heart-disease-related stories
Can Nutrition Bars Give You Cavities?
Photo: jupiterimages
While they may be good for your body as a whole, nutrition and energy bars can wreak havoc on the teeth. The sticky consistency of many of these bars makes it difficult for the mouth to wash away particles that can adhere to the teeth. Leftover food bits that remain in the mouth become fodder for bacteria, which begin to produce the acid that leads to tooth decay within 15 to 20 minutes after food fragments are present, says Dr. Richard H. Price, spokesman for the American Dental Association.
The inherent problem with nutrition bars is that we mostly consume on the go, which means that we don't necessarily have access to toothpaste and a toothbrush. If you know you're going to be eating a nutrition bar after a workout, Price suggests brushing and flossing before you begin exercising so you can at least start off with a clean mouth. If that's not an option, drinking water can help saliva dissolve any food remnants left in the mouth, giving the bacteria less to feed on.
Lycopene - The Nutrient Behind the Tomato Pill
Health in a pill. It's the old miracle cure that so many people wish for. The newest cure-in-a-pill is the tomato pill, which is said to help beat heart disease. More testing and trials are needed to determine the efficacy of this pill, but the main ingredient -- lycopene -- is a naturally-occurring antioxidant with many health benefits.
Lycopene is thought to help reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and it might also be beneficial for diabetes, osteoporosis, eye health and even male infertility. In addition, lycopene may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Rather than popping a pill, why not include plenty of lycopene-rich foods in your diet? When looking for lycopene, just see red; lycopene is the natural pigment that gives many red fruits and vegetables their color. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, but guava, red bell peppers, watermelon and pink grapefruit are too.
Vitamins - Are We Expecting Too Much?
I'll be honest. I'm not a big fan of multivitamins. I don't think they're a bad thing and I would never try to talk someone out of taking them. However, if you eat a nutritious and varied diet, popping a pill seems a bit redundant to me. Kind of like putting in your contact lenses and then putting on a pair of glasses to make sure you can really, really see. Researchers recently found that, while multivitamins are unlikely to do any harm, supplements don't help older women fight off heart disease and cancer. The results seem to confirm other recent studies that say some supplements don't have the same cancer-fighting abilities as the vitamins do when found in food.
As with most studies, other researchers have stepped forward to point out flaws. Be that as it may, it makes me wonder if we're expecting a bit much from our multivitamins. Since when did multivitamins have to don their superhero suits and fight off all diseases?
Multivitamins are intended to be a part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise. They aren't a free pass that gives you the option of eating nothing but junk and they aren't a magic potion that will ward off disease.
Salt - NY Doctor Wages War Against Sodium
Around 80 percent of sodium in the average American's diet comes from processed foods. Dr. Frieden met with some of the big-wigs in the world of food processing to suggest a plan of action. He wants the sodium in processed foods cut by 25 percent in five years, and another 25 percent in a decade.
To me, on the health and wellness side of things, that seems like a generous time frame. But can't you just imagine the reactions the food processing execs had? After all, salt is an important ingredient for the food processors. Not only does it add flavor, it reduces dryness in some products, covers up metallic/chemical tastes in drinks, and even helps make cookies and cakes sweeter.
Dr. Frieden estimates that a 50 percent reduction in the sodium content of processed foods could potentially save 150,000 lives in America each year. That's a pretty big incentive, don't you think?
Liposuction Cures Love Handles, Doesn't Help the Heart
Liposuction is a quick -- if not entirely easy -- way to get rid of the belly fat. But while lipo might help you slip effortlessly into that itty, bitty bikini just in time for spring break, it won't do much to improve your health.Belly fat isn't just unsightly, it's also dangerous. But the belly fat targeted by lipo sits just under the skin, while the stuff you really want to get rid of hangs out around your internal organs. Studies show that while lipo can reduce waist circumference, a risk factor for weight-related diseases, it doesn't appear to impact inflammation in the body.
There's only one way to banish that kind of blubber once and for all, through good old diet and exercise. Lipo can get rid of the fat, but changing your lifestyle once and for all prevents you from ever putting it back on again ... and that trumps instant results any day.
Put a new notch in your belt this month with AOL Health's Shrink a Size, and don't forget to check out how much our readers have already lost!
Chocolate, Red Wine and Tea - Resolve to Eat Them in 2009
Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements
Here's what he says you can consume: 1/2 glass of red wine, four squares of chocolate (dark is best) and five cups of tea per day. Not too shabby, eh? The perk, besides that you get to savor these tasty goods, is that you'll decrease your risk of heart and vascular disease.
Yes, these three are good for you. The problem, warns Rosenfeld, is that giving permission to the masses to enjoy chocolate, wine and tea often turns into pure indulgence. Moderation, my friends. Moderation.
Vitamin D - Step Outside for a Healthy Heart
It's a well-known fact that vitamin D is important for bone health. But it's important for other reasons as well.Low levels of vitamin D can increase the risk of heart-health issues, including heart attacks and strokes. While you do obtain some vitamin D through diet, the best source is sunlight. So now, while the evenings are short, it's important to make a concentrated effort to get some exposure to the sun.
Ten minutes of sun exposure is enough for people with light skin -- those with darker skin will need a little extra time. Try going for a walk during your lunch hour -- it's a perfect way to get your daily dose of sunlight while getting a little extra exercise as well.
Lose weight and lower inflammation
Overweight and unfit men are more likely to have high numbers of white blood cells. Why is this important? Because white blood cells play an important role in health, and elevated numbers can indicate the presence of infection or inflammation (inflammation is a sign of heart disease). But send diet and fitness to the rescue, and all can be well.Pennington Biomedical Research Center conducted a study that looked at 452 healthy men. After finding the correlation between fitness/weight and elevated white blood cells, lead researcher and professor Tim Church says: "There is nothing worse than a risk factor that an individual cannot modify, but here are two risk factors -- obesity and fitness -- which they can do something about."
Well said, Professor. Reducing inflammation is just the latest in a long list of reasons to exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
Meet the real women of the Go Red campaign
The American Heart Association's Go Red campaign draws attention to heart disease in women. The organization recently announced the nine women that are going to be the faces of the campaign.
While having a celebrity promote a cause is inspiring, I think having real women -- women that could be your friends, sisters, neighbors -- is even more inspiring. Take 39-year-old Cathy for instance; she's an athlete but when her heart rate skyrocketed unexpectedly she went to the doctor and was later diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Or 53-year-old Patricia who underwent surgery after learning she had a severely blocked artery; while on the operating table she went into cardiac arrest and was miraculously revived. Their stories are going to be aired on NBC soon; AHA has an airtime schedule for your convenience.
You can also take inspiration from the seven real women that are the faces of AHA's Choose to Move fitness program.
While having a celebrity promote a cause is inspiring, I think having real women -- women that could be your friends, sisters, neighbors -- is even more inspiring. Take 39-year-old Cathy for instance; she's an athlete but when her heart rate skyrocketed unexpectedly she went to the doctor and was later diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Or 53-year-old Patricia who underwent surgery after learning she had a severely blocked artery; while on the operating table she went into cardiac arrest and was miraculously revived. Their stories are going to be aired on NBC soon; AHA has an airtime schedule for your convenience.
You can also take inspiration from the seven real women that are the faces of AHA's Choose to Move fitness program.
Over half of Americans taking prescription drugs
Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
Look at the person on your left. Now turn to the person on your right. Chances are, one of those people are on some sort of chronic prescription medication. For the first time ever, over half of Americans are.You might think that this is good news, that all that medication means that pharmaceuticals have caught up with chronic conditions. But actually, say health experts, it means that America's health is in a downward spiral. Most of those meds are for conditions like coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Experts say it's our couch potato mentality and drug company advertising that's gotten us into this position. What's worrisome is that children's use of prescribed medication is on the rise as well.
Small but healthy changes in lifestyle can mean disease prevention. If you haven't had a chance to join our Summer Quick Fix program, check it out today. Check out this healthy meal plan for some tips on better nutrition for your body.
Three heart healthy tests for women
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
Women are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. That's why it's even more important today to prevent one of the leading causes of death among women: heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65.
While most of the risk factors, signs and symptoms are the same in women as they are in men, there are unique aspects to women's heart health that are different, so it's important to get tested. And though many tests measure cardiac health, some are better at detecting disease in women.
According to MORE magazine, these are the tests that you should be asking for and why:
- Stress echocardiogram -- A stress echocardiogram uses ultrasound to show the heart's motion at rest and at peak exercise and is more accurate for women than conventionsl stress testing, which can lead to false positives in women.
You Are What You Eat: Do apples really keep the doctor away?
Healthy Habits, Vegetarian, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!We all know the old wives' tale, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," but is it really true?
Well, it is the season, and we are all eating them, so we may as well find out just how good for us apples are.
High in vitamin C and antioxidants and soluble and insoluble fiber, the apple just may keep the cardiologist away, since these nutrients are so heart-protective. Apples even provide some sun protection when you eat them, so avoid a sunburn with an apple snack before you head outdoors and the dermatologist may be a doctor of the past.
Some tips to make sure you are getting the most from the apples you are eating:
