Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Lifestyle Habits”
You may have heard about inflammation from your doctor or read about it on the Internet. There are 2 kinds: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is part of the normal healing process. It causes the redness, warmth, swelling, and pain you feel when you cut yourself or get a splinter. But when inflammation sticks around for a while, it can …
If you have diabetes, you probably know that you have a higher risk for heart problems. But you may not know that you have a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes if you have prediabetes—a condition where your blood sugar is high but not high enough to be diabetes. A new study, presented at an American College of Cardiology …
To get rid of unwanted pounds, some people try fasting—not eating at all or eating less than usual for a set period of time. But a new method of fasting may help you lose weight and boost your health in many other ways. It’s called intermittent fasting. It means eating little or nothing on certain days of the week or …
Quick: What is your BMI? Even if you don’t know your score on this important health measure, you may know that it has something to do with your weight. BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and it is a ratio of a person’s weight to their height. Calculate yours here. Depending on your score, you will fall into 1 of …
Spring is still a few weeks away. But you don’t have to wait until then to go green—at least when it comes to your heart. For starters, there’s good news about the benefits of green tea. A growing volume of data ties this tasty brew to better heart health. In the most recent research—published in the journal, Stroke—people who had …
You’ve probably heard that drinking small amounts of wine, beer, and other types of alcohol shouldn’t harm your heart—and it might even help it. But the data are starting to get more complicated. Doctors generally advise that men should drink no more than 2 drinks a day and women no more than 1 drink a day to stay healthy. (A …
Eat to Protect Your Heart from Inflammation and Reduce Stroke Risk You may know that certain foods can raise cholesterol levels and blood pressure and add inches to your waistline. All of these effects can harm your heart. But foods can have another important effect. They can also trigger or reduce the inflammation in your body, which has a huge …
When you are diagnosed with cancer, heart disease is the last thing on your mind. But there’s a growing awareness of a link between cancer and heart problems. Recent research in Nature Communications that looked at more than 7 million cancer survivors showed that the risk of death from heart disease among cancer patients is 2 times greater than that …
If you enjoy soaking in a tub, you might be getting more than a big dose of relaxation. Studies show that this soothing activity may improve your heart health. That’s something to consider as the weather begins to turn chilly! High temperatures cause the blood vessels to dilate—and that lowers blood pressure. Plus a warm bath can help to lower …
A heart-healthy diet may sound boring if you’re not used to eating this way. This eating pattern calls for lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, and limited amounts of red meat, whole-fat dairy products, salt, and added sugar. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of your favorite treats. Here are a few popular snacks that are …
You stretch to make your body more flexible and less stiff. But did you know it can do the same for your blood vessels? It’s true. New research from the University of Milan in Italy showed that a 12-week stretching regimen improved blood flow, lowered blood pressure, and decreased the stiffness of arteries. Good blood flow leads to less damage …
Since COVID-19 started spreading around the world earlier this year, doctors have realized that it is especially dangerous for people with heart problems and risk factors for heart disease like high blood pressure. COVID-19 mostly affects the lungs, but when the lungs don’t work well, it puts a strain on the heart. If you already have a heart condition, high …
More and more people are taking up Tai Chi to improve their health. Did you know that this ancient martial art has a number of important benefits for the heart? Tai Chi involves a series of graceful, gentle movements that can get your heart rate up while also relaxing your mind. It’s been called meditation in motion. Many people find …
Restrictions on some activities are starting to lift around the country, so it’s a good time to take stock of your health. Weeks under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic have been challenging! Here’s what’s happening in many households: Less exercise Many people are getting less physical activity than they used to. Gyms and exercise studios may still be closed …
Advice for having a healthy heart—exercise, stop smoking, lose weight—may sound difficult. But there are a few simpler ways to boost your heart health, too. Several recent heart studies highlight new steps to take to reduce your risk for heart attacks and strokes. Here are a few that can set you on your way toward a healthy heart! Filter your …
