience

The results of their study are now published in the journal Hypertension.

The researchers used observational data that had been gathered in medical records from one thousand Swedish older men, who were followed for a maxim of 24 years and included men who were in their early seventies at the beginning of the study.

They discovered the risk of getting a dementia diagnosis was 1.64 percent higher among men with reverse dipping than men with normal dipping.

Reverse dipping primarily increased the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease which is the most common form of dementia. Christian Benedict, the senior author of this study stated the results need to be replicated in older women, and that next steps would also include investigating whether antihypertensive drugs at night could reduce the risk.

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Check with a doctor if you suspect reverse-dipping

If you’re worried about high blood pressure or whether you could be a risk for reverse dipping, talk with your doctor. Severe obstructive sleep apnea is one condition that may increase your risk for reverse dipping. Your doctor may suggest wearing an ambulatory blood pressure monitor, which will measure your blood pressure over 24 hours.

It’s also important to take preventive measures such as eating a balanced diet and staying active to keep high blood pressure in check.  Some research also suggests taking blood pressure medication later in the day.

Some natural solutions, like these 8 easy to find herbs, have been shown to help control blood pressure. But, specifically for nocturnal high blood pressure, some research has shown that supplementing melatonin may help reverse-dippers and non-dippers lower their nighttime blood pressure.

Sources:

Higher blood pressure at night than in daytime may increase Alzheimer’s disease risk — EurekAlert!

Healthy Sleep Guide — WebMd

Sleep deprivation increases Alzheimer’s protein — NIH

The post The brain danger for men with nighttime hypertension appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Although vaccines are now available for COVID-19, many people are struggling to get an appointment.  Health officials are telling the public the demand is far greater than the supply and to be patient. 

Luckily, research has explored the benefits of vitamins D (experts suggest increased dosage during the pandemic) and minerals like zinc and magnesium in fortifying the immune system against COVID-19. And many experts agree that dietary supplements can help in the fight against the virus. But scientific research on the critical role of vitamin B6 has been missing. 

Vitamin B6 is found in many foods, however, if you are deficient in other B complex vitamins such as folate and B12, you are more likely to be deficient in B6 as well.

COVID-19 is a good reason to beef it up…

Vitamin B6 may prevent severe infection from COVID-19

Vitamin B6 plays a pivotal role in cell functioning, energy metabolism, and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. A diet rich in B6 exerts a protective effect against a host of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, including chronic inflammatory bowel disease. 

Now, food scientist Thanutchaporn Kumrungsee has published a paper in Frontiers in Nutrition citing growing evidence of the vitamin’s potential in lowering the odds of becoming seriously ill with the coronavirus. 

“In addition to washing your hands, food and nutrition are among the first lines of defense against COVID-19 virus infection. Food is our first medicine and the kitchen is our first pharmacy,” Kumrungsee, an associate professor at Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, said.

Vitamin B6 is a known anti-thrombosis and anti-inflammation nutrient and Kumrungsee believes it may help dampen the cytokine storm phenomenon (hyper inflammation), including blood clotting, that’s been linked to COVID-19’s lethality. Severe COVID-19 infections have resulted in blocked capillaries which damage major organs like the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

“Vitamin B6 has a close relationship with the immune system. Its levels always drop in people under chronic inflammation such as obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. We can see from the news that obese and diabetic people are at high risk for COVID-19,” Kumrungsee said.

“Thus, our attempt in this paper is to shed light on the possible involvement of vitamin B6 in decreasing the severity of COVID-19.”

The associate professor is looking forward to clinical trials to test whether B6 exerts protection against novel types of virus infection and pneumonia — and hopes that after COVID-19, research into nutrition for lung disease, including cancer, will continue.

Signs and symptoms of a B6 deficiency

Though we don’t have definitive evidence yet of B6’s efficacy in dousing the effects of COVID-19, deficiency of the vitamin is associated with lower immune function and higher susceptibility to viral infections. So, it makes sense to make sure you’re not deficient.

Signs of deficiency include:

• Skin rashes – B6 helps synthesize collagen which is needed for healthy skin.
• Cracked and Sore lips – The corners of your mouth and lips can be dry and painful making talking and eating difficult in severe cases.
• Sore glossy tongue
• Mood changes– B6 is involved in making several neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotine which help control anxiety and depression.
• Weakened immune function – A deficiency in B6 results in the decreased production of antibodies needed to fight infections.
• Tiredness and low energy – Vitamin B6 makes hemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout your body. If you have too little anemia can result, making you feel tired and weak.
• Tingling and pain in hands and feet – A deficiency of B6 results in peripheral neuropathy which may include symptoms such as burning and shooting pains in arms, legs and feet.  You could also have balance problems and difficulty walking.

Need help boosting your B6? Good sources of vitamin B6 include:

• Pork
• Poultry
• Peanuts
• Fish
• Soya beans
• Wheatgerm
• Oats
• Bananas
• Some fortified breakfast cereals
• Milk

Sources:

Vitamin B6 may help keep COVID-19’s cytokine storms at bay — EurekAlert!

9 signs and symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency — Healthline

Vitamin B6:  A Challenging link between nutrition and inflammation in CVD — Pubmed

B vitamins and folic acid — NHS

The post Vitamin B6 joins the fight against COVID-19 appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you’re missing out on valuable shut-eye, these processes are short-circuited, and you could potentially set yourself up for serious problems.

Recent research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital explored the connection between sleep deficiencies among older adults and found some troubling revelations about the risk of dementia and death when getting less than five hours of sleep a night. 

How much sleep do we need?

How much sleep we need changes as we age; however, according to the National Sleep Foundation guidelines, healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours per night.

In the Brigham and Women’s Hospital study, the risk of dementia was double among participants who reported getting less than 5 hours of sleep per night compared to those who said 7-8 hours. The team also found associations between sleep disturbance and sleep deficiency with the overall risk of death.

According to lead author, Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, “Our findings illuminate a connection between sleep deficiency and risk of dementia and confirm the importance of efforts to help older individuals obtain sufficient sleep each night.”

Dr. Robbins and her team investigated the connection between quality and quantity of sleep and the risk of dementia and death using data collected from older adults who participated in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. This longitudinal study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older has been collected annually since 2011.

Sleep questionnaires from 2013-2014 included questions about sleep disturbance and deficiency. Information was also collected about patient outcomes from any cause for up to five years after the survey.

Overall, they found that if participants took 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep, they were associated with a 45 percent greater risk for incident dementia. When participants reported difficulty in maintaining alertness, routinely napping, and sleeping five or fewer hours per night was associated with an increased risk of death.  

The study results reveal that sleep deficiency at baseline, with the average age of participants being 76 years old, was associated with double the risk of incident dementia and all-cause mortality over the next 4-5 years.

This data contributes to the evidence that sleep is vital for brain health and highlights the need for further research on treating sleep disorders and improving sleep to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Tips for beating sleep deprivation

Sleep medication is something that seniors should consider as a last resort. That’s because sedating drugs present unique risks for an older population. For starters, seniors tend to be more sensitive to the effects of these drugs than younger people, and they stay in their bodies longer. They are linked to double the risk of falls and hip fractures and an increased car accidents.

Over-the-counter sleep aids have their drawbacks too, including next-day drowsiness, confusion, constipation, dry mouth, and problems urinating.

A natural sleep aid, like chamomile tea, may be a healthier choice. Chamomile has a long and time-tested reputation for inducing better sleep. Many other impressive benefits have been attributed to chamomile, which you can read about here. It is generally considered safe, but if consumed in very high doses for a long period of time, it could interfere with blood-thinning medications.

Speaking of medications, if you are on any, check with your doctor to see if you are taking something that could be interfering with your sleep. Sometimes, combinations of medicines can interact to disrupt sleep.

Other tips for improving sleep include:

• Stick to a routine – Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Make time to eat nutritious meals at a set schedule. Don’t eat late in the evening.
• Control the bedroom temperature – Keep the bedroom on the cool side. Turn off all electronics, including the TV and lights. Try to keep the TV out of the bedroom.
• Exercise during the day – Be sure to check with your doctor and discuss activities of interest and what type is best for you. Exercise earlier in the day and avoid exercising close to bedtime — it could give you a burst of energy that keeps you awake.
• Set up a pre-bedtime ritual – Try relaxing activities closer to bedtime (a warm bath or shower, reading a good book, meditation, or talking to a friend.)
• Get checked out – Talk to your doctor about your sleep habits. You might have a medical condition that is keeping you away or it may be medications.  
• Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before sleep.

Sources:

Nightly sleep of five hours, less, may increase risk of dementia, death among older adults – Eurekalert!

Why we sleep one-third of our time — Technologist

Do seniors need less sleep?  — WebMD

CDC and sleep disorders — CDC.gov

Insomnia and Anxiety in Older People — Choosing Wisely

The post Sleep deprivation nearly doubles dementia risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Of course, exercise is one of the most recommended ways to avoid heart disease in the first place, according to mountains of documented research. For most adults, 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity spread out during the week is recommended.

But research suggests that only 21 percent of adults are meeting the physical activity guidelines and less than 5 percent perform 30 minutes of daily physical activity.  

So, what happens if you’re one of those folks that might identify as a couch potato and have a heart attack?

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Less exercise means a higher chance of immediate death from a heart attack

According to a study published recently in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, if you’re less active and suffer a heart attack, the odds are likely that you’ll die immediately. That means no opportunity for life-saving surgery and a second chance.

This study focused on the effect of an active versus sedentary lifestyle on the immediate course of a heart attack. The researchers gathered data from 10 European observational cohorts for a total of 28,140 individuals. They included healthy participants with a baseline assessment of physical activity who had a heart attack during follow-up.  These participants were placed into categories according to their weekly level of leisure-time physical activity: sedentary, low, moderate, or high.  

The participants’ activity level and risk of death due to a heart attack, both instantly and within 28 days was analyzed. The researchers adjusted the results for many variables including age, sex, diabetes, blood pressure, family history of heart disease, smoking, body mass index, blood cholesterol, alcohol consumption and socioeconomic status.

Overall, 4,976 participants died within 28 days of their heart attack and of these, 3,101 died instantly. A higher level of physical activity was associated with a lower risk of instant and 28-day fatal heart attack. 

Participants who had moderate and higher levels of leisure-time physical activity had a 33 percent and 45 percent lower risk of instant death compared to sedentary individuals. The author, Dr. Kim Wadt Hansen of Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark stated, “almost 18 percent of patients with a heart attack died within 28 days.” She and her colleagues observed an immediate survival benefit of prior physical activity in the setting of a heart attack. 

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Surviving a heart attack requires exercise

There is no cure for heart disease, only prevention.  And exercise of some sort weighs heavily in a long list of best practices to avoid heart disease. Now, it’s obvious that surviving a heart attack also depends on your activity level.

Even a low amount of leisure-time physical activity may be a buffer against fatal heart attacks.  Physically active people, such as regular walkers, have up to a 50 percent lower risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death than those of us who are couch potatoes.

If you’ve been relatively inactive, it’s a good idea to ease into exercise. Don’t expect or try to run a marathon right off the bat.

A few good rules of thumb to follow to get more active the right way include:

• Warm up before each exercise session by doing the activity you’ve planned. So, if you’re going to walk, start by simply walking at a slower pace to allow your heart rate to rise gradually.
• Walk on a level surface for 6-8 weeks before progressing to walking up hills, jogging or taking part in more vigorous activities.
• Slowly increase the amount of time you spend exercising, starting with just five to ten minutes and then building up.
• Consider the climate: If it’s humid outside or you’re exercising under conditions you’re not used to (like high altitude) reduce your exercise intensity.
• Don’t forget to cool down after exercise by walking at a slow pace to let your heart rate return to normal.

Diet is vitally important, not just for avoiding heart disease but for surviving a heart attack. The Pesco-Mediterranean diet may be the best heart-healthy diet, in part because of its higher level of omega-3s. That’s because research shows omega-3s can boost survival for those experiencing a heart attack.

And, always remember that if you experience any chest pain, chest pressure, lightheadedness, or severe shortness of breath while exercising to see your doctor right away.

Sources:

12 sedentary lifestyle statistics in 2020 that will get you off of your chair — Ergonomic trends

What are the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle? — Medical News today

How much should the average adult exercise every day? — Mayo Clinic

Health risks of a sedentary lifestyle-— Lifespan fitness

Instant death from heart attack more common in people who do not exercise — Eurekalert!

The post The difference between surviving a heart attack or not appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But why is this? Inpatient reporting, doctor evaluation, varying symptoms or a combination of ways in which the medical system is failing women?

A recent population-based study found that an estimated 6 percent of women of all ages have moderate to severe sleep apnea and an additional 5 percent of women have a milder form. In fact, by the time many women reach menopause, 20 percent or more may develop sleep apnea. Because screening and diagnosis are still so low among women, that number is likely even higher, and that’s putting women at serious risk.

Complications of undiagnosed sleep apnea

That’s because sleep apnea doesn’t just rob you of quality sleep. It has significant negative impacts on your health, including:

• High blood pressure – Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels strain the heart and increase blood pressure, including stroke.
• Heart problems – Chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat with multiple low blood oxygen episodes.
• Sleep apnea increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Issues with cognitive function: memory, attention, and learning.

The dangers of stereotyping a disease

Women and their health matters have been prone to stereotyping practically since the beginning of medical care. That’s why we are just realizing in the last few years that women’s heart health has been an underexamined and underserved area of concern.

The truth of the matter is that stereotyping pertaining to women and sleep apnea may be just as big of a problem.  A typical sleep apnea patient is usually male, overweight, sedentary and middle-aged. When women visit their doctor, they may complain of chronic fatigue, insomnia, difficulty paying attention and irritability. Although these complaints are valid, they are not classic sleep apnea symptoms.  

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What often happens is that women are then tested for other problems, such as hyperthyroidism, depression, inactive thyroid or a host of other medical conditions before sleep apnea is even considered.

According to a recent study, undiagnosed sleep apnea may be even more dangerous in women. In the study, three tests were conducted, all focusing on the effects of heart rate changes in patients with and without sleep apnea.

