Body & More by The Sentinel

Body

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HEALTHY HEART ISSUE

The Sentinel Sunday, March 31, 2013

G2 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

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Body & More

The Sentinel • G3

Understanding blood pressure readings The top and bottom numbers say a lot about your health By Darci Swisher CTW Features Just about everyone who has had a blood pressure reading has been confused by the two numbers the doctor tells them. After all, why two? The American Heart Association explains that blood pressure is most commonly expressed as a pair of numbers written as a ratio. The first number your doctor says is the top number, and the higher of the two, and is referred to as “systolic.” It measures the “pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts),” according the AHA

website. The second number is the bottom number, and the lower of the two, and is referred to as “diastolic.” It measures the “pressure in the arteries between heart beats (when the heart muscles is resting between beats and refilling blood).” For adults older than 20, the AHA defines normal blood pressure as less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. A high blood pressure diagnosis is typically given for people who have a series of high blood pressure readings at or above 140 systolic and 90 diastolic. More information can be found on the AHA website, www.heart.org.

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G4 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Fool-proof tips for lowering cholesterol By Bev Bennett CTW Features You can’t turn back the clock. The older you get the greater your risk of cardiovascular disease. You can’t reset your gene pool to erase your family’s health history either. However, you can take steps to reduce your cholesterol, which is one of several indicators of heart attack risk. What’s more, some of the most effective strategies are also those you’ll find enjoyable – or at least manageable. Knowledge, friendships and great food are a few of the keys to help you improve your cholesterol. Here are seven quitter-proof ways to do it. Know your LDL numbers For years you’ve heard your total cholesterol is an indicator of heart

health. Keep that number under 200 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter of blood), or whatever your physician recommends for your individual profile, and you’re fine. Now the emphasis is on LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is associated with heart disease and stroke, according to Marc Gillinov, heart surgeon, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. LDL is the major carrier of cholesterol in the blood; high levels can lead to plaque build-up in your arteries. Your LDL should be below 130 mg/dL if you’re healthy without heart disease risk factors. “If your LDL cholesterol is high, set a reasonable goal with diet,” Dr. Gillinov says.

But if you think that means no, as in no fun, think again. “A cholesterol lowering diet can taste really good,” says Dr. Gillinov, co-author of “Heart 411” (Three Rivers Press, 2012). Become a culinary explorer and enjoy new textures and flavors from a wide range of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. In fact, “the more plant based your diet becomes the more you’re forced to vary your diet. You’re less bored, more satisfied,” says Julia Zumpano, registered dietitian, Cleveland Clinic. Eliminate one meat meal a week. “It could be as simple as a pasta dish without meat, or bean soup. It could be a salad with beans instead of meat,” says Zumpano, Eat for pleasure who works with the women’s carChanging your eating habits diovascular center. should be one of your first steps to Include at least two servings a lower your cholesterol. week of fish. Make fish such as

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salmon, sardines or mackerel that are high in omega-3 fatty acids part of the menu. Omega-3 fatty acids don’t specifically benefit your cholesterol, but do help improve triglyceride and blood pressure numbers, which reduce your cardiovascular risk, Zumpano says. If you want to add one cholesterol-specific item to your diet, make it a food that’s high in dietary fiber. Dr. Gillinov recommends oatmeal, which contains soluble fiber to lower cholesterol “a little bit.” Eat fats, but selectively Remember when reducing your cholesterol meant switching to fat-free foods? Now healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts and avocado, eaten in moderation, get a nod from heart experts, while saturated fat and trans fat are still to be avoided.

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Following a diet high in saturated fat, from marbled meats, ice cream and butter can increase your total cholesterol and your LDL cholesterol levels. Trans fat, also called trans fatty acids, is no improvement. Consuming trans fats also increases your LDL cholesterol and at the same time may reduce your HDL (good) cholesterol. You’ll find small amounts of trans fat in fatty meats and dairy products, but the greater source is artificial trans fat from foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Manufacturers are reducing their use of trans fat, but you can also look at a packaged food’s Nutrition Facts panel and choose products with zero trans fat. If you’re a cheese lover you may have more of an adjustment to make.

