Disease Archives - Page 3 of 3

December 14, 2022

Amy Schumer talks about living with endometriosis, a ‘lonely disease’

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Comic Amy Schumer has opened up about her serious health ailment, endometriosis, which impacts millions of women globally, calling it a “lonely disease.”

In a short clip forward of a Paramount As well as docuseries, “The Checkup With Dr. David Agus,” airing Tuesday, Schumer stated her encounters have been “really challenging.”

“I’ve been in so a great deal ache, you know, my total existence — not just the week of my interval,” she said.

“For months, I had been complaining of suffering. It was just this pain you just cannot see, and there is the inclination to generally feel a woman is just becoming dramatic,” she added.

Endometriosis is a persistent ailment in which tissue comparable to the lining of the uterus grows outside the house the uterus, these types of as on the fallopian tubes, or in the bowels or bladder. It can bring about “severe, everyday living-impacting pain” and can lead to infertility, in accordance to the Globe Health Group. It afflicts about 10 per cent of reproductive-age gals and ladies globally.

In the United States, extra than 6.5 million females have endometriosis, in accordance to the Office on Women’s Wellness, a federal government wellness company. It is most typical in women in their 30s and 40s. Signs or symptoms consist of bleeding, chronic pelvic suffering, nausea and fatigue, and soreness through intervals, sexual intercourse, bowel actions and urination.

The illness is usually misdiagnosed because of its variable indications and for the reason that in several countries “healthcare providers are not conscious that distressing and lifetime-altering pelvic pain is not standard,” the Planet Well being Group said.

Ladies have formerly advised The Washington Article they struggled to make medical practitioners take their agony severely or get an precise analysis, although the Endometriosis Basis of America claims a lot more requires to be accomplished to increase recognition of the condition.

“It just hurts, and it’s genuinely just a lonely, lonely disorder,” reported Schumer.

She included that she ordeals just one particular “good week a month” when she is not in “pretty substantial suffering.” Regardless of this, the award-profitable actress and comic stated she continue to tries to “achieve” and “go by way of everyday living.”

Endometriosis has no heal, and treatment method is usually based mostly on assuaging its signs.

Final year, Schumer informed her followers in a video posted on Instagram that she experienced her appendix and uterus taken out as a end result of the ailment. Society can typically be dismissive or “paint ladies as weak” if they complain about agony, she added.

Far more females than guys experience strokes, but several do not notice the threat

“We’ve been explained to for so extensive that we’re irritating and remarkable and all these matters, and we’re not,” she mentioned. “My discomfort is actual, your pain is actual — we have to advocate for ourselves.” She has also lamented that there was not a lot more funding or investigate likely into locating a heal for the serious disease.

Schumer, who is connected to Senate Vast majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), mentioned in the most recent clip that she felt like a “new person” after having medical procedures and was emotion greater “right absent.”

“Many ladies with endometriosis get expecting. But, you could find it more difficult to get expecting,” advises the Workplace on Women’s Health and fitness. Schumer gave birth to a son in 2019 and documented her ordeals in a clearly show named “Expecting Amy.”

December 9, 2022

9 Tips For Lowering Your Risk of Heart Disease

Among Americans, heart disease is the leading cause of death. Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the US. While heart disease statistics are scary, heart disease, generally speaking, is preventable for those who don’t have preexisting heart conditions.

However, there are challenges and several risk factors that can’t be changed, including family history, sex or age. Additionally, some people don’t have access to heart-healthy foods and others don’t have the opportunity to see a doctor and get insights about their current health status.

For the most part, however, the average person can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease with simple lifestyle changes, like the nine steps detailed here.

Health tips don’t end here. Check out tips to help you quit drinking alcohol, a dietary supplement that doubles as a sleep aid, and the best food for lowering blood pressure.

a close-up of runner's shoes — These lifestyle changes can significantly boost your heart health.

Getty Images

1. Take a daily walk

Decades of research support cardiovascular exercise as a first defense against heart disease. Walking is an easy, simple way to get cardio exercise in, and you can do it pretty much anywhere outdoors or indoors with a treadmill.

Studies show that walking can prevent heart disease risk despite being a less intense modality than other forms of cardio exercise, such as hiking, jogging or cycling. Plus, research suggests that more people stick to a walking plan over time versus other types of exercise, which makes walking more effective in the long run (no exercise is effective if you don’t keep it up).

And you can always make your walk harder if you want to improve your health even further.

Related: Best Treadmill for 2022

2. Strength train a few times each week

Most research on heart health and exercise has focused on aerobic exercise like walking. An emerging body of research points to resistance training as another way to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2018 study found that lifting weights for less than one hour a week could reduce your risk for a heart attack or stroke by up to 70{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} — independent of aerobic exercise, making these results even more significant.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this profound effect probably has something to do with the way weightlifting changes your body composition. Lifting weights helps you build muscle and lose fat. Excess body fat is a major risk factor for heart disease, so any exercise that helps you reduce body fat is helpful.

