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Diabetes Archive
Articles
Updated exercise guidelines showcase the benefits to your heart and beyond
Every little bit of activity counts — and the first steps toward fitness have the most impact.
Image source: hhs.gov
Without question, being physically active is the best thing you can do for your heart health. Here's the good news: according to new federal exercise guidelines, even just a few minutes of moving can count toward the recommended aerobic exercise goal of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.
"Studies show that the total amount of energy expended is what's important for health, not whether it comes in short or long bouts," says Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies the role of physical activity in disease prevention. "This certainly is an encouraging message for people who are inactive," she adds, noting that the previous guidelines recommended exercising in sessions lasting at least 10 minutes.
Prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acids to prevent heart disease?
A drug made from a highly purified fat from fish reduced cardiovascular events in people with heart disease or diabetes.
Image: © ksbank/Getty Images
Some people at high risk for a heart attack or stroke now have a new option to help them dodge those dangerous events: a prescription drug that contains large doses of EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil.
In a recent study, the drug, icosapent ethyl (Vascepa), led to dramatic drops in heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from cardiovascular disease in people with high triglycerides (see "What is the REDUCE-IT trial?"). Triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, have been getting more attention of late for their role in heart disease.
Recent Blog Articles
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Concussion in children: What to know and do
What color is your tongue? What's healthy, what's not?
Your amazing parathyroid glands
When — and how — should you be screened for colon cancer?
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