Tag Archives: Healthy Eating

Health Benefits of Cinnamon Spice

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Cinnamon has many healthy benefits. Cinnamon is derived from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, and is high in cinnamaldehyde, a potent polyphenol antioxidant which has anti-inflammatory effects, reduces risk of heart disease, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.

There are wo main types: Ceylon cinnamon (also known as “true” cinnamon) and Cassia cinnamon (more common).

Cinnamon also increases sensitivity to the hormone insulin, having a potent anti-diabetic effect. This spice also makes improvements in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and it may have protective effects against cancer.

Cinnamon contains powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols.

Cinnamon is loaded with highly potent polyphenol antioxidants. These antioxidants protect against oxidative damage caused by free radicals. One study found that cinnamon supplementation increased antioxidant levels in the blood and reduced inflammation markers.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties:

Cinnamon’s antioxidants have anti-inflammatory effects. Cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory effects contribute to its health benefits and chronic inflammation can be harmful to the body.

Other Benefits:

Modern studies suggest that cinnamon may have antitumor, analgesic, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, and immune system-boosting effects. While more evidence is needed, cinnamon shows promise in protecting against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Remember to incorporate cinnamon into your diet through recipes or as a spice to enjoy its potential health benefits!

Sources:  https://microsoftstart.msn.com/en-us/health/ask-professionals/in-expert-answers-on-cinnamon/in-cinnamon

MCT Oil

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MCT oil is a supplement from coconut and the molecules are smaller than those in most of the fats you eat, absorbed into the bloodstream quickly leading to higher energy level and more.

MCT Oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides) Benefits:

  • Promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria, which strengthens the intestinal barrier.
  • Anti-Inflammatory
  • This oil can promote fat loss by increasing your metabolism, reducing body fat
  • Powerfully reduces appetite

Adding it to your morning cup of coffee, in your salad dressing, smoothies, and other non-cooked foods (it has a low smoke point, so avoid using MCT oil where heat is involved). Do not cook with it. Drizzle it over proteins and vegetables.

For beginners, start with 1 tsp.(4 grams) and scale up to 1 tbsp. (15 grams) per day.

Bulletproof Coffee

✔️ Brew a cup of high-quality coffee
✔️ Add 1-2 tablespoons of grass-fed butter
✔️ Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of MCT oil
✔️ Blend until frothy and creamy

Benefits:
✔️ Boosts mental clarity and focus
✔️ Sustained energy without the crash
✔️ Helps with weight management
✔️ Enhances cognitive performance

Quality matters! Use top-notch ingredients for maximum nutrients and effects.

Anti-Aging Laboratory Breakthroughs

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In Boston labs, experiments have shown that aging is a reversible process, capable of being driven “forwards and backwards at will,” said anti-aging expert David Sinclair, a professor of genetics in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School and codirector of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research.

“Our bodies hold a backup copy of our youth that can be triggered to regenerate”, said Sinclair, the senior author of a new paper showcasing the work of his lab and international scientists.

The combined experiments, published in the journal Cell, challenge the scientific belief aging is the result of genetic mutations that undermine our DNA, creating a junkyard of damaged cellular tissue that can lead to deterioration, disease and death.

“It’s not junk, it’s not damage that causes us to get old,” said Sinclair. “We believe it’s a loss of information — a loss in the cell’s ability to read its original DNA so it forgets how to function — in much the same way an old computer may develop corrupted software. I call it the information theory of aging.”

Epigenetic changes control aging

While DNA can be viewed as the body’s hardware, the epigenome is the software, writes CNN Health. Epigenes are proteins and chemicals that sit like freckles on each gene, waiting to tell the gene “what to do, where to do it, and when to do it,” according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.

The epigenome literally turns genes on and off. That process can be triggered by pollution, environmental toxins and human behaviors such as smoking, eating an inflammatory diet or suffering a chronic lack of sleep. And just like a computer, the cellular process becomes corrupted as more DNA is broken or damaged, Fr. Sinclair said.

“The cell panics, and proteins that normally would control the genes get distracted by having to go and repair the DNA,” he explained. “Then they don’t all find their way back to where they started, so over time it’s like a Ping-Pong match, where the balls end up all over the floor.”

In other words, the cellular pieces lose their way home, much like a person with Alzheimer’s.

