3 NIACIN
Megadoses of this B vitamin can raise your 'good' HDL cholesterol by a respectable 15-35 percent, while lowering triglycerides by 20-50 percent. But this supplement should be taken only as a prescription drug. The side effects of high-dose niacin include severe, painful facial flushing and potential liver damage.
How to take it: If you have low HDLs and high triglycerides, talk to your doctor about a modified-release niacin supplement. Some are formulated to reduce flushing and go easy on your liver.
4 ASPIRIN
Aspirin's pain-soothing, inflammation-cooling active ingredient - acetylsalicylic acid - is also a potent heart-protector that works by cutting clot risk. A daily, low-dose aspirin can cut your risk of a heart attack by a huge 33 percent. But new evidence suggests that the benefits are far greater for men than they are for women.
How to take it: Generally, the recommended dose for prevention is 75mg/day (lower than a standard 300g aspirin). Higher doses don't offer more protection, and more than 100mg/day may double the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding - take with a meal to cut the risk. But talk to your doctor before you start taking it as a preventive measure, especially if you also take anti-clotting agent such as warfarin or an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, or if you have had indigestion or an ulcer.
5 COENZYME Q10
Found in every cell in the body, co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) boosts the effectiveness of enzymes that help cells to produce energy. Getting sufficient CoQ10 ensures that heart muscle cells will pump efficiently; it can also cut symptoms of heart failure and shield cells from free-radical damage. It may help to lower blood pressure, too.If you take a cholesterol-lowering statin, ask your doctor about adding CoQ10 daily; statins can block production of this enzyme by the liver.
How to take it: Scientists aren't yet sure how much CoQ10 is needed to gain benefits, so suggested doses range from 30-300mg daily. For best absorption, look for capsules or tablets with CoQ10 in an oil base. Take it with a meal containing a fat, such as salad dressing or peanut butter, to further enhance absorption.
6 PHYTOSTEROLS
Found naturally in soya beans, rice brain and wheat germ, plant sterois and stanois - known collectively as phytosterols - block the absorption of cholesterol from the food you eat. Now, these ingenious substances are available in capsules and in special cholesterol-lowering margarines, cream cheeses and yoghurts. A daily phytosterol supplement can lower you 'bad' LDLs, reducing your risk of heart problems.
How to take it: Experts recommend 2-3g a day - equivalent to 2-3 tablespoons of phytosterol - enriched margarine - to lower high LDL cholesterol levels. They are also available in pill form. Since phytosterols could block absorption of beta-carotene, get an extra serving of beta-carotene-rich foods every day (such as carrots, sweet potatoes and yellow squash) - and eat it at a meal when you're not using a phytosterol supplement for better absorption.
High blood pressure: the new thinking
As mentioned before, doctors once shrugged off high blood pressure in their older patients as a normal sign of ageing - a medical lapse that some believe has contributed to the high rates of heart attacks and strokes in people over the age of 55.
Today, all that has changed. While your odds of high blood pressure do rise with every passing birthday - experts estimate that 90 percent of us will have elevated blood pressure at some point after the age of 55 - lowering it has never been easier.
Why bother? High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a silent killer that plays a role in 75 percent of heart attacks and strokes. When modern living and genetics team up to stiffen artery linings, the blood pressure increases. This faster, harder flow of blood damages blood vessel walls, making it easier for heart-threatening plaque to form. At the same time, the extra pressure can cause plaque build-ups to break off; these are the clots that kill. When clots block the arteries that feel fuel and oxygen to your heart, that's a heart attack. When clots block the blood vessels to your brain, that's a stroke.
Scary stuff, yet there's more. High blood pressure can also enlarge and weaken your heart, and even damage your eyes and kidneys. It's also a risk factor for aortic aneurysm, a swelling of the major blood vessel carrying blood to the lower part of the body. If it goes undiagnosed and untreated, in extreme cases an aneurysm can rupture, which is usually fatal.
