EmpowHer.com - Heart Disease

True or False: Heart disease and high LDL cholesterol are major problems in the U.S.
True: One in every six Americans has high cholesterol, and heart disease is responsible for one in every three deaths in the United States.
Blood cholesterol is composed of two kinds of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the “bad” cholesterol because when too much of it circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. HDL is the “good” cholesterol because it helps remove “bad” cholesterol from arteries and prevent blockage. Research from experimental animals, laboratory investigations, epidemiology, and genetic forms of hypercholesterolemia indicate that elevated LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease.
True or False: The only cause of high cholesterol is eating the wrong foods.
False: While cholesterol levels are generally “programmed” to some extent, there are a variety of lifestyle factors that can be modified to affect cholesterol levels including diet, body weight and physical activity.
1) Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can contribute to increases in blood cholesterol. While saturated fat is the worst offender, cholesterol is also a concern. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet can help lower your blood cholesterol level.
2) While being overweight is considered a risk factor for heart disease, it is also associated with higher bad cholesterol levels. By losing weight, you can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL levels.
3) Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL cholesterol levels and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
True or False: The best way to manage cholesterol is to consume a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
True: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American College of Sports Medicine also recommends engaging in moderate intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes at least five days per week. In addition, to move toward a healthier weight, the USDA’s choosemyplate.gov website recommends two hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level or one hour and 15 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level.
True or False: Many foods now contain plant sterols, a naturally sourced ingredient, that helps to lower cholesterol.
True: Plant sterols are naturally found in fruits and vegetables. They are structurally similar to cholesterol and therefore help to reduce cholesterol absorption. You can easily find products made with plant sterols by looking for the CoroWise® Naturally Sourced Cholesterol Reducer™ brand logo. Many foods and beverages including Minute Maid® Premium Heart Wise®* orange juice, Corazonas™* chips and oatmeal squares and even healthy VitaTops™* muffin tops with added plant sterols are now available!
True or False: Products with plant sterols can only be found in the U.S.
False: Products that include plant sterols have been used for many years in many parts of the world including Europe, Australia and Japan.
*Minute Maid® and Heart Wise® are registered trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company.
*Corazonas™ is a trademark of Corazonas Foods, Inc.
*Vitatops™ is a trademark of Vitalicious.

Sunday was Mother’s Day and many were celebrating with cards, calls, flowers and brunch to honor the women in their lives. Yet, how many know the full health history of their mom, grandmother and aunts? This information could prove to be critical when it comes to your own health. Here are five questions to ask the female family members in your life.

1. How was menopause?
This question is important as women tend to follow the other women in their family when it comes to perimenopause and menopausal changes. Do the hot flashes and night sweats start in the 40s or 50s? How long did it take? Was it rough? Was it easy? How did she treat it? Any complications?

2. Who has had cancer in the family? And at what age?
This applies to both the men and women, however mom tends to know this information. If grandma and the aunts had breast cancer at a younger age, this is more concerning than finding out grandma had it later in life.

Has anyone had thyroid cancer? Prostate cancer? Ovarian, cervical or uterine cancer? Skin cancer? Know your family’s cancer history.

3. What are the family trends?
If all the women eventually develop thyroid disease and go on thyroid medication, this helps both you and your health care provider to be extra-diligent and proactive. Does heart disease run in the family?

What about obesity? Fertility problems? Endometriosis? Osteoporosis? Do the women tend to lose their hair as they age? Everyone have their gallbladder? What about digestive or food allergy problems? All of this information is critical for future planning and may shed light into current symptoms.

4. Any outliers in the family?
The second cousin with celiac disease may not strike you as important, however as your gas and bloating worsen, there could be a direct link. The weird uncle whose mood alternates from really happy and hyper to down and depressed may be suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder. This can be genetically linked as can depression in the family.

If grandma had joint or muscle pain all the time, she may have had undiagnosed fibromyalgia or a certain type of arthritis. How are your pains?

5. What about your siblings?
Not all brothers and sisters are close and they may not inform each other about different health issues, concerns, scares and symptoms, but mom usually knows. Ask her if your symptoms sound like anyone else in the family, or periodically check in on the health of the rest of the family.

You may find out that your older sister has been having problems getting pregnant too or that your brother experiences the same types of migraines that you do and the same medications are not working.

While some people may prefer to keep some of their health history private, the more you know the more you (and your family) can be proactive and prevent problems when possible. Let your health care provider know of any changes as well to routinely keep your chart up to date, and help them provide the best care possible for you.

Sources:

1. Segurado, R., Deterawadleigh, S., Levinson, D., Lewis, C., Gill, M., Nurnbergerjr, J., Craddock, N. Depaulo, J. (2003). "Genome Scan Meta-Analysis of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, Part III: Bipolar Disorder". Am J Human Genetics 73 (1): 49–62.

