A little bit of muscle loss is a natural part of getting older. Most lose about one percent of muscle mass each year after 40. It’s called sarcopenia.

But muscle loss can be enhanced by an injury, illness, or any prolonged period of inactivity. This can lead to muscle atrophy and bring on weakness, poor balance, and frailty.

People over 65 are particularly vulnerable to muscle atrophy. It can take much longer for the body to recover from muscle loss. However, muscle atrophy can be defended against regardless of age with the proper approach.

Atrophy can be common in people with osteoarthritis. The condition makes staying active difficult and encourages a sedentary lifestyle. Muscle atrophy can lead to:

• Weakness in the upper limbs, making it difficult to raise arms and reach for elevated objects
• Difficulty opening jars, holding a pen, typing on a keyboard, buttoning a shirt
• Muscle twitching or cramps
• Trouble balance

Muscle atrophy may not always occur after a physical setback. A period of downtime is ultimately determined by your health, activity levels, and muscle mass going into it.

If you’re regularly active, it is a lot easier to prevent muscle loss over a period of downtime.

Virtually everybody will lose some muscle when they become inactive. Thankfully, it can come back relatively quickly by re-engaging inactivity.

You can give yourself the best chance against falling victim to muscle atrophy and weakness by engaging in muscle- and strength-building activities.

Weight training, or resistance training, uses any form of resistance to target muscles in the upper and lower body and is the best form of exercise for muscles. Doing this three times per week will help.

Any load-bearing exercise can help, and getting more active, even walking, can help.

If you want to get stronger to prevent the pitfalls of muscle loss, talk to a fitness professional who can help you learn safely.

Whether you’re spreading avocado on toast or dipping tortilla chips into it, you’re likely giving your heart health boost.

New data suggests that avocado eaters are less likely to get cardiovascular or heart disease than non-eaters. However, it is important to consider that the results are observational and do not prove that avocado improves heart health.

That said, avocado is known to feature compounds and nutrients that are vital for heart health. They are a great source of fiber and unsaturated fats, which can help improve circulation and limit inflammation. They are also a terrific source of vitamins A and E, among other vitamins and minerals.

The new data, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that people who ate an avocado twice per week had a 16-percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to those who rarely or never ate it.

The study looked at data from more than 110,000 men and women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

In more than 30 years of follow-up, more than 9,100 participants developed heart disease and more than 5,200 hundred suffered a stroke.

Those who reported eating avocado regularly were less likely to suffer this fate.

The study lends itself fittingly to the work that looks at the benefits of monounsaturated fats. You could likely expect a similar result by eating other plant-based fats like olive oil and nuts.

So, how can you include more avocado into your diet? It’s excellent in guacamole as a dip for chips. It also goes great on toast and can be mixed with hummus as a dip. You can also add it easily as a topping to sandwiches and salads.

For some, the soft texture can be a turn-off. If it is, look to get more plant-based fats from nuts and olive oil. You can get additional fiber from whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables.

Sometimes when it comes to good health, it’s not about what you eat but when.

Your body may have optimal times to absorb and utilize calories, and ignoring them may lead to potential health troubles in some people. At least that’s the takeaway from a new study published in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

A research team that has previously done work on meal timing took a look to see if there was an association between cardiovascular disease and the timing of food intake among people with diabetes.

The researchers analyzed data from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They looked at information from 4,643 people with diabetes between 2003 and 2014.

Participants self-reported the types and times of food they ate on two non-consecutive days. The team then linked this information to data on whether the participants died of heart disease.

They found some association between the timing and types of food with heart-related death.

For example, they noted that people who ate starch veggies in the morning, whole grains in the afternoon, and darker vegetables at night were less likely to die.

These findings are generally consistent with other work looking at nutrition and metabolism. Eating calorically dense, starchy food earlier in the day, and going lighter as the day goes on, is generally associated with positive blood sugar and heart health outcomes.

Although this study does not prove anything, it does indicate that meal timing may play a role in heart health, particularly for diabetics.

In general, it is a good idea to stay away from calorically dense foods in the evening. Eating big meals late can throw your gut bacteria and metabolism for a loop, and it may also mess with sleep patterns. These problems may contribute to heart issues over time.

New information suggests that people who follow yo-yo diets or have food insecurities may have a higher risk of heart disease. Studies conducted are now offering potential insights into the long-term impact of food habits.

One study presented at the American Physiological Society annual meeting set out to find the impact of weight-loss diets and involuntary reductions in food intake caused by food insecurities. This is the first of its kind to focus on long-term implications.

