Do Foods Play Important Role In Managing Hypertension?

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is not only a chronic disease by itself but also a risk factor for many other medical disorders including heart disease and stroke. While hypertension is not curable, it can be controlled with medication as well as adoption of healthy lifestyle. 

Foods do play an important role in managing hypertension. For the past 3 decades, research has been conducted to search for the best dietary recommendations for hypertension, but in reality, the vast majority of dietary recommendations are very similar to healthy diet recommendations in general.

There are 3 things that people with hypertension should avoid. First of all, they should reduce or simply not drink alcohol since drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. Although studies have shown that low levels of alcohol intake could have protective effects on the heart, research has also clearly indicated that consuming alcohol is unhealthy for people who already have hypertension.

If one really wants to drink, he or she should limit the alcohol consumption to no more than 2 drinks per day for men and no more than 1 drink for women. A drink is a 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.

People love tasty foods, which unfortunately, are often packed with high salt. Salt or more precisely sodium intake is another thing for which hypertensive people should watch out. Too much sodium consumption is bad for the heart regardless of one's blood pressure status. Besides table salt, most of the sodium in the diets comes from packaged and processed foods. Hence, eating less of these foods can reduce sodium intake, lower blood pressure or preventing hypertension from developing in the first place. As suggested by most health organizations, limit for sodium intake is no more than 2,300 mg a day, and an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults, especially for those with hypertension.

Saturated fats are bad for the health, especially for people with hypertension because it raises blood cholesterol levels. High levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the blood increase the risk of heart disease and hypertension. Foods like beef, lamb, pork, butter and poultry with skin are all high in saturated fats, and they should be consumed as little as possible.

If one wants a more structured eating plan to manage blood pressure, perhaps he or she can consider a program called DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Its basic rules include replacing foods high in total and saturated fat with fish, poultry, seeds and nuts, eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, and staying away from processed foods.

Besides diet, patients with hypertension should also exercise regularly, stop smoking, reduce stress, lose some weight if they were overweight. More importantly, do not skip medications.

Heart Disease Prevention - Why Do Holidays Raise Heart Disease Risk?

During holidays, it is very common for people including healthy young adults to develop arrhythmia, most frequently atrial fibrillation, after several days of binge drinking. The condition is known as Holiday Heart Syndrome (HHS). HHS is usually temporary, but for some people, especially those with heart disease or who is at increased risk for heart disease, HHS can pose a special risk. Find out more at:

Heart Disease Prevention - Why Do Holidays Raise Heart Disease Risk?

Heart Disease Prevention - Alcohol Dependence In Young Adulthood Might Lead To Heart Disease!

Moderate amount of alcohol, including red wines, might benefit the heart. But none of the health organizations has recommended drinking alcohol just to prevent heart disease. Years of alcohol dependence during young adulthood could result in silent but permanent injuries, in later life, leading to serious health problems. Find out more at:

Heart Disease Prevention - Alcohol Dependence In Young Adulthood Might Lead To Heart Disease!

Heart Disease Prevention - Would Drinking Benefit Elderly?

Light to moderate drinking is supposed to be healthful. But according to a recent study, elderly people might suffer heart damage from even moderate drinking. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other institutions suggested that elderly people who increased alcohol intake could have mild alterations in cardiac structure and function. More details at:

Heart Disease Prevention - Would Drinking Benefit Elderly?

Drinking Habit Might Raise Stroke Risk!

Drinking a little red wine a day might help one prevent heart disease. As suggested by the American Heart Association (AHA), men should limit their alcohol consumption to 2 drinks (8 ounces) a day and women to only 1 drink (4 ounces). 

How about having more than 2 drinks a day? According to a study published online January 29, 2015 in journal ‘Stroke’, people in their 50s and 60s who had more than 2 alcoholic beverages daily have a 34 percent higher risk of stroke, comparing to lighter drinkers. Meanwhile, they are more likely to suffer a stroke 5 years earlier in life regardless of their genetics or their other health habits.

