healthy heart Archives - Elite Care Family Medicine

Do you have the “sitting disease?” How much of your time do you spend sitting in a chair or on a sofa? We all know the adverse health effects of obesity. New research, however, shows us that even people with a normal BMI who do nothing but sit all day are also at risk for medical problems. A growing body of research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Not getting enough exercise...

There’s no doubt that Type II diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes there’s a lot you can do to improve your health. The secret to managing Type II diabetes isn’t necessarily found in a pill. In most cases, the best way to treat/prevent Type II diabetes is to practice healthy habits on a regular basis. Keep close tabs on your diet. A healthy diet for people with Type II diabetes should include...

When considering overall health, recognizing how stress affects the body is important. What is stressful to one person may not be to another. Stress can come from happy events (a new marriage, job promotion, new home) as well as unhappy events (illness, overwork, family problems).While the American Heart Association has not found a direct link between stress and heart disease, stress can negatively affect your health and cause issues which affect your heart. Stress is...

Are you one of those people who seem to only have high blood pressure while the nurse is wrapping the monitor around your arm? You might have white coat hypertension. White coat hypertension occurs when the blood pressure readings at your medical care provider's office are higher than in other settings, such as your home. It's called white coat hypertension because the health care professionals who measure your blood pressure often wear white coats. If you have white...

If you have high blood pressure or a family history of high blood pressure, you may have concerns about taking the medication usually given to help regulate blood pressure. However, lifestyle also plays an important role in bringing your numbers down. If you can control your blood pressure with lifestyle changes, you could reduce your need for medications. Lose Weight. High blood pressure and the risk of high blood pressure increase as weight increases. Weight loss is...

Your body uses cholesterol, waxy, fatlike substance found in your bloodstream, to make cells. Your liver creates the cholesterol  your body needs to function. When too much cholesterol builds up in your arteries the deposits narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke. How do you know you have high cholesterol? High cholesterol usually doesn’t have any symptoms. As a result, most people don't realize their cholesterol is too high. A medical...

Having pain in the chest can cause serious concern, even if it isn’t a heart attack. For most people, severe heartburn and heart attacks can be hard to tell apart. Both cause pain in the chest, and both can pass without a fatality. Your pain could even be caused by angina, pain caused by a reduced flow of blood through the heart. Knowing the difference between heart attack symptoms and simple indigestion can save your life. Here’s what you need to know:...

Whether you are getting older or have a family history of heart disease, taking care of your heart should be a top priority. While eating right and exercising are two huge elements of heart health, it’s also important to get the necessary screenings. Not only will they keep you informed about your body, they could also help prevent any heart diseases and let you know what risk factors you might be facing. Here are a few to request from your provider this year. Blood...

We hear it all of the time. Heart health is everywhere, and for good reasons! Nine in 10 women are at risk of heart disease, and one in three women die from heart disease. It’s time to change those statistics, and one way to do that is changing your lifestyle. Here are few ways to lead a heart healthy life because we care for your hearts and you should too! Eat Well Burgers, fries, chocolate cakes! Oh my! All of the foods that make your stomach growl and your mouth...