Lack of Sleep can indicate Heart Problems

There is sufficient evidence today that a lack of sleep can lead to heart diseases.

According to the December issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, people who get less than 5 -7 hours of sleep nightly are almost twice as likely to develop early signs of blood vessel damage as those who get more rest. The research is led by Diane Lauderdale, an epodemiologist at the University of Chicago. The study involved 495 people aged 35 - 47 who did not have existing heart damage to see whether a lack of sleep might be a contributing factor to heart diseases.

The largest group of subjects received 5-7 hours of sleep a night. Over the 5 years of study, about 11% developed calcified arteries. With less than 5 hours of nightly sleep, the danger rose starkly with 27% developing blood vessel calcification during the study. In contrast, only 6% of those who received more than 7 hours of sleep showed signs of heart damage at the end of the study.

Earlier studies had shown that lack of sleep may also contribute to obesity and diabetes.

Heart disease often occurs only after years of damage to the blood vessels that surround and support the cardiac muscles. Calcium build up in the blood vessels is one of the main causes, along with high cholesterol.

Milk increases the risk of Heart Disease

Here is another interesting discussion that has been going around - does milk increase the risk of hear disease?

*Myth*: Dairy can increase heart disease risk.

*Truth* Milk and milk-products do not lead to heart diseases.

In fact, heart diseases are caused by a diet which is high in fats rather than any other reasons. When you take low-fat milk products, for example, skimmed milk or reduced-fat yogurt, not only will your fat intake be lowered, the absorption of other essential vitamins and minerals are enhanced.

It is a well known fact that milk products contain a lot of goodness for us. By removing excess fat content, skimmed milk fortified with minerals and vitamins are definitely good for our overall well being.

So, do not be misled. Avoid a high fat diet. That of course includes over indulging in milk products like cheese and rich cream. Other than that, enjoy your diary products, they are good for you.

Heart diseases and Fats

A very high percentage of deaths each year can be attributed to obesity. So, are heart diseases and fats linked?

There have been enough studies to really prove that the link between heart diseases and fats is very real and very significant. You see, the problem is that fats is something that is not just a problem for those who are visibly flabby.

Many people have gone on for years with no signs of any problems. Then suddenly, they are hit with a massive heart attack. If you are fat and you know it, you will start to be more cautious, eat healthier and exercise. But for those who do not really look fat, and they are not very over-weight, they might not be aware of any potential dangers.

Fats can accumulate around the walls of arteries. They also accumulate around our internal organs. As we learn more and more about fats, we begin to realize that it is more than just about dealing with visibly fat looking people. Fats accumulate around our internal organs and can cause irritation and disruption. It has been shown that excessive fats around the liver can cause the liver to fail in detoxification of the blood. Same too, the accumulation of fats around the heart causes the secretion of chemicals that irritate the blood vessels. This in turn affects the blood circulation and even affect the properties of blood platelets which might cause them to become more sticky, leading to a higher risk of blood clots.

Do not imagine for a moment that just because you are “just a little bit out of shape” that you are free from the dangers of excess fats. One sure way is to find out your BMI. Your Body Mass Index is a good indicator of whether you are in the healthy range. If you are in excess of 30, do something.

How Fats destroy your health?

The human body is a delicate balance of so many things. Have you ever thought about how fats can destroy your health? Have you ever wanted to lose fats fast?

Sometimes, the implication of gaining fats is lost on us because we hear so little about it. What we get are very commercialized versions of scare messages that encourage you to buy this latest product or that latest program.

Let’s focus on what is real.

• Fact: If you gain 6 – 10 kg, you actually increase the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes by two times as much when compared to another person who has not gained.
• Fact: More than 80 percent of people who suffer from diabetes are overweight or obese (BMI > 30).
• Fact: Being overweight and obesity are associated with increased risks for certain types of cancer, for example: endometrial (cancer of the lining of the uterus), colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney and postmenopausal breast cancer.
• Fact: Women who gain more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife, actually double their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer when compared to women whose weight remain stable.
• Fact: Sleep apnea (a type of breathing disorder while sleeping) is more common in obese persons.
• Fact: For every 1kg increase in weight, the risk of developing arthritis increases.
• Fact: Symptoms/Severity of arthritis can be improve/relieved with weight loss.

As you can see, weight gain and obesity is not just about high blood pressure, cholesterol problems or heart diseases. There are many implications when you body accumulates too much fats. To lose fats is to gain health.

Most people believe that they do not need to lose weight because it is “normal” for people to gain weight as they get older. The reality is that the only reason you gain weight with age is your lifestyle slows down without an equal adjustment in your diet habits.

There is no need to go to extreme dieting to lose fats. However, if you are overweight, it is time to consider the benefits of losing some of those fats. Re-building some of those muscles will be good for you too.