Nuisance Noise
Noise pollution takes a toll on heart health. Learn how to keep your ears — and your heart — safe. Road traffic, trains, construction — these all make up Chicago’s soundscape. They are also contributors to noise pollution — the buzz of city that can take a toll on your health. The World Health Organization […]
Unseen Threat
How environmental contaminants affect heart health From asthma to cancer risk, environmental contaminants affect human health in major ways. And research suggests that pollution also poses a significant threat to heart health specifically, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Pollution (including noise pollution), chemical exposure, and the weather all affect the heart in different ways. “The […]
Time to Chill
The effects of stress on heart health At 28, I got into an argument with my boyfriend and ended up collapsed in my apartment stairwell, clutching my chest. I wasn’t being dramatic. My heart was racing at about 200 beats per minute — two to three times faster than a standard heart rate. It was […]
How to Be Heart Smart
Give your heart a head start by knowing — and reducing — your risks Preventive medical advice sometimes feels like it’s changing as fast as the weather whirling outside your window. And that’s especially true when it comes to preventing heart attacks. Are eggs healthy to eat, or are they too cholesterol-laden to indulge in? […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Association Between Oral Health, Heart Disease Not Well-Understood
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Will taking care of my teeth help prevent heart disease? ANSWER: Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke could be linked to the inflammations and infections that oral bacteria can cause. Based on that evidence, there appears to be an association between oral health and heart disease. But the […]
Cutting Down on Alcohol Helps if You Have Atrial Fibrillation
In medical school, there are lots of cutesy names that help us learn and remember things. “Holiday heart” is one of these — it reminds doctors-in-training that binge drinking alcohol can lead to an episode of atrial fibrillation (afib). The association is a real one; I have met a number of patients who suffered an […]
Beating Strong
Brain health relies on heart health On a Sunday evening in September 2019, George Hristov headed for bed when he suddenly felt a tremendous pain grip his chest. His doctor had warned him about his high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but Hristov had largely written it off. Now, though, he took the warning signs […]
Going Mediterranean to Prevent Heart Disease
There is a mountain of high-quality research supporting a Mediterranean-style diet as the best diet for our cardiovascular health. But what does this diet actually look like, why does it work and how can we adopt it into our real lives? What is a Mediterranean diet? The Mediterranean diet is not a fad. It is […]
Step Up Your Health by Walking
Spending too much time on your tush can lead to numerous health woes. But here’s an easy fix: After an hour of sitting, walk around for two minutes. It could reduce your risk of early death by 33%, according to a report in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Here are three […]
Skip the Salt
Reduce your sodium intake to improve heart health Recently, researchers explained that if the food industry complied with the Food and Drug Administration’s 10-year plan to reduce sodium in commercially prepared food, some 450,000 cases of cardiovascular disease could be prevented, saving more than $40 billion over 20 years. Sodium consumption is a leading controllable risk factor […]
Five diet rules for a healthy heart
Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for Americans, but here’s a heartening statistic: About half of heart-disease deaths in the U.S. are preventable. According to an Emory University study, the leading five controllable risk factors are obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking. Eighty percent of Americans have at least […]
3 Health Benefits of Yoga
Yoga has gotten to be a popular activity with people of all ages — perhaps because it leaves you with a such a good feeling after you practice it. (Who doesn’t love ending a workout session flat on your back with your eyes closed?) But it can do more than bliss you out after a […]
The Beat Goes On
Exercising your way to a healthier heart When it comes to taking care of your heart, you can’t underestimate the importance of staying active. Regular exercise — even if it’s moderate — can have a marked impact on your heart’s health. “Exercise helps the heart because it signals the heart to grow stronger,” says R. […]
Could you have a heart attack and not know it?
Harvard Health Blog Here’s a surprising fact: Nearly half of people who have a heart attack don’t realize it at the time. These so-called silent heart attacks are only diagnosed after the event, when a recording of the heart’s electrical activity (an electrocardiogram or ECG) or another test reveals evidence of damage to the heart. […]
Heart risk similar for all NSAIDs other than aspirin
Q: I take ibuprofen almost every day for arthritis pain. I keep reading about warnings regarding a higher risk of heart problems in people that take these kinds of anti-inflammatory drugs. Should I be taking a different one? A: Despite new research, the answer is unclear. Like you, millions of people with aching joints and […]
The Happy Heart: Being Optimistic Can Help Your Heart Health
“It’s well recorded that depression, anxiety and stress [are] associated with poor health,” says Rosalba Hernandez, PhD, MSc, lead author of the study and social work professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Optimistic people had better cardiovascular health, blood sugar and total cholesterol levels than their counterparts. They also were more physically active, […]
Cardiac assessment may show if heart issues need to be addressed
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a 49-year-old man with a strong family history of coronary artery disease. Although I used to compete in triathlons, I just don’t have that kind of stamina anymore, and I become short of breath pretty easily. Should this be cause for concern? I also don’t have much […]
Sugar isn’t sweet for your heart
Environmental Nutrition: By Judy Thalheimer, R.D., L.D.N., Environmental Nutrition Newsletter People who consume more added sugars have a higher risk of death from heart disease. Researchers used to think it was the calories in sugary foods that were the problem: sugar made us fat, and obesity raised our risk of heart disease. But a 2014 […]
The many ways volunteering is good for your heart
By Julie Corliss Harvard Health Blog If you do volunteer work, whether it’s at a school, soup kitchen or senior center, perhaps you’ve experienced the emotional rewards of donating your time. What you might not realize, however, is that volunteering may offer some added advantages for your heart. “There’s a growing body of research showing […]
Fatty Fish for Heart Health
Heart-safer NSAID alternatives
Harvard Health Letters In July 2015, the FDA repeated a previous warning about the heart hazards of common pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) and prescription-only NSAIDs. Should you avoid these medications at all costs? Not necessarily. NSAIDs have cardiac risks, but are still a […]
Evidence is brewing for tea’s heart benefits
Harvard Health Letters Black or green, hot or iced, tea is gaining in popularity. Many cities and shopping malls feature specialty tea shops, and bottled teas vie for space on store shelves. The Tea Association of the U.S.A. says the tea market has quadrupled over the past two decades. Tea’s purported health benefits — many […]
Feeding Your Heart
Changing gears on cholesterol guidelines Cardiovascular disease still tops the charts among chronic diseases in the United States. Recent statistics show that 117 million American adults—about half of the U.S. adult population—have one or more chronic health conditions like heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Plus, two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the […]
Experts share the latest diet strategies for heart health
After three-and-a-half days of presentations on nutrition research at the recent American Heart Association (AHA) conference, here’s EN’s take-away on today’s big questions on heart health: SATURATED AND TRANS FATS These are still targets. Despite questions raised by headlines, limiting saturated fat remains important for heart health, according to Robert Eckel, M.D., director of the […]
Sauna time linked to longer life, fewer fatal heart problems
By Beverly Merz Harvard Health Blog After such a long, frigid winter, I wouldn’t mind sitting in a sauna for a while. A new report in JAMA Internal Medicine makes this pastime even more appealing: Regularly spending time in a sauna may help keep the heart healthy and extend life. Researchers from the University of […]
Chicago Health’s Mediterranean Salmon and Vegetables
A healthy dish cooked with citrus and herbs, fresh ingredients and big flavor. Perfect for an easy lunch or a light dinner. Serves 4. Per Serving: 345 Cal | 41 Carbs | 12g Fat | 21g Protein | 281mg Sodium | 11g Sugar Ingredients: 8 oz Salmon 2 cups Linguini 2 medium Zucchini (cut into […]
