Eat More Fish to Cheat Death

If you're like most American men, you're missing out on a powerful nutrient that can improve your health and add years to your life

Forget that icelandic men eat practically no vegetables, and that they affectionately refer to their local liquor as Black Death. Chances are, you could learn a lot from them about healthy eating.

You see, the men in Iceland live longer than those anywhere else on the planet—an average of 78.7 years, to be exact. That beats the second-place Japanese by a couple of months, and the likes of you by more than 4 years. The natives claim that the secret to their longevity is their Viking blood. Science points to their dinner plates.

Every year, the people of Iceland eat 29,000 tons of fish, which equates to 200 pounds of fish per capita, more than any other nation, except for a few tiny, unpronounceable island states. (No offense to our loyal readers in Tokelau and Niue.)

That's 200 pounds of live weight, but even after you subtract for bones, heads, guts, and leftovers gone bad, it's more than 6 ounces of fish every day, for every man, woman, and child—eight times the amount the average American eats. It's not difficult to connect the dietary dots.

What is it about fish? Scientists believe it's the fat. Nutritionists usually recommend that you avoid the fat in beef and pork, but the fat in fish is, well, an entirely different animal. That's because it's rich in omega-3 fatty acids—healthy polyunsaturated fats that are essential for many biological functions. In fact, you need them to live.

"Omega-3 fatty acids are part of the membrane of every cell in the body; they're also the building blocks of hormones that govern much of the body's physiology," says David Katz, M.D., director of the Prevention Research Center at the Yale school of medicine.

A quick primer on omega-3 fatty acids:

• There are three types: eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid, known respectively as EPA, DHA, and ALA.

• EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids that are most easily used by your body, are found in significant amounts only in marine life, particularly cold-water fish (because they carry more fat for insulation).

• ALA, on the other hand, is obtained from plant-derived foods, such as flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.

An important detail: "For ALA to provide any health benefits, your liver must convert it into EPA and DHA," says Bruce Holub, Ph.D., a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph, in Ontario. "The estimated average efficiency of conversion is around 10 percent to 15 percent."

That means for every gram of omega-3s you take in from fish sources, you need about 6 grams from plant foods to glean an equivalent amount of EPA and DHA. And that may be why fish consumption is related to longevity.

In the 1970s, scientists observed a very low death rate from heart disease in Greenland Eskimos, despite the high fat content—nearly 40 percent of total calories—of their diet. This became known as the "Eskimo Paradox," since it contradicted previous findings that a high-fat diet increased cardiovascular-disease risk. In subsequent investigations, Danish researchers found that the pivotal factor was the source of the fat.

Turns out, there was a strong correlation between the Eskimos' low incidence of heart disease and their high consumption of fatty fish, a finding that was later echoed in studies of other fish-eating cultures—in Japan, Alaska, and the Mediterranean.

And that established a direct link to the life-extending benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, since they're mostly absent in plant and land-animal food (unless you count lamb and pig brain).

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6 Ways To Boost Your Child’s Immune System

Runny noses. Constant colds. Recurrent flus. Gastrointestinal bugs. Most parents think these conditions are just par for the course with children in day care or school. But not all children are getting sick. Not all children have runny noses. Not all children will contract that GI bug.

As a naturopathic physician and expert in pediatric natural medicine, I see children of all ages coming in with recurrent infections and immune systems that catch every bug that crosses their path.

But after ten years in naturopathic medical practice, I have seen firsthand that a great immune system is not all about great genes. I also know how many powerful tools there are available to parents to easily boost their child’s immune system safely and effectively.

We don’t just have to accept our child’s current state of health. We can actually take measures to boost their defenses, speed healing, and help them to gain a greater level of wellness.

Here’s how:

1. It starts with a great diet.

Children’s immune systems can take a hit if they're constantly being bombarded with food intolerances, additives, preservatives, and sugar. When a child has a food allergy, her digestion suffers, inflammation is ramped up, which makes fending off viruses and bacteria much more difficult. It’s a similar story when a child takes in more additives and preservatives than her body can deal with.

Sugar has been shown in many clinical trials to actually suppress immunity. To keep kids well, limit their overall intake of additives, sugar, and find out which foods are allergens. Focus on plenty of fresh veggies, whole fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, and meat.

2. Maintain your child's microbiota!

Probiotics are the friendly helpful bacteria that naturally occur in our guts. They protect our digestive tracts, help us to digest food, assist in toxin clearance, and shield us from invading bacteria and viruses. When this bacterial balance becomes disrupted in children, we can see changes in a child’s ability to fend off infections.

I recommend starting children on a probiotic supplement containing lactobacillus and bifidobacteria strains early on — between 5 and 20 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) per day depending on age.

3. Help calm their stress and anxiety.

In today’s fast-paced world, parents are overstressed, children are over-scheduled, and everyone suffers. Children’s bodies have the same response to stress that adults’ do — their cortisol and adrenaline rises. When this elevation in stress hormones is sustained, their immune systems’ response is lowered.

It’s important for children to have lots of down time, time for creative play, and simply times of rest. Busy bodies need to take a break every now and then for their immune systems to thrive.

4. Make sure they're getting enough good sleep.

Most children are not getting the required amount of sleep. Depending on age, children need between ten and 14 hours of sleep per day. And it’s the quality of sleep that matters most. For proper secretion of melatonin (our sleep hormone), children need to sleep in the dark, without a night light. Since electromagnetic frequency has also been shown to affect sleep quality, make sure your child’s room is unplugged. Make sure all electronic devices are unplugged or better yet, just keep them in another room.

