Archive for the ‘Healthy Living’ Category
Triglycerides and Your Cholesterol Screening
January 23, 2012
Your HDL and LDL cholesterol levels aren’t the only thing you need to pay attention to when you get your cholesterol screening. Find out more about the importance of triglycerides in this HealthDay video. The script is printed below the video for your convenience.
This video is also found on the Life Line Screening YouTube Channel under, What are Triglycerides and What Do They Have to Do With My Cholesterol Screening?
Share this info with your friends on Facebook and Twitter today!
Joelle.
Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Here is the script of this video for your convenience:
The next time you have your cholesterol checked, pay special attention to this number, it can serve as a warning sign of future problems.
Though most of us just skip over to the good, bad and total cholesterol on our test results, a cholesterol checkup will also tell you about your triglycerides.
A new paper from the American Heart Association® shows why you should pay attention to your triglycerides, which are a type of fat found widely throughout the body. High triglycerides are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and other diseases.
If your triglycerides are too high, simple ways to bring them down include:
- Cutting back on foods and beverages with added sugar. Since most of the added sugar we get is from drinks containing sugar, steering clear of them is a good first step.
- Eating less fructose, which is a type of sugar. You can do this by eating less processed food and choosing lower fructose fruits like strawberries and bananas.
- Getting at least 2 ½ hours of moderate exercise a week. Even brisk walking can help lower your triglycerides.
- And, shedding a few pounds. If you’re overweight, just losing 5-10% of your weight, can lower your triglycerides by 20%.
I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV wishing you and your family the best of health.
Category: Health Awareness, Healthy Living
Friday Roundup: Two Quick Health Articles With Some Good Advice
January 20, 2012
Following are two articles I found that have some good health advice. This first is about atrial fibrillation, (including how anticoagulants and lifestyle habits will be included in new recommendations). The second tells you how dropping the toilet lid and washing your hands is really important for your health.
Thank you for visiting today and stop back often.
Joelle
Atrial Fibrillation: Anticoagulants and Lifestyle Habits Included in New Recommendations
The Los Angeles Times reports that while the field of cardiology has become so advanced in treating heart attacks that the survival rate has increased dramatically.
The older you get, however, the more risk there is for atrial fibrillation. While Afib can be managed, 90% are not getting needed anticoagulants to prevent stroke or are not getting them at appropriate levels.
This has led to new recommendations for Afib that include tools for doctors and patients to weigh their risks and benefits of taking needed drugs as well as making lifestyle habits that could lower the risk of stroke – which is caused by Afib in 30% of the stroke cases of adults 80 and over.
Read this article: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-atrial-fibrillation-stroke-20120110,0,4597897.story?track=rss
Drop the Lid and Wash Your Hands for Health’s Sake
ABC News reports on a study, done by researchers from Leeds Teaching Hospitals in the U.K., which found that flushing lidless hospital toilets can spread disease that can be life-threatening.
Even 90 minutes after flushing the deadly bacteria was still found on surfaces. Even “control” toothbrushes that were removed from the restroom during the flush contained bacteria. As the article points out, though, toothbrush testing was a part of a 2004 episode of Myth Busters that concluded that the health risk is unimportant.
Regardless, Dr. William Schaffner, Chair of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center finds the research interesting since it seems to be associated with the number and severity of C. difficile infections, as he concludes, “Just remember: put the lid down before you flush and always wash your hands.”
Meanwhile, regardless of the Myth Busters findings, you may want to also keep your toothbrush at far away from the toilet as possible.
Read more at: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/01/02/flushing-can-spread-diarrhea-disease/
Category: Health Awareness, Health Studies, Healthy Living
Life Line Screening Recap: Paula Deen’s Diabetes Announcement
January 17, 2012
You may have read news stories yesterday about today’s expected announcement by Paul Deen on the TODAY show. Well it’s out! Yes, the down-home cook from Savannah, star of Food Network’s “Paula’s Best Dishes” has type 2 diabetes.
