Supplementing with fish oil is now linked with lowering your risk of cardiac death, according to a recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. It’s only a moderate eight percent reduction, but I’ll take it.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and even try to get them into your diet. But not all omega-3 fatty acids are created equal.

Omega-3 fatty acids are divided into three categories – alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapetaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). 

The MIND diet, created by researchers at Rush University Medical Center, seems to forestall Alzheimer’s disease, boost brain health and slow cognitive decline in stroke survivors, according to a previous study.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. This is nothing new – heart disease has been identified as a major public health problem for the past 80 years. 

What is new is how we’re trying to prevent it. Since about half heart attacks in the United States occur in people with normal cholesterol levels, we’re focusing on more than just cholesterol levels — we’re also looking at inflammation, particularly since it’s involved in all the stages of heart disease development. 

Plant-based diets are credited with preventing, treating and even reversing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. For a dedicated omnivore, plant-based proteins probably don’t sound very appealing. Who wants to swap a T-bone steak for a mushroom-lentil loaf? 

High doses of vitamin D may quickly ease arterial stiffness in certain overweight, vitamin-deficient populations, according to a recent study conducted by the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Arterial stiffness can in crease your risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia and renal disease.

But this doesn’t necessarily mean you should begin taking a vitamin D supplement to lower your cardiovascular disease risk. 

Every so often I have a new patient and need to scour their medical record to prepare for their appointment. In all the years I’ve been practicing, I often notice that records are missing appropriate testing to assess risk of a heart attack. This also includes records from cardiology offices.

I realize it’s already February, but I have a resolution for you. Focus less on your cholesterol numbers. Make 2018 the year you switched your attention to your insulin level, inflammation level and LDL (bad cholesterol) particle number.

You may know that inflammation is an important aspect of health, but if you’re like most people, you don’t know exactly why. That’s understandable. Inflammation is a complex process. 

Sometimes inflammation is a good thing, like when you cut yourself shaving. Your body sends cells to the source of the injury to clot blood and attack foreign substances. 

You know too much sugar and artificial sweeteners are bad for you. Here are some tips to help you reduce their role on your diet:

Sugar is toxic. No, it won’t kill in seconds like cyanide does, but it does kill—in a slow, insidious manner. Sugar is linked to a wide variety of conditions, including heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.