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Total 62 results found since Jan 2013.

5 inflammation-fighting food swaps
Inflammation: if you follow health news, you probably hear about it often. When is inflammation helpful? How can it be harmful? What steps can you take to tone it down? What is inflammation and how does it affect your body? If you’re not familiar with the term, inflammation refers to an immune system reaction to an infection or injury. In those instances, inflammation is a beneficial sign that your body is fighting to repair itself by sending in an army of healing white blood cells. As the injury heals or the illness is brought under control, inflammation subsides. You’ve probably seen this happen with a minor ankle sp...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 10, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kelly Bilodeau Tags: Arthritis Autoimmune diseases Health Heart Health Nutrition Source Type: blogs

Can fitness counter fatness?
In a recent study, researchers attempted to answer the very question posed in the title of this post. Before delving into the findings of this study and how it fits with what we already know about this topic, let’s define some key terms. What do we mean by fitness and fatness? Fitness, also referred to as cardiovascular fitness or cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), is a measure of the performance of the heart, lungs, and muscles of the body. Muscle performance includes measures of both strength and endurance. Because of the connections between the mind and body, fitness also has an effect on mental alertness and emotional ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 1, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Chika Anekwe, MD, MPH Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Exercise and Fitness Source Type: blogs

Returning to sports and physical activity after COVID-19: What parents need to know
While most children and teens who have COVID-19 recover completely, sometimes the virus can have lasting effects. One of those effects can be damage to the muscle of the heart — and if a damaged heart is stressed by exercise, it can lead to arrhythmias, heart failure, or even sudden death. This appears to be rare. But given that we are literally learning as we go when it comes to COVID-19, it’s hard for us to know how rare — and just how risky exercise after testing positive for COVID-19 might be. To help doctors, coaches, gym teachers, parents, and caregivers make safe decisions, the American Academy of Pediatrics h...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 19, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Adolescent health Children's Health Coronavirus and COVID-19 Exercise and Fitness Source Type: blogs

3 simple steps to jump-start your heart health this year
In 2020, the terrible toll of the COVID-19 pandemic largely overshadowed the affliction that remains the leading cause of death in this country: heart disease. In the United States last year, at least twice as many people died from cardiovascular causes as those who died from complications from SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus. While the challenges from the virus are new, experts have been studying heart disease for decades — and everyone can benefit from that knowledge. “The lifestyle habits that keep your heart healthy may also leave you less vulnerable to serious complications from infections such as COVID-19 and i...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 12, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Julie Corliss Tags: Exercise and Fitness Health Healthy Eating Heart Health Source Type: blogs

Do pro-inflammatory diets harm our health? And can anti-inflammatory diets help?
This study also showed that pro-inflammatory diets were associated with a poor cholesterol profile. This finding was also seen in other another study, also published in JACC, which found that pro-inflammatory foods had a harmful effect on cholesterol levels while some anti-inflammatory foods had favorable effects. What foods are pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory? Foods with a higher pro-inflammatory potential are red meat, processed meat, and organ meat; refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, and many desserts; and sweetened beverages including colas and sports drinks. Foods that have a higher anti-inf...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 23, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Katherine D. McManus, MS, RD, LDN Tags: Food as medicine Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs

Aggressive hypertension treatment does not lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. It is a primary risk factor for numerous medical conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, and dementia. Blood pressure (BP) control is so critical that when the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology updated their treatment guidelines in 2017, they called for more aggressive blood pressure treatment. They lowered the definition of normal, or optimal, blood pressure to less than 120/80 mm Hg, and they recommended treatment for blood pressure higher than ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 2, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Alyson Kelley-Hedgepeth, MD Tags: Hypertension and Stroke Source Type: blogs

Is it safe to reduce blood pressure medications for older adults?
“Doctor, can you take away any of my medications? I am taking too many pills.” As physicians, we hear this request frequently. The population most affected by the issue of being prescribed multiple medications, known as polypharmacy, is the elderly. Trying to organize long lists of medications, and remembering to take them exactly as prescribed, can become a full-time job. In addition to the physical and emotional burden of organizing medications, older adults are at increased risk for certain types of side effects and potential worse outcomes due to polypharmacy. A common source of prescriptions is high blood pressure...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - August 26, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Hanna Gaggin, MD, MPH Tags: Drugs and Supplements Hypertension and Stroke Source Type: blogs

Lifestyle changes are important for managing atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (afib) is a common heart rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat fast and irregularly. Afib commonly causes recurrent symptoms, usually palpitations and shortness of breath, and can negatively affect quality of life. Afib also substantially increases the risk of stroke, and is also associated with heart failure, high blood pressure, and diabetes. People with afib routinely require lifelong treatment with blood thinners, to prevent blood clots that can lead to strokes. Doctors are only recently understanding the importance of lifestyle factors in treating afib. Modifiabl...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 31, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Alyson Kelley-Hedgepeth, MD Tags: Diabetes Diet and Weight Loss Exercise and Fitness Healthy Eating Heart Health Sleep Source Type: blogs

