Iyengar yoga: Safe enough for pulmonary hypertension patients to reap big benefits

People turn to yoga for relief from all sorts of ailments – aches and pains, insomnia, headaches, stress and many more. Now, recent research is adding another condition to the list: pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and right heart.

What is a coronary calcium scan?

Calcium isn’t always a good thing. You want it in your bones, but not so much in the form of kidney stones or in your heart. After all, calcium buildup in your heart is a risk factor for heart disease. But now, there’s a new way to find out if that’s happening.

What exactly is the “afterburn” and are you getting any?

Nowadays, many fitness programs are being marketed with the latest and greatest buzzword, “afterburn.” They say that you too can experience this post-workout phenomenon if you exercise a certain way. And it sounds great, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to burn extra calories long past your sweat session? So let’s take a look at what exactly this afterburn effect is and how you can get it.

Your Summer Heart Check-Up: Catch early warning signs before they become serious problems

Summer is a good time to think about heart health. Fresh produce is abundant, providing a bounty of antioxidants. And you can enjoy more time outdoors, soaking up some vitamin D from the sun. Perhaps you're more active, taking advantage of the weather and going for a nice bike ride. Or you just got back from a family vacation, where you finally got that much needed rest and relaxation.

Be proactive about stents!

There are many people, mostly over the age of 50, walking around with foreign objects in their chests. These objects are called stents, and they have been reported to be lifesavers to innumerable people with coronary artery disease. In the past, even people who didn't have a heart attack, but who did have partial heart blockages (i.e. coronary artery disease), would get stents. But recent medical literature questions whether everyone with heart disease needs a stent.

Be proactive and reduce your risk for congestive heart failure

It’s estimated that there are 5.8 million people in the U.S. who have congestive heart failure, with approximately 1 million hospitalizations as a result each year. Most of the hospitalizations for congestive heart failure tend to be for patients who are 65 or older, but the rate of congestive heart failure hospitalizations for males under 65 has been increasing over the years. With millions of people in the U.S. being affected by this condition, there’s a chance you may be at risk. But you've taken the first proactive step by educating yourself about congestive heart failure.

Avoid Overtreatment and Get an Accurate Blood Pressure Reading!

“Woah! I knew I was a little nervous, but I was not expecting my blood pressure to have increased by that much!” Well, it’s possible it didn’t. You may experience a “white coat effect,” where you get a high reading in the doctor’s office, but outside the office, your blood pressure is totally normal. And sometimes a high blood pressure reading is caused by something as small as the way you are sitting, such as when you cross your legs or need to use the restroom. Believe it or not, all these activities can give you a falsely high reading.

Can probiotics lower your cholesterol?

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested, offer many potential health benefits. People typically take probiotic supplements for the digestive and immune-boosting benefits. They can also be found in fermented drinks like kombucha or in yogurts. Research continues to show there’s still much to learn about the potential applications of probiotics. One such potential – lowering cholesterol.

Yoga for heart health

Developed in India 3,000 years ago, yoga is a mind and body practice with historical origins in ancient Indian philosophy. Yoga helps create strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body. While there are more than 100 different types of yoga, typically sessions are comprised of breathing exercises, meditation and holding various postures (sometimes called asanas or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups. While holding a yoga pose, you focus inward. You try to become more mindful of your body, as well as to focus and quiet the mind.

Is the nitric oxide promise for better workouts for real?

People looking for the latest thing to get a better workout with better results are increasingly turning to nitric oxide (NO). In addition to more productive workouts with greater workout tolerance, there are claims for increases in muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness to boot. As you can imagine, medical supplement stores are working to meet this demand by offering a variety of powders and supplements with so-called nitric oxide enhancers. But is the hype and promise real or will NO go the way of other exercise fads of the past? The answer may surprise you!

Boost long-term heart health in just 5 minutes a day

Think you don’t have time for exercise? A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests as little as 5 to 10 minutes of running a day, even at slow speeds, can significantly lower your risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. This is great news, considering the top barrier to exercise is finding the time.

‘Healthy drinking’ -- A myth you should take a shot at, not of

You already know that heavy drinking is bad, and that alcoholism is a killer. Breast cancer, a leading cause of death among women, grows faster with heavy alcohol consumption. Excessive drinking causes weight gain, damages the kidneys over time, dulls cognitive function (causing accidental injury of all types), depletes essential vitamins, and causes cellular damage to the delicate linings of the gut. The more you drink, the higher the risks for serious health issues.