5. Remember that fever helps fight infection.

Although many parents panic at the first sign of a rise in temperature on the thermometer, it’s important to recognize that fever is only a sign of and not an illness itself. Fever is your child’s body’s response to an infection and without it, her body isn’t as effective at fighting the illness. The truth is, your child’s immune systems works better at a high temperature too, so she can get better quickly. Please note that while I do encourage fevers, it’s important to see a physician to make sure the fever is not a sign that something else is going on.

6. Supplements and herbs can work wonders.

The best supplements to boost a child’s immune system are vitamin D and zinc. The herbs elderberry and astragalus are my favorites for recurrent respiratory tract infections. For allergies, fish oil, vitamin C, and nettles work wonders. Please make sure to see your physician before starting your child on any new supplement or herb regimen.

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Prevent children's vision problems

We all want our kids to be tech-savvy, but there are risks that come with all that digital screen time: headaches, backaches, blurry vision and poor concentration. These symptoms can affect our children’s learning and productivity, but there are ways to prevent digital eye strain, commonly called computer vision syndrome (CVS).

Kids are wired starting at a young age
With PCs, hand-held video games, smartphones and e-readers at their disposal, kids are spending an exorbitant amount of time in front of digital screens. A 2010 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 7.5 hours a day or more of electronic media time is common among kids eight to 18, up one hour and 17 minutes from five years ago. Because they spend so much of that time "media multitasking" – using more than one medium at a time – they actually pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those 7.5 hours!

Children suffering digital eye strain
VSP Vision Care optometrists report that nearly one-third of their patients suffer from CVS symptoms. The company has launched a webseries to help prevent CVS, including this video:

While digital eye strain is commonly regarded as an adult condition, children are suffering from the side effects of overuse, says Dr. Leanne Liddicoat, a VSP optometrist. "With children spending upwards of 1.5 hours texting day, it's no wonder their eyes are causing them pain."

Tips for children's eye health
Easy steps parents and children can take to prevent digital eye strain.

Get regular eye exams
It's important that a child has the best vision possible when using digital devices. This starts with an examination by an eye doctor, not just a school screening. Children should have their first eye exam at six months, again at three years, before starting kindergarten and every year after that.

Follow the 20/20/20 rule
To avoid fatigue and digital eye strain symptoms, eye doctors recommend the "20/20/20 rule." Every 20 minutes, stop and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Ensure proper lighting
Poor lighting often causes eye strain. Ease strain by keeping bright lights overhead to a minimum and position a desk lamp to shine on your desk, not at you. Position the computer screen in a way that reduces reflections and glare from windows or overhead lights.

Limit electronic device use
Set time limits on the amount of screen time. Children under two years should have no screen time, and older children should have less than two hours per day. Be aware of how long children are using digital devices and look for digital eye strain symptoms such as squinting, rubbing of the eyes and complaints of back, neck or head pain.

Keep a working distance
The closer the eyes are to the object they're looking at, the harder the eyes have to work. A good rule is to apply the Harmon Distance (the distance between the elbow and first knuckle) as a guide. If a child is holding video games and digital devices closer than their Harmon Distance, let their eye doctor know.

Go outside
Not only does outdoor play feel good, but research shows that it helps prevent the development of nearsightedness. Just remember to use sunglasses and sunscreen.

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7 Foods That Are Good For High Blood Pressure

Hypertension: The Silent Killer

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health problem common among Americans. Over time, it causes blood vessel damage that can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and other problems.

Hypertension sometimes is called the silent killer because, by itself, it produces no symptoms. If you don’t get your blood pressure checked regularly, hypertension could go unnoticed, and untreated, for years.

High Blood Pressure and Diet

Your diet plays a big role in whether you have high or normal blood pressure. Dietary recommendations for lowering blood pressure, such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, include reducing your intake of fat, sodium, and alcohol.

The DASH guidelines also suggest eating more foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In general, you should eat more low-fat protein sources, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. The following slides present some of the best foods you can eat to lower your blood pressure.

Leafy Greens

Foods high in potassium give you a better ratio of potassium to sodium. Improvements in this ratio can help with lowering blood pressure. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, and spinach are high in potassium.

Try to opt for fresh or frozen greens, as canned vegetables often have added sodium. Frozen vegetables, on the other hand, contain just as many nutrients as they do when fresh and are easy to store.

Berries

Berries, especially blueberries, are rich in natural compounds called flavonoids. One study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming these compounds may prevent hypertension, and possibly help to reduce high blood pressure as well.

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are easy to add to your diet. Put them on your cereal every morning. Keep frozen berries on hand for a quick and healthful dessert.

Potatoes

Potatoes are high in both potassium and magnesium, two minerals that can help to lower your blood pressure. They are also high in fiber, which is necessary for an overall healthy diet. Enjoy a baked potato as the centerpiece of your dinner. Instead of fattening and salty butter and sour cream, try adding plain yogurt or salsa for flavor.

Beets

Researchers at the Queen Mary University of London found that patients with high blood pressure saw significant improvements in blood pressure from drinking beetroot juice. The study authors concluded that it was the nitrates in the juice that brought down the participants’ blood pressure within just 24 hours.

You can juice your own beets or simply cook and eat the whole root. Beetroot is delicious when roasted or when added to stir-fries and stews. Remember to use caution when handling beets—their deep red color will stain your hands and clothes.

Skim Milk

The DASH diet recommends increasing the amount of calcium-rich foods that you eat. Skim milk is an excellent source of calcium and is low in fat, another important element of a diet for lowering blood pressure.

Swap out your higher-fat milk for skim milk, or if you don’t care for milk, eat more low-fat or non-fat yogurt. Just watch out for those that are high in sugar.

Oatmeal

High-fiber, low-fat, and low-sodium foods are just what you want for lowering your blood pressure, and oatmeal fits the bill. Oatmeal for your breakfast is a great way to charge up for the day.

On its own, oatmeal can be bland, but refrain from adding too much sugar. Instead, add fresh or frozen berries to sweeten it up, and maybe just a touch of honey.

Bananas

Bananas are a great way to add potassium to your diet. Adding foods that are rich in this mineral to your diet is better than taking supplements, and it’s easy. Slice a banana into your breakfast cereal or oatmeal, or take one to work every day for a quick, easy, and inexpensive snack.

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Fasting May Not Be Needed Before Cholesterol Test

The requirement to fast before a cholesterol check can be a major inconvenience.

People who forget to fast may be told to reschedule their appointments. For those who remember, sitting in a doctor's waiting room with a growling stomach can make for a rough start to the day.

Now a large new study shows that cholesterol levels aren't radically different in people who ate compared to those who fasted before their blood was drawn.

The study, which is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that people may not need to fast before they get a cholesterol test.

Experts who were not involved in the research called the results an eye-opener.

"This information is actually very, very interesting. It might change how we approach a patient," says Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Fasting and Cholesterol
For the study, researchers looked at the results of all the cholesterol tests processed at the same lab during a six-month stretch in 2011. Because the lab does all the testing for the entire city of Calgary, Canada, that amounted to test results for more than 200,000 people. Doctors also recorded how long it had been since the patient had last eaten.

When researchers broke down the results by fasting time, they found little change. Overall, total cholesterol and HDL "good" cholesterol varied by less than 2%, depending on when a person had last eaten. Total cholesterol and HDL are important because they are the main measures used to calculate a person's risk for heart-related events.

LDL "bad" cholesterol was less than 10% different in people who'd recently eaten compared to those who had been fasting for at least eight hours.

Triglycerides, or blood fats, were the most sensitive to food. They varied by no more than 20% between people who had fasted and those who had not.

Study Limitations
Because the study is just a snapshot in time, it has important limitations. It doesn't prove that cholesterol levels don't change significantly before and after a meal for individual patients.

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5 tips for good eye health in kids

1. Send the kiddies outside 

Research suggests that increasing the amount of time children spend outdoors could reduce the risk of them becoming myopic (that is, near-sighted) in the future. A UK study has found that children who spent more time outdoors at age eight to nine years were only about half as likely to become short-sighted by the age of 15.
Melbourne optometrist Tim Fricke* says that for a long time it was thought that kids who read a lot would end up with myopia. “But it’s now thought that maybe these kids who love reading just spend less time outside and so aren’t getting the benefits.”

2. Eat an eye-healthy diet

Ask anyone which foods are good for eyes and most will answer 'carrots' – and while they are a great food for eyes because of their vitamin A content, a diet high in foods rich in vitamins, omega 3s and antioxidants has been found to help preserve eyesight throughout the years.
Some great foods for kids to munch today to help preserve their eyesight of tomorrow include leafy greens like spinach and kale, fruit and vegetables high in vitamin C like strawberries and grapefruit, seeds and nuts for their high vitamin E content, turkey and oysters for zinc and lots of oily fish like tuna and salmon, plus eggs, for omega 3 fatty acids. Research has linked all of these with lower risks of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

3. Sunglasses are more than cool

Many of us really start wearing sunglasses in our teens and 20s – but scientists believe children’s eyes are much more susceptible to UV damage than adults’. Wearing sunglasses as a tot can help protect against the most common eye conditions that develop later in life, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
When choosing shades for the kids, ensure they have standard UV 400 lenses or 100 percent UV protection.

4. Get their eyes checked

There doesn’t need to be a problem to get a standard eye check. Ideally, all children should have a comprehensive eye check before starting school as some problems, such as strabismus (turned eye) and amblyopia (lazy eye), are much more successfully treated when children are young. Plus, says Tim, if there are vision issues, it can impact on learning and behaviour significantly.

5. Monitor their use of digital devices

Make sure the space in which they’re using the screens is comfortably lit, they aren’t holding the device too close and they take regular breaks (Tim suggests at least five minutes an hour).

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Can Eating Alkaline Foods Help Fight Cancer?

The 1931 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg said that cancer cells cannot survive where there are high levels of oxygen. Alkalinity helps to increase the body's oxygen level, which is why alkaline foods can be helpful in fighting cancer. When the blood is alkalized, it is able to contain more oxygen, absorbing up to 100 times more than a body with a high acid content.

Alkaline Foods Decrease Toxicity

In the book "Hidden Truth of Cancer" by Dr. Keiichi Morishita, head of the International Natural Medicine Association, the doctor speaks about how oxygen levels in cells decrease in the presence of too much acid. This creates a toxic environment, which can create mutations in the cells, potentially leading to cancer. With a greater degree of alkalinity in the body, these toxins decrease.

Staying Balanced With Alkaline Foods

When too many acids are present in the diet, the body stores these acids if it cannot find a way to get rid of them. People with cancer generally have high levels of acid in their system, which makes it essential for them to find balance through eating foods that are alkaline in content. This will bring the body to a healthy pH level of approximately 7.4, which helps to saturate red blood cells with healing and essential oxygen.

Staying Balanced With Alkaline Foods

When too many acids are present in the diet, the body stores these acids if it cannot find a way to get rid of them. People with cancer generally have high levels of acid in their system, which makes it essential for them to find balance through eating foods that are alkaline in content. This will bring the body to a healthy pH level of approximately 7.4, which helps to saturate red blood cells with healing and essential oxygen.

Good Eating Ideas to Fight Cancer

Drinking a glass of water before or after meals with a half lemon or lime helps to alkalize the system. A half-teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water does the same, especially when you are feeling the effects of acidosis. Adding alkaline drops to fresh water helps to increase its alkaline content. Buying organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible will ensure that they are free of pesticides and other toxic substances, which are also acid in content.

