Download a-fib puts you at five times greater risk for a stroke

ISSUE 3
•
2012
•
HE ARTCAR IN G. COM
A-FIB PUTS YOU AT FIVE TIMES GREATER RISK FOR A STROKE
Atrial fibrillation, or A-Fib for short, is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow
to the body. A-Fib symptoms can be occasional or chronic and can include heart palpitations, shortness of breath,
tiredness, and weakness.
Gestational diabetes
can increase risk for
heart disease
Women with a history of gestational diabetes have a 50 percent
higher risk for developing cardiovascular issues later on in life,
reported a Swedish study. Other
studies indicate that gestational
diabetes alone does not predict
which women would get heart
disease apart from other risk
factors. However, multiple risk
factors such as gestational diabetes, obesity,
and high blood pressure
significantly increase
risk. Gestational diabetes
can cause high blood
pressure during pregnancy, which can lead to
complications such as
preeclampsia and eclampsia—
both of which can threaten the
lives of mother and baby.
Your doctor should assess your
risk at your first prenatal visit. If
you are at risk, you will undergo
glucose testing. If gestational
diabetes is not discovered at the
initial screening, you should be
retested 24—28 weeks into
your pregnancy.
Internal Medicine News, Mayo Clinic
All-Natural
Cranberry Muesli
One of the major implications of A-Fib is that it can lead to heart failure because the ventricles of the heart are pumping so fast that they are unable to completely fill with blood—this deprives the body of the life-giving blood that it
needs. Another implication of A-Fib is that it puts you at a greater risk for stroke. During A-Fib, the upper chambers
of the heart, or atria, are unable to completely pump all of the blood to the ventricles, thus causing pools of blood to
form. If a clot were to
form in these pools
If you are a woman,
of blood, it could
your risk of developing A-fib is less than
break off and
that of a man, but
your risk of stroke
travel to the brain,
and possible death
causing a stroke.
from stroke is greater.
Sources: www.nhlbi.nih.gov,
www.mayoclinic.com
CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS FROM CANCER
THERAPY
According to data presented at the 33rd Annual Cancer Therapy & Research
Center -American Association for Cancer
Research (AACR-CTRC) San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, postmenopausal women who take aromatase inhibitors as a treatment for breast cancer may be at an increased
risk for developing cardiovascular
disease. Data collected during a study concluded that women who used
an aromatase inhibitor for any duration
were 20 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. While this
may be a frightening statistic, it is
important to note that the study also concluded that for women who were to switch from an aromatase inhibitor to
tamoxifen, for instance, there is a reduction in the risk of death from causes other than breast cancer. The side effects
of a drug may increase the longer it is taken, and switching drugs may be a way to mitigate those side effects.
American Association for Cancer Research
There may be as many versions of muesli as there are breakfast cereals, but this one's modeled after the original Swiss wake-you-up—a combination of overnight-soaked grains,
nuts, dried fruit, and yogurt. Make it the night before and you'll have breakfast ready
when you are.
Ingredients
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened or
fruit-juice-sweetened
cranberry juice
6 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
(not quick-cooking
or steel-cut)
2 tablespoons dried
cranberries
1 tablespoon unsalted
sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon wheat germ
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Combine yogurt, juice, oats,
cranberries, sunflower
seeds, wheat germ, honey,
vanilla, and salt in a
medium bowl; cover and
refrigerate for at least 8
hours and up to 1 day.
Nutritional Info
Serves
2
(serving size: 2/3 cup )
Iron
Calories:
209
Sodium
190mg
Total Fat:
4g
Potassium
266mg
Protein
8g
(sat 1g, mono 1g, poly 2g)
Carbohydrate
Fiber
Cholesterol:
37g
3g
4mg
1mg
Calcium15% daily value
Exchanges:
1 starch
1 fruit
1/2 other carbohydrate
1/2 fat
CONSUMER REPORT — FACT OR FICTION:
CLOTHES AND SHOES CAN TONE YOUR BODY
Instant Recess:
Take a break and get moving
Can shoes tone the body? According to the Federal Trade Commission,
the answer is no. Skechers Shape-Ups claimed to help people shed
pounds, tone muscles, and improve cardiovascular health. Skechers is
now paying $40 million to people who claim that the company made
deceitful claims about the benefits of their shoes. Todd Galati from the
American Council on Exercise also tested two other brands of “toning
shoes” and found that there is “simply no evidence to support the claims
that these shoes will help…burn more calories or improve muscle
strength or tone” and that,“ no significant difference between any of
the toning shoes and the standard running shoe.” What will make
a difference, Todd says, is the walking—in any shoes you choose.
According to national guidelines, adults need
at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or
150 of moderate physical activity per week.
Instant Recess® is a 10-minute, low-impact
physical activity break that consists of 7 to 8
aerobic-based calisthenic, dance, or sportsrelated movements set to upbeat music. Instant Recess breaks are designed to maximize energy through easy,
“achievable” movements. Instant Recess can be coordinated at your office, school, church, community center, or home, and is a fun way to get
physically active throughout the day. You can learn move about Instant
Recess by visiting www.toniyancey.com/IR_Book.html. Do yourself a favor
and get moving today!
National Public Radio
Instant Recess
Clothing companies are also coming out with lines of clothing that claim to
target muscle groups and force muscles to work harder during a workout.
Reebok’s new Easy Tone clothing has built-in “resistance bands” that
“target” problem areas. The claim is that these items of clothing cause you
to exert more force while exercising, thus burning more calories and toning
muscle. A recent University of Virginia study of 15 women found that no
significant changes were produced when wearing toning clothes and walking on a flat surface. When the incline was gradually
increased, however, women who were wearing
the toning pants burned as much as 30 percent more calories than women who were
not wearing the toning pants. However,
Cedric Bryant, the chief science officer for
the American Council on Exercise, remains
skeptical. "In order for this type of garment
to have any real appreciative effect, the
bands would have to provide resistance
levels so great it would significantly
alter your mechanics," he said. "This
could throw off things like your stride
pattern, your landing, and so forth,
which could potentially expose you to
injury." Bryant does claim that there
may be a positive side to toning
clothing. Many women like the garments because they
hold problem areas in
place and reduce
jiggle. He said that if the clothing
causes people to exercise more, then it is
a positive purchase.
CBS New York, That’s Fit
heartcaring.com
SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN
CHOLESTEROL AND HYPERTENSION –
ONLY TESTS WILL TELL
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every six adult Americans has
high blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is the fatty, waxlike
substance that can build up along the walls of your
arteries and can eventually cause blockages. Because
high cholesterol has no symptoms, many people do not
even know that they are at risk for problems such as
heart disease and stroke. A simple blood test can tell
you your cholesterol levels.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known as the
“silent killer” because it also does not have any initial
symptoms. Hypertension can lead to long-term complications such as heart attack, congestive heart failure,
stroke, and aortic aneurysm due to the high amount of
pressure being exerted on arteries. Prolonged, elevated
blood pressure, particularly systolic pressure, is a sign
that you should talk to your physician about ways to
lower your blood pressure and improve your health.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention