Category Archives: Heart Health

Having type 2 diabetes for many years can predispose you to an increased risk of heart disease. This is especially true in those with the metabolic disease who manage the condition poorly. Unfortunately, this is an all too common scenario, as those with type 2 diabetes are often unaware of their deteriorating heart condition because ...click here to read more

Heart disease caused nearly 25 percent of all deaths in 2008—that’s one in every four deaths. It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and costs the country over 100 billion dollars in health care services, medications, and lost productivity every year. Heart disease is a broad term ...click here to read more

We usually don’t see our blood, with the exception of occasional blood work or cuts, so we often take for granted the many important functions it performs. Of course, the most crucial function is the delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the farthest corners of our body and, in turn, the removal of carbon ...click here to read more

Chances are that you’ve taken medication to treat a headache or muscle pain at one point or another, which can be purchased at your local pharmacy. They may take the form of Aleve or Motrin, but they all advertise as doing the same thing: relieving pain. However, you may be exposing yourself to an increased ...click here to read more

Cholesterol is an essential substance needed by the body to help build healthy cells, but too much of it can cause fatty deposits to appear in your blood vessels, leading to an increase in your risk of heart disease. Having cholesterol-laden vessels reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to vital organs such as your brain ...click here to read more

If you’ve ever watched a pizza maker toss a pizza high in the air or a seasoned noodle maker stretching a single ball of dough into thousands of strands, you might have marveled at their dexterity. While there is definitely some skill involved, the real hero is a protein component in the mix that lends ...click here to read more

May is American stroke month, and we at Bel Marra recognize the impact a stroke may have on a person’s life and the lives of their loved ones. The results of a recent survey concluded that most Americans do not know the common signs of a stroke, which is something we take great issue with. ...click here to read more

Living with high blood pressure (hypertension) can be a hassle to deal with. A major contributor to our blood pressure is diet. Once we become accustomed to a certain diet, we find it hard to adjust. However, we eventually need to swap out the food that increases blood pressure, as over time, high blood pressure ...click here to read more

We know it’s bad for our health, yet we do it anyway. We say we are going to quit, but we pick up the habit once again after a few days. I’m talking about smoking, of course, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Some individuals try to minimize their addiction by ...click here to read more

Working is something that we have to do in some form or another throughout our lives. This often means getting a job that we enjoy doing or pursuing a career doing something we love. The main objective for this is primarily to make money, as it helps us support ourselves and our family. But what ...click here to read more

Costochondritis is an uncomfortable condition that is characterized by inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage, and while some physical activity can aggravate it, there are specific costochondritis exercises as well as lifestyle adjustments available to treat the problem. Costochondritis, also known as Tietze syndrome, normally affects the cartilage in the area where the ...click here to read more

Cholesterol is like love, it can be good or bad, but it always ends up kicking your heart. And what’s even worse, there’s no 100 percent bulletproof protection against cholesterol. Some people are quite disappointed to find out that, despite avoiding all those alluring fast food joints and diligently counting their calories, their cholesterol levels ...click here to read more

A famous Hollywood comedian once said, “You can never find a rainbow if you’re looking down.” Modern scientists researching pessimism might agree with him. In fact, they take it one step further and say that pessimism—waiting for the worst to happen and lacking confidence in the future—could actually hasten one’s death. Pessimism vs. optimism According ...click here to read more

When you think about it, most of our waking hours are spent sitting. It’s become very characteristic of the modern lifestyle, with all these computers, remote controls, and cars. Being a comfortable posture, sitting is addictive. And just like all other addictions, it can be dangerous to your health. No, this is not an exaggeration. ...click here to read more