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The loss of friendship is measurable, and can be seen in every age group and demographic -- although working-class Americans look to be hardest hit.. Friendship in America is in steep decline: We’re more disconnected from each other than ever, and the gulf between us is only growing. Does it matter? It does. We know that friendships are good for us. People with stronger social interactions live longer than those without, according to a study published last week in the UK’s Nature Medicine journal. Living with a partner, for example, is as good for physical health as regular exercise, researchers...

A diet rich in produce such as grapes, strawberries, açaí, oranges, chocolate, wine and coffee can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome by as much as 23%, according to the findings of a study involving more than 6,000, the largest in the world to associate the effects of consuming polyphenols. Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic abnormalities and hormone alterations, is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds with well-known anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The main conclusion was that consumption of polyphenols from different foods at the highest estimated level (469 mg per day) reduced the...

From diet sodas to zero-sugar ice creams, artificial sweeteners have long been marketed as a guilt-free way to satisfy a sweet tooth. However, new research published in Cell Metabolism suggests that one of the most common sugar substitutes, aspartame, may have unintended consequences for heart health. A team of cardiovascular health experts and clinicians at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that aspartame increases animal insulin levels, contributing to atherosclerosis—a buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries. Over time, this buildup can lead to inflammation, an increased risk of heart attacks, and even stroke. Starting with a Can of Soda...

Turmeric has been a healing remedy in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It comes from the rhizome (root) of the Curcuma longa plant and has a warm, earthy flavor. Turmeric's active compound, curcumin, is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with many health benefits, from soothing joint pain to enhancing digestion and immunity. 1. Arthritis (Joint Pain) Arthritis is a broad term that describes over 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, typically develops due to age-related "wear and tear." Other types, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic...

I told you here about Pfizer’s abstract of its Interim Report 5, showing at least 23-40% higher risk of some heart-related conditions in the vaccinated, but that the MHRA, the U.K. medicines regulator, was withholding publication of the full report. As I said at the time : “In summary, if, as I suspect, MHRA is worried by the results in Pfizer’s ‘Interim Report 5’ then no wonder it is sitting on it.” Well, MHRA is still sitting on the report but I’ve managed to obtain a copy. It looks like I was right – the detailed results in the full...

New research has found that those who consume more foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea, red wine and dark chocolate, could lower their risk of dementia. Led by researchers, the study, reveals that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks could help reduce the risk of developing the incurable illness. While age and genetics contribute substantially to the development of the disease, evidence has shown that risk factors such as diet, can play an important role in prevention. Flavoniods, primarily found in plant foods, have a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They...

A recall of Boar's Head deli meat products has been widely expanded over concerns that they may be linked to a fatal listeria outbreak in the U.S., federal officials said Tuesday. Another 3,500 tons of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold under the Boar's Head and Old Country brands have been added to the initial recall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. This is in addition to approximately 103 tons of Boar's Head products that were recalled last week. The recall now includes a total of 71 products that were produced between May 10 and July 29, the USDA said....

After five decades of inaction, the Food and Drug Administration revoked the authorization of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food on July 3, 2024. The additive bromine, used to stabilize fruit flavorings in beverages and sodas, has toxic effects and has already been banned in many places, including California, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. What was the agency’s excuse for its 50 years in limbo? The FDA insisted it was “waiting for more safety data.” Right. Consumer advocates called the FDA’s ban on brominated vegetable oil in food “a victory for public health.” Still, digging deeper, it is indisputable...

There has been an alarming amount of cardiovascular-related deaths — reversing a 10-year downward trend — in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Northwestern University.“We were concerned about the emerging evidence that chronic disease outcomes worsened during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Rebecca C. Woodruff“This was unfortunately the case with heart disease and stroke, which had been improving before the pandemic.”Researchers observed that the span of cardiovascular (CVD) deaths between 2020 and 2022 had increased trend expectations by 228,000 across all demographics.That...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) often starts with the buildup of lipid deposits or plaques within the blood vessel, setting the stage for atherosclerosis. Rupture of these atherosclerotic plaques clot blood vessels and lead to life-threatening conditions including heart attack or stroke. Dyslipidemia, meaning having too much "bad" or atherogenic lipids in the blood, represents the most common cause of CVDs. Accordingly, doctors often prescribe lipid-lowering medications. In two studies, researchers found a novel approach to achieve intensive lipid lowering, which enabled reversal of atherosclerotic plaques in murine disease models. This potential therapy employs a previously unknown function of the essential element...

