Salt Can Be Bad For Your Overall Heart Health

As part of a heart healthy lifestyle, you may be told to lower your sodium (salt) intake in order to reduce your risk of high blood pressure. However, salt may be bad for your heart health in ways you have never thought of before. A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that high salt intake may actually affect the structure and function of your heart and kidneys over time. Researchers at the University of Delaware found that a high-salt meal plan may, over time, lead to problems with your immune system. This can make you more likely to get sick. It may also lead to lowered blood clotting and increased artery stiffness, which can put you at a high risk for heart attack and stroke. Even if you do not have high blood pressure, the researchers of this study say that high salt intake over time can lead to serious health problems. So talk to your healthcare provider about lowering your sodium intake to about 2300 milligrams a day, as suggested by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines. One of the best ways to eat less salt is to lower your intake [...]

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Losing Weight Can Ease Obstructive Sleep Apnea

  People with diabetes have a higher risk for sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing stops and starts many times during the night. As this prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep, it puts you at a high risk for sleepiness during the day, memory and attention problems, insulin resistance, and even heart disease. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of this condition, and it usually affects people who are older or overweight. The good news is that a recent study found that people with OSA can manage the condition well by changing their lifestyle. The study, which was published in CHEST Journal, looked to see whether losing weight with certain lifestyle changes helped people with OSA feel more awake during the day. The Chinese researchers tracked 104 people with moderate to severe OSA. For one year, they were either given the standard treatment, or extra help from a dietitian. Those in the dietitian group were able to work with healthcare professionals specifically to change their eating and exercise habits. By the end of the study, the subjects in the dietitian group lowered their BMI and had a more balanced meal plan that included [...]

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