Stress -- you can’t escape it. And it can wreak havoc on blood pressure. Exercise, meditation and hobbies are common, effective stress busters. So is having a social support system of friends and relatives. But if they’re not available, having your significant other present – even if it’s only in your mind – can help keep blood pressure controlled, according to a small study published in Psychophysiology. 

You’re probably aware of the toll everyday stress takes on your health. Headaches, weight gain, insomnia – the list goes on and on. But you may not realize how stress affects your oral health. People with greater levels of perceived stress report poorer oral health, according to a study published in BMC Oral Health. And poor oral health raises the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

It has become clear to me, after more than 35 years of medical practice, that the traditional approach to cardiovascular disease is missing the boat. Just look at these dismal statistics:

Alan Reisinger, MD, Baltimore, MD:
There are some unfortunately well entrenched myths about heart disease.

Myth 1: Cholesterol numbers are the best indicator of heart disease.

This easy-to-make chocolate cake is dark, moist, rich—and only dirties one bowl! Not quite as easy as boxed cake mixes, but those often contain trans fats. Our simple "from scratch" recipe gives you a home-baked cake with healthful canola oil and whole-wheat flour.

Ingredients

Almost half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions, yet only a small percent actually achieves them. In fact, about 80 percent of resolutions fall by the wayside by February. 

Why do so many people give up? Some experts chalk it up to a lack of motivation. Remedies include setting up a weekly mini-goals and giving yourself rewards  each time you reach a goal. You can also strengthen your willpower.

Exercising, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, managing weight, controlling stress and avoiding tobacco can help prevent heart attacks and strokes. But sometimes genetics trump even the healthiest of lifestyles. You can do everything right and still be diagnosed with coronary artery disease a condition that significantly raises your risk for it, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes.

This yellow split pea soup has fresh ginger to give it a bright flavor. Use the best ham you can find to get the most flavor.
 

Ingredients

    3 cups yellow split peas, (about 1 1/2 pounds)

    4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

    4 cups water

    2 cups diced yellow onion

    1 cup diced carrot

    1 cup finely diced celery

    8 ounces ham, trimmed and diced

    1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

    1 teaspoon dried marjoram

    Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It’s highly involved in developing sexual characteristics, regulating fertility, building muscle mass, distributing fat and driving libido. But it’s also an important hormone for women – it helps make estrogen, contributes to the growth, maintenance and repair of female reproduction tissue, drives libido and influences follicle stimulating hormone (more commonly known as FSH), an important hormone for reproduction in both genders. Testosterone also produces red blood cells in both men and women.