“The astonishing finding is that there’s a backup copy of the software in the body that you can reset,” Sinclair said. “We’re showing why that software gets corrupted and how we can reboot the system by tapping into a reset switch that restores the cell’s ability to read the genome correctly again, as if it was young.”

It doesn’t matter if the body is 50 or 75, healthy or wracked with disease, Sinclair said. Once that process has been triggered, “the body will then remember how to regenerate and will be young again, even if you’re already old and have an illness. Now, what that software is, we don’t know yet. At this point, we just know that we can flip the switch.”

To prove the theory and with the help of other scientists, Sinclair and his Harvard team have been able to age tissues in the brain, eyes, muscle, skin and kidneys of mice.

To do this, Sinclair’s team developed ICE, short for inducible changes to the epigenome. Instead of altering the coding sections of the mice’s DNA that can trigger mutations, ICE alters the way DNA is folded. The temporary, fast-healing cuts made by ICE mimic the daily damage from chemicals, sunlight and the like that contribute to aging.

In his lab, Sinclair said his team has reset the cells in mice multiple times, showing that aging can be reversed more than once, and he is currently testing the genetic reset in primates. But decades could pass before any anti-aging clinical trials in humans begin, get analyzed and, if safe and successful, scaled to the mass needed for federal approval.

Here’s how to eat to live longer, new study says

But just as damaging factors can disrupt the epigenome, healthy behaviors can repair it, Sinclair said.

“We know this is probably true because people who have lived a healthy lifestyle have less biological age than those who have done the opposite,” he said.

His top tips? Focus on plants for food, eat less often, get sufficient sleep, lose your breath for 10 minutes three times a week by exercising to maintain your muscle mass, don’t sweat the small stuff and have a good social group.

References:

  1. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/12/health/reversing-aging-scn-wellness/index.html

Dietary Fat is Health Food

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“Nothing beats the true healing power of food and food is the best medicine for chronic disease.  It works faster and better, and is cheaper than medication. And all the side effects are good ones.”  ~ Dr. Mark Hyman

Many Americans have long been told that consuming dietary fat makes them fat, contributes to heart disease, and generally erodes their health. Now a growing body of research debunks long held beliefs about dietary fat, revealing the immense health and weight-loss benefits of a high-fat diet rich in eggs, nuts, oils, avocados, and other delicious superfoods, explains Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., author of “Eat Fat, Get Thin” and director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, and founder and director of The Ultra-Wellness Center.

We now know that refined sugars and ultra process carbs, not fat, are the true causes and villains of obesity and heart disease. Overconsumption of refined sugars and processes carbohydrates causes a spike in the body’s production of the hormone insulin, which increases the storage of fat, especially dangerous visceral fat, explains Dr. Hyman. Instead, consuming healthy fats and plant based food, which are packed with powerful antioxidants and photochemicals is what your body and mind need.

Fat is one of the body’s most basic building blocks. The average person is made up of between 15 and 30 percent fat!

Essentially, dietary fat does not cause a spike in insulin.  Unlike eating refined sugars and processed carbs, eating fat makes your body burn fat, rather than store fat. Fats like butter and coconut oil boost your body’s metabolism, suppress hunger, lower triglycerides, reduce fat storage, and even improve athletic performance.

By increasing dietary fat into your diet, and eliminating sugar and process carbs, studies demonstrate that you can lose more weight, improve your metabolic health, and begin to feel and look better.

“Dr. Mark Hyman has helped thousands of people lose weight and lead happier, more energetic lives,” writes Toby Cosgrove, CEO of Cleveland Clinic. “His powerful insights on the dynamics of dietary fat will change the way you think about everyday eating, and show you how easy it is to enjoy a healthier, more satisfying diet.”

In short, the right fats can improve your mood, skin, hair and nails, while protecting you against Type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer and much more, according to Dr. Hyman. Among his favorite sources of fat include:

  • Avocados.
  • Nuts—walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, but not peanuts (one study showed a handful of nuts a day reduced death from all causes by 20 percent).
  • Seeds—pumpkin, sesame, chia, hemp.
  • Fatty fish, including sardines, mackerel, herring and wild salmon that are rich in omega-3 fats.
  • Extra virgin olive oil (a large study showed that those who consumed 1 liter a week reduced heart attacks by 30 percent).
  • Grass-fed or sustainably raised animal products.
  • Extra virgin coconut butter, which is a great plant-based source of saturated fat that has many benefits. It fuels your mitochondria, is anti-inflammatory and doesn’t cause problems with your cholesterol. In fact, it may help resolve them.

