Is Sugar Bad for Your Heart?

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Health Hub from Cleveland Clinic

Tiramisu, chocolate mousse, crème brulee. Desserts are your jam. (Ooh! Jam!) Unfortunately, all those sweets may not be doing wonders for your heart.

“Excess sugar can increase the risk of heart disease, both directly and indirectly,” says registered dietitian Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, who specializes in preventive cardiology nutrition.

Here’s what to know about how sugar affects your heart and arteries and how to embrace a less-sweet diet.

Negative effects of sugar: obesity  

Sugar is delicious, but a little goes a long way — especially when it comes to your health. Research shows that people who eat a lot of added sugars are at greater risk of dying from heart disease compared to people whose diets aren’t so sweet. 

Sugar affects the heart in several ways. Among the most obvious is weight gain. “A diet high in sugar can contribute to obesity. And obesity drives up the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol — all of which can increase the risk of developing heart disease,” Patton explains.

Weight isn’t the whole story, though. “A high-sugar diet is bad for you no matter what you weigh,” Patton says. “If you eat a lot of sweets and processed foods, you’re probably not getting enough of the good stuff, like the fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are part of a heart-healthy diet.” 

Sugar and your heart  

Sugar may also act on your heart and arteries directly. Research suggests that diets high in sugar affect your heart in several ways:

  • Triglycerides: When you overeat, your body stores extra calories as a type of fat called triglycerides. Sugary diets can increase triglycerides in your body. And having high levels of triglycerides raises the risk of heart disease.

  • LDL cholesterol: Weight gain connected to diets high in sugar can lead to higher levels of LDL cholesterol. LDL — commonly called “bad cholesterol” — causes artery-clogging plaque that can damage blood vessels and your heart.

  • Blood pressure: Obesity tied to sugar-laden diets may contribute to high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

  • Inflammation: Sugar can cause inflammation throughout your body. A sugar-rich diet can lead to chronic inflammation, which can stress your heart and blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Added sugar: How much is too much?  

Not all sugars are created equal. Natural sugars, found in foods like milk and fruit, can be part of a healthy diet. What you want to watch for are added sugars.

Added sugars include the white table sugar, honey or maple syrup you stir into your coffee or drizzle on pancakes. Added sugars are also common ingredients in processed foods. You find them in sweet treats like soda, sweetened yogurt, cookies and ice cream.

But added sugar is also hiding in places you might not expect it, like canned soups or hamburger buns. “Foods like bread can have a lot of added sugar, even though you might not taste it,” Patton says.

That makes it easy to eat too much added sugar without even realizing it. How much is too much? The American Heart Association recommends no more than:

  • 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women.

  • 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons) per day for men.

How to cut back on sugar  

Cutting back on sugar takes a little effort, but it’s easier than it used to be. “Nutrition labels are now required to show added sugars, so it’s easier than ever to keep track of the sugar in your diet,” Patton says.

She offers these tips if you’re trying to de-sweet your diet:

Do away with sugary drinks

Sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks and juices are a major source of added sugar. One can of soda can have more than the daily recommended limit. “The number one thing you should do to lower sugar intake: Don’t drink your sugar,” Patton says.

Learn the lingo

Added sugar goes by lots of names. If you’re reading ingredient lists, beware of sugar aliases such as:

  • Agave nectar.

  • Barley malt.

  • Cane juice or cane syrup.

  • Corn syrup.

  • Dextrose, fructose, maltose or sucrose.

  • Honey.

  • Molasses.

  • Rice syrup.

Make smart swaps

If you’re craving sweet, try using natural sweeteners in place of added sugar. Stir fruit into plain yogurt instead of buying the fruit-on-the-bottom kind. Add berries to your oatmeal instead of brown sugar. “Those substitutions can really add up to make a difference,” she says.

The thought of giving up the sweet stuff might make you bitter. But if you cut back gradually, you’ll tame your sweet tooth. Eventually, you won’t even miss it.

“You don’t have to avoid sugar completely, but moderation is key,” Patton says. “Cutting back and finding healthy substitutes is good for your heart and your overall health.”

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ClevelandClinic/HealthHub/~3/fiRANHTQXpg/

Covid Update

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US is seeing a drop in Covid-19 cases and deaths.  As of May 10th, the US has noted a total of 579,945 deaths attributed to Covid-19. But the 7-day moving average of daily deaths has fallen from 3095 on January 20th to only 608 this week.  If vaccinations remain high and simple mitigation measures —wearing masks and maintaining social distance when appropriate, and washing hands—are used, then this number should continue to rapidly decline.  

During a recent White House Press briefing, CDC Director Dr. Rachel Walensky said that these projections tell Americans, “We have a path out of this.”  Walensky continued, “Although we are seeing progress in terms of decreased cases, hospitalizations and deaths, variants (new forms of Covid-19 with slightly different genetic makeups) are a wild card that could reverse the progress we have made.”

The main three current variants include B.1.1.7 (UK Variant) 60%, B.1.526 (Brazil Variant) 9% and P.1 (Brazil Variant) 5%.  While all three variants pose higher risks of contagion and severity of disease, Walensky stated, “We are seeing that our current vaccines are protecting against the contaminant variants in the country.  Simply put, the sooner more and more people get vaccinated, the sooner we will all get back to normal.” 

This week the CDC issued emergency use authorization approval of the Pfizer vaccine for youths age 12-15, which should extend immunity to millions more Americans and help achieve herd immunity.  Herd immunity will be reached when 80% of the population are vaccinated or immune due to recovering from the disease, at which time the likelihood of the unvaccinated catching the disease becomes very low.  Currently nearly 60% of adults have received at least 1 vaccine dose and approximately 44% have been fully vaccinated.   By adding this new group of youths, and continuing to vaccinate more adults,  the US will get closer to herd immunity and also help control the development of new and possibly more dangerous variants.

For more information, visit these links:

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/cdc-projects-a-surge-in-us-covid-cases-through-may-due-to-bpoint1point1point7-variant-before-a-sharp-decline-.html


https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/05/health/cdc-model-covid-19-cases-study/index.html



Hold your Head Up High

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Good posture is essential in preventing spinal misalignment.  When a person maintains good posture their head aligns vertically with the spine.  

Forward head position (FHP) occurs when a person leans their head forward, out of neutral alignment with the spine.  People may shift their posture when using cell phones, computers and other electronic devices and are then at risk of developing FHP.  Those with FHP also tend to lean their head back in order to look forward.

A 2014 study found that FHP puts increasing amounts of pressure on the spine.  The head weighs 10-14 pounds, and in the neutral, well-aligned position it exerts the same amount of pressure on the spine.  At 15 degrees forward lean, the pressure is 27 pounds, at 30 degrees, 40 pounds, and at 60 degrees, 60 pounds.

This extra pressure causes increased neck strain and pressure, often leading to neck pain and stiffness, tender neck trigger points, headaches and even tension in the jaw muscles (known as temporomandibular joint syndrome or TMJ).  FHP can cause rounded shoulders and upper back, which in turn can interfere with normal breathing.

A 2012 study found that FHP resulting from extended computer use can cause balance issues.  According to Donovan Almond, diplomate of the American College of Sports Medicine and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, “The most common scenario I see with the elderly not doing regular resistance training (which increases muscle strength by making your muscles work against a weight or force) is that they fall.”  Often, he says, persons who have fallen change their posture and begin to look down when walking, contributing to FHP and diminished balance.  He says, “Looking down (while walking) is probably the worst thing you can do.”

Persons at risk of and with FHP can practice sitting upright and consciously keeping their neck in a neutral spine position, with their head directly above their shoulders.  Those with FHP can also incorporate exercising and strengthening into their daily routine to help loosen stiff neck muscles and joints.  Use this link  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/forward-head-posture  for examples.  Some require physical therapy.

