Posted February 2024 | By Bernadette Davis

The results from a study conducted by the Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance, shows that over 30 million Americans use yoga to maintain their overall health and well-being.  And now it’s not uncommon to read about the physical and mental health practice in health articles, scientific journals and medical studies, as health professionals look for new ways to help patients recover from surgery or other health related injuries.

A recent Harvard Health article, “Yoga-based Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Promising Practice,” suggests yoga would be helpful to heart patients ,and health professionals like Physical Therapist, Kushboo Kabra, say patients who’ve suffered a heart event, get the maximum benefit from yoga by adding the mind-body practice to their physical therapy routine. “The maximum effect that we notice is controlling and maintaining the blood pressure and aiding the relaxation of the stressed heart muscles and once the muscles are relaxed they work more efficiently.”

Kabra says yoga breathing techniques are used to help lower high blood pressure which tops the list of risk factors for a number of diseases and health problems that affect millions of Americans every year.  She also says the breathing exercises help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system or the bodies rest and digestive system.

The physical therapist also mentioned that mind-body breathing exercises are very helpful for cardiac patients during rehab. “It’s very interesting how the breath is related with your blood pressure and your heart rate; and the yogic breathing works on increasing the parasympathetic activity, it helps control the heart by training the mind and the breath, it also helps with the activity tolerance, increases the energy levels improves fatigue and regaining the muscular flexibility, the thoracic cage flexibility and strength which may have been compromised in the cardiac patient.”

The health professional says the benefits of yoga based cardiac treatments continue long after patients complete their physical therapy. “For me as a physical therapist, physical therapy is an art and a science of treating the body while yoga and yogic practices connect the mind with the body; the more we learn about these benefits and seemingly different approaches of health, the more we realize that the combination of the two goes just beyond healing of a patient.”

sources:

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/sports-medicine/team/physical-therapists/khushboo-kabra

https://www.yogaalliance.org/Get_Involved/Media_Inquiries/2016_Yoga_in_America_Study_Conducted_by_Yoga_Journal_and_Yoga_Alliance_Reveals_Growth_and_Benefits_of_the_Practice

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/yoga-based-cardiac-rehabilitation-a-promising-practice

Posted April 2024 | By Bernadette Davis

Dr. Jeffrey Mullins, Family Medicine Specialist, says cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and adds, “It beats all forms of cancer combined.” He goes on to say the disease tops the list of major health risks for Americans and risk factors for the disease range from diabetes and hypertension to obesity and high cholesterol. The Family Medicine Specialist, with Baptist Memorial Health Care, says decreasing your chances of developing these risk factors is your best defense against heart disease.

Health professionals say it’s easier than ever, to find heart healthy lifestyle guides and home remedies from medical journals, wellness blogs and health magazines. But Dr. Mullins says he believes there is no substitution for these two lifestyle changes. “There’s no supplement that is going to prevent heart disease more than diet and exercise, because if you start someone moving they tend to make better choices with their diet.”

Making significant lifestyle changes can be a challenge as many people continue to find a work-life balance. The health professional says he encourages patients to keep it simple and take it one day at a time. “They key to starting someone with a lifestyle change is to go slow, make substantial changes that are easy to live with and then slowly improve on that process; so it’s literally one day at a time, one meal at a time, one walk at a time.”

The primary care physician says he believes getting started is the highest hurdle patients face as they begin their healthy lifestyle journey. He suggests patients, “Start with a five minute walk every day; if you are already walking everyday adding a couple of minutes a month.” Dr. Mullins says if patients still are reluctant to get started, “Have some comfortable clothes by your bedside, roll out of bed, jump on your treadmill, your stationary bike, or your sidewalk, do your five minutes and then go get ready for your morning.”

Doctors say maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle will not only help you prevent cardiovascular disease but it will also help you have the best quality of life.