For the study, 16 rats were divided into two groups. One group received an average amount of food, while the other group experienced three cycles of a restricted diet. At the end of the study, an ultrasound was used to assess the rats’ cardiac and renal functioning, and blood tests were done to determine insulin sensitivity.

Study contributor Aline M. A. de Souza said, “We found that animals going through several cycles of weight loss and body weight recovery had reduced heart and kidney function at the end. They also had more insulin resistance, which can be a cause for diabetes. Even though the animals look to be healthy after ‘recovery’ from the diet, their heart and metabolism are not healthy.”

More research is needed to determine the biological mechanisms behind the findings and discover if the heart disease risk patterns found in rats are the same as in people. Researchers believe that changes in gene expression in response to caloric restrictions may change biological pathways that regulate blood pressure and insulin metabolism, a measure of how the body processes sugar.

Reduce Risk

It is vital that those who use yo-yo diets or who have food insecurities know about the risk of cardiovascular problems. Having the knowledge of a heightened risk could help many get testing done to catch a heart problem in the early stages.

Heart Rescue is an effective, doctor-formulated way to help support and promote cardiovascular health. This unique formula includes a variety of ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, magnesium, and hawthorn extract. These heart superstars can help reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen the heart muscle, maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and support circulation.

Taking care of eye health is vital for people with diabetes. Experts believe that an annual eye exam could even help save sight in those with diabetes.

It is imperative to detect any changes in eye health early so that steps can be taken to help prevent any vision loss. Diabetes is a condition that has been previously shown to alter the health of the blood vessels in the retina. However, these changes do not cause symptoms in the early stages, so it is not easily detected.

Diabetes can cause the blood vessels in the retina to become leaky, which can trigger swelling of the macula, the part of the retina at the back of the eye that is responsible for central vision. This can lead to a type of retinal detachment, which can lead to progressive visual loss and blindness if left untreated.

Studies show that more than half of people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Even with this staggering number, less than half of diabetes patients get annual vision checks.

Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes are also at risk for diabetic retinopathy. Doctors suggest these patients should be seen multiple times throughout their pregnancy to help reduce the risk of serious eye health problems.

Prevent Vision Loss

All diabetes patients should get a dilated eye exam and manage their diabetes to help lower their risk for vision loss and other complications such as stroke and heart attack.
Blood sugar levels should be tackled to ensure they are kept under control.

Blood pressure should also be monitored regularly, and cholesterol levels should be kept below 200 mg/dL. With a few easy lifestyle changes, those living with diabetes can help to ensure better overall health.

20/20 vision is a great way to help support a strong and healthy vision as you age. This unique formula includes lutein and zeaxanthin, natural pigments called carotenoids that have been shown to protect the eye from oxidative damage.

Through regular eye exams and healthy lifestyle choices, you can help to increase eye health.

If you think that evening drink is good for your heart, you may want to rethink why you’re drinking.

Let’s be straight: you do not have a glass of wine or a beer every night because you think it’s going to make your heart a little healthier. You’re having it because you like the taste or how it makes you feel.

If it was purely for cardiovascular purposes, wouldn’t you be going for a run or eating a bowl of berries and oats?

Maybe not, but you know what I mean.

Previous research suggests that light to moderate drinking, particularly red wine, is associated with a healthier heart. But a new, large study suggests that’s simply not the case.

This new work, published in JAMA Open Network, concluded that any amount of drinking is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and that any supposed benefits of alcohol may actually be due to other healthy lifestyle habits among light to moderate drinkers.

The study is basically saying that alcohol should bever be recommended to improve cardiovascular health and that it offers no benefit to your heart.

Researchers looked at 371,000 British adults who average nine drinks per week. As expected, the paper found that light to moderate drinkers had the lowest risk for heart disease, followed by non-drinkers, then heavy drinkers who had the highest risk.

The study found that the light-to-moderate drinkers also had the healthiest lifestyles. They ate more fruits and vegetables, exercised more, and did other heart-healthy things. Taking those things into account, there was virtually no benefit to drinking alcohol.

So, if you like to engage in the occasional drink, do so to enjoy it. Do it moderately, but remember: it’s not a heart-healthy activity. But used properly, it can have other benefits.

A new study has found that consuming avocados may help reduce the risk of heart disease. More people are jumping on the avocado craze, and with this new information, it is for a good reason!
Researchers followed approximately 110,000 men and women for over 30 years for the study. They found evidence to suggest that eating two servings of avocado a week could help prevent heart disease.

Researchers also found that replacing half a serving of cheese, butter, bacon, or other animal products with the same amount of avocado was associated with a 22% lower risk of heart disease.

Previous studies have shown that avocados contain multiple nutrients, including unsaturated healthy fats and fiber, positively impacting the heart. This study helps to reinforce this evidence.

The study published in the American Heart Association Journal helps shed light on how healthy avocados are. It also underscores how bad saturated fats such as cheese, butter, and meats are for the heart.

Researchers analyzed two large, long-running studies to find the effect that avocados may have on the heart. All participants in the study were free of cancer, stroke, and heart disease when the study began. They answered questionnaires about their diet and how often they ate avocado.

It was found that after adjusting for lifestyle factors, those who ate two servings of avocado per week had a 16% lower risk of heart disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Eating a healthy diet is the cornerstone of cardiovascular health. However, many Americans struggled to achieve and adhere to nutritional eating programs. Strategies to help improve the intake of recommended healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables are needed.

No one food is the solution to routinely eating a healthy diet, but this new research is evidence that avocados have possible health benefits. As a popular and accessible food item, avocados are easy to include in meals eaten by many Americans already at home and in restaurants.

Rising Rates of Heart Disease

With the rates of heart disease rising globally, it is vital to understand how lifestyle and diet can either increase or reduce the risk. Heart Rescue was designed to help support and promote cardiovascular health.

This unique formula includes a variety of ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, magnesium, and hawthorn extract. These health superstars can help promote and support cardiovascular function as you age. It can help strengthen the heart muscle, maintain healthy cholesterol levels, support circulation, and help to reduce the risk of heart disease.

At this point, the ingredients for a heart- and brain-healthy diet are well-established: fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, and dairy. Data shows that people sticking to this core are less likely to get sick and more likely to live longer, healthier lives.

So, why doesn’t everyone eat this way?

Making lifestyle changes can be tough, even when you know it’s the right choice. But often, a healthy diet is about much more than willpower. When it comes to nutrition, some people are set up to fail.

Research suggests there are a variety of intertwined barriers – some obvious and some not so – that can severely impact a person’s access to healthy choices and their outcomes.

Last year, the American Heart Association outlined five issues that make it more difficult to adhere to healthy eating patterns: targeted food marketing, structural racism, neighborhood segregation, unhealthily built environments, and food (or nutritional) insecurity.

These issues largely exist as barriers to low-income and racialized Americans, which, as data suggests, are also more likely to experience cardiovascular illness.

Food and beverage companies that make unhealthy processed food and sugary drinks heavily target low-income and racialized communities. Many of these communities are “food deserts,” where fast food and corner stores selling unhealthy food greatly outnumber grocery stores.

One of the ways to fight back against this barrier is understanding that you’re being targeted.

However, that does not make quality food more accessible.

Fixing these problems will likely take policy changes and government spending to work toward fixing years of structural inequalities. However, it is possible that nutritional options may be closer than you think.

Community farming projects have been growing in underserved, nutrition-scarce areas. See if there is one near you that you may be able to participate in, or at least join a co-op to access the food.

Food injustice is a major barrier to a heart-healthy diet and long, healthy life. It isn’t all about willpower.

The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising globally, and new research is finding potential risk factors for this condition. A recent study published in the BMJ Open found that warmer than usual summer nights may lead to increased cardiovascular deaths in men in their early 60s.

Previous research has only focused on the potential danger of warm spells in the summer that involve extreme heat or long periods of high temperatures. But so far, findings have been inconsistent. Hence, researchers from the University of Toronto, Canada, set out to find any possible link between high summer temperatures at night and increased cardiovascular disease. They focused on death in people aged 60 to 69 years old.

For the study, researchers used data from the Office for National Statistics on adult deaths for June and July every year between 2001 and 2015. They chose England and Wales because heatwaves in the UK are most frequent and intense during these months. Corresponding information from official US data for King County, Washington, a similar sea-facing region with parallel latitude to England and Wales, was also analyzed.

Researchers found that between 2001 and 2015, there were 39,912 cardiovascular disease deaths recorded in England and Wales and 488 deaths in King County. After allowing for certain variables, in England, a 1°C was associated with a 3.1% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among men aged 60 to 64.

However, these results were not found in older men or women in any age group. In King County, a 1°C was associated with a 4.8% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

Over the 15 year period observed, cardiovascular disease rates have declined in both regions annually, notably over the summer months. However, a considerable risk still persists, and in England and Wales, cardiovascular event rates remain more than 50% higher in adults aged 65 to 69 compared to those aged 60 to 64 years.

