Tag: HeartHealthy

Heart-healthy habits linked to longer life without chronic conditions

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A study found that heart-healthy lifestyle habits described in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, such as physical activity and quality sleep, are associated with a longer lifespan and more years spent free of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. urbazon/Getty Images
  • The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 is a concept that defines cardiovascular health based on four modifiable behaviors, such as physical activity and sleep, and four modifiable biometric measures, such as weight, blood glucose, and blood lipid levels, that impact cardiovascular health.
  • The composite cardiovascular health score measured using the aforementioned eight metrics can help clinicians measure and monitor cardiovascular health to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases.
  • A recent study showed that an optimal composite cardiovascular score based on the Life’s Essential 8 metrics was associated with longer life expectancy free of chronic conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
  • An accompanying study showed that the decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease contributed significantly to the increase in life expectancy associated with good cardiovascular health.

Two related studies recently presented at the American Health Association (AHA) conference suggest that optimal cardiovascular health (CVH) was associated with a longer chronic disease-free lifespan, reduced cardiovascular mortality, and increased total longevity.

These studies assessed CVH using the criteria defined by Life’s Essential 8, thus underscoring the validity and utility of cardiovascular health scores based on this construct as predictors of life expectancy and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Dr. Hao Ma, a biostatistical analyst at the Tulane University Obesity Research Center and an author of one of the studies, said:

“After decades of strong growth, the rise in US life expectancy has stagnated since 2010. The main reason for such a phenomenon is the poor cardiovascular health in the US population. Our

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Following heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors can support good brain health

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The same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also impact the rising global prevalence of brain disease, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -; 2022 Update, published today in the Association’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

Experts say maintaining a healthy weight, managing your blood pressure and following other heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors can also support good brain health.

Optimal brain health includes the functional ability to perform all the diverse tasks for which the brain is responsible, including movement, perception, learning and memory, communication, problem solving, judgment, decision making and emotion. Cognitive decline and dementia are often seen following stroke and cerebrovascular disease and indicate a decline in brain health. Conversely, studies show maintaining good vascular health is associated with healthy aging and retained cognitive function.

The global death rate from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is increasing considerably – even more than the rate of heart disease death:

  • Globally, more than 54 million people had Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in 2020, that’s a 37% increase since 2010 and a 144% increase over the past 30 years (1990-2020).

  • More than 1.89 million deaths were attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide in 2020, compared to nearly 9 million deaths from heart disease.

  • Global deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias increased more than 44% from 2010 to 2020, compared to a 21% increase in deaths from heart disease.

  • Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias increased 184% over the past 30 years (1990-2020), compared to a 66% increase in heart disease deaths during that same time.

Because prevalence and mortality data are tracked differently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the

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Way of living practices are essential to a heart-healthy food plan

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So is it still all about “You are what you try to eat?”

Effectively, it is dependent no matter whether you’re working towards heart-healthful eating routines, in accordance to the American Heart Association’s ”2021 Dietary Assistance to Strengthen Cardiovascular Well being.” The new 10-place guideline suggests that the added benefits of ingesting nutritious cut down the threat of heart disease and even death.

But, in a little bit of an about-face, the corporation also stresses the “importance of hunting at the total dietary pattern” to maintain a healthy heart, alternatively than what are thought of “good” or “bad” foodstuff and beverages.

“The emphasis is on dietary designs, not specific meals or nutrition,” explained Alice Lichtenstein, director of the Cardiovascular Nourishment Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston, who chairs the AHA’s scientific assertion creating group. “And it’s not just about what people today shouldn’t be eating.

“The concentrate is actually on what people today need to be feeding on, so they can customise it to their particular choices and lifestyles,” Lichtenstein stated.

The guidebook, released in the AHA journal Circulation, will come 15 many years soon after the last time the AHA available nutritional steering.

The key characteristics of the guidance consist of evident things, like balancing taking in along with suitable training, eating grains, reducing your sodium, sugar and alcoholic beverages intake.

But the AHA also will take into consideration cultural differences and societal difficulties that may well make it harder to manage coronary heart-healthier having habits, these types of as the actuality that an believed 37 million Us citizens had limited or unstable entry to protected and healthy meals in 2020. The business stated it also is using into account the targeted advertising and marketing of unhealthy foodstuff in underserved communities.

The AHA suggests plan alterations and

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AHA News: How Doctors Can Help Their Patients Make Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Changes | Health News

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By American Heart Association News, HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Nov. 4, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Lifestyle change is a powerful, proven way for a person to prevent heart disease. But to make healthy changes stick, people often need a little help.

Primary care doctors could offer crucial assistance in connecting patients with counseling that’s been shown to make a difference. But because of time constraints or other barriers, those doctors often don’t.

A new report offers guidance on how to change that.

The scientific statement, published Thursday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, summarizes research showing the benefits of behavioral counseling. It also offers practical ways for busy health care professionals to help patients get that kind of care – care that goes beyond the typical 15-minute annual appointment.

Deepika Laddu, who led the group that wrote the statement, said it’s not usually enough for a patient to simply recognize the need to change their eating or exercise habits.

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I’m going to reduce the amount of fat in my diet.’ But they need support to say, ‘I’m going to maintain that as a lifestyle,'” said Laddu, an assistant professor of physical therapy in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Such support might involve guidance on planning a healthy diet or setting realistic exercise goals. It also could involve checking in regularly to make sure those plans and goals stay on track.

But “providers don’t have time,” Laddu said. “They may not have the resources in place. There also are system-related factors,” such as the bureaucracies behind referral policies or reimbursement.

The report spells out the importance of overcoming such barriers by summarizing research on programs delivered in primary care or community settings that have been

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