See Cholesterol, G6

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The Sentinel • G5

Sunday, March 31, 2013

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G6 • The Sentinel

Cholesterol ... Continued from G4

health habits, your friends can gently remind you to do better. The ingredient is on most ex“Surrounding yourself with perts’ lists of foods to reduce. people who will support what “Cheese has a lot of fat and a lot you’re doing provides accountof salt,” says Dr. Malissa Wood, ability,” Dr. Wood says. Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, Boston. Butts out Zumpano recommends you limOf course you don’t smoke, but it cheese to three meals a week if if you’re around smokers encouryou have high cholesterol, and opt age them to stop for everyone’s for reduced-fat varieties. heart health. When people cease smoking Hang out with health-minded their LDL cholesterol goes down friends and their HDL cholesterol goes Your social network can influ- up, according to Dr. Wood. ence your eating and lifestyle habResearchers recently discovered its, according to research. the link between cigarettes and So choose your friends for your cholesterol. good health. Cigarette smoke contains a toxic “If you have friends who go on a compound that slows the producbike ride on Saturday, rather than tion of HDL cholesterol, according going to a bar, this will benefit to the University of Florida Colyou,” says Dr. Wood, author, with lege of Medicine-Jacksonville. Dimity McDowell, of “Smart at Heart” (Ten Speed Press, 2011). Design an achievable diet And if you don’t have great Although losing weight is one

Body & More

Sunday, March 31, 2013

of the more challenging steps you can take, it’s well worth doing, even if there’s no way you’re getting to your ideal size. “There’s definitely a link between weight loss and cholesterol,” Zumpano says. Lose weight and your cholesterol profile should improve, and if you’re overweight or obese you should see improvement by losing 10 percent of your body weight, according to the dietitian. Of course, if you’re following a pleasurable plant-based diet and enjoying physical activities with friends, dropping pounds doesn’t seem like a sacrifice. Take medications if indicated Unfortunately, it’s hard to reduce your LDL cholesterol by more than 10 to 15 percent by dietary changes alone, according to Dr. Gillinov. For many people that’s good enough. But if you need to see greater improvement, you’ll want to consider cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. Statins, however, could put you at

risk for side effects, so talk to your physician about taking this step. Also understand that medications aren’t an alternative to losing weight, eating less saturated fat or quitting smoking. You’ll want a combination of lifestyle changes and medications if you’re at moderate to high-risk for cardiovascular disease, according to Shirya Rashid, Ph.D.,

assistant professor, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Her research suggests that if you’re overweight your body produces hormones that could create resistance to statins. “You’ll counter the effectiveness of the drug if you don’t lose weight and get more exercise,” Rashid says.

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Body & More

G8 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

A sister’s love: Veronica De La Cruz NBC news anchor battles to save her brother’s heart By Lisa Iannucci CTW Features Veronica De La Cruz was on the phone with the insurance company to let them know she had raised the $150,000 down payment for her brother’s heart transplant. “That’s good,” the woman said. “Keep going.” Keep going? Of course she was going to keep going. This was her little brother and she would do anything for him. As healthy, active kids, Veronica and Eric De La Cruz grew up playing winter sports. “We were both really athletic and grew up on the ice,” she says. “I skated for 12 years and he played hockey. All of our time

was spent at the rink. We took it very seriously.” So when Eric called and told her that he wasn’t feeling well, she just thought he had the flu and gave him some big sister advice. “I told him to drink fluids and get rest,” she says. Unfortunately, Eric, a musician and artist who was living in Nevada, was brought to the emergency room and diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced See Sister, G9

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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Sister ... Continued from G8 with scar tissue. As cardiomyopathy worsens, the heart becomes weaker. It’s less able to pump blood through the body and maintain a normal electrical rhythm. In turn, heart failure can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, ankles, feet, legs or abdomen. “Telling someone with congestive heart failure to drink fluids is the worst thing you can do, but we didn’t know he had any symptoms,” she says. “My mother was always sick. As a breast cancer survivor, the Tamoxifen and chemo destroyed her heart. She suffers from congestive heart failure, but when Eric was diagnosed with it, we were blindsided.” Over the next few years,

Eric’s condition grew progressively worse, his heart began to fail and his only resort was a transplant, which would replace his damaged heart with a healthy one from a donor. Heart transplants are now the third most common organ transplant operation in the U.S. At any given time, more than 3,000 patients are on the national patient waiting list for a heart transplant, but only about 2,000 donor hearts become available in a year. The even worse news was that Eric didn’t have the necessary insurance to cover the hefty $600,000 price tag for a new heart. In late 2008, Veronica left her position at CNN to care for her sick younger brother. She stayed by his bedside caring for him, while also

Body & More tending to her sick mother. Her father, who couldn’t handle what was happening to his son, left the family. “When you work in television, everybody thinks you live this perfect life and, to be honest, I was scared of not being able to maintain that image,” she says. As a news anchor, Veronica was responsible for covering the news from a social media perspective. “Talking to people online was second nature to me,” she says. “But after I talked to someone online about Eric, she Tweeted, without permission, asking for prayers. That one Tweet took off.” Veronica heard from many people, including various celebrities such as Alyssa Milano and Puff Daddy, who wanted to help her raise the funds she needed for Eric’s transplant. Within a week, she raised $6000. Then she heard from Trent Reznor, the lead singer of the band Nine Inch Nails, who wanted to become involved with her efforts. “He sold backstage passes as a fundraiser and within a few more weeks we raised more than $100,000.” Eagerly ready to tell the company they had the down payment, Veronica called the company. What she got instead was a crash course in medical insurance. “I couldn’t believe the system was set up that we couldn’t even move him to a hospital in Los Angeles,” she says. “Then I was told that even with the $600,000, I would still need a supplemental insurance policy that would cover his preexisting condition. We kept getting delayed and appealing. It was a tedious, arduous process. The system is broken.” She ultimately raised the $600,000 and finally, Eric was moved to a California hospital with a transplant program, accepted for treatment and evaluated for a possible heart transplant. After his admission, he was

unfortunately forced to undergo emergency surgery to implant a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) delaying his potential heart transplant further. Sadly, in July 2009, Eric lost his battle while he waited for his heart transplant. “I promised him that I would take care of our mother, who was now my last remaining family member, and do what I can to make sure that it wouldn’t happen to someone else,” she says. For more than a month, Veronica didn’t leave the house and couldn’t get out of bed. “Once I was able to get it together, I realized that being a broadcaster I was given a platform and I should use it.” She founded The Eric De La Cruz Hope for Hearts Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance, educational resources and ad-

The Sentinel • G9

vocacy for heart transplant patients. Veronica wanted to make sure that no heart transplant patient would ever again have to suffer because of a lack of insurance or the inability to pay for life-saving medical treatment. “The greatest catharsis is achieved by helping other people,” says Veronica, who is currently expecting her

first child. As of press time, they were working with sixyear-old Owen Payton from Illinois, who is on the heart transplant list. The family is fundraising for the $60,000 in uncovered costs for his operation. For more information on Owen and others that the Foundation is helping, visit HopeforHeartsFoundation.org.

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G10 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Like it or not, you are what you eat And if that scares you, odds are your diet needs tweaking By Jeff Schnaufer CTW Features Like many of us, Linda Van Horn recently found herself scanning the labels at the supermarket, this time looking for multi-grain crackers that were low in sodium and fat. Unlike many of us, Dr. Van Horn is a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University and a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. Yet it still took her five minutes to find the right crackers. “It takes a little time to find the best nutrition - the best bang for your bite,” Van Horn says. From sodium to saturated fat, added sugar to cholesterol, millions of us stalk the supermarket aisles each day seeking out clues to decipher the heart-healthy foods we put on our plates at home. Even with recent advances in food labeling, it can be tricky. So we asked Van Horn and a couple other nutrition experts for a little help. Saturated and trans fats “Food labels can be a huge help in finding heart healthy picks,” says Karen Ansel, Syosset, N.Y., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The first thing people should be looking at is the saturated fat content. Heart health experts recommend eating no more than 7 percent of your total calories from saturated fat. While we used to think high cholesterol foods raised cholesterol levels in people, we now know that saturated fat is the main culprit in high cholesterol.” Satu-