Past research has already shown that alcohol might cause stroke risk. This study, however, was the first to pinpoint differences with age.

11,644 Swedish twins, who aged below 60, as part of the Swedish Twin Registry, were included in the study. They answered questionnaires for several years and were followed through for a period of 43 years until 2010. The participants were categorized as light, moderate, heavy or non-drinkers based on the questionnaires. The risk from alcohol was compared with health risks such as high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. Almost 30 percent of the participants suffered a stroke.

Among identical twins, siblings who had a stroke drank more than their siblings who had not had a stroke. This would suggest that mid-life drinking raises stroke risks regardless of genetics and early lifestyle. The stroke risk caused by alcoholic drinks was more than even traditional health dangers like high blood pressure and diabetes, which became more important only around the age of 75.

The stroke risk has been raised among younger patients who have been linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. The new findings might just give the doctors another potential risk factor to monitor.

Many Americans with a European heritage usually have their dinner with some wine every night. It is not unusual for them to consume more than 2 drinks. While a glass of red wine is good, it does not mean that more is even better. Such misconception should be highlighted and people should be made aware of the upper limit of alcohol.

In the United Kingdom, the safe guidelines for alcohol drinking: no more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day for men, and not more than 2 to 3 units for women. Each drink or unit is normally defined as containing 8 grams of alcohol, equivalent to about one small (125ml) glass of wine, just over half a pint of beer, and less than 1 shot of spirits such as whisky or vodka. A medium (175ml) glass of wine contains around 2 units and a large (250ml) glass contains 3 units. Red wines generally have higher alcohol content.

Which Wine Is The Healthiest One?

Alcohol indulgence has been classified as a risk factor for heart disease. But moderate consumption of wine was thought to be good for the heart. 

Health experts who have studied the science of grapes and health benefits in wine pointed out that many varieties of red wine, especially pinot noir, contains a greater amount of a plant compound called resveratrol than is found in white wine. 

Pinot noir refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black. Pinot noir grapes are chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France but they are also grown around the world including countries like Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Italy, South Africa, and United States.

Resveratrol might lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or the bad cholesterol), reduce the risk of blood clots and cancer, prevent damage to blood vessels, and contribute to general longevity.

Studies in mice given resveratrol suggested that it might also help protect them from obesity and diabetes, both of which are strong risk factors for heart disease. Research in pigs has also shown that resveratrol may improve heart function and increase the body's ability to use insulin.

Nevertheless, there is still no clear evidence that red wine is better than other forms of alcohol. For example, several studies have linked Champagne consumption to beneficial cardiovascular, vascular and even brain performance, possibly due to its anti-oxidant properties. 

Yet not all alcohols are the same. For instance, a chronically high intake of beer or spirits has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. One study also showed that resveratrol might actually reduce the positive effect of exercise on the heart in older men. 

So, which wine should be consumed?

Red wines are beneficial because they are fermented on the skin and have a lot of antioxidants and tannins. Tannins are chemical compounds found in plants and fruit skins that give wine a bitterer and a more complex taste. They have also been linked to red wine headache. Some people who might get hangovers because of tannins should avoid drinking red wine.

For people who prefer something fizzy and festive, they should stick with Champagne, which is a ‘sparkling white wine’. As suggested by some experts, adding a splash of seltzer water (soda water, carbonated water) to any wine stretches the drink without adding calories. And it might help avoid that headache the next morning. 

Anyway, there is no doubt that high, chronic intake of alcohol, in any form, will certainly associate with many adverse health outcomes. It is, therefore, important that people should consume alcohol or wine moderately and stick to the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation: no more than two drinks daily for men and one drink for women. A single drink is 5 ounces of wine, the same as a 1.5 shot glass or a 12-ounce bottle of beer.

Don’t Drink Heavily To Prevent Stroke!

