heart disease Archives - Elite Care Family Medicine

In 2010, the American Heart Association(AHA) unveiled its heart health scorecard. Maintain a healthy weightDon’t smokeBe physically activeEat healthy foodsControl blood pressureManage cholesterolControl blood sugar For over ten years, doctors have used those seven items to gauge your risk of heart disease. This month, the AHA added sleep duration to the list. The new AHA heart health scorecard also updates the evaluation criteria for diet, exercise, and smoking...

In 2019, one in four men died from heart disease in the US, making it the leading cause of death in men. Half of those men had no prior symptoms before dying from a heart attack. Although some factors that contribute to heart disease cannot be changed--like a family history of heart disease--other risks that make men more susceptible to heart disease can be lowered. Take a look at how men can lower their risk of heart disease. Men Can Lower Their Risk of Heart...

Want to live longer? Eat more fruits and veggies. Sure, we’ve heard our entire lives that fruits and vegetables are what you need to grow healthy and strong. But the latest study, which analyzed data from more than 2 million people, suggests consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables each day lowers your risk of early death.  The recent study reported in Health Day News and WebMD, compared people who ate five servings of fruits and vegetables per day with...

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” You’ve probably heard that exact statement from everyone from your mother to your pediatrician, and for good reason. Well, actually several good reasons. In the Bath Breakfast Project by the University of Bath, researchers found that those who ate breakfast maintained better glucose balance and improved insulin sensitivity, which may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eating breakfast also...

When men are feeling under the weather, they often don’t hesitate to call their doctor for an appointment. When men are healthy, however, visiting their physician for a wellness exam is usually the last thing on their minds. But like women, children and the elderly, it’s important for men who appear to be healthy to schedule an annual men's health exam every year. Here’s why. Health screenings can save your life. Some conditions that can become serious...

Men are often seen as the physically stronger gender, however it's commonly known that women tend to live longer than men. While there are some factors that play into a shorter lifespan in men that cannot be controlled, many common men's health issues can be prevented. During International Men’s Health Month this June, we’re dedicated to bringing awareness of common men’s health issues and ways to reduce the risk of developing problems. According to Healthline,...

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...

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...