2. Steiner, A., Baird, D., Kesner, J. (2008). Mother’s Menopausal Age is Associated with her Daughter’s Early Follicular Phase Urinary, Follicle Stimulating Hormone Level. Menopause. 15(5): 940–944.

Reviewed May 13, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin

I have sufferad from anorexia for 17 years , in the past iv had brediocardia, were like my heart rate was down to 30. iv also had multiple off/or bad EKG,S iam 34 years old. and I frequently like sometimes every day @ some point or at least 5,6 times a weak feal my hart skip beats or like flutter, this week im scedualed for a Ecocardiogram,but im scared do u think I have AFIB ?

EP Lab Digest recently published A Matter of Trust: How to Build Adherence with Afib Patients, authored by StopAfib.org founder Mellanie True Hills.

The article, based on the experiences of hundreds of afib patients, explores why patients don’t follow doctor recommendations and what they recommend doctors do to improve the situation and create trust and patient involvement. It also explores communication between healthcare providers and atrial fibrillation patients.

To learn more, see: “A Matter of Trust: How to Build Adherence with Afib Patients” published in EP Lab Digest

If you’re like most people, your car is more than just a means of transportation — much, much more. It represents freedom. Your independence to go places, choose your own path and for the adventurous types, discovering the previously unexplored.

For nearly a century the hyper-mobile society we live in has meant we have developed a deep love affair with our automobiles. The social interdependence between human and machine is undeniable, but it goes farther than that.

There’s a psychological dependence too. Modern humans have developed a nearly innate ability to see our vehicles as an extension of ourselves.

Given the sanctity of that relationship, what I’m about to tell you won’t come easy, but you need to know. Our cars are making us — and perhaps worse, our children — sick.

That’s right. Scientific experts have reams of data to show that the nation faces an epidemic of illnesses that are exacerbated by vehicle exhaust. These illnesses include cardiovascular disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and diabetes.

The latest study, presented on April 8, 2013 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2013 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., showed a possible link between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and several childhood cancers.

Julia Heck, an epidemiologist at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and member of Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that increased exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy was associated with a higher incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (a white blood cell cancer) and two other rare childhood cancers.

Specifically, Heck found a link to germ cell tumors — cancers of the testicles, ovaries, and other organs — and eye cancer, called retinoblastoma, particularly the type that affects both eyes.

Previous international studies have linked childhood leukemia, lymphomas and brain tumors to vehicle exhaust. The UCLA study is the first to look at vehicle air pollution and rare childhood cancers. The highest increases were found for retinoblastoma and germ cell tumors.

Motor vehicles emit millions of pounds of hazardous pollutants into the air each year in the United States that include compounds such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates (fine dust and soot), and toxic air pollutants such as benzene.

These chemical particulates have been linked to lung cancer and breast cancer in adults as well as a host of other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This was reported in a 65-page policy study by the Connecticut nonprofit, Environment and Human Health, Inc.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vehicle emissions account for as many as half of all cancers attributed to outdoor air pollution, and account for 1.3 million deaths worldwide each year.

“The main reason for undertaking this study was that we know much more about the causes of adult cancers than we do of the causes of childhood cancers,” said Heck.

“We studied pregnancy exposures because the fetus is likely to be more vulnerable to environmental factors during that time, and we also know that certain childhood cancers originate in utero.”

For the study, Heck and her colleagues identified 3,590 children from the California Cancer Registry born between 1998 and 2007 who could be linked to a California birth certificate and who were five years of age or younger at the time of diagnosis.

Those kids were then compared to 80,224 randomly selected California children in the control group.

UCLA researchers used sophisticated modeling to estimate each child’s exposure to gas and diesel vehicle pollution at home, during each trimester of their mother’s pregnancy with the child and their first year of life. Cancer risk was estimated using a statistical analysis called unconditional logistic regression.

Increases in exposure to traffic-related air pollution positively correlated with increases in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, germ cell tumors and retinoblastoma, according to the study results.

The pollution exposure estimates were highly correlated across pregnancy trimesters and the first year of life, meaning that no particular period stood out as a higher exposure time. This made it difficult for the scientists to determine if one period of exposure was more dangerous than any other, the UCLA study points out.

Because this is the first study of this type, and these are rare diseases, Heck cautioned that the findings still need to be replicated in further studies. Nevertheless, the results provide new leads to potential causes of serious childhood cancers.

Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in publications around the world.

Sources:
“Childhood cancer and traffic-related air pollution exposure in pregnancy and early life.” Juila Heck, Ph.D., M.P.H. et al. Abstract Number: 2531, presented 9 April 2013 at ACCR Annual Meeting; “Exposure to Air Pollution During Pregnancy Linked to Increased Incidence of Specific Pediatric Cancers.” Jeremy Moore, ACCR press release
http://www.newswise.com/articles/exposure-to-air-pollution-during-pregna...

“UCLA Researchers Link Auto Pollution Exposure and Some Childhood Cancers” Shaun Mason, 9 April 2013, UCLA press release.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-researchers-link-auto-pollutio...

Exposure to motor vehicle exhaust and childhood cancer. Feychting M, Svensson D, Ahlbom A. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1998 Feb;24(1):8-11.
Abstract at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9562395

Harmful Effects of Vehicle Exhaust. Environment and Human Health, Inc.
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/exhaust/exhaust06.pdf and California Dept. of Public Health.
http://cehtp.org/topic.jsp?topic_key=79

Air Toxics from Motor Vehicles. EPA. Online at:
http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/02-toxic.pdf

Outdoor Air Pollution. Bart Ostro, World Health Organization. 2004 http://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/ebd5.pdf http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en

Reviewed April 9, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Auremar/PhotoSpin

Written By Loren Grush for Fox News

Heart stem cell therapy after a major heart attack holds the promise of helping to repair severely damaged cells by encouraging the growth of new ones. However, the process – which involves infusing healthy stem cells into the heart to replace the damaged tissue – has had limited success in clinical trials.

In order to get the most benefit from heart stem cell treatment, it is essential for doctors to properly place the cells in the heart. But, once the stem cells are injected, it’s difficult to determine exactly where they wind up, and many scientists believe faulty placement is ultimately the culprit of the therapy’s disappointing results.

Now, that problem could be potentially solved with a new visualization technique developed by Dr. Sam Gambhir and fellow researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine in California. Their study, published in Science Translational Medicine, details the invention of silica nanoparticles, which can be injected inside stem cells, acting as tiny tracking devices that allow doctors to see the stem cells’ path inside the body.

According to the study’s researchers, the most encouraging results from heart stem cell therapy have been seen after bypass surgery, which is done right after a patient has suffered a heart attack. If performed correctly, stem cell injections can encourage new cell proliferation and help increase blood flow up to 10 percent.

To get the most benefit, doctors have to find the perfect place in which the cells will do the most work.

“The best place is the region (in the heart) between the damaged tissue and the healthy tissue,” Jesse Jokerst, a postdoctoral fellow in the Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars Program and one of the study’s authors, told FoxNews.com. “That’s where the most therapeutic benefit can occur. When placed there, the stem cells can take advantage of the blood flow in the healthy region, but can effect a change in the diseased region.”

In order to determine where to place the cells, physicians currently take images of the heart through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – one image before the injection to estimate placement, and a second image after the injection to see how the cells have developed. But the time period between the capture of those pictures leaves a lot to be desired, as the stem cells do not have a unique “signature” that allows doctors to differentiate between them and the normal heart cells.

Feeling somewhat blind, the doctors have many questions once the stem cells are injected. Did they reach their intended target? Did they remain at the heart wall? How many cells actually stayed and how many diffused or died? Inevitably, the doctors have to wait weeks following the stem cell injection to get their questions “answered,” by observing if heart function improved.

Making a stem cell 'movie'

Frustrated by those time constraints, the researchers realized all their questions could be answered a lot faster and much more accurately through ultrasound imaging.

“MRI is like taking a photograph,” Jokerst explained. “But we want to see the cells like in a movie, and that’s what ultrasound allowed us to do.”

The researchers decided to work with a material called silica – a chemical compound somewhat related to glass, which is found in sand and quartz. After creating silica particles with diameters of just 300 nanometers – one-three-thousandth the width of a human hair – the team injected the tiny silica “trackers” into the stem cells, which easily ingested and stored them without any complications. The stem cells – which were derived from the hearts of mice, pigs and humans – were then injected into the hearts of healthy mice, where they were observed by the researchers.

As soon as the stem cells left the needle, sound waves from an ultrasound passed through the body. The silica, which is ideal for backscattering ultrasound waves, caused the waves to bounce back, highlighting where the stem cells were aggregating in the body.

According to Jokerst, the cells appeared much more clearly than they had imagined.

“Luckily, when we put the nanoparticles inside the cells, they aggregated together into larger structures inside of the cellular compartments,” Jokerst said. “We were prepared to have OK signal, but we were surprised at how dramatic the signal increase was as a result of that aggregation.”

Through this new technique, the team was able to detect as little as 70,000 stem cells through ultrasound and as little as 250,000 through MRI. The Stanford team has filed for provisional patents for their invention, but they noted this type of imaging wouldn’t be available in humans for at least three to five years. One of the biggest hurdles the procedure still needs to overcome is biodegradation – making it so the particles degrade to even smaller particles once the imaging is done so that they can be excreted in the urine.

Overall, Jokerst envisions this treatment being used on patients with shortness of breath, congestive heart failure, and most notably, those who have suffered severe heart attacks. Ideally, patients would benefit from the current imaging technique, and the new more film-like procedure.

“We’ve changed the composition; so not only would we have MRI signal, but also ultrasound signal,” he added.

Related Links:

Catholic Church gives its blessing to stem cell research in new book
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/25/catholic-church-gives-its-bless...

Cardiac arrest or heart attack?
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/20/cardiac-arrest-or-heart-attack/

Irregular heartbeat treatment inadequate in US, study finds
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/18/irregular-heartbeat-treatment-i...

This article originally appeared on Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/20/new-nano-tracking-devices-allow...

The mere mention of the word "Mediterranean" conjures up colorful images of crystal blue seas, white-washed buildings and islands often visited by cruises such as Crete, Malta and Cyprus.

Besides its beauty, the Mediterranean area is also well-known for its cuisine, which has a number of health benefits.

Health care providers and books on wellness commonly recommend this particular diet. So it is important to understand exactly what to eat.

The basics of the diet break down as follows.

People should choose a fresh and vast array of vegetables. Branch out from the typical peas and carrots.

Go for leafy greens (lots of them), zucchini, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and artichoke hearts. Bring home cucumbers, onions, garlic, bell peppers, squash, sweet potatoes and more.

Rotate your vegetables and aim for a serving (or more!) at every meal.

Next, add in some fruit as a snack or dessert.

Use fresh or frozen berries when the sweet tooth monster strikes. Slice up an apple with some almonds.

Blend half of a banana with your greens and protein powder for your morning smoothie. Be careful not to eat more fruit than vegetables – it is about balance.

Learn to eat healthy oils. The Mediterranean diet focuses on olive oil, olives, avocado and healthy nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin and sesame seeds. Peanuts are not really a nut and should be limited.

Fresh cheeses and unsweetened yogurts are a primary dairy/protein choice but only for those who can tolerate dairy. Be careful of how over-processed dairy products are as that is not beneficial for health.

Choose organic/free-range fish, chicken and eggs to be consumed through the week but go light on the red meat. Add in lentils to round out the protein mixture.

Because of the location of the Mediterranean Sea being so near to Italy, wine is often encouraged. However, please drink with moderation as the alcohol has a lot of sugar, so it may do damage to the liver and is not good for the hormone estrogen.

Benefits of the diet come from focusing more on fruits, vegetables, good fats and lean proteins as opposed to heavy, processed carbohydrates or calorie-empty foods. This diet has been associated with benefiting cardiovascular disease, high insulin, diabetes and weight loss in research which is why several in the medical field tend to recommend it.

If you are considering switching your diet to a more Mediterranean style, talk with your health care provider. If you've already done this, follow these suggestions to get started on overhauling your health today.

References:

1. Wood, S. Mediterranean Diet Beats Low Fat for CVD Prevention. Web. 10 March, 2013.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/779831

2. Tucker, M. Insulin Sensitivity Improved with Mediterranean-Style Diet. Web. 10 March, 2013.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/776109

3. Reuters Health. Mediterranean Diet May Be Best for Diabetes. Web. 10 March, 2013.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778917

Reviewed March 11, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Knut Niehus/PhotoSpin

In the United States, a woman dies from cardiovascular disease every minute, according to the American Heart Association. It is the leading cause of death among women in the United States who are over age 25, noted the Cleveland Clinic, with the death rate increasing.

While there are several non-modifiable risk factors for heart disease, there are ones that can be changed, such as lifestyle choices. For example, high triglycerides and high blood cholesterol can increase an individual's risk, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

EmpowHER talked to Lori Mosca, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and Director of Preventive Cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., R.D., C.D.N., a nutritionist in private practice and an adjunct professor at New York University about the importance of an omega-3 rich diet to reduce the risk of a heart attack.

EmpowHER:

What types of lifestyle and diet choices can put an individual at risk for heart attack?

Dr. Mosca:

People often don't realize that their diet and lifestyle contribute to their risk for developing heart disease. One simple recommendation for preventing heart disease is to incorporate two to three servings of fish into your diet each week; however, most Americans report eating less than half of this amount. Additionally, a diet high in fat, sodium and trans-fats and low in fiber has been shown to increase a person's risk for heart disease.

EmpowHER:

What do women need to know about heart disease?

Dr. Mosca:

Women need to know that they can have an active role in their health to prevent heart disease. More than 200,000 women die each year from heart disease; however, research has shown that many women are still unaware of their risk for developing heart disease. I encourage every woman to begin a conversation with her doctor about her risk factors and ways to take action early on.

Every woman should also know her numbers -- cholesterol, blood sugar and waist size -- to be aware of and manage her risk for heart disease. There are a number of lifestyle and diet changes that can help women reduce their risk for developing heart disease, including incorporating more fish into their diets.

EmpowHER:

What is the latest research saying about an omega-3 rich diet?

Dr. Young:

Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids provide protection against heart disease and help to increase cognitive function.

EmpowHER:

What omega-3 rich foods should individuals include in their diet? How can they add these foods to their everyday meals?

Dr. Young:

Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids because it’s also a lean protein and is low in calories. National guidelines state that Americans should be eating two to three servings of fish per week, however most are eating less than half that amount.

Tuna and salmon are a great source of omega-3s and they’re convenient and easily accessible options to incorporate into everyday meals. I counsel my clients to carry canned or pouch tuna for a quick meal – you can make a sandwich, throw it on top of a salad – so easy! For more versatile recipes for all different types of meals visit www.GetRealAboutSeafood.com/

EmpowHER:

Why is it particularly important for women to eat fish?

Dr. Young:

Heart disease is the silent killer among women and many are still unaware that it’s the leading cause of death for women. Women can help reduce their risk of heart disease by incorporating omega-3 rich foods, like fish, in their diets. Also, when you substitute fish in meals throughout the week, you often reduce your consumption of saturated fats commonly found in red meats.

EmpowHER:

What are the benefits of fish for pregnant women and nursing mothers?

Dr. Young:

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should eat at least two servings of fish (low-mercury) per week to help increase the cognitive development of their babies. The omega-3s in fish also offer great health benefits to the mother during her pregnancy, including reduced inflammation and improved heart health.

For more information on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and ways to include fish into your diet, visit http://www.getrealaboutseafood.com/

References

Interview with Dr. Mosca. Email. 22 February 2013.

Interview with Dr. Young. Email. 22 February 2013.

American Heart Association. Women and Heart Disease. Web. 27 February 2013.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Advocate/IssuesandCampaigns/QualityCare/Wo...

Cleveland Clinic. Women and Cardiovascular Disease. Web. 27 February 2013.
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/0200/0285.asp

Reviewed February 27, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Zelfit/PhotoSpin

As we wind up February and American Heart Month we take a look at a heart healthy diet which embraces both good food and wine.

The Mediterranean diet has been around for generations, but now a new study gives us a reason to take a fresh look at this diet rich in fresh foods.

According to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine and featured on NYTimes.com, “About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet.”

The Mayo Clinic agrees, saying, “Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, a recent analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of overall and cardiovascular mortality.”

The Mayo Clinic cited research saying that the Mediterranean Diet can also take credit for lower cancer death rate as well as fewer occurrences of both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

The study released earlier this week was the first of its kind to look specifically at the Mediterranean diet’s results on heart disease.

The Spanish-based study followed nearly 7500 people who were overweight, smoked, and had diabetes or risk factors for heart disease. Researchers at the University of Barcelona followed the groups while they followed either a Mediterranean or low-fat diet.

The Mediterranean Diet has its own food pyramid, as featured on MayoClinc.com. At the base of the pyramid is a foundation of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, beans nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs and spices.

The Mediterranean Diet encourages eating these foods at every meal.

The next level consists of foods that can be eaten daily, but not as often as the first level, with fish being a staple here.

A moderate consumption of other protein and dairy-based foods consisting of poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt make up the next layer.

At the top level are foods that should be limited, which includes red meats and sweets.

Interestingly enough, the Barcelona study-based experts assert that those who followed the Mediterranean Diet stuck to it.

Perhaps one of the incentives to adhere to the Mediterranean plan was that they were asked to have at least seven glasses of wine a week with meals.

Consequently, researchers said, “Those assigned to a low-fat diet did not lower their fat intake very much. So the study wound up comparing the usual modern diet, with its regular consumption of red meat, sodas and commercial baked goods, with a diet that shunned all that.”

My take on this is that modern is not always better. The convenience of fast, processed and nutrient-depleted food could be making us unhealthy.

A diet rich in history and culture, that even incorporates the enjoyment of red wine, may have all the elements we need to live a healthy, happy and festive life.

Online References:

“The Mediterranean Diet – MayoClinic.com” Mayo Clinic. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011

“Mediterranean Diet Shown to Ward Off Heart Attack and Stroke – NYTimes.com.” The New York Times. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/health/mediterranean-diet-can-cut-hear...

Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training.

Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com/ She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband and son, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.

Reviewed February 27, 2013
by MIchele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Auremar/PhotoSpin

Face it, we live in a high-calorie world where it's increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy weight, despite unrelenting and unrealistic pressure to look like a supermodel.

What’s a girl to do?

Sure, there are good reasons to not pack on the pounds, but for most of us, it’s easier said than done. In fact, most of us put on an average of two pounds a year, every year, after age 21.

If you do the math, that’s a whopping 58 pounds by age 50.

In a perfect world, we could eat anything we want without facing a litany of health concerns.

We would never face diseases ranging from developing cancer of the colon, kidney, breast, or endometrium. We wouldn't have to worry about heart disease and diabetes, sleep apnea, gallstones, cataracts and even premature death.

Instead we live in an untamed world where inexpensive and readily accessible high-calorie, high-fat, overly processed, heavily marketed foods are part of our daily lives.

Renowned psychologist Kelly Brownell, director of Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, calls this our “toxic food environment.”

So the real questions here are how do we co-exist with the constant pumping of unhealthy foods without starving to death or driving ourselves loco? And how do we stop the pudge from taking over our lives?

It turns out it might not be as hard as it seems.

The first — and easiest goal — is to not put on any more weight. Start by banning those new two extra pounds that could be all yours come Dec. 31. If you are overweight now, start whittling yourself down to a healthy weight, based on your personal body type, height and waist to hip ratio.

Luckily, we have a road map based on what has worked for more than 5,000 other men and women who’ve enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry .

These individuals have successfully lost 30 pounds or more and kept the weight off for at least a year.

So what’s their secret? Here’s a rundown, thanks to the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Boston.

• Ban the strange diets

They may work in the short term, but almost any extreme diet is doomed to fail eventually. When it comes to losing weight — and keeping it off — you should be choosing whole, healthy foods and eating smaller portions, slowly.

If you need help in choosing which food to eat, checkout the Healthy Eating Pyramid for ideas.

• Be more active

If there’s one “best” weight loss mantra it’s “exercise, exercise, exercise.” Choose activities you enjoy and do them every day. Exercising with a friend can help keep you on track.

• Turn off the television

Watching less TV can give you more time to be active — and less time to be enticed by junk food ads. Here are two easy ways to cut back on TV-watching. Take the TV out of your bedroom, and make sure it’s off during meals.

• Skip the sugary drinks

Drinking sugared soda, fruit drinks, or juice can give you several hundred calories a day without realizing it. Research suggests children and adults who drink soda or other sugary drinks are more likely to gain weight than those who don’t, and that switching from these to water or unsweetened drinks can reduce weight.

One word of caution: Avoiding sugar with sugar-free soda may not be a sure bet either. A 2008 University of Minnesota study of almost 10,000 adults found just one diet soda a day is linked to a 34 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome, the group of symptoms including belly fat and high cholesterol that puts you at risk for heart disease.

• Think before you eat

Before you mindlessly reach for a snack, pause and ask yourself a couple of questions.

"Am I really hungry?"

“Is there a healthier choice?“

It’s easy to lose sight of good food choices in today’s ad-crazy world. Asking yourself these simple questions can help keep you on track.

• Get enough sleep

Adults who get less than seven hours sleep are 30 to 80 percent more likely to pack on the pounds, develop diabetes and heart disease and to die prematurely, the famous Nurses’ Health Study found.

“It turns out that when we are sleep-deprived, our appetite hormones actually go up,” said Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at HSPH, who studies the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise.

“One appetite hormone, ghrelin, is a hunger signal that leads to eating more high-calorie, sugary foods. Another hormone, leptin, goes down with loss of sleep and boosts feelings of hunger.

“In addition, sleep deprivation elevates cortisone, a stress hormone that can promote weight gain and obesity – especially abdominal obesity, a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease,” Hu said at a 2012 HSPH forum on sleep deprivation.

Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in publications around the world.

Sources:

Diet Soda Intake and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Jennifer A. Nettleton, Pamela L. Lutsey, Youfa Wang, João A. Lima, Erin D. Michos, and David R. Jacobs, Jr. Published online before print January 16, 2009, doi: 10.2337/dc08-1799 Diabetes Care April 2009 vol. 32 no. 4 688-694
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688.short

How to get to your healthy weight. The Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health, online at
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight-full-story/?u...

“Fighting the Clock: How America’s Sleep Deficit is Damaging Long-Term Health” HSPH and Huffington Post Forum. 6 March, 2012. Online at :
http://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/briefings/...

Reviewed February 26, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin

Skin and hair changes are common as we age. However, a recent 2012 study from Denmark has shown that those changes may also signal increased risk of heart disease or heart attack, especially if they seem to appear prematurely.

These visible signs of aging reflect aging of the organs inside our bodies. This is separate from showing our chronological age, Dr. Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen, lead investigator of the Copenhagen Heart Study and a professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Copenhagen, indicated on Sciencedaily.com.

