Evidence begins to accumulate You might think it obvious that psychological stress would affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. But it wasn’t that long ago (2004) when researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit first showed that individuals who had stronger perceptions that psychological stress impaired sleep took longer to fall…
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Effects of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes
Reduced sugar consumption projected to improve health High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) predicts increased risks of type 2 diabetes and obesity, among other negative health outcomes. Researchers at Columbia University and the University of California – San Francisco used the Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model to estimate the effect of a nationwide 1 cent-per-ounce…
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Measures of Cardiovascular Health
Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein-B, apolopoprotein-A1, For years, the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol) in blood serum has served as the go-to measure of cardiovascular disease risk. However, researchers have noted that LDL-cholesterol contains several constituents (small, dense vs. large, buoyant particles), which predict higher and lower risks for cardiovascular disease, respectively. More recently, researchers have…
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Treat Hypertension with Traditional Chinese Exercises
What are traditional Chinese exercises? Traditional Chinese exercises combine physical and mental techniques that feature breathing, body movements, breathing, and meditation. Examples include Tai Chi and Qigong, both of which have several versions. These exercises may be suitable for persons who can’t or won’t embrace more typical Western exercises such as jogging, running, or resistance…
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