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Omega-3 intake inversely linked to signs of brain aging

(Reuters Health) - Older women with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had slightly less brain shrinkage than women with low fatty acid levels in a new study.

The results may suggest that omega-3s protect the brain from the loss of volume that happens with normal aging and is seen more severely in people with dementia, the researchers say.

"The brain gets smaller during the normal aging process - about 0.5 percent per year after age 70, but dementia is associated with an accelerated and localized process of brain shrinkage," said James Pottala, who led the study.

Pottala is an assistant professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Sioux Falls and chief statistician for the Health Diagnostic Laboratory in Richmond, Virginia.

He and his colleagues analyzed data from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study to see whether omega-3s were associated with brain shrinkage in general, and in specific brain regions involved in memory and other cognitive processes.

The data covered 1,111 women who were, on average, 70 years old and had no signs of dementia at the beginning of the study. At that time, the amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in their red blood cells were measured.

DHA accounts for 30 percent to 40 percent of the fatty acids found in brain cell membranes, and it's especially concentrated near the synapses where the cells communicate with one another, Pottala and his colleagues note in their report, published in the journal Neurology.

Red blood cell levels of the omega-3s are good indicators of how much a person has consumed, the researchers add.

The researchers used an omega-3 index to describe the fatty acid levels seen among women in the study and to divide them into four groups: women with the highest levels had an average index reading of around 7.5 percent, while women with the lowest levels had an average of 3.4 percent.

Eight years after the women's blood was tested, they underwent MRIs to measure the volume of gray matter and white matter in their brains.

The researchers found that women with the highest EPA and DHA blood levels at the study's outset had brains that were about two cubic centimeters larger overall than women with the lowest levels.

In addition, the hippocampus, a brain region critical to forming and storing memories, was 2.7 percent larger in women who had fatty acid levels twice as high as the average.

Of 13 specific brain regions the researchers looked at, the hippocampus was the only one where they saw a significant difference.

The analysis adjusted for other factors that could influence the women's brain size, including education, age, other health conditions, smoking and exercise.

The researchers didn't measure cognitive function, only brain volume, so they cannot say whether the size differences they saw had any link with differences in memory or dementia risk.

The authors acknowledged other limitations in their report, including that they did not look at whether the women's omega-3 consumption had changed over time.

It's possible that some of the participants had changed their diets or started taking fish oil or other forms of omega-3 fatty acids, Pottala told Reuters Health in an email.

But in previous study, he and his colleagues showed red blood cell EPA and DHA levels and peoples' dietary fish intakes generally don't change over time.

"If some subjects in our MRI study began taking fish oil supplements, then the reported benefits would be underestimated," Pottala said.

Pottala says higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids can be achieved by dietary changes, such as eating oily fish twice a week or taking fish oil supplements.

Since the study does not prove that blood levels of omega-3s are the cause of the brain-size differences observed, or that those differences have any effect on cognitive function, the researchers caution that more research is needed to know whether raising omega-3 levels would make any difference to brain health.

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Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke

Stroke: Causes and Risk Factors
A stroke, sometimes called a “brain attack,” happens when an artery to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures. As a result, blood flow is cut off to a part of the brain, depriving cells of oxygen and glucose from the blood supply. If the cut-off is brief, brain cells may be stressed but able to recover. But if cells are deprived for more than 3 or 4 minutes, they may die, resulting in permanent damage to the brain. In some cases of stroke, certain functions are lost, but other areas of the brain can learn to do the tasks previously handled by the damaged area.

Two types of stroke exist:

Ischemic stroke: About 80% of strokes are ischemic strokes. This type happens when a blood vessel in the brain develops a clot that cuts off blood flow to cells.

Hemorrhagic stroke: The remaining 20% are hemorrhagic strokes, which happen when a weakened blood vessel in the brain bursts. When the vessel bleeds or hemorrhages suddenly, surrounding brain tissue can become damaged. Hemorrhagic stroke is the most serious type of stroke.

Risk Factors

How do you know if you are at risk for having a stroke? There are two types of risk factors: controllable and uncontrollable. Some stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking, can be controlled by medication or lifestyle changes. Other risk factors, such as age and race, cannot be changed.

Controllable risk factors:

High blood pressure (hypertension): High blood pressure, defined as a reading of 140/90 or greater, is the leading risk factor for stroke. When blood pushes too forcefully against the walls of the arteries, it can weaken them and eventually lead to stroke. Adults should strive to keep their blood pressure below 140/90, or 130/80 or below if they’re at higher risk for stroke. An ideal reading is 120/80 or lower.  

Atherosclerosis: With this major risk factor for stroke, fatty plaques that build up inside the artery walls will block or narrow the vessels, which can lead to stroke.    
Heart disease: Coronary heart disease, heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart), and other heart diseases place people at higher stroke risk, compared to those with normal hearts.  

High cholesterol: Excess cholesterol raises one’s chances of heart disease and atherosclerosis. High cholesterol contributes to plaque buildup in arteries, which can block blood flow to the brain and cause stroke.  

Smoking or tobacco use: Smoking lowers oxygen levels in the blood, forcing the heart to work harder and enabling blood clots to form more readily. Cigarette smoke can also worsen atherosclerosis. According to the National Stroke Association, smokers have twice the risk of stroke as nonsmokers.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib): This disorder, marked by an irregular heartbeat, makes a person five times more likely to have a stroke, according to the National Stroke Association.With AFib, the heart’s two upper chambers beat rapidly and unpredictably, which allows blood to pool in the heart. The pooled blood can form clots that travel to the brain and cause a stroke.  

Diabetes: People with diabetes face higher risk of stroke because they often have other health problems and stroke risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.  

Overweight or obesity: Extra weight, along with being sedentary, raises the chances of high blood pressure or diabetes.

Blood disorders: Blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease or severe anemia, can cause stroke, if left untreated.

Excessive alcohol: Some research has linked too much alcohol to increased stroke risk. Women should limit themselves to one alcoholic drink per day; men, two per day.  

Drugs: Certain medications, such as anticoagulants, can raise stroke risk. Birth control pills and patches place some women at greater risk for stroke, especially if they’re over age 35 or have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, or if they smoke. Illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, or amphetamines, are risk factors, too.

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9 Foods That Do Not Raise Cholesterol

Overview More than 98 million Americans age 20 and up have cholesterol levels over the healthy maximum of 200 milligrams per deciliter, according to a 2013 American Heart Association report. If you’re one of the 32 million people with high cholesterol -- a reading of 240 milligrams per deciliter or higher -- your risks for heart disease, heart attack and stroke are hefty. In addition to avoiding smoking and staying active, eating a healthy diet can help keep your cholesterol levels and overall wellness in-check. Read on to find out 9 foods that do not raise cholesterol and are perfectly acceptable as part of a healthy diet – some might surprise you!

1. Eggs 
Rich in dietary cholesterol, eggs have long been a vilified food when it comes to heart health. Depending on the size of the egg, one yolk can contain up to 185 milligrams of cholesterol, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. “It is not the cholesterol in the egg yolk that is the problem,” said Barry Sears, a biochemist and president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, Massachusetts, “but the high levels of arachidonic acid that potentially increase inflammation in the arterial wall.” Americans tend to overconsume essential omega-6 fats like arachidonic acid and lack essential omega-3s. To reap eggs’ nutritional benefits, such as vitamins B-12 and D, without damaging your cardiovascular health, the Harvard School of Public Health recommends limiting your intake to one egg daily if you have heart disease or diabetes.

2. Olive
Oil Because cholesterol is a fat produced by your liver and found in various foods, avoiding fat-rich foods if you're prone to high cholesterol may seem practical, but – keep in mind -- not all dietary fats or sources are nutritionally equal. As a solid fat source, butter may increase your cholesterol levels, according to biochemist and Inflammation Research Foundation President Barry Sears, because “bad” LDL cholesterol requires fluidity. Sears recommends a heart-healthy alternative: “Olive oil would be an excellent choice.”

3. Nuts
An analysis of 25 nut consumption studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2010 showed that daily nut intake can lower overall cholesterol and triglyceride levels and improve the ratio of “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol. “Most nuts are low in saturated and omega-6 fats, and high in polyphenols,” biochemist Sears says. “That's a winning combination to reduce inflammation.” He recommends aiming for about 1 ounce per day, which is equal to about 24 almonds, 35 peanuts or 18 medium-size cashews.

4. Yogurt 
In a study published in the European Heart Journal in 2013, the dairy intake and heart disease risk factors of 3,078 adults ages 35 to 64 were analyzed. Participants who consumed the highest amount of low-fat dairy products showed the lowest risks for heart disease. Additionally, no significant link was drawn between high-fat dairy intake and heart disease markers. “Dairy products are an important part of our nutritional health,” said Dr. Tiffany Sizemore-Ruiz, a concierge medicine physician, internist and cardiology fellow who specializes in diet, nutrition and preventative medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “They are full of calcium, protein and a multitude of vitamins." For maximum benefits without excess saturated fat and calories, she recommends opting for low-fat and part-skim varieties of yogurt, cheese and milk.

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Can Hot Spicy Food Cause a Heart Attack?

A heart attack is a scary occurrence that can impact your health and diet for the rest of your life. A healthy diet filled with fruits, vegetables and fiber can help lower your risk for a heart attack, but you may be wondering if certain foods, such as hot, spicy foods, can cause a heart attack. When you are able to pinpoint the causes of a heart attack, you will also be able to modify your diet accordingly to lower your risk and maintain good health.

Symptoms

A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to your heart, which most commonly causes pressure and chest pain, two symptoms that can also be associated with indigestion or heartburn from hot and spicy foods. Nausea and vomiting, two additional heart attack symptoms, may also occur with heartburn or indigestion from a spicy meal. If you are truly having a heart attack, you may also experience pain that radiates to your shoulder, jaw or upper arms, and you may also suffer from shortness of breath, sweating and fainting, all of which are symptoms that are not usually associated with heartburn or indigestion from spicy foods. Women may also experience abdominal pain, clamminess, dizziness or fatigue with a heart attack, also symptoms that do not usually accompany indigestion.

Causes

Because a heart attack is caused by a blocked artery, a high-cholesterol diet can be one dietary cause. When you eat too much cholesterol, it begins to stick to your artery walls, which narrows them and makes it more difficult for blood to pass through normally. In this way, diet does play a role in how likely you are to have a heart attack, but hot and spicy foods alone cannot cause a heart attack. If you enjoy spicy food that is also deep-fried or full of saturated fat, they may contribute to your risk of heart disease, but the hot and spicy food alone is not a cause of a heart attack.

Spicy Food

Because you may experience heartburn or indigestion from eating spicy foods, you may confuse your symptoms with those of a heart attack. Spicy foods can cause chest pain, nausea, vomiting and heartburn, which may cause you to wonder if you are having a heart attack. If you experience any of these following a spicy meal, they are likely to ease after a few hours. If the symptoms continue or get worse, call your doctor right away because coincidences happen and you might be having a heart attack despite what you ate right before.

