Losing Weight
November 27, 2011
What is healthy weight loss?
Washington, D.C. – It’s natural for anyone trying to lose weight to want to lose it very quickly. But evidence shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”. It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits.
To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you need to reduce your caloric intake by 500—1000 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week.1 [Read more]
Start Eating Healthy Day on November 2nd reminds you to be smart before you bite
November 2, 2011
Nashville, TN – Coming at just the right time after the Halloween supersized sugar rush and before the holiday (overeating) season kicks in, Start Eating Healthy Day on Wednesday, November 2nd encourages everyone to be smart before you bite and make those healthy eating choices that will help your health. [Read more]
Elizabeth Banks directs and stars in first-ever Go Red For Women film for American Heart Association
September 18, 2011
‘Just a Little Heart Attack’
American Heart Association short film fights heart disease in women with humor, pointed message
Dallas, TX – Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Banks directs and stars in the first-ever Go Red For Women short film “Just a Little Heart Attack,” inspired by the real-life stories of women who have been affected by heart disease.
The entertaining, yet poignant film, which can be viewed below, provides a powerful wake-up call to women across America to understand their risk for heart disease and empower them to put their health first.
ShopSmart Cuts the Fat with Smart Food Swaps
September 16, 2011
15 Foods to Reduce Fat Intake and Help Prevent Health Problems
Yonkers, NY – Fats can be sneaky – they lurk in lots of everyday, packaged food items and can put people at risk for heart disease and other health issues. The October 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, found 15 popular packaged goods that are surprisingly high in fat and suggests low-fat swaps for each. [Read more]
How Old is your Heart and Who can you Trust to Fix It?
August 2, 2011
Consumer Reports Health investigation finds rush to Overtest and Overtreat; Disturbing Overuse of Angioplasty
Yonkers, NY – An investigation by Consumer Reports Health reveals that the practice of healing hearts has become a money-making machine that too often favors profits over science. The report shines a light on excessive testing and overtreatment, taking special note of the overuse of angioplasty.
To help consumers make informed decisions about their cardiac care, Consumer Reports Health is providing several consumer tools including Ratings for 323 surgical groups that perform heart bypass surgery in the U.S., Ratings for heart screenings, and a heart-risk calculator. [Read more]
Rate of stroke increasing among women during, soon after pregnancy
July 31, 2011
Dallas, TX – The stroke rate for pregnant women and those who recently gave birth increased alarmingly over the past dozen years, according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers gathered data from a large national database of 5 to 8 million discharges from 1,000 hospitals and compared the rates of strokes from 1994-95 to 2006-07 in women who were pregnant, delivering a baby and who had recently had a baby. [Read more]
Got a minute? Save a life
June 1, 2011
CPR Week starts June 1st
Study shows watching brief CPR video can dramatically increase bystander action
Nashville, TN – Got a minute? Help save someone’s life, using only your hands.
During National CPR Week, June 1st-7th, the American Heart Association is urging everyone to take 60 seconds to watch a Hands-Only CPR instructional video so they are equipped to act in a cardiac emergency.
Short term use of painkillers could be dangerous to heart patients
May 10, 2011
Dallas, TX – Even short-term use of some painkillers could be dangerous for people who’ve had a heart attack, according to research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers analyzed the duration of prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) treatment and cardiovascular risk in a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with prior heart attack. They found the use of NSAIDs was associated with a 45 percent increased risk of death or recurrent heart attack within as little as one week of treatment, and a 55 percent increased risk if treatment extended to three months.
The study was limited by its observational nature and the lack of clinical parameters, researchers said. [Read more]
Diesel-engine exhaust filter reduces harmful particles by 98 percent
April 13, 2011
May be beneficial for cardiovascular functions.
Researchers believe that “the study has provided an important piece to the puzzle of how air pollutants can affect human cardiovascular health.”
Dallas, TX – A commercially available particle trap can filter microscopic pollutants in diesel-engine exhaust and prevent about 98 percent of them from reaching the air, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Inhaling exhaust particles increases the risk of dying from heart and lung diseases. Air pollution, including diesel exhaust as a major contributor, causes 800,000 premature deaths annually in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
“This study focused on cardiovascular effects in men exposed in the laboratory to diesel fumes. Equipping diesel-powered vehicles with particle filters could significantly reduce heart disease,” said David E. Newby, M.D., Ph.D., co-senior author of the study and the British Heart Foundation John Wheatley Chair of Cardiology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. [Read more]
Less Salt means more Health
March 18, 2011
World Salt Awareness Week is March 21st-27th, 2011
Nashville, TN - Salt shakers may be as common on our dining tables as plates and silverware, but Tennesseans are reminded of the importance of reducing salt intake to improve health. The Tennessee Department of Health is working to educate Tennesseans about the link between high salt intake and disease during World Salt Awareness Week, observed March 21st-27th this year.
“Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Tennessee, and diabetes is number seven, but we can reduce our risk of these diseases by lowering our salt intake,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “There are simple ways to lower the amount of salt in our meals without sacrificing the good tastes we all enjoy.” [Read more]
