Heart Health

 

 

 High Blood Pressure and Your Heart

Getting your numbers under control can improve your overall health and decrease your risk of a heart attack.

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About 25 years ago, when I was co-director of the Noninvasive Cardiology Laboratory at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, performing heart ultrasounds and exercise stress tests, I got a call from an internist who told me that one of his patients had just suffered a heart attack. He was puzzled because this patient had recently passed an exercise stress test…administered by me! I was very upset by this news and rechecked the test results to see if I had made any mistakes.
After careful review, I couldn't find any errors in my analysis. The stress test was normal, and the patient had shown excellent exercise capacity. I remember feeling very frustrated. We were working with the best technology available, yet it wasn't good enough to detect a heart attack that was only weeks away.
Today, we do have other noninvasive tests that are much better at predicting the likelihood of a future heart attack. A normal stress test does not mean there aren't any potentially lethal soft plaques growing inside the lining of your coronary arteries that could rupture and cause a heart attack at any time. All it means is that the blood flow to your heart was fine on the day you took the test. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that the blood flow will still be fine tomorrow.
Recently, I was at a dinner party when another guest, upon hearing that I was a cardiologist, turned to me and said, "My friend just passed his annual physical with f lying colors. Two days later, he had a heart attack. How could this happen?" I'm sorry to say that I hear stories like this almost as often today as I did 25 years ago. The fact is, back then, we had an excuse. We didn't know any better. Today, we do. We know that someone can look great on paper — pass a standard exercise stress test with f lying colors, have good cholesterol scores, and never have had a sick day in his or her life — but still have arteries that are a diseased and potentially lethal mess. Today we have access to cutting-edge diagnostic tests that can identify these high-risk people early enough to prevent them from having heart attacks in the first place.
The problem is that many patients destined for heart problems don't get the benefit of our most accurate tests (including presidents of the United States). Many seemingly perfectly healthy people are "suddenly" getting heart attacks because their arteries are not perfectly healthy and they don't know it. With the proper noninvasive tests, these diseased arteries would have been identified, and the heart attacks wouldn't have happened.
Learn more in the Everyday Healt.

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                                                      Poste By:-R.N.A
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The Lowdown on Cholesterol

Learn the differences between 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol. 

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You may wonder why, if cholesterol is so bad for you, it is present in your body in the first place. The answer is that cholesterol is not all bad and is, in fact, necessary for life. Your liver manufactures cholesterol for a reason: It is essential for the production of cell membranes and sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Cholesterol is even added to infant formula because it's necessary for normal growth and development. We also obtain cholesterol from animal food sources, such as dairy and meat. (Plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain no cholesterol.) Although cholesterol is essential to life, we don't need very much of it to keep our bodies running well. Our cells take whatever cholesterol is necessary for maintenance and cell repair and store the excess for future use. The problem is that many of us eat a diet that is too high in saturated fat and trans fats, and this can stimulate the liver to produce more cholesterol than the body needs.
The connection between high total cholesterol and heart disease was made in 1961 by the Framingham study. Back then, we didn't have the technology to distinguish between different types of cholesterol particles. That gradually changed, and by 1977 the Framingham study had established a link between an increased risk of heart attack and elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. It was also at this time that we began to confuse the public with measures of different cholesterol particles and terms like "good" and "bad" cholesterol.
During a discussion with a patient recently, she asked me, "What's the difference between good and bad cholesterol? Isn't it all the same when it's building up in my arteries?" The answer is that it's not the cholesterol itself that is good or bad, but the particles that carry it. These particles are called lipoproteins (the lipo is short for lipid, which means fat). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are two of them. It's the protein part of the lipoprotein particle that acts like a shuttle bus, transporting the cholesterol (and other fats like triglycerides) through your bloodstream to where they are used, stored, or excreted by the body. Lipoproteins are necessary for transporting fats because fat is not soluble in water or in blood.
As it turns out, it's LDL, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, that is doing a lot of the shuttle bus driving. You'd think that this job would make LDL "good." But what makes LDL "bad" is that in excess it can cause us trouble. All cells have special receptors, or binders, that latch onto LDL, pulling it into the cells, where it is used as needed. When these cells have had their fill of cholesterol, they stop making receptors, which allows the rest of the LDL to stay in the bloodstream. Some of this excess LDL deposits its cholesterol "baggage" in our artery walls — including those of the heart — resulting in the formation of soft atherosclerotic plaques.
The job of clearing the blood vessels of this excess LDL falls to the HDL particles, which is why HDL is often referred to as "good" cholesterol. The makeup of the cholesterol itself in both LDL and HDL particles is the same; it is the direction in which the lipoprotein shuttle bus is driving that determines whether the particle is considered good or bad. HDL is good because it serves as a scavenger, removing LDL cholesterol from the cells and plaques and carrying it back to the liver for excretion in the bile, which empties into the intestine so it can be flushed out of our bodies in our stool. This is called reverse cholesterol transport.
How Much Cholesterol Is Too Much?
The Standard Lipid Profile, the heart disease screening lab test used by most doctors, measures your total cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides. In the mid-1980s, the federal government and the American Heart Association joined forces to create the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) to educate the public about the importance of maintaining normal cholesterol. Based on the NCEP guidelines, total cholesterol should be 200 mg/dL or less for everyone. What follows are the NCEP guidelines for LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
                                                     Posted By:-R.N.A
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Your Heart and How It Works

