Category Archives: Heart Health

Blood pressure and colon cancer risk may be lowered with a vegetarian diet. The researchers analyzed seven clinical trials and 32 studies where participants consumed a vegetarian diet. The researchers measured differences in blood pressure associated with eating a vegetarian diet. The researchers found that adhering to a vegetarian diet was associated with reduced systolic ...click here to read more

In coronary artery disease patients, too low blood pressure is linked with worsened outcomes. Principal investigator Prof. Philippe Gabriel Steg explained, “The optimal blood pressure target in patients with hypertension continues to be debated, especially in those with coronary artery disease (CAD). ESC [European Society of Cardiology] guidelines recommend lowering blood pressure to values within ...click here to read more

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is when the heart does not receive enough oxygenated blood, so parts of the heart muscle get damaged or die. The most common cause of this is arterial blockage due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, leading to coronary heart disease. When a part of the plaque ruptures ...click here to read more

Resistant hypertension (high blood pressure) is when a person has made the appropriate lifestyle changes in order to reduce their blood pressure or have taken at least two different types of blood pressure-lowering medications, and yet their blood pressure has not improved. Essentially, resistant hypertension refers to blood pressure that is difficult to treat and ...click here to read more

A study has shown that blood pressure in overweight individuals can be reduced by consuming watermelon both at rest and under stress. Associate professor Arturo Figueroa explained, “The pressure on the aorta and on the heart decreased after consuming watermelon extract.” The study is based on the notion that more people die of heart-related events ...click here to read more

Heart attack and mortality risk higher with household air pollution. You may not associate your home with pollutants, but they may very well be present there, coming from lighting, cooking, or heating with fuels. The study found that burning cleaner fuels such as natural gas was associated with a lower mortality risk. Lead researcher Sumeet ...click here to read more

Think of a balloon filled with water to such an extent that it is firm, tense and almost at breaking point. Now what happens if you add a little more water? The water exerts more pressure on the balloon wall, it bursts at its weakest point, and all the water gushes out. It’s the same ...click here to read more

Have you been avoiding avocados because they’re high in fat? New research shows that you may be missing out on the fruit’s benefits to your cardiovascular health and cholesterol numbers. In fact, eating an avocado a day, as part of a diet with moderate fat intake, could help lower cholesterol in patients who are obese ...click here to read more

How do your hands feel? Cold? What about your feet? Nose even? If you have cold extremities, you may attribute this to the outside temperature, but if you’re cold even when the temperature is high, there could be a serious problem. Read on to find out the common reasons why you’re always cold and whether ...click here to read more

How healthy is your blood pressure? And exactly what causes high blood pressure, anyway? It rises with each and every heartbeat and then falls as your heart relaxes between beats. It can change from minute to minute with exercise, stress, sleep, even your posture. The important thing is you want to keep it in the ...click here to read more

Ever turn on a water faucet only to find the water is lingering in the sink and not going down the drain? You have a clogged drain from buildup, and maybe other items which can make their way down a drain (but shouldn’t!). Well, picture this image with your arteries: Your heart is the faucet ...click here to read more

Although statins can be used to reduce cholesterol, there are also natural cholesterol reducers which can help achieve lower cholesterol numbers. There are two main types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is known as the good cholesterol, and LDL is considered the bad one. High levels of LDL cholesterol can cause plaque ...click here to read more

Heart disease risk may be lowered with recreational and commuter biking. In the study involving 45,000 Danish adults, the researchers found that regular cyclists who biked for pleasure or for their commute had 11 to 18 percent fewer heart attacks during the 20-year follow-up. Furthermore, half an hour of cycling weekly provided some protection against ...click here to read more

Ischemic stroke risk is linked to traumatic brain injury (TBI), independent of other factors. Lead study author James F. Burke explained, “Both stroke and traumatic brain injury are common, costly, and leading causes of severe disability in adults, and approximately 20 percent of strokes occur in adults under age 65. A large proportion of stroke ...click here to read more