There’s no doubt that too much worrying can take a toll on your mental health. But new research suggests it can tax your physical health, too.

Particularly your heart.

A recent study found that when middle-aged men worry too much, they are at a higher risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, or suffering a stroke in the future. The risk increase was about what would be expected for a heavy drinker.

The study included 1,550 men with an average age of 53 who took part in the Normative Aging Study. None had any major disease at the study’s outset.

Researchers examined and tracked seven biological heart risk factors — blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index (BMI), blood sugar, and inflammatory markers — every three to five years.

Men who reported higher levels of anxiety had a 10-13 percent greater chance of reaching a high biological risk for heart disease, diabetes, or stroke during the 40-year follow-up period.

The increased risk in anxious men had a more significant number of heart risk factors across ages, even when other known conditions, like heart disease, were controlled.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Anxiety may make people engage in activities or behavior that boost the risk for heart attack and disease. Heavy worriers may be more likely to smoke, drink, eat a poor diet and fail to get adequate exercise.

Thankfully, even if you can’t quit worrying, there are things you can do to help your heart. Eating a healthful diet and getting exercise are two of them. Exercise can actually have a dual effect, helping with both heart health and mental health.

Finding an exercise that you enjoy and find mentally calming is a great place to start. This can come from different forms for different people, so see which modality works best for you. Try to exercise most days of the week

Sometimes you have to eat late. Maybe it’s a dinner with friends, or you were just so busy that dinner got pushed deep into the evening.

But is eating late a hazard to your health?

It can be.

Two main factors might help determine any dangers associated with a nocturnal meal. The first is how often you do it. The other is how closely it’s consumed before bedtime. What and how much you eat can also play a role.

Research suggests that when people go to bed soon after a meal, they are more likely to have higher cortisol levels, greater glucose intolerance, and negative changes in fat metabolism.

Eating close to bedtime can also make it harder to fall asleep. Your body has to do a lot of work to digest and absorb food, and that in and of itself can keep you awake. Although your head may feel tired and seem like it’s shutting down, the rest of your body has to rev up.

This can have some metabolic consequences, as eating late runs counter to the body’s natural circadian rhythm.

Lost sleep, which may occur from late eating, can play a role in a host of conditions ranging from brain fog to heart disease.

If it does look like you’ll have to eat late, there are some steps you can take to minimize its potential impacts.

The first is to have some food on hand to fill in for a meal when needed. When eating late, you’ll want to try and get low-calorie, nutrient-dense food that is easy for you to digest and absorb. Eggs, vegetables, yogurt, fruit, or other light options are ideal.

Just don’t skip eating. It could lead to an insatiable appetite the following day.

Of course, if you’re out to dinner with friends, eat whatever you want. You’re there to enjoy yourself!

Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada have found a surprising link between dry eyes and exercise. Physical activity is known to help with various health issues, but this new discovery may help many who experience dry eyes, which is a condition becoming increasingly common due to screen time.

The eyes are covered in a protective tear film that gets refreshed when blinking. This protective coating is essential for maintaining healthy ocular function and is comprised of oil, water, and mucin. When part of the tear film becomes unstable, the surface of the eye can develop dry spots, causing symptoms such as itchy eyes or stinging and burning sensations.

To find an effective preventative measure for dry eyes, researchers examined fifty-two participants who were divided into two groups – athlete and non-athlete. Participants in the athlete group performed aerobic exercise at least five times per week, while non-athletes exercised no more than once per week. Before and five minutes after each exercise, visual examinations were performed to assess tear secretion and tear break up.

The group of athletes showed the most significant increase in tear production, but study authors say that all participants experienced a meaningful boost in tear quality and quantity after the exercise sessions.

Study author Heinz Otchere explained, “It can be challenging for people to regularly exercise when the demand is there to work longer hours increasingly in from of screens.”

Eye Health

With more people spending most of their day in front of a screen, researchers must understand preventative measures to help with dryness and overall eye health. It is also up to each individual to understand the importance of eye health and how to take care of the eyes properly. Exercise and healthy eating are a couple of lifestyle choices that can be made to help keep eyes healthy.

Getting the proper vitamins and nutrients is also crucial for eye health. The 20/20 Vision formula includes vital ingredients to help keep eyes healthy as they age. This unique formula provides lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which have been clinically proven to improve eye health.

Low levels of lutein and zeaxanthin have been cited as one of the primary causes of age-related vision loss. Spinach and kale are excellent sources of both lutein and zeaxanthin, but it is challenging to get enough of these pigments from food alone.