Recommendations

If you find that you have indigestion or heartburn following a spicy meal, reduce how much of these foods you eat or eliminate them from your diet completely. See your doctor on a regular basis to discuss ways to treat indigestion and heartburn from spicy foods if you do not want to give them up. This may give you peace of mind by treating or preventing the symptoms that mimic a heart attack. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat and low in sweets, fatty red meat and full-fat dairy foods as well. A nutritious and well-balanced diet is one of the most important ways to lower your heart attack risk. Exercise is essential as well.

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Phthalates -- chemicals widely found in plastics and processed food -- linked to elevated blood pressure in children and teens

Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and -- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the bodies of most Americans. Once perceived as harmless, phthalates have come under increasing scrutiny. A growing collection of evidence suggests dietary exposure to phthalates (which can leech from packaging and mix with food) may cause significant metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, especially during early development.

Now, new research published this Wednesday in The Journal of Pediatrics suggests that certain types of phthalates could pose another risk to children: compromised heart health. Drawing on data from a nationally representative survey of nearly 3,000 children and teens, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Washington and Penn State University School of Medicine, have documented for the first time a connection between dietary exposure to DEHP (di-2-ethyhexylphthalate), a common class of phthalate widely used in industrial food production, and elevated systolic blood pressure, a measure of pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.

"Phthalates can inhibit the function of cardiac cells and cause oxidative stress that compromises the health of arteries. But no one has explored the relationship between phthalate exposure and heart health in children" says lead author Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine and population health at NYU Langone Medical Center. "We wanted to examine the link between phthalates and childhood blood pressure in particular given the increase in elevated blood pressure in children and the increasing evidence implicating exposure to environmental exposures in early development of disease."

Hypertension is clinically defined as a systolic blood-pressure reading above 140 mm Hg. It's most common in people over 50 years old, although the condition is becoming increasingly prevalent among children owing to the global obesity epidemic. Recent national surveys indicate that 14 percent of American adolescents now have pre-hypertension or hypertension. "Obesity is driving the trend but our findings suggest that environmental factors may also be a part of the problem," says Dr. Trasande. "This is important because phthalate exposure can be controlled through regulatory and behavioral interventions."

Researchers from NYU School of Medicine, the University of Washington and Penn State University School of Medicine examined six years of data from a nationally representative survey of the U.S. population administered by the National Centers for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Phthalates were measured in urine samples using standard analysis techniques. Controlling for a number of potential confounders, including race, socioeconomic status, body mass index, caloric intake and activity levels, the researchers found that every three-fold increase in the level of breakdown products of DEHP in urine correlated with a roughly one-millimeter mercury increase in a child's blood pressure. "That increment may seem very modest at an individual level, but on a population level such shifts in blood pressure can increase the number of children with elevated blood pressure substantially," says Dr. Trasande. "Our study underscores the need for policy initiatives that limit exposure to disruptive environmental chemicals, in combination with dietary and behavioral interventions geared toward protecting cardiovascular health."

This research was made possible through the generous support of KiDs of NYU Langone, an organization of parents, physicians, and friends that supports children's health services at New York University Langone Medical Center through philanthropy, community service, and advocacy.

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Some Fish Oil Supplements Fishy on Quality

A new test of 15 top-selling fish oil supplements by Consumer Reports shows five fell a bit short on quality.

The good news is all 15 of the fish oil supplements evaluated by an independent lab contained their labeled amount of EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

But four of the fish oil supplements tested contained trace levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

“In our recent tests, we found that some were not as pure as one might think,” Ronni Sandroff, editorial director of Health and Family at Consumer Reports, says in a news release.  

Another supplement’s coating failed to meet U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP, a non-government pharmaceutical standards-setting organization) standards for disintegration.

PCBs in Fish Oil Supplements

None of the fish oil supplements contained contaminants, such as lead, mercury, or PCBs, that exceeded levels set by USP or the European Union.

However, four of the fish oil supplements contained total PCBs in levels that would require warning labels under California’s Proposition 65, a consumer right-to-know law.

PCBs are part of a group of man-made organic chemicals that were widely used in industry until they were banned in 1979 after they were linked to cancer.

Although no longer in use, the chemicals accumulate in the environment and are sometimes found in fish and plants that have been exposed to contaminated water or soil.

Researchers say most of the tested fish oil supplements claimed to be “purified” or “free” of PCBs and other contaminants. But those claims have no specific regulatory definition, according to the FDA.

Dietary supplement companies base these claims on self-regulatory or European standards. For example, the USP limit on PCBs is 2 parts per trillion per gram.

The report does not say what levels of PCBs were found in the fish oil supplements. Researchers say the total PCB amounts in four brands (CVS Natural, GNC Triple Organic, Nature’s Bounty Odorless, and Sundown Naturals) were below the USP safe limit but within the range that would require a warning label under California’s Proposition 65, 90 parts per billion.

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High blood pressure during pregnancy may signal later heart disease risk

High blood pressure during pregnancy -- even once or twice during routine medical care -- can signal substantially higher risks of heart and kidney disease and diabetes, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

"All of the later life risks were similar in pregnant women who could otherwise be considered low-risk -- those who were young, normal weight, non-smokers, with no diabetes during pregnancy," said Tuija Männistö, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Rockville, Md.

Studies have shown higher heart and kidney disease risk in women with preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy-related disease marked with high blood pressure and measurable protein in the urine.

In the new study, researchers looked at less serious forms of high blood pressure that are much more common in pregnant women. For 40 years, they followed Finnish women who had babies in 1966. They calculated the risk of heart or kidney disease or diabetes in later life among women with high blood pressure during pregnancy, comparing them to women with normal blood pressure during pregnancy.

They found:

• One-third of the women had at least one high blood pressure measurement during pregnancy.
• Women who had any high blood pressure during pregnancy had 14 percent to over 100 percent higher risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life, compared to women with normal blood pressure during pregnancy.
• Women who had any high blood pressure during pregnancy were 2 to 5 times more likely to die from heart attacks than women with normal blood pressure during pregnancy.
• Women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy and healthy blood pressure levels after pregnancy had a 1.6- to 2.5-fold higher risk of having high blood pressure requiring medication or hospitalization later in life.
• Women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy had a 1.4- to 2.2-fold higher risk of having diabetes in later life.
• Women who had transient high blood pressure with and without measurable protein in the urine had a 1.9- to 2.8-fold higher risk of kidney disease in later life, compared to women with normal blood pressure during pregnancy. Transient high blood pressure is temporary high blood pressure that later returns to normal.

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The Things to Not Eat When You Have a Yeast Infection

An overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans causes a condition know as candidiasis, also called a yeast infection. Yeast infections often affect dark, moist areas of your body such as your mouth, genital area, intestines, urinary tract or skin folds. While no scientific evidence proves that dietary changes help improve yeast infections, avoiding certain foods may help enhance your body’s ability to control the overgrowth of Candida albicans.

Simple Carbohydrates

Avoid sugary drinks such as fruit juice and soda.

Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, refined grains, fructose and glucose provide yeast infections with a source of food. The lack of nutrients in many simple carbohydrate foods also limits your intake of vitamins and minerals your immune system needs to fight candidiasis, advises Nicole Kuhl, the director of nutrition and full-time health coach at Lifespan Medicine in Santa Monica, California. Avoid simple sugars by eliminating most fruits, fruit juices, sodas, milk, alcohol, candy, pre-packaged meals and snacks, white breads, regular pasta, syrups, table sugar and white rice from your diet. Some high-carbohydrate vegetables such as peas, squash, lima beans and potatoes also provide your body with simple carbohydrates.

Yeast

Avoid alcohol while you have a yeast infection as it may promote yeast growth. 

Foods made with yeast or containing yeast may also promote yeast growth. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that avoiding alcohol, peanuts and most cheeses may help control a yeast infection. Other foods sources of yeast include vinegar, bread, rolls, soft pretzels, pizza dough, pastries and bagels.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect Against Eye Diseases

If you want lasting vision, eat your fish and nuts: The omega-3 fatty acids in these foods may protect against two leading causes of human blindness, a new study in mice has found.

The results showed omega-3s help regulate blood vessel growth in our eyes. That means the fatty acids could help prevent eye diseases such as retinopathy, caused by an overgrowth of leaky blood vessels in the eyes, and age-related macular degeneration, caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels, said study researcher Dr. Lois Smith, an ophthalmologist at Children's Hospital Boston.

The fatty acids also activated proteins that improve insulin sensitivity, Smith said. Those proteins are the same ones targeted by type 2 diabetes drugs such as Avandia, so the finding shows that fatty acids could be used to improve insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes, she said.
"Although more clinical studies need to be done, it appears possible that similar to mice, patients would have improved insulin sensitivity with omega-3 fatty acids, with no increased risk of heart disease," Smith told MyHealthNewsDaily.

To get the same beneficial health effects as the mice in the study, humans would have to consume 2 grams a day of omega-3 compounds docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EHA), either as a supplement or in food, she said.

The study was published today (Feb. 9) in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Aspirin and fatty acids

Researchers also found that aspirin doesn't counteract the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids.

This finding is especially important because aspirin is a good treatment for heart disease, and heart disease is a risk factor for macular degeneration, said Dr. Mina Chung, an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, who was not involved with the study.

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How Much Does Alcohol Raise Blood Pressure?

Few beverages get as much mixed press as alcohol. While moderate alcohol consumption may provide benefits that include reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, consuming too much often damages the liver and contributes to alcoholism. The effect alcohol has on your blood pressure is also related to how much you drink, and heavy drinking causes it to rise.

High Blood Pressure: The Silent Killer
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States, and high blood pressure, or hypertension as it is also known, is often a precursor to heart disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. High blood pressure is termed the silent killer because many people with high blood pressure are unaware they have it until it manifests as heart disease.

Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Heavy drinking, defined as having more than three alcoholic drinks per day, may contribute to high blood pressure by interfering with blood flow. Additionally, excessive alcoholic intake pushes nutrients away from your heart, which weakens it. One alcoholic drink is defined as 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits.

Effects
How much does heavy drinking contribute to high blood pressure? About 2 to 4 mm/Hg in systolic blood pressure and 1 to 2 mm/Hg in diastolic blood pressure, notes Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D., of MayoClinic.com. Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading and diastolic appears as the bottom number. Cutting back from heavy to moderate drinking has a marked impact on blood pressure. Moderate drinking is two drinks per day for men younger than 65, but if you are an older man or a woman, you should not exceed one drink daily. One drink a day for women of any age is considered moderate.

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Simple Diabetic & Hypertension Meal Plan

Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It's critical to control other risk factors such as obesity, elevated cholesterol levels and hypertension. The American Diabetes Association says that as many as two out of three diabetics have hypertension and that because of the increased risk of heart disease, people with diabetes should work to keep blood pressure levels below 130/80 mmHG.

Hypertension and Diabetes

High blood pressure, or hypertension, forces your heart to work harder to pump blood throughout your body. According to the ADA, when your heart works harder, your risk for diabetic complications increases. Although there are many causes of hypertension, a high-sodium diet is most often to blame. Sodium attracts water and excess sodium increases blood volume -- that's what increases the pressure in your circulatory system. Following a low-sodium diet can lower blood pressure in as little as 14 days.

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet to lower blood pressure with a well-balanced nutrient-dense eating plan. Sodium intake is limited to 1,500 mg per day; carbohydrates make up 55 percent of calories, 18 percent come from protein and 27 percent from fat. Saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are very limited, which helps control "bad" LDL cholesterol levels, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease. These nutritional guidelines fit perfectly with the University of Maryland Medical Center's general diabetic dietary guidelines -- that between 44 and 65 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates, between 12 and 20 percent from protein and between 25 and 35 percent from fat.