The study monitored four signs of aging:

- Receding hairline at the temples

- Baldness at the head's crown

- Earlobe crease

- Xanthelasmata (yellow fatty deposits around the eyelid)

Researchers found that the risk of heart attack for people who had three of these four signs increased by 57 percent, Medcitynews.com reported. Their risk for heart disease increased by 39 percent.

Almost 11,000 participants over the age of 40, were monitored for 35 years starting in 1976.

“Of them, 7,537 had receding hairlines at the temples, 3,938 had baldness at the crown of the head, 3,405 had earlobe crease and 678 sported fatty deposits around the eye, ” the article said.

Follow-up monitoring showed that 3,401 of those subjects developed heart disease and 1,708 suffered a heart attack.

The risk of heart disease or heart attack was still present after researchers statistically separated other risk factors such as elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking.

The limitation of this study is that only white subjects were tested, so results cannot be applied to other ethnic groups without further research. Results of this research were reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2012.

This is not the first study that Dr. Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen has led to explore whether certain physical aging signs could indicate a risk of heart attack or heart disease.

In 2011, she reported study results of whether raised yellow patches of skin (xanthelasmata) around the upper or lower eyelids and white or grey rings around the cornea (arcus corneae) might be implicated as cardiac risk factors.

Researchers surveyed 12,745 individuals who had participated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. These patients, aged 23 to 93, were also followed for over 30 years.

“The highest risks were found in men between the ages of 70 and 79. Those with xanthelasmata had a 53% increased risk compared to the 41% risk for men without the condition. The corresponding figures for women were 35% and 27%,” according to Sciencedaily.com.

Arcus cornea was not shown to be a significant independent risk predictor for heart attack or heart disease.

The take-away from both these studies is that these physical signs of aging can be indicators of cardiovascular risk. Researchers expressed that this knowledge can and should be used as a screening tool when doctors perform routine physical exams.

Sources:

Visible aging signs may predict heart disease. Reuters edition U.S. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/06/us-heart-aging-idUSBRE8A515M20...

Four visible aging signs may predict heart disease, including bald spots and earlobe creases. MedCityNews. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
http://medcitynews.com/2012/11/four-visible-aging-signs-may-predict-hear...

American Heart Association. Telltale visible signs of aging may predict heart disease. ScienceDaily, 6 Nov. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121106114221.htm

The visible signs of aging reflect physiologic or biologic age and are independent of chronologic age, ScienceDaily, 16 Sep. 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915192438.htm

Michele is an R.N. freelance writer with a special interest in woman’s healthcare and quality of care issues. Other articles by Michele are at www.helium.com/users/487540/show_articles

Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Zoya Fedorova/PhotoSpin

Are you one of many smokers who has spent countless hours staring at the end of a burning cigarette while trying to rationally answer just one question: Why do I smoke?

Common reasons are boredom, feeling anxious, nervous or lonely.

Some smokers say cigarettes help them clear their head, think well, or stay thin. Still others can’t imagine life worth living without smoking, or say food and drink-- or even sex-- would lose its appeal without lighting up.

If you are over age 50, you may want to quit but can’t seem to shake the idea, “I’ve been smoking all my adult life. It’s too late for me to quit now.”

But before you convince yourself the smoke-free ship has sailed for you, you should know there’s growing evidence that quitting after age 50 has some real tangible health benefits, regardless of your age.

Numerous studies have shown smoking robs a person of several years of disease-free life. Although researchers quibble over just how many years a smoker’s life is cut short from puffing, data does clearly show that each year about 440,000 smokers do die prematurely, according to the National Cancer Institute.

One reason for this is that smoking is associated with very serious health risks, including several cancer types — lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia—heart disease, stroke, chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hip fractures and cataracts.

Smokers are also at higher risk of developing pneumonia and other airway infections, and even erectile dysfunction in males.

Quitting smoking now, regardless of your age, could mean you are less likely to die from smoking-related illness than those who continue to smoke, according to recent research published in the British Medical Journal.

Need more evidence? A new study by the German Cancer Research Center looked at data from more than 8,800 people, ages 50-74, and found the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease is more than twice that of non-smokers.

In fact, “smokers are affected at a significantly younger age than individuals who have never smoked or have stopped smoking," said Professor Hermann Brenner, who led the German study.

For example, a 60-year-old smoker has the same risk of myocardial infarction as a 79-year-old non-smoker and the same risk of stroke as a 69-year-old non-smoker, the study showed.

Here’s the really smart part: You’ll notice the positive effects of smoking cessation within a short period of time, and you could get a new lease on life.

Quitting smoking will help you breathe better, increase the oxygen supply in your blood, raise your vitality and drastically reduce your risk for heart attack and strokes.

"Compared to individuals who continue smoking, the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke is reduced by more than 40 percent already within the first five years after the last cigarette," first author of the study, Carolin Gellert, said in a release.

Of course, the researchers point out that “dose and duration of tobacco consumption have an impact on [individual] disease risk.”

In other words, the more cigarettes you smoke each day, plus the number of years you smoke raises your risk for each year you continue to smoke.

This is precisely the conundrum older smokers face.

There are four primary factors that make older people more likely to suffer from smoking-related illnesses, according to the American Lung Association.

For starters, today's generation of older Americans had smoking rates among the highest of any U.S. generation. They have smoked longer than any previous generation (an average of 40 years).

They tend to be heavier smokers, and they are also significantly less likely than younger smokers to believe that smoking harms their health.

The Germans study suggested that smoking cessation programs, which have concentrated on younger participants up to now, should be expanded to reach out to older people as well given the tangible health benefits.

Go ahead. It’s never too late to quit.

Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in publications around the world.

Sources:

Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, Sutherland I. Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years’ observations on male British doctors. British Medical Journal 2004; 328(7455):1519–1527.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15213107

Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting. NCI Fact Sheet. Online at:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation#r19

Smoking and Older Adults. National Lung Association
http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/facts-figures/smoking-and...

Carolin Gellert, Ben Schöttker, Heiko Müller, Bernd Holleczek, Hermann Brenner: Impact of smoking and quitting on cardiovascular outcomes and risk advancement periods among older adults. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013. doi: 10.1007/s10654-013-9776-0.
Abstract: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10654-013-9776-0

“Smoking cessation in old age: Less heart attacks and stroke in 5 years” Sibylle Kohlstädt, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/haog-sci022013.php

Reviewed February 21, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Scott Griessel/PhotoSpin

I was diagnosed with nonischemic cardiomyopathy but they say there is 4 kinds of cardiomyopathy but my doctor is only telling me it is nonschemic and isn't telling me what kind

Since February is American Heart Month, it is an excellent time to talk about blood tests related to heart health.

It is important not to look at only one test but instead to look at what the combination of tests tell you about your health and risk of heart disease.

This will be a two-part article. In this first blog I will talk about the more traditional tests, the ones that tend to be covered by insurance companies. In the next article I will talk about some newer tests that are now being used specifically for heart disease.

A lipid panel is at group of tests that give information about our cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Here are the tests you would find in a lipid panel.

Total cholesterol levels are the sum of cholesterol content in your blood.

Normal cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL.

High cholesterol is above 200mg/dL.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol acts as a shuttle carrying cholesterol from the liver to the tissues. High levels of LDL can accumulate as fatty plaques and block the arteries.

LDL is often referred to as bad cholesterol.
Optimal LDL level are less than 130 mg/dL.
High LDL levels are above 130 mg/dL.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol acts as a shuttle carrying cholesterol from the tissues and back the liver to dispose of it. This keeps the arteries open and flowing.

HDL is often referred to as good cholesterol.
Low levels are less than 60 mg/dL.
Normal levels are be 60 mg/dL .
High levels are above 60 mg/dL.

Triglycerides are another type of fat found in the blood. While triglycerides are created in the body they also come from foods you consume. When you consume more calories than your body needs it can cause your triglycerides to be high.

Normal levels are less than 150 mg/dL.
Borderline high levels are 150 - 199 mg/dL.
High levels are 200 - 499 mg/dL.
Very high levels are 500 mg/dL or above.

I also recommend an additional test added to the lipid panel which is a test of the total cholesterol/HDL level ratio. To find the ratio you divide the total cholesterol number by the HDL number.

The American Heart Association recommends the ratio be 5 to 1 or better.

I also would include your blood glucose level and HbA1c levels. I know that these are measures for hyperglycemia, or diabetes, however diabetes increases the risk of heart disease so knowing if you are diabetic is an important fact for heart disease.

These lab values allow you to get good understanding about your heart health. For more specialized heart health markers check out my next article.

Live Vibrantly,

Dr. Dae

Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.org

Download one of Dr. Dae's books: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living, Eating Healthy for the Holidays, Cultivate Health: Recipes for Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic Conditions @ www.healthydaes.org

Dr. Dae's Bio:

Dr. Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who maintains a holistic practice by treating patients all over the country using Skype and phone visits. She helps her patients harvest health and feel great, using a combination of safe and effective naturopathic and conventional methods.

Sources:

"Simple Blood Test Predicts Heart Disease." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013.
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20021113/simple-blood-test-predi...

"Blood tests for heart disease - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00016

"Homocysteine Levels and Heart Disease Risk." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013.
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/homocysteine-risk

"Triglyceride level: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2013.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003493.htm

"Finding the Ideal Cholesterol Ratio." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2013.
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/finding-the-ideal-cholestero...

Reviewed February 6, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Image:  Image Caption:  Zoonar/Thinkstock