The heart serves a vital purpose in the body.

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The heart is not an inanimate pump: It is a living, dynamic community of millions of hardworking cells. Its job is to deliver blood to organs that would die without it. Blood contains oxygen and nutrients necessary for the functioning of every cell in the body, including heart cells.
Everyone's heart beats around 70 times per minute, or 100,000 times per day, or about 2.5 billion times in the average lifetime. This vital organ is programmed to work automatically for every second of every day for as long as you live, no matter what else you're doing mentally or physically. In other words, your heart never rests.
Your heart is located just about in the center of your chest and is divided into four chambers: The two smaller upper chambers are known as the left atrium and right atrium and the two larger lower chambers are the left ventricle and right ventricle. Oxygen-poor blood enters the right atrium and is then pumped into the right ventricle and through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it is enriched with oxygen (and loses carbon dioxide).
The oxygenated blood is then carried to the left atrium via the pulmonary veins, from where it enters the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of the heart. It is the thick, powerful muscle of the left ventricle that pumps blood to all the organs of the body via the aorta. From a cardiologist's point of view, it is the left ventricle that is the most important chamber because it is the area of the heart most likely to be affected by a heart attack.
As blood enters the aorta, some is immediately directed to the coronary arteries. The left main coronary artery divides into two major coronary arteries — the left circumflex artery (LCx) and the left anterior descending artery (LAD). A third major artery, the right coronary artery (RCA), has its own point of origin from the aorta. All of these arteries have branches, which are also known as coronary arteries. They supply the beating heart muscle with blood and oxygen. If anything obstructs the flow of blood through one of these arteries for more than 20 to 30 minutes, the heart will likely not receive enough oxygen, and the part of the heart muscle fed by that artery will die. This is what happens when you have a heart attack.
Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle is damaged to the point that your heart can no longer pump sufficient blood to the rest of your organs. When your heart is damaged and can no longer pump efficiently, blood also tends to back up into the lungs, making them heavier, which results in difficulty breathing.
                                            Posted By: R.N.A
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Remember When You Could Remember?

Remember when you could remember? Vaguely. Twice in one day I found myself standing in the pantry with absolutely no idea what I was looking for. I usually (as this has become commonplace) wait a few seconds and voila! I remember. Oh yes, sugar! Strangely enough I have never forgotten when I went there for potato chips. Go figure.   The other day I spent literally hours trying to recall the word “resonate”. A simple word I must have learned to spell and define in the sixth grade, and subsequently used countless times, now escaped my grasp. I imagined my once well formed fully functioning brain to now be a lukewarm pulsating pile of goo. I willed the goo to work for me. I could almost form the word but not quite and then suddenly the goo began to bubble and gel and finally “resonate” formed on my lips. That’s it! Now why did I need it?