Indulge in binge drinking is bad because the risk of developing heart disease becomes higher. But heavy drinkers of alcohol might also have other problems such as high blood pressure.

 

According to researchers from the University of Lille Nord de France, people who drank heavily might be getting a brain hemorrhage at a relatively early age. Hemorrhage is a type of stroke where ruptured blood vessels leak blood into the brain. Their findings were published on September 11, 2012 in journal ‘Neurology’.

 

They followed 540 patients with an average age of 71 who had hemorrhage. Among the participants, 137 people (or 25 percent) were heavy drinkers, which was defined as having 3 or more drinks a day or about 1.6 ounces per day of pure alcohol. These participants also underwent CT brain scans and their medical records were reviewed.

 

It was found that the heavy drinkers got brain hemorrhage typically at the age of 60, compared to the age of 74 among patients who were not heavy drinkers. Heavy drinkers were not only younger when they got their stroke they were also relatively healthy and less likely to have any history of heart disease, stroke or mini-stroke symptoms, compared to those who were not heavy drinkers.

 

Furthermore, the findings also discovered that when the stroke occurred in a deep part of the brain, heavy drinkers younger than 60 were more likely to die within 2 years than those who did not drink heavily. Even after discounting for factors like smoking habits, the heavy drinkers were twice as likely to die as compared to one-third of those who did not drink heavily.

 

In the study, heavy drinkers were found to have lower levels of certain substances that allow blood to clot, though those levels were still within the normal range.

 

The findings, however, could not prove that heavy drinking alone caused strokes at an earlier age. There might be other factors involved. For instance, heavy drinkers in the study were often smokers: 42 percent of them smoked compared to 12 percent of the other patients.

 

Since heavy drinking has long been considered a risk factor for strokes, this indicates that there are surely some reasons to believe that heavy drinking can be a problem.

 

Of course, this does not mean that drinking is strictly prohibited. People can still drink but moderation is the key. Remember this, excessive alcohol consumption is bad for the body in a number of ways.

Can Alcohol Curb Weight Gain?

The French are lovers of high-fat diet yet low rate of coronary heart disease is found among them. Perhaps there is something to do with the wine they consume regularly.

Red wine such as Madiran, (made from the tannat grape) stimulates enzymes so as to increase levels of nitric oxide, lower blood pressure, and inhibit plaque formation in arteries. Some studies have already shown that moderate alcohol drinkers have lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a predictor of heart disease, than non-drinkers. Alcohol is also known to have an anticoagulant effect reducing blood clots.

On March 8, 2010, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston reported in the “Archives of Internal Medicine”, a publication of the American Medical Association, that women who drink a few glasses of red wine, beer or spirits a day are better at losing weight than women who do not drink at all.

More than 19,000, normal-weight American women aged 39 or older were asked how many alcoholic beverages they typically drank in a day, and then these women were tracked for around 13 years.

Among the participants, 38 percent did not drink a drop, nearly 33 percent drank the equivalent of around a third of a 5-ounce glass of wine or a third of a 12-ounce beer, 20 percent drank the equivalent of up to a glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer or a single-shot drink made with 80-proof spirits, 6 percent had up to 2 drinks a day, and the remaining 3 percent had more than 2 drinks.

Women who did not drink at all were found to gain the most weight and women who had the equivalent of 2 drinks a day were the least likely to gain weight.

Red wine seems to be the best drink to curb weight gain. However, all the 4 types of tipple included in the study, namely red wine, white wine, beer and spirits, indicated the same inverse association between alcohol intake and the risk of becoming overweight or obese.

Nevertheless, the researchers warned against using alcohol as a tool to prevent overweight or obesity because of the potential medical and psycho-social problems associated with drinking.

Why Do People Prefer Wine?

With hot and humid climate in Singapore, people used to have an ice-cold beer in pub, party or in their own home with friends, colleagues, or family members. However, the choice has gradually shifted to wine instead. Just look at the statistical figures. In 2006, Singapore imported some US$136 million worth of wine, which was an increase of US$25 million over 2005.

