20 Incredible Health Benefits of Coconut Wate

By Carly Fraser - May 18, 2015

Coconut water – it refreshes us, tastes incredible and is even good for you. Who knew that America’s latest health craze would actually hold up to these 3 important requirements of any health food product.

The health benefits of coconut water are endless. It helps replenish and revitalize the body, making it one of the best ways to rehydrate and refresh.

Make sure you are purchasing the right coconut water. Food Babe investigated a variety of coconut waters and suggests never buying these 9 brands: Naked Juice Coconut Water, O.N.E Coconut Water, Zico, CocoZona, Vita Coco, GOYA, C2O, Purity Organic, and Coco Libre (Organic).

Instead, buy fresh young thai coconuts from your local Asian store or grocery market, and crack them fresh! These guys won’t be brown on the outside, but instead white. Otherwise, you could also buy better coconut water brands, like my favourite by Taste Nirvana, which is an organic coconut water that contains no concentrates, additives, and contains water from coconuts that have been sustainably grown and harvested.

So, without further adieu, here are 20 incredible health benefits of coconut water!

1. Prevents Heart Attacks

Coconut water is full of heart-healthy minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and natural sodium. Research has shown that coconut water helps improve blood circulation, lowers elevated blood pressure and thus reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Cytokinins in coconut water (mentioned below), also help lower your risk for blood clots.

2. Lowers High Blood Pressure

The high amount of vitamin K and potassium in coconut water helps lower blood pressure, which consequently helps prevent heart attacks. One study found that 71% of people who drank coconut water experienced lower blood pressures!

3. Anti-Aging Effects

Coconut water is one of the best anti-aging super-drinks out there! Loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and cytokinins, coconut water is a must for anyone wanting to look younger and feel their best. Researchers suggest that consuming a diet rich in cytokinins (one of the richest sources being coconut water) will help you experience anti-aging effects, with a lower risk for age-related illnesses.

4. Nervous System Support

If you want to help treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, then coconut water might just be your new best friend. The water of young coconuts contain a cytokinin called trans-zeatin, which has been shown in recent studies to have the potential to treat neural diseases. One study found that trans-zeatin has an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase, which gives it potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Another study also found that trans-zeatin prevents amyloid β-protein formation, which has a causal role in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

5. Fights Free Radicals

Antioxidants in coconut water help quench free radicals by donating electrons, and reducing the effects of DNA damage that normally manifest as cancer or other chronic disease. Kinetin, another cytokinin in coconut water, also possesses strong anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.

6. Natural Diuretic

Coconut water is a natural diuretic, meaning that it flushes out excess sodium and can help reduce the symptoms of those suffering from hypertension. It is also good for getting rid of excess water weight (via excess sodium flushing), and will naturally help you shed some pounds and improve the look of your skin.

7. Kidney Support

Acting as a natural diuretic, coconut water helps flush out excess toxins and has even treated those suffering from kidney stones. Dr. Eugenio Macalalag, director of the urology department of the Chinese General Hospital in the Philippines discovered that patients who drank coconut water 2-3 times a week experienced significant kidney stone reduction, to the point of no longer requiring surgery for removal.

8. Improves Blood Cholesterol Levels

Dr. Bruce Fife, director of the Coconut Research Center advocates (and claims) that coconut water helps increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduces plaque formation, thus improving blood flow and protecting the heart.

9. Digestive Health

Drinking just 1 cup of coconut water a day can significantly help improve digestion. Coconut water contains a host of different enzymes that help with digestion and improve nutrient absorption. It also relieves constipation and feeds the friendly bacteria in our gut. Not only that, but the lauric acid content in coconut water converts to monolaurin, which prevents against intestinal worms, lipid-coated viruses and other gastrointestinal tract infections.

10. All-Natural Electrolyte

Coconut water is like natures own sports rehydration drink. It is a rich source of natural salts and electrolytes like potassium and magnesium that help replenish our cells and ease muscle strain. Ditch the gatorade, and choose coconut water instead!

11. Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation is something that affects almost every person on the planet – but it’s how you deal with it that’s key. Consuming plant-based foods that have an alkaline effect on the body like coconut water, will help reduce acidity levels and thus reduce the amount of aches and pains you may experience in your body. Coconut water contains vitamin B6, too, which is important in the prevention of inflammation.

