Category: Women's cardiac risk factors

– posts here focus on how to address your risk factors to help prevent heart disease

Warning: ‘herbal valium’ aconite is dangerous for your heart

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 7 Comments

woman field offscreen green

This is a classic case where natural does not mean safe. Aconite (also known as aconitum, monkshood or wolfbane) is popularly known as ‘herbal valium’ for its ability to slow down the heart rate. Although the effectiveness of this ancient herb to treat some ailments isn’t disputed, the effectiveness level is so close to fatal toxicity that last week, according to Medical News Today, a U.S. government watchdog agency warned consumers of the cardiovascular dangers of taking any herbal medicines containing aconite.  All 109 species and seven hybrids of aconitum contain the alkaloids aconitine, aconine, ephedrine, and sparteine that may be toxic to the heart. There is no antidote. Continue reading “Warning: ‘herbal valium’ aconite is dangerous for your heart” →

Women at greater risk for side effects when taking statin drugs for cholesterol

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 24 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

Statins are the largest selling class of prescription drugs on earth, and account for over 40% of all heart  medications. Lipitor, for example, at over $26 billion in global sales, was the world’s biggest selling drug, manufactured by the world’s biggest drug company, Pfizer.

Because of their effectiveness in managing cholesterol levels, statins are often prescribed to lower total cholesterol in the belief that lower numbers will mean fewer heart attacks. Most people who are prescribed statins are healthy people who don’t have heart disease but who simply have high cholesterol. They will take these drugs for the rest of their lives, making statins a dream drug for the pharmaceutical companies that make them. Continue reading “Women at greater risk for side effects when taking statin drugs for cholesterol” →

In praise of slowness: how ‘la dolce vita’ can help our heart health

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 3 Comments

slowness coverby Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

When I worked in corporate PR, I was on a plane at least two mornings most weeks, flying off to Very Important Meetings with Very Important People to discuss my Very Important Projects. At the airport book store one day, I picked up what I thought would be just the perfect thing for somebody as busy as I was:  one of those ‘Ten Best Business Books Condensed on Tape’. What a great idea! I could save time while cramming all this Important Business Savvy into my overstuffed brain while driving to the airport and back each week!  But something hit me, somewhere between Total Quality Management and Seven Habits:

“This is exactly what’s wrong with my life!” 

I realized that I was so busy that I no longer felt able to enjoy settling in with a good book anymore. Even reading – my great love – had turned into just another item on an overloaded To Do list.

I was a heart attack waiting to happen.  Continue reading “In praise of slowness: how ‘la dolce vita’ can help our heart health” →

10 baby steps to improve women’s heart health

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

baby steps sand

Did you know that up to 80% of heart disease is entirely preventable?  Most of us know the basics of that prevention – healthy diet, more exercise, not smoking – but when you start thinking of how many big changes that might mean, it can look like a pretty daunting lifestyle makeover all at once.

The first change should be a baby step. You’re more likely to succeed by making small changes, according to Dr. Catherine Champagne, professor of research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System.

“If you totally overhaul your diet or start an ambitious exercise program, you’re less likely to stick with it.”

Start small, go slow, and before you know it, those baby steps will start adding up to better cardiovascular health. Micro-improvements do more than chip away at a larger objective — they accomplish plenty on their own. Some of these are cumulative; do several and you’ll see an even bigger benefit.  Here are 10 baby steps to get you started:   Continue reading “10 baby steps to improve women’s heart health” →