Staying Heart-Healthy Can Reduce Cancer Risk

Taking care of your heart is important for so many reasons. A healthy heart, after all, is vital for your overall health. Needless to say, maintaining your cardiac heart can lower your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. But there's one more reason to keep your heart in good shape, and it may surprise you. According to recent research, heart health is capable of reducing the risk of cancer.

The study, published Journal of the American College of Cardiologyexternal, found that maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle can help keep cancer at bay.

“We found an association between a heart-healthy lifestyle and a lower risk of cancer, and the opposite is true: that a less heart-healthy lifestyle is also associated with a higher risk of cancer,” according to Emily Lau, a researcher who participated in the study.

The findings also indicate that the risk factors that cause cardiovascular disease can also result in cancer. Hence, adopting a heart-healthy way of living is doubly important.

A Healthy Heart = reduced risk of cancer

The researchers studied 20,305 middle-aged adults for about 15 years. The participants had no history of cancer at the beginning of the study. During those 15 years, 2,548 of the participants developed cancer. The team found that age, sex, and a history of smoking provided clues for cancer risk.

Furthermore, it was also found that participants with the most natriuretic peptides - substances made by the heart that can suggest stress on the heart - had a 40 percent higher chance of developing cancer. Meanwhile, the participants who followed a heart-healthy lifestyle had a lower risk of developing cancer. Another key point the researchers pointed out was that some risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and cancer - such as old age - were beyond people’s control.

In general, these findings suggest that while there might not be a direct link between cardiovascular heart disease and cancer, the risks or habits that lead to heart disease can also cause cancer.

Another key point raised in the study was that one possible link at the root of both conditions can be inflammation. This isn’t surprising because research has previously found a connection between inflammation and colorectal cancer. Moreover, chronic inflammation resulting from obesity and smoking cigarettes - two big causes of cardiovascular disease - can also increase cancer risk, according to health experts.

If there is a lot of inflammation in the body, it gets harder for it to fight off various diseases, including different cancers. Therefore, try and include fruits and vegetables that are loaded with antioxidants and other vital nutrients in your diet as that can help fight inflammation.

Maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle can have a huge effect on your overall health

 

While the findings of this new study are important to take note of, it doesn’t mean that simply adhering to a heart-healthy lifestyle can nullify one's risks of getting cancer or heart disease. These diseases are, of course, complicated and depend on a variety of factors. 

One last noteworthy observation made in the study is that people with cardiovascular disease tend to have worse issues if they get cancer. People with this disease generally have poor sleeping habits and a sedentary lifestyle, which puts them at a greater risk of getting cancer. So, you can see why keeping your heart in good shape is so essential.

Some expert-recommended ways to manage a heart-healthy lifestyle include: 

* Eating good foods and keeping a balanced diet. This will help manage your cholesterol levels. 

* Exercising regularly. At least, make sure that you do 20 minutes of moderate activity a day, such as brisk walking, jogging, or cycling. 

* Getting adequate sleep to tackle the day’s stress. 

* Doing activities that help reduce your stress. This should keep your blood pressure in check. 

* Quitting smoking.

Following these heart-healthy lifestyle habits will certainly help reduce your risk of heart disease. At the same time, as the new study suggests, they can also lower your chances of developing cancer. So you have everything to gain by changing your lifestyle today.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

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If You Get Migraines Your Doctor Will Want to Know This

We all experience migraines differently. Hence, caring for a person who suffers from migraines requires an individualized approach. So, if you visit a neurologist or headache specialist for your migraines, they will likely delve into a discussion of various factors in order to sort your unique migraine profile. Here are some key issues your doctor will likely address:

1. Age: This is a big factor when it comes to diagnosing and treating migraines. Particularly when it comes to children versus adults. Migraines in children share some features with migraines in adults, but, they also have their own unique features. For example, children tend to experience migraine pain on both sides of the head, while adults - just on one side. Along with migraine headaches, children tend to experience unique symptoms you don't typically find in adult migraine sufferers. 

These include: 

1. Abdominal pain 

2. Osmophobia (sensitivity to smell) 

3. Vertigo 

4. Autonomic symptoms—runny nose, tearing eyes, facial sweating, etc.
 

Treating a migraine is different between adults and children. Some children and adolescents will not respond to typical adult migraine medication, like ibuprofen or certain tripants. Pediatric headache specialists focus on more unique migraine therapies, like minimizing stress through relaxation techniques and meditation, formulating a migraine action plan at school and ensuring proper sleep and eating schedules.

