Yellow Eyelids A Signal Of Heart Disease

Scientists say yellow marks around the eyes are an indicator of heart disease.

A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen found people with yellow spots, known medically as xanthelasmata, had a greater risk of suffering a heart attack or dying within ten years.

The patches are cholesterol deposits that are soft & painless. They don’t hamper vision and people usually go to a dermatologist to treat them.

Nevertheless, people with xanthelasma must consult their physician as well because they face a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease.

The xanthelasma-heart disease association was quite significant in males aged between seventy and seventy nine. Men with xanthelasmata were twelve percent more at risk compared to those without this condition. The risk was 8% for women in this age group.

The raised yellow spots around the eyelids, however, were a more accurate sign of cardiovascular disease in women due to their lower overall risk.

According to researchers, white or grey patches around the cornea (arcus corneae), are not tied to an increased cardiovascular risk.

The presence of xanthelasmata may help clinicians while diagnosing heart disease & associated conditions.

These findings may be of great help in societies where it’s not easy to have access to lab facilities & therefore lipid profile measurement.

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Diesel Exhaust Fumes Raise Heart Attack Risk

The chemical particles generated when diesel burns are damaging to blood vessels & could increase the possibility of blood clots developing in arteries, heightening the chances of a stroke or heart attack, a recent research has shown.

University of Edinburgh researchers measured how diesel exhaust fumes impacted healthy volunteers at concentrations that could be present in heavily polluted cities.

Researchers compared how people responded to the gases present in diesel fumes like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide with those caused by the extremely fine chemical particles from vehicle exhausts.

The British Heart Foundation funded research showed that it wasn’t the gases but the minute particles which impaired the functioning of blood vessels that control how the blood is routed to the body’s organs. 

While most people tend to associate air pollution with damage to lungs, there is solid evidence that it impacts the heart & blood vessels also.

The tiny chemical particles discharged by car exhausts produce extremely reactive molecules known as free radicals that could impair the blood vessels and cause vascular disease.

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Neotropical Blueberries Are The Ultimate Superfruits

According to a study, blueberries are feted as a super fruit, full of disease-fighting antioxidants that help the body eliminate harmful free radicals. However, the “highbush” blueberries that are available in U.S. supermarkets are not as loaded with antioxidants as some blueberry varieties available in Mexico, Central & South America.

Scientists refer to the “neotropcial” blueberries as extreme superfruits that are crammed with almost 11 times the antioxidant punch of ordinary blueberries and are able to afford increased protection against cancer, heart disease and other ailments.

The only catch is that neotropical blueberries are not easy to source in the U.S.

Meanwhile, folks could do worse than have highbush blueberries.

Blueberries have several health benefits – they help protect against urinary infections, cancer and the accumulation of “bad” cholesterol in arteries – which can trigger heart attack & stroke. They’re low in calories, high in fiber & they contain iron, calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A & C.

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Too Much TV May Cause Premature Death

Researchers say telly time could distract people from engaging in more healthy activities and prolonged television viewing increases the risk of diabetes & heart disease.

A Harvard School of Public Health study reveals that every 2 hours spent watching TV each day ups the diabetes risk by 20% & risk of heart disease by 15%.

But switching it off & doing something more demanding could stop 2 people in every 1000 developing these conditions.

Reducing TV viewing can significantly lower risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes & premature mortality.

The issue is not TV watching per se, but that those who spend hours in front of the box are less likely to have an active lifestyle and therefore are more prone to be obese or overweight.

Other sedentary activities, such as surfing the internet or playing computer games could have a similar effect and needs to be studied.

The study showed that in excess of 2 hours of TV viewing a day upped the risk of type-2 diabetes & cardiovascular disease, and over 3 hours of daily TV viewing raised the risk of an early death.

The absence of any muscle contractions on account of sitting for extended periods brings about physiological changes – not all glucose & fats are removed from the bloodstream thereby increasing the risk of disease.

The combination of an inactive lifestyle, unhealthy diet & obesity creates the perfect breeding ground for type 2 diabetes & heart disease.

Some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week is required to keep the heart healthy.

The findings serve as a wake-up call regarding the risk of having a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity can lower by over 60% the risk of type-2 diabetes.

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Fish n’ Chips Hikes Heart Attack Risk

According to a recent study, having your favorite fish n’ chips even weekly once raises heart failure risk, compared to grilled or baked fish which lowers the chances by 30%.

US researchers claim that frying fish not just negates the beneficial effects, but it also reverses them & ups the risk of heart failure by about 50%. White fish – including sole and cod – were the least effective at lowering heart risks.

The eating patterns of 84,493 women in the 50 to 79 age group were studied over an 8-year period. The results revealed that people who consumed 5 or more helpings of boiled or baked fish weekly were found to lower their heart attack risk by 30%.

Dark fish – including mackerel and salmon – were best for lowering heart disease dangers.

In contrast, those who consumed even one serving of fried fish hiked their heart failure chances by almost 48%. The women also tended to be more overweight & consume extra calories.

The study concluded that those who regularly ate grilled or baked fish were more fit, active & unlikely to smoke. Moreover, their diets included more fruit & vegetables.

Using healthier cooking methods, such as steaming, baking or grilling rather than frying, will help people look after their hearts in the long run.

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