Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Written by Claudia Guy, ND. The topic of cholesterol is still a hot topic in medicine since it is generally considered the leading cause of atherosclerosis, a type of cardiovascular disease. But cholesterol goes far beyond heart disease. It is a waxy, fatty substance that …
Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a common condition that measures the force of blood against the artery walls as your heart pumps oxygen rich blood throughout your body. There is normally a little resistance from the arteries which carry the blood and …
Doctors are finding strong connections between obesity and the extremely dangerous heart arrhythmia known as atrial fibrillation. According to the American College of Cardiology, an estimated 5.6 million U.S. adults have atrial fibrillation (AF), an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid, irregular beating of the upper chambers of the heart. It is a leading cause of stroke. Symptoms include weakness, shortness of breath, and palpitations. Obesity, another condition that plagues more than one-third of U.S. adults, is connected with an increased risk of AF. But there’s good news – a new study has found that obese patients with AF who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight were six times more likely to achieve long-term freedom from the disorder compared to those who did not lose weight.
Rajeev Pathak, MD, a cardiologist and electrophysiology associate at the University of Adelaide in Australia and the lead study author of this study stated, “Previous studies have shown that weight management can reduce atrial fibrillation symptoms in the short term and improve outcomes of ablation (a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation). We sought to shed light on the long-term outcomes of sustained weight loss, the effects of the amount of weight lost and the impact of changes in weight over time.”
Need some help with losing weight and exercising? Read Jun Wang, MS’, “Dietary Approach to Weight Loss” here!
Three hundred and fifty-five participants, all obese with atrial fibrillation at the start of the study, were enrolled in a dedicated weight loss clinic by researchers that tracked their health annually for about four years. The study found a direct relationship between weight loss and the participants symptoms – the higher the weight loss, the higher the percentage of people who became free of their symptoms. Fourty-five percent of the patients who lost 10 percent or more of their body weight were free of atrial fibrillation symptoms, without medication or surgery. In the patients who lost from 3 to 9 percent of their body weight, 22 percent achieved freedom from the symptoms of atrial fibrillations. Only 13 percent of patients who lost less than 3 percent of their body weight were free of symptoms. Even with the use of surgery or medication, those who lost more weight were substantially more likely to achieve success and have freedom from atrial fibrillation symptoms, as well. This study is published online March 16, 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Five months after the former study was published, a new study also performed at the University of Adelaide found that exercise appeared to strongly benefit the control of atrial fibrillation in obese people. Australian researchers found that “cardiorespiratory fitness” reduced the risk that this dangerous irregular heartbeat may return by as much as 84 percent. Cardiorespiratory fitness is defined as “the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the body during sustained physical activity.” Lead researcher Dr. Prashanthan Sander, director of the Center for Heart Rhythm Disorders at the University of Adelaide in Australia, explains, “This study adds to a growing body of evidence that aggressive risk factor management with increased physical activity should be an integral component of management of atrial fibrillation.”
Researchers assigned the study’s 308 patients (all obese or overweight with atrial fibrillation) to one of three groups based on their level of fitness – low, adequate or high. After four years, 84 percent of patients in the high fitness group no longer had atrial fibrillation. Seventy-six percent of patients in the adequate level of fitness group no longer had atrial fibrillation and just 17 percent of patients in the low fitness level group no longer had atrial fibrillation. As measures of fitness improved, the incidence of atrial fibrillation declined. This study is published online August 24, 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Need some help with losing weight and exercising? Read Jun Wang, MS’, “Dietary Approach to Weight Loss” here!
By Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND. Cholesterol is one of the most confusing topics in today’s medical world. Many times, when customers ask for my help with this condition, they often start by telling me their total cholesterol number. But, unknown to them and many others, your …
Photo by Neha Deshmukh on Unsplash Now here’s something we can toast to! It’s well-known that consumption of red wine has great health benefits, but recent studies show that other alcoholic beverages in moderation might boost your overall health, too. The Study In a recent …
It’s a common practice to take aspirin daily for a healthy heart. However, recent research shows that this method may have far more risks than benefits.
According to a study published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 11.6% of the nearly 70,000 patients seeing a cardiologist in the US are taking the drug “inappropriately”. This means these patients have a very low risk of heart disease to begin with – therefore, aspirin as a preventative method is unnecessary and may even be harmful.
Aspirin is known to battle heart attacks and strokes by preventing the formation of blood clots. Clots are made up of blood cells called platelets, which stick together with the help of an enzyme known as cyclo-oxygenase, or COX. However, aspirin prevents COX from doing its job, which can cause other health issues. It can be quite useful in preventing heart problems, but it also increases your risk of excessive bleeding due to its blood thinning qualities. This can lead to internal bleeding that may be fatal, including hemorrhagic stroke in the brain.
Due to these unforeseen issues that result from overuse of aspirin, experts recommend its use for only those with an existing risk of clots or clot-related problem. That includes pretty much everyone who has already suffered an ischemic stroke or heart attack. It also includes people who have never had a heart attack or stroke, but face at least a 6% to 10% risk of suffering one in the next 10 years, according to recent guidelines from the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The results of this study make it clear that patients may be uninformed and over-medicated on the use of aspirin. Medications, including OTC pills like aspirin, should be used only when the benefits outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor about what’s necessary for your personal health.
1. Following a heart-healthy diet
According to the Mayo Clinic’s Heart-healthy eating guide, the best way to begin following a heart-healthy diet plan is to focus on vegetables, fruits and whole grains, while limiting high-fat foods like red meat, cheese and baked goods, and high-sodium foods like canned or processed food.
2. Avoiding Trans-fat
Commonly considered the worst type of fat you can consume, trans-fat is harmful to the body, mainly for your cholesterol – it has been shown to raise your LDL (“bad” cholesterol”) and lower your HDL (“good” cholesterol). Trans-fat can commonly be found in baked goods (cakes and cookies), snacks (chips and popcorn), fried food (french fries and doughnuts), and other food items like creamer and margarine. Always be sure to read nutrition labels on foods to know what you are putting into your body. As a general rule, if you cannot pronounce it, stay away from it.
3. Exercise
According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise (along with following a healthy diet) can greatly benefit heart health. The AHA states that regular exercise contributes to a reduction in body weight, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and increases in exercise tolerance, HDL cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity.