Monthly Archive for January, 2019
What Screenings Do You Need to Keep Your Heart Healthy?
Healthy eating, exercise and good sleep habits are all important to maintaining heart health. But the following routine screening tests are also a key step to taking care of your heart. Blood pressure High blood pressure, or hypertension, usually has no symptoms, which is why it’s especially important to have regular screenings. “High blood pressure …
Why Cardiologists Prescribe Exercise
For the first time in 10 years, the American Heart Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have released new guidelines on exercise, urging everyone to move more and sit less. As Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) cardiologist Jeremy Robbins, MD, explains, exercise is often one of the first ‘treatments’ …
Five Facts for Controlling Cholesterol
1. Your body needs some cholesterol to properly function. Cholesterol is a lipid, which is a waxy fat-like substance that is naturally produced in the body’s liver and is needed to help build cells and carry out essential functions, explains Mark Benson, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Prevention in BIDMC’s CardioVascular Institute. Cholesterol is also found …
Fad Diets: A Dietitian’s Perspective
Anyone considering a fad diet needs to be reminded that they’re called fad diets for a reason. At best, they’re not useful for long-term weight loss; at worst, they can severely jeopardize your health. Danelle Olson, RD, LDN, CNSC, a registered dietitian in the Weight Loss Surgery Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) explains …
Weight Loss Procedures: Comparing Surgical and Non-surgical Options
Weight loss surgery can have life-altering, even lifesaving, effects. If you are 100 pounds overweight (the equivalent of a body mass index, or BMI, of 40), you may be considering weight loss surgery. Non-surgical options may be the right choice if you need to lose less weight. Weight loss procedures can result in significant weight …
A Beginner’s Guide to Exercise
A new year means a new opportunity to do the things you always wanted. Whether it’s starting to save money or getting fit—taking the first step isn’t always easy. But if your new year’s goal is to start working out—you’re in luck! Here are some tips to get started. “If you’re thinking about adding exercise …