20/20 Vision also offers complete protection for macular health and can help to improve night vision. With its unique formula of vitamins, minerals, and herbal ingredients, you can help to support your eye health and maximize vision.

When I was a kid, like many other people, I thought vitamins were pills I had to take.

Some people still think that.

But the truth is that vitamins are nutrients we make ourselves or get from food. Sure, supplements may be an attractive option for parents who can’t get their kids to eat their vegetables, but is it something you want to be spending your money on as an adult?

Multivitamin supplements can be helpful, sometimes. There are specific populations that are well-served by taking a supplement. Nutrient absorption can decrease with age, so pills can serve as an insurance policy.

Supplements, of course, are never a substitute for food.

If you’re not sure what to eat but don’t want to think about taking a multivitamin every day, here are some foods that should definitely be on your shopping list.

Eggs: Eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can get; that’s why they’ve earned the moniker “nature’s multivitamin.” They even have vitamin D, which is only available in a minimal and select number of food.

Leafy Greens: Leafy greens top the charts when it comes to being great sources of micronutrients and antioxidants. Vitamins A, C, E, and K are available in whichever variety you choose, and some, like broccoli and bok choy, are rich in B-vitamins, too.

Pears: Pears are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin K. They are also rich in pectin, a form of fiber that can help improve gut health.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are high in several antioxidants. They are a great source of lutein, which can help maintain eye and vision health. Tomatoes are perhaps best known for lycopene, the antioxidant that gives them their bright red color. Lycopene is associated with heart benefits, prostate health, and more.

Nuts: Nuts are also a great source of nutrition. Although the nutritional profile can vary between nuts, all of them are healthy. They all feature healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of micronutrients and antioxidants.

You might not consider your thyroid when you think about heart health, but the small gland may have a significant impact on your cardiovascular health.

Your thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, releases hormones that regulate metabolism. These hormones and their effect on metabolism impact every organ in your body, including your heart.

Both an underactive thyroid (hypothyroid) and overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can have cardiac consequences. And they aren’t immediately noticeable, either. The effects creep up, occur gradually, and usually aren’t recognized for some time.

Hyperthyroidism can lead to irregular heartbeats and blood clots, in addition to a higher risk for stroke, heart failure, and other non-heart-related conditions.

Hypothyroidism, when the gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone, is more common. It can lead to a slower heart rate, constricted blood vessels, higher blood pressure, fluid retention, and increased cholesterol.

According to the American Thyroid Association, about 1 in 8 people in the United States will develop a thyroid condition at some point in their lives, and an estimated 20 million are living with one right now. Women are far more likely to develop a thyroid issue than men are, and roughly half will be unaware of their condition.

Both hypo and hyperthyroidism are treatable, yet they are only detectable through blood tests. Because of the links to heart health, people with high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, high cholesterol, and other heart issues should undergo routine thyroid checks.

Being aware of, and paying attention to symptoms can be helpful. People with hypothyroidism may experience unexplained weight gain, intolerance to cold temperatures, joint and muscle pain, constipation, and dry, brittle hair.

Hyperthyroidism symptoms include weight loss even with an increased appetite, rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness or irritability, muscle weakness, and heat intolerance.

Paying attention to these symptoms may help you determine if you should seek a thyroid hormone test and potentially protect your heart and cardiovascular system from danger.

New research found in the journal eLife suggests that a build-up of iron in the brain may be associated with cognitive decline. A build-up of iron in the brain can result from aging organisms that experience a breakdown in regulatory mechanisms, increasing oxidative stress causing cell damage.

Researchers believe the mechanism may explain some age-related cognitive decline and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers examined young and aged mice for the study, measuring mitochondrial and cytoplasmic iron as the animals aged. The expression of genes associated with iron homeostasis was analyzed, and it was found that gene coding for a peptide hormone, called hepcidin, was dramatically upregulated in the brain cortex of older animals.

The brain-derived hepcidin’s most important function is the inhibition of ferroportin, a protein that exports iron from the neuronal cells, leading to marked iron accumulation in the aged brain. Researchers believe this is a critical player in iron accumulation in the aging brain.

Another theory is that an increase in hepcidin may increase iron in the mitochondria, leading to a build-up of iron and eventual cell damage.

There are currently ongoing studies using iron chelators (substances that bind to iron and make it biologically unavailable) to treat coronary artery disease. Scientists believe a similar strategy could be used in the brain as well for age-related cognitive decline. Exploring this possible therapy is the next step for researchers.

Brain Function

While iron levels in the brain can contribute to cognitive decline, numerous factors can take a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential. Every factor can affect memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function.