12. Vitamins and Minerals

Who would have thought that a clear liquid could provide the body with so much nutrition? Coconut water contains the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It is also rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin K.

13. Hair Growth

Coconut water improves blood circulation, which means better blood flow to the scalp. This results in strengthened hair follicles, a moisturized scalp, less dandruff and a lower chance of developing scalp infections that could hinder hair growth. The vitamins, minerals and amino acids in coconut water will also improve hair quality like better shine, texture and cleanliness.

14. Cytokinins

Cytokinins in coconut water are like the plant version of cytokines for humans, making this one of the most important nutritional constituents in coconut water. Cytokinins are plant hormones (phytohormones) that have major anti-cancer, anti-thrombolytic, and anti-aging effects on human cells and tissues. They are involved in homeostatic regulation, growth and development, reproduction, healing and repair, immunity and blood clotting.

15. Balances Blood Sugar Levels

This refreshing drink contains a host of amino acids, like arginine, which helps moderate sugar absorption. Arginine also helps improve the sensitivity of insulin and in turn makes the transport of sugar from the bloodstream into cells an easier task.

16. Eye Support

If you suffer from glaucoma or cataracts, coconut water can help. Drinking coconut water has been found to significantly reduce fluid pressure in the eyes, with effects lasting up to 2.5 hours. Coconut water is also incredibly high in antioxidants, and so can help with the treatment of cataracts (caused by oxidation) when applied directly to the eye, and then covered with a warm washcloth for 10 minutes.

17. Immune System Support

Naturally supportive of the immune system, coconut water is something you should always have at hand. The water contains a host of vitamins and minerals, which help to boost the immune system, as well as lauric acid, which contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

18. Boosts Your Metabolism

Staying properly hydrated is one way to help boost your metabolism. If you aren’t drinking enough liquids, your body will enter a dehydrated state, which will then cause your metabolism to slow. Coconut water has also been found to boost the metabolism of fats – which is good news if you eat a high fat (and high cholesterol) diet.

19. Highly Alkalizing

The water of young coconuts contain naturally occurring electrolytes like potassium, calcium and magnesium, which replenish the body’s alkaline mineral reserve and help maintain proper pH balance in the body.

20. B Complex Vitamins

Coconut water is a great source of B vitamins, namely, B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (pantothenic acid), biotin, B2 (riboflavin), folic acid and trace amounts of B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine). B vitamins play an important role in energy production and aid a variety of enzymatic reactions needed for metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates. Without these vitamins, we wouldn’t be able to function properly.

Suggested Readings:
http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/14/12/5144
“Coconut Water For Health and Healing” by Dr. Bruce Fife

https://www.litalee.com/documents/Coconut%20Water%20Article.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1995764511600783

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Anemia and Your Heart

By Diana Rodriguez | Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Anemia, or a low hemoglobin level in the blood, is often linked to heart disease because the heart has to work harder to pump more blood and oxygen through the body.

Anemia is a blood condition in which the levels of hemoglobin (an essential protein that carries oxygen to your tissues and organs) are lower than normal. Anemia usually occurs when you don't have enough red blood cells — the cells that transport hemoglobin throughout your body. In other instances, the red blood themselves may simply contain too little hemoglobin.

How Anemia Affects Your Health

When someone is anemic, the body doesn't get the oxygen that it needs. If anemia is unrecognized and untreated, serious damage can occur in the organs. Symptoms of anemia include:

• Generalized weakness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty catching your breath
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Fast or abnormal heartbeat
• Feeling cold all the time, especially in the hands and feet
• Numbness in the hands and feet
• Pale appearance
• Irritable mood
• Problems concentrating or performing at your job or in class
• Frequent headaches or dizziness 

When anemia becomes severe, the heart has to pump harder and faster to compensate for the decreased oxygen levels in the body.

What Causes Anemia?

