Heart disease (also known as cardiovascular diseases) are conditions that involve restricted or blocked blood vessels that may lead to heart attack, stroke, or chest pain (angina). It is the number one cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of about 655,000 people annually. The irony, however, is that many people don’t take steps to protect themselves from it, even though these steps are simple.

Several things raise the risk of heart disease and they are called ‘risk factors.’ Some of them are beyond your control. Examples include age, gender, race or ethnicity, family history, and genetics, among many others. Fortunately, some things are within your control that can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This post explores some of the most important ones.

Stop Smoking

If you’ve never smoked, that’s perfect! If you do, you should stop now! Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals that damage your heart vessel over time. These chemicals are so pernicious that even if you’ve stopped smoking a long time ago, your heart might still be at risk. For former chronic smokers, it takes a long time for heart damages to be repaired, but some never get restored.

Furthermore, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. A study by the FDA showed that secondhand smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 25% to 30%.

The good news is that if you quit smoking, after about a year, your risk of heart disease drops to about half that of a smoker.

Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

Once low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol starts to build in the bloodstream, it gets deposited inside your coronary arteries, which restricts blood flow. They may even rupture. This leads to the spewing of chemicals that accelerate the formation of blood clots, which prevents oxygen-carrying blood from reaching the heart. This may, invariably, lead to a heart attack. Triglycerides are another type of fat found in the blood and they typically increase the risk of coronary artery disease, especially in women.

That’s why it is important to keep your cholesterol level in check. Healthy diets, medication, and regular exercise will help with that.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Do you know that more than two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese? This is scary considering, for most people, their lifestyle is the primary contributing factor. Being overweight or obese can result in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions, in turn, increases your risk of heart disease.

The BMI is an important metric used to determine if your weight is healthy, based on your weight and height. A BMI of over 25 is considered unhealthy. Dieting, exercising, and medication can help you lose weight.

Eat Healthy Foods

Certain foods increase your risk of developing heart disease. Some of them include salt, sugar, processed carbohydrates, saturated fat (in full-fat dairy products and red meat), and trans fat (in fast foods, baked goods, and chips). Try to limit their intake.

Instead, opt for heart-healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish, beans and other legumes, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil. Remember, you are what you eat!

Exercise Regularly

Being active and doing exercise is beneficial for the body system. It helps to lower blood pressure, enhance blood circulation, and keep your heart and blood vessels in good condition. Furthermore, it helps to burn calories, which can help lose weight, which, in turn, lowers your blood pressure.

The great thing is that you do not need to engage in strenuous activities like football and squash to reap from the benefits of exercise. Low-impact exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling will help you stay fit.

Reduce Alcohol Intake

If you must drink, then you should limit it to less than 14 units per week. Fourteen units are equivalent to 10 small glasses of low-strength wine or 6 pints of average-strength beer. Moreover, spread your drinking over three or more days.

Excessive alcohol intake increases calories, which might cause weight gain. It also raises your blood pressure and cholesterol, which increases your risk of a heart attack. Avoid binge drinking because it may cause a sudden spike in your blood pressure, which can be harmful.

Manage Stress

We live in a fast-paced world where many people develop unhealthy lifestyles to cope with stress – such as drinking, overeating, or smoking. As you’ve seen, all these habits substantially increase your risk of heart disease. Extreme stress is also a trigger for heart attack.

That’s why it’s important to manage your stress properly. Exercising, relaxation routines, listening to music, yoga, and meditating are more effective ways of dealing with stress.

Get Sufficient Sleep

Many people underplay the importance of sleep in maintaining good health. Not getting sufficient sleep is bad and it increases the risk of having a heart attack. Moreover, disruptive sleep conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia increase the risk of heart disease.

Most healthy adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night to function at their best. Plan your day better so you can get a good night’s rest. If you have a sleep problem that disrupts your sleep, seek medical help.

Manage Diabetes

Diabetes is a risk factor for diabetic heart disease. Risk factors for diabetes include being overweight and genetics. Diabetes results in high blood sugar which damages the blood vessels and nerves that control the heart and blood vessel. Early detection can help you make the necessary lifestyle changes that can help minimize its impact. Therefore, it’s important to get tested for diabetes.

Get Regular Health Screenings

Many people have underlying health conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But without regular screenings, it remains undetected until the problem becomes worse. That’s why it’s important to have regular blood pressure screening; at least once every one or two years. Moreover, adults should have their cholesterol level measured, at least, once every 4 to 6 years.

If any of this condition is detected on time, your doctor may prescribe medication or recommend lifestyle changes that will help reduce the risk of further complications. Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions.

Reach out to us today with any questions you may have.

What is Integrative Medicine?

Integrative medicine involves the use of appropriate healthcare professionals, therapeutic approaches and the disciplines to reach optimal healing and health. It focuses on the entire body and combines conventional medical therapy with other therapies.

Integrative medicine aims to maintain and restore the wellness and health of a person by comprehending the patient’s overall health condition, including spiritual and psychological dimensions. It also considers the patient’s biological, psycho-social., behavioral, and environmental factors.

The following are the principles that define the use of integrative medicine:

• The practitioner and the patient are companions in the process of healing.
• The factors that affect wellness, disease, and health are taken into account such as the body, spirit, mind, community, etc.
• Less invasive, effective, and natural interventions are used during the healing process.
• The practitioners take the help of the healing sciences to allow the body to respond to innate healing.
• Good science makes good medicine which is available for new paradigms.
• Along with the concepts of medicinal treatment, there is a broader concept of wellness and health promotion and how to prevent illness.
• Personalized care based on the needs and conditions and circumstances of the patient.

Integrative Medicine and its Benefits

The practice of integrative medicine integrates the latest scientific medical treatment protocols with conventional medical treatments or therapies.

The benefits of practicing integrative medicine are as follows:

• A broad approach to wellness and care – the best thing about integrative medicine is that it combines conventional medicine which is based on evidence and alternative medicine. For instance, conventional treatments for backaches are sometimes ineffective, and in that situation, your practitioner may provide you with osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) or acupuncture, an anti-inflammatory diet plan, or massage therapy.
• Treatment of the person, not only the disease or condition – When your provider is applying integrative medicine to treat your problem, the emphasis is given on all the important factors that affect your health, be it physical, behavioral, biological, environmental, or psychosocial. So, you get an overall treatment of not just your physical body or health but also your mental health, your community, etc.
• Creating a foundation for your overall wellness and health – We have already learned about how integrative medicine treats the overall condition of the body. Hence, it involves making a groundwork for better overall health. This kind of treatment actively addresses the nutritional status like food allergies or vitamin deficiencies, immunity systems like an inflammatory burden or gut health, environmental toxins such as occupational hazards, pesticides present in food, etc and also hormonal imbalances.
• Prevention of future health problems before they arise – Integrative medicine is synonymous with preventive medicine. This means integrative medicine is the best treatment through which you can secure future health by learning or gaining full knowledge about your present health status and exploring ways to address the medical health issues proactively, much before they arise.
• Integrative medicines can relate to both specialty and primary care – integrative medicinal treatment can be applied in both primary as well as specialty care such as pain management, gastroenterology, and psychiatry.

When should I go for Integrative Medicine?

People go for integrative medicine for various reasons but several studies have shown that most of them pursue it because they find integrative medicine better aligned with their beliefs, philosophies, and values regarding their life and health over the rigid and restrictive conventional medical treatments.

The customizable personal care that comes with the practice of integrative medicine is preferred by most of the patients. They feel that turning to an integrative approach will let them achieve the best health and will also enable them to maintain it. In fact, studies at Duke Integrative Medicine prove that those who take part in integrative medicine treatment experience more insightful and intense health benefits than those who do not participate in integrative medicine.

Many of the integrative medicinal treatments are not that old. They include certain herbal treatments and acupuncture as well which have been around the medicinal approach for more since ages. People are experiencing these therapies in managing pain combined with modern techniques. Scientists and health care workers find integrative medicine to be more useful since it gives positive outcomes for a variety of pain and illnesses. So, integrative medicines role in treating illnesses is going to be increasing in future for sure.

Conclusive Thoughts

We, at Proactive Wellness Centers, aim to help our patients achieve optimal health and functional efficiency one individualized plan at a time. Your health is important to us. We understand that issues around your well being can be intimidating. If you have any questions you would like to discuss with us, please feel free to contact us here today.

We’re looking forward to learning more about you!