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Weight gain after quitting smoking does not negate health benefits

An analysis of data from the Framingham Offspring Study -- a long-term study that follows children of participants in the original Framingham Heart Study -- may have answered a question that has troubled individuals considering stopping smoking: do the health effects of any weight gained after quitting outweigh the known cardiovascular benefits of smoking cessation? The report in the March 13 issue of JAMA concludes that the benefits of stopping smoking far exceed any weight-gain associated risk.

 "Among people without diabetes, those who stopped smoking had a 50 percent reduction in the risk for heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death, and accounting for any weight increase didn't change that risk reduction," says James Meigs, MD, MPH, of the General Medicine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) senior author of the JAMA report. "In patients with diabetes -- among whom weight gain is a particular concern -- we saw the same pattern of a large risk reduction regardless of weight gained."
No study has previously investigated whether smoking-cessation-associated weight gain increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. One did look at the effects on risk factors such as blood pressure and lipid levels, but none have analyzed the actual occurence of cardiovascular events. Participants in the Framingham Offspring Study, which began in 1971, have a comprehensive medical exam and history taken every four to six years. The current investigation analyzed data from participant visits conducted from the mid 1980s into the mid-2000s, which covering the third to eighth visits for the overall study. The number of participants at each exam cycle ranged from almost 2,400 to about 3,250, totalling 11,148 individual person-exams.
Based on information gathered at each exam, participants were categorized as never smokers, current smokers, recent quitters -- who had stopped smoking since their last exam -- and long-term quitters. At the third study visit, 31 percent of participants were current smokers, and by the eighth visit only 13 percent continued to smoke. A general trend toward weight gain was seen across all study participants. Smokers, never smokers, and long-term quitters gained an average of 1 to 2 pounds between study visits, while recent quitters had gained an average of 5 to 10 pounds since their previous visit. But no matter how much weight they gained, the risk of cardiovascular events in the six years after quitting dropped in half for participants without diabetes. A similar drop in the incidence of cardiovascular events was seen in participants with diabetes, but it did not reach statistical significance, probably because less than 15 percent of the overall group was know to have diabetes.

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Good night's sleep 'protects heart'

Seven or more hours' sleep a night boosts the benefits to the heart of a healthy lifestyle, research suggests.

According to a large study, traditional advice on exercise, diet, drinking and smoking reduced deaths from heart disease or stroke, but even more lives were saved by also having enough sleep.

Advice on getting enough sleep could have a substantial impact on public health, say European researchers.

In theory, many heart and stroke deaths could be prevented or postponed.

A team in the Netherlands tracked heart disease and strokes in more than 14,000 men and women for more than a decade.

By the end of the study, about 600 individuals had suffered heart disease or stroke, and 129 died.

The study found that deaths were less likely in people who followed all four positive lifestyle recommendations - taking exercise, eating a healthy diet, drinking alcohol in moderation, and not smoking.

Observing all four behaviours was associated with a 57% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 67% lower risk of dying from stroke or heart disease, they say.

But when sufficient sleep - seven or more hours a night - was added to the other four lifestyle factors, the beneficial effect was amplified - resulting in a 65% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and an 83% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The researchers say other studies have shown a link between poor sleep and cardiovascular disease, but this is the first to look at whether sleep - added to the other four healthy lifestyle recommendations - can further reduce risk.

"If all participants adhered to all five healthy lifestyle factors, 36% of composite cardiovascular disease [heart disease or stroke] and 57% of fatal cardiovascular disease could theoretically be prevented or postponed," say the researchers, from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, and Wageningen University.

"The public health impact of sufficient sleep duration, in addition to the traditional healthy lifestyle factors, could be substantial."

Commenting on the work, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Prof Grethe S Tell, of the University of Bergen, Norway, said the benefits of sleep should be considered by public health experts and parents alike.

"The main message of the study is that we need to consider sleep as an important factor for health," she told BBC News.

"From a public health point of view we should encourage people to get enough sleep and like all other healthy lifestyle factors this needs to be taught at home."

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Eye Floaters & Omega 3

Omega-3 fatty acids will not prevent or treat common eye floaters, which often increase with aging. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil might help reduce your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy if you have diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to retina tears or detachments, which can cause flashes of light, floaters or vision loss. Omega-3 fatty acids might also help treat inflammation in the interior chambers of the eye, which can cause floaters associated with vitreous detachment. Ask your doctor before taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements to reduce floaters.

Common Floaters
Aging causes most eye floaters. The center of your eyeball contains a gel called vitreous humor. The gel helps maintain the shape of your eyeball. As you get older, the gel starts to liquefy in the center. Small pieces of gel that haven't liquefied float in the liquid, appearing briefly as they float across your line of vision. Your eye adapts to floaters over time and they become less visible to you. Omega-3 fatty acid therapy will not help with these types of floaters, which generally require no medical treatment.

Diabetic Retinopathy and Floaters
Diabetes can damage blood vessels, including blood vessels in the retina of the eye. Leaking blood vessels in the retina can cause fluid to accumulate under the retina, causing a retinal detachment or tear. Omega-3 fatty acids might have some benefit in prevention of diabetic retinopathy, although this has not been conclusively proven. One animal study, carried out by researchers from the Children's Hospital Boston and published in the July 2007 issue of "Nature Medicine," looked at the effect of omega-3 fatty acid on the retina in mice with diabetes. Researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids could reduce development of abnormal blood vessels in the retina that can lead to tears and detachment and help damaged areas heal faster.

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