While there are different types of anemia, they all are due to the same underlying problems — insufficient red blood cells or lack of hemoglobin. Common causes of anemia include:

• Insufficient iron in the blood
• An inherited blood condition
• Lack of vitamins like B-12 and folate
• Another illness (like kidney disease or cancer)
• Rapid blood loss (due to recent surgery, heavy periods, or a bleeding ulcer) 

Different Types of Anemia

The five most common forms of anemia are:

• Iron-deficiency anemia. The most frequently diagnosed form of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is due to a lack of iron, which isIron is critical for the body's production of hemoglobin.
• Sickle cell anemia. This is an inherited condition in which red blood cells are misshapen, or "sickle" shaped. The abnormal shape of the red blood cells causes them to be more fragile and less effective at delivering oxygen to the tissues.
• Thalassemia. A genetic disorder that runs in families. In thalassemia, the body doesn't make enough red blood cells or hemoglobin.
• Megaloblastic anemia. Megaloblastic red blood cells are produced when the body doesn't get enough vitamin B12 or folate. These red blood cells are bigger than normal cells, but do not transport hemoglobin as efficiently.
• Hemolytic anemia. In this condition, red blood cells are rapidly removed from the bloodstream. Infections, medications, and diseases of the immune system can all lead to this type of anemia. Hemolytic anemia can also occur after blood transfusions. 

Are You At Risk for Anemia?

A number of risk factors increase the likelihood of developing anemia, including:

• Family history of anemia or other blood disorders
• Poor diet
• Loss of blood following surgery or injury, or blood loss from heavy menstruation
• Chronic illness, including diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid problems, and kidney disease 

Anemia‘s Impact on Heart Health

The link between anemia and heart disease is clear: Up to 48 percent of people who have had heart failure are anemic. And of people hospitalized for a heart attack, 43 percent were found to have anemia. People who are anemic are at a 41-percent greater risk of having a heart attack or needing procedures to treat heart disease as compared to those without anemia.

When left untreated, anemia takes a toll on the body — particularly the heart — because oxygen levels are chronically diminished. People who already have heart disease may actually worsen their condition if they also develop anemia because decreased oxygen places added strain on the heart.

Diagnosing, Treating, and Preventing Anemia

Several simple blood tests can be used to diagnose anemia. Your doctor will perform a complete blood count (CBC) to determine how much hemoglobin there is in your blood. A CBC is also useful because it shows whether your other blood cell levels (white blood cells and platelets) are low. This information can help your doctor identify the source of your anemia. Iron, vitamin B12, and folate levels are also usually checked in the process of diagnosing anemia.

If your doctor thinks that you might have an inherited form of anemia, a special test called hemoglobin electrophoresis may also be performed. This test reveals the specific types of hemoglobin in your blood and can help diagnose conditions such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.

After anemia is diagnosed, treatment usually begins with dietary changes, vitamin supplements (including iron, vitamin B12, and folate), and medications designed to increase red blood cell production. In some cases, procedures like a blood transfusion or bone marrow transplant may also be considered.

It's sometimes possible to prevent anemia, particularly the forms that are caused by vitamin deficiencies. Here are some tips to help decrease your risk of anemia:

• Eat foods rich in iron like spinach, lean red meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereal and bread, liver, oysters, tofu, fish, and dried fruit.
• Get lots of vitamin C to help your body absorb iron more effectively.
• Skip coffee and tea with your meals since they can interfere with iron absorption. 

Finally, if you experience symptoms of anemia or have risk factors for anemia, talk to your doctor about getting regular screening tests to check your hemoglobin and red blood cell count. Early diagnosis and prevention of anemia will not only help you feel better faster, but it will also improve your heart health.

Quick Tips to Boost Metabolism

By Regina Boyle Wheeler Reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD   

A sluggish metabolism can thwart even the best attempts at weight loss. Find out how to increase metabolism to burn calories and slim down.

Sometimes life just doesn’t seem fair. Your best friend feasts on whatever she wants and never gains a pound, while you suffer through carrots and celery and still can’t lose an ounce. Could your metabolism be to blame? It’s possible. Although genetics play a role in how your metabolism runs, you do have some power to increase metabolism and help burn calories more quickly.

Metabolism is a chemical process that converts your body’s fuel (calories) into energy. It’s involved in everything your body does, from breathing to moving and thinking. If your metabolism runs fast, it’s like a furnace quickly burning through fuel. If it runs slowly, it’s more like a smoldering fire using up your fuel supply gradually.

A slow metabolism is actually a very efficient one, says Michael Zemel, PhD, professor emeritus and former director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He explains that our ancestors were hunter-gatherers who often didn’t know when their next meal would come. Their bodies held onto calories as a matter of survival. And because only the fittest people lived to pass along their genes, modern humans probably evolved from those with slower metabolisms.

Fast forward to you: Here’s how to boost metabolism for better weight management.

Build Muscle to boost Metobolism

Lean muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you're at rest, says Dr. Zemel. So increasing your muscle mass will help increase metabolism and burn calories more quickly. This is especially important as you move into middle age, a time when metabolism naturally slows down and you risk a loss of muscle mass. The answer is to add weight training to your workout routine. Zemel says this can be as easy as working out with resistance bands while standing in front of the TV.

Get Some Shut-Eye to Increase Metabolism

Sleep deprivation or having an erratic sleep schedule can contribute to a sluggish metabolism, says Zemel. Inadequate sleep also puts you at risk for metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, he adds. According to a study from the University of Chicago, even a few nights of poor sleep can do damage. Researchers say that healthy study participants who got only four hours of sleep for four nights became more resistant to insulin — and insulin resistance is a common precursor to developing diabetes.

Boost Metabolism by Spreading Out Your Meals

Rethinking how you eat can help with better weight management. If you eat cereal and yogurt for breakfast, have the cereal but save the yogurt for a mid-morning snack. At lunch, save part of your meal to eat in the middle of the afternoon. Zemel notes that spreading out meals can have a positive effect on metabolism and blood sugar levels.

Get Off Your Duff to Burn Calories

Zemel says that long periods of inactivity can contribute to a sluggish metabolism and bigger health problems. British researchers analyzed results from 18 studies that looked at inactivity and the risk for disease. They found that the most sedentary people have a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease and an even bigger risk for diabetes.

At the office, don’t spend hours at a time sitting at your desk — get up and move around, says Zemel. Look for opportunities like walking over to a colleague’s office and having a conversation instead of sending an e-mail. Or consider walking around your office while talking on the phone. While watching TV at home, you can get up during commercial breaks to tidy the house or just move around.

Don’t Try a Starvation Diet to Lose Weight

A very low-calorie diet or skipping meals to lose weight can backfire. “Your body will fight you and slow down your metabolism,” says Zemel. It’s possible to lose 30 pounds on a low-calorie diet, but it takes fewer calories to maintain your body weight after a prolonged dip in calories — and most people gain back that weight and then, when they try to take it off again, it’s harder.

Have Your Thyroid Checked

If your weight gain is sudden, it may be due to hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid gland. This is a common condition, especially in women older than 50. When the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones, body functions, including metabolism, slow down. One of the biggest symptoms of hypothyroidism is unexplained weight gain. Simple blood tests can detect an underactive thyroid. There is no cure, but treatment using synthetic thyroid hormones is very effective.

 Beware of Metabolism-Boosting Hype

Although spicy food is often touted as a metabolism booster, the effects may be exaggerated. One study in the European Journal of Nutrition did find that people who added capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili and other peppers that makes them hot) to their breakfast food felt more satisfied and ate less the rest of the day. Green tea and caffeine are other examples of dietary factors that can give a minimal boost to metabolism, Zemel says. Just remember that it’s fitness — not food — that can definitely help you burn more calories

Good Fats, Bad Fats

Good Fats, Bad Fats

By Eleanor Roberts, PhD | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

One type of fat protects your heart, the other puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease. It's wise to know the difference.

The body needs certain healthy fats to construct cell membranes, insulate nerves, and ensure that many vitamins — D and K, for example — work the way they should.

But not all fats are good for you. Some, in the wrong amounts, can seriously damage your health.

Are you doing everything you can to manage your heart condition? Find out with our interactive checkup.

