Sibling's Death May Boost Your Risk of Heart Attack

When a brother or sister dies -- especially from a heart attack -- the risk of a surviving sibling also dying from a heart attack increases sharply in the following years, a large new study from Sweden suggests.

Chronic stress or lifestyle choices like drinking, smoking, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise may follow the loss of a sibling, increasing the risk of a heart attack over time, the researchers said.

"Health care providers should follow bereaved siblings to help recognize signs of acute or chronic psychosocial stress mechanisms that could lead to heart attack," said lead researcher Mikael Rostila, an associate professor at Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute.

"We might be able to prevent heart attacks and other heart-related conditions by treating these siblings early on and recommending stress management," he added.

Reasons for the association between a sibling's death and the death of a brother or sister years later aren't clear, Rostila noted. And although the study showed an association between a sibling's heart attack death and heightened death risk, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

"More detailed information from medical records, shared childhood social environment and family characteristics, and data on personal and relational characteristics is needed to uncover the mechanisms causing the association between sibling death and heart attack," Rostila said.

The report was published in the Feb. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.

To see the effect of a sibling's death on their other siblings, Rostila's team collected data on more than 1.6 million people in Sweden, aged 40 to 69.

They found the risk of dying from a heart attack increased 25 percent among surviving sisters and 15 percent among surviving brothers compared to people who had not lost a sibling. If their brother or sister died of a heart attack, risk of also dying from a heart attack in the following years increased by 62 percent among women and 98 percent among men, Rostila's team found.

Death from a heart attack was not likely to happen immediately after siblings died, the researchers said. Rather, the risk rose in the four to six years after a sibling's death among women and in the two to six years afterward among men, they found.

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The Best Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner to Lose Weight

Breakfast

Make breakfast a priority. Eating breakfast when you're trying to lose weight not only helps prevent you from overeating at your next meal, it also improves mood, concentration and memory, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Eggs make a good breakfast choice, and may help your weight-loss efforts by keeping you full longer, according to a 2008 study published in the International Journal of Obesity. For 480 calories, you can have a two-egg omelet stuffed with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese and 1/2 cup of spinach, and served with two slices of dry, whole-wheat toast and a 6-ounce container of nonfat yogurt. If you don't have enough time for a sit-down breakfast, consider having a toasted English muffin with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and a large banana, for a total of 470 calories that you can easily pack into a lunch box to take with you.

Lunch

When it comes to losing weight, lunch doesn't get as much attention as breakfast, but having a good lunch might help you get through the afternoon without hitting the vending machine. A good weight-loss lunch might include a 6-inch corn tortilla rolled with 3 ounces of turkey breast, lettuce, sliced tomato and mustard, served with 2 cups of vegetable soup, a small apple and a 6-ounce container of nonfat yogurt, all for 485 calories. Or, try a pasta and bean salad made with 1 cup of cooked, whole-wheat penne pasta tossed with 1/2 cup of kidney beans, 1 cup of cooked mixed veggies, such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower and 2 tablespoons of low-fat vinaigrette, served with a small orange, for 470 calories.

Dinner

To make it easier for you to stick with your weight-loss diet at dinnertime, be sure to keep your kitchen stocked with healthy foods you can assemble in a pinch. A chicken stir-fry made with 3 ounces of chicken breast sautéed with 2 cups of mixed veggies, such as red peppers, mung bean sprouts and Chinese cabbage, 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and low-sodium soy sauce and served with 1 cup of cooked brown rice, makes a quick, low-cal dinner of 490 calories. Or, top off a large baked potato with 1/2 cup of vegetarian chili and 1 ounce of low-fat cheddar cheese and serve with 2 cups of mixed greens topped with 1 tablespoon of low-fat salad dressing and six chopped almonds.

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Saunas protect middle-aged men against heart attacks

The Finns describe them as the ‘poor man’s pharmacy’ and now researchers have proved that saunas are indeed beneficial to health.

Scientists have found that the dry heat of a sauna does more than work up a sweat, it can actually prolong life, cutting the risk of a heart attack for middle-aged men by up to 63 per cent.

