Drinks that lead to heart disease: Sugary, artificially sweetened or both?
Posted on: November 7, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Drinks that lead to heart disease: Sugary, artificially sweetened or both?

While many of us may think of artificially sweetened beverages as healthy alternatives to sugar-laden drinks — and a better way to avoid packing on the quarantine 15 — the truth is that they’re not without concern. In fact, the impact of diet, sugar-free or artificially sweetened beverages on cardiovascular health has been up in the air. Yet, because past research has proven that diets packed with sugar negatively impact…

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Omega-3s shown to help heart attack survivors come out on top
Posted on: November 6, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Omega-3s shown to help heart attack survivors come out on top

For many years, omega-3s have been reported to be heart healthy. And thanks to the Mayo Clinic’s groundbreaking comprehensive analysis of the role of omega-3 dosage on cardiovascular prevention completed this year, those benefits have been quantified. The study reviewed 40 separate clinical trials involving the consumption of the omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The result is that both EPA and DHA omega-3 intake reduced the risk…

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The plant that’s stepping up against chemo-resistant cancer
Posted on: November 6, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

The plant that’s stepping up against chemo-resistant cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. One thing that makes colorectal cancer so deadly is that most patients are diagnosed in the late stages of the disease. And in about 50 percent of patients, the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, a process known as metastasis. Treatments for…

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Metabolic benefits from weight loss surgery may outweigh natural weight loss
Posted on: November 6, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Metabolic benefits from weight loss surgery may outweigh natural weight loss

A high number on your bathroom scale, in most cases, equals a high risk for heart disease and the dangers of heart attack and stroke that come with it. And while your doctor will probably advise you to slim down in order to protect your heart, all too often, that advice doesn’t come with an actual number of pounds you should lose to get the benefit of a healthier ticker.…

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9 ways to save your brain from disease-causing particles
Posted on: November 5, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

9 ways to save your brain from disease-causing particles

We know that exposure to small particulate matter from air pollution, especially from vehicle exhaust, changes the brain. Small particulate matter, those tiny particles of metal and other contaminants that live unseen in heavily polluted air, enters your brain through your nose and triggers an inflammatory response. Brain inflammation plays a big role in Alzheimer’s, so one more inflammation-causing agent could be the tipping point that sends your cognitive health…

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The heartburn medication linked to a four-fold increase for COVID-19
Posted on: November 5, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

The heartburn medication linked to a four-fold increase for COVID-19

If you’ve had heartburn, you know how uncomfortable that burning pain in your chest can be. You may even be taking over-the-counter medication to relieve it. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which work by blocking stomach acid production, are among the most popular and effective drugs for treating the symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux. But long-term use of PPIs has been connected with gut infections, bone fractures, chronic kidney disease…

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5 cardiologist-approved tips for heart-healthy holidays
Posted on: November 5, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

5 cardiologist-approved tips for heart-healthy holidays

There may have been fewer trick-or-treaters at your door this year, but Halloween still marks the first holiday of a season that can make it extra challenging to stick to your heart-healthy eating plan. And I’m not just talking about fun-sized Skittles: A Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte contains 50 grams of sugar — that’s about as much as what’s in two full-sized Snickers bars! So here are my tips for…

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Why you can ignore what the glycemic index says about potatoes
Posted on: November 4, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Why you can ignore what the glycemic index says about potatoes

If you have type 2 diabetes, you’re familiar with the Glycemic Index (GI). You probably consult it every time you plan a meal or a snack. For the rest of you, here’s a quick recap… The Glycemic Index is a measurement system that ranks foods according to how much they increase your blood sugar level. Pure glucose has a GI of 100, so the closer a food is ranked to…

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How exercise kicks the immune system into gear against cancer
Posted on: November 4, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

How exercise kicks the immune system into gear against cancer

We’ve all heard about the positive health benefits of regular physical activity, but does this hold true for cancer patients? Physical activity is one of the best things people can do to improve their overall health and can include a variety of activities such as walking, dancing, biking, swimming or simple household chores. But in the past, people treated for a chronic disease such as cancer were often told by…

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Sugar in the brain may initiate Alzheimer’s
Posted on: November 4, 2020 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Sugar in the brain may initiate Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a disease that comes with a lot of questions… Am I at risk? If so, when will I start to lose my memories? And what kicks it off in the first place? Sadly, when it comes to answers from the medical community, pickings have been slim. We’ve seen plenty of research on the brain plaques and tangles identified as telltale signs of the disease, but researchers may have…

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