While the term “heart health” may seem self-explanatory, it actually encompasses a lot. From reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke to preventing high blood pressure and diabetes, heart health is about your overall well-being. The term “heart health” is often used interchangeably with the term “cardiovascular health,” which also refers to the health of your heart and blood vessels.
Despite the name, though, your heart health has very little to do with your actual heart. Instead, it’s about your blood vessels and the blood flowing through them. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and low HDL cholesterol all pose significant risks to your cardiovascular health.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for one in every four deaths. It is also the leading cause of disability. Cardiovascular disease includes conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and smoking. The best way to reduce your risk of heart disease is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and manage any chronic conditions you have, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. You can also consider taking supplements, such as fish oil, to reduce your risk of heart disease.
A heart attack seems like a one-way event: a blockage, injured muscle, and damage that stays. Yet the heart has a built-in repair system, and scientists thought they knew how it worked. A new study says they had the source wrong. The same research team then found a way to strengthen that repair in animals,…
Most people file heart disease under problems for later in life, something to think about in their 50s or 60s. New research on young adults suggests that timeline deserves a second look. It also points to a condition that links your heart to other systems in your body, one that most people have never heard…
What if one treatment could change how your body handles cholesterol for good? Researchers have now tested that idea in people for the first time and followed the results for a full year. The findings are early and come from a small group, but they raise a question that matters to anyone who has ever…
The ketogenic diet has dominated the weight-loss conversation for years, promising quick results by turning your body into a fat-burning machine. But as a doctor, I always have to ask: at what cost to your internal organs? While dropping pounds quickly is an attractive prospect, emerging research suggests that forcing your system to run exclusively…
If you’ve been managing heart failure for a while, there’s a good chance your cardiologist has never once mentioned digoxin. It fell out of favor decades ago, pushed aside by newer, pricier drugs. But new research out of the Netherlands — published in two of the most respected medical journals in the world — is…
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, but your daily habits can strongly influence your long-term cardiovascular health. One of the most effective tools for protecting the heart is regular cardiovascular activity. Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, and other forms of aerobic exercise can strengthen the heart, improve circulation,…
Aging is often seen as a steady, one-way process, especially when it comes to your heart. Over time, the heart muscle stiffens, blood vessels lose flexibility, and your risk for cardiovascular disease rises. But what if that trajectory isn’t set in stone? Emerging research suggests that your heart may be far more adaptable than previously…
What if two days of eating one of the cheapest, most common foods on the planet could do what many people need medication to achieve? A new clinical trial from the University of Bonn just showed that a short, intensive oatmeal diet reduced harmful LDL cholesterol by 10% in people with metabolic syndrome. Participants also…
For years, cholesterol and poor lifestyle habits have taken the blame for heart attacks. But new research is changing that story. There is evidence that shows that bacterial infections may be the silent driver behind many heart attacks. Inside the fatty plaques of arteries, researchers discovered bacterial biofilms—tiny gel-like colonies that can hide undetected for…
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