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"Non-traditional" risk
modification
Fish
oil and the heart
Evidence continues to accumulate that consuming
fish oil (or omega-3 fatty acids) can significantly reduce the risk of heart
disease by several mechanisms.
Say
nuts to heart disease
Regularly eating nuts can lower the risk of coronary artery disease.
Here's how to sensibly take advantage of this finding.
Peanuts are also good for the heart
Technically a legume, the peanut is the most widely consumed "nut." Is
it as useful as real nuts in lowering cardiac risk? Now evidence suggests
that it is.
Alcohol and the heart
Alcohol is toxic to many organ systems, and is addicting as well. This
is a bad combination. Which makes it very difficult for doctors to talk
about evidence that small amounts of alcohol can actually reduce the risk of
cardiac disease.
Non-prescription cholesterol lowering
Not everyone needs prescription medications to successfully reduce
cholesterol levels.
Antioxidants keep striking out
Despite their theoretical attractiveness and widespread popularity, clinical
trials looking at the ability of antioxidant vitamins to reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease are not panning out. Some of these vitamins may
even be detrimental.
Flu
vaccine reduces the risk of cardiac death
New studies suggest that being vaccinated for the flu offers a significant
reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death. Why this might be the case
is unknown, and definitive studies will be required to affirm these early
studies. But in the meantime, should you get a flu shot?
Doctors drop the ball on risk assessment
Formally assessing your risk of coronary artery
disease is one of the most important things your doctor can do for you. This is
true for two reasons. First, unless a specific effort is made to proactively
assess that risk, the very first sign of actual trouble is likely to be sudden
death. And second, if the risk is elevated, there are very effective methods for
reducing that risk. DrRich discusses what your doctor should be doing to measure
your risk - and what you can be doing yourself.
What do you think? Enter the Heart Disease Forum:
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