You don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to start strength training. Bodyweight exercises, such as air squats, push-ups and lunges, provide the same strengthening benefits at home.

3. Eat heart-healthy foods

Many delicious foods have a direct link to improved heart health. In general, a diet rich in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, fish and oils promotes heart health. If you don’t have access to fresh produce, frozen and canned fruits and veggies work just as well (just be mindful of salt intake when eating canned foods).

4. Limit foods linked to heart disease

On the flip side, several foods have direct links to heart disease. To reduce your risk of heart disease, limit high-fat and high-sugar foods such as potato chips and store-bought desserts. Highly processed foods, including most fast food, processed meats (think hot dogs and cured meats) and boxed snacks like Twinkies and crackers, also contain ingredients harmful to your heart.

Specifically, look out for trans fats (hydrogenated oils) and high-fructose corn syrup, two common key ingredients that aren’t great for your heart. Trans fats increase “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood, while high-fructose corn syrup is a driver of several heart disease risk factors and comorbidities.

Side note: Don’t be afraid of saturated fat on its own, as research has debunked the myth that saturated fat alone leads to heart disease. Many healthy foods, such as avocados and cheese, contain saturated fats. Processed foods are often high in saturated fat, but it’s more so the trans fats and refined carbohydrates to look out for.

5. Quit smoking

It’s common knowledge by now that smoking is just plain bad for health. Your heart is no exception. According to the Food and Drug Administration, cigarette smoking is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

Smoking impairs your cardiovascular system in a few ways: It leads to plaque buildup in your arteries, changes your blood chemistry and thickens blood, and permanently damages your heart muscle and blood vessels. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says that even an occasional cigarette can cause substantial damage.

6. Limit alcohol intake

We’re not here to tell you that you can’t enjoy your favorite cocktail or crack a cold one on game day, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the consequences of excess alcohol consumption. Drinking too much is generally bad for all your body systems.

In regard to heart health specifically, alcohol has been linked to various cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke. However, the exact relationships vary greatly depending on the quantity and pattern of consumption.

The American Heart Association maintains that drinking in moderation is OK, but once you inch past that mark (one drink per day for women and two for men), things take a turn for the worse. And, no, the link between red wine and heart health isn’t all that clear.

7. Keep stress levels low

More research is needed to understand exactly how stress contributes to heart disease, but scientists have observed a relationship between stress and heart health. For starters, high levels of chronic stress can trigger unhealthy coping habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or eating lots of high-fat or high-sugar food. Stress also undermines your body’s ability to rest and sleep.

Researchers have even identified a specific and unusual sort of heart attack called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress cardiomyopathy and “broken heart syndrome.” This condition has been linked to emotional trauma, but many patients with this condition exhibit no identifiable cause.

So, don’t underestimate the impact of stress on your heart. While stress is inevitable and unavoidable at times, it helps to have a handful of stress-relief tactics to rely on in times of extreme duress.

8. Prioritize sleep

If there were a miracle drug, sleep would probably be it, with exercise coming in a close second. Scientists have positioned sleep deprivation as a risk factor for heart disease because of inverse relationships between sleep duration and cardiovascular diseases: It seems the less sleep you get, the higher your risk for cardiovascular events.

Insomnia and sleep apnea have also been linked to heart disease, and sleep duration and quality seem to have a direct effect on blood pressure. Indirectly, sleep deprivation causes people to make poorer food choices and lack motivation to exercise, both of which increase the risk for heart disease.

Read more: Why You Should Skip Your Workout If You Didn’t Get Enough Sleep

9. See your doctor and keep up with health records

If you’re able to, schedule a yearly checkup with your doctor to make sure all’s in order.

Getting a blood panel that checks for cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and other important health markers can help you keep close tabs on your heart health. If you don’t have a primary care doctor, call your nearest urgent care or walk-in clinic to see if it offers basic blood tests. At the very least, checking your blood pressure with an at-home monitor gives you some indication of how you’re doing. Keep track of your health records so you can identify any changes or patterns over time.

If any indication of heart disease arises, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor any questions. Make sure you understand what the numbers mean, what changes you might need to make to your lifestyle, and if you’ll need any medications. Being an advocate for your own health gets you far.

Want more health tips? Read here how to naturally cure an upset stomach, 8 tips to help you quit smoking and how 15 minutes a day can make you more fit.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

December 4, 2022

Radical new therapy for Parkinson’s will use stem cell transplants | Parkinson’s disease

Early next year, a radical new therapy for Parkinson’s sickness involving tissue transplants will acquire its very first trial with clients – together with a team from the British isles.