The heart-rate results for these tests show a more severe impact in women than men. The researchers concluded women are more likely to develop heart disease symptoms and other consequences of poor adaptation to daily physical tasks. Early detection is needed to protect against organ and brain damage.

Some experts suggest women tend to be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed because sleep apnea symptoms in women are different than in men. For example, many women diagnosed with sleep apnea don’t snore and are not overweight but sometimes experience extreme tiredness while driving. Some women may notice they wake themselves up feeling as if they are choking or gasping for air but unsure what has awakened them.

Signs and symptoms of sleep apnea in women 

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Morning headaches
• Lack of energy in the daytime
• Unrefreshed sleep
• Snoring that is loud and frequent
• Weight gain
• Breath stoppages noticed by a partner
• Frequent trips to the bathroom at night

Not all women will display all of these symptoms. However, any of these symptoms are worth a conversation with your doctor to discuss sleep apnea screening. It’s important to get better sleep for better health.

Sources:

Sleep apnea symptoms in women:  Are they different – ResMed

New Findings on Sleep Apnea in Women – Psychology Today

The post Sleep apnea: An underdiagnosed threat for women appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because many strains of bacteria have become resistant to our most potent antibiotics, leaving medical professionals scrambling for alternatives.

It’s been years since a new class of antibiotics was developed. However, scientists are finding promise in taurine, a nutrient found in many common foods, which may harness beneficial bacteria in the body to combat disease-causing pathogens.

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Triggering your body’s bacteria to fight invaders

Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid within the body that plays an essential role in protecting cells from damage. Now, scientists are finding that it may help kill invading pathogens, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn), by triggering beneficial bacteria in the gut to target the bad guys — and to remember them if they ever show up again.   

We’ve been learning more for years about the role of microbiota living inside the gut to protect people from bacterial infections, but the “how” has been mysterious. Scientists have been curious about enhancing natural treatments to replace antibiotics that harm microbiota and become less effective as bacteria develop drug resistance. 

Scientists from five National Institutes of Health institutes observed microbiota that had experienced prior infection and, when transferred to germ-free mice, helped prevent infection from Kpn. They identified a class of bacteria — Deltaproteobacteria — involved in fighting these infections and eventually learned that taurine was found to trigger the protective activity.

Scientists have discovered low levels of taurine allow pathogens to colonize the gut but higher levels produce enough hydrogen sulfide to prevent colonization. During the study scientists realized the liver and gallbladder can develop long-term infection protection, and that a single mild infection is adequate to prepare the microbiota to resist subsequent infections.

The study found taurine given to mice in drinking water also prepared the microbiota to prevent infection. When the mice drank bismuth subsalicylate — a common over-the-counter drug used to treat diarrhea and upset stomach — the infection protection waned because bismuth inhibits hydrogen sulfide production.

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More benefits of taurine

Taurine is plentiful in meat, fish and eggs. That’s why individuals following a strict vegetarian diet will need to examine if they are getting enough taurine to benefit from all the nutrient has to offer. 

Taurine plays a vital role in our overall health, including:

• Promoting healthy metabolism – Taurine helps the liver to create bile salts which break down fatty acids in the intestines including cholesterol.
• Protecting the eyes – Taurine protects the retina of the eye from retinal degeneration. Reduced amounts of taurine in the body can play a role in developing glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. 
• Heart protector –  A 2017 study investigated the benefits of taurine supplements and exercise with people with heart failure. People who ingested taurine before and after exercise for 2 weeks had lower blood cholesterol and inflammation, compared to placebo.
• Protecting the muscles- Taurine ensures muscle function and protects against muscle damage.
• Brain aging – Taurine supplementation works to protect long-term memory storage.
• Improved markers of diabetes – A 2012 animal study in rats has suggested taurine was beneficial for reduced glucose levels, improved insulin resistance, and reduced cholesterol levels. However additional research is needed to determine if taurine provides the same benefits in humans with diabetes.

Sources:

How does taurine affect the body — MedicalNewsToday.com

NIH scientists identify nutrient that helps prevent bacterial infection — NIH.gov

Taurine supplementation has anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory effects before and after incremental exercise in heart failure — NCBI

Taurine ameliorates hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia by reducing insulin resistance and leptin level in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rates with long-term diabetes — NCBI

The post Taurine: A natural ‘antibiotic’ and more appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you delay, it can mean the difference between life and death.

In fact, the longer you wait to get treatment after heart attack symptoms start, the more damage can occur to the heart muscle — according to research published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

The most common heart attack is caused by a complete coronary artery blockage called ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). STEMI patients are most often treated with PCI, which is a stent inserted into the narrowed heart artery that remains open. This procedure involves an inflated balloon which clears the obstruction and restores blood flow — ultimately saving lives.

Researchers sought to learn more about how time can affect the procedure’s success, and here’s what they found…

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Timing is everything when it comes to heart attack

How well a patient does after their heart attack has all to do with two critical factors that both have to do with time: the first is before the patient arrives to the hospital after symptoms start (symptom-to-balloon time), and secondly, the time from hospital arrival to PCI (door to balloon time).

The study author, Gregg W. Stone, M.D., director of academic affairs at Mount Sinai Heart Health System in New York City stated, “We focused on heart attack size, or damage, with both time measures and found symptom-to-balloon time was by far the most important.”

This finding emphasizes the importance of early detection and taking quick action.  Stone and colleagues discovered this by analyzing the data from 10 randomized controlled trials from 2002-2011, which followed more than 3,100 STEMI patients enrolled after PCI. 

After PCI, the patients’ hearts were assessed within 3-12 days to measure the size of the heart attack.  Some studies including additional measures such as TIMI flow (measuring coronary artery blood flow), and ejection fraction (measuring a percentage of blood the heart can pump with each contraction). All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months with a median follow-up of 341 days after PCI.

Heart Saving Clinical Findings

• Symptom-to-balloon time was more strongly associated with heart attack size and patients’ clinical health after a heart attack than door-to-balloon time.
• The median symptom-to-balloon time was 185 minutes. The median door-to-balloon time was 46 minutes.
• Symptom-to-balloon time represented approximately 80 percent of the total time from symptom onset to treatment of the artery.
• The size of the heart attack increased with longer symptom-to-balloon times, whereas longer door-to-balloon times were not notably related to heart attack size.
• Older age, female sex, arterial hypertension, diabetes and left circumflex artery as the culprit vessel, were associated with longer symptom-to-balloon time.
• For every 60-minute delay in symptom-to-balloon time, the one-year rate of death or hospitalization for heart failure was increased by 11 percent. In contrast, there was no relationship between delays in door-to-balloon time and these clinical results.

These clinical findings suggest the focus should be to shorten the delays from symptom onset to arrival at hospitals that can perform PCI.

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Don’t wait to check out heart attack symptoms

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals nationwide reported people were delaying or avoiding critical care and were not coming in for heart attack and stroke symptoms. These new findings emphasize the importance of calling 911 at the first sign of a heart attack or stroke.  Getting quick treatment can save a life. 

Don’t wait! Call 911 if you experience the following:

• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Chest discomfort (a few minutes or longer, or fullness and/or pain)

Sources:

Acting quickly after heart attack symptoms start can be a heart saver – EurekAlert!

Warning signs of a heart attack – Heart.org

The post Fast action after these heart attack symptoms can save your life appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But while one day you may read that coffee has a newly discovered health benefit you can’t pass up, the following week you may read warnings about caffeine.

So, which is it?

As long as you don’t over-do it, coffee lovers can rejoice and savor the aroma of your favorite liquid in a cup. That’s because the results of three major long-term studies indicate that, for your heart at least, it’s a good idea to drink up…

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Coffee’s impact on heart failure

Across the U.S., fifty percent of us drink coffee daily. It’s a love affair that likely has a lot to do with energy-boosting caffeine. Too much, and coffee can make you feel jittery and nervous. But a cup or two and you’re good to go, right? Some seasoned coffee drinkers can drink even more without any ill effects.

Well, it looks like coffee’s benefits go far beyond energizing…

Data from three large and well-known heart disease studies suggest that drinking one or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day may reduce the risk of heart failure, according to research published recently in Circulation: Heart Failure Journal Report. 

What makes these recent findings different from all the previous research on coffee? Most studies have been limited by diet inconsistencies and inherent problems with relying on self-reported dietary intake from participants.

For this study, the researchers used machine learning through the American Heart Association’s Precision Medicine Platform to examine data from the original cohort of the Framingham Heart Study and referenced it against data from both the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Cardiovascular Health Study to help confirm their findings.

These studies included 10 years of follow-up and provided information on more than 21,000 adult participants. That’s a lot of data that not only revealed coffee was heart-protective but that caffeine may be part of the reason why.

The heart health potential of coffee

Researchers categorized the data on coffee drinkers to those who drank either zero cups per day, 1 cup per day, 2 cups per day, and more than 3 cups daily. Coffee consumption across the three studies was self-reported without using standardized units of measure.

The results of the analysis revealed:

• In all three studies, people who reported drinking one or more cups of caffeinated coffee had an associated decreased long-term heart failure risk.
• In the Framingham Heart and the Cardiovascular Health studies, the risk of heart failure over the course of decades decreased by 5-to-12 percent per cup per day of coffee, compared with no coffee consumption.
• In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, the risk of heart failure did not change between 0 to 1 cup per day of coffee; however, it was about 30 percent lower in people who drank at least 2 cups a day.
• Drinking decaffeinated coffee appeared to have an opposite effect on heart failure risk — significantly increasing the risk of heart failure in the Framingham Heart Study. In the Cardiovascular Health Study, however, there was no increase or decrease in risk of heart failure associated with drinking decaffeinated coffee. When the researchers examined this further, they found caffeine consumption from any source appeared to be associated with decreased heart failure risk, and caffeine was at least part of the reason for the apparent benefit from drinking more coffee.

“The association between caffeine and heart failure risk reduction was surprising. Coffee and caffeine are often considered by the general population to be ‘bad’ for the heart because people associate them with palpitations, high blood pressure, etc. The consistent relationship between increasing caffeine consumption and decreasing heart failure risk turns that assumption on its head,” said David P. Kao, M.D., senior author of the study, assistant professor of cardiology and medical director at the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado.

But before the researchers feel comfortable recommending increased coffee consumption as wholeheartedly as stopping smoking, losing weight or exercising to decrease the risk of heart disease, more research may be needed.

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Making coffee’s heart health benefits work for you

Heart failure, along with coronary artery disease and stroke are among the top causes of heart disease-related deaths in the U.S. Every small step we can take towards taking that threat down is exciting.

Just remember to keep your coffee healthy…

“While unable to prove causality, it is intriguing that these three studies suggest that drinking coffee is associated with a decreased risk of heart failure and that coffee can be part of a healthy dietary pattern if consumed plain, without added sugar and high-fat dairy products such as cream,” said Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D.N., immediate past chairperson of the American Heart Association’s Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council Leadership Committee, Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences and distinguished professor of nutrition at The Pennsylvania State University, College of Health and Human Development in University Park.

“The bottom line: enjoy coffee in moderation as part of an overall heart-healthy dietary pattern that meets recommendations for fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat/non-fat dairy products, and that also is low in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. Also, it is important to be mindful that caffeine is a stimulant and consuming too much may be problematic — causing jitteriness and sleep problems.”

Source:

Coffee lovers, rejoice! Drinking more coffee associated with decreased heart failure risk – EurekAlert!

The post Coffee’s secret power: Taking down heart failure risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Unfortunately, research does not look to be terribly close to finding a cure. However, it has resulted in identifying various factors, including lifestyle interventions, certain foods, vitamins and nutrients that could help stave off the disease, as well as medications that may slow its decline.

Of course, there are also things to avoid — like salt and sugar — to decrease ending up with this dreaded disease. Another you may not have heard much about is surgery.  For many years, surgery has been associated with cognitive decline, but few studies have directly linked it to Alzheimer’s — until now. 

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Understanding the risks of surgery on an aging brain

The thought of having surgery can be somewhat intimidating, especially for middle-aged and older adults because there is a higher risk of complications during and after surgery. There is also an increased risk of cognitive decline if you are middle-aged and undergoing anesthesia and surgery, and even worse…

A study carried out by researchers at the Marque’s de Valdecilla-IDIVAL University Hospital, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bonn Medical Center, suggests that major surgery is an accelerator of Alzheimer’s disease.  

The first author of the publication, Carmen Lage, stated that relatives have long discussed memory problems that began after hospital admission or surgery for a family member. Carmen’s colleagues started to explore why and asked: is this just a recall bias, or has surgery triggered symptoms in a previously affected brain?

To try to answer the question, the researchers wanted to explore the relationship between amyloid-B levels present in cerebrospinal fluid and surgery.  

Amyloid-B is a protein that accumulates excessively in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. With age, these amyloid-B deposits increase and are present in up to one-third of the population after age 65. What’s not clear about amyloid-B is why in some carriers the disease will progress to dementia, while in others it remains inactive.

Healthy individuals over the age of 65 were given cognitive tests before undergoing orthopedic surgery, and samples of CSF were taken to determine amyloid-B levels before anesthesia. After 9 months, the same cognitive tests were given, and the result was that half of the patients’ cognition worsened post-surgery. The patients with altered amyloid-B levels were exhibiting memory problems compatible with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Carmen Lage stated, “Before surgery, the memory test scores of the subjects with abnormal amyloid B levels were indistinguishable from those of subjects with normal levels, and after surgery, they were significantly worse.”  

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Surgery or Dementia?

This study concluded that major surgery could cause a variety of cognitive alterations depending on the previous presence or absence of Alzheimer’s pathological changes.

Because of this risk, will surgery criteria for older patients change?

According to Dr. Pascual Sanchez-Juan, principal investigator of the study, “The progressive aging of our societies and the improvement in surgical technique mean that more and more elderly and fragile individuals are undergoing surgery. Pre-surgical evaluation always assesses whether cardiac or respiratory function will withstand the surgery, however, the potential consequences of the operation for the patient’s brain are not usually determined. Our results would advocate that pre-surgical evaluation studies include cognitive tests, and even the analysis of Alzheimer’s biomarkers, especially once these become widely available in plasma.”

If you’re a senior facing surgery or have concerns about an older family member that may be considering surgery, talk with a physician about these concerns. Ask questions to determine the necessity of the surgery or explore other options, if available.