Researchers concluded, “The present findings should stimulate similar investigation of exposure and event rates in other populous mid-latitude to high-latitude regions. Considering the growing likelihood of extreme summers in western US and UK, our results invite preventive population health initiatives and novel urban policies aimed at reducing future risk of CVD events.”

Preventing Heart Disease

The heart is a hard-working muscle working around the clock to keep blood flowing throughout the body. So, it is vital to maintain a strong and healthy heart to enjoy a high-quality life as you age.

Heart Rescue was clinically designed to help support and promote cardiovascular health. This formula is a heart health superstar, using various ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, magnesium, and hawthorn extract.

The omega-3 fatty acids found in heart rescue include EPA and DHA, both of which play an important role in maintaining cardiovascular function.

CoQ10 also plays an essential role in the heart rescue formula. It is involved in energy production at the cellular level. By helping to produce ATP, the heart muscle accepts the fuel to help keep the heart beating strong. This unique formula can help reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen the heart muscle, and maintain healthy cholesterol.

Life can be full of unexpected events, and when things don’t go according to plan, it can be rather stressful.

Let’s say, for example, a global pandemic hits. Or you lose your job. Or a partner dies. Or you learn you’ve got a scary illness. Or…you get the picture.

It can be hard to cope when you get hit with something that is beyond your control. Further, a loss of control can create a particularly powerful type of stress that may impair the ability to assess risk.

Think of it this way: most people worry more about a shark attack while swimming in the ocean than they do about driving home after a couple of drinks. Driving home after drinking is far riskier, but people think they have less control over a potential shark attack.

No one is ever going to be able to control everything all of the time. But when a load of uncertainty is bearing down on you, there are some things you can do to help yourself get through:

Focus On What You Can Control: You might not be able to stop a global pandemic, but you can choose how you respond. Doing things like wearing a mask and getting a vaccine, for example, or staying out of crowded places, can drastically reduce the risk of illness.

Putting your focus on what you can control, not what you can’t, can help ease the stress of the unknown.

Simplify: Sometimes chopping an overwhelming situation into little bits can help restore a sense of control. Look at ways you can defer, reduce, or eliminate. Find ways to streamline or simplify so you can limit the decisions you have to make.

Set Limits: When you’re dealing with unfamiliar territory or something you can’t control, acquiring information makes sense. After all, knowledge is power. Too much information, on the other hand, can be crippling.

Constant ruminating, searching for information, or exposing yourself to a nonstop news feed can send anxiety spiralling in a hurry.

Set limits on how much time you’ll spend on these tasks, and stick to it. If you have to, remove yourself physically from your device to assess how it is making you feel.

Accept Uncertainty: Accepting that there are outcomes you can’t plan for, and situations you didn’t anticipate can also help with coping. When you accept the fact that answers don’t always exist, it can make uncertainty less stressful.

Coffee’s back at it again. New research is adding to the substantial list of data showing that a couple of cups of joe every day can pack a slew of health benefits.

The new work shows coffee can do a lot more than help wake you up and get you focused. It suggests that two or three cups per day is good for your heart and may lead to a longer life.

Researchers reached their conclusion upon analyzing a huge data set of 383,000 men and women that were part of the UK Biobank. They learned that over ten years, drinking two or three cups of coffee per day lowered the risk for heart disease, stroke, dangerous heart arrhythmias, dying from heart disease, or any other cause by 10-15 percent.

These findings echo previous research that has linked coffee consumption to health and longevity. However, like those others, the study is observational and does not prove that coffee is responsible for these benefits.

Coffee has over 100 biologically active compounds that can help relieve oxidative stress and inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, boost metabolism, inhibit the guts absorption of fat, and block receptors involved with abnormal heart rhythms.

Some people with heart conditions may worry that caffeine may quicken heart rate and could trigger heart issues. But this study found that generally, that is not a worry, and that coffee’s effect is either neutral or beneficial.

But individuality varies, of course. If you have atrial fibrillation and coffee triggers it, coffee might not be the best idea for you.

Understand your individual triggers and act accordingly.

If you don’t notice any problems when drinking coffee, then have at it! It’s likely helping.

To get the most out of your coffee, drink it black or with a little milk. Avoid loading it up with sugar, syrups, sweeteners, and cream, which are likely to wipe out any benefits while turning the coffee into an unhealthy snack.

The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, can hit hard and heavy and lead to all kinds of problems. Aside from the pain and discomfort, IBS can make people fearful of leaving the house and doing things they enjoy.