Stem cells developed in the laboratory and remodeled into nerve cells will be made use of to replace all those wrecked by the disorder. It is hoped that these will end the spread of debilitating indications.

“It has taken a lengthy time to get to this stage but hopefully effects from these trials will imply that, in a several decades, we could be in a position to offer tissue transplants as regular treatment options for Parkinson’s,” reported Prof Roger Barker, of Cambridge College. “It is unquestionably a promising technique.”

In the British isles, about 145,000 people today are living with Parkinson’s and about 18,000 new scenarios are diagnosed just about every year. The illness is activated when nerve cells that source dopamine to the mind commence to die due to a mix of genetic and environmental factors.

Dopamine will help a person handle motion. When materials drop, the final result is shaking, stiffness, depression and other signs that can end with clients utilizing a wheelchair or getting mattress-ridden. The disease’s development can be slowed by the drug L-dopa, which replaces some of the shed function of dopamine cells. Treatments turn out to be much less effective about the decades. Scientists have been browsing for a long time for new approaches.

One particular thought has been to swap dying dopamine cells with unaffected variations, which has been experimented with by several centres throughout the earth. This in the beginning associated employing tissue from aborted foetuses that experienced been donated for health-related exploration.

Foetal tissue includes dopamine-producing cells that can supply the missing chemical, despite the fact that at the very least 6 or 7 foetuses are required to deliver sufficient content for a person individual. In trials in Europe, these cells ended up injected into patients’ brains with encouraging success. Other trials in the US observed these types of remedies much much less productive, having said that.

The use of tissue from aborted foetuses was opposed by lots of on spiritual grounds. It was also tough to supply sufficient supplies for widely made use of treatment options. Having said that, Barker and his staff at Cambridge – working in collaboration with scientists led by Prof Malin Parmar at Lund College in Sweden – have made a technological know-how that avoids these challenges.

The new strategy uses stem cells, from which all cells with specialised capabilities are generated in the human system. These stem cells can be developed in laboratory cultures. Even improved, researchers have figured out how to rework them into dopamine cells. These will sort the core of the transplants that will be carried out next thirty day period.

“We now know that placing dopamine cells in the brain will operate and the course of action is secure,” explained Barker. “There is no longer a problem about supply of enough tissue due to the fact we can manufacture these cells in big numbers in the laboratory. The value is relatively low. A offer of dopamine cells – built out of stem cells – has turn out to be standardised products and we really do not have any contaminating cells, which you can get with foetal tissue.

“That means that we are now at a stage where by we can use stem -mobile transplants as therapies for Parkinson’s sufferers, while it will take various years right before we will know that these perform and can be applied as normal treatment options for Parkinson’s disorder.”

The trials will start out in the up coming couple months and will proceed around the upcoming year. There will be 4 individuals from Sweden and four participants from the United kingdom. “The cells are in a freezer and prepared to go in,” stated Barker. “The transplants will be carried out in Sweden for the reason that they have the devices to carry this out. This will be adopted up in excess of the yr with even more trials.”

Experts assume that their trials will take at minimum two yrs to total. They will be followed by very careful scrutiny of the outcomes and of any aspect-results. Offered that these progress satisfactorily, tissue transplants could be completely ready for wider use in about five yrs.

“Younger sufferers will advantage most from this remedy,” reported Barker. “It is heading to be a a person-off treatment, so that the complications that you get with continual prescription drugs will not come up, though people innovative therapies involving deep-mind stimulation will not be wanted so frequently.”

September 17, 2022

Hospitals have many disease specialists, but often not for addiction. Now, that’s changing

In late December of 2021, Marie recognized she was acquiring more and additional hassle breathing. On the early morning of Dec. 28, she woke up gasping for air. Marie dialed 911.

“I was so scared,” explained Marie, her voice rising, her hand clutching her chest at the memory. The voice in the 63-calendar year-old’s head mentioned, “You’re going to die.”

At Salem Medical center, the workers treated Marie’s COPD, a long-term condition that consists of emphysema and long-term bronchitis. A medical professional checked in the future day and informed Marie her oxygen stages appeared very good.

We’re not which include Marie’s previous title because she, like a person in nine hospitalized patients, has a historical past of habit to medicines or alcohol. Disclosing that can make it hard to obtain housing, a task and even professional medical treatment in hospitals exactly where people with an habit may perhaps be shunned. But chatting to the medical doctor that morning, Marie felt she did not have a alternative.

“He explained I could be introduced,” Marie recalled. “And I said, ‘I got to inform you something. I’m a heroin addict, and I’m, like, starting off to be in major withdrawal. I are not able to basically go, please do not make me go.’ ”

At several hospitals in Massachusetts and across the nation, Marie, whilst in the soreness of withdrawal, would probably have been discharged. A hospital could deliver Marie on her way with referrals to a detox applications or areas she could phone for help.

Hospitals normally employ coronary heart, lung, kidney and other professionals. But if your illness is an addiction or a affliction connected to drug or alcohol use, there are number of hospitals in which individuals can see anybody who specializes in dependancy drugs — even as overdose fatalities arrive at file highs. And study shows the influence: an enhanced chance of lethal overdose in times or weeks after a hospital go to like Marie’s.

“They’re still left on their personal to determine it out, which regretably generally signifies resuming use, mainly because which is the only way to come to feel superior,” mentioned Liz Tadie, a nurse practitioner qualified in habit treatment.

Tadie introduced a new technique at Salem Hospital, a member of the Mass Common Brigham medical center network, applying a federal grant that other people in the medical center worked for a number of many years to protected. Tadie began what’s recognised as an addiction check with service. In this scenario, that workforce included Tadie, 3 recovery coaches and a affected person case supervisor.

So that day, when Marie explained, “Please do not make me go,” her medical professional didn’t inform Marie she experienced to depart. He termed Tadie. She attempted methadone, which didn’t help Marie, then switched to buprenorphine, a treatment that is serving to Marie deal with her habit to opioids. Marie claims she turned to Tadie for loads of guidance and reassurance as properly.

“Like, that I was not heading to be still left on your own,” Marie claimed, “like that I wasn’t likely to have to get in touch with a seller at any time once again, that I could delete the number. I want to get back again to my daily life. I just really feel grateful.”

Former director of substance use services at Salem Hospital Liz Tadie, left, and social worker Jean Monahan-Doherty. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) — Previous director of compound use services at Salem Clinic Liz Tadie, remaining, and social worker Jean Monahan-Doherty. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Tadie utilised good results tales like Marie’s to assist unravel a long time of misinformation, discrimination and ignorance about individuals with an dependancy and their procedure choices. Aspect of the trouble, claimed Tadie, is that medical professionals, nurses and other clinicians get pretty minor training in the physiology, medications and other aspects of cure. And what they do get is typically unhelpful.

“A ton of the info are out-of-date,” Tadie claimed. “And individuals are training to use stigmatizing language — terms like addict and compound abuse.”

Tadie gently corrected health professionals, for case in point, who believed they weren’t authorized to start out sufferers on methadone in the medical center.

“Sometimes I would advocate a dose and any person would give pushback,” Tadie said. But “we received to know the clinic health professionals and they, in excess of time, had been like, “OK, we can have faith in you. We’ll abide by your tips.”

Other members of Tadie’s team have also wrestled with getting their location in the medical center hierarchy. David Cave, one particular of the restoration coaches at Salem Healthcare facility, is generally the to start with human being to talk to an individual who arrives to the unexpected emergency space in withdrawal. He attempts to aid health professionals and nurses recognize what the individual is likely as a result of and support navigate their care.

“I’m possibly punching above my fat each and every time I check out to chat to a clinician or medical professional,” reported Cave. “They don’t see letters soon after my name. It can be form of hard.”

David Cave, a recovery coach who is part of a new addiction specialty team at Salem Hospital, stands outside of the emergency department. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) — David Cave, a recovery coach who is part of a new addiction specialty staff at Salem Healthcare facility, stands exterior of the crisis section. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

But naming habit as a specialty and selecting persons with training in this illness is shifting the culture of Salem Hospital, in accordance to Jean Monahan-Doherty, a social worker who’s referred clients to Tadie.

“There was eventually some recognition throughout the entire institution that this was a intricate healthcare condition that needed the notice of a specialist,” Monahan-Doherty explained. “People are dying. This is a terminal ailment unless it really is addressed.”

This method to treating dependancy is profitable about some Salem Medical center workers, but not all.

“Some of the clinical staff members keep on to see it as a moral problem,” Monahan-Doherty reported. “Sometimes you listen to an perspective of, ‘why are you putting all this effort and hard work into this affected person? They are not heading to get greater.’ Perfectly, how do we know? If a affected individual comes in with diabetic issues, we never say, ‘OK, they’ve been taught as soon as and it didn’t do the job. So we are not heading to present them guidance once again.’ ”

Even with some staff members reservations, Tadie and her staff have been overwhelmed quite a few days with referrals. That’s the pattern at 5 Massachusetts hospitals that added habit experts in the earlier 3 many years, funded via the federal Therapeutic Communities analyze.

“What starts as a trickle, results in being an lively stream and at instances, even a flood,” reported Dr. Jeffrey Samet, leader of the Massachusetts part of this nationwide check of instruments to lower overdose deaths. Samet, who techniques key care at Boston Clinical Centre, says adding dependancy experts in hospitals is a key piece of the solution.

“You really do offer greater treatment for sufferers and you make the treatment environment just one that people are additional contented working in,” Samet claimed.

Dr. Todd Kerensky, president of the Massachusetts Society of Habit Medicine, sees individuals who cry when they master he specializes in addiction and would like to take care of their disorder, not disgrace them.

“It’s intestine-wrenching to know there are a large amount of establishments that really do not have this service,” said Kerensky. It is not obvious how several hospitals in Massachusetts have addiction professionals on workers, but Kerensky claims it’s a “distinct minority.”

There are several possible motives. It is a new discipline, so getting certified team might be a hurdle. Some healthcare facility leaders say they are anxious about dropping revenue on dependancy treatment. And other people report not wanting to commence procedure, mainly because they aren’t certain exactly where to mail individuals for outpatient or residential treatment right after they are discharged from the medical center. Salem Medical center started what’s recognized as a bridge clinic exactly where individuals transition for outpatient care.

But Dr. Honora Englander, a nationwide leader in dependancy specialty plans, suggests hospitals that never have an habit specialty crew need to have to start out one.

“People with compound use disorder are coming to our hospitals now,” claimed Englander, who directs an dependancy treatment workforce at Oregon Health and Science College. “We cannot wait around. We have to do superior, and this is the time.”

Englander says the federal federal government could aid the generation of far more addiction check with products and services by giving economic incentives or penalties for hospitals that never embrace them. The Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies could require that hospitals inventory medications utilized to take care of an addiction, and monitor what occurs to patients hospitalized with a compound use problem as CMS previously does for other healthcare facility readmissions.

At Salem Clinic, some employees are fearful about the potential of their software. Liz Tadie is moving to a new job at a further medical center, and the federal grant has finished. But Salem Medical center leaders say they are dedicated, and the provider will proceed.

July 20, 2022

Tips, Meal Plan to Prevent Heart Disease

Your heart is a complex organ that works continuously to provide your body with a constant supply of oxygenated blood (1).

It’s part of the cardiovascular system, which also includes arteries, veins, and capillaries (2).

One of the most important ways to keep your cardiovascular system healthy is by following a nutritious diet low in foods and beverages linked to poor heart health and increased cardiovascular disease risk.

In fact, research suggests that diet may be the most preventative factor in heart disease-related death, which accounts for one-third of global mortality (3, 4).

Fortunately, following a heart-healthy diet can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease-related death and may even reverse heart disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood fat levels (3, 5, 6, 7).

In this article, I will explain how diet impacts heart health and share evidence-based ways to reduce heart disease risk and promote optimal cardiovascular health using simple, realistic dietary changes.

Your diet affects the health of every part of your body, including your heart.

After all, food provides the nutrients your body needs to function optimally, including protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals (8).

The foods and beverages you consume on a daily basis may affect heart health, either positively or negatively, which is why diet is considered a modifiable risk factor for heart disease.

Heart disease risk factors are categorized as modifiable or non-modifiable.

Diet falls into the modifiable category because it’s something that you can change. Other modifiable heart disease risk factors include:

People can modify their diet in order to improve and protect the health of their heart. Your dietary choices can either increase or decrease your risk of some of these risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood fat levels.

On the other hand, family health history and age fit into the non-modifiable risk factor category because they can’t be changed (9).

Blood pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when there’s a persistent elevation in the pressure measured within the large arteries (10).

Hypertension is currently defined as systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 130mmHg or higher and/or diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of more than 80 mmHg (10).

Keeping your blood pressure within a healthy range is critical for heart health.

High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and narrows arteries, which increases the workload on your heart. This can lead to an enlarged heart and increase the risk of heart failure (11).

Diet is an important part of keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level, since some nutrients — including sodium, potassium, and magnesium — affect blood pressure regulation (12, 13, 14).

While diets high in calories, sugar, and salt can lead to high blood pressure, diets rich in nutritious foods like vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and fish can help promote healthy blood pressure regulation and may even help reduce high blood pressure (15).

One review of 28 studies found that avoiding foods linked with high blood pressure, like sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meat, was associated with 44{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} lower risk of hypertension (16).

Blood fat levels

Elevated levels of blood lipids (fats), including high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, can negatively affect heart health and increase your risk of heart disease (17).

Managing blood lipid levels is essential for keeping your heart healthy. Elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides can contribute to atherosclerosis — the accumulation of plaque along the artery walls.

Elevated LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.

When LDL levels get too high, it can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which contributes to inflammation and increases the risk of heart disease (18, 19).