Can FHP be prevented?  Concentrating on maintaining proper posture helps.  

Ways to do this when sitting include:

  • Adjusting the chair to support the lower back

  • Ensuring that the knees are a bit lower than the hips

  • Placing the foot flat upon the floor

  • Positioning the screen at eye level

  • Ensuring the keyboard is straight out in front, leaving a space of 4-6 inches on the desk to rest the wrists

  • Keeping the mouse nearby and using a mouse mat with a wrist pad

  • Ensuring that objects are within easy reach

  • Taking regular breaks

  • Avoid cradling phone between the ear and neck

Performing daily strengthening exercises and holding the head upright are the best ways to help prevent FHP while walking.

Contact your doctor if you experience continued neck pain and stiffness.

Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

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Updated Mar. 8, 2021

Key Points

This is the first set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people. This guidance will be updated and expanded based on the level of community spread of SARS-CoV-2, the proportion of the population that is fully vaccinated, and the rapidly evolving science on COVID-19 vaccines.

For the purposes of this guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen ).†

The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings. For related information for healthcare settings, visit Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination.

Fully vaccinated people can:

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing

  • Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing

  • Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

  • Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing

  • Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease

  • Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households

  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings

  • Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms

  • Follow guidance issued by individual employers

  • Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

    Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html for full guidelines.

Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Approved

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On February 28, 2021, the CDC approved the third vaccine for use against Covid-19.  This vaccine, widely known as the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine, is being produced by Jansen Biotech.

Unlike the previously released Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the J&J vaccine requires only a single dose and can be safely stored using routine refrigeration for several months.  The J&J vaccine relies upon more traditional technology than the first two vaccines, using a harmless viral vector to deliver a piece of DNA of the signature spike protein of Covid-19 that then triggers an immune response.

All three authorized Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective against disease, hospitalization and death.  The J&J vaccine trial in the United States found the vaccine to be 75% effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical Covid-19 within the first 30 days after infection, with side effects similar to or even less than the other vaccines.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has expressed concern about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was developed, tested and is produced from an abortion-derived cell line.  These cells, which are grown from the original cells obtained years ago, have been used for a variety of biomedical research projects.  No additional abortions were needed to produce the vaccine.  For some this may be a reason to choose another vaccine option.

Recent evidence suggests that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may be less effective against the spreading South African variant but all three vaccines appear to be effective against the equally-concerning Brazilian variant.  

The CDC, however, strongly recommends that patients receive whichever vaccine is available to them.  The sooner we reach herd immunity the better, both for individuals who do not become infected and to help prevent the development of new strains of Covid-19 that may be more contagious and/or more deadly. 

For more information, check these links:

https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/542182-new-study-warns-pfizer-and-moderna-covid-19  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/09/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/  

THE MDVIP GUIDE TO EXERCISE AND HEART DISEASE

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Exercise is key to good heart health. It reduces your risk of dying from heart disease or having a non-fatal heart attack or stroke, and it lowers your chances of needing procedures like heart bypass.

Regular exercise also lowers your  blood pressure, and it can boost levels of your good cholesterol.

But if you’re sitting too much and not exercising enough, your risk for heart disease sky rockets.

Adults who sit for long periods of time have 1.5 times greater risk for heart attack or stroke and a 90 percent greater chance of death from heart disease. But here’s the good news:

Every little bit — from gardening to yoga to walking to running to lifting weights — helps lower your risk for heart attack and stroke. The more you challenge yourself (within reason), the more it can help your heart.

In this exercise guide blog series, we’ll take you through three exercise types that can help you protect your heart:

• Endurance, the kind that gets your heart pumping;

• Strength, the kind that builds and maintains muscles; and

• Flexibility and balance, the kind that helps with range of motion and injury prevention.

Before starting any exercise program, talk to your MDVIP-affiliated physician. Then use this guide along with the heart-healthy exercise programs available on MDVIP Connect to get moving and keep moving.

Exercise is key to lowering your risk of heart disease so you can Be Strong-Hearted.