Showing posts with label signs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label signs. Show all posts
Telltale visible signs of aging may predict heart disease
Friday, May 2, 2014
Study Highlights:
*Visible signs of aging may predict your risk of heart disease.
*A receding hairline, baldness, earlobe crease and yellow fatty deposits on the eyelids were among signs of aging associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
If you look old, your heart may feel old, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2012.
In a new study, those who had three to four aging signs — receding hairline at the temples, baldness at the head’s crown, earlobe crease, or yellow fatty deposits around the eyelid (xanthelasmata) — had a 57 percent increased risk for heart attack and a 39 percent increased risk for heart disease .
“The visible signs of aging lect physiologic or biological age, not chronological age, and are independent of chronological age,” said Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen, M.D., the study’s senior author and professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
Researchers analyzed 10,885 participants 40 years and older (45 percent women) in the Copenhagen Heart Study. Of these, 7,537 had frontoparietal baldness (receding hairline at the temples), 3,938 had crown top baldness, 3,405 had earlobe crease, and 678 had fatty deposits around the eye.
In 35 years of follow-up, 3,401 participants developed heart disease and 1,708 had a heart attack.
Individually and combined, these signs predicted heart attack and heart disease independent of traditional risk factors. Fatty deposits around the eye were the strongest individual predictor of both heart attack and heart disease.
Heart attack and heart disease risk increased with each additional sign of aging in all age groups and among men and women. The highest risk was for those in their 70s and those with multiple signs of aging.
In the study, nurses and laboratory technicians noted the quantity of gray hair, prominence of wrinkles, the type and extent of baldness, the presence of earlobe crease and eyelid deposits.
“Checking these visible aging signs should be a routine part of every doctor’s physical examination,” Tybjaerg-Hansen said.
Omega 3 Fats from Fish Oil Reduces Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Humans have been consuming omega-3 fats from natural fish, nut and seed sources for countless generations. Our core genetic structure depends on a regular supply of the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to form cell wall structures and perform millions of metabolic functions that we normally associate with vibrant health.
Imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats cause a surge in inflammatory cytokines that can lead to the painful and debilitating condition known as osteoarthritis. New research published in the journalOsteoarthritis and Cartilage has shown for the first time that omega-3 fats supplied by fish oil could "substantially and significantly"reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis as we age.
Omega-3 Fat Supplementation Slashes Osteoarthritis Disease Progression in Half
Researchers from the University of Bristol in England tested the effect of omega-3 fats on a breed of guinea pigs that are genetically predisposed to develop arthritis. Guinea pigs were chosen for this study as they develop osteoarthritis in a similar manner to humans. Anecdotal reports over the years provide support for the beneficial effect of fish consumption on joint health. Dr. John Tarlton from the Matrix Biology Research Group and his team set out to confirm the impact of omega-3 fatty acids, either sourced from fish oil or flax oil, to prevent or slow down the progression of osteoarthritis.
The team fed one group of guinea pigs a diet including full-spectrum omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) and compared the results to a second control group of non-supplemented animals. Typical degradation of collagen in cartilage and the loss of molecules that give it shock-absorbing properties were both reduced in the omega-3 supplemented group. Researchers noted that omega-3 fats reduced disease by 50 per cent compared to the control group.
Omega-3 Fats Found More Effective Treating Arthritis than Dangerous Medications
Upon examination of the results, Dr. Tarlton explained“there was strong evidence that omega-3 influences the biochemistry of the disease, and theore not only helps prevent disease, but also slows its progression, potentially controlling established osteoarthritis.” This is a critical finding, as most people suffering from arthritis are prescribed a plethora of ineffective pain medications that dramatically increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or suffering a heart attack.
At the present time there is no known cure or effective treatment from those experiencing the debilitating effects of osteoarthritis, and omega fat imbalance from a poor diet causes excessive joint inflammation and needless suffering. Researchers performing this study concluded“Most diets in the developed world are lacking in omega-3, with modern diets having up to 30 times too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Taking omega-3 will help redress this imbalance and may positively contribute to a range of other health problems such as heart disease.” Most health-minded individuals will want to supplement with a molecularly distilled form of fish oil (minimum 1200 mg EPA/DHA content) each day to combat inflammation and osteoarthritis.
Early Warning Signs of Heart Attack in Women
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Chest pain is not a frequent early warning symptom of a heart attack in women.But what is?
In a study funded by the NIH that appeared in the journal Circulation in 2003,1 the most frequent early warning symptom of heart attack in women was unusual fatigue ... not a tiredness that you might link to overwork or stress, but a fatigue so severe some women gave the example of not being able to make a bed without resting.
Most Women Have Early Warning Symptoms
Of the 515 women studied, 95% of them reported experiencing symptoms a month or more before a heart attack.
The most frequent symptoms reported were:
- unusual fatigue (70.7% of women experienced)
- sleep disturbances (47.8%)
- shortness of breath (42.1%)
- indigestion (39.4%)
- anxiousness (35.5%)
Even during a heart attack, 43% of women in this study "did not experience any type of chest discomfort."
The lead author of the study, Jean C. McSweeney, PhD:2
"McSweeney said her best advice is for women who have risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease and who are experiencing [early warning] symptoms should contact their doctor before seeking emergency treatment."
1 For the study (full free access):
Women’s Early Warning Symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction
2 For a summary, provided by Yale-New Haven Health:
Signs Of Impending Heart Attacks Among Women
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