We have all read in the past that diesel fuel fumes and particles can attribute to heart disease and increases plaques in the cardiac tissue. But now UCLA researchers have concluded that the smallest, eensy weensy, teeny tiny little particle from vehicle emissions may be be the one that packs the biggest punch.I know, it is a little hard to wrap your brain around this one right? Now we can’t even walk down the street without the ghostly whispers of our arteries hardening form plaque. Depressing…

The scientists identified a way in which pollutant particles may promote hardening of the arteries — by inactivating the protective qualities of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol.

We are talking really tiny particles, nanoparticles that are the size of a virus or molecule — less than 0.18 micrometers, or about one-thousandth the size of a human hair. For now these particles are too small to be captured in a filter, thus enter new technology!

via Science Daily

1. Is the accumulation of work stress associated with higher risks of incident CHD and risk factors?
2. Is this association stronger among working-age populations?
3. Does work stress affect CHD directly through neuroendocrine mechanisms, or indirectly through behavioral risk factors for CHD, or both?

A few questions for you above. And I know you know the answers! Yes, yes and yes!!! We all know that stress increases ones risk for heart disease and work is no different. What is interesting about the research is that they concluded that stress at work leads to CAD through direct activation of ones neuroendocrine stress pathway.

via European Society of Cardiology

I have received many emails asking about the open heart simulation that I posted about previous so here you go again… It is really cool- give it a go!
Oh my goodness. I found the coolest simulated open heart surgery “game”. It is very elementary on an anatomical level and has 3 different levels you can choose from. At the surgeon level, that would be mid-grade, I was successful. At the specialist level… not so much! In fact they advised me to “call my lawyer”. Haha.

While it is only a depiction of what open heart surgery really consists of, it is fairly accurate. I have scrubbed open heart before and the simulation follows the same basic steps just without the complications, risks and unforeseen circumstances of real surgery. Give it a try and let me know how you do. You know you want to!

This week has been soooo long! I feel like it just needs to be over- been a rough one. My diet has been so-so. Breakfast has consisted of Special K and yogurt. My lunches have been tuna and celery and peanut butter. Dinners have been whatever falls on the table. Haha- actually we had chicken, pork chops and eggs and toast. But hey- thats dinner right?

Bloodsugars have been between 85-108. So good to go. My butt needs to get in gear though. I have been falling behind on that- I was doing well but slacked off. Oh well- life goes on. Here is to getting myself moving!

A red white and blue hearty dessert recipe…

You will need: 1 store bought angel food cake

2 cups of strawberries

2 cups of blueberries

1 tub of Sugar Free Cool Whip

Sugar free strawberry Jello

Cut angel food cake in half, prepare Jello as directed and when set scoop out of container and mix so Jello becomes ‘chopped’ up. Place Jello on top of bottom piece of Angel food cake and place upper piece of cake on top- think of Jello as your filler layer. Use SF Cool Whip as icing and spread over the top and down the sides of Cake with Jello filler. Cut up berries and sprinkle on top of cake- hold out half to sprinkle on top of individual servings when served. When all assembled place cake in fridge for at least an hour before cutting to serve.

There is indeed a beneficial effect of green tea on risk factors for heart disease.  A new study found that the consumption of green tea rapidly improves the function of  endothelial cells lining the circulatory system which is big news in the progression of atherosclerosis.

Results showed that endothelium-dependent brachial artery dilatation increased significantly after drinking green tea, with a peak increase of 3.9 per cent 30 minutes after consumption.

This is too cool in that it is something you can due for your heart health right in your own home! I think green tea is an acquired taste but it is definitely worth a go based on the above test results.

to read more on this… 

When you are fatigued, you increase your effort to make up for their diminished capability due to fatigue. When this happens blood pressure tends to rise and remain elevated until the task is completed or individuals stop trying because they think success is impossible or too difficult to be justified. So there you have it….

We feel that we will get a big ol’ pat on the back and a hooray, but really we are just harming ourselves. You need to know your limits and give yourself a break. Do not be a hero! What do you think about this?

via Science Daily

George “Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV” Carlin died of heart failure on Sunday at the age of 71. George Carlin was well on his way to being a seasoned and all out comedian by the time I became old enough to watch one of his shows. I remember a lot of bad words, raunchy content and a heck of a lot of laughs.

Says fellow comedian Tommy Chong, “”He made us look at things, look at ourselves. You won’t find too many comics with the kind of chops to do that.”

Carlin suffered his first attack when he was 41 and several since then. He entered rehab as recent as 2004 for Vicodin and alcohol addiction- after many years battling cocaine.  His funny ways and sparkling personality will be missed.

There are huge socioeconomic factors that play into heart disease and death. Mayo Clinic researchers present new data suggesting that people with lower incomes and education levels are more likely to die after heart attack than more affluent, educated people.

Reasons being education’s positive effect on factors that include job opportunities, income, housing, access to nutritious foods and health insurance.  Higher levels of education also could directly affect health through greater knowledge acquired during schooling and greater empowerment and self-efficacy.  Also education is strongly associated with health literacy, which in turn affects one’s ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions as well as attend rehab programs.

Here is a reminder for you this morning… now go get a measuring tape and get to work.

A a person’s waist-to-hip ratio is an even better predictor of cardiovascular risk than their body mass index or BMI. It appears that a large waist size, which generally indicates large amounts of abdominal fat, is more harmful than a larger hip size.

Determine your body shape and risk for cardiovascular disease by calculating your waist-to-hip ratio. First, measure your waist at its smallest circumference; then, measure your hips at their widest. Next, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For example, a person with a thirty-six-inch waist and forty-inch hips would have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.9. Waist-to-hip ratios over 0.85 in women and over 0.9 in men are strongly associated with an increased risk for heart disease.