Heart Health : 481 Articles

Many of the risk factors for heart disease are modifiable, meaning you have some control over them and can take steps to help prevent heart disease. See this section for the latest research, tips and things you can do today to help keep your heart healthy.

Group cites evidence that Atkins diet dangerous

A nutrition advocacy group said last week that the popular Atkins low carbohydrate diet has caused heart disease and could have killed a teen-age dieter and urged the U.S. government to…

Weight loss key for treating high blood pressure

Reducing body weight should be a "major component" in the treatment of high blood pressure, new research suggests. For every kilogram of body weight lost, blood pressure falls about…

High fat, no-starch diet doesn't raise cholesterol

It seems that patients with atherosclerosis who take medication can lose weight on a high fat, no-starch Atkins-style followed for 6 weeks, without increasing their blood fat levels. These…

Mediterranean diet and fish, good for your heart

A "Mediterranean diet" rich in olive oil and lean on meat reduced signs of inflammation that raise the risk of heart disease, say researchers from the University of Athens in Greece.…

Soy cuts cholesterol, helps kidney function in diabetics

A diet rich in soy protein may reduce risk factors for heart and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, the results of a small study suggest. In the study, cholesterol levels dropped…

Magnesium may lower heart disease risk

Greater intake of magnesium from food appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, a study of more than 7,000 men shows. Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System in…

Drinking tea may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol

Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said they found consumers who drank black tea for three weeks experienced a decrease of between 7 and 11% in their low-density lipoprotein…

High fat diet does not increase stroke risk

Eating a diet high in fat does not seem to raise the odds of stroke in middle-aged men, researchers in the United States reported in the British Journal of Medicine. High blood pressure is the…

Carotene, vitamin E don't prevent heart attacks

Having high levels of vitamin E or beta-carotene (and compounds like it) is no guarantee that you won't have a heart attack, new research shows. In fact, high levels of one type of vitamin…

Fibre can help prevent heart disease

The likelihood of developing heart disease is indeed lower with a diet high in fibre, especially water-soluble fibre, according to a new study. The findings are based on data from nearly…

Dark, not milk, chocolate has more antioxidants

If you favour milk chocolate over the dark variety, you might be better off switching. Eating dark chocolate -- but not milk chocolate -- raises levels of antioxidant in the blood, which could…

Vitamins C and E reduce effects of high cholesterol

Children and young adults who have inherited high cholesterol may reduce their risk of clogged arteries by taking vitamins C and E, researchers say. The vitamins improve blood flow through the…

Scientists push to lower hidden sodium in food

The average American consumes the equivalent of nearly two teaspoons of salt every day, almost double the upper limit for good health. And before anyone protests about hardly touching the salt…

Diet as good as drugs for high cholesterol

A low fat diet that is high in fiber, nuts, and vegetable proteins may be just as good as certain drugs at lowering high cholesterol levels, new Canadian research suggests. This is the first…

Vitamin C pills may protect the heart

Adding a vitamin C pill to your diet may be a good way of preventing heart disease, new research from Boston suggests. Vitamin C has certain properties that, in theory, could protect the heart…

Red wine prescribed to British cardiac patients

Cardiac patients at a British hospital are being prescribed two glasses of red wine a day in the hope of preventing further heart complications. William McCrea, a heart surgeon at the Great…

Mediterranean diet increases longevity

A Mediterranean-type diet -- rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits and olive oil -- indeed appears to lower the risk of death, researchers said last week. After following more than 22,000 adults…

Study finds antioxidants don't ward off heart disease

Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin E don't lower the risk of dying from heart disease, and beta-carotene may even slightly increase the risk, according to a new analysis of…

Statins and dietary changes may shrink artery deposits

A healthy diet and exercise, coupled with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, may slow or even cut calcium deposits in the coronary arteries of people at risk of heart disease, researchers…

Diet for lowering blood pressure may act as a diuretic

A low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables may lower blood pressure by acting as a diuretic, say Japanese and U.S. researchers. The American Heart Association and U.S. government have for…