Credit: iStock When someone goes into cardiac arrest, their heart stops beating and can’t pump blood to the brain or the rest of the body. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a form of cardiac arrest that occurs when the chambers (ventricles) of the heart that usually efficiently pump blood instead begin to quiver (fibrillate) in an … Continue reading How Personalizing CPR May Help Save More Lives
Cardiovascular Health
How Being Male or Female Affects Our Hearts, Kidneys and Waistlines
When it comes to health, men and women aren’t always equal. Biological factors, such as our anatomy and hormones, affect the way our bodies behave when we’re healthy and when we face health challenges. Top researchers who study the influence of biological sex on health and disease gathered earlier this month in Knoxville, Tenn., for … Continue reading How Being Male or Female Affects Our Hearts, Kidneys and Waistlines
Missing Out on Sleep, Missing Out on Health: Why You Need More Sleep
Right now, one-third of the population is walking, driving or doing their job in a drunken state. Not because they’ve had too much to drink, but because they haven’t spent enough time in bed. No exaggeration—inadequate sleep has been shown to be the same as operating at a blood alcohol level of .05 percent (the … Continue reading Missing Out on Sleep, Missing Out on Health: Why You Need More Sleep
The Fat-blocking Powers of Fiber
An estimated 610,000 people in the U.S. die from heart disease each year. One common cause of heart disease is the narrowing of blood vessels due to the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque). Many factors—including eating a lot of fatty foods—can lead to plaque buildup in blood vessels. Your liver processes excess fat by packaging … Continue reading The Fat-blocking Powers of Fiber
Curcumin, the Golden Spice
Growing up, I enjoyed spending time in my grandmother’s kitchen. Her cooking usually involved an array of colorful spices, including a generous mix of curry powder in nearly every Indian recipe. You can’t mistake the tantalizing smell—cooking with this yellow-tinted powder can fill a room quite quickly. But it appears that there is much more … Continue reading Curcumin, the Golden Spice
The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
Rapamycin, a drug used to prevent organ transplant rejection, may also turn back time—in dogs at least. A study is underway to see if rapamycin can delay aging in dogs, and the puppy-like energy of one canine participant, eight-year-old Bela, gives some hope that the drug might work. Rapamycin is one of several drugs prescribed … Continue reading The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
You Don’t Have to Leave the Stratosphere to Feel Like You’ve Been in Space
Astronaut Scott Kelly came back from 340 days in space two inches taller. Along with height, many aspects of the body change because of the weightlessness environment of space. The body loses muscle, heart and bone mass because it no longer has to support itself as it does on Earth. There is also no feeling … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Leave the Stratosphere to Feel Like You’ve Been in Space
Don’t Take a Load Off: Too Much Sitting Is Bad for You
If you’ve considered getting in on the standing desk trend, you’ve probably heard the public health warnings about the dangers of too much sitting. (Would you get a standing desk? Tell us on our poll.) Several studies report an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease with too much sitting. The good news is you can prevent … Continue reading Don’t Take a Load Off: Too Much Sitting Is Bad for You
Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Don’t Forget About the ‘Hidden’ Benefits of Exercise
I approached an article in The New York Times titled “To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More” with a bit of trepidation. I don’t disagree with the statement (or the science behind it), but I felt the importance of exercise could be dismissed if the title was misinterpreted. Reading the … Continue reading Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Don’t Forget About the ‘Hidden’ Benefits of Exercise
Feeling Lightheaded after Exercise? Use the Heart in Your Legs!
Do you ever get lightheaded or feel a little dizzy after hard exercise? Maybe you have felt a little bit of “tunnel vision” after a hard sprint or when you stand up in the first hour after a long training session? This is a surprisingly common occurrence in healthy people, as recently reviewed in the … Continue reading Feeling Lightheaded after Exercise? Use the Heart in Your Legs!