Cholesterol – thirdAGE

An Early Sign of Alzheimer’s Risk?

Abnormal cholesterol and glucose (or blood sugar) levels as early as age 35 may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk later in life, new research shows. These findings, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, suggest that people with normal cholesterol and glucose measurements in early through middle adulthood may be less likely to develop Alzheimer’s as… Continue reading An Early Sign of Alzheimer’s Risk?

Fighting High Cholesterol with Statins

You go to the gym faithfully, and you try to watch your diet. But after your annual physical, you find out that your blood cholesterol is surprisingly high. Your doctor calls you back to discuss taking a medication known as a statin. Here, in a Consumer Update, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) answeres… Continue reading Fighting High Cholesterol with Statins

One Daily “Polypill” Helps Underserved Patients Fight Heart-Disease Risk

Taking one daily pill, which combined medications to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol, worked to lower heart disease risk among underserved patients better than taking several separate medications, researchers say. Additionally, the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the American Heart Association, showed that that patients were… Continue reading One Daily “Polypill” Helps Underserved Patients Fight Heart-Disease Risk

Rejected and Unfilled Prescriptions for New, Pricier Cholesterol Drugs Tied to Higher Heart, Stroke Risk

Patients appear to be at higher risk of heart problems or stroke when prescriptions for the newest cholesterol-lowering drugs are rejected by insurance companies or unfilled by patients, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. The drugs, PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i), can substantially lower levels of low-density lipoprotein… Continue reading Rejected and Unfilled Prescriptions for New, Pricier Cholesterol Drugs Tied to Higher Heart, Stroke Risk

If You’re Thinking of Taking Red Yeast Rice, Read This First

Although red yeast rice, a traditional Chinese culinary and medicinal product, is marketed in the U.S. to help lower blood levels of cholesterol and related lipids, red yeast rice products may not be safe. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), some… Continue reading If You’re Thinking of Taking Red Yeast Rice, Read This First

Very Few People Meet Standards for Metabolic Health

Even among people of normal weight, the prevalence of metabolic health in U.S. adults is extremely low, with just about one in eight Americans meeting the standards for the condition. A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Public Health called the incidence of metabolic health in U.S. adults… Continue reading Very Few People Meet Standards for Metabolic Health

10 Fascinating Facts About Cholesterol

CHOLESTEROL MAY PROTECT YOUR SKIN. Skin treatment research, while still in early stages, indicates that cholesterol added as an ingredient in moisturizers could actually help protect skin from UV damage. According to research published in the Journal of Dermatological Science, other lipid—or fatty—ingredients do not confer the same type of protection, making this a potentially… Continue reading 10 Fascinating Facts About Cholesterol

Yo-Yo Dieting Raises Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Fluctuations in weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and/or blood sugar levels in otherwise healthy people may be associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death from any cause compared to people with more stable readings, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. This is the first study to suggest… Continue reading Yo-Yo Dieting Raises Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

“Portfolio Diet” Lowers Many Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Researchers have discovered that the portfolio diet, an eating plan shown to lower cholesterol levels, also reduces other cardiovascular-disease risk factors including blood pressure, triglycerides and inflammation. In addition to reducing LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol by about 30 per cent when accompanied by a low-saturated fat diet — a level comparable to medications — the… Continue reading “Portfolio Diet” Lowers Many Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Researchers Compare Lifetime Fitness Levels of Identical Twins

With fitness, which is more important: genetics or lifestyle, nature or nurture? Researchers at San Francisco State University, CSU Fullerton and Cal Poly, Pomona removed the nature part of the equation by studying a pair of identical 52-year-old twins who had taken radically different fitness paths over three decades. “One of the twins became a… Continue reading Researchers Compare Lifetime Fitness Levels of Identical Twins

Multivitamins Do Not Promote Cardiovascular Health

Taking multivitamin and mineral supplements does not prevent heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular death, according to a new analysis of 18 studies published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. “We meticulously evaluated the body of scientific evidence,” said study lead author Joonseok Kim, M.D., assistant professor of cardiology in the… Continue reading Multivitamins Do Not Promote Cardiovascular Health

Ask Your Doctor These Questions About Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. If you’re concerned about your risk, the experts at the National Institute on Aging suggest asking your doctor and nurse these questions: 1.What is my risk for heart disease? 2.What is my blood pressure? 3.What are my cholesterol numbers? (These include total… Continue reading Ask Your Doctor These Questions About Heart Disease

10 Questions to Ask about Your Heart-Disease Risk

Editor’s note: Heart disease is the number-one killer among women in the U.S. It’s essential that you know your own risk, and what you can do to lower it. Here, from the experts at the National Institute on Aging, are ten crucial questions to ask your doctor or nurse. If you think you won’t remember… Continue reading 10 Questions to Ask about Your Heart-Disease Risk

Heart Disease and Disability

Older adults who have a healthy heart may lower their risk of disability, according to new research. The American Heart Association (AHA) defines “ideal cardiovascular health” based on four health behaviors (current smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and healthy diet) and three health factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure), and fasting blood glucose level). Recently,… Continue reading Heart Disease and Disability

Don’t Skip These Important Health Tests

With the healthcare system is crisis, tons of red tape, and fewer doctors accepting insurance, managing one’s health has become a major challenge. More and more women are skipping key exams simply because getting appointments are a hassle and obtaining coverage isn’t always guaranteed. That said, there are some key tests and exams that everY… Continue reading Don’t Skip These Important Health Tests

What You Should Know About Statins

Experts from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) share the latest about cholesterol-lowing drugs: You go to the gym faithfully and try to watch your diet. But after your annual physical, you find out that your blood cholesterol is surprisingly high. Your doctor calls you back to discuss taking a medication known as a… Continue reading What You Should Know About Statins

4 Ways to Eat Your Way to Lower Cholesterol

Many people can reduce cholesterol levels simply by changing what they eat. For example, if you are a fan of cheeseburgers, eating less meat (and leaner cuts) and more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can lower your total cholesterol by 25% or more. Cutting back on saturated fat (found in meat and dairy products) and… Continue reading 4 Ways to Eat Your Way to Lower Cholesterol