rated fat is found mainly in red meat, dark meat poultry with skin, full fat cheese and yogurt, whole and 2 percent milk and butter. Next, take a look at trans fats. “There are fewer of these than ever in foods, but in some cases they are still out there,” Ansel says. “Unfortunately, when it comes to heart health there is no safe level of trans fats. Because of a labeling loophole, food labels can still say zero trans fats when they contain less than a half-gram, so you really need to do some sleuth work and scan the ingredient list for the words ‘partially hydrogenated.’ Those words are a tip-off that there are small amounts of trans fats, which can really add up. “ Added sugar “It’s best if you eat less than more,” says Janet de Jesus, a nutritionist at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md. “There is not a daily value on the label for sugar. Generally, I tell people to compare labels. If one cereal has 12 grams and one has 5 grams, it’s probably better to choose the one with less sugar in it.” Sodium “Sodium is at the moment probably one of the most important pieces of data to look at on the food label because the amount of sodium in the product varies all over the place,” Van Horn says. “There is a huge interest in reducing the American consumption of sodium. High intake of sodium contributes to high blood pressure

that can lead to cardiovascular disease.” Processed foods, whether they be in a box or a can, is where much of our sodium comes from, Van Horn says. Yet the single biggest sodium containing food is bread. “It really does make sense to look at the labels,” Van Horn says. “Look for breads that are high in multigrain flour.” Frozen foods can be really tricky, de Jesus says. “A lot of people get prepared meals or frozen lasagna or stir-fry. They can be really high in sodium. I was looking at a brand of stir-fry the other day and it looked really good on the cover, but had about 1,000 milligrams of sodium. That’s just for a single serving.” Soups, too, can be tricky, de Jesus says. “They can be alarmingly high in sodium. Some even in saturated fat.” “The goal for heart healthy eating is less than 1,500 milligrams (of sodium) a day, so a person would want to make sure that all entrees contain less than 400 milligrams and any snack foods contain less than about 150 milligrams,” Ansel says. “The real key for sodium is limiting packaged foods as much as possible since they usually contain large amounts of added sodium for freshness and flavor. By sticking with fresh foods and no sodium added foods like whole grain pasta, brown rice, couscous and quinoa, you’ll be much less likely to rack up the sodium.” Cholesterol Dietary cholesterol is only found in animal products, Van Horn says. “You see it in eggs, which are not labeled, usually,” The American Heart Association continues to recommend less than 300 milligrams of choles-

terol per day. “We are awaiting new guidelines,” Van Horn says. “The impact of dietary cholesterol is known to behave in a lot of ways like saturated fat, but it is not as powerful as saturated fat.” White Flour “It’s not so much that it’s bad for you, it’s just that it’s not necessarily good for you,” Van Horn says. “White flour offers no dietary fiber and almost no nutrients. Shifting to multigrain is a better option.” Finally, remember that you are eating more than one meal per day and often more than one item per meal. “It gets tricky, because you don’t eat just one food at a time, you generally eat a mixed meal,” de Jesus says.

To make your supermarket experience a little easier, consider visiting a web site while you shop. “A good starting point is www.choosemyplate.gov,” Ansel says. “Often people struggling with nutrition

issues will need even more tailored information. For those I’d recommend meeting with a registered dietitian. Readers can find a dietitian in their area at www. eatright.org.”

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The Sentinel • G11

Seven questions to ask your physician By Nicky NicholsonKlingerman CTW Features

increase fiber in your diet. You should have foods that don’t bump your blood sugar too high,” says Jacques Carter, a physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. “Stay away from the trans and unsaturated fats. Make sure you have omega-3 fatty acids that you get from fish and some plant sources.”

Heart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in the U.S. So what can people do to avoid these heart problems? See a doctor before symptoms and issues arise. Here are some insightful questions to ask your doctor to learn the best ways to prevent heart problems before they happen. 2. How much should I exercise and what kind of 1. Do I need to change my exercise? diet? Carter suggests walking “You should eat healthy, or swimming since they’re more fruit and veggies, and easier on the joints than an

activity like jogging. “You want to walk or swim 3 to 4 times a week if you can,” Carter says. Guidelines provided by the U.S. Government recommend daily exercise – up to 60 minutes in duration. Check with you doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen. 3. Do I really need to stop smoking? “That fact is yes,” Carter says. Most smokers are worried about lung cancer when in fact they are just as susceptible to cardiovascular disease if not more so, Carter says.

4. What is my optimal blood pressure? “Hypotension is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and subsequent cardiovascular mortality so we want to make sure the blood pressure is controlled,” Carter warns. Everyone’s blood pressure can be different so it’s important to know what your doctor thinks yours should be. Ask at your next visit. 5. What should my cholesterol level be? Some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol. “You can watch your diet and still have a cholesterol at 300,” Carter says. He explains that there is good and bad cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and low-den-

sity lipoprotein. The ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) and the bad cholesterol (LDL) is more important than the number. The more HDL you have and the less LDL you have, the better. 6. Do I need to lose weight? Lawrence J. Fine, a doctor in the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute, Bethesda, Md., suggests that patients ask their doctor what their optimal Body Mass Index (BMI) is. Weight is a risk factor you can control with a good diet and exercise. “By keeping your weight down you decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypotension,” Fine says.

7. Does drinking lower my risk for heart problems or increase it? “Truth is, studies have shown that having an alcoholic beverage a day decreases your cardiovascular risk for death,” Carter says. However, going past two drinks will actually increase your risk of health problems. It is never too early to ask how to prevent heart problems. “The thing I tell my young patients is to keep an eye on your blood pressure. When you see a program for checking your cholesterol, pop in. If you have a family history, you ought to get it checked. Don’t think because you’re 25 years old, your cholesterol can’t be high,” Carter says.

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G12 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Exercise to lower your blood pressure High blood pressure is one of the deadliest risk factors regarding heart disease By Darci Swisher CTW Features Valerie Booher was at the doctor’s office for an unrelated issue when her physician noticed that her blood pressure was high. To be cautious, her doctor had her come back twice in subsequent weeks for rechecks – and found it elevated both times. Given that Booher’s parents both have high blood pressure, and that she was carrying an extra 100 pounds, her doctor decided to take action. “She said it wasn’t crazy high, but she wanted to put me on medication so there was no damage to my heart

over time,” says Booher, 38, of Westmont, Ill. Although she was no stranger to exercise, it wasn’t a routine part of her life, so she talked to her doctor about proceeding with physical activity following her diagnosis. “I was nervous,” Booher says. “I thought I would have a heart attack or something. I asked my doctor about it and she said I was fine to exercise.” When left untreated, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a disease that can have serious, and even deadly consequences, since it raises a person’s risk of heart attack, stroke and heart and kidney failure.

The American Heart Association estimates that more than 74 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure. Exercise is beneficial for cardiovascular disease in general, as other cardiovascular issues can accompany hypertension, says Dr. Ernesto L. Schiffrin, physician-in-chief of Sir Mortimer B. DavisJewish General Hospital, in Montreal and president of the International Society of Hypertension. “In the long term, the fact that people do perform exercise regularly will be associated with a progression of reduction of blood pressure,” he says. In addition, he says most people also experience weight loss, which is crucial as studies show that obesity, and even being overweight, is closely related to high blood pressure. Dr. Shiffrin recommends his patients with extremely high blood pressure not engage in physical activity until it’s controlled, either by medication or a lifestyle modification, or a combination. A stress test can be given “to make sure exercise won’t trigger a cardiovascular event,” he says. For those able to exercise, he advises they engage in a kinetic-type of exercise, like walking or jogging, in moderation – achieving about 60 percent of their maximum heart rate. If a patient is used to being sedentary, he points out that it’s important to go slowly, building from a half an hour of activity four to five days a week to an hour most days. “We’re not trying to create Olympic athletes,” Dr. Shiffrin says. “We’re trying to make people feel good, lower their cardiovascular risk, lose weight and improve their feeling of well

being.” Plus, he adds, exercise can precipitate a cardiovascular event if done too vigorously. Anyone who experiences shortness of breath, develops chest pain or feels faint should cease exercising and consult their doctor immediately, Dr. Shiffrin says. Exercising with a qualified personal trainer is typically the safest route for anyone beginning a new exercise routine, but finding a professional who has previously worked with a client with hypertension is key, says Noby Takaki, a master personal trainer at East Bank Club in Chicago. While a trainer should be cautious because of the diagnosis, she has found that many exercises can be modified to fit an appropri-

ate routine. “Trainers should know how to progress a client without causing adverse effects,” Takaki says. “Just because someone has hypertension does not mean that the client can’t be pushed. It just means that you need to be aware of how hard you’re pushing your client, and to know their limits.” For her clients with hypertension, she recommends they ask their doctors about the timing of taking their medications with their workout schedule, as well as what types of exercises to definitely include – and avoid. Four years after her high blood pressure diagnosis, Booher saw another doctor for a routine checkup. Although she hadn’t taken her

medication yet for the day, her blood pressure was at a healthy level. A couple of weeks later, after decreasing her medications and tracking her blood pressure at home, her regular doctor told her she could stay off her medicine. “It was a huge victory for me,” she says. Booher isn’t sure whether to credit her exercise routine of strength training, walking, jogging and spinning, the fact that she’s dropped 30 pounds, or reduced sodium in her diet – or all three. “Because of my family history, it might come back,” she says. “I am confident if I continue exercising and hopefully lose about 80 more pounds, it’ll be gone for good.”

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The Sentinel • G13

Saving hearts one pledge at a time By Nicky NicholsonKlingerman CTW Features In 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began an initiative called the Million Hearts program in an effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. Heart disease and all related heart problems have been become an epidemic in America. The leading cause of death is heart disease, which is responsible for one in three deaths. Strokes are the fourth leading cause. According to Janet Wright who is the executive director of Million Hearts program at the Center for Disease Control, one of the program’s co-partners, although death rates have been falling, obesity and diabetes may slow down the decline. “We know that 67 million Americans have high blood pressure. Out of that 67 million, 36 million don’t have it under control. Fourteen million of those don’t even know they have high blood pressure,” Wright says. The Million Hearts program hopes to help prevent these trag-

edies by improving access to healthcare, raising awareness of these issues, promoting healthy living and implementing the AB-C-S. A-B-C-S stands for: • Appropriate aspirin therapy; • Blood pressure control; • Cholesterol management; and • Smoking cessation. “We also need to get blood pressure monitoring and the skills and knowledge of what those numbers mean out into the general public so that each person can become his or her own manager,” Wright says. Everyone is encouraged to pledge and participate in the program. “When you pledge what you’re saying is ‘I, personally, am going to use my influence to prevent heart attack and stroke in my own life, in the lives of my loved ones and in my community,’” Wright explains. She also suggests ways for people to advocate for heart health awareness, like starting a walking group and getting their friends to get their blood pressures checked out. One of the biggest misconceptions about heart problems is that they are inevitable and unstop-

pable. “Nothing could be further from the truth. The power of prevention is truly in the hands of the individual,” Wright says. People can prevent these issues simply by following the A-B-CS steps, eating a heart-healthy diet and asking a doctor for prevention strategies or medicinal

Dry Eye & Tearing

Too many tears can run down your cheeks. Too few tears can make your eyes dry and itchy. Today, there are many effective ways to manage too many or too few tears. If you think you have a dry eye or tearing problem, schedule a private consultation with Peter J. Sakol, MD. Dr. Sakol is a board certiﬁed Opthalmologist specializing in eye plastic and cosmetic surgery. He is an expert in treating dry eye and tearing problems.

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treatment if necessary. “The misconception is that ‘I have no hand in my future.’ We all have a tremendous amount of power over our future,” Wright says. Many different organizations such as The Centers also sponsor the program for Disease Control

and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which are the co-leaders. National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Food and Drug Administration are a few federal agencies working alongside with the program.

Spring Programs Leagues

Men’s Flag Football League Men’s Softball League Co-ed Kickball League Co-ed Sand Volleyball League

Adult

Intro to Fencing (10 & up) Fencing Club (10 & up) Simply Moving Walking (all ages) Zumba Fitness Strong Women Strength Training Ballroom Dance Lessons Salt Cave-Guided Meditation Washington DC Bus Trip

