In the American Heart Association Journal, Circulation (November, 2002), the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is discussed. Omega-3 fatty acids make the blood less likely to form clots that cause heart attack as well as protect against irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac death. Since 2000 the American Heart Association’s dietary […]

According to a report presented to the AmericanAcademy of Neurology in April, 2000, Ginkgo biloba, reduces the extent of brain damage caused by stroke induced in mice. Because of some positive results in cancer and dementia research, researches have tired to reduce damage from destructive molecules called free radicals. Free radical damage occurs after a

Increased levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, deep vein thrombosis and stroke. Folic acid helps the body to reduce homocysteine levels. In the British Medical Journal (November, 2002, volume 325, pp 1202-06), over 100 studies on the association between homocysteinelevels and cardiovascular disease were analyzed. The

Qurecitin, a flavonol that is found in apples, onions and other produce, may have a positive effect on cardiac health. Research appearing in the September 2007 issue of Atherosclerosis found that quercitin may prevent chronic inflammation that can lead to cardiovascular disease. The substance is effective in very low doses; the levels that are found

It has long been known by scientists that consuming fish lowers the risk of cardiac disease. According to an article printed in the journal of the American Heart Association, Circulation researchers now have laboratory evidence to explain how consuming fish oil can prevent heart arrhythmias. Experiments have shown that the omega-3 essential fatty acids from

Research appearing in The Lancet (DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61239-8, published online Aug 31, 2008 ahead of print) shows that fish oil is beneficial to patients with congestive heart failure. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study took place in over 300 cardiology centers in Italy, and involved over 7,000 patients diagnosed with heart failure. Half of the subjects took a daily

If you combine all of the foods known to improve heart health, you could add years to your life, according to research appearing in the December 18, 2004 issue of the British Medical Journal. Earlier research has shown red wine, dark chocolate, fish, and fresh produce all improve heart health. The researchers estimate that eating

According to a study appearing in the journal Neurology (2003;61:1273-1275), consuming foods containing vitamin C reduces the risk of stroke. Smokers seemed to benefit from this effect more than non-smokers. The study involved 5,197 subjects, aged 55 years or older. The subjects lived in Rotterdam. None had any history of stroke or any cognitive problems.

Earlier research has shown that depression is common in people with heart disease. An article appearing in the February 2006 issue of the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource says that the two conditions are often linked. The occurrence of depression in the general population is about one person in 20. In those with heart disease, the

In research appearing in the January, 2007 issue of the journal Stroke, over 4,000 subjects who were part of the Framingham Heart Study were monitored over an eight-year period. The subjects had scores on a standard depression scale (called CES-D) averaging six. Eleven percent of the subjects scored 16 or higher—these patients were considered depressed.