I see now why some have renamed menopause, “mentalpause”. How appropriate. I find this particular aspect of the transition the most challenging, though I am no fan of wobbly thighs either. At times I refer to the change as “meanopaws”. For instance, when my husband neglected to cover an item in the microwave prior to heating it and I threatened to shove him in there after it. Maybe mentalpause will help me forget my meanopaws moments.
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Preventing Hair Loss Before Its Too Late

Hair loss is a problem which can affect both men and women and is caused by lots of different reasons such as illness, excessive use of hair-color, diet, stress and lots of other reasons, it maybe just a family thing. There are ways you can prevent losing your hair or keep it to a minimum, by following the recommendations below.
If you are suffering from thinning hair or want to prevent hair loss then you should stay away from coloring or using hair dyes. You should also limit the amount you use a hairdryer or curling iron/tongs and straighteners as they could all cause you to lose hair. Tight hair styles such as braids and buns and always wearing your hair up can also contribute to hair loss, so try leaving your hair down and changing the style of your hair to minimize stress on the hair.
Hair care products can also cause hair loss so take care on what types of shampoo and conditioner you use and if possible try and use herbal or organic shampoo and conditioner. It might be worthwhile consulting a dermatologist to see what products they can recommend for you to use in your hair. Check carefully on all hair products to make sure they do not contain bleaching agents or other harsh chemicals. You also need to have a good nights sleep approximately 7 hours per day and also try and keep stress to a minimum as all these factors add up to cause hair loss.
The follicles like both protein and calcium, so having a protein and calcium rich diet would also minimize both the risk and cause of hair-loss. You need to eat plenty of fish, soya, nuts, eggs, seeds, grains and dairy products as well as fruit in your diet should be good for a high protein and calcium diet which will aid the follicles. You also need to make sure your diet is with fresh and not processed food as processed food contains chemicals which can help cause hair loss.
You need to eat healthy and have a protein and calcium rich diet as well as take regular exercise this will all aid in reducing hairfall. You can also take vitamin supplements to aid in your new healthy diet. You may also lose your hair as a result of illness, so having a healthy lifestyle will minimize this cause of hair loss. Hair loss is also caused by infection, so make sure you check both your hair and scalp for any signs of infection and visit your doctor if any sign of infection occurs.

For more information about hair loss prevention and all other aspects of hair care why not visit A1 Hair Care Products site today.
                                     
                                                  Posted By:-R.N.A
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Rowing Machines

The concept of indoor rowing machines has been around since the 1900's but old designs were more like a torture device and is not an accurate representative of actual rowing. Development of modern fitness rowing machines was established in the 1980's. While the machine had been designed primarily as a training tool for watercraft rowing, it is gaining popularity as a favorite workout tool not just for rowers but also for other athletes and common individuals who want to get a full body exercise. Nowadays, these machines are portable, studier, and simulate rowing on a real boat more accurately.
Like any other fitness machine there are advantages and disadvantages in using rowing machines.
ADVANTAGES

1. Full body workouts. Rowing provides a full body workout. Besides being an excellent cardiovascular exercise, working out on rowing machines, stresses major muscles in the body anaerobically. It workouts arms, chest, back, and legs.
2. Very low impact workouts. Unlike treadmills, these machines provide very low impact workouts. You are not putting much stress on your ankles, knees, and joints. Although your legs are in full motion, your legs do not strike hard surfaces so it is more comfortable.
3. Intense calorie-burning exercise. You can burn up to eight hundred calories per hour by working out on the rowing machine, this is machine for losing weight.
4. Less expensive. It is less expensive compared to other fitness equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines.

DISADVANTAGES

1. Lower Back Injury. This machine puts the toll on your lower back so this is not an ideal machine for people with back and spine problems. In using the machine, proper technique should be used.
2. Hard to assemble. Putting the pieces together can be frustrating for some people.

