Diets in Review - Find the Right Diet for You

Heart Disease



Eggs and Smoking Equally Bad for Those Who Have Heart Disease

Eggs for breakfast – healthy right? Perhaps not for everyone, as a new study suggests that eating eggs may accelerate heart disease just as much as smoking. 

The study, published in the journal Atheroscolerosis, found that people who ate more eggs per week had significantly greater plaque buildup – almost two-thirds as much as smokers. One reason why this could be is that one large egg yolk can contain as much as 237 milligrams of cholesterol, according to lead author Dr. David Spence who contends that diets low in cholesterol are key for heart health in people of all ages. “Just because you’re 20,” he warns, “doesn’t mean egg yolks aren’t going to cause any trouble down the line.”

This may be true, but it seems studies come out suggesting one thing and then two weeks later suggest another, which makes it hard to know where to stand on health topics such as this.

Martica Heaner, PhD, a nutritionist, adjunct associate professor in nutrition at Hunter College, and research associate at Columbia University Medical Center, points out that observational studies like this suggest links and associations and don’t state hard-line facts, which is why this news shouldn’t send everyone into a panic about their diet.
Read Full Post >



Coffee May Prevent Diabetes and Heart Disease, Study Shows

There’s now one more reason to get your morning fuel from coffee: it’s good for your heart, according to new research.

The study, published in an American Heart Association journal, comes from the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical. Based on their findings, researchers now believe drinking two cups of coffee a day will lower the risk for diabetes, which as a result lowers the risk for heart failure.

The size of your ‘two cups of coffee’ is important, however, and shouldn’t exceed more than 8 ounces. By keeping these parameters, researchers say people may be able to lower their risk of heart failure by as much as 11 percent compared to non-coffee drinkers. But if you exceed that 16-ounce a day limit, it may actually undermine the beneficial qualities.
Read Full Post >



Medicare Offers Coverage of Yoga and Meditation for Heart Disease Prevention

Heart disease is still the number one killer in the United States, even though it can be prevented with a just few simple lifestyle changes. Call it ignorance, lack of motivation, or a complete disregard for personal health; certain people continue to put themselves at risk of dying from a heart attack. Lists of excuses may have superseded action, however as of late, a lack of money is no longer an issue in maintaining good health. Medicare is now covering programs that contribute to positive lifestyle changes, such as yoga, healthy eating, and relaxation.

Based on an agenda that teaches clients about plant-based diets, meditation, and regular exercise, the Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease is one of the plans covered by Medicare. It is employed to teach patients how to take better care of their heart.

Nutrition, stress management, moderate exercise and group support are the four components that make up the program. Contrary to popular belief that a new pill or potion will erase poor lifestyle habits, the Dean Ornish program let’s people regain their health by doing it the old fashioned way, by earning it.


Read Full Post >



Women Less Likely to Get Immediate Heart Attack Treatment

A new study of over one million patients has been released showing women are less likely to get immediate treatment for a heart attack. The study of the Journal of the American Medical Association was authored by John Canto of the Watson Clinic and Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Florida. This study also revealed that women are more likely to die in the hospital from a heart attack than men with rates of 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men.

Some of the treatments available that can stop a heart attack if quickly detected include balloon insertions to open the arteries, bypass surgery or even drugs that dissolve clots. The reason for these staggering statistics is that female patients very often do not recognize the symptoms they experience when having a heart attack. While about 31 percent of men never experience the classic symptoms of a heart attack like chest pain or pressure, that number is increased to 42 percent for women. The lack of classic symptoms is even more common in women under the age of 55. Many women go to the hospital with symptoms like nausea, feelings of fatigue, back or jaw pain, vomiting or even sweating and are misdiagnosed and sent home when they are actually having a heart attack. 
Read Full Post >



Man Suffers Heart Attack While Eating at Heart Attack Grill

This was bound to happen sooner or later, right? A 40-year old diner at Las Vegas’ Heart Attack Grill suffered a heart attack Saturday night while eating at the restaurant.

The Heart Attack Grill is a burger franchise that has playfully glorified obesity and unhealthy eating. Instead of waitresses, they have nurses. Instead of customers, they have patients. Even instead of an owner, you’ll find a “doctor” in a white coat and carrying a stethoscope. The restaurant is known for serving meals containing upwards of 8,000 calories and granting free meals to patrons over 350 pounds.

The 40-year old “patient” was eating a Triple Bypass burger when he began experiencing severe chest pains and “nurses” noticed him sweating. The restaurant owner called 911 and the man was wheeled out by paramedics.

The owner, “Doctor” Jon Basso, first thought the incident was a joke, but then called 911 when he realized what was really taking place, saying, “I actually felt horrible for the gentleman because the tourists were taking photos of him as if it were some type of stunt. Even with our own morbid sense of humor, we would never pull a stunt like that.”

Read Full Post >