Sources:

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/prevent-heart-disease-and-stroke

https://playbook.heart.orglifes-simple-7/

Posted May 2024 | By Bernadette Davis

The American Heart Association suggests you follow Life’s Simple Seven as your guide to a heart healthy lifestyle. Losing and maintaining a healthy weight comes in at number four on the AHA’s Life’s Simple Seven list. But doctors say losing weight should top your health and wellness list, because it will lower your blood pressure and reduce stress on your heart and blood vessels.

One of the biggest mistakes healthcare professionals say people make as they begin the weight loss process is jumping into trendy diets. Lifestyle Pharmacist Dr. Jamie Hardy says you should ditch the diets and make healthy lifestyle choices, “Diets don’t work but when you make lifestyle changes, they will carry you and last a lifetime. The health professional goes on to say lifestyle changes like taking the first steps to weight loss begin with what you consume.

Doctors say diet and exercise are essential to the weight loss process and many healthcare professionals agree to disagree on the percentage of physical activity to nutrition to maintain a healthy weight. Dr. Jamie says it should be a healthy balance between workouts and healthy eating, “A lot of people think, ‘that if I just workout I’ll get to my weight and maintain it.” The lifestyle pharmacist says some patients also feel that if they workout they can eat whatever they want. “You really do yourself a disservice and waste your time by not supporting your workout regimen with healthy eating habits.”

Many consumers are choosing to make up their own healthy eating styles adding to the lengthy list of healthy diets, nutritious meals and recipes. Dr. Jamie says whatever style of eating you choose make sure you’re eating clean, “Clean eating is foods that are in their most natural form; lean protein, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy.”

The health professional also said incorporating basic nutrient rich and nutrient dense foods into your lifestyle will help you feel full, make healthier food choices, and lay the foundation for healthy weight loss and weight maintenance.

Sources:

https://playbook.heart.orglifes-simple-7/

Posted July 2025 |By Bernadette Davis

If you suffer from seasonal allergies you know the drill. You use nasal sprays and other prescribed allergy meds, before the first signs of allergy symptoms. You identify allergy triggers and try to avoid them like pollen, which according to allergists is one of the most common causes of seasonal allergies.

New research suggests allergens like pollen, are related to similar compounds and chemicals, found in some of your favorite foods and snacks. I spoke with Registered Dietician Kristi Edwards, about Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). “Here’s what happens with Oral Allergy Syndrome, you have seasonal allergies there is a specific allergy causing pollen protein that’s causing your symptoms.”

The nutrition specialist added, “There are certain proteins in fruits, vegetables, and nuts that may have a similar structure to that protein that’s causing you to have symptoms.” Doctors say there is no definitive test for OAS and people will have different reactions, based on different allergies. Health professionals say the symptoms of OAS are significant, but will not last very long.

“We eat that fruit, vegetable, or nut and we have a reaction, usually it’s redness, swelling, or tingling; itching of the tongue, lip or mouth.” Edwards says these symptoms occur, because our bodies have mistaken that food for the allergy causing protein.

Allergists say people react to different foods based on the type of seasonal allergy trigger. Health professionals refer to it as pollens and their cross-reacting foods. “Somebody who has a ragweed allergy may have a difficult time with bananas, melons, cucumbers or zucchini.” And the dietician notes if you have grass allergies you may experience OAS symptoms with tomatoes and potatoes.

Doctors say it’s a good idea to experiment with the cross-reacting foods to see if preparing them differently helps reduce symptoms. “Because of the breakdown of proteins in the cooking process or just the processing in general of foods, sometimes that can really make a difference and people are able to tolerate dried, canned, or cooked.” Edwards goes on to say it’s a good idea to wash, dry and peel fruits and vegetables before consumption, because the food may have come in contact with the allergy causing pollen protein.

Sources:

https://www.aaaai.org/

https://www.aaaai.org/utility/global-site-search?cx=010195695855076926430%3A3j7wmn664zg&cof=FORID%3A11&q=OAS