Truth About Cholesterol in Women
By Valerie Beard, MD Riverview Health Physicians Good cholesterol. Bad cholesterol. What number should be high? Which one should be low? If you’re not quite sure, you’re not alone. Cholesterol is a lipid, or fat. Your liver produces roughly 75 percent of your cholesterol—only 25 percent comes from your diet. Nearly 20 percent of American […]
Quantity vs. Quality While Eating Healthier
By Brittany Wonnell, RD, CHWC Often at the beginning of the year, we begin new resolutions that can include changing the way we eat. When thinking about defining which foods are “healthy” or “unhealthy,” it’s important to understand not just the quality of your food but also the quantity you’re eating. You can gain weight […]
3 Easy Steps to Find Your Target Heart Rate Range
By Ryan Lawson, Exercise Specialist We’re all familiar with the phrase “use it or lose it,” and it perfectly applies to our body and muscles. Muscles are made to be used, and if they’re neglected it’s our health and quality of life that suffers. Cardiovascular exercise is defined as any activity that increases your heart […]
What You Never Knew About How Stress Affects Your Heart
By J. Mario Pyles, MD, FACC A racing heartbeat, a pit in your stomach, a pounding in your ears—all of these are familiar symptoms of increased heart rate caused by a moment of extreme mental stress. Most people have probably experienced this, because mental stress is a normal part of life. However, long-term mental stress […]
Carbohydrates: Friend not Foe
By Katie Boscia, MS, RD, IBCLC, CDE Everyone can benefit from a carbohydrate-conscious diet, not just people living with diabetes. When people are first diagnosed with diabetes, they sometimes cut carbohydrates, or carbs, completely from their diet. This is unfortunately not the way to go. Any extreme diet restriction that’s not medically necessary can deprive […]
Healthy Exercise Habits for People with Diabetes
By Ryan Lawson, Exercise Specialist Exercise has been shown to be an excellent way to regulate and/or help manage diabetes. There are two types of exercise recommended to help control diabetes: aerobic exercise and strength training. Aerobic exercise is defined as any sustained exercise such as jogging, rowing, swimming or cycling that stimulates and strengthens the […]
COPD Treatment: Managing a Progressive Disease with Proactive Therapy
By Jennifer Carr, BSN, MA If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’re not alone. COPD affects more than 15 million Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COPD is a term for a group of conditions that causes breathing problems which include but […]
Setting Your Child Up for a Healthy Heart
By Emily Ruden, MD Cardiologist at Riverview Health There’s no doubt that getting your kids to eat healthy can be a challenge. But setting a good example from a young age can not only shape their eating habits for later in life, but it can set them up for excellent heart health as an adult. […]
Support Your Heart with Weight Training
By Ryan Lawson, Exercise Specialist When we think of heart health, often times we picture eating better and including regular cardiovascular exercise into our daily routine. Did you know research has shown that, when appropriately prescribed and supervised, resistance training has positive effects on your muscles, as well as cardiovascular function, metabolism, coronary risk factors […]
Supporting Tobacco Users Who are Trying to Quit
By Mindi Matthews, Director of Health & Wellness If you know someone who’s trying to quit using tobacco, you have an important job as a support system. Here are some tips to help your friend or family member who is trying to quit: Do respect that the quitter is in charge. This is his or […]