If surgery is unavoidable, consider what you can do in advance to help support your mind and body. One way is to have your vitamin D levels checked to see if you’re deficient, then supplement to bring them up to healthy levels.

Here are two reasons we think vitamin D could be helpful, backed by research:

• A study at the Cleveland Clinic shows that people who are low in vitamin D have more chances of encountering significant health problems after surgery. The research measured hospital patients’ blood levels and found a vitamin D deficiency is linked to difficulties after surgery, including in-hospital death, serious infections, and serious cardiovascular events.
• A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias found that patients with Alzheimer’s Disease have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which is also associated with impaired cognitive function performance in older people. They also state that it can improve cognitive function in some people with Alzheimer’s.

Sources:

Cognitive decline in the middle-aged after surgery and anaesthesia:  results from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention cohort — Association of Anaesthetists

A new study shows the relationship between surgery and Alzheimer’s Disease — EurekAlert!

The post A link between surgery, Alzheimer’s and a vitamin that may help appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But have you stopped to consider how these factors harm you?

I’m not talking about plastics and toxins that leach into your food that may or not lead to cancer one day. I’m talking about the air you breathe and the fact that air pollution is now the most significant environmental risk for early death — responsible for serious long-term health effects like heart disease.

Air pollution has even been linked to more severe cases of COVID-19

You see, air pollution doesn’t just wreak havoc on the planet, but on your health, too. In fact, the damage it can do to your heart has prompted the medical community to declare it a factor they must address for the sake of their patients.

Here’s what you should know — and what you can do to protect yourself…

Air pollution, COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease

When we take a breath, our first line of defense is hair-like structures known as cilia, which line our respiratory tract keeping the airways clear of dirt and mucus. Air pollution damages the cilia and causes cellular damage, including inflammation throughout the body, making it more vulnerable to cancer, diabetes, asthma, stroke — and heart disease.

All of these conditions are known to raise risks for a harsher outcome with COVID-19. And the pollution? Well, a study out of Harvard has concluded that someone living in an area of high-particulate pollution is 8 percent more likely to die from COVID-19 than others living in an area with less pollution.  

But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollution was an issue of growing concern.

In 2019, an estimated 6.7 million deaths were attributed to household or outdoor air pollution and half of these were due to cardiovascular disease.

This dangerous “triple threat” of air pollution, COVID-19, and cardiovascular disease has four leading cardiovascular organizations — the World Heart Federation (WHF), the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) — making a call to action encouraging the medical community and health authorities to speak up and act to mitigate the impact of air pollution on the health of the human population.

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This statement is powerful because it causes much-needed structural and community actions to reduce air pollutants and harmful exposure. But it also highlights the critical role for healthcare providers which includes:

• Providing patients with information about personal measures to reduce exposure such as room filtration and air purification systems.
• Integrating air pollution into disease management approaches, for example, as air quality indices, would be helpful for patients diagnosed with asthma.
• Supporting ministries of environment, energy, and transportation in their efforts.
• Raising awareness of the cardiovascular benefits of clean air (online forums, pamphlets, and conversations with all new and existing patients).
• Collaborating with senior decision-makers locally, regionally, and nationally to make air pollution-related heart disease a priority.
• Advocating for air pollution mitigation as a health measurement, additional research studies on air quality and impact on CVD, and interventions to reduce air pollution and its effect on NCD’s.

How can you start protecting yourself right now?

Air pollution is a problem that’s not going to go away as soon as we’d like it to — even with the clout of these powerful medical organizations bringing to light the dire consequences for our heart health.

That doesn’t mean you should sit idly by while it makes you sick…

The threat of a pollution-triggered heart attack is something my colleague Jedha Dening has written about before. You can read her research that explains how vitamin B supplements can play a critical factor in almost completely reversing the harmful pollution damage caused to your immune and cardiovascular systems.

Also, vitamin D is very important for heart health. Not only does vitamin D3 increase the level of nitric oxide in your blood to regulate blood flow and lower your blood pressure, but it also lowers the levels of oxidative stress in your cardiovascular system. Exposure to a wide range of air pollutants gives rise to oxidative stress.

It’s important to know that indoor pollution is just as big a threat as outside pollution. Our homes are full of volatile chemical compounds that leak into the air from furniture, clothes, flooring and other building materials. For tips on improving your home’s air quality to diminish your exposure to air pollution, see our suggestions here.

Sources:

Leading cardiovascular organizations call for urgent action to reduce air pollution — Eurekalert!

Why air pollution is linked to severe cases of COVID-19 — Stanford Medicine blog

The post The hidden side effects of air pollution on your heart appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For example, did you know that the warmth you feel from a hug is caused by a different chemical sensation than the high you feel after a long bike ride?

Your brain holds four main neurotransmitters that are responsible for helping you feel happy. These neurotransmitters — known as dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin — play different roles in affecting your mood.  

This is fantastic news because it means we are not in the passenger seat, but we can intentionally trigger these neurotransmitters. Even when the people in our lives, circumstances or factors out of our control aren’t to our liking, there are simple ways to hack our happy brain chemicals and get in a better mood.

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#1 Dopamine

Dopamine plays a significant role in the reward system that controls motivation, desire and cravings. Dopamine motivates you to start a new habit, such as drinking eight glasses of water every day.

It gives you a surge of reinforcing pleasure when you’ve worked extra hard to reach a goal. So, setting realistic goals and meeting them is one way to ensure a continuous flow of dopamine.  Listening to music is another relaxing way to trigger dopamine.

Exposure to substances increasing dopamine can become addictive to some people. Studies have shown that the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse and dopamine are connected, however long-term drug use is associated with decreased dopamine function.

#2 Serotonin

Serotonin flows when you feel proud, have a sense of accomplishment or receive recognition from others. This could be after you have achieved a promotion at work, received a diploma, or experienced a sense of achievement, such as purchasing a home in a desirable neighborhood.

According to my colleague Joyce Hollman, this powerful chemical messenger can also act as a natural appetite suppressant.

In addition, serotonin regulates our sleep-wake cycle, cognition and concentration, body temperature and blood clotting.

According to my colleague Jenny Smiechowski, you can supercharge your serotonin production by eating certain foods, exercising, and doing things that bring you joy. Also, if you need a serotonin boost during a stressful day, focus on past achievements and victories.

#3 Endorphins

I’m sure you’ve heard about runners experiencing a “runner’s high” after a long run. That feeling comes from the release of endorphins which help us push our bodies beyond their comfort levels. Endorphins are released in response to pain, helping to alleviate anxiety and depression.

To activate your endorphins just find something funny to have a deep belly laugh about! Your stomach contractions during laughter cause just enough muscle discomfort to release these feel-good endorphins, which then surge through your body.

#4 Oxytocin

The brain releases oxytocin during physical contact with others, such as hugging. It’s also the feeling behind love, trust and friendship. It boosts the immune system, creates strong bonds and enhances social relationships. A simple way to activate oxytocin is to hug someone or give someone a gift.

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Nutrition that boosts your well-being

• Vitamin C – Canadian researchers found that patients given vitamin C supplements for seven to 10 days experienced a rapid and clinically significant mood improvement. The study was published in the journal Nutrition.
• Vitamin D converts tryptophan to serotonin.
• The Mediterranean diet is the ultimate diet for stress management and serotonin production.
• Tea is like yoga in a cup—helping to calm and lessen depression.
• Fish oil supplements support serotonin.
• Ginkgo biloba reduces oxidative stress and increases dopamine secretion.
• Aromatherapy – Lavender and vanilla have been linked with the production of endorphins.
• Dark chocolate and spicy foods lead the brain to release endorphins.
• Phosphatidylserine (PS), a nutrient found in high concentrations in the brain blunts the effects of stress by decreasing blood levels of the stress hormones adrenocorticotropin, cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Sources:

12 Dopamine supplements to boost your mood — Healthline

4 brain chemicals that make you happy — happyfeed

The post Tips to trigger your happy chemicals and boost your mood appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Breaking any bone is painful and frightening. However, more than 53 million Americans age 50 and older are at risk for osteoporosis due to low bone density. Women are especially vulnerable to hip fractures, especially after menopause, and men, too, in older age.

You see the commercials about bisphosphonates that are supposed to reduce the risk, but is the drug safe and effective?

The goal of oral bisphosphonate medications is to slow down the rate of bone thinning, resulting in stronger bones that are less likely to break. But then again, it comes with an increased risk of causing atypical femur fractures. Talk about scary. Imagine getting a bone fracture with little force or trauma after taking the drug for an average of three years. 

That’s why researchers are trying to determine how helpful or practical they are, especially for women who use them long-term.

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Bisphosphonate therapy: How effective for how long?

A recent Kaiser Permanente study concluded that women taking oral bisphosphonates for more than seven years gained no additional benefit in preventing hip fractures.

The research was conducted in a retrospective cohort study of nearly 30,000 women who completed five years of oral bisphosphonate treatment versus women who continued treatment for two additional years.

Here’s what they found. The 5-year cumulative hip fracture incidence was as follows:

• Discontinued use after initial 5 years: 23.0 hip fractures per 1,000 individuals
• Took a 6-month break from medication, plus 2 additional years back on: 20.8 per 1,000 individuals
• Continued for 5 additional years: 26.8 per 1,000 individuals

The group with the slightly lower ratio of hip fractures appeared to be the patients who took a break from the medication before starting it back up for an additional two years.

Additionally, after the initial five years of treatment, 37 percent of the women were diagnosed with osteoporosis. In following up with those women five years after treatment, 507 had experienced hip fractures.

A Task Force of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research recommended in 2015 that low-risk patients should consider a bisphosphonate “drug holiday” after five continuous years of treatment. But on the other hand, women at high risk for fractures should continue with ongoing treatment.

But the researchers involved in this Kaiser Permanente study pointed out that benefits beyond five years of continued treatment remain largely a mystery.

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Natural ways to boost bone health

If you currently take these medications, talk to your doctor about your concerns. It can certainly be confusing to decipher the data from these studies. But what’s obvious is that researchers aren’t sure if any benefits go away and possibly contribute to fractures, depending on the length of treatment with these drugs.

Fortunately, there are several natural ways to boost bone health, so let’s start there…

Regular exercise is critical for flexibility and healthy bones and doesn’t require a fancy gym club membership.

That’s because walking, jogging, hiking, dancing and even climbing stairs are weight-bearing exercises — and this kind of exercise has been shown to slow bone loss. Some studies have shown this kind of exercise can also build bone by stimulating extra deposits of calcium and nudging bone-forming cells, according to Harvard Health.

The proper nutrition can help you increase bone density, support structural health, and maintain your bone health as you age.

Here are foods and natural supplements that help build healthy bones…

• Eat plenty of green and yellow vegetables, one of the best sources of vitamin C, to stimulate bone-forming cell production.
• Consume calcium through food sources, unless directed by a physician to supplement it. Here’s why it matters.
• Add berries to your diet. The University of Connecticut found that supplementing a powdered form of a tart berry known as blackcurrants can reduce post-menopausal bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.
• Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 help your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are critical minerals for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K2 is especially helpful at helping channel calcium to places in the body where it’s needed, like the bones, so less calcium is in the bloodstream where it can collect in artery plaque. You can read more about how K2 fights unhealthy aging here.

Sources:

Long- Term Oral Bisphosphonates Get Little Love in Study — MedPagetoday

Hip Fractures Among Older Adults — CDC.gov

The post Bisphosphonates for bone health: Therapy or fracture risk? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This vibrating platform is producing whole-body vibration (WBV), a form of passive exercise for improving neuromuscular performance. But can whole-body vibration replace other types of exercise to optimize fitness?

A brief history of whole-body vibration

The idea of using vibration to improve health dates back to ancient Greece, where doctors of the time used WBV on wounded soldiers. They created vibrations over wounds by plucking the strings of a bow-like instrument and believed it caused quicker healing.

In the 1860s, a Swedish medical student Jonas Gustav Zander believed vibration therapy could be used to build muscle and increase weight loss for his patients at the Therapeutic Zander Institute in Stockholm.

In the 1960s, Russian scientists believed they discovered a way to support muscle building and stimulate bone regeneration for their cosmonauts. In 1995, cosmonaut Valery Polyakov lived in space for 438 days using WBV and lost a minimum amount of bone density, which is shocking, having been in zero gravity for nearly 15 months. The following year, WBV was used to speed up the recovery of Russian athletes after Olympic events.

And, today, NASA continues to use vibration therapy to help prevent bone loss in astronauts.

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How does WBV work

WBV allows you to stand, sit or lie on the vibrating platform as it forces your muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second. This rapid vibration increases the circulation and helps oxygen and nutrients flow to your tissues easily.

Think of it as giving your muscles a workout while you sit or stand in place. I’ve used WBV at my local gym in conjunction with other exercises on the platform, turning it into active therapy.

According to a study published in the Journal of Sports and Medicine, the most effective frequency for most people is a constant frequency of 60 Hz and the 4mm amplitude.

Advocates say that as little as 15 minutes a day, with a constant vibration of 60 Hz, three times per week may provide the following benefits.

• Increased circulation and enhanced blood flow
• Improve flexibility
• Reduced muscle soreness post-exercise
• Decrease the stress hormone cortisol
• Improve bone density

• Improved strength 
• Boost weight loss while reducing abdominal Fat
• Reduce the negative impact of stress

Conditions affected by WBV

Several smaller studies show promising results for people with certain conditions…

1. Senior population — There has been a growing interest in using WBT to reverse the adverse effects of aging. Numerous small studies determining WBV training can reduce fall risk, balance, and postural control in seniors. The intervention was also effective in improving walking following stroke and in patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, further research is needed to expand a standardized protocol in other populations targeting gait ability.  

2. Multiple sclerosis — Five studies determined WBT significantly improved muscle strength and functional mobility of the timed get-up-and-go test.
3. Children and adolescents — A systematic review of the effects of WBV on bone density showed an improvement in lower limbs, lumbar spine and whole body. The study was more limited in postmenopausal women. 
4. Athletes – Several studies looked into vibration therapy for improving anaerobic performance for endurance athletes including cyclists and runners. 
5. Hormonal benefits for Males — One study showed a 7 percent increase in testosterone levels and a 27 percent decrease in cortisol (stress hormone), and a 460 percent increase in growth hormone. Another study concluded vibration exercise reduced circulating blood sugar levels. 
6. Metabolic benefits — Research at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University found that WBV reduces body fat and insulin resistance, while also improving muscle and bone strength in mice with a genetic tendency toward obesity and diabetes.