Lowering your blood pressure can cut your odds of major health problems significantly: stroke, by 30 percent; heart attack, by 23 percent; heart failure, by 55 percent; dementia risk, by 50 percent. At the same time, it can prevent or delay kidney damage and guard your eyes against vision loss brought on by severe hypertension.
So where once doctors didn't worry too much about mildly raised blood pressure, now if your blood pressure is persistently raised above 140/90 on at least three occasions, your doctor will assess your degree of cardiovascular risk - and determine a treatment plan accordingly.
Blood pressure readings are given as two numbers: the first represents systolic pressure, the force of blood against the artery walls during a heartbeat; the second number represents diastolic pressure, which measures pressure when the heart is relaxed between beats. Both numbers are expressed as mmHg, or millimeters of mercury. A desirable reading is between 140/90 and 160/100 and you have no other risk factors and no signs of existing damage to your organs from high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest lifestyle modifications to try to bring it down. Suggestions may include losing weight, taking more exercise, eating a healthy diet, cutting down on salt and drinking alcohol in moderation.
Again and again, research confirms that high blood pressure is a major health risk, and that lower levels are almost always better
If your blood pressure is persistently above 160/100, or if you have existing cardiovascular disease or organ damage, or a high risk that these will develop, you will probably be offered medication as well. This may include drugs to lower cholesterol and treat diabetes as well as to reduce blood pressure, and a daily low-dose aspirin tablet to lower the risk of clots.
A complicated formula is used to assess your risk, taking into account factors such as your age and sex, whether you smoke, your blood pressure and blood cholesterol level. You may be told your overall risk in percentage terms. For example, a 20 percent risk means that without treatment you have a 20 in 100 - or one in five - chance of developing cardiovascular disease (such as angina, heart attack, stroke or peripheral arterial disease) in the next ten years. Effective treatment can reduce this risk substantially, so your GP will monitor your blood pressure carefully to see that intervention is working. For example, it is estimated that lowering a raised diastolic pressure by 6mmHg reduces your risk of heart disease by 20-25 percent, and your risk of stroke by 35-40 percent. So it's worth taking all the same steps you can to reduce your risk.
12 Steps to better blood pressure
Even if you take drugs for blood pressure, adding these steps can lower your blood pressure even more - and allow you to get the most benefit from the lowest dose of medication.
1 Make reduced-sodium products your first choice Cutting your sodium intake by just 300mg (the amount in about two slices of processed cheese) reduces systolic pressure by 2-4 points, and diastolic pressure by 1-2 joints. Cut out more sodium, and your pressure drops even lower. Processed foods,
Fast clot-buster
If you or someone you're with has sudden heart attack symptoms, have them thoroughly chew and swallow one regular-strength aspirin tablet immediately. Chewing delivers aspirin's clot-stopping powers to your bloodstream in just 5 minutes; in contrast, swallowing the aspirin whole delays clot-stoppers for 12 crucial minutes.
not table salt, are the biggest source of excess sodium in our diets. You'll find more tips on reducing your sodium intake on Foods that harm, but here are a few to jog your memory. Omit salt from recipes; fill your salt pot with a salt substitute; rinse foods canned in salted water or brine twice before cooking; select frozen meals with the least salt; and give unsalted or reduced-salt crisps and condiments a try. Read the labels on over-the-counter remedies carefully - some, such as antacids, can be surprisingly high in sodium. Your pharmacist can help you to find lower-sodium options.
2 Quit smoking Yes, you've read this advice in almost every part of this discussion, and have heard it for years. And for so many reasons. Here's the blood pressure reason: the nicotine in tobacco constricts blood vessels, immediately raising the pressure within them.
3 Have a banana, a slice of melon or a handful of dried apricots every day All are rich in potassium, nicknamed the unsalt by experts because of its ability to keep blood pressure down. Other high-potassium foods include spinach, sweet potatoes and avocados.
4 Snack on soya nuts About 30g of crunchy roasted soya beans (called soya nuts) cut systolic blood pressure readings by 10 points in one study. Look for unsalted varieties in your supermarket or healthfood shop.