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Youth

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Body & More

G14 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Rate your risk Smoker? Overweight? Move to the front of the line for heart disease By Jessica Royer Ocken CTW Features It’s no secret that heart disease is a bit of a problem in the U.S. It causes one in every four deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. That’s about 600,000 people each year. Complicating this problem is the fact that many of the risk factors for heart disease don’t have recognizable symptoms. People with high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol likely feel just fine. Many smokers quite enjoy their habit, thank you very much. Or what about gender and ethnicity, which also play a role in determining one’s risk for heart disease. Sudden cardiac death kills about 150,000 people each year, reports Dr. Gerald Fletcher, a cardiologist with the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and spokesperson for the American Heart Association (AHA). “They felt great, so they didn’t do anything about their risks or family history.” So if your risk factors aren’t making you feel bad (until they make you feel really bad by causing a cardiac event), the best so-

lution is to be proactive: Understanding the top risk factors for heart disease – and taking action to address the ones that apply to you – is the best way to prevent a problem, and perhaps even reverse troubles that have already begun. We’ll start with the “easy” ones, although it’s never easy to Some high blood pressure can change lifestyles and habits. But making changes to these situa- be controlled through regutions will immediately begin re- lar physical activity and losing weight, as well as reducing salt ducing your risk: intake, but in other cases, medication may be needed as well. So Risk Factor #1: High Blood begin by having your blood presPressure Ninety million Americans have sure checked, recommends Dr. hypertension, notes Dr. Khalid Nakela Cook, a medical officer in Sheikh, a board-certified cardi- cardiovascular science with the ologist and lipidologist and au- National Heart, Lung, and Blood thor of “Don’t Let Your Heart Institute (NHLBI). “Know your Attack”(Telemachus Press, 2012). number and understand if you This increases the risk of stroke need treatment,” she says. “Then and heart attack, and “unless make sure your treatment gets it you have it checked, you may not down.” know,” he says. The AHA estimates that only Risk Factor #2: High Choleshalf of those with high blood terol This is another risk factor that pressure have it controlled properly, and Fletcher believes people requires medical diagnosis, Cook may be misinformed about what’s explains. Cholesterol helps creacceptable. “Some think 140/90 ate the plaque that clogs arteries, is pretty good, but it needs to be Sheikh says. And Fletcher be110/70,” he says. “Anything above lieves this is perhaps the most di120/80 involves cardiovascular rect risk factor for heart disease. risk.” It’s specifically high LDL cho-

lesterol that correlates to heart attacks and most strokes, Fletcher says. For a time it was believed high “good cholesterol,” or HDL, had a protective effect on the heart, “but it’s not as protective as we thought,” he says. “Thirty percent of people with high HDL still have heart disease.” Eating a proper diet can help lower cholesterol, Fletcher reports, and for those who need medication, statins handle cholesterol quite effectively (when taken as directed), and they’re becoming less expensive. Risk Factor #3: Overweight/ Obesity “We are the fattest country in the world,” Fletcher says. And our waistlines are a particular problem. “Abdominal obesity is worse than [high] total body weight,” he explains. Scientists are not sure why, but weight gained around the waist is particularly associ-

ated with cardiovascular disease. “It’s a toxic kind of fat,” Fletcher says, adding that abdominal girth should be less than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women. Related to rising rates of obesity and poor dietary choices are rising rates of high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes, which is bad for the cardiovascular system (not to mention the metabolic symptoms of the disease itself), these experts note. Interventions to lessen these risks include eating a healthy diet – reduce saturated and trans fats and add more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, suggests Cook – and adding physical activity, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity movement a day. “If you sit for six hours at your job and don’t get out and exercise, that’s the same as smoking a pack and a quarter a day,” Sheikh says.

See Risk factors, G15

Healthy Gums • Healthy Heart

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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Body & Mind

The Sentinel • G15

Risk factors ...

To pinot or not to pinot ...

Continued from G14

Do red wine’s health benefits add up? Experts weigh in

Risk Factor #4: Smoking This is “the one I know everyone has a choice about,” Cook says. “And in addition to heart disease, smoking increases the risk of so many other diseases. If you can quit, it’s so important to do so.” Scientific data makes it abundantly clear that smoking promotes arthrosclerosis (the culprit behind most heart disease), Sheikh says. “For every cigarette you smoke, you’re taking 11 minutes off your life.” And then there are the things in life that can’t be controlled – the risk factors embedded in your genes: Risk Factor #5: Gender “We know men have a higher risk [for heart disease] at a younger age,” Cook says. Risk for heart disease begins to increase in men after age 45 and in women after age 55, she reports. Risk Factor #6: Race Statistics indicate that certain races and ethnicities are “disproportionally affected” by heart disease, Cook says. A recent University of Alabama at Birmingham study revealed that despite medical advances, African Americans still have twice the risk of fatal heart disease as Caucasians. African Americans have higher rates of high blood p re ss u re , C o o k a d d s. Overweight and obesity are more prevalent among African Americans and Latinos than other ethnic groups. These factors, along with variations in diet and education and differences in the way minorities are evaluated

and treated by healthcare professionals, all contribute to elevated risk, these ex p e r ts re p o r t . “ T h i s is an area of intense research and care focus,” Cook says. “We’re trying to identify people early enough to be able to help them.” Risk Factor #7: Family History Premature heart disease among immediate members of your family (your mother, father, siblings, and children) can signal cardiovascular troubles ahead for you, explains Cook. Be sure to let your doctor know if a male relative has had heart disease before age 55 and a female relative before age 65. After reviewing your risk factors, “put all the pieces of the puzzle together” with the help of your doctor, Cook says. Doctors are also learning more about the way inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and even gingivitis, can contribute to cardiovascular problems, Sheikh says. So your entire medical history may be relevant. In a detailed consultation, your healthcare provider can create a personalized risk profile and a tailored approach to taking action. This “often will be a combination of diet changes, exercise changes, quitting smoking, and a focus on whether additional testing and medications are necessary,” Cook says. “It’s just something you have to do for yourself,” Fletcher says. “It’s a long, tough process to stay healthy sometimes.” But it’s certainly worth it.

By Bev Bennett CTW Features Most people have no doubt heard encouraging words about red wine and better health; how that glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with dinner may reduce the risk of heart disease. But before reaching for the corkscrew, exercise caution. “If you’re over 50, and if you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start,” says Christine Gerbstadt, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Despite red wine’s healthy aura, Gerbstadt and other nutrition professionals are wary of promoting it. They question whether it’s actually beneficial, whether consuming alcohol may lead to other issues and whether people wouldn’t be better off with heart-healthy alternatives. “There’s no indication that it [red wine] does anything for heart disease,” says Roger B. McDonald, Ph.D., professor, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis. No scientific comparison trials have been done to determine the specific effect of wine on heart disease risk, according to a statement from the American Heart Association. “There are compounds in wine shown in vitro [test tubes] to work. Once they get in the body they haven’t been shown to work,” McDonald says. If wine doesn’t improve a person’s health, can it have downsides? Yes, says Dr. Gerbstadt. Wine is caloric. A 5-ounce serving of red wine contains about 125 calories. If a person drinks a glass a day, she could be gaining 12 pounds a year if those calories aren’t subtracted elsewhere, Gerbstadt says. And if people eliminate other foods to accommodate wine calories, they may be missing out on nutritional food choices. “Wine is luxury calories. The amount of calories in a serving [of wine] don’t add significant vitamins or minerals to the diet,” Gerbstadt

says. The alcohol may disrupt sleep and interfere with medications. But for those drinking wine for sake of better health, there are inexpensive and low-risk steps one can take to reduce the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease. Staying active and sticking with a low-calorie diet are your best options, according to McDonald. The other red drink Red wine is touted for its heart protective benefits because it’s rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients (plant substances) that may increase a person’s “good cholesterol.” Some of the same antioxidants

are found in red grape juice and red grapes, which don’t have alcohol’s downside, says Christine Gerbstadt, physician and registered dietitian. “Eat red grapes with the skins; the skin has the benefits. Slice red grapes into a salad,” she says. Instead of the glass of wine with dinner, enjoy a grape juice cocktail. Dr. Gerbstadt suggests mixing a small amount of grape juice to reduce the drink’s calories. “Take an ounce of grape juice, add chipped ice and fill the glass with club soda. You get all the phytonutrients with far fewer calories; it’s very refreshing,” she says. (One ounce of grape juice is 2 tablespoons; about 19 calories.)

G16 • The Sentinel

Sunday, March 31, 2013

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