You may wonder why people give up the relatively cheaper beverage choice? Is it because wine is a trendy choice or is there any other reason behind this?

Numerous studies have pointed out that the beneficial qualities of wine are somehow good for our health. The cardio-protective properties of red wine can help prevent heart disease, while the antioxidants in white wine would improve lung function. Israeli researchers had even developed a way to increase white wine’s antioxidant content to raise its health benefits.

By making use of the health benefits revealed, wine producers are able to boost their sales. Ask yourself, do people really choose wine because it is a healthy alternative, or otherwise? Perhaps, researchers might want to conduct study to find out more on this.

Nevertheless, judging from the huge quantity of red, white or rose wine consumed, are people drinking too much of the alcoholic beverage in such a way that it might just cause more harm than good to the body? Remember this, too much alcohol consumed can only damage the organs especially liver inside the body, as already proven by research in the past.

Because of allergy problem, I cannot consume alcohol, not even a can of beer. After learning the health benefit of wine, I however started consuming wine since early last year. Strangely enough, I no more have the skin allergy, as I did when I drank cognac, whisky or even beer. I cannot figure out the rationale. Maybe the quantity I consume is rather small or my body does not reject wine any more.

Drinking a small glass of wine after dinner with my wife while sitting in front of the television seems creating a very relax and pleasant atmosphere for us. We drink just a small glass once or twice a week. If you ask me if there is any health benefit, frankly I cannot see any yet. Perhaps time will tell.

Can Stroke Risk Be Reduced by High Level of Vitamin-C?

A high-level consumption of fruit and vegetable can benefit one’s health, including prevention of heart disease and many other medical disorders because of the high contents of Vitamin-C found in fruit and vegetable

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom indicated in the American Journal of Nutrition in January 2008 that people’s level of Vitamin-C might be an indicator of their likelihood of getting a stroke.

In a 10-year study, they examined some 20,000 middle-aged and older residents of Norfolk, United Kingdom and found 448 strokes in the participants during an average period of 9.5 years. They also noted that people having the highest Vitamin-C concentration at the beginning of the study had a 42 percent lower risk of stroke compared with those with the lowest levels of Vitamin-C.

In fact, the protective effect of Vitamin-C against stroke remained, even after the researchers took into accounts for factors that could affect the risk (stroke), such as alcohol intake, blood pressure level, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, diabetes, prior heart attack, physical activity, use of supplement, and social use.

According to the researchers, the level of Vitamin-C found in the blood is a good biomarker of fruit and vegetable consumption, which contain many nutrients that may be biologically active and protective for stroke. They also argued that their study supports the existing body of evidence, which proposed stroke could be protected with high consumption of fruit and vegetable.

While other health experts also agree that fruit and vegetable are linked with many health benefits, including reducing stroke risk, it is still not known why or how the benefit occurs, or what kinds of fruit and vegetable are effective. Therefore, the best way is to consume a wide variety of fruit and vegetable.

Meanwhile, there is still no concrete evidence on the optimum intake of fruit and vegetable for reduction of stroke and cardiovascular disease. However, it is believed that an intake of 5 to 9 servings on a daily basis could actually benefit. As such, the public is encouraged to adopt a higher intake of fruit and vegetable.

Not More Than 2 Drinks for Women to Avoid Irregular Heartbeat!

Previous studies indicated that the consumption of a moderate amount of wine or other alcoholic drinks might help prevent heart disease.

In fact, a paper published on March 7, 2008 in the “American Journal of Medicine” indicated that people who commenced their drinking in middle age were 38 percent less likely to get a heart attack or other serious heart problem than abstainers were, even if they were overweight, had diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) or other heart risks.

Nevertheless, what is the optimal amount one should drink? Well, if you were a woman, consuming a drink or 2 will not put you at risk of getting irregular heartbeat, or what is also known as atrial fibrillation.

