FATS IN YOUR BLOOD A MAJOR THREAT TO YOUR HEALTH

-

 

FATS IN YOUR BLOOD A MAJOR THREAT TO YOUR HEALTH

THE REMEDY REQUIRES MORE THAN MEDICINES





    Here's a sobering reality about strokes: they don't always travel alone. New research reveals that stroke survivors might be playing with loaded dice when it comes to their future health, and it all comes down to fat in their blood.

Scientists at Tokyo Women's Medical University recently uncovered something fascinating about triglycerides – those pesky blood fats we hear about during check-ups. If you've had a specific type of stroke (the atherothrombotic kind, where blood clots form from built-up plaque), high triglycerides might be like a ticking time bomb. Even if you're taking statins – those trusted cholesterol-lowering drugs – elevated triglyceride levels could still spell trouble.

The numbers tell a compelling story. In a study of 870 stroke survivors (average age 70), those with high triglycerides faced a 21% risk of another cardiovascular event within a year. Compare that to just 10% for those with lower levels. When you zoom in on repeat strokes specifically, 16% of people with high triglycerides had another stroke versus 12% of those with normal levels. The difference becomes even more dramatic with heart conditions – 8% versus less than 1%.

But here's the silver lining: you don't need an expensive prescription to fight back. While statins remain valuable allies, Dr. Takao Hoshino, who led the study, points out that some of our best weapons against high triglycerides are free. Simple lifestyle changes – like tweaking your diet, lacing up those running shoes, or adding some omega-3s to your routine – could make all the difference.

Interestingly, this triglyceride connection only appeared in atherothrombotic strokes, not cardioembolic strokes (which are caused by different mechanisms). This is a reminder that one size doesn't fit all regarding strokes.

Before you panic about your last triglyceride test, remember that this study, published in Neurology®, shows correlation, not causation. The researchers only looked at fasting triglyceride levels, so there's still more to learn. But one thing's clear: for stroke survivors, keeping those triglyceride levels in check might be more important than we thought.

Think of it this way: if triglycerides are like unwanted guests in your bloodstream, you have multiple ways to show them the door. Whether through meditation, mindful eating, or movement, you're not powerless in this fight. And while the study doesn't guarantee that lowering triglycerides will prevent future problems, it suggests it's worth the effort.









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Learn How the NEW Nutrition Facts Label Can Help You Improve Your Health

-
Image
  Learn How the NEW Nutrition Facts Label Can Help You Improve Your Health The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new regulations changing the  Nutrition Facts  label external  icon  on packaged foods. This is the first major change to the label since it was introduced in 1994. The changes are based on updated science, the most  recent dietary  recommendations, external  icon , and public input. Using the new label can help you choose foods for a healthy diet. The label will be required on all packaged foods made in the United States and imported from other countries. The new label is already appearing on packages. Most items will have the new label by January 1, 2021. What is changing? Calories & Fat Larger, darker letters make calories the easiest item to see on the new label. When it comes to health outcomes, the type of fat you eat matters more than the overall amount of fat. For this reason, the label will no longer show the per...
Read more

WHAT PERSONALITY TRAITS IMPACT YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL?

-
Image
  YOUR PERSONALITY IMPACTS YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL A study conducted at the Gerontology Research Centre and the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä observed associations of personality traits with physical activity and sedentary behavior . Individuals characterized by high conscientiousness and extraversion are likelier to accumulate more extended periods of physical activity and sedentary behavior. In contrast, individuals with higher neuroticism scores tend to interrupt their sedentary behavior more often. Your personality might influence how you move throughout the day, not how you think. A fascinating study from Finland's University of Jyväskylä has uncovered some surprising connections between who we are and how we move. Think of the friend who can't sit still and is constantly fidgeting or who goes for long, scheduled runs. These behaviors might be tied to personality traits. The researchers tracked the same people aged 33, 42, 50, and 61, exam...
Read more

FDA Approves Generic GLP-1 Medicine For Diabetes Treatment

-
Image
  FDA Approves Generic GLP-1 Medicine For Diabetes Treatment Big news for anyone wrestling with Type 2 diabetes: the FDA just gave the green light to a cheaper version of a popular diabetes drug. Think of it as the store-brand equivalent of Victoza – the same active ingredient (liraglutide), but likely easier on your wallet. If you've been following the Ozempic craze, you might recognize the family resemblance. Liraglutide is a cousin to semaglutide, the superstar ingredient in Ozempic. While everyone's been talking about these drugs for weight loss, their original purpose was helping people manage diabetes. The timing couldn't be better. With Ozempic and similar drugs flying off the shelves faster than hotcakes, this new generic version could help keep supplies steady. It's a big deal considering more than 38 million Americans are living with Type 2 diabetes – that's more people than the entire population of Canada. Here's how it works: Type 2 diabetes occurs w...
Read more