Eating fish and fish oil may benefit heart health

High consumption of fish oil may benefit cardiovascular health, Pitt public health finds – Eating fish in amounts comparable to those of people living in Japan seems to impart a protective factor that wards off heart disease, revealed by researchers.

High good and low bad cholesterol levels healthy for brain

High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too – High levels of “good” cholesterol and low levels of “bad” cholesterol are correlated with lower levels of the amyloid plaque deposition in the brain that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, UC Davis researchers have found.

High cholesterol may lead to breast cancer in post menopausal women

High cholesterol fuels the growth and spread of breast cancer – A byproduct of cholesterol functions like the hormone estrogen to fuel the growth and spread of the most common types of breast cancers, revealed researchers. They also found that anti-cholesterol drugs such as statins appear to diminish the effect of this estrogen-like molecule.

Nut consumption lowers risk of diseases

Large study links nut consumption to reduced death rate — Research also shows people who eat nuts weigh less – In the largest study of its kind, people who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than were those who didn’t consume nuts, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health.

SMS reminders about heart medication improved patient adherence

Texting heart medication reminders improved patient adherence – Getting reminder texts helped patients take their heart medicines (anti-platelet and cholesterol-lowering drugs) more regularly, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013.

Post smoking weight gain relates with nicotine dependence and serum lipid levels

Stronger nicotine dependence correlates with higher post-smoking weight gain — Post smoking weight gain correlates with nicotine dependence, serum lipid levels – Smokers with more severe nicotine dependence are more likely to gain weight when they try to quit, revealed by researchers. Even with nicotine replacement therapy, individuals can gain substantial amounts of weight when they quit smoking.

Cholesterol increases Alzheimer’s disease and Heart disease risks

Cholesterol increases risk of Alzheimer’s and heart disease – High levels of blood cholesterol increase the risk of both Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease, but it has been unclear exactly how cholesterol damages the brain to promote Alzheimer’s disease and blood vessels to promote atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol levels vary with changing seasons

Cholesterol levels rise, fall with changing seasons — Shifts in metabolism, behaviors and other factors at work – Cholesterol levels seem to fluctuate significantly with the turning seasons, which may leave some people with borderline high cholesterol at greater cardiovascular risk during the winter months, showing heart attacks and heart-related deaths increase during the winter months.

Blocked heart arteries can cause stroke

Clogged heart arteries can foreshadow stroke — American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report – Blockages in your heart arteries could mean you’re more likely to have a stroke, even if you’re considered low risk. A new study raises the need for intensified interdisciplinary efforts for providing adequate disease prevention and management strategies for stroke.

Nutrition Facts Label helps to make heart healthy choices

The Nutrition Facts Label: Helping Americans Make Heart-Healthy Choices – February is American Heart Month, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a tool to help you achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle. It?s called the Nutrition Facts Label, and it can be found on all packaged foods and beverages.

Health Newstrack