Several previous studies had already shown that medium to heavy drinking would lead to higher risk of atrial fibrillation among men. However, such link did not seem to establish among women, because not enough women were included in those studies.

A recent study, conducted by the researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, reported that having more than 2 alcoholic drinks is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. The findings were published on Dec 3, 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Based on 34,715 women aged 45 and older and in good health at the start of the trial, the researchers found that alcohol consumption of up to 2 drinks per day would not lead to higher risk of incidental atrial fibrillation among these women. On the other hand, a small group of women who drank 2 or more alcoholic beverages per day had a risk of atrial fibrillation that was 1.6 times more than those non-drinking women.

In this study, questionnaires were used to assess alcohol consumption at the beginning of the trial and at follow-up checks. The irregular heartbeat was reported by individual woman via annual questionnaires and was confirmed later through a medical checkup.

However, the researchers indicated that careful interpretation should be carried out on their findings. This is because the number of women in some subgroups was rather small, and there is a possible threshold effect in the relationship between alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation among women.

Can Risk of Early Death from Heart Disease or Cancer Be Reduced?

“One should adopt healthy lifestyle” in order to prevent from heart disease, and other medical disorders such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, and so on and so forth. Nevertheless, how many of us will really take this seriously and keep that in mind?

Based on the data provided by 80,000 women in the United States who were between 34 and 59 years old, a long-term study by the Harvard School of Public Health began in 1980. The findings, which were published on September 17, 2008 online by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), indicated that women who eat right, exercise and never smoke tobacco were more than halve the risk of dying from heart disease or cancer.

During a period of 24 years, the volunteers participated in the study filled out detailed questionnaires regarding their physical activity, diet, weight, alcohol intake, and disease history. At the end of 2004, 8,882 of the women in the group had died. Record showed that 1,790 and 4,527 of these women died from heart disease and cancer respectively.

According to the calculation made by the researchers, smoking alone accounted for more than a quarter of the deaths. In fact, 55 percent of the death figure could have been avoided if these women had maintained slim, avoided fatty foods and exercised regularly, in addition to not smoking.

The study also found that a glass of wine or beer with dinner every night would offer some help in heart disease prevention. This confirmed earlier research.

Based on the results from the study, the researchers concluded that even small changes in the lifestyle could have a substantial impact on the reduction of mortality rates. Perhaps, people should start changing their lifestyle right away.

What Causes Young Females Put On Weight?

When we talk about weight gain, we usually relate it to health issues because overweight can lead to a number of medical complications like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer. Besides health issues, weight gain is certainly not proud of among young females.

Nevertheless, there are young girls or women find themselves gain in weight although they do not over-eat. Why is this so?

Perhaps the findings of a study published in July 2008 in “The Journal of Pediatrics” may explain. Researchers from Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston found that girls and young women, who devote much time to Internet, get insufficient sleep, or drink alcohol regularly, are more likely to gain excess weight comparing to their peers.

A total of 5,036 girls and young women between 14 and 21 years old participated in this study, and they were followed for 1 year. They were asked questions like number of recreational hours per week they spent on the Internet (ranging from 1 to 5 hours to 16-plus hours), how long they typically slept each night (anywhere from 5 hours or less, to 9 hours or more), how much alcohol they usually took (ranging from none to 2 or more drinks per week).

The researchers found that if the girls spent more time on the Internet, were lack of sleep and had regular alcohol consumption, their body mass index (BMI) increased. BMI is a measure of weight in relation to height and is commonly used as a gauge for weight gain.

Findings of the study showed that in general, the BMI would rise as Internet use climbed, particularly among young girls age below 18 years old. Those who slept 5 hours or less tended to gain more weight than those who had a standard 8 hours sleep. Moreover, girls and women who had 2 or more alcoholic drinks per week would put on weight than those who drank the least.