Across the country, people are staying home in order to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and to stay healthy. That means many of us are suddenly less active than we used to be. If you’re self-isolating, you’re not exercising at the gym, taking an on-site yoga class, shopping at the mall, running your usual errands, or even walking …
Stay Connected—and Keep Your Heart Healthy Too! Being alone a lot may not just make you lonely or sad. It might also put you at a greater risk for heart problems. This could have serious consequences as more people stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus across the country. Previous studies showed that people who were socially isolated …
Fasting and Your Heart People have often turned to fasting—not eating, or limiting food, for a period of time—to lose weight. Now research shows that eating less at certain times of the day or week may not only help you shed pounds but may also improve your heart’s health. The data have to do with eating patterns where people alternate …
Heart-healthy diets include plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread and pasta. One thing these foods have in common is fiber. Fiber is good for your body in many ways and especially good for your heart. The results of a large review study just released by the World Health Organization (WHO) are …
Energy drinks are popular with people who want a power boost, including children and athletes. But these drinks, which contain caffeine, sugar, herbs, and other ingredients, may do more harm than good. A recent study from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston found that having just one energy drink had a bad effect on the flow of …
You might be enjoying the cooler air as the seasons change. But winter weather has a downside: It can raise your risk for heart problems. A new study in the journal JAMA Cardiology found that there’s a big jump in heart attacks when the forecast includes cold temperatures, a strong wind, low sunlight, and low pressure in the atmosphere. They …
Heart disease is called a silent killer because you often don’t know it’s there until you have a heart attack or stroke. But there can be clues, if you know where to look. Here are 10 surprising signals that you may be at risk for heart problems. Sore or Bleeding Gums Bad dental health can lead to bleeding gums, which …
The debate over whether or not to eat breakfast just got a little more serious. Research has previously suggested that skipping morning meals may lead to weight gain and boost the risk for diabetes and high cholesterol. But a new study draws a straight line between forgoing breakfast and the development of dangerous plaque in the arteries. The study, recently …
Every two seconds, someone in the world has a stroke. Every five seconds, someone dies due to stroke. World Stroke Day, on October 29, is an opportune time to make note of the progress that’s been made to stop stroke—and the efforts that have fallen short. First the good news: Strokes can be prevented and if they do occur more …
The Heart Health Move You Can’t Afford to Miss With the stacks on your desk and overflowing in-box, taking a vacation can seem like more trouble than it’s worth. And there’s always the fear that the boss will decide you’re dispensable while you’re soaking up the sun in Tahiti. It’s no wonder that a recent survey from the careers website …
Spring break is ending for many Americans, which means jumping back into work and school routines and generally making up the time lost to vacation. But there’s one way to draw out the benefits of downtime: take some long, deep breaths through your nose. Unlike breathing through your mouth, nose breathing helps release nitric oxide, a chemical that expands your …
Caffeine has upsides and downsides for your health. But new research suggests your morning mug of joe could be a net positive when it comes to your cardiovascular risk. Researchers from Stanford University in California reporting in the journal Nature Medicine found that the more caffeine older people consumed, the more protected they were against chronic inflammation. In the process the scientists …
You know that lifestyle choices can help your heart’s health. And the evidence just keeps getting stronger. Consider exercise. Physical activity not only improves weight, lowers cholesterol, and enhances the functioning of your heart, but, a new study shows, it also calms inflammation, a major culprit behind cardiovascular disease and its deadly consequences. Inflammation is a key part of the …
Everyone is at risk for heart disease, but some people have more risk factors than others. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death among adults in the U.S., it’s important for us all to know what our risk factors for heart disease are, and what we can do about them. There are two types of risk factors for …
Following six healthy lifestyle habits may reduce women’s risk for heart disease by 92 percent, compared to women with none of these habits, a new study published in Journal of American College of Cardiology suggests. Researchers from Harvard and other centers tracked 88,940 women whose ages were 27 to 44 at baseline over a 20-year period. With February marking American …
