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All episodes of fainting results from insufficient blood flow to the brain. But there are many underlying causes for that diminished blood flow, ranging from common, usually harmless issues to rare, potentially serious problems. Common causes include vasovagal syncope and orthostatic hypotension; rare causes include carotid sinus hypersensitivity and rotational vertebral artery syndrome.
Swimming (or just dunking) in cold water is generally safe. But people with heart rhythm disorders should be cautious about this practice. The evidence for the health benefits for cold-water immersion (which allegedly include fat loss and reduced inflammation) is limited. Submerging the face in cold water triggers the diving reflex, which causes the heart to slow down and blood pressure to rise. This response, in addition to an adrenaline surge from cold water on the skin, may trigger an underlying arrhythmia.
A buildup of fat inside the liver, known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects about 25% of adults. This under-recognized condition is closely linked to obesity (especially excess weight around the middle of the body), type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. People with NAFLD can slow or even reverse the condition with the same lifestyle strategies that improve cardiovascular health: losing weight, adopting a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.
Melons have a high water content and are fairly low in calories, making them a good choice for people watching their weight. Watermelon contains lycopene and citrulline, two nutrients thought to benefit heart health.
Enhancing food with different flavors from spices, herbs, aromatic roots, citrus juice and zest, and vinegars can help people eat less sodium, a main component of salt. Fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, and mint can deliver flavor, fragrance, and color to foods; so can spice blends such as garam masala, za’atar, and Chinese five-spice blend. Other flavor-boosting, salt-free strategies include choosing the freshest possible foods and using appropriate cooking techniques. Reducing dietary sodium helps lower blood pressure, which reduces cardiovascular disease risk.
Most types of strength training, including weight lifting, are safe and beneficial for people who take medication for high blood pressure. But lifting very heavy weights (including boxes of books or heavy furniture) should be avoided.
Adopting healthier lifestyle habits doesn’t happen at once, but is a process that happens in stages. Setbacks along the way are normal, but they provide opportunities for growth and learning.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that people begin colon cancer screening at age 45 (instead of 50) and continue through age 75. Some evidence suggests that healthy people older than 75 may also benefit from screening.
People with a high risk for heart attacks and strokes might benefit from taking blood pressure–lowering medications, even if their blood pressure is in the normal or “high normal” range and they have no clear signs of cardiovascular disease.
Blood clots in the legs (deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT) can break loose and travel through the veins to the heart and then to the lungs, causing a dangerous pulmonary embolism. Common triggers for blood clots include being bedridden for long periods; sitting for long periods in a car, plane, or train; or getting too little activity and sitting too much. To avoid blood clots in the legs, it helps to hydrate, get up from sitting every hour or two and stretch the legs, move the legs while lying down, or wear compression stockings.