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A Positive Attitude May Protect You from Heart Problems and Even Stroke
It’s not far-fetched to think that optimistic people are not only happier but also healthier. Some scientists now believe that keeping a positive attitude may even reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“Past research has linked optimism with a range of health benefits, including cardiovascular outcome,” said Eric Kim, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Michigan and lead author of a study that was recently published in the medical journal, “Stroke,” a publication of the American Heart Association. What always remained a mystery is exactly how a sunny temperament affects a person’s health.
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At the Heart of the Matter: The True and False of Saving Yourself from Heart Attack
Something is killing women in this country at an alarming rate! It is not bird flu, E. coli, swine flu or many of the other flashes you see everyday on news stands. The number one killer of vital women in this country is heart disease. Our hearts are amazing muscles. They start beating six weeks after conception, while we are still in our mother’s womb, and continue steadily until the day we die. Along the way, they can be assaulted by disease without us ever knowing it.
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Anti-Inflammatory Diet 101
Inflammation may be one of the hottest topics in health today, and for good reason. It’s at the root of just about every disease. How you live your life (i.e. couch potato), your environment (i.e. airborne pollutants) and what you eat determine your risk of developing inflammation.
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Even Slightly Elevated Blood Pressure Poses Health Risks
If you think your blood pressure is normal, you may want to double-check with your doctor. According to new guidelines, blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, which was until recently seen as within a healthy range, is now classified as elevated. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) found that people under the age of 65 who were diagnosed with a condition called “prehypertension” had a 68 percent increased risk of suffering a stroke compared to those with normal readings.
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Popcorn – A Whole Grain and Fiber Gold Mine
Who knew? Corn, the tiny kernel that most of the world calls maize (after the Spanish word maiz), is a bona fide whole grain – and yes, even the popped version counts. People who routinely snack on popcorn ingest a whopping 250 percent more whole grains and 22 percent more fiber compared to those who don’t eat this dieter’s delight. Popcorn contains more fiber per ounce than even whole wheat bread and brown rice. Eating whole grains, like popcorn, is key to heart health.
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Red Yeast Rice – Not Your Best Bet for a Natural Statin Alternative
Red yeast rice, or red yeast, is a substance produced naturally during the fermentation of the yeast Monascus purpureus by certain fungi that grow on rice. The medicinal use of red yeast rice dates back to 800 A.D., during the Tang Dynasty in China, when red yeast rice was ingested primarily as a remedy for digestive ills. Present-day use of red yeast rice continues in Asia as both a culinary staple and for its healing properties. The deep red hue of the rice is used to color a variety of foods, such as Peking duck, pickled tofu and Japanese sake.
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Fishing for a Longer Life – What Eating More Fish Can Do for You
It’s called the “Eskimo factor.” As early as 1944, scientists began to document that Greenland Eskimos had virtually no heart disease. This phenomenon occurred despite the fact that the Eskimos ate a diet low in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. But what they did subsist on was a diet loaded with oily seafood such as whale and seal meat, providing them with a huge daily dose of fish oil (about 15 grams), which is rich in the superbly heart-healthy marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
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Potatoes May Help Lower Blood Pressure – Purple Ones, That Is
Pity the potato. It’s widely blamed for the fattening of America. But a small new study found that daily consumption of a certain type of potato – purple ones – can help lower blood pressure, without causing weight gain.
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Too Much Salt in Our Bread, U.S. Government Study Finds
The highest amount of salt Americans eat comes from bread, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 50 percent of the salt consumed in the U.S. is linked to popular foods such as baked goods, cold cuts, cured meats, pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches, cheese, pasta and snacks like pretzels and potato chips. Many items loaded with salt don’t even taste salty.
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Heart Health Month – An Important Reminder
February is “Heart Health Month.” Health advocacy groups and organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA), the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) want to remind us that heart disease is the most common cause of death in America and deserves more of our attention.
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Get Heart Smart – It Could Save Your Life!
It’s a frightening statistic. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women and men today. In case that doesn’t scare you, here are a few more stats: Heart disease causes approximately 25 percent of all deaths in the U.S. Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another. Heart disease treatments alone cost $108.9 billion in 2010. I hope this gets your attention.
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Fighting Inflammation with Your Fork
Identifying a food as “anti-inflammatory” comes close to giving it “super food” status, since avoiding or reducing chronic low-grade inflammation offers potential to reduce risk of cancer, heart disease and more. The scientific-sounding explanations of what makes a food or diet anti-inflammatory, however, aren’t always as solid as they seem.
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