Megadoses of this B vitamin can raise your 'good' HDL cholesterol by a respectable 15-35 percent, while lowering triglycerides by 20-50 percent. But this supplement should be taken only as a prescription drug. The side effects of high-dose niacin include severe, painful facial flushing and potential liver damage.
How to take it: If you have low HDLs and high triglycerides, talk to your doctor about a modified-release niacin supplement. Some are formulated to reduce flushing and go easy on your liver.
4 ASPIRIN
Aspirin's pain-soothing, inflammation-cooling active ingredient - acetylsalicylic acid - is also a potent heart-protector that works by cutting clot risk. A daily, low-dose aspirin can cut your risk of a heart attack by a huge 33 percent. But new evidence suggests that the benefits are far greater for men than they are for women.
How to take it: Generally, the recommended dose for prevention is 75mg/day (lower than a standard 300g aspirin). Higher doses don't offer more protection, and more than 100mg/day may double the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding - take with a meal to cut the risk. But talk to your doctor before you start taking it as a preventive measure, especially if you also take anti-clotting agent such as warfarin or an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, or if you have had indigestion or an ulcer.
5 COENZYME Q10
Found in every cell in the body, co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) boosts the effectiveness of enzymes that help cells to produce energy. Getting sufficient CoQ10 ensures that heart muscle cells will pump efficiently; it can also cut symptoms of heart failure and shield cells from free-radical damage. It may help to lower blood pressure, too.If you take a cholesterol-lowering statin, ask your doctor about adding CoQ10 daily; statins can block production of this enzyme by the liver.
How to take it: Scientists aren't yet sure how much CoQ10 is needed to gain benefits, so suggested doses range from 30-300mg daily. For best absorption, look for capsules or tablets with CoQ10 in an oil base. Take it with a meal containing a fat, such as salad dressing or peanut butter, to further enhance absorption.
6 PHYTOSTEROLS
Found naturally in soya beans, rice brain and wheat germ, plant sterois and stanois - known collectively as phytosterols - block the absorption of cholesterol from the food you eat. Now, these ingenious substances are available in capsules and in special cholesterol-lowering margarines, cream cheeses and yoghurts. A daily phytosterol supplement can lower you 'bad' LDLs, reducing your risk of heart problems.
How to take it: Experts recommend 2-3g a day - equivalent to 2-3 tablespoons of phytosterol - enriched margarine - to lower high LDL cholesterol levels. They are also available in pill form. Since phytosterols could block absorption of beta-carotene, get an extra serving of beta-carotene-rich foods every day (such as carrots, sweet potatoes and yellow squash) - and eat it at a meal when you're not using a phytosterol supplement for better absorption.
High blood pressure: the new thinking
As mentioned before, doctors once shrugged off high blood pressure in their older patients as a normal sign of ageing - a medical lapse that some believe has contributed to the high rates of heart attacks and strokes in people over the age of 55.
Today, all that has changed. While your odds of high blood pressure do rise with every passing birthday - experts estimate that 90 percent of us will have elevated blood pressure at some point after the age of 55 - lowering it has never been easier.
Why bother? High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a silent killer that plays a role in 75 percent of heart attacks and strokes. When modern living and genetics team up to stiffen artery linings, the blood pressure increases. This faster, harder flow of blood damages blood vessel walls, making it easier for heart-threatening plaque to form. At the same time, the extra pressure can cause plaque build-ups to break off; these are the clots that kill. When clots block the arteries that feel fuel and oxygen to your heart, that's a heart attack. When clots block the blood vessels to your brain, that's a stroke.
Scary stuff, yet there's more. High blood pressure can also enlarge and weaken your heart, and even damage your eyes and kidneys. It's also a risk factor for aortic aneurysm, a swelling of the major blood vessel carrying blood to the lower part of the body. If it goes undiagnosed and untreated, in extreme cases an aneurysm can rupture, which is usually fatal.
