Category Archives: Heart Health

Most people know what a stroke is, and when reaching our later years, it becomes an increasingly threatening risk that looms over us as a consequence of a poor diet and unhealthy habits. Strokes generally occur in one of two ways, a hemorrhage in the brain, or the occlusion of a blood vessel in the ...click here to read more

Cardiac arrhythmia—which is an irregular heartbeat where the heart beats too fast or too slow—is a common condition. Although most arrhythmias are harmless, some can be quite serious and even life threatening, as the heart may be unable to pump a sufficient supply of blood to the organs and tissues in the body resulting in ...click here to read more

Cheese is one of life’s greatest pleasures: it’s gooey, succulent, and oh so delicious. But we know that too much cheese can be bad for you due to its high calorie count and elevated fat content, but does it also increase cholesterol? According to a new study, this is not the case. A study published ...click here to read more

High blood pressure and erectile dysfunction (ED) often go hand in hand. While having high blood pressure (hypertension) itself may not initially cause any symptoms, it will damage your arteries over time, leading them to become less flexible and progressively more narrow. This not only increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke, but has ...click here to read more

Most people are aware that too much cholesterol is dangerous and what we eat is a contributing factor, but people are now wondering if it can be hereditary. The answer is yes: it’s called familial hypercholesterolemia. Perhaps you have been watching what you eat but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. In other words, ...click here to read more

Drinking alcohol—be it a couple of beers or a glass of wine—is generally considered a weekend or special occasion activity, but according to a new study, having a drink every day may help protect a person’s heart against disease. Yes, the beverage commonly associated with good times and drunken stupors may actually save lives, albeit ...click here to read more

Possibly a sign of the times and the increasing rise in technology—and being infinitely more convenient and efficient—patients are beginning to seek lifestyle counseling online and are seeing real tangible health improvements, according to a new study aimed at blood pressure management. Participants of the online-oriented study were able to lower their blood pressure as ...click here to read more

Nature versus nurture is a common juxtaposition, but when we talk about our body, these two aspects—genes and lifestyle—go hand in hand, shaping how we look. We are all different, but it’s possible for our size to extend from just being an appearance thing to actually becoming a health concern. One prominent example of this ...click here to read more

Stroke rehabilitation often involves exercises to improve post-stroke recovery. This is because many motor skills can become affected after a stroke depending on what area of the brain is affected. For example, patients may need to redevelop their ability to walk or even use their hands. Stroke rehabilitation is often conducted alongside a physiotherapist who ...click here to read more

Everyone is worried about some health ailment nowadays, and it’s often high blood pressure that’s on people’s minds. People who are sedentary tend to have higher blood pressure than their active counterparts. With that said, it’s safe to assume that becoming more physically active will lower your blood pressure. However, immediately after exercise, your blood ...click here to read more

Pericardial effusion is a condition that describes fluid accumulation around the heart. The double-layered structure that surrounds the heart is known as the pericardium, and there is normally a thin layer of fluid found between the layers. Fluid in greater amounts can accumulate in the pericardium as a result of an injury or disease—it can ...click here to read more

Having high cholesterol can be quite bothersome. Having to continually watch what you eat and remembering to always take your medicine can be a pain. Oftentimes, the most commonly prescribed medication are statins, which unfortunately come with a whole bunch of side effects such as muscle aches, weakness, and flushing of the skin. However, a ...click here to read more

The term lipid is commonly used in the health and wellness industry, but there are many people that don’t fully understand how important lipids can be to the functioning of the body. We begin by answering the simple question: Is cholesterol a lipid? Lipids are molecules that contain hydrocarbons. They make up the building blocks ...click here to read more

Patients who take statins to help lower and control their cholesterol levels should continue to do so up to and including on the day of their heart surgery. Statin use has been linked to better post-surgery survival rates in those who undergo heart surgery, and researchers are encouraging patients who are on the medication to ...click here to read more