The effects over 1 year were modest, for example, a 19-year-old of average weight and height would gain only 4 pounds if she were in the high-risk groups for Internet use, sleep and alcohol consumption. However, the researchers feel that this could eventually translate into significant weight change over time.

Spending hours on the Internet would likely take time away from physical activity thus increasing the weight. Lack of sleep may well cause tiredness to people who may become less active during the day. Sleep deprivation could also affect hormones and metabolism in a way that might help weight gain. Alcohol contains a significant amount of calories. If people, who usually, do not make adjustment for liquid calories by eating or drinking less throughout the rest of the day, their weight would be naturally increased.

Is Finland Spared From Obesity Epidemic?

The number of people with overweight and obesity has been increasing at a horrible rate. For example, two-thirds of people in the United States are overweight. Even in Finland, every 1 in 5 adults is considered overweight.

As we know, when one is overweight or obese, he or she is subject to a much higher rate of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and many other complications. Therefore, obesity epidemic will definitely put tremendous pressure on the governments in terms of medical cost to deal with diseases associated with overweight or obesity.

A recent study found that women in Finland weigh on average almost 1 kilo (approximately 2.2 pounds) more than in 2002 yet obesity remains primarily a problem for male. The researchers from Finland's National Public Health Institute reported on July 21, 2008 that people in Finland are getting fatter at a steady rate for decades and this is obvious among young adults.

The report showed that during the past 5 years, men in Finland have gained an average of 500 grams (1.1 pound), whereas women have gained 900 grams (1.98 pounds). Interestingly, the weight index is the lowest among those people in the most educated group. Data also showed that 1 in 2 Finnish women are of normal weight, as compared to only 1 in 3 men.

According to the researchers, the increasing rate of obesity may well be attributed to the fact that people in Finland eat better quality food in large quantity yet exercise less. Meanwhile, Finns also smoke less than they did 5 years ago.

In fact, the problem in high blood pressure had been decreasing since 1972, but the decline had come to a halt due to the change to rising alcohol consumption. Since 2005, alcohol abuse has been the leading cause of death among Finnish males aged between 15 and 64.

If You Want To Stay Away From Hypertension, Don’t Drink!

If you are an alcohol lover, you may want to think twice before you start your next cup of drink. Why do I say this?

A recent study conducted by the researcher at the University of Bristol's Department of Social Medicine reported that people who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol might raise their blood pressure more than what was expected before. Their findings were published on March 4, 2008 in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.

High blood pressure or hypertension affects more than a billion adults worldwide. If it is not well managed, it can eventually lead to heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and stroke.

In the study, people with a genetic mutation that makes it difficult to consume alcohol had significantly lower blood pressure than that of those regular or heavy drinkers. People who had no mutation and consumed about 3 drinks per day had 'strikingly' higher blood pressure than people with the genetic change who tended to drink only small amounts or nothing at all.

It was also discovered that there was more than a two-fold risk for high blood pressure among drinkers and a 70 percent increased risk for 'quite modest' drinkers compared to people with the genetic mutation.

This study shows that alcohol intake may increase blood pressure largely, even among moderate drinkers, than previously thought.

In previous studies, heavy drinking had been linked with high blood pressure. Nevertheless, some health experts have even suggested that moderate alcohol intake provides health benefits such as lower cholesterol.

The genetic mutation is common in some Asian populations. These people are discouraged to drink because alcohol causes them facial flushing, nausea, drowsiness, headache and other unpleasant symptoms.

By comparing people with such mutation and volunteers without the genetic variation could help the researchers to better gauge long-term effects of drinking.

The researchers also concern that reporting of alcohol (in other studies) is likely to conceal considerable error, which may be differential. For example, people who have been advised to reduce alcohol intake for medical reasons may under-report alcohol intake.

When Does Heart Attack Occur Most?

People tend to eat and drink more during festive seasons like Christmas, New Year. It is, therefore, very common to see a surge in heart attack during such period.