However study authors from University of Eastern Finland said were unsure what was driving the heart health boost.

“Further studies are warranted to establish the potential mechanism that links sauna bathing and cardiovascular health,” said lead author Dr Jari Laukkanen, who published the research in the journal Jama Internal Medicine.

Sauna ‘bathing’ has taken place in Finland for thousands of years. The first settlers dug holes in the ground and filled them with hot stones which they sprinkled with water to give off a steam known as a ‘loyly.’ It was said each sauna had a distinctive ‘loyly’ with an individual character.

A Finnish proverb states that "If a sick person is not cured by tar, spirits or sauna, then they will die” and until recently women gave birth in saunas, because they were viewed as the cleanest room in the house.

A normal sauna is kept at around 158-176 degrees Fahrenheit and intriguingly, ‘Sauna’ is the only Finnish word to be included in everyday English.

The study was conducted among 2,315 men aged 42 to 60 from eastern Finland, who were monitored over 21 years.

During the follow-up period they recorded 190 sudden cardiac deaths, 281 fatal cases of coronary heart disease, 407 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 929 deaths from "all causes”.

However those who had used saunas regularly seem to have been protected from heart problems.

The risk of sudden cardiac death was found to be 22 per cent lower for men who had two to three sauna sessions per week and 63 per cent lower for those visiting a sauna four to seven times a week.

A similar pattern was seen for coronary heart disease, with two to three sessions reducing the risk of death by 23 per cent and four to seven sessions by 48 per cent.

Cardiovascular disease death rates were cut by 27 per cent when men made two to three visits and by 50 per cent when they made four to seven.

Dr Rita Redberg, from the University of California and editor of Jama Internal medicine said: “Although we do not know why the men who took saunas more frequently had greater longevity (whether it is the time spent in the hot room, the relaxation time, the leisure of a life that allows for more relaxation time, or the camaraderie of the sauna), clearly time spent in the sauna is time well spent.”

Participants also benefited if they spent longer in the sauna. Compared with men staying hot for less than 11 minutes, those whose sessions lasted 11 to 19 minutes were 7 per cent less likely to suffer a sudden cardiac death while more than 19 minutes was associated with a 52 per cent reduced risk.

Previous studies have shown that saunas can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, assist diabetes and lung conditions, and even fight off the common cold and help combat anorexia.

Some athletes use saunas to increase their endurance by expanding their oxygen capacity, red blood cell count and plasma volumes. And plunging into a cold pool after a sauna can build up the body’s antioxidant powers and boost the immune system.

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13 ways to control your blood pressure without medication

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is not just a health condition, it’s a disease.

Blood pressure is the body’s reflection of the tension in the blood vessels— the more tense they are, the higher your blood pressure is and harder the heart has to work, said Dr. Vincent Bufalino, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attack and stroke, and if it’s not well-controlled, kidney failure can result as well. It’s in the same group of other serious risk factors including high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes, smoking and family history.

“The more of those you have the more likely you are to develop heart disease,” Bufalino said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate about one in three Americans have hypertension. Blood pressure increases with age, too. By age 60, about 50 percent of people have it. And for most, it’s genetic.

Although there are several medications available to treat high blood pressure, experts say, with simple lifestyle changes, you can control with without medication— even if you have a genetic predisposition. Plus, small improvements in your numbers can make a huge difference in your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Here are 13 ways to prevent and control high blood pressure.  

1. Know your numbers.
Blood pressure of 120 over 80 is the ideal for healthy people. Yet for those who have high blood pressure, new guidelines published in 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association say blood pressure targets of 140 over 90 or below are ok.

If you have high blood pressure, your physician may recommend you check your levels every day. For most healthy people however, at the yearly physical and a few times throughout the year is enough.

2. Get your own blood pressure cuff.
In addition to getting your blood pressure checked at your doctor’s office, it’s a good idea to check it at home, too. Experts agree the “white coat phenomenon,” or angst in the doctor’s office, can cause your numbers to rise.

