April 11, 2023

The Top 50 Foods To Eat for Your Heart

You have probably heard about “heart healthy” foods. So many whole foods are considered supportive of the cardiovascular system for a number of reasons ranging from fiber content to omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidant compounds. Because February is National Heart Month , we wanted to focus on foods that are good for your heart. Here is the ultimate FoodTrients list of the Top 50 foods we love for your heart. Mix and match these healthy whole foods to include them in your diet daily to support your heart. 1. Almonds Packed with healthful plant sterols, fiber, and heart-healthy fats, almonds may […]
December 4, 2022

This Spice Blend Can Help Your Heart Health

More than just flavor enhancers, many common spices do a lot more for your health than you probably think . In fact, a recent study showed a specific spice blend actually lowered triglycerides — a risk factor for heart disease. The results were published in the journal Nutrition Today. Below, we’ll explore the study and its potential implications. Spice Blend Lowers Triglyceride Levels by 31% Researchers from Penn State wanted to investigate the role of spices on heart health. They also reviewed previous studies showing the cardiac benefits of garlic and cinnamon. For the study, they recruited six overweight men between the ages of 30 to […]
August 16, 2022

Walking May Help Reshape Damaged Heart Tissue

Just 30 minutes of running on a treadmill can reshape damaged heart tissue, researchers have found in a study which proved that exercise could be just as important for heart health as controlled cholesterol and a healthy diet. The findings showed that just a single session of endurance exercise – activities that increase breathing and heart rate such as walking, jogging, swimming – increased the expression of genes that are used to repair damaged DNA and helped remodel heart tissue. “The genes that are important for genome stability are up-regulated in the heart tissue after a single bout of endurance […]
November 10, 2021

5 Ways Mushrooms Support Your Health

Did you know that many mushrooms — some that you can find in the grocery store and others that come in medicinal/capsule form
December 15, 2020

Stress, Heart Health and the Holidays

At this time of year with several big holidays approaching, like many of my patients, you may feel overwhelmed with too much to do and are starting to feel cranky and out of sorts.  Along with all the usual responsibilities of jobs, family routines, etc., this season brings the added pressure of financial concerns from holiday spending. In addition, friends and family that we may not have seen in a while show up in our lives again, relationship issues may become magnified, and our emotions run the gamut between joy and anger.  Add those concerns to overeating high salty and […]
June 2, 2020

This Mediterranean Food Boosts Heart Health

If you’re over 50, you likely grew up eating beef, a staple of most American diets for the last 50 plus years. I know I did.  Steaks on a summer grill and beef hamburgers are as much American tradition as apple pie.  It’s the reason we have so many (beef) burger businesses across the United States. But there’s another red meat out there that you probably pass right by at your grocer’s.  It not only tastes great but, in many ways, is nutritionally superior to beef.  Let me tell you more about this special red meat and why, now that […]
October 10, 2018

Good Advice: Take Your Health To Heart

Bayfront Health Seven Rivers recently had a seminar titled “Know Your Heart Risks” at the hospital’s
May 22, 2018

Coffee May Actually Help Prevent Arrhythmia

Contrary to common belief, coffee does not increase abnormal heart rhythms known as arrhythmias but, rather, helps prevent them, according to a review published in the April 2018 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Clinical Electrophysiology. “There is a public perception, often based on anecdotal experience, that caffeine is a common acute trigger for heart rhythm problems,” stated lead author Peter Kistler, MBBS, PhD, of Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia. “Our extensive review of the medical literature suggests this is not the case.” One cup of coffee contains an average of 95 milligrams of caffeine. […]
April 24, 2018

Cranberry Benefits May Extend to the Gut, Heart and Brain

While decades of cranberry research has found that regular consumption of cranberry products promotes urinary tract health, leading scientists studying the bioactive components of fruits and other foods reported that cranberries possess whole body health benefits. In a July 2016 Advances in Nutrition supplement, Impact of Cranberries on Gut Microbiota and Cardiometabolic Health: Proceedings of the Cranberry Health Research Conference 2015, a team of international researchers reviewed the complex, synergistic actions of compounds that are uniquely cranberry. Their discussion led them to conclude that this berry may be more than just a tart and tangy fruit. “It has been established that […]