If you curious, check with your local gym and see if they offer WBV.

Sources:

Can whole body vibration training make you fit?  — Quickanddirtytips.com

9 Benefits of Whole body vibration you must know — Healthtide.com

Is whole-body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness — Mayo Clinic

Whole body vibration for improving muscular strength in seniors — Researchgate

Is Vibration Training Good for your Bones? An overview of systematic reviews — Pubmed

The post 6+ benefits of whole-body vibration appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So far, there have been more than 22 million diagnosed cases of COVID 19 in the United States, and infection numbers continue to skyrocket nationwide. Although the vaccine has started to roll out, the risk of infection remains.

Most COVID-19 cases are mild, and some require hospitalization; experts estimate the overall recovery rate currently is between 97-99.75 percent.

But what if weeks, maybe even months, after you were infected, you still don’t feel like yourself. You may be what the experts call a “long hauler.”

Those first infected are not all better

Recently there have been concerns about the long-term symptoms in COVID-19 survivors. As more information has become available, scientists realize COVID is a multi-system disease that can potentially affect any organ.  And the impact of that can linger for weeks and months.

A new study from Wuhan, China, finds that three out of four patients were continuing to suffer from at least one lingering health problem six months following their infection. The study involved more than 1,700 patients first diagnosed with the Wuhan virus between January and May 2020 and then followed June and September.

“Because COVID-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its long-term effects on patients’ health,” said researcher Dr. Bin Cao, from the National Center for Respiratory Medicine at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Capital Medical University, both in Beijing. 

Related: COVID-19 may predict a silent wave of Parkinson’s disease

And it’s not just China where these long haulers are still dealing with the after-effects of the virus.

According to Dr. Thomas Gut, associate chair of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, they are in his hospital. “Long COVID’ is an evolving syndrome. Although the constellation of earlier associated symptoms is fairly well described, little is known about long-term outcomes.

Many of our patients report either new onset symptoms since COVID, or significantly worsened symptoms. Most of our patients are seeing gradual improvement in symptoms as time passes, but some are still experiencing lingering effects nearly a year after infection. For many patients, there is little clear explanation for their persistent symptoms even after extensive testing and even less clear treatment options at this point.”

Common symptoms reported 

The most common symptoms that lingered after the initial infection included:

fatigue or muscle weakness, trouble sleeping and anxiety or depression.

But patients who had more severe cases of the disease more often had abnormal chest x-rays indicating organ damage, impaired lung function and reduced kidney function.

The researchers indicated most patients continue to live with some of the virus’s effects whether their case was mild or required hospitalization.

The Wuhan study was able to supply information on antibodies. They tracked survivor’s long-term immunity against COVID-19 and found levels of neutralizing antibodies against the new coronavirus fell by more than 52 percent after 6 months in 94 patients. This finding increases concern about the survivor’s reinfection rates. 

Another study in the journal Science indicates the natural immunity to COVID-19 may last up to eight months, making the potential for reinfection less likely.

Even with vaccines on the horizon, COVID-19 is likely to continue disrupting health and lives for a while longer. For these reasons and more, Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, states the psychological toll on recovery cannot be ignored because it directly impacts how people continue with their lives.

He also expressed the importance of having appropriate resources in place, especially after an acute infection. “There will be a wave of patients with long COVID entering our medical systems requiring continuing care and rehabilitation.”

Hopefully the medical community will be able to meet that need, though they have been stretched thin over that last several months. But we are leaning too, from studies, about ways to boost our health during COVID.

What can you do to get through the long haul?

Bar none, vitamin D has come forward as the most important nutrient to take during the pandemic. Those with low levels of D in their blood are among the high number of infected.

Could it help post infection? It may help reduce reinfection risk and in one study where a group of patients received the standard treatment — along with vitamin D — only one patient was admitted to ICU and none died, compared to the other group where 13 went to ICU and 2 died.

A North Carolina University study has discovered that at least five different chemicals in green tea act to block the “main” protease in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, preventing the virus from replicating.

Rest should be a part of any recovery, as well as a healthy diet. But rest that includes movement, even if it’s a slow walk around the block can help you slowly regain your energy levels.

Talk with doctor with your doctor to see if supplements can be part of your recovery including:

• CoQ10 that boosts your mitochondria (cell energy) and PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinone) also a natural co-enzyme that helps your body produce more mitochondria (they drop off with age).
• Folate, a crucial brain nutrient and we know that COVID has long-lasting neurological symptoms like cognitive dysfunction, fatigue and loss of tase and smell.
• Probiotics have been shown to boost brain cognition.

Sources:

Coronovirus Recovery — WebMD

Six Months Later, Most Wuhan COVID Survivors Still have Health Issues — U.S. News.com

The post The symptoms COVID-19 Long Haulers can’t get rid of appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But unfortunately, most seafood is going to carry a whopping helping of microplastics and the chemicals carried by those plastics, as well.

While even those tiny plastics may not make their way into fish meat, there are other favorite seafood sources where the plastics know no boundaries.

In fact, mussels, scallops and oysters (aka mollusks) have the highest levels of microplastic contamination of any seafood you can eat.

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Mollusks are full of plastic

The researchers at Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull reviewed more than 50 studies between 2014-2020 to investigate microplastic contamination levels in fish and shellfish.

Study author, Evangelos Danopoulos, a postgraduate student at Hull York Medical School said: “No one yet fully understands the full impact of microplastics on the human body, but early evidence from other studies suggests they do cause harm.

“A critical step in understanding the full impact on human consumption is in first fully establishing what levels of microplastics humans are ingesting. We can start to do this by looking at how much seafood and fish is eaten and measuring the amount of MPs (microplastics) in these creatures.”

The study shows microplastic content was 0-10.5 microplastics per gram (MPs/g) in mollusks, 0.1-8.6 MPs/g in crustaceans, 0-2.9 MPs/g in fish.

Just so you know a gram equates to about a quarter of a teaspoon. If you eat large amounts lot of shellfish, a study found that could equate to about 11,000 microplastic particles each year!

In another new study by the University of Bayreuth, led by Professor Dr. Christian Laforsch investigated the microplastic load of four mussel species often sold as food in supermarkets from 12 countries around the world. Some of them had been farmed while some were wild catch from various ocean regions.

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The results were shocking especially if you love to eat mussels: just 1 gram of mussel mead contained between 0.13-2.45 microplastic particles.

The University of Plymouth performed an experiment in which they learned that after exposure to plastic nanoparticles, it took just six hours for billions of these particles to spread through the scallop’s intestines and even lodges in the mollusk’s other organs including the kidneys, gills and muscles.

Seafood species like oysters, mussels and scallops are consumed whole, explaining the higher level of microplastics found per gram, whereas in larger fish and mammals, only parts are consumed.

Dangers of consuming microplastics  

Pete Myers, founder and chief scientist of the nonprofit Environmental Health Sciences and an adjunct professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University points out that the chemicals in these plastics are known to be harmful.

They’ve been linked to everything from obesity and reproduction problems to developmental delays in children.

Evidence also shows microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and get into our bloodstream, where they could potentially cause hormone disruption, nervous system problems and have been found to collect in artery plaque.

Should you give up mussels, oysters and scallops? Well, that’s a personal decision. But the amount of plastic waste generated worldwide is expected to triple to 155-265 million metric tons per year by 2060, and more and more will find its way into our oceans.

Eating less may be a good idea, but that’s not all you can do…

The Functional Medicine University suggests that two or more servings daily of Brassica or cruciferous vegetables revs up the detoxification of plastics. They bind to the chemicals and remove them from the body in a process called chelation. So, make the following foods part of your diet if you intend to keep eating microplastics with your seafood: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, arugula and dark leafy greens, like kale.

Sources:

Highest levels of microplastics found in mollusks, new study — Science Daily

Scallops absorb billions of microplastics in just 6 hours — Eco Watch

Raw Molluscan Shellfish — Seafood health facts.org

If you eat mussels, you eat microplastics no matter where they’re from — Technology networks

Eat takeout? You’re ingesting up to 10,000 plastic particles yearly — Easy Health Options

The post Microplastic seafood: Are your favorites on the list? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But still, some think thyroid conditions are just “hormone problems” and may not take them as seriously as they should.

The hormones released by the thyroid gland affect every major organ in your body including brain development, digestive function and your mood, among others.

So, it’s very important to get a proper diagnosis and proper care for thyroid conditions, like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Grave’s disease and of course thyroid cancer.

But there’s another serious condition that can erupt for people with thyroid conditions — a thyroid storm.

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What is a thyroid storm

The term thyroid storm has been around for decades, but information on why it happens and how to treat it have been lacking. Here’s what we know…

Anyone who has been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid is at risk of a thyroid storm, though according to recent estimates, it affects less than one person in every 100,000 yearly in the U.S.

Thyroid storm, a severe form of thyrotoxicosis (or thyroid crisis), occurs when the thyroid gland, located at the base of your neck, releases large amounts of thyroid hormone suddenly.

This causes systolic blood pressure (top number, when your heart is contracting) to rise, while diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure plummets.

When this happens, a person’s heartbeat may speed up, they may have difficulty breathing. This quickly becomes a medical emergency that could lead to multiple organ failure, heart failure, or other related causes.

Some signs that may precede include a fever of 100 degrees or more, systolic blood pressure of 130, unusual or unexplained changes in consciousness, diarrhea, vomiting and jaundice.

Causes and latest recommendations

Because the condition is rare, Takashi Akamizu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at Wakayama Medical University in Japan, and other doctors have felt much more information was needed to properly handle this condition.

He and a team of researchers decided to review existing studies as well as the results of surveys they conducted in Japanese hospitals to compare to the existing 2016 guidelines for managing thyroid storm.

His review article was published in the journal Thyroid, and for the first time, proposed guidelines based on solid evidence which were endorsed by the American Thyroid Association (ATA).

The guidelines present specific key points that Dr. Akamizu says those with hyperthyroidism need to know about thyroid storm:

• While surgical removal of the thyroid was linked to a greater risk of developing thyroid storm, he says that ”nowadays, thyroidectomy itself rarely causes the storm if thyroid function is preoperatively controlled [with the strategy your doctor orders].”
• The most common trigger for thyroid storm was inconsistent use of prescribed antithyroid medicines or stopping the medication use without any discussion with or agreement of the doctor.
• Infection, especially of the upper respiratory tract, was the next most common trigger.
• Both iodine and antithyroid medications, given to normalize thyroid hormone levels, can be given at the same time. Other guidelines suggest giving the drugs first, then the iodine. Dr. Akamizu cites research findings that indicate taking both simultaneously helps thyroid levels return to normal more quickly.
• In those with congestive heart failure, the commonly used drug, propranolol, should be used with caution.
• Aspirin should not be taken because it could increase thyroid hormone levels above what is desirable.
• Be aware of these signs and symptoms of thyroid storm and get medical help right away.

Currently, there is no specific laboratory test that can diagnose a thyroid storm. But blood tests are often ordered as part of the evaluation to look for high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test can also provide additional information about what is going on in the body.

Once thyroid storm is recognized, physicians start medical interventions immediately. Common treatments for thyroid storm include antithyroid medications, potassium iodide, beta-blockers to control heart symptoms, and steroids. Once the patient is stabilized and has made steady improvement, maintenance therapy is applied with measures to prevent a recurrence of thyroid storm.

Thyroid conditions can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be easily confused with other conditions. Common conditions include:

• Anxiety/irritability
• Depression
• Aches and pains
• Muscle weakness
• Hair loss
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Carpal tunnel or tarsal tunnel syndrome

If you suspect thyroid troubles be persistent with communicating with your physician about any problems you’re experiencing.

Sources:

Thyroid Storm: What to Know — Endocrineweb

What to know about thyroid storm — Medical News Today 

Overactive thyroid — NHS

Endocrine and Metabolic emergencies: thyroid storm — Sagepub.com

What is a Thyroid Storm or Thyroid Crisis?  — WebMD

The post What you should know about a Thyroid Storm appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Lifestyle changes, of course, center around diet for anyone looking to manage their blood sugar better. Some supplements can also help keep insulin resistance at bay.

But what about a simple vitamin that you know best for strong bones?

Researchers have discovered vitamin D3 supplementation produces powerful blood sugar benefits for patients at high risk of diabetes or with newly diagnosed diabetes…  

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Vitamin D3 may keep a diabetes diagnosis away

A new study, led by Patricia Lemieux and her colleagues, conducted a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 96 patients who were pre-diabetic or had newly diagnosed diabetes. These participants were randomly assigned to either six months of daily 5,000 IU vitamin D3 or a placebo.

The researchers found that patients who supplemented vitamin D3 for six months, compared to those on a placebo, experienced beneficial effects on peripheral insulin sensitivity (mean change, 0.92 versus -0.03) and disposition index (mean change, 267.0 versus -55.5).

The increase in peripheral insulin sensitivity is a big deal. When insulin sensitivity is higher, the body can use blood glucose or blood sugar more effectively.

While previous studies failed to demonstrate a positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on long-standing type 2 diabetes, the effect is unclear. But the researchers have a theory…

A co-author commented, “This could be due to the fact improvements in metabolic function are harder to detect in those with a longer-term disease or that a longer treatment time is needed to see the benefit.”

So, the key appears to be getting your vitamin D3 supplementation up before prediabetes has time to evolve to full-blown disease.

Not the first time vitamin D found to affect insulin sensitivity

A Canadian study has also validated a clear association between low vitamin D levels in patients with insulin resistance and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

That study demonstrated that when supplementation is given before diagnosis or soon after, the body responds more effectively on a cellular level to insulin. When this occurs, the beta cells in the pancreas, which play a central role in insulin secretion, can stay healthy and functional.

In another study, Catherine Peterson, a researcher and associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri, saw decreased insulin levels and better glucose control with vitamin D3 supplementation in obese patients.