In the United States, December and January are the deadliest months for heart attack when people consume rich food and extra alcohol, and at the same time, suffer seasonal stress. Nonetheless, the worst thing is that there would be a double dose of denial.

People may initially take chest pain as indigestion. Research shows that people who are possible candidates for heart attack are also more reluctant to rush to hospital when they feel that the holiday gathering is being disrupted or when they are in a city that they do not live in.

According to a study conducted in 2004, the seasoning swing in heart attack in the United States was noticed, with the peak in the number of deaths around the period of Christmas and New Year holidays.

Many factors can cause such phenomenon. For instance, people may just skip or forget to take their medications. Some people may put on weight especially when they skip exercising. As we know, digesting a particularly heavy and high-fat meal tends to pressure the heart, thus causing blood pressure and heart rate to increase. Heart will definitely have to pump harder.

For alcohol lovers, they may suffer 'holiday heart syndrome', which occurs when alcohol irritates the heart muscle, triggering an irregular heartbeat that can cause a stroke.

Furthermore, hospitals may be short of staffs during festive seasons, as most people would be taking their leaves as well. All this can cause a delay in treating a heart attack victim.

How Does Alcohol Lower Blood Sugar?

Diabetes is not only a risk factor of heart disease but also a serious medical disorder. Diabetics who do not have their blood sugar levels managed properly will lead them to many other complications and in some serious situations, blindness, amputation and even death can just happen to them.

In the past, drinking alcohol beverages has been known to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics. And now, results of a new study on animal, conducted by a group of researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, revealed the mechanisms involved. The findings that were published in the journal Endocrinology show that alcohol produces a massive redistribution of blood flow within the pancreas.

According to what was observed in the study, alcohol seems to send more blood to a region of the pancreas called the islets. The islets contain cells whose main function is to produce insulin, the key hormone that lowers blood sugar levels in the body.

Using various techniques, the researchers showed that pancreatic islet blood flow is increased by about 4 folds in rats after an injection of ethanol. Overall blood flow to pancreas, by contrast, was not affected. The alcohol injection also led to increased insulin secretion, resulting in low glucose levels.

Further study also showed that alcohol induced pancreatic blood flow changes by affecting a chemical called nitric oxide and the vagus nerve, a nerve that is responsible for sending many important signals in the body.

Based on the results obtained from the study, the researchers recommend doctors to advise their diabetic patients, especially those with liver problems, to be very careful with alcohol, if they are taking drugs to lower blood glucose, since these drugs may increase the effects of alcohol.

Diabetes And Alcohol

Do you know that non-diabetic postmenopausal women who drink moderate amounts of alcohol can reduce insulin concentration and improve insulin sensitivity, according to Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)

Salt, Sugar and Alcohol

Salt

Only 2.5g of sodium is required for our body in a day. Being the major component of salt, sodium maintains fluid balance in our body and helps our muscles, including heart muscle to relax. However, excessive sodium intake will cause fluid retention in our body and contribute to high blood pressure.

Sugar

Taking too much sugar means a high calorie intake which Can lead to weight gain. So avoid or cut down soft drinks, dessert such as cream cakes, pastries, and foods with high carbohydrate.

Alcohol
High blood pressure can also be caused by excessive intake of alcohol. You may, however, take a unit of two each day but do keep to a safe level with some alcohol-free days.

2 Simple Principles To Prevent Heart Disease

Using easily-remembered numbers 3-5-7, the following two simple principles can help you prevent heart disease:

3-5-7 Healthy Heart Diet Principles
3 Highs (high in fiber, freshness, plant-based protein);
5 Lows (low in fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar and alcohol); and
70% Full for your diet.

3-5-7 Healthy Heart Exercise Principles
3 kilometers walk (or 5000 steps) per day;
5 times a week; and
Exercise heart rate at less than (170 minus Age) beats per minute. For example, if your age is 40, then your exercise heart rate should not exceed 130 beats per minute.

Stress and smoking can cause heart disease too, so do manage your stress level and stay away from smoking.