References:

  1. Dr. Mark Hyman, Eat Fat, Get Thin, Little, Brown and Company. February 23, 2016.
  2. https://www.ecowatch.com/dr-mark-hyman-10-reasons-why-you-should-eat-fat-to-get-thin-1882141535.html

Dark Chocolate (Cacao) and Stem Cell Regeneration

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Dark chocolate (or cacao) is the number one longevity food on earth. 

According to researchers, “The raw cacao bean is one of nature’s most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique properties.” And according to Dr. Li, dark chocolate or cacao is one of the best foods for improving the stem cell response inside your body.

Dark chocolate, containing 70 to 80 percent cacao or higher or its more processed cousin cocoa, is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help protect from disease-causing free radicals. Cacao is also rich in magnesium, which helps our minds and bodies to relax.

Dr. Li specifically mentions drink two cups of dark, hot chocolate as the best way to get your daily dose of cacao, which can actually double the number of stem cells flowing in your bloodstream at any given time.

Dark chocolate containing 70 to 80 percent cacao or higher is packed with nutrients that can strengthen your body’s defense systems and positively affect your overall health.

Dark Chocolate is Heart Healthy

You may have heard this benefit before—and it continues to ring true through vast research today. Epidemiologists have long-established a connection between consuming foods with flavanols—a potent antioxidant found in dark chocolate—and a lower incidence of death from cardiovascular disease.

With the help of over 750 million stem cells, your body regenerates itself each and every day. Dark chocolate can mobilize your stem cells to carry out their job to the fullest. At the University of California, San Francisco, researchers found that participants who received a chocolate drink made with cocoa twice a day for thirty days had twice as many stem cells in their circulation as their control group.

References:

  1. https://www.vosgeschocolate.com/blogs/vosges-haut-chocolat-blog/guest-post-7-pleasantly-surprising-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate
  2. https://althealthworks.com/holistic-doctor-shares-this-ancient-healing-food-helps-your-body-recruit-stem-cells-to-regenerate-itself-from-the-inside-out/

Highly Processed Foods Can Result in Premature Deaths

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A growing body of evidence suggests that consuming too much highly processed food — items like hot dogs, chips, soda and ice cream — can have consequences beyond obesity and high cholesterol.

Foods that are “ultra-processed” contain more artificial ingredients than those that just have added salt, sugar or oil. These foods are ready-to-consume products that are made up entirely or mostly from substances extracted from food (oils, fats, sugar, proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats, modified starches), or synthesized, based on organic materials (dyes, flavorings, flavor enhancers and other additives used to alter the food’s sensory properties).

Source: Bing.com images

They usually have very few whole ingredients and contain flavorings, colorings or other additives. Instant noodles, frozen pizza and store-bought cookies typically fall within this category.

In the U.S., ultra-processed food makes up around 57% of daily calories, on average. Based on that, Eduardo Nilson, a nutrition researcher at the University of São Paulo and the study’s lead author, believes the U.S. could expect more premature deaths associated with food.

Many previous “ultra-processed” studies have linked ultra-processed food to other negative health outcomes, including a higher risk for diabetes, cognitive decline, heart disease and cancer. An August study found that people in Italy who consumed ultra-processed food in large quantities had a higher overall risk of death.

Maura Walker, an assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University who wasn’t involved in the research, cautioned that this study did not show that ultra-processed food consumption directly caused premature death — only that there was an association. But the connection makes sense, she said.

Ultra-processed foods can often be identified by their long list of ingredients, many of which you wouldn’t normally find in your own kitchen and are often difficult to pronounce.

But not everything in this category is harmful, according to Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. For example, whole grain bread and whole grain breakfast cereals are sometimes considered ultra-processed, but they are also sources of dietary fiber, which can lower the risk of heart disease or cancer.

For that reason, Willett said, it’s important to focus on avoiding particular foods that are significantly associated with a risk of premature death.

The results from this study highlight the damage to health that is arising based on the observed trend in Brazil of replacing traditional meals, based on natural or minimally processed foods, with ultra-processed foods. These results also support the recommendation of avoiding the consumption of these kinds of foods.

