According to a study reported at the American Stroke Association Conference, diet soda drinkers had a 61% higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
The researchers followed 2,500 New Yorkers for one plus years and found that people who drink diet soda every day had this increased risk.
Just think for a moment what’s in a diet soda – phosphoric acid, artificial colors, artificial favors and other assorted chemicals. Yummy!
So…water anyone?
Researchers from the United Kingdom followed 4,500 Scottish men and women, looking at the impact of screen time. They found that people who spent at least two hours of leisure time in front of a TV or computer were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack or other cardiac event.
Those who spent four or more hours in front of the screen were 50% more likely to die.
For these screen people, their weight was higher, their cholesterol, C-reactive protein and other metabolic risk factors were all higher.
Interestingly, there were no negative links with activities such as reading, playing cards or board games.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that cocoa flavonols could improve poor blood vessel function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Poor blood vessel function is recognized as an early stage in the development of CAD.
The researchers found that daily cocoa flavonal consumption more than doubled the number of specialized cells that repair blood vessels and maintain the vessels, which keeps the vessels healthy.
Increasing these cells decreases the risk of death from CAD with no side effects! So… dark chocolate cocoa, anyone?
Let me give you some examples of the research supporting many of these benefits.
1. A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that administering IV magnesium sulfate to 2,000 patients within 24 hours of a heart attack resulted in 24% fewer deaths. Following up on these patients for one to five years later, the researchers additionally discovered that the patients initially treated with magnesium had a cardiovascular death rate 21% lower than those who did not receive the magnesium.
2. A Korean study found that patients with hypertension who took 300 mg of magnesium daily for three months lowered their systolic/diastolic blood pressure 17.1 and 6.7 mmHG. The researchers also found that for every dose increase of 240 mg of magnesium the patient was taking, the patient’s blood pressure dropped another 4.3 and 2.3 mmHG. These numbers mean an enormous drop in the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack.
3. On the use of magnesium for stopping an acute asthma attack, an interesting survey was conducted of emergency room doctors in 2006. This survey found that even though the majority of the docs knew about the research supporting using magnesium for asthma only 2.5% of the patients having an acute asthma attack were treated with IV magnesium. So…if you or a loved one has an acute asthma attack, question the doc as to why IV magnesium is not being used.
4. A review of studies found that for every 100 mg increase in the daily intake of magnesium there was a 15% decrease in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Taking magnesium is important for type-2 diabetics because increased urination causes the loss of water-soluble nutrients. Low levels of magnesium may cause severe diabetic retinopathy.
How much magnesium should you be taking? Dr. Julian Whitaker recommends 400 to 1000 mg daily. Since large amounts of magnesium can cause diarrhea, build up your dose gradually.
(Reported Health & Healing August 2009)
The researchers found that out of 800 trials the pacemaker malfunctioned 50% of the time. The effects varied from the pacemaker mistaking the electronic signals from the iPODS as a heart-rhythm disorder to the iPOD interfering with the way the pacemaker communicated with its monitoring device to one person’s pacemaker not functioning for three heartbeats.
While none of the interferences were life threatening, if you wear a pacemaker it would be a good idea to forget about using an iPOD (there’s a strong likelihood, they never had that thought to begin with). If you are an iPODing teenager, don’t hug a grandparent who has a pacemaker, when you have your iPOD in your shirt or jacket pocket.
Pistachio Nuts and Stress Reduction:
Here’s a great tasty way to reduce stress – eat a handful of pistachio nuts every day. This may sound nutty, but it’s true.
Nutritionists at Penn State University had students eat pistachio nuts daily for a month. They found this kept the students’ blood pressure down in stressful situations.
When they upped the amount to two handfuls every day, the students’ arteries relaxed, which may lighten how hard the heart has to work.
So…start shelling those pistachios!
SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN YOU'RE ALONE
Since heart attacks don't set a schedule, you could be alone if one strikes.
You can do the equivalent of CPR on yourself by doing very vigorous, repeated and prolonged coughing.
This is one tip I hope you never have to use, but if you do COUGH!
The Right Grains Are Good For Your Heart
You may have read recent reports stating that staying away from wheat products may be beneficial to your health. The part that’s usually missing in this advice is for you to stay away from enriched wheat products verse whole wheat products.
A study reported in the online journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases analyzed seven studies involving more than 285,000 participants. The study found that eating 2 1/2 slices of whole wheat bread each day reduced risk of a heart attack by 20%.
Be careful when reading the labels of products. Manufacturers can be sneaky by putting words like Spring Wheat or Spring Wheat White Bread in the list of ingredients. They will also contain Whole Wheat when they just put some whole wheat flour in the product, while most of the rest is enriched flour. The simple way is to look for 100% Whole Wheat on the label.
Also, don’t forget that when you are eating rice to make sure it is brown rice and not white or enriched white rice. (Reported Prevention October 2007)
Adding aerobic training can really help a stroke patient regain their independence and have fewer health problems.
Researchers in Stroke Journal reported that stroke patients who went through an eight week rehab program that emphasized aerobic endurance resulted in a 60% increase in walking speed compared to 16% in a control group. Control of their lower body movement improved by 22% compared to the controls.
So if a stroke happens to a loved one, make sure rehab includes an aerobic exercise program.
DRINK WATER & PREVENT HEART ATTACKS
Some fascinating research on the power of water was published in the American Journal of Epidemiol and conducted by Loma Linda University.
They found that men who drank five or more glasses of water per day were 54 percent less likely to die from a heart attack and women were 41 percent less likely to die. People who drank five or more glasses of soda, juice or coffee had a higher risk of death.
So what's it going to be – diet coke or a glass of water.
I was just watching TV and Robin Williams was performing. He was constantly drinking water during his performance. It's obvious that this kept his energy high!
DRINK WATER & PREVENT HEART ATTACKS - Ezine Archive
The same newsletter reported on a study which looked at over 16,000 mammograms and discovered that calcification in the blood vessels of the breasts can be correlated with a 54% increase in ischemic stroke.
This type of stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. The American Heart Association is recommending that mammograms be used for early stroke detection.
What about the pain of a mammogram? There is now a soft foam pad, called the Woman's Touch MammoPad that can be placed on the surface of the compression plates.
A study reported at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America reported that 70% of the women said their pain was cut in half.
To find a facility near you that offers the pad call 866 460-4141.