Hypertension

Do You Live in the Diabetes Belt?

March 8, 2011

Is there something inherently unhealthy about living in certain parts of the country? You might think that if you looked at epidemiological reports that track rates of certain diseases by locations where they are most common. Back in the 1960s, researchers found that people in certain southeastern states had the highest risk of stroke; those states became known as the "stroke belt." Now, a new study finds that people in many of those same states are also more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes.

How Your Education Level Affects Your Blood Pressure

February 28, 2011

High blood pressure can be a silent killer. Many of us may suffer from it at midlife without knowing. It's a measurement of the force of the blood pumped from your heart against your arterial walls and even if you had low blood pressure when you were younger, your levels can increase as you get older simply because blood vessels become stiffer with age.

Why Walking May Not Always Be Good Exercise

February 23, 2011

Walking is great exercise, right? Well, yes, except when it isn't. By now, most of us have absorbed the message that we need to be physically active every day. At midlife, that's not an option; it's a necessity if we want to live to a vigorous old age. But what does that really mean? Is an hour of sauntering around the mall while window-shopping going to help? Or do we need to train for a marathon?

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

February 14, 2011

1 Comment

I'm normally a little skeptical when advocacy groups designate certain months to raise awareness of specific diseases. The cause is certainly worthy, but I'm not sure that these public relations campaigns make much of a difference – especially when there seem to be so many of them. Some studies have shown "awareness fatigue" with so many campaigns around.

Why Women Should Worry When Walking Is Painful

February 7, 2011

Males and females are different from the day they're born and those differences continue throughout our lives – especially as we become more vulnerable to the diseases of aging. One example is peripheral artery disease (PAD), which is caused by narrowing or blockages of arteries in the legs. Having this disease puts you at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke so it's worth paying attention if you experience pain in your legs when you're walking or climbing the stairs. That pain is a major PAD symptom.

Why Heart Disease Often Goes Untreated

February 3, 2011

Heart disease, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases kill more than 800,000 adults each year – and 150,000 of them are under 65, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control. Two of the biggest risk factors are high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). Both of these can be treated with medication but as the CDC pointed out in a disturbing report this week, two out of three people who could benefit from this treatment don't get it.

When the Super Bowl Breaks Your Heart

January 31, 2011

We're headed toward the Super Bowl this coming weekend, and for many of us, that means an evening cheering on our teams and chowing down on game food. I used to think that this was the unhealthiest part of the evening: massive subs or pizzas with everything accompanied by a six-pack. But it turns out that the Big Game poses a threat beyond excessive fat, carbs and alcohol.

How Women Can Lower the Risk of Heart Disease

January 26, 2011

How to Fall Asleep Quickly

Breast cancer gets a lot of press but it's not the leading killer of women in this country. That distinction goes to heart disease. As Baby Boomers get older, heart disease threatens to become not only an even more prevalent killer but also a huge drain on health care budgets. According to a recent policy statement in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the cost to treat heart disease will triple in the next two decades even if rates don't go up.

HEALTH PROMOTIONHEALTH

January 14, 2011

1 Comment

For years, I had a hard time falling asleep. It didn't matter whether the day had been bad or good or how tired I felt. I just couldn't get my brain to turn off at night. It felt like the wake switch was left in the on position when I desperately wanted it to turn off.

To Save Your Heart, Step Away from the Desk

January 13, 2011