References:

  1. https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(22)00429-9/fulltext
  2. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/highly-processed-food-linked-early-death-study-rcna55455
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4544452/

Immunity Boosting Foods

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Food is medicine.

Food, along with exercise and adequate sleep, are done of the most powerful tools you have to help prevent disease and improve your overall health. And, a healthy body and mind begins with a healthy immune system, writes Angie Ferguson, an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach.

In addition to developing healthy lifestyle habits, the food you eat can help to reduce the risk and severity of infections, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In short, healthy, nutrient dense “food can be medicine”.

When trying to stay healthy, it’s best to cut back on foods that lead to inflammation (processed meats and foods, saturated fats, refined carbs, sugary foods and beverages) and instead fuel yourself with foods full on nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

  • Citrus fruits – vitamin C is an antioxidant
  • Garlic – contains the antioxidant allicin, which has antibacterial properties and strengthens your immune system
  • Ginger – has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties
  • Mushrooms – packed with vitamins and minerals and bio-active compounds called beta-glucans known to boost immunity
  • Green leafy vegetables – provide anti-inflammatory antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
  • Berries – rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins, which possess antioxidants agents, anti-inflammatory properties and support a healthy cardiovascular system
  • Turmeric – contains cur cumin which is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and detoxifying ingredient that’s amazing for digestive health.
  • Sweet potatoes and carrots – excellent sources of beta carotene which can reduce inflammation and boost immune function by increasing disease fighting cells in the body.
  • Olives – this fruit is an antioxidant powerhouses, which reduces inflammation and fight bad bacteria. Studies have shown that eating olives can raise levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant which acts as a defense against bacteria that cause airway and stomach infections. Olives possess a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which prevents heart diseases like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, plaque build-up, and strokes. The oil of olives is where this oleic acid is located; it can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, which reduces the chances of cardiovascular complications and general stress on the system.

Enjoy these nutrients dense foods in their different forms and see how healthy they can make you feel!

Reference:

  1. Ferguson, Angie, “First Line of Defense”, Florida Times-Union, , June 7, 2022, pg 1D.
  2. https://www.organicfacts.net/olives.html

Angie Ferguson is an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach.

Health is Real Wealth

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The real wealth are healthy habits such as a healthy diet, exercise, regular sleep.

Keeping your priorities straight is a challenge, but it’s essential to prioritize your health. Without a healthy body, everything you’re working for doesn’t mean much.

Finances and health are nearly impossible to separate. After all, health care costs money, and making money is a lot simpler when you’re healthy. You may be thinking you just don’t have time to focus on healthy habits like a balanced diet, exercise, or sleep.

One study showed that medical expenses and disabilities may account for two-thirds of bankruptcies in the U.S. Even if that stat is skewed, we all know that medical costs can be really tough for the average family to handle. Keeping yourself healthy can prevent a ton of extra costs. 

Many of the key steps to a healthy, happy and longer life are simple and within reach of almost all of us. Master these three science-based healthy habits and you’ll high-five your way to feeling great.

1. Exercise regularly

Exercise is the one thing in life you can do to live a longer, healthier life. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks exercise sky-high on its bucket list of activities.

“Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity,” says our nation’s top health organization.

The healthiest way to improve the quality of your sleep: exercise

“People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive.”

If you get up and move at least 150 minutes each week, you cut your risk of dying by one-third.

In addition, exercise — even just walking at a moderate pace — has been shown to improve cognitive function, help you control your weight, reduce your risk for disease and, of course, strengthen your bones and muscles.

Some benefits are immediate: After finishing one 30-minute physical activity you’ll have less anxiety, lower blood pressure, more sensitivity to insulin and you’ll sleep better that night.

Get the recommended 150 to 300 minutes a week for adults of moderate-intensity exercise — such as brisk walking, dancing, bicycling, doubles tennis and water aerobics — as the benefits go up.

2. Eat a healthy plant-based diet

Keeping a healthy weight — defined by doctors as having a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 — is another key way to stay healthy and reduce your risk of all manner of diseases and conditions.

There are lots of excellent diets out there to help you lose and keep your weight under control, which focuses on food to slow cognitive decline, and the Flexitarian Diet, which combines the words flexible and vegetarian.