Just the news of the expected announcement started a firestorm of comments on TODAY’s msn.com website. Some comments were heated as they came from opposite sides of the spectrum, like:
- A quote from John Sampso: “I would love to see the percentage of type 2 diabetics who actually make a concerted effort to lose weight, exercise, and eat healthy, and the percentage of type 2 diabetics who don’t put forth enough effort.”
- A quote from annsrum: “@JohnSampso So how do you explain me? [...] I was diagnosed with type II diabetes despite the fact that I am at a healthy weight for my height, eat what most people would consider a healthy diet (use olive oil, eat salads, eat fish etc), and exercise 5 days a week.”*
- A simple finger stick glucose screening can detect diabetes. To find out more, click the picture.
Meanwhile during her TODAY interview with Al Roker, Deen talked about the importance of being responsible for yourself as far as making good food choices and eating some of the sugar-filled, high calorie foods only in moderation. She also urged people to get regular diabetes screenings, especially baby boomers, as she mentioned the other factors besides obesity that can “lead” to diabetes, such as genetics, lifestyle, stress, and age.
Dr. Rashini Raj, a TODAY Contributor, also appeared on the show and agreed that diet, lack of exercise, age, and race “increases the risk for diabetes.” However, obesity is the “most defined risk factor.” Still, it is not currently known what exactly causes diabetes, she said.
In an article on MSNBC.com, Vidya Rao reports that while Deen will continue to cook the high-fat foods, her son Bobby will promote lower calorie versions of his mom’s meals on his Cooking Channel show, “Not My Mama’s Meals,” as the comments about her appearance continue rolling in.**
Your comments are welcome here. Let us know what you think!
See the Paula Deen interview on TODAY at: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46023389#46023389
Category: Health Screenings, Healthy Living, Personal Stories
Friday Roundup: How to Check Your Heart Rate
January 13, 2012
Your resting heart rate is important to your cardiovascular health. The Chicago Tribune has a good article that explains how to check heart rate yourself. If you ever have a heart rate over 80, be sure to consult your doctor immediately.
The steps taken from the article are:
- Use two fingers (not your thumb*) and press gently** on either on your neck or the underside of your wrist to locate the pulse
- Once the pulse is located, look at a clock or watch and count the number of beats in a 15-second period.
- Multiply the number from step #2 by 4 to get your heart rate.
*Your thumb has a light pulse which can be confusing so it is best not to use your thumb to check your heart rate. Use your index and middle fingers. (This fact is not included in the article.)
**Press gently because excessive pressure on an artery can slow the heart rate.
To find out more about heart rate, click on the picture in this post.
Read the Chicago Tribune article at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-201201032000–tms–premhnstr–k-c20120104jan04,0,1650803.story
Category: Health Awareness, Health Screenings, Healthy Living
Friday Roundup: Good Fat, Bad Fat, and a State That Wants to Control Fat
January 6, 2012
Make sure to include these vitamins and good fats in your diet for good brain health!
CBS Healthwatch published a WebMD article which reported that a diet rich in vitamins B, C, D and E plus omega-3 fatty acids (unsaturated fats found in fish) is best for brain health. Read more at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500368_162-57349422/diet-patterns-linked-with-brain-health/
Click on picture to read how being overweight can lead to heart attack.
Moser wants to slim down Kansas!
An online source called hutchnews.com out of Hutchinson, Kansas reported that Dr. Robert Moser, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, has made the state’s top priority be to tackle the obesity problem in 2012. His plans include standardizing public health across the state and allowing the state government to encourage physical activity and healthy eating at work and school. All will be in a positive effort to keep productivity up and health costs down. Read more about his goals at: http://hutchnews.com/latestregionalnews/Kansas-health-chief-says-obesity-top-2012-priority
Choose cheese over butter for your recommended daily fat intake.
A study that replaced participants’ regular dietary fat intake in order to compare the effects of butter versus cheese found that participants showed lower overall cholesterol, including LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) when eating cheese rather than butter for their recommended fat intake. Read more at: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-12-23/news/30552821_1_fat-free-cottage-cheese-ldl-butter
Hope you are starting off your New Year in good health!
Joelle
Category: Health Awareness, Healthy Living