While the exact cause of IBS is unknown, there is research linking it to some specific changes in the body. Some of the symptoms may be caused by muscle spasms in the colon. Nerve endings in the colon may also become highly sensitive, which enhances pain.

Why these changes happen isn’t always clear, either. But there are some factors linked with IBS, including stress, antibiotic use, and bacterial overgrowth.

Psychological factors like stress and anxiety may play a role in IBS flare-ups and symptoms. Sometimes thoughts and emotions can trigger gut-related symptoms. Similarly, gut health may influence mental well-being and mood.

Stress may lead to more contractions in the intestine and further sensitivity. However, it can be hard to tell if psychological factors contribute to IBS or the other way around.

Antibiotic use, particularly for extended periods or multiple cycles, may also promote IBS.

You may be aware that your gut and colon are filled with trillions of bacteria that are collectively known as your microbiota or flora. A healthy population of flora can offer several benefits, including digestion and immune strength.

Antibiotics, however, carpet bomb these helpful critters, even when used to combat unhealthy ones that cause infection. Repeated antibiotic use can make it hard to restore a healthy population of gut bacteria.

Bacterial overgrowth can also contribute to IBS symptoms. This condition, called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, occurs when extra bacteria from the colon backs up into the small intestine. It can lead to IBS symptoms like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.

There can be several potential causes for IBS, each of which will influence management and treatment techniques. Speak with your care team about your options.

What’s a good erection all about? For many, it comes down to blood flow. When enough blood can get into a penis, erections can stay hard and long-lasting.

So, if you’re worried about erectile dysfunction, it’s best not to look at it as an isolated occurrence. Instead, think about what it may tell you about how well your blood is flowing.

Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection. It is a rather common condition among older men and those who have high blood pressure, diabetes, are overweight, or suffer from stress and anxiety. Those who have suffered acute injuries to the spinal cord, pelvis, or penis are also likely to experience ED.

You may notice that some of the factors that influence ED are age, weight, blood pressure, and conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. Each of those factors is marked by limited blood flow.

For many, modifying lifestyle may yield surprising results. A few things you can do naturally to treat ED include:

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables: Eating a balanced diet may help to reduce the risk of ED and help maintain normal sexual function.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and fish, all feature nutrients that can help improve blood flow, relax veins, and reduce inflammation. Some research has shown that a Mediterranean diet, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, is associated with lower ED risk.

Exercise: Exercise is another controllable lifestyle factor that can enhance blood flow and potentially treat ED. It’s well-known that activity can lead to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and help with blood vessel health.

Being active for 30 minutes per day, five times a week, may help produce blood flow benefits to help prevent or improve ED.

Good Sleep: Sleep duration and quality may also play a role in blood flow and ED. Data suggests that people with sleep apnea, or those that work shift work, are at higher risk for ED. Poor sleep is associated with high blood pressure, weight gain, and other issues that may impact blood flow.

Do your best to set yourself up for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night.

Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States. It is a chronic health condition that can affect anyone at any age, so it is vital to understand how to reduce the risk and reduce the symptoms.

New research has found that the time of day when people with diabetes eat certain foods may impact their health. The study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests timing may be more important to a diabetic’s well-being than portion size and calories.

The biological clock is a natural internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Researchers believe that people with diabetes should consume foods at certain times, following the biological clock, which could help to improve symptoms and lengthen lifespan.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from 4,642 people with diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on their risk of dying from heart disease. It was found that those who consumed potatoes or starchy vegetables in the morning, whole grains in the afternoon, and dark vegetables in the evening were less likely to die from heart disease. Additionally, people who consumed a lot of processed meats in the evening were less likely to die from heart disease. Overall, processed foods play an important role in heart health in people with diabetes. 

It is well known that processed foods are an unhealthy choice, but they could be deadly for those with diabetes who eat them in the evenings. Foods are meant to fuel the body with good vitamins and minerals, but processed foods are often loaded with sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. 

Manage Blood Sugar

Managing blood sugar is vital for the body to work efficiently. Healthy Blood Sugar Support uses several ingredients that have been shown in clinical studies to help support blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This unique formula provides comprehensive support for sugar metabolism and healthy blood sugar balance. It can also help to reduce excessive hunger or increase appetite and glucose spikes after meals.

It is not only people with diabetes who need to manage their blood sugar levels. Everyone needs to understand the connection between blood sugar and other health conditions. By ensuring your levels are in check, you can help reduce the risk of other types of illness and disease.