Posts Tagged ‘heart disease’

Pecan nuts can help cut heart disease

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
travelling with heart conditions

Eating pecan nuts can help cut heart disease

Nuts are really one of those foods – you either love them or you hate them (or cannot eat them because of allergies). But, according to this article, eating pecan nuts can lower the risk of developing heart disease. A study showed that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy antioxidants in the body, which help reduce inflammation in the arteries. This protective effect is important in helping to prevent development of heart disease.

The nuts are particularly rich in one form of the antioxidant vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol, and the study showed that its levels in the body doubled eight hours after eating pecans.

The researchers analysed 16 men and women who ate a sequence of three diets, one of whole pecans, one of pecans blended with water, and a neutral ‘control’ meal. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Even after three hours, unhealthy oxidation of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood – which can cause heart problems – fell by up to a third (Walnuts can help lower cholesterol too). Research from Loma Linda University published earlier in the Journal of Nutrition showed that a pecan-enriched diet lowered total cholesterol levels by 11.3%.

So eating more pecans and walnuts is something to consider, as part of a healthy balanced diet of course. If you have a heart condition and are planning a holiday, you may be interested in our blog category, travelling with a heart condition.

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And I would walk 500 miles

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Walking holidays good for health

 

Yes, we have all heard the song, but how many of us actually do that much walking. How often do we jump in the car to go to the shops, or visit a friend round the corner, even though we know that is both bad for our health and the environment. And with all the snow we have at the moment, people are probably even less inclined to walk short distances.

Well, according to a recent article in the Independent  there is now another reason we should walk more. Healthy people who walk at least six miles a week have bigger brains, better memories and improved mental function according to a study. Among older people showing signs of forgetfulness, walking even five miles a week – a daily 20-minute trip to the shops – slowed the progression of their condition.

Now we already know that walking is an ideal form of exercise for maintaining physical fitness and warding off heart disease. But now scientists have found that it can maintain mental fitness and ward off Alzheimer’s disease as well. A 10-year study of more than 400 elderly people found that greater amounts of physical activity were associated with greater brain volume.

Dr Cyrus Raji, of the department of radiology at Pittsburgh University  who led the study, explained that volume is a vital sign for the brain. When it decreases that means brain cells are dying. But when it remains higher brain health is being maintained.So yet another reason why we should be thinking about integrating walking more into our everyday lives. And probably something we should try and think about when we are on holiday too! I know we might like the idea of just lying on a beach or by the pool, but actually walking more on holiday shouldnt be as hard as we think.

Obviously, there is the hard core option of a walking holiday somewhere like Italy or Holland (at least it is flat). But a sightseeing holiday can involve lots of walking too. For example, when you are visiting New York or Venice, make sure that you have good maps with you so that you can explore the city by foot rather than jumping in a cab or gondola

Hope that helps, or at least provides another excuse to go on holiday!

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Posted in Holiday Stress Buster | 2 Comments »

Scorpion Sting could help heart patients

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Ok, when we think of scary creatures, scorpions are probably quite near the top of the list, together with spiders, and snakes. But actually scorpions may not be as bad as you think –they may be able to provide a useful function for people in the future who require a bypass. Travelling with a heart condition

A bypass is performed to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe coronary artery disease who are at risk of heart attack. During the surgery a healthy artery or vein from another part of the body is connected  to the blocked coronary artery. The new passage routes oxygen-rich blood around the blockage to the heart muscle. The bypass can fail if the vein graft becomes blocked. An obstruction can develop if the body’s injury response causes too much cell growth.

An article in the Daily Mail, said that the bark scorpion, which can grow up to 8cm long, can help to reduce these bypass failures. The Central American bark scorpion is not deadly but has a painful sting in the form of a toxin.  Scientists at the University of Leeds have found that the toxin, margatoxin, is at least 100 times better than any other compound at preventing vein graft failure. It works by suppressing the blood vessel’s natural response to injury so keeping the vein clear.

The research was published in Cardiovascular Research. According to the scientists, Margatoxin would probably be unsuitable as a drug that could be swallowed, inhaled or injected, but it could potentially be taken forward as a spray-on treatment to the vein itself once it’s been removed and is waiting to be grafted onto the heart.

The British Heart Foundation, who part funded the study, said that 25,000 coronary artery bypass grafts are carried out each year in the UK. In successful procedures they typically last around 10 to 15 years.

If you have a heart condition, and have a holiday planned, or would like to book one, you may want to read more blogs in our travelling with a heart condition category.

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Statins – the pros and cons

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Statins, the cholesterol lowering tablets, are prescribed to around 6 million people in the UK, so it is likely that some of you reading this blog are currently taking statins. Statins work by reducing the amount of ‘bad cholesterol’ in the blood, which can cause the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries and lead to coronary artery disease. Statins affect the amount of cholesterol that your cells make, forcing them instead to gather cholesterol from your bloodstream, thereby reducing your blood cholesterol level. They have been hailed as a wonder drug in fighting heart disease, and the British Heart Foundation credits statins with saving 10,000 lives a year. However, potential side effects include sleep disturbance, depression and memory problems.

Here are some of the arguments ‘For’ and ‘Against’. For the full detail of these arguments, check out this article :

For

  • Statins save lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes by delaying the onset of cardiovascular disease (which is Britain’s biggest killer, responsible for 1 in 3 deaths)
  • Serious problems such as muscle wasting are very rare. Many people take statins without any problems
  • It is always preferable to  alter your lifestyle to lower risk – cutting out fatty foods, quitting smoking, losing weight, and exercising more. But such measures are not always enough to combat rising cholesterol.

Against

  • Side effects include muscle problems, hair loss, depression and impotence
  • People sometimes think that taking statins then give them licence to eat what they like
  • Patients can be motivated by panic to take statins because they fear that they are at risk if they don’t

 If you do take statin medication, and have a holiday planned, you may want to check out our AllClear4you which contains lots of useful information about travelling with medication, and any special considerations you might need.

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Posted in Travelling with a heart condition | 3 Comments »

Got a good tan on your holiday?

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

In the UK, considering the appalling weather that we often experience, a big reason for going on holiday is often to get that elusive tan.  We come home from our beach holiday, relaxed and refreshed, proud to show off our tan and hear the cries of ‘You look well’ from others left languishing in the office!

We all may try to get a tan on holiday, but what if you have this tan all year round

We all may try to get a tan on holiday, but what if you have this tan all year round

 But if you go brown, even when you have not even been in the sun, you could not be well at all. Genetic haemochromatosis  - also known as primary iron overload – is a condition that causes the body to retain too much iron from the diet.

Iron is a mineral vital to the human body, regulating cell growth and ensuring oxygen flows to the cells, keeping immunity and energy levels high. But like so many things in the body, there is a balance, and too much iron can be toxic. A build up of iron in the brain’s pituitary gland can trigger a classic symptom that gives rise to the conditions other name – bronze diabetes. This is because it can appear as though you have a permanent tan. The reason is that iron overload in the pituitary gland stimulates  an over production of melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its colour.

Undiagnosed iron overload can cause a wide range of health issues, including diabetes, heart disorders, chest and joint pain, liver cirrhosis, pancreatic problems and cancer. A build up of iron in the bones can lead to crystallisation.

It is a common genetic condition. Two genes have been identified that cause it and about 1 in 5000 people in the UK are affected. It is prevalent in all Caucasian populations, but may be slightly higher in those of Irish descent.

The good news is that this disorder is a treatable condition. However, the problem is that because you may look well, the condition can be undiagnosed for years. If you have any of the symptoms, or are getting browner even when you haven’t been on holiday, then just ask your doctor for a simple blood test which can check your iron levels.

 The treatment is very simple – giving blood, as two thirds of the body’s iron lie in the blood. Patients generally give a pint a week until their levels return to normal, and then once every 3 to 6 months. The blood is safe to be used by blood banks,  since people without the faulty gene can rid themselves of the excess iron.

I had heard of this disease before, but didn’t realise that a symptom is a permanent tan. I will think twice before being jealous of people with a year long tan…

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Water Water Everywhere, but not a drop to drink…

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

So you have saved up for that dream holiday and you are finally there. You are travelling in a hot exotic country and have done all your research and planning – so what is one of the cardinal rules? That’s right, carry your own bottled water with you. It can be unhygienic if you don’t have your own sealed bottles – you run a risk of food poisoning –  and you don’t want to get dehydrated….

We all often drink from bottled water on holiday

We all often drink from bottled water on holiday

But how does this rule fit with the latest news that water can be bad for you – triggering weight gain and fertility problems. But this doesn’t make sense does it? When water is the primary content of our cells and the major content of most organisms? In fact, some figures suggest we should drink up to 3 litres of the clear stuff to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Well, before you really start to panic, it is not actually water as such that is bad for you. It is the pollutants that it is contaminated with, from both the water itself, and the plastic bottle that contains it.

Let’s take the plastic bottle first. Chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), used in the manufacture of plastic bottles, have been linked to reproductive difficulties as well as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A recent study by Harvard School of Public Health found that those who drank from bottles made with BPA showed a 2/3 increase of the chemical in their urine.

And what about the water itself? Well in the UK, oestrogen compounds get into our water supply from pesticides and herbicides that wash off from soil into our rivers. Oestrogen is the  hormone that stimulates female characteristics in woman at puberty. An excessive amount of oestrogen in the body not only drives certain cancers, but affects the way we accumulate fat, So the more we are exposed to oestrogen, the harder it is to lose body fat. And an increase in body fat has been linked to many illnesses including heart disease and cancer.

