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Category: cardiovascular health

Published on Leave a comment on Over 30 Health Harms Associated With Ultra-Processed Foods

The studies finding health harms from ultra-processed foods keep coming. Ultra-processed foods are food products manufactured with all sorts of ingredients (additives) not normally found in our kitchens. Examples of such ingredients are: emulsifiers, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate, cellulose, colors, titanium dioxide, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, dextrose, whey protein, nitrates, flavors (artificial and natural), colors, etc.

A large review of studies (none of which were affiliated with companies producing ultra-processed foods) found that eating ultra-processed foods are linked to over 30 health harms. Some of the health harms had especially strong associations: early death, death from heart disease (cardiovascular disease), type 2 diabetes, adverse sleep outcomes, wheezing, and obesity. In general, the more ultra-processed foods one ate, the higher the risk for harms.

Bottom line: Read ingredient lists, and try to avoid ultra-processed foods. Even foods such as cereals can have one that is ultra-processed (a formulation of ingredients that result from industrial processes) next to one that only has natural real ingredients without any additives.

From Medical Xpress: Consistent evidence links ultra-processed food to over 30 damaging health outcomes

Consistent evidence shows that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders, and early death. ...continue reading "Over 30 Health Harms Associated With Ultra-Processed Foods"

Published on Leave a comment on ADHD Medications and Increased Risk of Heart Disease

Many children and adults have been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and been prescribed medications as a result. Medications that are taken daily for years. The big question is: Are there long-term health effects from ADHD medications?

A large study looking at long-term use of ADHD medications found an increase in cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and arterial disease, when compared to persons with ADHD who did not take medications. The longer the medications were taken, the higher the risk for hypertension and arterial disease.

In the 14 year follow-up, the researchers found that each 1 year increase of ADHD medication was associated with a 4% increased risk of heart disease (cardiovascular disease). The risk was higher for stimulant medications (e.g., methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine) than for non-stimulant medications.

From Medical Xpress: Long-term ADHD medication use associated with increased cardiovascular disease

Research led by the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, has found an increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with long-term ADHD ( attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) medication use. Specific associations with different medications and dosages were connected to hypertension and arterial disease, with a higher risk observed for stimulant medications. ...continue reading "ADHD Medications and Increased Risk of Heart Disease"

Published on Leave a comment on Try Exercise First For Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is a serious problem for many men, especially as they get older. A review and analysis of 11 well-done studies  looking at whether exercise helps with erectile dysfunction found that YES, it does.

They found that exercising for at least 30 minutes three times a week can be just as effective as Viagra and Cialis at improving erectile dysfunction (ED). Also, the worse the ED at the start of a study, the more exercise helped.

What were the exercises? Any aerobic activities that got the heart pumping, such as cycling, tennis, or brisk walking. In the studies looked at, the exercise sessions were typically 30 to 60 minutes, and occurred 3 to 5 times a week. Some studies had the men exercise on their own, while other studies had the men attend supervised exercise sessions.

Bottom line: Exercise improved ED in all men! It didn't matter what the men weighed, their medication use - it helped them all. (Examples of earlier studies looking at exercise and physical activity helping improve ED.)

This could be because ED is considered a measure of a man's overall heart health. When there is heart disease, inflammation, and narrowing or hardening of the arteries - then ED increases. Physical activity, on the other hand, improves health, including heart disease.

Excerpts from Medscape: Exercise as Good as Viagra for ED: Study

Exercising for at least 30 minutes three times a week can be just as effective as Viagra and similar medications at improving erectile function, according to a new analysis of the best research to date on aerobic exercise and erectile function. ...continue reading "Try Exercise First For Erectile Dysfunction"

Published on Leave a comment on Daily Walking Up Stairs Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease

We've known for a while that exercise and physical activity lower the risk of developing heart disease. It turns out that a good exercise that many of us do in the course of ordinary life is walking up and down stairs. Yes, that counts!

A large study (458,860 adults) used data from the UK (Biobank). They found that walking up 5 flights of stairs (about 50 steps) daily was associated with a 20% lower risk of developing heart disease (including ischemic strokes) after 5 years.

Interestingly, persons who were stair climbers at the beginning of the study, but then stopped at some point during the 5 year length of the study had a higher risk of heart disease than those who never climbed stairs.

Bottom line: Walk up stairs whenever you can. It's good for your heart!

From Science Daily: Walking more than five flights of stairs a day can cut risk of heart disease by 20 percent, study says

Forget walking 10,000 steps a day. Taking at least 50 steps climbing stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a new study from Tulane University. ...continue reading "Daily Walking Up Stairs Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease"

Published on Leave a comment on Being Physical Fit Is Linked To A Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke

A recent large study found another great reason for being physically active. The researchers found that physical fitness is linked to  atrial fibrillation (AFib) and stroke.

Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm disorder, and having it is linked to a much higher risk of having a stroke. The researchers found that being physically fit (exercise! physical activity!) is linked to lower rates of atrial fibrillation, stroke, and MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart attack leading to death).

There was an eleven year follow up of the approximately 15,450 participants, all of whom did not have atrial fibrillation at the start of the study. The study tested the  physical fitness of the participants (average age 55 years) on an exercise treadmill.

Bottom line: Physical activity and physical fitness are important for reducing the risk of developing heart problems, including atrial fibrillation. Yes, even taking walks (brisk is best) will improve physical fitness.

From Science Daily: Keep fit to avoid heart rhythm disorder and stroke

A study in more than 15,000 people has found that physical fitness is linked with a lower likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation and stroke. The research is presented at ESC Congress 2023.
...continue reading "Being Physical Fit Is Linked To A Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke"

Published on Leave a comment on It Turns Out That The Thymus Is Important For Adult Health
Thymus, an organ of the lymphatic system Credit: Wikipedia

It turns out that a body part considered unimportant, and that frequently gets removed during operations - is actually important for adult health. This body part is the thymus. The thymus is frequently (routinely) removed during heart surgery for easier access to the heart and major blood vessels.

The thymus is an organ of the immune system within which T cells mature. For years the medical community regarded the thymus as only important before birth and during childhood, but "nonfunctional" in adults. A recent large study found that this view is wrong - that even in adults the thymus is important for immune and overall health.

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers found that after 5 years a higher risk of death from any cause (all cause mortality), cancer, and even autoimmune diseases among those who had thymus removal (thymectomy) versus those who had similar heart (cardiothoracic) surgery without thymus removal.

In other words, we need all our body parts! Even if the medical community doesn't quite understand (at this time) why we have them.

Excerpts from Medical Xpress: Study reveals unexpected importance of the thymus in adults

The thymus gland—which produces immune T cells before birth and during childhood— is often regarded as nonfunctional in adults, and it's sometimes removed during cardiac surgery for easier access to the heart and major blood vessels. ...continue reading "It Turns Out That The Thymus Is Important For Adult Health"

Published on Leave a comment on Study Finds Mediterranean Diet Lowers the Risk of Developing Heart Disease In Women

A recent study was good news for those wishing to lower their chances of developing heart disease (cardiovascular disease) without the use of medications. Instead, focus on the foods you eat, specifically those in a Mediterranean-style diet.

The Univ. of Sydney researchers did an analysis of 16 existing studies (with 722,495 women) and found that women following a Mediterranean diet lowered their odds of developing heart disease by 24% and lowered their risk of early death by 23%.

In this study, a Mediterranean diet meant eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil. Moderate amounts of seafood, low to moderate in wine consumption, and low in red/processed meats, dairy products, animal fat, and processed foods.

Why is the Mediterranean diet beneficial? The diet focuses on whole foods that are also rich in fiber, antioxidants, has an increased intake of all sorts of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, flavanols, etc.), less oxidative stress, it's anti-inflammatory, reduced glycemic load, boosts the immune system, and feeds the beneficial microbes in our gut microbiome.

Interestingly, studies find that frequent consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) lowers the risk of death from several diseases (heart disease, cancer, neurogenerative disease, and respiratory disease), lowers the incidence of breast cancer, and promotes healthier brain aging. A Mediterranean diet is associated with numerous health benefits (e.g., lower dementia risk) besides a lower heart disease risk.

These findings are important because heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. According to the CDC, it is the number 1 killer of women in the United States.

From Medical Xpress: Mediterranean diet cuts women's cardiovascular disease and death risk by nearly 25%, finds study

Sticking closely to a Mediterranean diet cuts a woman's risks of cardiovascular disease and death by nearly 25%, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence—the first of its kind—published online in the journal Heart. ...continue reading "Study Finds Mediterranean Diet Lowers the Risk of Developing Heart Disease In Women"

Published on Leave a comment on Doctors Recommend Mediterranean Style Diet For Health
Fast food Credit: Wikipedia

Say it over and over to yourself: Don't eat highly processed foods, don't eat foods with additives (e.g., emulsifiers, colors), don't eat foods/beverages with high fructose corn syrup, don't eat lots of pre-packaged foods or fast foods.

Why? This kind of high fat, low-fiber Western diet (which most of us eat), is linked to lots of health problems  and also an unhealthy gut microbiome. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease!

Instead, eat a Mediterranean style diet - a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, whole grains, legumes. Also, lots of olive oil. This is a high fiber diet linked to good health and a healthy gut microbiome.

Research finds harms (e.g., harmful alterations of the gut microbiome or intestinal lining, cancer) from ingredients added to highly processed foods, such as emulsifiers, carrageenan, artificial sweeteners, maltodextrin, carboxymethyl cellulose, polysorbate-80, artificial colors and flavors, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Bottom line: Try to avoid any ingredient that's not normally in your kitchen! Read ingredient lists on labels.

Excerpts from a commentary (transcript of podcast) by Dr. D. Johnson from Medscape: Forget Fad Diets, Here's the One You Need

Hello. I'm Dr David Johnson, professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. Welcome back to another GI Common Concerns.

All of us routinely see diet recommendations on the Internet — like TikTok — or in new books. Every possible diet seems to receive this promotional push, although the evidence behind them is often lacking.

So what do we mean when we talk about a "healthy diet"? ...continue reading "Doctors Recommend Mediterranean Style Diet For Health"

Published on Leave a comment on Exercise Snacks Can Be An Easy Way To Improve Fitness

Some good news for those finding it hard to find time or motivation for lengthy exercise sessions. It turns out that frequent little bursts of exercise about 1 to 2 minutes long also have tremendous health benefits, even if you spend most of the day sitting. Think of them as "exercise snacks".

An exercise or activity snack is a "brief snippet of exercise, usually lasting a minute or two, and done frequently during the day". There are studies (exercise snacking research!) finding it a good way to improve fitness, especially cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health. The benefits of exercise snacking can be comparable to lengthier traditional workouts.

Some examples of exercise or activity snacks: walking quickly up and down a staircase, walking quickly around a room, rising and lowering 15 times from a chair, and jumping up and down. Ideally anything that'll raise your heart rate and breathing briefly. Sounds easier than going to a gym, doesn't it?

The Washington Post has a nice article about exercise snacking. Below that is an example of recent exercise snack research.

From The Washington Post - These 2-minute exercise bursts may be better than your regular workout

Here’s an easy and effective way to add physical activity to your daily routine during the new year: turn your exercise into a snack.

New research shows exercise “snacks,” which consist of brief spurts of exertion spread throughout the day, can improve metabolic health, raise endurance and stave off some of the undesirable changes in our muscles that otherwise occur when we sit too long.

...continue reading "Exercise Snacks Can Be An Easy Way To Improve Fitness"

Published on Leave a comment on Drinking Tea Every Day Has Health Benefits

Some good news. A study found that frequent consumption of foods and beverages containing flavonoids by elderly women had health benefits. Flavonoids are compounds found naturally in plants, and that have health-promoting effects.

The 881 women (aged 78 to 82 years) in the Australian study were less likely to have abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) if they ingested high levels of flavonoids in their diet. This is significant because AAC is a major predictor of cardiovascular disease events, such as heart attacks, strokes, and death.

Drinking black tea daily was their major source of flavonoids. Drinking 2 to 6 cups a day lowered the risk of having extensive AAC.

Good flavonoid sources are: black tea, green tea, wine, apples, nuts, citrus fruits, berries, grapes, onions, broccoli, kale, parsley, and dark chocolate. There are different types of flavonoids, each with different health-promoting effects. This is why it's good to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

From Science Daily: Put the kettle on! How black tea (and other favorites) may help your health later in life

A daily cup of tea could help you to enjoy better health late in life -- however if you're not a tea drinker, there are other things you can add to your diet. ...continue reading "Drinking Tea Every Day Has Health Benefits"