“The ideal way to do it is at home in bed when you wake up,” said Dr. Jonny Bowden, a board-certified nutritionist and author of “The Great Cholesterol Myth.” Purchase a cuff at any drugstore or get one that syncs with an app.

3. Nix the processed foods.
Surprisingly, consuming too much sodium may not raise your blood pressure.

“Sodium is overrated. Most people are not salt sensitive,” Bowden said.

Nevertheless, experts agree it’s a good idea to reduce your intake to 2,000 milligrams or less a day. Processed foods are the most significant and sneaky sources of sodium, which is why it’s a good idea to cut them out of your diet altogether.  

4. Eat more vegetables.
Studies show that the more potassium in the diet, the lower blood pressure is. The best sources of potassium are in vegetables, so aim to get upwards of nine servings a day.

5. Lose weight.
Your risk for hypertension is higher if you’re overweight or obese. Get on a weight=loss plan like the DASH diet, which has been shown to control high blood pressure. Plus, aim to get 2 and 1/2 hours of exercise a week, including at least two days of strength training.

6. Get enough sleep.
Insomnia may be linked to high blood pressure, a recent study in the journal Hypertension found. Try to identify your triggers— an evening coffee, stress, or late night iPad use— and make modifications to get more shut-eye.

7. De-stress.
Whether it’s short-term or chronic, stress can throw your numbers off.

“Any disruption in your life will lead to elevations in your blood pressure,” Bufalino said.

Carve out time in your schedule for a daily practice of deep breathing, meditation, exercise and fun.

8. Cut caffeine.
Caffeine is a driver for blood pressure. You don’t have to stop your habit cold- turkey but try to limit your intake from coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks and chocolate.   

9. Deal with snoring.
Obstructive sleep apnea, which causes frequent pauses in breathing, puts stress on your body and raises your blood pressure. Sleep apnea can also lead to atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat. If your partner has told you that you snore or if you wake up exhausted and tired throughout the day, talk to your doctor.

10. Eat bilberries.
According to a recent study in the journal PLOS One, wild blueberries, known as bilberries, can improve blood pressure in a high-fat diet. Although eating these little gems won’t negate a poor diet, they can help you reduce some of the negative effects as you start to overhaul your diet.  

11. Eat cocoa.
Studies show that flavanols found in cocoa may help to reduce blood pressure. But don’t go overboard— a one-inch square of dark chocolate a day is just enough.  

12. Get enough magnesium.
“Magnesium relaxes the blood vessel walls and the mind,” Bowden said.

Dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and avocado are all great sources. Add at least two servings of fatty fish a week which have omega-3 fatty acids that can help to lower blood pressure as well.

13. Quit smoking.
Smoking is bad for your health in so many ways, but it also makes your blood pressure rise right after you finish a cigarette. Sign up for a smoking cessation plan today and kick the habit for good.

Read more at http://womega.vn/tin-tuc/13-cach-kiem-soat-huyet-ap-khong-can-thuoc.html

Eat More Fish to Cheat Death

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. Sciencepoints to their dinner plates.

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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).

The Many Benefits of Fish

But prevention of heart disease isn’t the only benefit EPA and DHA offer. When Harvard University researchers tracked 47,882 men for 12 years, they found that those who ate fish three times a week had a 25 percent lower risk of developing deadly prostate cancer than those who consumed fish less than twice a month.

Regular EPA and DHA consumption may also lower the risk of colon cancer, stroke, asthma, and arthritis.

There’s evidence that these omega-3 fats can help your brain, too. According to a 2005 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services meta-analysis that reviewed 497 studies, high EPA and DHA consumption may help ward off Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

And a Finnish study of 3,204 men and women found that those who ate fish less than once a week were 31 percent more likely to be depressed than those who ate it at least twice a week.

Granted, no matter how long its list of virtues, you’re unlikely to start eating fish in Icelandic proportions. But you don’t have to: The AmericanHeart Association recommends just two to three servings of fatty fish per week—reckon a serving as 3 to 4 ounces, an amount that provides a total of about 3,000 milligrams (3 grams) of EPA and DHA—to reap most of the health benefits.

