Lutein and Your Heart

Cleveland Heartlab diet, inflammation

A New Anti-Inflammatory Nutrient Lutein, a nutrient that’s related to beta-carotene and vitamin A, is often thought of as the vision vitamin. It’s used as a supplement to prevent eye-related conditions including macular degeneration, cataracts, and retinitis pigmentosa. But new research from Linköping University in Sweden suggests that there’s a vital new role for this vitamin known as a carotenoid, …

Caffeine, the Heart, and Inflammation

Cleveland Heartlab diet

Caffeine has upsides and downsides for your health. But new research suggests your morning mug of joe could be a net positive when it comes to your cardiovascular risk. Researchers from Stanford University in California reporting in the journal Nature Medicine found that the more caffeine older people consumed, the more protected they were against chronic inflammation. In the process the scientists …

Lifestyle Approaches That Calm Inflammation

Cleveland Heartlab diet, lifestyle habits

You know that lifestyle choices can help your heart’s health. And the evidence just keeps getting stronger. Consider exercise. Physical activity not only improves weight, lowers cholesterol, and enhances the functioning of your heart, but, a new study shows, it also calms inflammation, a major culprit behind cardiovascular disease and its deadly consequences. Inflammation is a key part of the …

4 Tasty Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices That Boost Heart Health

Cleveland Heartlab diabetes, diet, heart attack and stroke, inflammation

Used as a natural “medicine” for thousands of years, certain herbs and spices really do have amazing health benefits, including fighting chronic inflammation, which has been linked to a wide range of conditions, from heart disease to diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer, according to new studies. Here’s a look at four delicious seasonings that rank as anti-inflammatory standouts. Curcumin: The …

How Effective is Aspirin for Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention?

Cleveland Heartlab heart attack and stroke, inflammation

Although aspirin is one of the most extensively studied drugs in medical history, researchers continue to make new discoveries about its risks and benefits for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD), which kills 2,150 American a day, one every 40 seconds. Also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), aspirin’s origins date back to 2000 BC, with references to medicines made from salicylate-rich plants …