The effects of normal aging can also play a role in how the brain works, so it is vital to get the proper vitamins and nutrients that can help support brain function through aging.

The Smart Pill contains a unique formula of 9 ingredients that can help to support, nourish, and maximize cognitive function and brain health. This includes ginkgo Biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. These carefully selected ingredients allow The Smart Pill to help boost circulation and fight free radicals.

Every week, Netflix and other streaming services release entire seasons of shows, new and old. It can be hard to keep up. Add that to nightly sports and movies, and it seems like it’s impossible to watch it all.

One of the newer TV-watching trends of the past decade is binge-watching. This prolonged TV viewing, which essentially keeps people glued to their sofas, involves immobility and is associated with an increased risk for potentially life-threatening blood clots.

A new study suggests that when the hours slip by watching television, the risk for blood clots in the legs and lungs go up by a whopping 35-percent.

And this doesn’t just apply to people binge-watching television on Netflix. It applies to those parked in front of computers, sports games, or other things that keep them sitting for hours on end.

Exactly how many hours? Researchers pooled data from three previously published studies featuring more than 130,000 participants. They found that in follow-up periods that ranged from five to 20 years, more than 900 participants developed venous thromboembolism (VTE).

VTE includes pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs) and deep vein thrombosis, blood clots in the legs that can lead to pulmonary embolism.

They found that those who binge-watched the longest (four hours per day or more) were one-third more likely to develop blood clots than those who either watched the least amount of TV or never binged.

The link is likely due to prolonged sitting, contributing to a lack of blood flow. So, if you watch a lot of TV or do a lot of sitting, try to intersperse it with bouts of activity. This could mean standing up and walking around the TV room between episodes and trying to carve out dedicated exercise time throughout the day.

According to a new discovery from Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, a growth factor protein produced by immune cells in the intestine may protect against the effects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The research published in Nature Immunology could lead to a better understanding of IBD and new strategies to treat this disease.

In this study, researchers found that the growth factor HB-EGF is a result of gut inflammation caused by a set of immune regulating cells called ILC3s. These immune cells are found in many organs, including the intestines. However, their numbers are known to be depleted in the inflamed intestines of IBD patients.

Using a relatively advanced technique called single cell RNA sequencing, researchers were able to show in experiments with mice that this growth factor can powerfully counter the harmful effects of intestinal inflammation. The ILC3s can protect gut lining cells when they would otherwise die and cause a breach in the intestinal barrier.

Senior author of the study Dr. Gregory Sonnenberg said, “We’ve discovered a new cellular pathway that is essential to protect against gut inflammation. This discovery could lead to a better understanding of IBD pathogenesis and new strategies to treat this disease.”

These findings help to show a critical mechanism that the gut typically uses to protect itself from harmful inflammation and suggests that the loss of ILC3s is at least one reason this mechanism fails in inflammatory bowel disease patients. This loss in ILC3s in the IBD gut can pose a serious challenge to the development of therapeutic solutions that depend on these cells.

Inflammatory bowel disease is included in a disease category that includes ulcerated colitis and Crohn’s disease. It features chronic gut inflammation and many potential long-term effects such as arthritis and colorectal cancer.

Healthy Digestion

Overall health and quality of life can be affected by healthy digestion. It can affect social situations, but it can also impact the absorption of vitamins and nutrients from foods, depriving the body of valuable nutrition.

To help maintain a healthy environment in the gastrointestinal tract and a proper balance, try Healthy Colon. With a unique blend of 16 ingredients that are designed to help support and improve healthy digestion, Healthy Colon can target a number of causes of digestive issues, promoting overall health and wellness.

If you snore, you’re not alone. The American Sleep Apnea Foundation estimates that you’re in the company of about 90 million Americans.

Most probably don’t even know it, and the most serious consequence is dealing with a tired, irritable partner the next day.

Snoring doesn’t immediately mean you have sleep apnea. If you’re waking up every day feeling well-rested, energized, and can make it through the day without needing a nap, your snoring probably isn’t anything to worry about.

But if you’re feeling zonked, unable to focus, and your eight hours feel far more than that, sleep apnea could be a possibility.

Snoring happens when there’s a narrowing in your upper airway. Tissue in the back of your throat can relax during sleep and drop down, partially blocking the airway. The sound it produces is the air rattling the tissue while you breathe.

Sleep apnea causes sufferers to actually stop breathing. It can happen hundreds of times a night and last anywhere from a couple of seconds to a minute. They also lead to “mircoawakenings” that you may not feel at the time but ultimately lead to fatigue the next day.

If you’re nodding off during the day, even after what you think was a full night’s sleep, you could be experiencing sleep disruption caused by sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is also associated with higher risks of illness like heart problems, type-2 diabetes, and more.

On the other hand, snoring may have to do with some lifestyle and personal factors. For example, sleeping on your back could increase the chance of snoring. Other factors include taking certain medications, alcohol, congestion, smoking, and obesity.

Most snorers don’t have sleep apnea. If your sleeping partner complains of snoring, but you’re feeling fine, try looking at some of the factors that may be contributing. If you feel tired, talk to your doctor about an evaluation for sleep apnea.

Cholesterol and snacking can be bad words. But they are just words. So, if you do it right, you can do some good eating to boost your good cholesterol.

You’re likely aware that certain foods can boost your bad cholesterol. Sugary snacks, processed foods, and junk food are the main culprits. However, your snacks don’t have to be sugary or junky. And they certainly don’t have to harm cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is found in every cell in your body. You actually make it to help with several functions. But diet can play a role, too. And it’s not necessarily foods with cholesterol that cause it to go up.

There are two main types of cholesterol in your body: “good” HDL and “bad” LDL. Too much LDL can get stuck to arteries, turn to plaque, and boost blood pressure and the risk for a serious cardiac event.

On the other hand, HDL picks up the extra LDL and takes it to the liver so it can be excreted from the body.

“High cholesterol” means you have too much LDL, not enough HDL, or a combination.

Lowering LDL and boosting LDL, therefore, is a great combo for heart health. And here is a snack that can help you do it: Nut Butter Oat Balls.

Oats are one of the best foods for cholesterol. They are high in soluble fiber, which helps coat your small intestine in a way that keeps bad cholesterol out of the bloodstream.

Nuts and natural nut butter help boost HDL to help get rid of HDL. Adding some whey protein or dried fruit can be beneficial, too.

So, here’s how you make them: just take a bunch of oats, nut butter, and protein powder (if you like), put it in a bowl and mix it all around. Then scoop into balls and let them sit in the fridge for a couple of hours. No baking and plenty of taste for a cholesterol-lowering snack!

More people than ever are going to the hospital for high blood pressure. From 2002 to 2014, people who were hospitalized for a hypertensive crisis – when blood pressure increases so much, it can cause a heart attack or stroke – more than doubled.

This increase in hospitalizations is in contrast to research that has reported overall progress in blood pressure control and a decline in related cardiovascular events in the US.

Even though more people have been able to manage their blood pressure, this improvement has not translated into fewer hospitalizations for intensive crises. Researchers believe there could be various explanations for why this growing number of people are becoming hospitalized for high blood pressure. They believe it could be due to an increasing number of people who cannot afford medications to control their hypertension, or their blood pressure is rising after taking inadequate doses of these drugs.

Socioeconomic factors could also make it difficult for people to avoid lifestyle behaviors that can contribute to hypertension. These behaviors include consuming a high salt diet, inactivity, smoking, and more. They also may have limited access to healthcare, financial insecurity, or work and family demands.

To find this information, researchers investigated data from the National Inpatient Sample, which included a subset of all hospitalizations across the US, providing information from nationwide trends.

It was found that annual hospitalizations for hypertensive crisis more than doubled over a 13 year period. However, the risk of dying from a hypertensive crisis was slightly decreased overall during the studied time period. Women and men died at the same rate, even though women had fewer health issues compared to men who were hospitalized for a hypertensive crisis.

More research is needed to understand why the rise in hospitalizations is happening and how clinicians can help patients stay out of the hospital. 

Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure

With rising numbers of hospitalizations for hypertension, it is vital for those with high blood pressure to make lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the risk of a hypertensive crisis.

Healthy Blood Pressure Support uses a unique formula which has been shown in human clinical trials to help support healthy blood pressure. Providing comprehensive support for healthy blood pressure can help with cardiovascular health, increase nitric oxide levels, and reduce inflammation. Blood Pressure Support is your number one choice for cardiovascular and overall health.

As physical abilities decline, it’s easy to think that activity levels should go down, too.

But the opposite is true. If you want to stay strong and coordinated, you need to boost activity.

The truth is that there may be no more important time to be active than when you’re 40 and older.

Strength, swiftness, stamina, and coordination all decline with age. You may notice it’s more difficult to walk around the garden, prevent your water from spilling as you walk across a room, or carry grocery bags from the car to the front door.

Part of that is that muscle mass and strength begin to decline at around age 40. Lean body mass (muscle) may go down between 1 and 2 percent per year. Strength may drop between 1.5- and 5-percent per year. The ability to repair lost muscle also slows down.

Coordination has less to do with muscle and more to do with connections between the brain and nervous system. Different parts of the brain need to be coordinated to allow you to perform nearly every physical task. These connections rely on white brain matter.

Poor diet and inactivity, particularly in people over 60, can cause trouble in white matter. It can lead to “ministrokes” that are unnoticeable but ultimately disrupt these essential connections.

This is all why activity and diet become increasingly important with age. Using muscle helps keep neural pathways connected and muscles strong. When muscle has a reason to stick around, it doesn’t leave as fast.

Some ways to improve strength and coordination include:

• Aerobic exercise like a brisk walk, jog, swim, bike, or classes. Try and do it or at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week.
• Do some strength- and balance-promoting exercises like tai chi, weight training, or Pilates for at least two hours per week.
• Try taking up a sport that encourages coordination like golf, tennis, basketball, or squash.
• Talk to a doctor if you have any injuries or conditions about safer ways to perform desired activities.
• Eat a Mediterranean-style diet and limit intake of processed food
• Do your best to get good sleep

New research has found that people who exercise after curtailed sleep have a higher risk of heart disease. The study published in Molecular Metabolism examined participants who underwent an intense bout of exercise after normal and three nights of curtailed sleep.

Researchers found that participants who exercised after curtailed sleep had increased heart injury biomarker troponin levels compared with participants who completed exercise in their well-rested condition.

Previous studies have found that chronically disrupted and shortened sleep can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and myocardial infarction. Physical exercise has also been well studied for its ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is still unknown if controlled sleep restriction modulates cardiac stress during intense exercise.

Study author Jonathan Cedernaes explained, “Exercise is great for the heart, while lack of sleep can adversely impact the cardiovascular system. But it has been unknown whether shortened sleep can modulate the physiologic stress the intense exercise seems to have on the cells of the heart.”

Levels of the heart injury biomarkers were not found to be elevated in response to sleep restriction before the workout. Researchers believe it may be possible that lack of sleep may lower the threshold of increased exercise load resulting in stress in the heart muscles.

Overall, this study suggests that those who exercise regularly but get less sleep than the recommended amount may still reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. However, those with chronic sleep problems who partake in intense exercise may increase their risk of heart injury.

Sleep Quality

Lack of sleep had many more consequences than just being tired and having a diminished performance. Proper quality sleep can support the ability to maintain cardiovascular health, help to keep healthy body weight and maintain blood sugar levels.

Sleep Sure Plus is designed to help promote optimal restfulness and sleep. This unique formula is designed to provide well-rounded support for a restful night of sleep.

At Bel Marra, we understand the importance of getting a quality night’s sleep and supporting cardiovascular health. With Heart Rescue, you can rest assured that you are getting the essential vitamins and minerals vital for promoting cardiovascular health. Using various ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, magnesium, and hawthorn extract, this formula can help boost heart health as you age.

If you think the COVID-19 vaccine is going to make you feel sick, you might be right.

But it might not necessarily be the vaccine that’s producing those effects. It could be your own head.

A recent study suggests that a “nocebo” effect – a fear of vaccine side effects – may be a large contributing factor to any side effects a vaccine might cause.

Researchers analyzed data from 12 clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines and compared rates of side effects in more than 22,000 people who received the vaccine and more than 22,000 who received a placebo.

Forty-six percent of vaccine recipients reported “systemic” side effects like fever, headache, and fatigue. But more than 35 percent of placebo recipients experienced the same things.

The team indicated that the nocebo effect accounted for almost all of the side effects of the group that got the dummy shot (outside of pain at the injection site, redness) and about 76 percent of the people that got the actual shot.

After the second shot, researchers figured that the nocebo effect accounted for about 52 percent of reported side effects.

Some of the non-specific COVID vaccine symptoms, like headache and fatigue, are listed as some of the most common adverse reactions to the shot. They also, however, seem to be particularly nocebo-sensitive.

This matters because one of the biggest causes of vaccine hesitancy is the potential of uncomfortable side effects. But this study suggests at least a link between expectation and result.

If you think you are going to experience a side effect or are afraid of feeling a side effect, the results of this work suggest you may be more likely, and likely are, experiencing them based on your expectations.

If the fear of side effects has been holding you back from vaccination or a booster, try to change your view. Or accept the idea that a few days of discomfort can help keep you and your loved ones healthy while potentially taking some stress off of a fragile healthcare system.