Lowering your blood pressure can cut your odds of major health problems significantly: stroke, by 30 percent; heart attack, by 23 percent; heart failure, by 55 percent; dementia risk, by 50 percent. At the same time, it can prevent or delay kidney damage and guard your eyes against vision loss brought on by severe hypertension.
So where once doctors didn't worry too much about mildly raised blood pressure, now if your blood pressure is persistently raised above 140/90 on at least three occasions, your doctor will assess your degree of cardiovascular risk - and determine a treatment plan accordingly.
Blood pressure readings are given as two numbers: the first represents systolic pressure, the force of blood against the artery walls during a heartbeat; the second number represents diastolic pressure, which measures pressure when the heart is relaxed between beats. Both numbers are expressed as mmHg, or millimeters of mercury. A desirable reading is between 140/90 and 160/100 and you have no other risk factors and no signs of existing damage to your organs from high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest lifestyle modifications to try to bring it down. Suggestions may include losing weight, taking more exercise, eating a healthy diet, cutting down on salt and drinking alcohol in moderation.
Again and again, research confirms that high blood pressure is a major health risk, and that lower levels are almost always better
If your blood pressure is persistently above 160/100, or if you have existing cardiovascular disease or organ damage, or a high risk that these will develop, you will probably be offered medication as well. This may include drugs to lower cholesterol and treat diabetes as well as to reduce blood pressure, and a daily low-dose aspirin tablet to lower the risk of clots.
A complicated formula is used to assess your risk, taking into account factors such as your age and sex, whether you smoke, your blood pressure and blood cholesterol level. You may be told your overall risk in percentage terms. For example, a 20 percent risk means that without treatment you have a 20 in 100 - or one in five - chance of developing cardiovascular disease (such as angina, heart attack, stroke or peripheral arterial disease) in the next ten years. Effective treatment can reduce this risk substantially, so your GP will monitor your blood pressure carefully to see that intervention is working. For example, it is estimated that lowering a raised diastolic pressure by 6mmHg reduces your risk of heart disease by 20-25 percent, and your risk of stroke by 35-40 percent. So it's worth taking all the same steps you can to reduce your risk.
12 Steps to better blood pressure
Even if you take drugs for blood pressure, adding these steps can lower your blood pressure even more - and allow you to get the most benefit from the lowest dose of medication.
1 Make reduced-sodium products your first choice Cutting your sodium intake by just 300mg (the amount in about two slices of processed cheese) reduces systolic pressure by 2-4 points, and diastolic pressure by 1-2 joints. Cut out more sodium, and your pressure drops even lower. Processed foods,
Fast clot-buster
If you or someone you're with has sudden heart attack symptoms, have them thoroughly chew and swallow one regular-strength aspirin tablet immediately. Chewing delivers aspirin's clot-stopping powers to your bloodstream in just 5 minutes; in contrast, swallowing the aspirin whole delays clot-stoppers for 12 crucial minutes.
not table salt, are the biggest source of excess sodium in our diets. You'll find more tips on reducing your sodium intake on Foods that harm, but here are a few to jog your memory. Omit salt from recipes; fill your salt pot with a salt substitute; rinse foods canned in salted water or brine twice before cooking; select frozen meals with the least salt; and give unsalted or reduced-salt crisps and condiments a try. Read the labels on over-the-counter remedies carefully - some, such as antacids, can be surprisingly high in sodium. Your pharmacist can help you to find lower-sodium options.
2 Quit smoking Yes, you've read this advice in almost every part of this discussion, and have heard it for years. And for so many reasons. Here's the blood pressure reason: the nicotine in tobacco constricts blood vessels, immediately raising the pressure within them.
3 Have a banana, a slice of melon or a handful of dried apricots every day All are rich in potassium, nicknamed the unsalt by experts because of its ability to keep blood pressure down. Other high-potassium foods include spinach, sweet potatoes and avocados.
4 Snack on soya nuts About 30g of crunchy roasted soya beans (called soya nuts) cut systolic blood pressure readings by 10 points in one study. Look for unsalted varieties in your supermarket or healthfood shop.
No comments:
Post a Comment