To read more about rowing machines, check out Fitness Rowing Machine and for more information and rowing machine buying tips, visit Quality Home Fitness Rowing Machines.
                                                 
                                                     Posted By:-R.N.A
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TB Patients Face Higher Lung Cancer Risk: Study

 Tuberculosis patients are 11 times more likely than the average to develop lung cancer, according to a new study published by a group of Taiwanese scientists.
The researchers followed more than 700,000 randomly selected individuals over a period of six years, including 4,480 diagnosed with tuberculosis, they said in a statement Wednesday.
"The incidence of lung cancer in these tuberculosis patients was 11 times greater than people without tuberculosis," said one of the researchers, Chen Chih-yi, from China Medical University in the central Taiwan city of Taichung.
"This study suggests that it is also important to watch out for lung cancer prevention in the campaign against tuberculosis."
The findings, published in the January issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, support the notion of a link between tuberculosis and lung cancer, which has so far been suspected but not definitively proved.
"Tuberculosis is a very common chronic disease worldwide. People in developing and undeveloped areas suffer from it mostly," said Chen.
"It is well known that lung cancer is causally associated with smoking. Less attention has been focused on whether people with tuberculosis are also at higher risk of developing lung cancer."
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Japan Bassist Karn Dies Of Cancer

LONDON (AFP) – Mick Karn, the bass player and founder member of British art rock band Japan, has died after succumbing to cancer, his website said Wednesday. He was 52.
He died peacefully at his west London home on Tuesday, surrounded by family and friends, a brief statement said.
Born Andonis Michaelides to a Greek Cypriot family in Nicosia, they emigrated to London when he was three.
He formed "Japan" when he was 15, with singer-guitarist David Sylvian and Sylvian's younger brother Steve Jansen, a drummer.
After years as a cult act they scored hits between 1981 and 1983.
Karn, who sported yellow hair in the band's early days and was later noted for slicked-back hair and shaved eyebrows, was a regular face in pop magazines and was noted for his fretless bass playing style.
"I couldn't help but feel that bass players were always hidden somewhere in the background whereas I was determined to be heard," he said.

The band's 1982 breakthrough album "Tin Drum" was also their last. It spawned their biggest domestic hit single, "Ghosts", but the band split a few months later.
Karn was in demand, playing alongside artists like Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Kate Bush, Midge Ure, Joan Armatrading and Gary Numan. He later moved into jazz.
After being told Townshend had called him the best bassist in Britain, Karn replied: "The best? No, but having never heard anyone play in a similar way, I'd certainly consider perhaps being the most original."
He was diagnosed with cancer in June 2010.
Karn is survived by his wife Kyoko and son Metis.

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips for 2011

                     ***Top 5 Secret Fat Loss***
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Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.
Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it’s obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.
I have no interest in you trying to train in your “target heart
rate zone” for fat burning (aka – the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.
Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your “fat
burning heart rate zone”).
If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.
Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that’s why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.
Alwyn Cosgrove calls this ‘afterburn’, and I call it ‘Turbulence’.
By any name it gives you the same results – maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).
Secret #2 – Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.
In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.
This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.
Secret #3 – Use the stationary cycle for interval training.
I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.
Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.
But please note: I don’t use low-intensity, fast pedaling
‘spinning’ intervals as I’m convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.
I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.
Secret #4 – Increase meal frequency
Okay, so this isn’t really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.
Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you’ll see your body composition improve rapidly.
If you need more nutrition help, then you’ll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.
See below for more details…
Secret #5 – My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts
My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective – getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.
Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase
- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:
a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity
b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)
If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.
If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.
c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.
Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.
But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!
The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.
Here are just some of the things you’ll learn from Dr. Mohr…
1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)
2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)
3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)
4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)
5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)
6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)
7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods – find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)
8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)
9) Dr. Mohr’s 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)
10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)
11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)
12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)
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