A sugar replacement called erythritol — used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monkfruit and keto reduced-sugar products — has been linked to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death, according to a study. "The degree of risk was not modest," said lead study author Dr. Stanley Hazen, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. People with existing risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, were twice as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke if they had the highest levels of erythritol in their blood, according to the...

Vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks among people aged over 60, finds a clinical trial. The researchers stress that the absolute risk difference was small, but say this is the largest trial of its kind to date, and further evaluation is warranted, particularly in people taking statins or other cardiovascular disease drugs. Observational studies have consistently shown a link between vitamin D levels and CVD risk. Researchers set out to investigate whether supplementing older adults with monthly doses of vitamin D alters the rate of major cardiovascular events. Their D-Health Trial...

Fresh insights into a protein that causes damage in kidneys and hearts could open up new treatment options for chronic kidney disease. In a study in mice, scientists found scarring in kidneys and hearts was driven by a protein called Indian Hedgehog (IHH), which is produced and released by a subset of cells in aged and injured kidneys. Experts say further studies are needed to explore therapies to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD)—a condition that affects 10 percent of the world's population. CKD is a term used to cover any form of kidney disease that continues for more than a...

About 3 million Americans live with cardiovascular pacemakers. But over time, scar tissue or blood clots can form around the leads, or wires, that carry the electrical impulses from the pacemaker to the heart. Scar tissue or clots may hinder the flow of blood, potentially resulting in swollen extremities or pain. However, the incidence and clinical impact of such lead-related venous obstruction, or LRVO, among patients with pacemaker devices is not well characterized. Physician-researchers found that the incidence of symptomatic LRVO among patients implanted with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices to be four times higher than previously reported—with only a minority...

A real-world, retrospective analysis by the Family Heart Foundation, a leading non-profit research and advocacy organization, found that high-risk Americans who do not maintain levels of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) recommended in the 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association cholesterol treatment guidelines, had a 44% higher rate of cardiovascular events compared to those who did achieve and maintained recommended LDL-C levels. The study findings were based on data from the Family Heart Database of more than 300 million Americans. "This real-world evaluation shows how important it is for people at high risk for cardiovascular events to get the care they need...

Researchers are announcing dramatic results that demonstrate a significant improvement in cardiovascular outcomes among patients who received access to a novel educational and support intervention called MOXIE. The randomized trial is the largest study on record for a tailored patient engagement approach, showing a statistically significant reduction in clinical outcomes like hospitalizations. 4,761 participants who were ≥65 years of age and at high risk of cardiovascular disease (having one or more of coronary artery disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, heart failure or two or more of current smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol) were randomized to receive MOXIE or to receive...

Patients with a specific form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness, are also highly likely to have either underlying heart damage from heart failure and heart attacks, or advanced heart valve disease, or carotid artery disease associated with certain types of strokes, according to a study. This research, is the first to identify which types of high-risk cardiovascular and carotid artery disease are linked to the eye disorder. "We have been able to connect these specific high-risk cardiovascular diseases to a specific form of AMD, the one with subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs)," explains R. Theodore Smith,...

A major risk factor for diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when the cells of the body do not respond to insulin and cannot make use of the glucose (sugar) in the blood stream. The condition is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. George King, MD, identified a pathway in which the cells lining the blood vessels—called endothelial cells—drive the body's metabolism. In a reversal of scientific dogma, the findings suggest that vascular dysfunction may itself be the cause of undesirable metabolic changes that can lead to diabetes, not an effect as previously thought. In addition to being...

Researchers identified a greater increase in functional capacity, the ability to perform activities of daily living, as a result of Nordic walking in patients with coronary heart disease compared to standard high-intensity interval training and moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training. Cardiovascular rehabilitation and exercise training programs following major cardiovascular events are associated with considerable improvements in functional capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as mental health. However, some individuals do not enjoy monotonous forms of exercise, such as walking and stationary cycling, and therefore may stop exercising once their cardiovascular rehabilitation program is completed. Researchers explored more diverse exercise options that...

A combination therapy of aspirin, statins and at least two blood pressure medications given in fixed doses can slash the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) by more than half, says an international study led by Hamilton researchers. The fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapies were examined both with and without aspirin versus control groups in a combined analysis of more than 18,000 patients without prior CVD from three large clinical trials. FDCs including aspirin cut the risk of heart attacks by 53 percent, stroke by 51 percent, and deaths from cardiovascular causes by 49 percent. The results were welcomed by international...