Category Archives: Heart Health

Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are distinct conditions, but both are blood disorders that can lead to increased anemia and pain. Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are both genetic disorders. Science tells us that they are caused by glitches in the genes that control hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in ...click here to read more

Flu season is right around the corner, and those over the age of 65 have a higher chance of catching it than other age groups. For this reason many seniors opt to get the flu shot, but if you’re like the many older adults who are on cholesterol-lowering statins, it may be ineffective. Two recent ...click here to read more

Cholesterol is a growing concern as we continue to age. In our younger years, we didn’t think twice about it. But now that we’re older, we’ve become more mindful of maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. But what’s with the hype surrounding cholesterol? We know that our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, and we can also obtain it ...click here to read more

Have you ever been so tired that even coffee didn’t give you a pick-me-up, so you reached for an energy drink instead? It may seem harmless to gulp down an energy drink every now and then, just to get through your day, but new warnings from the American Heart Association (AHA) caution against the beverage ...click here to read more

When someone has a gout, a painful form of arthritis, along with what is referred to as tophi, or uric acid crystal deposits, researchers say they could be at risk of getting heart disease, too. Gout has been described as a complicated type of arthritis, which affects men more often than women. It is characterized by ...click here to read more

Hemochromatosis (excess iron) raises the risk of heart arrhythmia and cirrhosis of the liver. Unlike anemia, which is a condition of too little iron, hemochromatosis is the build-up of too much iron in the body. Iron can be found in many of the foods we eat, including red meat. Too much of anything is bad ...click here to read more

Silent heart attack (silent ischemia) has been found to leave scars on the heart. A silent heart attack is a heart attack with minimal, if any, symptoms. For this reason it is difficult to know when you are experiencing a heart attack, which can lead to further complications – even death. Some reports of a ...click here to read more

Vasculitis is just one of numerous inflammatory-related diseases, and while lupus also fits into the inflammatory category, the two disorders go hand-in-hand in some cases. Vasculitis is inflammation of the blood vessels. It changes the walls of blood vessels in different ways. It can cause the walls to thicken, weaken, narrow, or scar. The problem ...click here to read more

What is pulmonary hypertension? If you’ve received a diagnosis, you’ll know it’s serious. It’s different from having regular high blood pressure. Specifically, the diagnosis means you have high blood pressure in your arteries that go from your lungs to your heart. People often describe it as high blood pressure in the heart-to-lungs system. If you’ve ...click here to read more

Preventing heart diseases should be America’s top concern when it comes to our health. That doesn’t mean turning to medication for a magic fix, but looking at natural remedies for a healthy heart. And that comes down to lifestyle, making good choices and developing the right habits. In America, coronary heart disease has become our ...click here to read more

If you’re over the age of 40, you’re at an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. An autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis affects small joints like the ones found in your fingers and toes. Inflammation occurs between the joints, often causing pain and swelling. Because rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease it differs from regular arthritis. With ...click here to read more

When it comes to blood pressure and maintaining healthy levels, there are many lifestyle changes you can make. The most popular advice is to limit your intake of salt. Although minimizing salt is an effective means of controlling blood pressure, new research suggests an even more effective lifestyle change that can have you gaining back ...click here to read more

Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Do you know what makes that sound? It’s your heart of course! Not only is it a symbol for love, our heart is also the core of our bodies. Without its continued beating all of our other major functions wouldn’t work. Circulation wouldn’t occur, and organs wouldn’t get their supply of fresh blood ...click here to read more

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, which surrounds the heart and can lead to chest pain. Myocarditis is also a type of swelling, but it is of the heart muscle itself. Both can contribute to chest pain, but even though they may appear the same, they are quite different. Chest pain associated with pericarditis occurs ...click here to read more