Atrial fibrillation (afib) is an irregular, quivering heartbeat that is associated with older age. Hospitalizations from afib are expected to increase as the baby boomer population ages.
Treating gum disease is associated not only with better health, but also with lower health care costs.
Drinking green tea may have health benefits such as an increased metabolism and a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Fit men tend to develop rising blood pressure nearly a decade later than those who are less fit, a study finds. The new research is based on data from a long-term health study. It included nearly 14,000 men. They received treadmill tests to measure fitness levels. On average, they received physical exams 4 times in up to 30 years of follow-up. Men in this study did not have a history of heart attack, stroke or cancer. Men who had high blood pressure or developed it during the study also were excluded. Instead of high blood pressure, the study looked at when men developed pre-hypertension. This is above-normal blood pressure, but not high enough for a diagnosis of high blood pressure. The average man with a low fitness level developed a systolic blood pressure of 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) at age 46. This is the threshold for prehypertension.
When it comes to weight loss, there is no “magic” diet, says a review of published studies. The review looked at 48 studies involving more than 7,000 people. Some were on low-carb diets, such as Atkins or South Beach. Others followed low-fat diets. People lost an average of 18 pounds over 6 months, regardless of the diet they followed. People tended to lose a few more pounds if the program told them to exercise, or if they had behavioral counseling at least twice a month for the first 3 months. By the one-year mark, however, most people had gained back 2 to 4 pounds. The study focused only on weight loss; it did not look at heart-disease risk or other health effects. The researchers say that the standard weight-loss advice of cutting calories and exercising still stands. They also say that the best diet is the one that a person can stick with over time.