Said Peterson, “By increasing vitamin D intake alone, we got a response that was nearly as powerful as what we have seen using a prescription drug. We saw a decrease in insulin levels, which means better glucose control, despite no changes in body weight, dietary intake or physical activity.”

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Getting your vitamin D

It’s essential to have your vitamin D levels tested if you’re at a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Some foods are rich in vitamin D, like salmon, tuna, eggs and fortified foods, like milk. However, the easiest way to increase levels is through supplementation. Talk to your doctor about that. He may consider higher levels to boost your base. It’s been shown safe to supplement 4,000 to 5,000 IUs daily.

Rethinking your diet to reduce the risk of diabetes doesn’t mean you have to give up all the foods you love. One of the first rules is to eat less of them while cutting down on simple carbohydrates, such as sugar.

Here are some dietary tips to help with healthy blood sugar levels

• Whole grains deliver serious diabetes protection. Consider foods like brown rice, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal or quinoa.
• Eat healthy proteins, such as eggs, lean cuts of meat, fish, dried beans and peas, and tofu.
• Load up on non-starchy vegetables and legumes to help you feel full.
• Cut out sugary drinks and ultra-processed snacks.
• Drink alcohol in moderation.

A combination of maintaining optimal vitamin D levels and reducing the intake of simple carbohydrates can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Sources:

Vitamin D Supplementation Beneficial for Glucose Metabolism — Physician’s Weekly

Effects of 6-month vitamin D supplementation on insulin sensitivity and secretion: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial — European Journal of Endocrinology

The right diet for prediabetes — Healthline

Association of Vitamin D with insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction in subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes — National Library of Medicine (Pub Med.gov)

The post Vitamin D may halt diabetes in its tracks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Women are an important part of the workforce, and it’s been a significant factor in America’s prosperity. It may have taken a while, but by the 1970s, 50 percent of single women and 40 percent of married women were working.

By the beginning of 2020 women’s participation in the workforce was at 58 percent. But despite the progress, many workplace norms fail to support a reasonable work-life balance, increasing stress levels for women. And, as we’re learning, due to the pandemic, many women are leaving the workforce, especially working moms who’ve had to take on childcare responsibilities.

Hopefully, that will change as we gain more control over the virus and women can get back to work to take full advantage of this big perk: Building cognitive reserves…

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A slower decline for working women

This observational study published on November 4, 2020, online issue of Neurology examined data for over 6,000 women over 12 years. The women, who had an average age of 57 at the start of the study, were divided into five groups based on their work-family life histories between ages 16-50: working non-mothers, working married mothers, working single mothers, non-working single mothers and non-working married mothers. Every two years, the women participated in a memory test.

For the first few years, researchers didn’t notice anything extraordinary. Between the ages of 55 and 60, memory scores were similar among the women. But after the age of 60, the average rate of decline on the memory test scores was slower for women who’d worked than for women who had not.

And, after adjusting for other factors that could affect the relationship between work-family profiles and later-life memory decline, such as age, education and socioeconomic status in childhood, this translated into an average rate of memory decline that was more than 50 percent greater among women who did not work after having children than among mothers who worked.

In other words, working could cut your risk of cognitive decline by 50 percent!

Working to build up cognitive reserves

According to study author Elizabeth Rose Mayeda, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in Los Angeles, “We found the timing of labor force participation did not appear to matter. Rates of memory decline were similar for married working mothers including those who consistently worked, those who stayed home for a few years with children as well as those who stayed home many years before returning to the workforce, suggesting that the benefits of labor force participation may extend far into adulthood.”

But why?

Working may help women build up what’s known as cognitive reserves — which is like a resilience factor, explained Mayeda. The more the brain has, the more it can resist the buildup of proteins that can lead to dementia.

There is very little research focused on gender differences in workforce participation and cognitive outcomes later in life. “Policies that help women with children participate in the workforce may be an effective strategy to prevent memory decline in women,” said Mayeda.

Are you doomed if you don’t work? Well, you may be missing out on this one big perk, but there are other ways to promote a healthy brain and a strong mind.

Related: 12 actions that could reduce dementia rates by 40 percent

Studies have shown that you can also help prevent memory decline and reduce the risk of dementia by maintaining good health habits such as eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.

Additionally, an 8-year study by the University of Bordeaux in France rated 6,626 people over age 65 on the seven indicators of cardiovascular health below. Those who had all seven under control reduced their dementia risk by 70 percent!

The indicators include:

• Getting enough sleep and sleep on your side to diminish Alzheimer’s risk.
• Having good social connections. Beat loneliness and you could beat Alzheimer’s too.
• Eating healthy and limiting alcohol. Too much or too little and your dementia risk spikes.
• Staying physically active. Here’s how much to exercise to slow brain aging.
• Controlling cholesterol levels.
• Controlling blood pressure.
• Not smoking.

Sources:

Married, single, kids or not, participating in workforce may protect women’s memory — Eurekalert!

The history of women’s work and wages and how it has created success for us all — Brookings.edu

Earning a Living buys women more time with a sharper brain — Quartz.com

The post The biggest perk for working women: Cognitive reserves appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

One of the benefits of bariatric surgery is that it can help reduce severe obesity-related health conditions. Some of these potentially life-threatening weight-related health problems include:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease and stroke
• Sleep apnea
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? In addition to long-term weight loss, that’s an impressive list of health benefits. However, there is a downside to bariatric surgery: it can have a detrimental effect on your bone health.

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Numerous studies have shown that a loss of bone mineral density (BMD) follows rapid weight loss — the kind most people experience following bariatric surgery.

Loss of bone mineral density sets you up for bones that fracture more easily. And that means a simple fall could be disastrous.

Unfortunately, research is consistent in showing that gastric bypass surgery leads to more fragile bones. But it’s also showing there is a simple way to avoid losing your bone density when you lose weight…

Exercise may protect bone health after weight loss surgery

It would be a shame to miss out on the significant metabolic benefits of weight loss surgery, like reducing your blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes risk, because of one obstacle. And luckily, you may not have to, in case you’re considering bariatric surgery.

A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research assigned 84 patients undergoing weight loss surgery to an exercise or control group for 11 months.

The patients in the exercise group performed high-impact, balance, and resistance exercises three times per week. When findings were revealed 12 months post-surgery, those in the exercise group had higher bone mineral density measurements at the lumbar spine and forearm than those in the control group.

Another group of participants performed half the exercise sessions and had higher bone mineral density at the femoral neck than the control group. These findings conclude the benefits of participating in a structured exercise program to minimize bariatric surgery bone loss.

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Exercise and physical activities are great ways to feel better and can be enjoyable for all ages. 

Patients considering weight loss surgery should increase their fitness levels before surgery. Other research has proven that better cardiovascular condition before surgery equates to fewer complications post-surgery.

But following surgery, stick to your postoperative guidelines that may look something like this:

• In the first four weeks after surgery, take it easy and focus on flexibility exercises and deep breathing.
• Once your surgeon approves activity, you can gradually incorporate low-intensity exercise (walking or swimming) into your daily routine.
• No high-intensity exercises.
• Avoid lifting more than 15 lbs.
• Avoid abdominal exercises
• Reduce caloric intake.

Also, try to get some good old vitamin D following surgery. Not only is it good for our bones, but research published in the journal Obesity Science and Practice found that patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the United States during winter — January to March, the time of lowest vitamin D levels — had a more challenging recovery than patients who had procedures in the summer. Similarly, patients having surgery in the north seemed to have more complications than those in the south.

“Sun exposure is critical in the synthesis of vitamin D, so the notion that people living in less sunny northern states may suffer from vitamin D deficiency is not surprising,” says Leigh Peterson, Ph.D., M.H.S., a nutritionist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Bariatric Surgery, who led the research. “What is remarkable is how closely sun exposure, vitamin D and surgical outcomes were linked.”

Then, when your doctor gives you the all-clear, consider slowly working up to a daily exercise routine.

Sources:

Exercise may protect bone health after weight loss surgery — EurekAlert!

Weight-loss Surgery and Fitness — Obesityaction.org

The post Why your bones need extra TLC after weight loss surgery appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That change is probably a big part of the reason why heart disease is the number one killer of women — and researchers are finally putting two and two together…

“Over the past 20 years, our knowledge of how the menopause transition might contribute to cardiovascular disease has been dramatically evolving,” said Samar R. El Khoudary, Ph.D., M.P.H., FAHA, chair of the statement writing committee and associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. “We have accumulated data consistently pointing to the menopause transition as a time of change in cardiovascular health.”

And they have a warning for us…

Monitoring women’s health and lifestyle — while integrating early intervention strategies for good cardiovascular health — are important, especially during midlife and during menopause to help prevent heart disease, according to a new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) recently published in its flagship journal, Circulation.

Time to get serious about this change

The Scientific Statement from the AHA, titled “Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing for Early Prevention” summarizes research focused on the use of hormone therapy provides an overview of risks related to the stages of menopause, age at menopause and lifestyle factors that affect women’s risk during this time.

Key takeaways in the statement include the following:

• Some of the common symptoms felt with menopause correlate with cardiovascular disease. Hot flashes and night sweats are associated with worse cardiovascular disease risk factor levels. Depression and sleep disturbances, linked in some studies to an increased risk of heart disease, are also common among women during this time. 
• Physiological changes during menopause, such as increased abdominal fat and visceral fat (body fat around the organs), are associated with a heightened risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality, even among those with normal body mass index levels.
• Cholesterol levels, metabolic syndrome risk and vascular vulnerability appear to increase with menopause beyond the effects of normal aging. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when a person has three or more of the following measurements: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), high blood pressure and/or high blood glucose levels (blood sugar).
• Novel data show a reversal in the associations of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) with heart disease risk over the menopause transition, suggesting higher good cholesterol levels may not consistently reflect good heart health in all stages of life in women.
• Data about the use of cholesterol-lowering medications remains limited for women going through the menopause transition and requires further study to develop evidence-based recommendations.
• Women who experience menopause at an earlier age have a higher risk of heart disease. A woman’s age at menopause can be influenced by factors such as length of menstrual cycle, poor cardiovascular risk profile during reproductive years and socioeconomic factors. Race and ethnicity also play a role, with many Hispanic and Black women experiencing menopause at younger ages.
• Physical activity and nutrition may play a role in the timing of menopause for all women. Women who drink little to moderate amounts of alcohol may have later onset of menopause, and those who smoke cigarettes are likely to start menopause about a year earlier than non-smokers.
• There is, however, limited information on what is ideal in terms of lifestyle changes (such as the AHA’s Life’s Essential 8) for women during menopause. Data indicates that only 7.2 percent of women in menopause meet physical activity guidelines, and fewer than 20 percent of them consistently maintain a healthy diet.

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Make changes now to avoid cardiovascular health changes

“Lifestyle and behavioral interventions are critical to maintaining cardiovascular health and reduce heart disease,” said Matthew A. Allison, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, vice-chair of the statement writing committee and professor and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California San Diego.

However, most of the randomized clinical trials testing the lifestyle factors and behaviors we know to be heart-healthy were not tested specifically on women during menopause.

I don’t know about you, but until that research is underway, there certainly is no harm in working toward better heart health using what we do know to be generally helpful, starting with these…

Eat the ultimate heart-healthy diet: The traditional Mediterranean diet has been endorsed as the 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.

But A group of researchers from the U.S. and Spain has declared that the best diet for omnivores looking to prevent heart disease is a Pesco-Mediterranean diet with a dash of intermittent fasting thrown in for good measure.

Walk: Researchers analyzed data from the Women’s Health Initiative, a 14-year study that included women between 50 and 79 years old at the start.

They specifically looked at women’s walking habits, including how frequently they walked, how long they walked and how fast they walked. And here’s what they found:

• Women who walked at least twice per week reduced their heart failure risk by 20-25 percent compared to women who walked less frequently.
• Women who walked for 40 minutes or more at a time reduced their heart failure risk by 21-25 percent compared to women who walked for shorter periods.
• Women who walked at an average or fast pace reduced their heart failure risk by 26 to 38 percent.

Talk to your doctor about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): The primary purpose of HRT is to ease symptoms during this transition, minimize the risk of developing osteoporosis, and decrease type 2 diabetes risk. And experts do agree that most healthy, recently menopausal women can safely choose to use HRT to relieve symptoms and protect their heart health.

A study confirmed that HRT with estradiol, a form of estrogen, can slow the progression of atherosclerosis. The study was based on data from the Early Versus Late Intervention Trial With Estradiol (ELITE), which compared estradiol with placebo in postmenopausal women.

Sources:

Heart disease risk in women increases leading up to menopause; early intervention is key — EurekAlert!

Leading causes of death – females  — CDC

Menopause and Heart disease — American Heart Association

The post Are you going through the “cardiovascular change”? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Hyperthyroidism can cause your immune system to attack the muscles and tissues around the eyes resulting in Graves’ orbitopathy. Doctors don’t think it can be prevented, but you’re more likely to get it if you smoke. Most people notice eye symptoms within six months of being diagnosed.

The symptoms of Graves’ orbitopathy

• Redness
• Swelling
• Dryness
• Pain
• Bulging eyes
• Double vision 

Selenium supplementation

Two recent reviews are trying to shed some light on selenium’s controversial use for patients with mild Graves’ orbitopathy.

In the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology, a team from Denmark and the United Kingdom “provided an in-depth overview of the role of selenium in thyroid disorders.” In the journal Hormones, investigators from Germany and Poland focused specifically on Graves’ disease.

Clinicians have widely recommended Selenium for a broad range of autoimmune thyroid diseases; however, it is only recommended for mild cases.

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In the Nature Review’s overview, epidemiologic studies also suggested an increased prevalence of benign thyroid disorders in people with low selenium levels. Studies show Selenium might reduce ocular involvement and restore normal thyroid function in patients with Graves’ disease.

The Nature Review’s authors also described differences in the selenium content of the soil in various parts of the world could result in significantly different selenium intake levels.

There has been considerable interest in selenium supplementation for patients with Graves’ orbitopathy after reviewing the 2011 study by the European Thyroid Association/European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO).

In 2011, a single study of 159 mild Graves’ orbitopathy patients reported the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The trial compared Selenium, pentoxifylline and placebo. In six months, patients treated with Selenium had improved quality of life scores, less eye involvement and slower disease progression.

