Welcome to Huntington Heart Center Blog
When You May Need Early Heart Health Screening
When you’re young and healthy, the last thing on your mind is keeping up with heart screenings. It may seem like a distant problem that you will not have to deal with for many years to come. But the truth is that the more proactive you are about your heart health, the better chance you have of detecting a condition early, opening up widerpossibilities for prevention and treatment.
Just as women perform self-breast exams, men get prostate checks and we are all recommended to get colonoscopies at certain ages, regular heart screenings are imperative for your health and well-being.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Cholesterol in Foods
Whenever you have a discussion about heart health, cholesterol levels are bound to come up. You will see headlines warning against high cholesterol levels, but what actually is cholesterol? What can you do in your daily life to decrease your chances of high cholesterol causing heart attack and stroke?
Study Reveals 5-Minute Breathing Exercise to Lower Blood Pressure
A study published by the Journal of the American Heart Association shares a 5-minute breathing workout for people to do every day to lower their blood pressure. This information is eyebrow raising because scientists and doctors say that this exercise results in the same – or even better – effects than aerobic exercise or blood pressure medication.
How Meditation Helps Your Heart
Breathe in… Breathe out… Silencing your mind and focusing on your breathing to escape the chaos of the world seems like a great way to take some time for your mental health, and it is! Believe it or not, meditating is good for your heart health too.
What Your BMI Says About Your Heart
When talking about healthy weight or body size, Body Mass Index (BMI) may come up in conversation. Body Mass Index is based on the ratio of weight to height to offer guidance on weight categories including underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. These categories can help us determine the risks of certain health conditions – including heart problems.
Does Pollution Affect Heart Health?
As we become more aware of the impact we have on the environment, the conversation about air pollution is ever more important. The pollutants released into the air not only have a negative impact on the environment. It is something you are exposed to every day, but you may be surprised by the effects – both short and long term – that pollution has on your heart and heart health.
Hydration and Your Heart Health
It is no secret that proper hydration is essential to a properly functioning body – your heart is no exception. The human body is composed of 60% water, and the heart is over 70% water. Just that is enough to stress the importance of getting your body the proper amount of water.
Does the Mediterranean Diet Really Work?
The Mediterranean diet is touted as the solution to many of our dietary woes. But what is the Mediterranean diet, and does it really work? The Mediterranean diet is one that is rich in whole-grains, vegetables, lean proteins such as fish and chicken and good fats including olive oils and nuts. Importantly it avoids highly processed foods and while the Mediterranean diet may not be the lowest calorie option and while it may not have conformed too many of the diets that are touted by celebrities these days, the principles are solid.
Does Walking Improve Cardiovascular Health?
It may seem like a very basic solution to the number one killer in the United States and many countries around the world. However, walking offers a number of incredible benefits that can help reverse cardiovascular risk and stop further degradation of heart health. Unfortunately, inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle – which has become all too common in American life these days – has only increased the incidence of severity of heart disease. And while many patients with cardiovascular issues embark on significant, drastic diet and exercise programs, they are usually unsustainable and often the underlying issues such as obesity are not resolved – sometimes they’re even worsened.
Is Fast Food Ever Good For Your Heart?
When you think of the causes of heart disease, one of the first thoughts you may have is fast food. To be sure, fast food is not a great option, especially for those with heart disease. However, is it always a bad for everyone? Some may tell you that under no circumstances should fast food ever be consumed. Others may say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with fast food as long as you avoid the very worst of it. The truth probably lies somewhere in between.