References:

https://health.usnews.com/health-conditions/heart-health/integrative-medicine/overview

https://www.floridamedicalclinic.com/blog/5-integrative-medicine-benefits/

https://dukeintegrativemedicine.org/about/what-is-integrative-medicine/

In today’s world, we have access to a wider variety of food than at any other point in human history. However, the irony is that we have picked up unhealthy eating habits that have led to the proliferation of diseases of civilization, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even cancer.

Your food choices each day play an impact on your health – how you feel today, how you will feel tomorrow, and far into the future. Why? The food we eat gives our body the materials and ‘information’ that ensure its proper functioning.

When the food we consume lacks all the necessary nutrients, some important information is not sent and it may result in several deficiencies. On the other hand, eating too much or consuming unhealthy sends the wrong message which leads to abnormal metabolic processes that can result in overweight and a couple of other diseases like diabetes.

These nutrients are the so-called ‘information’. Nutrients are nourishing substances essential for the growth, development, and maintenance of bodily functions. That’s why the role of nutrition cannot be overemphasized.

This post is going to explore the relationship between nutrition and some major chronic diseases.

Nutrition and Chronic Diseases

Many of the chronic health problems we face today can be linked to unhealthy eating habits. In America, over 78% of healthcare expenditures are for the treatment of chronic diseases. This is a fundamental societal problem considering that the United States ranks ninth in life expectancy among nations of the developed world. One major impact of poor nutrition in America is that we have a workforce plagued with absenteeism and reduced productivity due to chronic diseases.

Here are some of the major diseases we battle with as a society and now they can be ameliorated with proper nutrition.

Cardiovascular Disease

Do you know that heart disease is the number 1 killer of both men and women in America, killing about 647,000 people each year? Aside from unchangeable risk factors like age, and family history, it can also be caused by correctable problems like unhealthy diet, being overweight, lack of exercise, and smoking.

Heart disease results from the narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart with blood through a process known as atherosclerosis. Diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol increases the risk of blood clotting. Diets rich in sodium can cause high blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart disease. Consuming alcohol increases the chance of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Here are some healthy eating habits to adopt to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Pay attention to your calorie intake: Watch your calorie intake to ensure that you maintain a healthy weight, as obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. And by the way, about 40% of American adults are obese.

Do not consume food that is high in saturated and trans fat.

Limit red meat intake: Someone with a risk for heart disease should not obtain their protein from red meat. Rather, poultry, fish, and nuts are great alternatives. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish can help lower the risk of coronary artery disease.

Avoid Sugar: Simple sugar in beverages like soda and juice should be avoided as they provide no nutrients but add calories.

Diabetes

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that over 100 million U.S. adults are living with diabetes or prediabetes. And as it stands, diabetes is the 7th in the leading causes of death in the United States.

Diabetes is caused when the body produces an insufficient amount of insulin or the body is unable to properly make use of the produced insulin. These two scenarios result in type 1 and type 2 diabetes respectively.

Many factors including genetics, exercise, and more influence diabetes, but food also plays a crucial role. A diet high in fat, calories, and cholesterol increases the risk of diabetes and other health problems.

Some eating advice that should be adopted by people with diabetes and people that want to lower their risk factor of having diabetes include:

Pay attention to the fat you consume: People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease. By limiting the amount of saturated and trans fat consumed, it significantly lowers their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Drastically limit red meat intake: plant-based protein sources like beans should be adopted, as well as poultry, eggs, and seafood.

Eat nutritious grains: Foods like whole oats, quinoa, whole-grain barley, and whole-grain popcorn (without butter) are healthy food choices.

Fruits are a must: To satisfy your sugar cravings, do so with fruits; preferably fresh fruits.

Eat nutrient-filled vegetables: Non-starchy veggies like broccoli, onion, green beans, and tomatoes are low in calories and carbohydrates, making them suitable for diabetics.

Lung Disease

Most people are surprised when they find out that the food they eat may affect their breathing. Well, when you think about it, the food serves as the fuel of the body; meaning it is responsible for providing the required nutrients to all body organs; including the lungs.

For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammation in the lung that causes breathing problems, certain types of food can exacerbate their condition. Therefore, eating well is important. Overeating results in obesity which increase the pressure in the lungs.

Here are some nutrition tips for people diagnosed with COPD:

Eat complex carbohydrate: It can be found in foods like whole grains, fresh fruits, and veggies.

Simple carbohydrates found in soda, sweets, and candy should be avoided.

Incorporate between 20 to 30 grams of fiber into your daily diet: Foods rich in fiber include nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables.