Types of Healthy Fats

 Dietary fats fall into three categories:

  Saturated fats. Animals are the primary source of saturated fats, with high levels found in beef and full-fat dairy products and medium levels in poultry and eggs. Some vegetable oils, such as palm oil, also contain a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fats are necessary for the body — but in small amounts. Less than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fats, preferably from lean poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. For people who consume 2,000 calories per day, only 20 grams at most should come from saturated fat.

Unsaturated fats. These good fats are what you should eat the most of as part of a heart-healthy diet. There are two types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil have high concentrations of monounsaturated fats. Fish, flax seeds, flaxseed oils, corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil contain polyunsaturated fats.


Omega-3 fatty acids — found in some types of fish like salmon and herring, and in plant products, such as soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flaxseed — are a type of polyunsaturated fat that are thought to be particularly good for the heart.

   

 

 Trans fats. These are the fats you may want most but shouldn’t have. Most unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. To make them solid, food manufacturers add extra hydrogen, making it a “hydrogenated,” 

    or trans, fat. The highest levels of trans fats are found in baked goods, animal products, and margarine.

Effects of Non-Healthy Fat

Eating a meal high in saturated fats — lots of steak, with potato salad loaded with eggs and mayo — creates the following reaction in the body:

•  Triglyceride (made from excess calories and stored in fat cells) levels go up. High triglyceride levels increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems. [8,9]
•  Blood vessels narrow.
• Blood pressure goes up 
• LDL levels increase.

 And even though trans fats come from vegetable sources, they can cause more heart problems than saturated and unsaturated fats. For this reason many food manufacturing companies and restaurants are no longer using trans fats, and most food labels state their trans fat content.

Good Effects of Fats

Replacing some saturated fat from animal sources with healthy fat from plant sources can reduce LDL and triglyceride levels and your risk of cardiovascular disease.

One study found that replacing harmful carbohydrates — found in processed foods like white rice, white bread, and so on — with foods such as nuts and fatty fish, decreases LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels and increases those of HDL (“good cholesterol”). The researchers also found that eating foods rich in good fat:

•              Lowered blood pressure
•              Reduced heart risk
•      Improved lipid level

If you’re smart, you’ll opt for unsaturated fats every time.

A Word About Fish

 Fish is a heart-healthy source of dietary protein that is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. It is especially important that postmenopausal women and middle-aged and older men eat the recommended amounts of fish and shellfish (up to 12 ounces per week) to reduce cardiovascular disease risks, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA cautions that some fish types may be high in environmental pollutants such as mercury and therefore recommends that children and pregnant women avoid fish types that are thought to have the highest mercury levels (for example, king makerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish). The AHA also recommends varying the kinds of fish you eat to minimize effects of these environmental contaminants.

The bottom line is that you need healthy fat in your diet, in limited amounts. And it does matter what kind of fat you eat. For cardiovascular health, limit your intake of saturated fat, avoid trans fat, and make sure most of the fat you eat is good fat from fish, nuts, and healthy oils.

Lose Weight and You May Reverse Your Heart Disease

Lose Weight and You May Reverse Your Heart Disease

By T. Jared Bunch, MD

Published Mar 17, 2015

For heart disease prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, weight loss efforts count, but endurance wins.

A number of years ago I cared for a retired football player. He was a college star and a fringe player professionally. His once fit body had succumbed to the consequences of many jaw-dropping hits as he attempted to catch passes over the middle of the football field. Since retirement, his activity levels had plummeted, and he became overweight and developed heart disease. Some of this change was due to chronic pain. However, a lot of it was due to a transition in life that led to less activity and weight gain.

When we met, he had high blood pressure, prediabetes, and atrial fibrillation. We talked about his health conditions and weight gain. We discussed lifestyle changes and the need to start medications for his high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and high cholesterol.

After this long discussion he said, “I am committed. I want to do this without medications.”

I actually hear this a lot. We will all face health problems, many of which come because of our lifestyles and choices. With the realization that disease has developed, we often use this moment to become motivated for change. Unfortunately, for most of us, sustaining high levels of motivation can be challenging, and we often fall back into more comfortable lifestyle habits. I believe there is merit in the initial desire to change. I also know that endurance is essential for lifestyle changes to work.

Medications make up for such human tendencies in most people with disease. They work immediately when motivation is high and often have a sustained benefit even if motivation is lost.

Medications are valuable in disease management, but a lot of my patients, like this athlete, believe there is a better way.

The ‘Lifestyle Effect’ on Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

At the American College of Cardiology 64th Annual Scientific Sessions in SanDiego, one study presented on March 16th focused on the value of our initial motivation to change, as well the additive value of endurance. Two outstanding researchers, Rajeev Pathak, MBBS, and Prashanthan Sanders, MBBS, PhD, from the University of Adelaide in Australia led the study. These are physicians committed to the long-term care of atrial fibrillation patients. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders and can cause stroke, heart failure, poor quality of life, and even death. These physicians know that, in most people, atrial fibrillation can be prevented and perhaps in those patients in whom it has already developed, the disease can be reversed.

The Australian study involved 355 patients who had developed atrial fibrillation. Unlike most clinics in the United States, the one where these patients were treated also sent them to a lifestyle modification clinic. Drs. Pathak and Sanders examined the impact of early weight loss after lifestyle counseling in the clinic. Their findings are reason for great optimism in those who have atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any combination of these diseases.

Here is a summary of what they reported:

1.            Blood pressure improved as the amount of weight loss increased — from less than 3 percent, to 3 percent to 9 percent, and then over 10 percent.
2.           Those patients who had more than a 10 percent weight loss were able to reduce their need for blood pressure medications by 50 percent, on average, while maintaining normal blood pressure levels.
3.         High cholesterol also improved. In those who experienced a 3 percent to 9 percent weight loss, cholesterol decreased by 25 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), on average.
4.         For those who lost more than 10 percent of their weight, the average cholesterol decrease was even better, approximately 45 mg/dL. The cholesterol improvement was observed in the group with the greatest weight loss despite the fact that 50 percent of them stopped taking their cholesterol medications. This is drug-free control of cholesterol.
5.         The group with more than 10 percent weight loss also had less diabetes — from 30 percent having prediabetes or diabetes to only 4 percent with these diseases at the last follow-up visit.

How Did the Heart Respond?

Data on patients’ hearts showed that when lifestyle changes are made, heart disease could be reversed. The heart chamber that creates atrial fibrillation decreased in size to near normal levels. The wall thickness of the heart, which typically is felt to be permanent despite use of medications, decreased, making the heart more flexible and adaptive. As a consequence, the amount of atrial fibrillation decreased dramatically.

In the group with weight loss of more than 10 percent, the burden of atrial fibrillation fell by 50 percent. In all weight loss categories, atrial fibrillation levels decreased from 20 percent to 50 percent. These patients reported that they felt better and their quality of life improved.

Lifestyle change was not a miracle cure, as many people still experienced some atrial fibrillation. But the study highlights the value of personal choices and lifestyle changes in disease management. The study provides evidence that you can take control of your health.

The study authors provided two important additional insights:

•                First, those who had sustained weight loss or continued to lose weight did the best. This is not overly surprising, but it gives us incentive to keep up the fight.

•                Second, those who lost weight initially and then gained it back still did better than those who never lost weight. In fact, even if their weight continued to fluctuate, they were 20 percent less likely to experience atrial fibrillation. This finding teaches us that initial effort is important as well, even if we slip up and have trouble keeping away from old habits.

What Was the Key to Long-Term Weight Loss?

The authors give a lot of credit to the use of a lifestyle clinic. Patients had the opportunity to use a team of professionals to help them. This team also made them accountable for change. Those who refused to participate in the clinic and did it on their own were most likely to not lose weight. This tells me we need to surround ourselves with a good supportive team that will expect us to endure and help us when times are difficult. This team may come from family, friends, and, hopefully, as prevention emphasis spreads in the United States, lifestyle clinics.

Kevin Durant, professional basketball player with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association, provided insight into his greatness when during his Most Valuable Player award acceptance speech he said, “I failed so many and got back up. I’ve been through the toughest times with my family, but I’m still standing.”

We are all going to struggle, at times, with consistently making healthy decisions. This new study teaches us that it is worth it. It also teaches us that it is important to get back up each time we fall, and try again.

Photo credit: Hamza Tarkkol/Getty Images

Posted in: Atrial Fibrillation