Friday Roundup: Vegetarian Diets and Heart Health, How to Ward Off Winter Heart Risks & More
Joelle Reizes - February 15, 2013
Do you want to stay up-to-date on the latest health news? Start with the weekly news roundups from Life Line Screening. Below, we examine recent headlines featuring vegetarian diets and heart health, how to ward off winter heart risks, and a startling Alzheimer’s prediction for the year 2050.
Want to Lower Your Heart Disease Risk? Become a Vegetarian
It’s been known for awhile that eating too much red meat isn’t good for your heart. One new study found that eating no meat at all through a vegetarian diet can lower heart disease risk by 32 percent compared to a non-vegetarian diet.
The diet is thought to be so heart-healthy because of what’s left out – not what’s eaten. Vegetarian diets are notorious for being very low in saturated fat and sodium, which are two ingredients that can negatively affect the heart.
“Saturated fat is the single greatest dietary factor in the production of cholesterol,” said Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist at St. John Providence Health System in Michigan, in the ABC News article. “Sodium intake is the single greatest dietary determinant of blood pressure.”
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two of the three top causes of heart disease (the third being smoking). Take care of your heart and become proactive in your health. Learn more about the cardiovascular screenings from Life Line Screening, or read the full ABC News article here: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/02/04/vegetarians-have-lower-heart-disease-risk-study-finds/
Best Ways to Ward Off Winter Heart Risks
With the month of February being American Heart Month, it’s also important to note that it’s still winter and winter can be a tough season for the heart. How exactly can the season cause a 36 percent increase in heart-related deaths compared to summer? Experts say it could be caused by multiple factors, like colder temperatures, fewer daylight hours and increased respiratory and influenza outbreaks.
ABC News lists the top ways to prevent an increase in heart problems throughout January through March, and suggests things like eating more nuts that are packed with nutritious monounsaturated fatty acids, resisting the urge to become more sedentary by getting out of the house to go sledding or bowling, and more. See the full list here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartHealth/heart-attack-deaths-spike-winter/story?id=18399815
Starling Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Prediction for 2050
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. It affects millions of Americans and currently has no cure. Now, experts are saying the number of Americans diagnosed with the disease is expected to triple by the year 2050.
The results, published in the journal Neurology, show that by 2050, almost 14 million Americans could have Alzheimer’s disease. Approximately 4.7 million American adults had the disease in 2010. Why such a large prediction? Progress in research into treating and delaying the disease has so far been lacking, and needs improvement to reduce this prediction.
Read the full article here: http://news.health.com/2013/02/06/number-of-americans-with-alzheimers-may-triple-by-2050/
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