Having elevated triglyceride levels can also contribute to atherosclerosis and raise your risk of heart disease (20, 21).

Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the most important ways to manage blood fat levels.

Dietary patterns high in fiber-rich plant foods and low in added sugar and highly processed foods have been consistently associated with healthy blood fat levels and lower heart disease risk (22, 23, 24).

Blood sugar and insulin levels

Having elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance can take a serious toll on the heart.

High blood sugar can cause an accumulation of compounds called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and create oxidative stress, which damages the cardiovascular system and causes blood vessel dysfunction (25, 26).

Insulin resistance — when cells don’t respond appropriately to insulin and therefore can’t take up sugar from the bloodstream — also leads to cellular dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, which harm the heart (27).

That’s why diabetes is considered an independent risk factor for heart disease. In fact, people with diabetes are at two to four times the risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attack (28).

Diet plays a critical role in both the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Dietary patterns high in ultra-processed foods and added sugar are significantly linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance (29, 30, 31).

Remember that the term “processed foods” includes a wide variety of products, many of which are more convenient and less expensive than other foods. Not all foods that undergo processing are considered unhealthy or harmful. Learn more here.

Body weight

Obesity is considered a major risk factor for heart disease (31).

Having too much body fat may contribute, both directly and indirectly, to heart disease.

The accumulation of body fat puts strain on the muscles of the heart, known as the myocardium, and can trigger the development of fibrosis, or a scarring of the heart tissue. This can lead to cardiac dysfunction and increase the risk of heart failure (32, 33).

Additionally, obesity may increase the risk of high blood pressure, high blood lipid levels, and diabetes, which are considered major risk factors for heart disease (33).

Importantly, even in people who aren’t considered obese, having abdominal adiposity (or too much fat in the abdomen) can increase heart disease risk. Abdominal adiposity is usually measured by waist circumference (WC) (31).

A higher WC indicates visceral adiposity, or a high level of body fat surrounding the organs in the abdominal cavity, which can promote systemic inflammation and contribute to atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty deposits along artery walls (31).

Overconsumption of calories causes you to gain body fat, which can lead to obesity over time.

The standard Western diet, which is rich in calorie-dense foods like fried foods, sugary foods and beverages, and highly processed snack foods is significantly linked with obesity and heart disease risk (34).

Summary

Your diet can either increase or decrease your risk of heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood lipid levels, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Diets rich in ultra-processed foods and added sugar can damage heart health and increase the risk of health conditions that contribute to heart disease development like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

However, other dietary patterns can help promote heart health and protect against heart disease.

Through decades of research, scientists have narrowed down which diets are most associated with a healthy heart and low risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is perhaps the most studied diet when it comes to heart health. It’s based on the diets of people living in countries along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, including Italy, southern France, Greece, and Spain (35, 36).

Mediterranean dietary patterns are generally high in plant-based foods like beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts. These diets are generally low in ultra-processed foods, red and processed meats, and added sugar (36).

Research shows that people who follow Mediterranean-style diets have much lower rates of heart disease and heart disease-related death than people who follow Western dietary patterns (37, 38, 39).

Some studies have found that adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet could decrease the risk of heart disease by as much as 40{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} (38, 40).

The Mediterranean diet has also been shown to improve heart health and survival in those with existing heart disease (38, 41).

For example, a study including 939 people with heart disease found that those who were randomized to follow a Mediterranean diet high in extra virgin olive oil for 7 years had decreased atherosclerosis progression (42).

Those who followed a low fat diet had no changes to atherosclerosis progression (42).

These benefits may be attributed to the Mediterranean-style diets’ emphasis on nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seafood.

These foods help reduce the risk of heart disease risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood fat levels.

Plant-based diets

In addition to the Mediterranean diet, some plant-based diets of different types, including vegetarian and vegan diets, are strongly associated with improved heart health and decreased heart disease risk.

For example, a 2021 review that included data on 410,085 people found that greater adherence to a plant-based diet was associated with a 8.1{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} reduction in heart disease-related death and a 10.2{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} reduction in heart disease development (43).

Another 2021 review that included 10 studies involving 698,707 people found that, compared with people with the lowest adherence, people with the highest adherence to plant-based diets had a 16{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} lower risk of heart disease (44).

However, not all plant-based diets offer the same benefits. Plant-based diets high in refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and highly processed snacks are still associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease (44).

Other diets, such as the high fiber Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, have been linked with reduced heart disease risk as well (45).

In general, diets that are most associated with improved heart health outcomes are high in plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, and low in ultra-processed foods, processed and red meats, and added sugar.

Summary

Certain dietary patterns rich in plant foods like the Mediterranean diet and vegetarian diets are considered cardioprotective and may help reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Research suggests that diets high in specific foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and fish, could benefit heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease.

For example, diets rich in vegetables and fruits have been consistently linked with improved heart health outcomes and reductions in heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes (46, 47, 48).

Of course, it’s your diet as a whole that matters most when it comes to disease prevention, but regularly consuming the following foods can benefit the health of your heart and promote overall wellness.

Fruits

All fruit is beneficial for heart health, but citrus fruits, apples, pears, and berries may be especially cardioprotective. Fruits are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds like anthocyanins (48, 49).

Vegetables

Following a vegetable-rich diet can help protect your heart.

Some studies suggest that onions, garlic, cruciferous vegetables, leafy green vegetables, and carrots may have greater heart health benefits compared with other vegetables, though all vegetables are heart-healthy (48, 50).

Seafood

Seafood is high in nutrients like omega-3 fats, which benefit cardiovascular health.

A 2020 review found that each 100-gram increase in fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure (51).

Legumes

Beans and lentils are loaded with fiber and minerals like magnesium and potassium, which are essential to cardiovascular health. Studies show that legume-rich diets are associated with lower rates of heart disease (52).

However, more research is needed.

Whole grains

Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats are high in fiber and other nutrients associated with improved heart health. Replacing refined grains with whole grains may help reduce heart disease risk (53, 54).

Healthy fats

Adding sources of healthy fats like olive oil, olives, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, and avocado to your diet may help improve heart health. Olive oil, an important part of Mediterranean-style diets, seems to be especially cardioprotective (55).

Spices

Using certain spices regularly may benefit heart health. Studies show that spices like turmeric, garlic, saffron, and ginger have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and may help reduce heart disease risk factors (56, 57, 58, 59).

Following a diet rich in the foods listed above while limiting your intake of foods that can harm heart health is one way to take care of your cardiovascular system and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Summary

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil can protect the health of your cardiovascular system.

If you’re concerned about your heart health and want to follow a healthier diet in order to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, there are simple ways to make your diet more heart-healthy.

For example, adding more fiber into your diet by increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and beans is an easy and delicious way to improve heart health (60).

Here’s a 3-day heart-healthy meal plan to help get you started.

Day 1

Breakfast: an egg omelet made with sautéed peppers, kale, and onions served with sliced avocado and berries
Lunch: lentil soup served with a green salad with pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner: salmon with pesto served with broccoli and roasted sweet potatoes
Snacks: trail mix made with almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, and dried cherries

Day 2

Breakfast: overnight oats made with almond butter, chia seeds, cashew milk, golden raisins, and mixed berries
Lunch: Mediterranean quinoa salad, with arugula, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives, and feta cheese with an olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner: baked chicken breast with butternut squash and asparagus
Snacks: unsweetened Greek yogurt with diced apples, sliced almonds, and cinnamon

Day 3

Breakfast: shakshuka — a Mediterranean-style breakfast made with eggs and tomatoes — served with a slice of sprouted grain bread topped with mashed avocado and chili flakes
Lunch: grilled shrimp and pineapple kabobs over a large green salad with an olive oil and herb vinaigrette
Dinner: black bean burgers served with cucumber and red onion salad and roasted herbed potato wedges
Snacks: garlic hummus with fresh vegetable sticks

Following a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods like the ones above while limiting foods and beverages associated with negative heart health outcomes can help keep your cardiovascular system healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Summary

A heart-healthy diet should consist of whole, nutrient-dense foods, particularly fruits and vegetables.

Whether you want to support treatment for an existing heart disease or reduce your risk of developing heart disease, there are many simple ways to protect your cardiovascular system through diet and lifestyle modification.

Here are some evidence-based diet and lifestyle tips for heart health.

Quit smoking

Smoking significantly increases your risk of developing heart disease and can worsen heart disease symptoms. If you currently smoke, consider quitting (61).

If you need help and resources to do so, visit smokefree.gov.

Eat more fiber-rich plant foods

Diets high in fiber have been linked to improved heart health and decreased heart disease risk. Try eating more high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains (60).

Sit less and move more

Leading a sedentary lifestyle could increase your risk of developing heart disease. Make an effort to sit less and move more, if you can, by going for regular walks or engaging in other exercise you enjoy (62).

Switch to healthier fats

Fats are satisfying and make meals taste delicious. Focus on eating more sources of healthy fat like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butter, and fatty fish.

Consider supplements

Studies show that certain dietary supplements — specifically fish oil and magnesium — may help lower heart disease risk, especially for those with heart disease risk factors like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (63, 64).

Limit certain foods and beverages

Some foods and drinks like fast food, sugary beverages (such as soda), processed meats, and refined grains appear to negatively affect heart health (65, 66, 67).