For example, you could meet your weekly quota by having a can of tuna for lunch on Monday, lox at breakfast on Thursday, and a restaurant portion of sea bass on Saturday night. (Design your own menu using the chart below listing the best sources of EPA and DHA.)

SOURCE (3.5 oz serving)EPA/DHA

Salmon2,200 mg

Mackerel1,200 mg

Sardines (canned in oil)1,000 mg

Trout1,000 mg

Mussels800 mg

Sea bass800 mg

White tuna (canned in water)800 mg

Calamari600 mg

Flounder500 mg

Halibut500 mg

Lox500 mg

Crab400 mg

Now if the only seafood you’ll eat is found on the menu at McDonald’s (a Filet-O-Fish is pollock, which has about 120 mg of EPA and DHA per serving, but is also deep-fried and packed with sodium), you’ll be happy to know that fish-oil capsules seem to work as well as the fish itself.

When researchers in Italy gave 2,800 heart-attack survivors 1 g fish oil (composed almost entirely of EPA and DHA) a day, they found that the supplement reduced their risk of dying of heart disease by 30 percent and of sudden cardiac death by 45 percent, compared with those who didn’t supplement their diets.

“You see virtually the same risk reduction in supplement trials that you do in the studies in which people consume a similar amount of omega-3fats by eating fish,” says William Harris, Ph.D., a professor of medicine and the director of the lipid research laboratory at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.

The science is strong: Incorporate more EPA and DHA in your diet, and you improve your chances of living a longer, more productive life. And just imagine the possibilities if you started eating your vegetables, too.

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Include These Natural Blood Pressure Reducers In Your Diet

1. Nattokinase is derived from the traditional Japanese soy product natto. This supplement helps address one of the most overlooked problems in the development of arterial disease and high blood pressure: hyperviscosity, which refers to thick and sticky blood that moves slowly through the circulatory system. Hyperviscosity feeds the inflammatory process that damages arteries, and it also increases the risk of clot formation. Nattokinase reinforces the actions of plasmin, your body’s own enzyme that breaks down the clotting agent called fibrin, thereby preventing abnormal thickening of the blood and helping to lower blood pressure.

I recommend nattokinase supplements regularly to promote normal blood pressure and reduce high blood pressure. I have seen it result in such significant improvements that patients are often able to cut down, and sometimes even cut out, their high blood pressure medication. Nattokinase supplements are widely available in health food stores. As for dosage, start at 50 mg a day and raise the dose to 100 mg after a week. Note that people taking pharmaceutical blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin) should not take natural blood pressure reducers like nattokinase because the combination may thin the blood too much.

2. Garlic is an excellent natural blood pressure reducer. It is so effective as a blood thinner that I instruct some patients to lay off garlic if they are on a pharmaceutical blood thinner like Coumadin. As for its effect on blood pressure, a recent Australian review of 11 studies in which patients with high blood pressure were randomly given garlic or a placebo found that garlic can reduce blood pressure as effectively as some drugs.

Since you need to eat about four cloves of garlic (about four grams) daily to achieve a noticeable blood pressure–lowering effect, a garlic supplement is a great natural supplement to lower blood pressure. I like enteric-coated softgel garlic capsules (softgels are better absorbed in the body). Take 500–1,000 mg daily in divided doses.

3. Hawthorn, like garlic, is a natural blood pressure reducer. Although hawthorn has been used medicinally for centuries, in the last 100 years it has become increasingly popular for cardiovascular health, including to reducer blood pressure. Hawthorn acts in a fashion similar to a commonly prescribed class of high blood pressure medicines called ACE inhibitors, especially when combined with a garlic supplement. Specifically, the combination of hawthorn and garlic inhibits angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), minimizing the production of angiotensin II, a powerful blood vessel constrictor responsible for increasing blood pressure. I recommend 1,000–1,500 mg daily of hawthorn taken in divided doses.

4. Melatonin helps reduce blood pressure during sleep. Blood pressure naturally fluctuates over a 24-hour period, and is highest during the day and lowest at night. Researchers call this natural drop in pressure a nocturnal dip. Some people dip only slightly or not at all, while others dip as much as 20 to 30 percent from their daytime highs. The folks in the 20 percent to 30 percent range are called “extreme dippers.” Others, just called “dippers,” experience drops of 10 percent to 20 percent. And, as it turns out, both extreme dippers and dippers have a much lower rate of death from cardiovascular events. What’s more, melatonin—a hormone that contributes to regulation of circadian rhythms—can help you become one of these dippers.

Ongoing research has shown that oral melatonin can act as a natural supplement to lower blood pressure by promoting the dipping process. Not surprisingly, the studies indicate that melatonin improves sleep quality, which allows the body to relax more. But they also show that melatonin is involved in biochemical reactions that influence blood pressure levels. I suggest 2.5 mg of melatonin at bedtime.

5. Folate reduces high blood pressure risk. In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women who took more than 1,000 mcg a day of folate (folic acid) had an astonishing 46 percent lower risk of high blood pressure than those getting less than 200 mcg a day. While researchers have yet to fully explain how high folate intake is a natural remedy for high blood pressure, we do know that folic acid reduces homocysteine levels, and high homocysteine levels are toxic to blood vessels in the brain and heart.

This study also demonstrated that women who got their folate from dietary sources—such as oranges, leafy greens and beans—did not derive the same benefit as those taking folic acid supplements. Most of us only get about 200 mcg in foods, so I recommend taking at least 800 mcg a day in supplement form to promote normal blood pressure levels.

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Tips for Lowering Salt Intake

The more salt you eat, the greater the potential rise in your blood pressure — so people with hypertension should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. One surefire way to reduce your intake: Take the saltshaker off the table, and try not to add salt to foods you prepare at home. If you miss the flavor, experiment with some of the salt substitutes on the market. When you do use salt, use a coarser salt with less sodium per teaspoon, like kosher salt and certain coarse-grain sea salts. 

When you’re comparing nutrition labels on products at the grocery store, make sure you check the sodium content too. All nutrition stats are listed per serving, so if you eat more than one serving, you’ll need to make sure you calculate total sodium accordingly. As a general rule, look for entrées with no more than 600 mg sodium and snack foods with no more than 300 mg — and of course, the lower the better. Go out of your way to buy brands that offer low-sodium varieties, especially when it comes to canned goods. 

This list includes deli and processed meats (like bacon, sausage, and hot dogs), canned soup and broth, canned vegetables and beans, pickles, frozen entrées, and salty condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, and bottled salad dressing. When you do use these foods, eat them sparingly or look for “reduced sodium” varieties. If you’re lucky enough to find “no salt added” versions of canned beans, tomatoes, and other products on this list at your supermarket, you’re totally in the clear. 

Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and most other unprocessed foods are naturally low in sodium. Plus, many of these foods are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps counterbalance sodium’s elevating effect on blood pressure. (These foods are also chock-full of nutrients and low in calories — so eating more of them is an all around win). When whole foods are the foundation of your diet, you’re in charge of the specific seasonings that are added during the cooking process. Be stingy with the salt. 

Restaurants (fine dining, chain, and fast food) are notorious for pouring on the salt. A single restaurant entrée can easily dish out more than 4,000 mg sodium (that’s almost triple what someone with hypertension should have!). Dining at home more often will make a significant dent in your sodium intake, and, in all likelihood, cut back on your calories, refined carb and saturated fat too. Make dining out a special treat; your blood pressure, waistline — and wallet — will thank you. 

Snack on naturally low-sodium foods like crunchy apples and carrots, as well as creamy picks like bananas and yogurt. Try my Apple & PB ‘Wiches andVanilla Pumpkin Pudding for great (lower-salt) taste.    

When buying store-bought snacks, check nutrition labels and stick with items containing no more than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving – and try your very best to eat just one serving, or the sodium will quickly add up.

Looking for specific foods than can help lower blood pressure? Incorporatethese 8 Foods into your daily menu.

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