In a report out this week from the American Heart Association, the expected cost for heart disease treatment in the United States is expected to triple in the next 20 years. There are many reasons for this: the ever increasing cost of healthcare and medications, an aging population, and a decrease amount of care received due to that cost This week we want to highlight an easy practice that won’t cost you a penny, reduce your salt intake! Salt is everywhere, its in soda, processed foods, canned foods, and even milk. Although we can’t reduce what foods and drinks have salt in them, we can reduce our consumption of them. By keeping track for even just a few days, you’ll get an idea of where you are at on the consumption scale, and see how much change is needed. Be … Continue reading
Salt Reduction Benefits
-From Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic researchers found that healthy young people who put on as little as 9 pounds of fat, specifically in the abdomen, are at risk for developing endothelial cell dysfunction. Endothelial cells line the blood vessels and control the ability of the vessels to expand and contract. “Endothelial dysfunction has long been associated with an increased risk for coronary artery disease and cardiovascular events,” says Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic. “Gaining a few pounds in college, on a cruise, or over the holidays is considered harmless, but it can have cardiovascular implications, especially if the weight is gained in the abdomen.” For the study, which was published in this week’s Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Somers and his team recruited 43 healthy Mayo Clinic volunteers with a mean age of 29 years. … Continue reading
For hundreds, if not thousands of years, humans have been using herbal remedies to treat the sick. Their use was once the only chemical option available to treat various disease states, and in some cultures is still viewed with high regard today. And although some of these herbal medications do have positive effects, in many cases the risk isn’t worth the benefit! According to a study done by the Mayo Clinic, more than 15 million Americans use herbal remedies or high-dose vitamins. Many use them because they think “natural” means safer. On the contrary, these herbal medications don’t go through the testing by the FDA to meet safety and efficacy standards. Along with that, the potential for interactions between herbal medications and prescriptions can have catastrophic outcomes. According to Dr. Arshad Jahangir, M.D. at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, … Continue reading
