Tag Archives: disease

Eight Heart Disease Risks You Can Control

Did you know there are eight things you can do to prevent heart disease? Even better, they all support each other. You do one, and it helps you in doing another one. Check out the top eight behaviors that help prevent heart disease below.heart health

1. Eat a healthy diet. Choosing healthful meal and snack options can help you avoid heart disease and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt or sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure.

2. Manage a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease. To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate your body mass index (BMI). Calculate yours here with our free BMI calculator. (more…)

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Rebecca

Lose Weight, Gain a Healthy Heart

February is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and the people you love don’t become a statistic. This month is particularly personal for me, as my mom has heart disease. She had quadruple bypass surgery one year ago this month. If you know someone who would benefit from this information on preventing heart disease, please share it. I’m posting five articles on simple things everyone can do to keep their heart healthy and strong.man heart

Lose Weight, Gain a Healthy Heart

You might wonder why weight loss is important in preventing heart disease.  Controlling your weight helps you control heart disease risk factors: blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Even if you don’t have these heart disease risk factors now, you could develop them at any time. (more…)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Rebecca

Five Foods That Will Save Your Heart

cherriesFebruary is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and the people you love don’t become a statistic. This month is particularly personal for me, as my mom has heart disease. She had quadruple bypass surgery one year ago this month. If you know someone who would benefit from this information on preventing heart disease, please share it.

Five Foods That Will Save Your Heart

One way to prevent heart disease is to eat healthy. In this post, I’ll highlight five different foods that can save your heart – literally. These are not the only five foods that protect your heart, but they stand out as star performers in my book.

1. Garlic: Known as “the stinking rose,” this herb does not stink when it comes to heart health. Numerous studies have demonstrated potential benefits of regular garlic consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride level, and cholesterol levels – all of which keep your ticker ticking. The other thing I like about garlic is that it can be used to season food so you can cut back (way back) on the salt. (more…)

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Rebecca

Consider a Corporate Wellness Program in 2024

corporate wellnessWell, another year has vanished into thin air, and it’s time for everyone to start talking about their New Year’s resolutions. While resolutions are often difficult to fulfill, it’s the early days of 2024 when you will have the most enthusiasm for your goals.

If you are considering getting fit as a resolution, try attacking it from a different angle, with a corporate wellness program. If your company does not participate in a wellness program, maybe part of your New Year’s resolution can be to lobby your human resources department to consider one. (more…)

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Jason

Top Three Ways to Prevent Diabetes

diabetesAs I write this, some 54 million Americans are living with pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they may not even know it. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. As the daughter of a type 2 diabetic, I know first-hand what it is like living with the disease. Between medications, finger sticks, foot checks, vision tests, and the daily grind of nutrition and exercise, it can be a lot for people to manage, especially after years of unhealthy habits.

So, wouldn’t it be great if you knew what you could do to control your diabetes, or better yet prevent diabetes, in the first place? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This blog post will describe the top three steps you can take to prevent or reverse type 2 diabetes. (more…)

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Rebecca

Eat More Colors to Cut Cancer Risk

If you could do something to prevent cancer, would you do it? You might say “yes,” but unfortunately you might not actually do it. How’s this for an alarming fact?food rainbow

At least one-third of annual cancer deaths in the United States are related to dietary factors. Increased fruit and vegetable consumption can reduce cancer risk, but less than one-third of U.S. adults eat the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eating healthy, including fruits and vegetables loaded with phytochemicals (powerful antioxidants), and following a low fat diet helps people manage weight and prevent disease! Think about it, every day you have choices of what to eat. You have the power to keep yourself healthy from the inside out. (more…)

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Rebecca

Top 5 Foods to Prevent Flu and Cold

fluAlong with fall comes the seasonal flu. It’s inevitable. People at high risk of catching the flu should protect themselves first and foremost with a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has great information on steps you can take to prevent a flu infection. It includes the basics like washing your hands and avoiding people who exhibit flu-like symptoms. But I’m going to focus on an area that is often overlooked – your immune system.

The job of your immune system is to protect your body from bacterial and viral infections, such as the ones that cause the common cold and seasonal flu. The immune system protects you in three different ways:

  1. It creates a barrier that prevents bacteria and viruses from entering your body (your skin).
  2. If a bacteria or virus does enter the body, the immune system tries to detect and eliminate it before it can make itself at home and reproduce.
  3. If the virus or bacteria is able to reproduce and start causing problems, your immune system is in charge of eliminating it. (more…)
Posted on September 29, 2023 by Rebecca

Kathleen Sebelius Aims Stimulus Money to Fight Obesity

The federal government’s stimulus plan isn’t just for the fat cats of Wall Street. It’s also being aimed at reversing our country’s obesity epidemic.

kathleen sebelius health careThe Obama administration is going to provide states and local governments with money to control obesity, which will include investing in public transportation to encourage more walking, says Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Sebelius says that the majority of the $1 billion stimulus plan appropriated by Congress for disease prevention would go to a CDC-planned initiative to fight obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions. (more…)

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Jason

Health Data Rights Moves Health Care into the 21st Century

medical recordsSweeping changes are on the way in the health care industry. The details will be hashed out by politicians, but we the people can collectively express our opinions on what changes we are passionate about. If one group of health advocates has its way, our health care will finally move fully into the 21st century.

Health Data Rights, an all-volunteer group, is pushing the health care industry to finally have all of our medical records digitized and fully accessible to the patient. The group’s website, HealthDataRights.org, is designed to help give people a voice in obtaining their rights to take responsibility for their own health information and care. It features a Declaration of Health Data Rights that includes the following: (more…)

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Jason

4 Factors That Increase Heart Risks

heart healthWith the passing of the King of Pop Michael Jackson of apparent cardiac arrest and the infomercial king Billy Mays of heart disease, guess what comes to the forefront of everyone’s minds. You guessed it.

It’s estimated that in 2005 more than 27 percent of all Americans died of a heart-related ailment. To put it in even more dire terms, one American dies every 37 seconds from complications related to heart disease.

These statistics, while getting worse, aren’t particularly new. Heart disease has been the leading killer in the U.S. for every year since 1900 excluding 1918 when there was a flu pandemic. (more…)

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Jason

4 Flavors to Spice up Your July 4th Cookout

While most barbecue fare gets a bum rap for being loaded with fat, excess sodium and calories, this Fourth of July, why not grill up your favorite outdoor eats with calorie-free but super flavorful spices?

Recent research has shown that spices like turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper and countless others contain specific compounds that may help to stave off diseases. Here’s your guide to the best grilling spices to give your July 4th feast more nutritious flare!

turmeric powderTurmeric: Numerous studies have linked turmeric to reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and preventing and treating cancer cell growth. Curcumin, the substance in turmeric that gives it its trademark yellow color, is the magic compound behind most of these health benefits. To get the benefits of turmeric, add a few dashes to your Fourth of July potato or egg salad. (more…)

Posted on July 4, 2023 by heather