According to experimental evaluations in 12 months, these benefits were retained and were not found in the group treated with pentoxifylline.

This single study is limited and lacks verification because it has not been replicated in another independent trial.

Selenium deficiency is rare in the U.S, but certain groups of people could be at risk, including those:

• undergoing dialysis
• living with HIV
• living with gastrointestinal conditions like Crohn’s and celiac disease

According to Douglas S. Ross, M.D., in an interview with MedPage Today, “I tell patients about the European study and why it may not be applicable to the U.S. But I do suggest to my patients who are not candidates for more aggressive treatment to try it: 100 mcg bid, available at Whole Foods and many pharmacies,” he says. “Because of its association with type 2 diabetes, I suggest they try it for 6 months and then stop it if [there is] no benefit.”

Authors of both reviews recognize the potential for selenium supplementation and emphasize the growing need for randomized trials.

Sources:

Selenium in thyroid disorders – essential knowledge for clinicians — Nature.com

Do patients with grave’s orbitopathy benefit from extra selenium? — Medpagetoday.com

What eye problems does graves’ disease cause?   — Webmd.com

The post Is selenium the answer to Graves’ eye disease? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The dark berries, in general, offer a myriad health benefits, including fiber and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have preventative and therapeutic properties such as lowering cardiovascular disease and stroke risk. 

The benefits of eating the dark berries are often linked back to their polyphenol compounds, which slow down the absorption of glucose from the small intestine, reduce oxidative stress to the cells, and decrease inflammation. 

And now, Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland have demonstrated that blackcurrants are favorable for glucose metabolism — and it doesn’t take that much…

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The berry that improves insulin sensitivity

In recent years, there have been many studies monitoring the effects of berries on glucose metabolism, with dark berries, such as blackcurrant and bilberry, having the most convincing results.

Blackcurrants are high in vitamin C, very tart and have a lower glycemic index of 22. Normally these naturally sour berries are eaten with sugar, which might seem counterintuitive since we’re talking about its positive effects on glucose metabolism.

However, it seems that sugar consumed with blackcurrants is not as unhealthy as sugar consumed without the berries…

In this most recent study, 26 healthy participants (22 female, 4 male) consumed three different test products and sugar water as a control product at four separate study visits. The test products were a blackcurrant purée with added sugar, a blackcurrant product containing fermented quinoa, and a blackcurrant product base without blackcurrants. Each of them and the control product contained 31 g of available carbohydrates and had a similar composition of sugar components. Blood samples were taken before the meals in fasting state and following meals at intervals up to 180 minutes after, and analyzed for glucose, insulin and free fatty acids.

The groups given blackcurrant products found their post-meal blood sugar and insulin levels were reduced from their maximum level and experienced a delayed increase in free fatty acids triggered by low blood sugar and delayed fall of glucose. In other words, no blood sugar spikes.

These results confirmed previous findings about the blackcurrants’ effects on blood glucose, but showed the effects could be achieved by eating a smaller portion of the berries — just 75 grams (1.5 dL). This portion is significantly smaller than previous research believed was required to see this effect.

The researchers are hopeful that blackcurrant berries may be helpful in improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

How to add blackcurrants to your diet

There is a lot of misinformation between blackcurrants and currants, such as “Zante currants,” “real currant,” or other variations. You must watch the labeling because many companies will label the product as “black currants” but are selling dried grapes.

Raisins (dried grapes) and blackcurrants are from different botanical families. Blackcurrants are available year-round in frozen, dried and syrup forms, or you can purchase fresh at a farmer’s market in the summer.  These berries are delicate and can be blended into smoothies, added to cottage cheese or yogurt.

Black currant may also lower blood pressure. So, if you are on blood pressure-lowering medications, consult with your doctor before adding them to your diet.

Sources:

Current nutrition facts and health benefits of fruits and vegetables — Verywellfit.com

Black currant health benefits — Healthline.com

Black  currant — WebMD

Blackcurrants are favorable for glucose metabolism — EurekAlert!

The post Blackcurrants’ powerful impact on blood sugar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The Average US adult doubles their intake of Alcohol between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans. During this current Pandemic, which has been a time of heightened stress and anxiety, American adults have sharply increased their alcohol consumption. They may consume more alcohol at home as a way of coping. We often forget alcohol is a depressant, and currently, we need to figure out other ways to lift our feelings. 

But it’s also important to be aware of the major impact drinking alcohol can have on your health, from cradle to grave…

Alcohol and your brain

A team of researchers in Australia and the UK looked at study data suggesting three critical periods in life of dynamic brain changes that are most sensitive to the harmful effects of alcohol:

The researchers warn that alcohol during these three critical periods “could increase sensitivity to the effects of environmental exposures,” and say that harm prevention policies “must take the long view.”

• During pregnancy, alcohol use — Heavy consumption of alcohol and binge drinking in pregnancy interrupts the process of normal development of the fetus including reductions in brain volume and cognitive impairment. The potentially devasting effects of fetal alcohol syndrome suggest no safe level of alcohol use for a pregnant woman. 

According to the CDC, the National Institute of Health, and the World Health organization recommend that pregnant women not drink. Women who drink while pregnant can have significant issues, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and numerous potential congenital disabilities if the child survives. 

Data from the recent UK and Australian study also suggests that even low or moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy is significantly associated with poorer psychological and behavioral outcomes in offspring.

• Alcohol use in Adolescence — During adolescence, the brain is undergoing significant structural and functional changes. During this critical time, alcohol exposure impairs memory skills and could later set the stage for cognitive problems into adulthood. Binge drinking in adolescence is associated with reduced brain volume, poorer white matter development (critical for efficient brain functioning), and small to moderate deficits in a range of cognitive functions.

• Older adults and alcohol use — Excessive alcohol consumption over time can lead to brain damage and alcohol-related dementia (ARD), which is more severe than general cognitive decline.In fact, alcohol use disorders are among the most decisive modifiable risk factors for all types of early-onset dementia compared to high blood pressure and smoking.

Still, even moderate alcohol use results in a small but significant loss of brain volume in midlife. Older women are more sensitive than men to the effects of alcohol. 

Future studies are needed to test the demographic trends on alcohol use and brain health. An integrated approach to harm reduction is needed at all ages, including training and care pathways that consider the human brain at risk. 

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Tips for cutting back on drinking

If you find you drink alcohol regularly and would like to cut down, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that the following steps may be helpful:

1. Don’t keep alcohol in your house.
2. Sip your drink. Try to drink water after having an alcoholic drink.
3. Choose alcohol-free days. Try to abstain for a week or a month to see how you feel physically and emotionally without alcohol
4. Keep busy and try new hobbies or activities.
5. Ask for support.
6. Keep a diary of your drinking and set a drinking goal.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your drinking below the recommended guidelines: no more than one standard drink per day for women and men ages 65 and older, and no more than two standard drinks per day for men under 65. These limits may be too high for people who have certain medical conditions or for some older adults. Your doctor can help you determine what’s right for you.

Sources:

Drinking linked to a decline in brain health from cradle to grave — Eurekalert!

Americans double their drinking during the holidays — Beverage daily.com  

Moderate alcohol consumption as risk factor for adverse brain outcomes and cognitive decline:  longitudinal cohort study — British Medical Journal

The effect of alcohol use on human adolescent brain structures and systems — NIH

11 ways to curb your drinking — Harvard health publishing

The post Three key periods in life when alcohol can hasten cognitive decline appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A microbiome is a population of microbes that lives in your gut, including your stomach and digestive tract. Your gut microbiome is unique to each individual and is determined by several factors including: 

• Your diet
• Your DNA
• Your activity levels
• Environmental factors (exposure to medications, toxins) 

In healthy individuals, there is a balance between the good and bad microbes in the gut and the immune system. However, many things can upset this balance and lead to disease. It has been shown there are differences in the intestinal composition in the gut microbiome of healthy people and people with diabetes. 

As microbiome studies continue to evolve, scientists are learning about the relationship between the microbiome and diabetes management. In fact, it is the bacterial changes in the gut that increase the levels of imidazole propionate, the molecule that makes the body’s cells resistant to insulin in type 2 diabetes.

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Your gut and Type 2 diabetes

In previous research led by Fredrik Bäckhed, Professor of molecular medicine at the University of Gothenburg, demonstrated that diabetes can be linked to changes in the composition of intestinal bacteria, which increases the production of molecules that may contribute to the disease.

He and his research group were able to show that altered intestinal microbiota leads to altered metabolism of the amino acid histidine. This leads to increased production of imidazole propionate, the molecule that prevents the blood sugar-lowering effects of insulin.

Now those initial findings have been confirmed in a large study of 1,990 subjects with type 2 diabetes, published in the journal Nature Communication.

“The study also shows that the levels of imidazole propionate are elevated even before the diabetes diagnosis is established, in so-called prediabetes. This may indicate that imidazole propionate may contribute to disease progression,” according to Prof. Bäckhed.

It appears that the altered gut microbiota observed in people with type 2 diabetes has fewer species than normal glucose tolerant individuals, which is also linked to other diseases.

The big question, of course, is what contributes to altering the microbiome and to this disease-causing effect?

According to Karine Clément, Professor of Nutrition at Sorbonne University, “An unhealthy diet also associates with increased imidazole propionate in individuals with type 2 diabetes.”

How to support the health of your microbiome

This isn’t the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last, that we learn that dietary improvements can keep type 2 diabetes at bay.

But in addition to avoiding foods that raise blood sugar, prebiotics and probiotics have been scientifically shown to support the gut microbiome in ways beneficial for diabetics. Probiotics reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress and increase the expression of adhesion proteins within the intestinal epithelium that reduce intestinal permeability and lead to leaky gut. All of this can improve insulin sensitivity.

Here are other diet and lifestyle tips to help:

• Add more fiber to your diet
• Avoid taking antibiotics when not medically necessary since this can damage the existing flora or gut bacteria
• Eat plenty of low glycemic fruit and vegetables
• Reduce the number of sugars and artificial sweeteners
• Reduce stress
• Regular exercise
• Good quality sleep
• Not smoking

Sources:

The gut microbiota forms a molecule that can contribute to diabetes progression — EurekAlert

What is the Gut Microbiome and How does it relate to diabetes? — DiaTribeLearn.org

The post What happens in your gut that leads to a type 2 diabetes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

2020 has been a very unpredictable year, and the levels of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. Even the thought of how to shake it seems like an insurmountable task.

But what if all it took was just one thing… one step… one new habit to boost dreariness and feel like your old self again?

Low fitness levels linked to higher depression and anxiety

When you’re suffering from depression or anxiety, exercise may seem like the last thing you want to do. But several studies on anxiety and depression conclude a close connection with lack of physical activity.

In fact, a recent and very large study published in BMC Medicine found that people with low aerobic and muscular fitness are twice as likely to experience depression. And not only that — but low fitness levels also predicted a 60 percent greater chance of anxiety, over a seven-year follow-up period.

The findings suggest engaging in moving your body may be the single best nonmedical solution for preventing and treating depression and anxiety. The combination of cardio exercise and strength training is more beneficial and has extensive public health benefits. 

And guess what? You may not have to wait very long to experience the positive mood-boosting benefits…

According to lead author, Ph.D. student Aaron Kandola (University College London Psychiatry), “Other studies have found that just a few weeks of regular intensive exercise can make substantial improvements to aerobic and muscular fitness, so we are hopeful that it may not take much time to make a big difference to your risk of mental illness.”

So, what are you waiting for?

Fitness in the time of COVID

The global shutdown has closed gyms; however, you still have lots of choices…

Getting out into the fresh air is still an option. Researchers have stated people who exercise outdoors, including those who engage in team sports or individual activities, get more benefits than people who exercise indoors.  Teams sports may be off the table right now, but going for a walk or run every day is a great option

Turn your den into a temporary workout space. The internet is a great source of aerobic fitness videos that can make working out fun if jogging in place bores you to tears.

No weights? You can improvise the use of dumbbells by lifting everyday objects found in your home, such as a jug of milk, a bottle of laundry detergent or those large cans of beans.

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Benefits of Exercise 

• Engaging in exercises takes your mind off worries so you can get away from the cycle of negative thoughts and the very thing you are anxious about
• Releases feel-good endorphins and other natural brain chemicals, which increase the availability of critical anti-anxiety neurochemicals.
• Moving your body decreases muscle tension.
• Regular exercise boosts resilience against reoccurring destructive emotions.
• Engaging in regular exercise boosts your self-confidence and help you feel better about your appearance.
• Participating in an activity to help manage your depression or anxiety is a healthy coping strategy.
• To maximize the benefits, choose an enjoyable activity, so you will want to do it repeatedly.
• Work out with a positive and supportive friend or a local group to repeat the added benefits of social support. Just remember to keep your distance.
• Whenever possible, exercise in nature or green spaces, such as a park, to further lower stress and anxiety levels.
• Give yourself credit for taking a step in the right direction no matter how small and prepare for setbacks. If you skip exercise one day, it doesn’t mean you are a failure, try the next day again and stick with it. 

Before you start a new exercise program, it’s essential to talk to your doctor to discuss the activities, how much, and what intensity is appropriate for you. Your doctor will review your health conditions and may have some helpful advice about getting started and staying motivated. 

Sources:

Effects of exercise on anxiety, depression, and mood — Europe PMC

 Low fitness linked to higher depression and anxiety risk — Eurekalert!

Anxiety, depression can be eased with 150 minutes of exercise a week — Healthline   

4 Psychological Benefits of walking through forest areas   — National Library of Medicine

The post Reduce depression and anxiety with exercise appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Perhaps they sense something that more and more research is revealing…

That chili peppers may help you live a longer and healthier life!

So, if you’re not traditionally a fan of spicy foods, it may be time to change your ways…

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Huge study says kicking up the heat is healthy

A recent preliminary study by the American Heart Association reviewed the health and dietary records of over 500,000 people across various countries, including Italy, Iran, China and the United States. They found people who ate chili peppers had:

• 26 percent relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality
• 23 percent reduction in cancer mortality
• 25 percent reduced reduction in all-cause mortality

“We were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular consumption of chili pepper was associated with an overall risk-reduction of all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality. It highlights that dietary factors may play an important role in overall health,” said senior author Bo Xu, M.D., a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute in Cleveland, Ohio.