Do your best to consume these only in small amounts, especially if you’re at risk of developing heart disease.

Manage stress

Chronic stress negatively affects the body in many ways and may even increase the risk of heart disease. Learning ways to manage or relieve stress whenever possible is a smart way to care for your heart (68, 69).

In addition to the tips listed above, there are many other ways to protect your heart health, including getting enough sleep and limiting your alcohol intake.

Summary

Quitting smoking, eating more fiber-rich foods, managing stress, and sitting less (if you can) are just some of the ways to promote heart health through diet and lifestyle modification.

Studies show that your diet can either increase or decrease your risk of developing heart disease.

While diets high in ultra-processed foods and added sugar have been associated with increased risk, dietary patterns high in fiber-rich plant foods like fruits and vegetables, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil can support heart health.

Whether you’re living with heart disease or simply trying to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future, making a few simple dietary changes can have a profound effect on your heart health.

July 20, 2022

COVID Often Joined by Heart Disease, Diabetes | Health and Fitness

Amy Norton

WEDNESDAY, July 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — In a mix of bad and good news, a new large study confirms that COVID can raise the risks of new-onset heart trouble and diabetes — though those threats typically wane again after a few months.

The study, of nearly 430,000 British COVID patients, found that the risks of suffering a blood clot or heartbeat irregularity shot up substantially for a month post-infection. After that, the heart risks dropped sharply, but remained somewhat elevated for another two months.

A slightly different pattern was seen with diabetes: New diagnoses rose in the month after a COVID diagnosis, then declined gradually over the next two months before returning to normal.

Experts said the findings confirm what’s been known about the potential consequences of COVID — and give a sense of the time frame for those risks.

“People tend to focus on the risk of death from COVID, and to a lesser extent hospitalization,” said Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, of CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy in New York City.

“But we have to remember that there are other serious outcomes, too,” said Lee, who was not involved in the research.

People should consider those risks, he said, when making decisions about masking, vaccinations and boosters.

The study, published July 19 in the journal PLOS Medicine, examined electronic medical records from U.K. primary care patients. More than 428,000 had been diagnosed with COVID in 2020 or 2021 and had no history of diabetes or heart disease. Each of those patients was compared with another patient from the same primary care practice who was the same sex and age, but who had not been diagnosed with COVID.

Overall, the researchers found, COVID patients were five to 11 times more likely than the comparison group to develop a blood clot in the veins or lungs for one month after being diagnosed with the infection.

Their risk of developing an atrial arrhythmia, meanwhile, was over sixfold higher. That refers to an irregular heartbeat affecting the heart’s upper chambers, which can cause symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue and dizziness.

After the first month, all of those heart risks dropped sharply, but remained somewhat elevated over the next two months.

COVID patients were also more likely to be newly diagnosed with diabetes, with an 81{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} higher incidence in the first post-infection month. That excess risk declined over the next two months before returning to normal.

In the first month, about 24 out of every 100,000 were diagnosed with diabetes each week, for example. But that compared with only nine out of every 100,000 primary care patients without COVID.

As for the question of why, other research gives some clues, said lead researcher Emma Rezel-Potts, of King’s College London.

“The virus is believed to trigger events which can affect multiple systems in the body, including a dysregulated immune response and cell dysfunction,” Rezel-Potts explained.

In the case of diabetes, she said, the virus might infect pancreatic cells, which produce the hormone insulin. (Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, arises when the body is unable use insulin properly.)

There are other potential explanations, too, Rezel-Potts said. In some cases, COVID might keep people off their feet for so long, the inactivity worsens existing insulin resistance — a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It’s also possible that previously undiagnosed diabetes is being caught.

What’s not clear is whether people who developed cardiovascular trouble or diabetes were more seriously ill with COVID. Rezel-Potts said the medical records had no information on severity, including whether patients ended up in the hospital.

The good news, according Rezel-Potts, is that the heightened risks do go down. But people should be aware, she said, that the incidence of diabetes, in particular, stays elevated for about three months.

That could be a “critical period,” Rezel-Potts said, for eating healthy and trying to get some exercise.

One limitation of the study is that people with COVID were infected earlier in the pandemic, before Omicron emerged. Today’s variants are different, Lee said, and so are some other factors: Many people are further out from their vaccination, and many have abandoned precautions like mask-wearing, which can at least lower the viral “dose” to which they are exposed.

It’s not clear, Lee said, how all of those variables might affect the risks of COVID-related diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on post-COVID conditions.

SOURCES: Emma Rezel-Potts, PhD, research associate, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King’s College London; Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA, professor, health policy and management, and executive director, Public Health Informatics, Computational and Operations Research, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York City; PLOS Medicine, July 19, 2022, online