Increase protein intake to strengthen the respiratory muscles.

Diets high in trans and saturated fat should be limited: Some example includes butter, crackers, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Conclusion

In reality, there a whole lot of other diseases that can be caused by poor nutrition. Some include:

• Tooth decay
• High blood pressure
• Some types of cancer
• Depression… and lots more.

Paying close attention to the food you consume can go a long way in helping you live a long and healthy life. Reach out to us today for more information.

With age, both men and women lose hormones in their bodies. It is a natural part of human aging. For women, this process is known as menopause. For the male counterpart, andropause. However, the awareness of hormone-decline in men as they age is not half as widespread as that in women.

Simply educating yourself in this natural process could mean the difference between sufficient, normal levels and rapid hormonal decline. Never become a bystander in the progression and evolution of your own health and well being. In this article, we talk about hormone decline in men as they age, its symptoms, and possible solutions for them to live a more fulfilling life even as they age.

Hormone Decline

Men possess the sex hormone testosterone that yields them masculine characteristics as they hit puberty. Development of sexual organs, penis and testes enlargement, sexual desires, facial and pubic hair, and body growth are some changes caused by testosterone at puberty.

These characteristics prevail throughout their life but towards old age, some men tend to face a decline in testosterone which causes age-related symptoms in them.

Note that, for men, the changes are not as sharp as that in women. When women experience menopause, there is a sharp decline in the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones in women. With men, these changes are slow and hard to notice.

Symptoms

Hormone decline in men causes a lot of gradual symptoms. These symptoms are both physical and mental.

Physical changes include low bone mineral density or low trauma fracture, fatigue, loss of energy, mood swings, erectile dysfunction (ED), decreased stamina, decreased urine flow, an increase and frequent urge to pee, breast enlargement, loss of physical agility, shrinkage of sexual organs, poor sleep quality or insomnia, accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, hair loss and patchy baldness, and night sweats

Mental and emotional changes include loss of activity, loss of mental sharpness, feeling lazy, low confidence, self-doubt, decreased motivation, depression, mood swings, anxiety, apathy, memory lapses, and short-temperedness.

As is apparent, some of these changes are so subtle that is hard to notice them. Some changes, however, are easily noticeable in a man’s day-to-day life. For instance, if you were a sound sleeper till now but are experiencing loss of sleep and mental peace due to no underlying reason whatsoever, then it can be due to hormonal loss. Or if you’re experiencing changes in your body structure such as a paunch or man boobs despite working out and eating healthy, you may want to have it checked by the doctor ones.

Checkups and Diagnosis

It is surprising that a simple blood test is all it takes to detect loss of testosterone in men. If a doctor decides to run by a regular checkup, loss of testosterone doesn’t go unnoticed. A man’s testosterone decreases by 1% yearly on an average after 40. Hence, it is best to have regular checkups in place to determine a sharp loss in testosterone levels and to overrule any other symptoms.

This being said, so many men with declining testosterone levels might not experience any symptoms at all. Or the symptoms of low testosterone are not limited to declining hormone levels.

Treatments

Thankfully, like most hormonal issues, medical science also has a solution for age-related hormone decline in men. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) refers to a wide variety of methods involving pills, injections, tablets, and psychological help to restore the confidence and girth in aging men.

The Bioidentical Hormonal Replacement Therapy (BHRT) aims to replace hormones physiologically to restore hormone levels in men.

No matter which of these treatment options you chose, they are all beneficial in restoring hormone levels in some way. These treatments have been known to improve sexual performance in aging men, increase bone health, enhance sex drives, stop balding and make hair treatments more effective, improve mood and confidence, improve energy levels, yield sharp memory, and improves heart health.

Conclusion

The field of restoring hormonal imbalance in aging men is still in its developing stages. However, there are ample evidences to show that these treatments work effectively and restore quality of life. There have also been rumors that such treatments cause cancer but supporting evidence to prove this are far and few.

If you are an aging man suffering from any of these symptoms, don’t be taken aback. Consider having routine tests done to check your testosterone levels. Talk to your doctor about the possible treatment solutions. With help, you can get back in control of your life and lead a healthy life even as you age.

We understand that a realization such as this can be an overwhelming “pill” to swallow – but there’s proven steps that can be taken to mitigate any unwarranted decline in hormone levels. We’re here to help. Contact us today for more information.