Well when we are abroad, we may not fill up water from the tap. In fact, we may think we are ok if we use bottled water, but even this is not free from peril. As well as the problems with the plastic itself, when you open bottled water it is no longer sterile and so sits like a stagnant pond attracting bacteria. Before your travels, you might want to purchase an eco product such as the Bottle for Life, a BPA free stainless steel bottle.

Ok, so what next? Well if you ask me, it might be a bit of a headline grabbing story, and probably should not have too much impact while we are on holiday. But it is something you might want to think about…

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Posted in Travel Health News | 1 Comment »

FactFile on Arrhythmias and Travel

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Arrthymia is a change in your natural heart rate – an increase or decrease in speed, extra beats or even missed beats – due to a change in the normal electrical pattern of a heartbeat.Beach_deckchair_vector

 But what is a heartbeat? Well basically the heart acts as a muscular pump. It is activated by electrical impulses that  that first direct the upper 2 chambers of the heart (the left and right atria) to contract. These squeeze the blood into the lower chambers – the ventricles. The impulses then cause the ventricles to compress, pumping the blood to the lungs and the rest of the body. This process is a heartbeat.

 As we know, a heartbeat should normally occur between 60 and 100 times per min when the body is at rest. Tachycardia is when the rate is over 100, and brachycardia is when the rate is below 60.

If you have been diagnosed with an arrhythmia, you may be worried, but at AllClear we believe you should be able to live your life as normally as you can, and that includes being able to travel if at all possible. Please take a look at the AllClear4U page for full information on travelling with an arrhythmia. But for now, here is a brief description of the different types of irregular heartbeat and considerations for travel (Thanks to an article in the Daily Mail for providing some of the info).

 Atrial arrthymias

 Supraventicular tachycardia (SVT)

What is it? A fast heartbeat. Tony Blair suffered from this, although patients are more typically young females

Diagnosis? Diagnosed using an ECG (electrical tracing of the heart rhythm)

Symptoms? Palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid breathing, dizziness

Complications? Unpleasant, but generally not life threatening

Treatment? Medication can be taken for infrequent symptoms. Ablation therapy – when a soft catheter is fed up a blood vessel to the heart and abnormal tissue is frozen – has a success rate of around 95% with many SVTs.

Travelling with medication? Make sure you carry sufficient medication in your hand luggage to cover you from “check in“ to reclaiming your baggage at your destination (Allow a few more hours on top in case of delays). Take a list of your medications which includes both the generic and brand names of each together with respective dosages. Keep the list separately from the medications themselves. Ideally all medication should be carried within your hand luggage just in case checked in luggage goes astray or medications are damaged in the hold.

 Atrial fibrillation (AF)

What is it? A particular type of SVT. Attacks can last from seconds to days and can become permanent. Up to aged 65, there is a 1% chance of developing AF, over age 75, it is 10%.

Causes? AF often occurs in those with high blood pressure, when the heart muscle in the left atrium begins to stretch, causing abnormal impulses to be sent out.

Symptoms? May be asymptomatic but could include palpitations or shortness of breath

Complications? Can cause clots which could cause a stroke

Treatment? In an otherwise healthy patient, aspirin is normally used. Those in high risk groups, such as the elderly or diabetics – are prescribed warfarin

Travel Destinations? Prepare your trip well in advance by checking out your accommodation. For example, avoid staying at a hotel situated at the top of a steep hill, miles away from the nearest town. It may not be advisable to travel to countries which have extremely cold conditions as this may affect the heart by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure, and the risk of developing clots. If you intend travelling to high altitudes, you should check with a medical professional that you are fit to travel.

 Ventricular arrhythmias

 Ventricular tachycardia (VF)

What is it? Rarer than SVT, it is a fast heartbeat originating from within the ventricles,  where the electrical impulses are firing too quickly to empty blood from the heart

Causes? Include scarring of the heart muscle following a heart attack; hereditary; viruses or alcohol abuse

Symptoms? Dizziness, palpitation, shortness of breath, collapse and loss of palpable pulse

Complications? VT can become ventricular fibrillation (when blood stops pumping into the arteries) and asystole (when there is no cardiac electrical activity) and cause sudden death

Treatments? Any underlying condition such as heart disease will need to be treated. For the symptoms, beta blocker medication

Travel Activities? If you have arrhythmia, there is a risk of losing consciousness if you go diving. Therefore, you will need to visit your doctor to see if you are fit to dive

 Heart disease can cause problems whilst on holiday, however if you choose your destination and plan your itinerary with care this should help to minimize any potential risks, and make sure that you enjoy your holiday!

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Posted in Travelling with a heart condition, Travelling with Medical Conditions | 8 Comments »