Gender differences in cardiovascular disease: Women are less likely to be prescribed certain heart medications
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer of both women and men in the US. Despite the significant impact CVD has on women, awareness and education for women’s heart disease has historically been low. A recent study, based on data from over two million patients, suggests that women were less likely to be prescribed aspirin, statins, and certain blood pressure medications compared to men. CVD is a group of diseases involving the heart or blood vessels. It includes high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure, heart valve problems, and abnormal heart rhythms. CVD ca...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 16, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Hannah Gaggin, MD, MPH Tags: Drugs and Supplements Heart Health Women's Health Source Type: blogs

Making telemedicine more inclusive
As a primary care physician at an academic community health care system in Massachusetts, I received a rapid introduction to telehealth this year. Within days after Massachusetts declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID-19, almost all of our patient visits became telemedicine visits. Our staff reached out to patients to inform them of different ways they could get in touch with their doctor. Many would be able to gain access to health care through a health app connected to their healthcare web portal, or through a phone call or video call. The enormous potential of telehealth was apparent to me with...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 3, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Meera Sunder, MBBS, MRCOG Tags: Coronavirus and COVID-19 Health Health care disparities Health trends Source Type: blogs

Marijuana may be risky for your heart
Now that marijuana is legal for medical or recreational use in many states, growing numbers of Americans — including older people — are imbibing this popular drug. In fact, the percentage of people ages 65 and older who said they used some form of marijuana almost doubled between 2015 and 2018, a recent study reports. Compared with prescription drugs, the health consequences of using marijuana are not nearly as well studied. But converging evidence suggests that the drug may be harmful for the heart, according to a review article in JACC: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. More than two million Americans wi...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 1, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Julie Corliss Tags: Heart Health Marijuana Source Type: blogs

Olive oil or coconut oil: Which is worthy of kitchen-staple status?
Coconut oil has developed a cultlike following in recent years, with proponents touting benefits ranging from body fat reduction to heart disease prevention. Sadly for devotees, the evidence to support these assertions remains rather sparse. But there is plenty of research to suggest that other plant-based oils have advantages over their animal-derived counterparts, particularly when it comes to heart health. So which is best? While no specific type should be hyped as a panacea, one variety isn’t getting the press it deserves: olive oil. The case for olive oil continues to grow Olive oil is a staple fat in the Mediterran...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - June 18, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Emily Gelsomin, MLA, RD, LDN Tags: Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs

Are statins enough? When to consider PCSK9 inhibitors
For well over 30 years, physicians have understood the role of LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad”) cholesterol in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). LDL cholesterol levels are directly correlated with increasing CVD risk and, as summarized in a recent blog post, lowering LDL cholesterol levels, through both lifestyle changes and medications, has been shown to reduce this risk. Statins are the first-line choice of medications for lowering LDL cholesterol. They are widely prescribed for both primary prevention (reducing CVD risk in patients without known CVD) and secondary prevention (preventing subsequ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - June 8, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Alyson Kelley-Hedgepeth, MD Tags: Drugs and Supplements Heart Health Source Type: blogs

Go to the hospital if you need emergency care, even in the era of COVID-19
In the era of COVID-19, the hospital must be a place of mystery to those on the outside. I imagine some think it’s bustling with activity, with caregivers scurrying around at a frenetic pace. Of course, we’ve seen video on the news from hard-hit New York City or Lombardy, Italy, when they were at their initial peak of the COVID-19 epidemic. But the reality is that, in most hospitals around the country, it is actually somewhat calmer than usual. This calm makes sense given the mandate for social distancing, working from home, and canceling nonessential activities. What doesn’t make sense is this: in the emergency depa...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 5, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Scott Weiner, MD Tags: Emergency Planning Heart Health Hypertension and Stroke Source Type: blogs

Is angioplasty plus stenting or coronary artery bypass surgery better for treating left main coronary artery disease?
This study found no difference between the two treatments for the main endpoint. The stenting group had a slightly higher rate of death, but it wasn’t due to cardiac causes. (There were slightly more patients in the stenting group who died from infection and cancer, which was felt to be unrelated to the procedure.) Similar to NOBLE, EXCEL also found that patients undergoing stenting had higher rates of needing bypass surgery or repeat stenting. There was no difference in stroke rates. A recent meta-analysis (a study that pools together and analyzes many studies) found that bypass surgery and stenting were equal in terms ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 27, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Darshan Doshi, MD, MS Tags: Health Heart Health Surgery Source Type: blogs