HOT COCOA SOOTHES THE SOULS of weary winter travelers–and protects their blood vessels, too. New research suggests that cocoa can inhibit the platelet activity that causes blood clotting. Potentially fatal blood clots have been linked to long-haul flights, as well as to cardiovascular disease, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and extended periods of inactivity […]
If 50 million Americans have high blood pressure, what are your odds of becoming one of them? Even the researchers at the National Mean, Lung, and Blood Institute didn’t know, so they utilized their own Framingham Heart Study to find out, following 1298 subjects ages 55 and older for 22 years.
The results, published in the […]
In theory, those interested in a healthy heart and/or first class abs should restrict their intake of saturated fat. In practice, however, fat happens. When it does, a new study suggests that a chaser of oats or vitamin E can reduce the damage done to your arteries by the occasional doughnut or double-cheese pizza.
Researchers at […]
Feeling a bit light-headed lately? Experiencing occasional palpitations or trouble concentrating? If so, you might be in love or, conversely, suffering from a very different affair of the heart: mitral valve prolapse.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is thought to be the most common heart ailment, yet it is one of the least understood. According to the […]
DO YOU DREAD DOING CHORES? Here’s a surefire procrastination buster: A report from Indiana University concludes that around-the-house activities like cleaning and gardening actually help lower blood pressure. Researchers examined 28 people, ages 42 to 63, and determined that four hours of accumulated housework and yardwork a day were enough to temporarily drop blood pressure […]
(ARA) - A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology says that women who limit their salt intake can substantially lower their blood pressure.
In fact, the study, which looked at the health benefits of a low-sodium diet for postmenopausal women, showed that some women’s blood pressure decreased by 16 points, […]