2. Family History of Migraines: Migraines are hereditary, which means that the disorder tends to run in families. According to the American Migraine Foundation, if one or both of your parents suffer from a migraine, you have a 50% to 75% chance of suffering from migraines too. So, talking to family members who have migraines and finding out more about their attacks can be helpful, considering that migraines within the same family tend to share similar symptoms and triggers. It is also interesting to note that migraine medication that works for one family member often tend to work for other family members. So, after speaking with family members, share this information with your doctor. 

3. Migraine Pattern: Before going to your doctor's appointment, take down notes about the pattern of your migraines. Here are some pattern factors to consider: 

Time of day: Take note if your migraines begin in the morning after waking up, afternoon, evening or the middle of the night. 

Number of migraines: Take note of how many migraines you are experiencing - is it more than fifteen days per month? This indicates chronic migraine. 

Associated symptoms: Do you experience nausea and/or vomiting with your migraines? And are these symptoms more or less debilitating than an actual migraine headache? 

Aura: Do you experience a visual "aura" with your migraines?

Triggers: There are certain foods, weather changes, sleep deprivation, skipping meals and strenuous exercise which can trigger a migraine. 

Hormone connection: Among women, migraines can occur prior to their menstruation, or may worsen or improve during pregnancy, perimenopause (transition into menopause) and so on. This can be extremely important for women. If a young woman notes her migraines are getting worse before menstruating, a doctor may prescribe continuous birth control pills, or a medication like Frova, taken five or six days prior to menstruation. If migraines are worsening because of menopause, hormone replacement therapy may be an option, particularly if the doctor suspects estrogen depletion as a culprit.

4. Medication History: Migraine medications consist of two types of drugs: treatment and preventative. Determining what medications you have tried and what has worked or not worked for you is an important part of your migraine profile. 

5. Treatment Drugs: Your doctor may ask you about your migraine treatment medications, and these include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), triptan, a combination of NSAID/triptan, an herbal supplement, or do you wait for your migraine to pass on its own? Your doctor will also want to know how many times you take the medication per week, if it's at the onset of your migraine if it is tolerable and effective. By better understanding the nuances of your medication, your doctor will better be able to form a unique migraine profile. Perhaps, she will be able to decipher whether you may be suffering from medication overuse headache, in addition to your migraines, or if the side effects are limiting their use. 

6. Prevention Drugs: There are some migraine preventative medications, including blood pressure medication, called Inderal, an antidepressant called Elavil, and an anti-seizure medication called Topamax, among others, are full of side effects and require months before a benefit is seen. Botox is also a reasonable option for chronic migraine therapies, approved by the FDA for treating episodic and chronic migraines. Aimovig (erenumab); Ajovi (fremanezumab); Emgality (galcanezumab) are injectables, targeting a protein that plays a major role in migraine pathogenesis, called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). These drugs have many advantages, but they are only approved if a person has not tolerated prior preventive medications.

7. Underlying Medical Conditions: Your medical history is a major factor when considering your migraine care. For instance, compare a healthy person suffering from migraines, versus a person with multiple medical problems like uncontrolled high blood pressure and kidney disease. Even if they do share similar migraine symptoms and disabilities, the treatment plan will differ based on these underlying medical problems. A thoughtful discussion with your doctor is required when sorting out a person's migraines from alternative or additional symptoms. It is also possible, that what people consider to be their usual migraines, are actually headaches occurring as a result of another condition, such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease. Certain health conditions, like obesity, may also worsen your migraines. 

8. Lifestyle: Your daily habits and general lifestyle can affect your migraine experience, be they triggers, contributors, or interacting with therapies. Your doctor may want to know if you consume caffeine or alcohol on a weekly basis, whether you exercise, and what your usual daily meal plan is like. They may ask if you engage in mind-body therapies, like yoga or meditation, and what medication you take, including supplements and vitamins. They'll also want to know if you see a primary care physician regularly. 

Whatever may be causing your migraines, know that it is important to see a headache specialist, just be sure to write down the factors that comprise your personal migraine profile and know that there is no right or wrong feeling or answer. The best thing to do is to be honest. Read more about why migraines happen here.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs