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  iControlDiabetes 6:46 pm on December 5, 2011 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: American Diabetes Association ( 3 ), American Heart Association, Aspirin A Day, Aspirin Therapy, Baby Aspirin, Cardiovascular Risks, Cholesterol Hypertension, Craig Williams, Eighty One, Family History Of Heart Disease, Health Problems, Heart Attack ( 2 ), High Blood Pressure ( 2 ), High Cholesterol, History Of Heart Disease, Jeff Meyers, Milligrams, Pharmd, Risk Factor, Serious Health   

  Can An aspirin a day keep the doctor away?? 

  

  You’ve probably heard that aspirin therapy can protect you against heart attack and stroke. While it can be lifesaving for some, it can cause serious health problems in other. So before you start popping a daily dose, read on:

  
  How does aspirin work?

  Taking an aspirin a day reduces the clotting action of your blood, which helps prevent heart attack and stroke.

  Is aspirin therapy a good idea for folks with diabetes?

  Since people with diabetes have triple the risk for heart attack and stroke, it may seem like a no-brainer. Yet, when taken regularly, aspirin can increase your risk for bleeding in the stomach and the brain.

  Well then who might it be good for?

  The American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association recently revised their guidelines: They now recommend a daily dose for most women over 60 and men over 50 who have diabetes and at least one other risk factor for heart disease. High Cholesterol, hypertension, smoking and a family history of heart disease.

  
  Why the new guidelines?

  In younger people, the potential bleeding risks outweigh any benefit. “Part of the reason is more people are controlling cardiovascular risks with medications for high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which is good news,” says Craig Williams PharmD.

  
  What’s the recommended dose?

  Eighty-one milligrams, the amount found in a baby aspirin. “Higher doses generally dont offer additional benefits and can carry increased risks,” Says Williams.

  Is it okay to take aspirin with other meds?

  Not always! For instance, combining it with anticoagulants can greatly increase your risk for bleeding. So be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medications you take.

  -Jeff Meyers

   

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  iControlDiabetes 7:29 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Animal Products, Bad Cholesterol, Blood Cholesterol Level, Blood Cholesterol Levels, Blood One, Cholesterol ( 2 ), Cholesterol Foods, Excess Weight, Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Good Cholesterol Levels, Hdl Cholesterol, Heart Attacks, Heredity, High Cholesterol, Hypercholesterolemia, Ldl Cholesterol, Nutrition Center, Reducing Cholesterol, Regular Physical Activity, Triglycerides   

  The Risk of High Cholesterol 

  

   

   

   

   

   

  Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what you eat but also by how quickly your body makes LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and disposes of it. In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, and it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you eat.

  Many factors help determine whether your LDL-cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are the most important:

  • Heredity
  • What you eat
  • Weight
  • Physical activity/exercise
  • Age and sex
  • Alcohol
  • Stress

  Heredity. Your genes influence how high your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood. One specific form of inherited high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people is familial hypercholesterolemia, which often leads to early heart disease. But even if you do not have a specific genetic form of high cholesterol, genes play a role in influencing your LDL-cholesterol level.

  What you eat. Two main nutrients in the foods you eat make your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level go up: saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals; and cholesterol, which comes only from animal products. Saturated fat raises your LDL-cholesterol level more than anything else in the diet. Eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol is the main reason for high levels of cholesterol and a high rate of heart attacks in the United States. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you eat is a very important step in reducing your blood cholesterol levels. For more, please visit the Nutrition Center.

  Weight. Excess weight tends to increase your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high LDL-cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it. Weight loss also helps to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. For more, please visit the Weight Loss Center.

  Physical activity/exercise. Regular physical activity may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. For more, please visit the Exercise and Activity Center.

  Age and sex. Before the age of menopause, women usually have total cholesterol levels that are lower than those of men the same age. As women and men get older, their blood cholesterol levels rise until about 60 to 65 years of age. After the age of about 50, women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.

  Alcohol. Alcohol intake increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol but does not lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Doctors don’t know for certain whether alcohol also reduces the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, lead to high blood pressure, and raise triglycerides. Because of the risks, alcoholic beverages should not be used as a way to prevent heart disease.

  Stress. Stress over the long term has been shown in several studies to raise blood cholesterol levels. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat and cholesterol in these foods contribute to higher levels of blood cholesterol.
  
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