This is excellent news for everyone that loves spicy, but what is it about the heat that provides so many benefits?

According to Dr. Xu, “The exact reasons and mechanisms that might explain our findings, though, are currently unknown. Therefore, it is impossible to conclusively say that eating more chili pepper can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer. More research, especially evidence from randomized controlled studies, is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.”

But the bottom line is that several studies have already shown that hot peppers are loaded with antioxidants, offer blood glucose regulation, and anti-inflammatory properties due to the critical ingredient capsaicin. Capsaicin is what makes the hot peppers burn. The spicy characteristics might be the key in its ability to decrease blood glucose levels.

A UCLA study found that in clinical trials, capsaicin has potent activity against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Eating spicy foods at least every week lowered mortality rates by 14 percent, according to a large 2015 study by Harvard and China National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Additional studies indicate certain spices can raise your metabolic resting rate and slow down your appetite. This is a boost if you want to lose a few extra pounds.

Sources of Capsaicin 

Capsaicin is found in most peppers. But did you know you can easily add capsaicin to your diet without the burn? Sweet peppers contain a good source of capsaicin when consumed regularly. These peppers are often called cherry, cone, green, or paprika peppers and contain approximately 25 percent of the capsaicin found in their hotter cousins. The bell pepper is the only member of the genus Capsicum that does not produce capsaicin according to Wikipedia.

Capsaicin use in medicine

Capsaicin also has a surprising benefit in the medical world and is well known for its pain-relieving properties. Capsaicin affects the neurotransmitters and stimulates nerve endings to the brain. When capsaicin is extracted from the chili peppers, it’s often added to creams, gels, and patches for pain relief treatment.

Precautions 

Hot peppers can cause severe irritation to areas like your eyes or where you have broken skin. Always wash your hands immediately with soap and water after handling hot peppers. Go easy when you are adding hot peppers to your diet to prevent gas or other digestive issues. Pregnant women should not consume hot peppers when breastfeeding.

Sources:

Capsaicin reduces blood glucose by increasing insulin levels and glycogen content better than capsiate in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats — NIH Pub Med

People who eat chili pepper may live longer?   — EurekAlert!

Consumption of spicy foods and total and cause specific mortality:  population-based cohort study — the BMJ

Capsaicin, a component of red peppers, inhibits the growth of androgen-independent p53 mutant prostate cancer cells — AACR Publications

Foods that have Capsaicin — Livestrong.com

The post 3 ways chili peppers could help you live longer and healthier appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The Endocrine Society has spent over 14 years researching exposure to these environmental toxins that are present in our air, water, soil, cleaning products, children’s toys, cooking utensils, beauty products and furniture. They interfere, imitate, or alter pathways of hormones in the body and are connected to growing health problems including heart disease, asthma and infertility, as well as breast and prostate cancer.

One commonly known EDC is bisphenol A (BPA), which is often found in cash register receipts and certain plastics that you use every day. Look at the bottom of a plastic container in your cupboard, and you may see BPA or BPA-free. A BPA-free product, for example, doesn’t use the organic compound Bisphenol A in its construction.

Related: 10 ways to reduce exposure to BPA that’s 10x higher than you think

You may feel a sigh of relief, thinking you are off the hook. However, new research adds to the growing evidence that BPA replacements are not as safe as you think. The studies show that common BPA replacements such as BPS, BPF, BPAF, and diphenyl sulphone can decrease sperm counts in males and reduce egg quality in females, which can be passed down to subsequent generations.

And it’s not the only toxin that’s being passed down. One, in particular, may be contributing to rising cases of diabetes…

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Are chemicals the reason diabetes is on the rise?

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)s are chemicals used as fire retardants in household products, like upholstery. And even though the most harmful PBDEs have been banned in the U.S., these chemicals leach into our water, soil and air because of inadequate recycling of products that contain them.

PBDEs have been associated with diabetes in adult humans. And just as some of the dangerous effects of BPAs and their replacements can be passed on, researchers wondered if diabetes could also be passed to children from mothers exposed to PBDEs.

To find out, the researchers looked to mice.

Researchers at UC Riverside gave PBDEs to mouse mothers at low levels that were comparable to average human environmental exposure both during pregnancy and lactation.

All of the baby mice developed specific hallmarks of diabetes, including glucose intolerance, high fasting glucose levels, and insulin insensitivity. The babies also had high levels of endocannabinoids in the liver, which are molecules associated with appetite, metabolism and obesity.

Surprisingly, though the mothers developed some glucose intolerance, they weren’t as affected as their offspring.

According to UCR neuroscientist and corresponding author of the study, Dr. Margarita Curras-Collazo, “Our findings indicate that chemicals in the environment, like PBDEs, can be transferred from mother to offspring, and exposure to them during the early developmental period is damaging to health.”

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How to avoid PBDEs

Dr. Curras-Collazo says that PBDEs are everywhere in our homes and practically impossible to completely avoid. But she suggests that people take steps to limit PBDE exposure by washing hands before eating, vacuuming frequently, and buying furniture and other products that do not contain it.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a great source to find information about how to shop for products without these chemicals. You can get started with this link on finding couches without toxic fire retardants.

Here are some additional ways to help reduce your daily exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals: 

• Click here for their EDC dirty dozen, where to find them and how to avoid them.
• Proper recycling can limit the amount of these potential EDCs in the environment.
• On plastic bottles, a #1, #2, or #4 in the recycling sign means the product is free of BPA.
• Avoid numbers #3, #6, and #7 which all contain compounds of great concern.
• Eating more broccoli sprouts, which helps the body excrete pollutants like benzene.
• Watch out for leaching. Avoid using the microwave or heating food in plastic containers due to the leaching of chemicals into your food.
• Read labels for cleaning supplies, facial washes and detergents. Use chemical-free cleaning solutions if possible, like these 10 essential oils for a clean toxin-free home.
• Invest in a water filtration system instead of drinking bottled water.

Sources:

Why BPA Free may not mean a plastic product is safe — National Geographic.com

What you can do about EDCs — Endocrine Society

Chemicals in your living room cause diabetes — Eurekalert!

Common Chemicals may cause obesity and diabetes — Diabetes In Control.com

The post How toxins in your home could give your family diabetes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Stroke can occur unexpectedly and at any age. In fact, stroke is on the rise among younger adults, and knowing the signs of a stroke can be lifesaving.

But, unfortunately, many that fall within this growing at-risk group are not familiar with common stroke symptoms.

Researchers recently surveyed 9,844 younger adults under the age of 45 on signs of a stroke. The results were concerning…

Nearly 30 percent were unable to name all five of the most common stroke symptoms, and 3 percent could not name even just one.

What I found especially concerning was that nearly 3 percent surveyed indicated they would not contact emergency medical services if they perceived someone experiencing stroke symptoms. Surely, only because they were not aware that when it comes to stroke, timing is a matter of life and death.

“The faster you are treated, the more likely you are to minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death,” according to Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, FAAN, president of the American Heart Association.

So, it’s time for Stroke 101…

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Why stroke risk is growing among younger people

Experts chime in and state the increase is due to the rise in obesity-related lifestyle risk factors among younger people, including hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2005-2006, 28 percent of young adults age 20-39 were obese. A decade later, that rate jumped to 35.7 percent of young adults in the same age range.

A stroke happens when there is a loss of blood flow to your brain. When your brain cells can’t get oxygen, they quickly start to die, causing brain damage, disability or even death. There are three main types of strokes:

• Ischemic strokes are the most common and are caused when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed, most often by a blood clot that develops at the fatty plaque within the vessel. Clots due to atrial fibrillation also lead to this kind of stroke.
• Hemorrhagic strokes result when a weak blood vessel ruptures causing bleeding inside the brain, most often caused by high blood pressure.
• Transient ischemic attack (a warning or “mini-stroke”) occurs due to a serious temporary blood clot.

Recognizing stroke

Increased public awareness of the warning signs of stroke may be necessary. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Canada conducted an educational campaign using mass media to track awareness and determine the impact of different media strategies.

The results concluded communities exposed to television advertising increased significantly in the ability to name the warning signs of a stroke for both men and women under the age of 65.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is on a mission to increase public recognition of common stroke symptoms. Due to their sharp memories, younger people have a good chance of remembering the acronym F.A.S.T to identify stroke signs and call emergency services 9-1-1.

• Face drooping
• Arm weakened
• Slurred speech
• Time to call 9-1-1

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Stroke Prevention

Here are some of the significant risk factors for a stroke:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Genetics or family history
• Age
• Race and ethnicity
• Unhealthy diet
• High cholesterol
• Alcohol and illicit drug use
• Limited physical activity

According to cardiologist and EHO contributor, Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, strokes are preventable. A study involving 27,000 people from every continent in the world, found that 90 percent of all strokes could be eliminated if lifestyle-related risk factors could be controlled.

Some heart-healthy lifestyle changes to start with include:

• Getting regular exercise
• Managing your blood pressure
• Stop smoking
• Managing stress
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a healthy heart diet — Check out what to eat and what to supplement from Dr. Michael Cutler, to ward off stroke.

Sources:

Advertising Strategies to increase public knowledge of the warning signs of stroke — AHA

Nearly one in three young adults in the US does not know common stroke symptoms — Science Daily

Strokes among younger people on the rise — Texas Medical Center

Stroke Facts — Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Stroke — MedlinePlus

The post What anyone under 45 should know about stroke appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This steroid hormone is utilized by most of the cells in our bodies for a variety of functions, including:

• Regulation of blood sugar levels
• Regulating metabolism
• Coordinating sleep cycles
• Reducing inflammation
• Assisting with memory formulation
• Controls blood pressure in women
• Responds to infections and stress
• Has a controlling effect on salt and water balance
• Supports the developing fetus during pregnancy

Since cortisol is vital for our cells and how we respond to stress, how do you know how much cortisol you have? A test can detect if you have Cushing’s syndrome, which involves too much of the hormone, or Addison’s disease, which is caused by having too little.

 If your cortisol levels remain moderately high over time, it can lead to numerous unwanted problems.

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Symptoms of high cortisol

• Extreme fatigue
• Irritable
• Poor concentration
• Tiredness
• Headache
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle weakness
• Acne
• Weight gain (mid-section & face)
• Thinning skin
• Slow healing

Measuring Stress Hormones

Cortisol levels can be traditionally measured in three ways: through saliva, blood or urine. These methods have questionable accuracy as hormone levels are known to fluctuate, and some methods are time-consuming.

A new device shows promise and can now be used in the comfort of your home with reliable and stable results. Who knew our cortisol levels could be measured in ear wax? The lead researcher of this new device, Dr. Herane-Vives, tested several different cortisol sampling techniques and found that the earwax samples yielded more cortisol than other methods. This method was easier to use, faster, and less expensive than other methods.

Due to this successful pilot study, Dr. Herane-Vives is setting up a company to bring his ear wax sampling device to market and is investigating the potential for monitoring diabetes, and eventually, COVID-19 antibodies.

How to Reduce Cortisol Levels

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule
• Avoid caffeine in the evening
• Become more mindful of your stressful thoughts
• Learn to relax (music, yoga, massage, deep breathing)
• Maintain healthy relationships
• Enjoy the companionship of a pet
• Tend to your spirituality
• Eat healthy foods
• Try fish oil and ashwagandha supplements

Sources:

Natural ways to lower Cortisol — Healthline

Earwax sampling could measure stress hormone — Eurekalert!

The growth of telehealth during COVID-19 and its future after: Dr Patricia Salber Interviews Dr. Joseph Kvedar — AJMC.com

Cortisol Test — MedlinePlus

The post What your ear wax could reveal about your stress levels appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In the United States, a staggering 70 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese. This excessive weight can lead to several health problems, including arthritis, sleep disorders, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or what is known as metabolic syndrome. What’s sneaky about metabolic syndrome is many people don’t have obvious signs or symptoms.

Metabolic syndrome overview

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors or symptoms occurring together which increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. If you only have one of these conditions, it doesn’t mean you have metabolic syndrome — but if you have three or more of the following risk factors, then you could be on a fast track to serious trouble…

• Increased blood pressure
• Excess fat around the waist
• High blood sugar
• Low levels of HDL (the good) cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides

Metabolic syndrome is common, and up to one-third of U.S. adults have it. As a response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created food patterns designed to help people follow the recommendations outlined in its Dietary Guidelines, and one of them is the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) plan.

DASH Diet Plan

U.S. News & World Reports has ranked the DASH diet as the best eating plan for several years in a row. The DASH diet was developed specifically to help people lower high blood pressure and is promoted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The focus is on whole foods, fat-free or low-fat dairy, whole grains, lean meats, fish and poultry. The plan requires eliminating processed foods, sugary drinks, packaged snacks and limiting red meat.

Depending on your health needs, you can choose from two forms of the DASH diet:

• Standard DASH Diet — Limits sodium consumption to 2,300 milligrams (mg) daily
• Lower Sodium DASH Diet — Limits sodium consumption to 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily, which is ideal for individuals with high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease, and at risk for type 2 diabetes, or are currently managing the condition.

But in addition to lowering salt intake, the very foods recommended in the diet promote nutrients that have been shown to lower the risk of conditions associated with metabolic syndrome, including fiber, polyphenols and antioxidants. That’s why it’s important to get the recommended daily servings of:

• Grains: 6 to 8 servings daily
• Vegetables 4 to 5 servings daily
• Fruits: 4 to 5 servings daily
• Dairy (low-fat or fat-free): 2 to 3 servings daily
• Lean meat, poultry or fish: 6 one-ounce servings daily
• Nuts, seeds and legumes: 4 to 5 servings weekly
• Fats and oils: 2 to 3 servings daily
• Sweets: 5 servings or fewer per week

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How can the DASH diet help?

Blood Pressure Control — Many studies have shown that the DASH diet can reduce blood pressure in just 14 days, which can make a significant difference in your health risks. The diet encourages you to reduce sodium and eat a variety of foods containing potassium, calcium and magnesium, which are known to help lower blood pressure.

Diabetes Prevention — A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies reviewed the differences among various diets’ effects in preventing type 2 diabetes. The authors concluded the DASH & Mediterranean diets were associated with strong potential and a 20 percent decrease in type 2 diabetes risk.

Cholesterol — Several components of the DASH diet have been linked to lowering cholesterol, such as increased fiber intake, eating fish and leaner cuts of meat, and limiting sweets, carbohydrates and processed foods. A 2015 study compared both versions of the DASH diet and found both versions improved LDL and total cholesterol.

Weight loss — Even though weight loss was not the focus of the 160 doctors, registered dietitians and Ph.D. nutrition researchers that helped develop the DASH diet, following the diet certainly helps participants lose their weight.

Another big plus of the DASH diet, according to Dr. Catharine Champagne, one of the lead developers of the diet, “The diet was scientifically proven to be very effective for reducing blood pressure naturally. The drop in blood pressure in people with hypertension in the study was equal to that achieved with blood pressure drugs common at the time. It was effective for men, women — really all demographic groups you can list.”

Why is this a very big deal? It’s been shown that blood pressure medications are not as effective for women as they are for men.

Tips for cutting back on sodium

You can quickly obtain a complete overview of DASH diet menus and eating plans to help reduce your metabolic syndrome risk. In the meantime start by cutting down on the salt…

• Try these healthier spices in place of salt: garlic, dried onion flakes or powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric, tarragon or extra black pepper.
• Rinse canned foods to remove some of the salt
• Read labels at the store and look for “reduced sodium” or “no salt added.”
• Don’t add salt when cooking.

Sources:

5+ Unexpected Facts about How & Why the DASH diet works from the Researchers who designed it — PBRC

The Big Number : 45 million Americans go on a diet each year  — Washington Post

Overweight & Obesity Statistics — NIH National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive/Kidney Disease

DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure — Mayo Clinic

Which diet for preventing of type 2 diabetes? — Endocrine

What is the DASH diet? A Guide to the plan for losing weight and lowering blood pressure — Everyday Health.com

DASH Eating plan: An Eating Pattern for Diabetes Management — Diabetes Spectrum

The post How to DASH your risk for high BP, cholesterol, heart disease and more appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The ketogenic diet has been used since the 1920s to help control seizures in many children with epilepsy. Higher ketone levels which can be detected in the blood, urine, and breath often lead to improved seizure control. This diet has been recommended by physicians and carefully monitored by a dietician for children specifically who have not responded to medications.

If you’re not familiar, the ketogenic diet is low in carbohydrates and rich in proteins and fats. Ketones are formed when the body uses fat as its primary source of energy. Our body typically uses carbohydrates for its fuel and because the diet is very low in carbohydrates, fats become the primary fuel.

When your body lacks glucose from food it starts breaking down stored fat into ketone bodies, which is called ketosis. Ketosis can typically happen in two to four days of eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates daily for most people.

The keto diet lacks a substantial amount of carbohydrates, however, includes plenty of meats, eggs, sausages, cheese, butter, oils and certain vegetables. The main reason many people use this diet is fast weight loss, but it is very restrictive allowing very few fruits and vegetables, and hard to stick to.

It appears a ketogenic diet could be an alternative to treat certain conditions and accelerate weight loss, but with so much emphasis on fat is it heart healthy? Let’s dig in…

The Ketogenic Diet in Heart Failure

Kyle McCommis, Ph.D., an assistant professor in Biochemistry who leads a research team from Saint Louis University thinks so.

In fact, his research team believes a high fat or ketogenic diet could prevent — possibly even reverse — heart failure.

In an animal model, drastic heart failure in mice was bypassed by switching to high fat or “ketogenic” diets.

“Thus, these studies suggest that consumption of higher fat and lower carbohydrate diets may be a nutritional therapeutic intervention to treat heart failure,” McCommis said.

According to their research findings:

• Diets with high levels of fat and enough carbs and protein to limit ketosis were able to significantly improve or prevent cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in a mouse model.
• Higher fat and low carb diets could become a therapeutic intervention to treat heart failure
• Prolonged fasting reduces the ketolytic flux and increases cardiac reliance on fatty acid oxidation. A 24-hour fast reduced blood glucose levels and enhanced plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and ketone bodies.
• A three-week ketogenic diet and fat metabolism increase were associated with reverse remodeling of the failing hearts to normal size.
• These results suggest that ketogenic diets do not enhance cardiac ketone body metabolism, but rather stimulates fatty acid oxidation, which may be responsible for improved cardiac remodeling and performance.

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Pros and cons

Based on the available research, a ketogenic diet may be associated with some improvements in some cardiovascular risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes and HDL cholesterol levels. And it certainly looks promising as a nutritional intervention for heart failure.

But more studies are warranted to better assess the effects of long-term use of ketogenic diets and cardiovascular risk factors.

In the long term, be mindful of extreme and aggressive diet programs that may not be practical or sustainable. It’s more important to embrace a lifestyle that includes a well-balanced diet high in vegetables and lower in processed foods. Cardiologist and Easy Health Options ® contributor, Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, warns that what you’re not eating could kill you.

However, if you want to try a keto diet, these are the foods to avoid:

• Low-fat dairy
• Grain products such as pasta, bread, cereal
• Root vegetables including potatoes
• All grains and starches
• Fruit
• Legumes such as beans and chickpeas

A few caveats…

• Individuals who have kidney disease should talk to their doctors before starting this type of diet because it could make their condition worse.
• Quality of fat matters. Poor quality fats could lead to poor heart health, whereas good fats can ultimately reduce risk factors for heart disease.
• Some people may also feel fatigued, experience bad breath, sleep issues, and constipation at the start of a keto diet.

Sources:

High fat or ‘ketogenic’ diets could prevent, reverse heart failure — EurekAlert

Ketogenic Diet  — Epilepsy Foundation

Ketogenic Diet: Is the ultimate Low carb diet good for you? — Harvard Health Publishing

Is Keto Bad for your Heart? — Hakensack Meridian Health

Effects of Ketogenic Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors:  Evidence from Animal and Human Studies — Nutrients

The post Can diet reverse heart failure? Keto might appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And that’s because, though daily aspirin use has been found to help some people, it also comes with a higher risk of bleeding.

In 2018, a mega study of more than 19,000 individuals published in three articles in The New England Journal of Medicine shocked both patients and physicians. They stated that daily low-dose aspirin, 100 milligrams or less, did not help older adults who did not have cardiovascular disease.

In response, the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) updated their guidelines on aspirin therapy for prevention of cardiovascular disease based on a meta-analysis and three recent trials. They recommend:

• Low-dose aspirin might be considered for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in select higher ASCVD adults aged 40-70 years who are not at increased bleeding risk.
• Low-dose aspirin should not be administered on a routine basis for primary prevention of ASCVD among adults older than 70 years.
• Low-dose aspirin should not be administered for primary prevention among adults at any age who are at increased bleeding risk.

But for the doctors who make these decisions, it hasn’t been so cut and dry on how to determine which patients could benefit from aspirin therapy — until now…

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Help determining who benefits from aspirin therapy

According to Dr. Amit Khera, associate professor of medicine and director of the Preventive Cardiology Program at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas, and an Associate of the Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, “We used to say for aspirin, generally yes, occasionally no. With these new guidelines, we’ve flipped that on its head and are saying that we should not use aspirin for most people in primary prevention.”

However, he adds, “We need tools to find that sweet spot where aspirin is most beneficial and offsets the associated risks.”

Now, they may have found such a tool…

JAMA Cardiology reviewed findings that a standard X-ray test used to assess hardening of the arteries could help decide if the benefits of taking aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke outweigh the risks of bleeding for its use.

A Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scan scores the amount of calcium lining the arteries of the heart and is used to detect the hardening of the arteries and the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

In the study, researchers gathered data from more than 6,000 adults in the Dallas Heart Study. The participants were invited to three visits for the collection of health and demographic information, laboratory samples and various imaging studies, including CAC scanning. Then they were followed for an average of 12 years to track heart attacks, deaths from heart disease, fatal and non-fatal stroke, cardiovascular disease or bleeding events that caused hospitalization or death.

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When Khera and his colleagues examined the rates of ASCVD and bleeding in the study group, they found that both events increased in a graded fashion as CAC scores rose.

However, when they used statistical modeling to see how many of the ASCVD events may have been prevented by aspirin use, they found that aspirin’s benefits only outweighed its risks for those with CAC scores above 100.

For this group, the risk of ASCVD was about fifteenfold and the bleeding risk about threefold of those with a CAC score of 0. But this effect only held for participants who already had an inherently low risk of bleeding. In other words, if someone had prior significant bleeding episodes, risk factors for bleeding, or was on medications that increase bleeding, they should not take aspirin for primary prevention regardless of their CAC score.

“Aspirin use is not a one-size-fits-all therapy,” says Khera, who holds the Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Hypertension and Heart Disease. “CAC scanning can be a valuable tool to help us tailor care to help more patients avoid a first heart attack or stroke.”

The take-away on aspirin

The bottom line here on aspirin therapy is that it is important to let your doctor make the decision, based on your medical history, on whether aspirin therapy would be beneficial for you. Taking your history under consideration, along with any diagnostics like a CAC scan, would help him or her make the best decision for you.

But there are plenty of good decisions you can make to help prevent cardiovascular disease as well…

Heart-healthy nutrition: Follow a heart-healthy diet like the DASH diet or the Pesco Mediterranean Diet. And have your doctor check your magnesium levels. According to Dr. Andrea Rosanoff, Director of Research & Science Information Outreach for the Center for Magnesium Education and Research, “Common risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome are all associated with low nutritional magnesium status or low magnesium dietary intakes.”

Exercise. Everyone, no matter age, should exercise. But to grab the highest levels of protection from heart disease and stroke once you pass the 60 mark, you have to exercise more than you did when you were younger. Try brisk walking, dancing, jogging or cycling — just make sure it’s something you enjoy so that it gets and keeps you moving.

Stay on top of your numbers: Cholesterol and blood pressure, especially. Both contribute to conditions that make it harder for your arteries to pump blood and that makes your heart work harder. And here is where a CAC scan may be helpful. But fatty plaque buildup should be something you strive to avoid instead of finding a high score. In addition to diet and exercise, look for nutrients that have been researched for their positive effect on artery health. For example, vitamin K2 is associated with inhibiting arterial calcification and arterial stiffening because it activates a protein that inhibits the deposits of calcium on vessel walls. You can read more here about why calcium score is a better measure of heart disease.

Sources:

Aspirin use may be widespread despite new guidelines — NIH

Aspirin use best for those with high coronary calcium, low risk of bleeding — EurekaAlert!

Low Dose Aspirin Late in Life? Healthy People May not Need it — New York Times

The post Old test could give your doctor new insight into aspirin risk or benefit appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The study reviewed 40 separate clinical trials involving the consumption of the omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The result is that both EPA and DHA omega-3 intake reduced the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attacks) and coronary artery disease.

But in the United States, cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death. In 2018 there were 30.3 million adults diagnosed with heart disease which include several types of heart conditions.

So, obviously, we’re not doing enough as far as prevention, even though omega-3s seem to offer us a pretty solid route.

What if you or someone you love has a heart attack?  Well, my best friend did two years ago and survived this life-changing event. She was one of the lucky ones because on average someone dies of cardiovascular disease every 37 seconds in the U.S.

New research involving omega-3s shows that even in the event of a heart attack, they can help you come out better…

Omega-3 blood levels during a heart attack

A research team from the Germans Trias, Research Institute (IGTP), and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), recently found that a diet full of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, strengthens heart membranes and the prognosis in the event of a heart attack.

How do they know?

They saw firsthand that having high omega-3 blood levels in patients who were admitted to the hospital at the time of a heart attack was associated with a lower risk of complications.

In other words, blood work taken during hospitalization accurately indicated how much omega-3 fats the patients had eaten in the weeks before their heart attack — and the higher the level, the more protection it seemed to afford them.

Yes, they suffered a heart attack, but their complications were much less — and the researchers followed them for three years!

But something even more exciting happened during this study. They learned that both plant and animal sources make for a complementary heart-protective combination…

It turns out that high levels of EPA (derived from fish), are associated with a lower risk of hospital readmission from cardiovascular causes — and that higher levels of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), derived from plant sources like walnuts, are associated with a reduced risk of death.

The clinical director Antoni Bayes concludes, “marine and vegetable-based omega-3s is an integrative strategy for improving both their quality of life and prognosis if they suffer a heart attack.”

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How to get Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid the body is unable to synthesize on its own and must be obtained through diet. The main dietary source of EPA is from oily fish and includes salmon, mackerel, sardines and herrings. When we eat oily fish regularly it forms a protective barrier of the myocardial membranes and limits the damage caused by a heart attack.

There are also plant sources of omega-3s in nuts and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts, plant oils such as flaxseeds, soybean oil and canola oils.

Dietary guidelines suggest adults eat at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. But most Americans don’t get that.

Most people look to fish oil to get adequate omega-3s, but many do not know about krill oil supplements. Krill oil is derived from tiny crustaceans called Antarctic krill that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. The chemical structure of the fatty acids and red color are the unique differences from fish oil.

Clinical research studies indicate your body absorbs fatty acids in krill oil more easily than from fish oil. One component that is present in krill oil but absent in fish oil is a very powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is the red pigment that gives salmon its red color and helps prevent krill oil from oxidizing. Antioxidants protect your cells from damage from free radicals.

Heart attack prevention

A healthy lifestyle can help keep your arteries strong and plaque-free. Here are tips to improve your heart health:

• Stay physically active
• Stop smoking
• Eat a low-fat, low salt balanced diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and glucose levels
• Reduce and manage stress
• Establish a regular sleep routine

Sources:

Krill Oil for Cardiovascular Risk Prevention: Is it for Real? — NCBI

Heart Disease and Stroke statistics — American Heart association

Effect of Omega-3 Dosage on Cardiovascular Outcomes — Mayo Clinic

Coronary Heart Disease — National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH)

Omega – 3 Fatty acids Science, efficacy and clinical use in cardiology — US Cardiology Review

A study has demonstrated that omega 3 rich foods provide post-heart attack prognosis — EurekAlert!

Omega -3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a case for omega-3 index as a new risk factor — NIH

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