Replace red meat with plant protein or dairy to live longer, two new studies suggests Science has shown that a plant-based, meaning you’ll eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, can reduce the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, stroke, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer.

Use all kinds and colors of veggies to get the broadest range of nutrients, phytochemicals and fiber. Cook, roast or garnish them with herbs and a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Add whole grains and fruit to every meal, but use nuts and seeds as a garnish or small snack due to their high calorie and fat content.

You’ll also eat less red meat, sugar, processed foods, and saturated fat and more omega-3-rich fish (twice a week) and olive oil. Think of chicken, beef and pork as a “seasoning” to a dish, instead of the main course.

Eat less meat and more plants

The real secret to the success of a plant base diet — it’s not dieting at all. It’s a lifestyle, with the greatest emphasis placed on exercise, mindfully eating with friends and family and socializing over meals.

3. Get good-quality sleep

You may choose to exercise or eat healthy, but your body is going to demand sleep. The quantity and quality of it, however, is essential and under your control. Sleep is as important for good health as diet and exercise. Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health.

Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. These range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia

If you’re not sticking to a regular sleep schedule, you’re hurting your health since experts recommend that school-age children get at least nine hours a night and teens get between eight and 10. Most adults need at least seven hours or more of sleep each night.

Getting less has been linked in studies to high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, weight gain, a lack of libido, mood swings, paranoia, depression and a higher risk of diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, dementia and some cancers.

Sleeping less than the recommended amount each night on a regular basis may double your risk of dying. In a longitudinal study, researchers found that those who reduced their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night were almost twice as likely to die from all causes, especially cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, your chances of developing a major disease or medical condition skyrocket if you don’t get enough sleep. That’s because during sleep, your body is literally repairing and restoring itself on a cellular level.

One sleep myth is that you can “catch up” on your days off. Researchers are finding that this largely isn’t the case. “If you have one bad night’s sleep and take a nap, or sleep longer the next night, that can benefit you,” says Wright. “But if you have a week’s worth of getting too little sleep, the weekend isn’t sufficient for you to catch up. That’s not a healthy behavior.”

Takeaway…there are actions you can take to help reduce your stress, improve your mood and to be well on your way to a happier, healthier life.

When you adopt healthy habits in one area of your life, those habits tend to have a ripple effect on other areas. For example, when you’re exercising regularly, you’re also more likely to eat healthy foods and get regular sleep. 

These reasons should be adequate for you to prioritize your health and to convince you to live healthier, even if health itself isn’t enough of a reward. 

References:

  1. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/07/health/exercise-sleep-prevent-disease-wellness/index.html
  2. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health
  3. https://due.com/blog/financial-reasons-to-prioritize-your-health/

Food, Sleep, and Exercise Impacts Your Success

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The secret to becoming successful in life and business starts with how healthy you are. And that means that you’re eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily.

Health is wealth. Why food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success?

You Are What You Eat

When it comes to your productivity, you are what you eat!

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Ron Friedman states, “Food has a direct impact on our cognitive performance, which is why a poor decision at lunch can derail an entire afternoon.”

“Just about everything we eat is converted by our body into glucose, which provides the energy our brains need to stay alert,” Fredman continues. “When we’re running low on glucose, we have a tough time staying focused and our attention drifts. This explains why it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach.”

Certain foods like pasta, bread, cereal and soda, “release their glucose quickly, leading to a burst of energy followed by a slump.” High fat meals, however, “(think cheeseburgers and BLTs) provide more sustained energy, but require our digestive system to work harder, reducing oxygen levels in the brain and making us groggy.”

Replace that junk food with options like kale, blueberries, fish, walnuts, and green tea if you want to give your cognitive functions a boost.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Adequate, quality rest each night is essential for good health. Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact our mood as well as our ability to focus on daily tasks and activities.

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School reiterates how essential a good night’s sleep is. “Lack of sleep exacts a toll on perception and judgment. In the workplace, its effects can be seen in reduced efficiency and productivity, errors, and accidents. Sometimes the effects can even be deadly, as in the case of drowsy driving fatalities.”

While sleep is important, it doesn’t have to be eight hours. In fact, only 27% of highly successful people sleep between 7-8 hours. Another 27% get 6-7 hours, while 32% only sleep for 5-6 hours. Most of these individuals sleep from the hours of 11pm to 5am as well.

To get a good night’s sleep, create a schedule and stick to it. You should also avoid drinking alcohol and regular coffee, keep you room dark and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal), have a comfortable mattress, and have a relaxing ritual before you go to bed, such as reading or meditating.

Exercise – Get Your Sweat On

One highly effective habit of successful individuals is daily exercise. Besides keeping off unwanted pounds, exercising daily can help with;

  • Decreasing stress,
  • Boosting your immune system,
  • Keeping you productive, and
  • Helping you sleep better at night.

Even if you can’t go to the gym for an hour everyday, you can always start taking baby steps. For example, you could start using a standing desk, taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.

These small actions add-up and ensure that you stay at your best physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success. Thus, it’s important that you make your health a priority.

References:

  1. https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/the-importance-of-food-sleep-and-exercise-and-how-it-impacts-your-success.html
  2. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/sleep-is-the-foundation-for-healthy-habits

Heart Disease and Hypertension

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The #1 killer of Americans—Cardiovascular / Heart Disease.

Cardiovascular disease remains the #1 health threat and the leading cause of death in the U.S. Over 874,000 Americans died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, according to the American Heart Association’s “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2022 Update.”

Moreover, cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills more people each year than COVID-19 at its worst and CVD is the preventable. Every year, cardiovascular disease kills twice as many people, at a younger average age, as COVID-19 has at its worst, and since 2020, there’s been a surge in fatalities from heart disease and stroke in the U.S.

Fortunately, we don’t need heroic medical innovation to turn back this pandemic. We already have the public health tools needed to prevent most early cardiovascular deaths. The question is whether we can muster the social and political will to use them.

First, some basics. In the first two years of the pandemic, COVID-19 killed nearly 900,000 people in the U.S. In those same years, heart attacks and strokes killed more than 1.6 million. Globally, COVID-19 killed more than 10 million people in the first two years of the pandemic; in the same two years, cardiovascular disease killed more than 35 million. The three leading drivers of heart attacks and strokes—accounting for around two-thirds of the global total—are tobacco use, hypertension and air pollution, and all three are preventable.

There are many things you can do to take control of your health and reduce your risk of heart problems without medication. One of the most important ways to protect your heart—and brain, as research shows—is to protect yourself against the dangers of hypertension.

Blood pressure is the force of that blood pushing against your artery walls. It is normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall throughout the day. But if it stays high for too long, the constant force on your arteries can create microscopic tears. These tears can turn into scar tissue, providing the perfect lodging place for fat, cholesterol, and other particles—collectively called plaque.  

Buildup of plaque narrows the arteries, which requires your heart to work extra hard to push blood through, causing spikes in blood pressure. When untreated, high blood pressure (or hypertension) is a ticking time bomb.

Most people experience no symptoms, often having high blood pressure without knowing. Left undetected or uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to heart disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage/failure, vision loss, peripheral artery disease, and sexual dysfunction.

The Brain and Blood Pressure Connection

Research is starting to show just how far-reaching the effects of hypertension can be, affecting not just the blood vessels in the brain, but also how the brain functions. A recently published study in Hypertension, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that high blood pressure appears to accelerate cognitive decline.

On the other hand, those with controlled hypertension did not experience these rapid declines in memory or cognitive function, which highlights the need to control blood pressure, regardless of age. As scientists in this study concluded, “In addition to hypertension, prehypertension and pressure control might be critical for the preservation of cognitive function.”

Other research confirms the importance of keeping heart health risk factors under control, especially for the prevention of dementia. In one study of 1,449 people, those who had better control over modifiable heart disease risk factors had lower risk of dementia later in life.

It’s time to pay special attention to understanding, preventing and treating heart disease. Here are just a few examples of how you can reduce your risk:

  • Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week
  • Eating healthy (the AHA’s Heart-Check mark can guide you)
  • Not smoking or vaping
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure
  • Getting regular checkups
  • Finding ways to relax and ease your mind, such as meditation

Caring for yourself and taking care of your heart is good for your brain. That’s because many of the risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, are also related to brain diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

References:

  1. https://www.newportnaturalhealth.com/blogs/popular-posts/ticking-time-bomb-fighting-the-1-killer-in-the-u-s
  2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/stopping-a-pandemic-deadlier-than-covid-11648220259
  3. https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/reclaim-your-health-during-american-heart-month-in-february
  4. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052