Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

COVID survivors—even those with mild infections—appear to face a higher risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke for up to one year after their initial infection. People who were hospitalized (especially those who ended up in the intensive care unit) may have the highest risk. The virus that causes COVID can injure blood vessels and triggers an immune response that promotes the formation of blood clots in arteries and veins throughout the body and brain.

Regular walking—for at least 30 minutes a day, three days per week—is the best treatment for peripheral artery disease. This condition is characterized by fatty deposits that accumulate in arteries outside the heart and brain (usually the legs). Walking encourages blood flow in the leg’s smaller arteries and also creates new channels that move blood around the blocked areas, which eventually helps ease the pain.

The long-held assumption that light to moderate drinking is good for a person’s heart is likely inaccurate. A new study using sophisticated genetic tools suggests that the risk of high blood pressure and coronary artery disease rise for any quantity of alcohol consumption. The added risk is low when people consume up to a single drink per day but rises exponentially at levels above seven drinks per week. This added risk applies to a first-time diagnosis of heart disease and not to people already diagnosed with a heart problem (who might well face even greater risk).

Unsweetened cocoa powder has variable amounts of health-promoting flavanols, depending on how it is processed. Fruits and vegetables are better sources of these compounds, which may improve blood pressure and blood sugar.

Compared with eating carbohydrates, eating protein—particularly protein from plants— was associated with lower odds of later developing cognitive declines, according to a Harvard study in the January 2022 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a study published online Feb. 14, 2022, by the journal Heart, people ages 65 or older who exercised at least 20 minutes per day—especially men ages 70 to 75—had fewer heart attacks and a lower risk of premature death, compared with people who didn’t exercise.

Among people with chronic heartburn, sleeping on the left side appears to help backed-up stomach acid leave the esophagus faster than sleeping on the right side or back, according to a study in the February 2022 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Two important types of fat in the body are white fat and brown fat. White fat is located in the chest, abdomen, and upper legs; too much of it constitutes obesity. Its function is to provide insulation against the cold, store fats derived from food, and continually release small amounts of the fats to be converted into energy. Brown fat is found in small amounts in the neck, shoulders, chest, and abdomen. Its main function is to burn the fat it stores, creating heat that keeps the body warm.

Water sports that use oars or paddles are effective forms of exercise with many health benefits. However, the sports may pose health risks, especially after age 60. The sports have a repetitive component to them. Paddling can stress the shoulder tendons. Rowing can lead to low back strains. Neither sport would be a good idea for people with tendinitis at the shoulder, elbow, or wrist; a diagnosed back problem such as a disc injury or spinal stenosis; or a previous back surgery.