News & Blog - North Ohio Heart Center and Ohio Medical Group

Decoding Your Lab Results

Posted by North Ohio Heart | Ohio Medical Group on Thu, May 29, 2014

You made the proactive decision to get blood work done, but now your lab results are in and you’re more confused than ever. Even if your doctor takes the time to explain them, you might find yourself forgetting the details as soon as you leave the office. Interpreting what each score means and why it matters to your overall health can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.

Topics: cholesterol levels, cholesterol, healthy living

Could Your Afternoon Nap Signal a Health Problem?

Posted by North Ohio Heart | Ohio Medical Group on Thu, May 08, 2014

Closing your eyes for a quick afternoon nap can feel all too tempting some days. However, if you’re a woman who frequently experiences daytime sleepiness, your heavy eyelids might be symptomatic of something more serious.

A recent study completed at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University collected data from more than 84,000 women in the United States to draw their conclusion. The information was collected from information provided for the Nurses Health Study II from 2001-2009.

Topics: cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, healthy life, sleep habits

Five Numbers to Help You Track Your Heart Health

Posted by North Ohio Heart | Ohio Medical Group on Wed, Apr 02, 2014

Keeping track of your health can sometimes feel like a full time job. Do this, eat this, don’t do this, don’t eat this—all the recommendations are a lot to process. Often, it’s that feeling of being overwhelmed that keeps people from taking action toward a healthier lifestyle in the first place.

Topics: cholesterol, heart disease, heart health, blood pressure, body mass index

Splash Around: Why Swimming is Great for Cardiovascular Health

Posted by North Ohio Heart | Ohio Medical Group on Fri, Feb 14, 2014

One of the biggest reasons that people stop exercising, especially as they age, is that most go-to methods can be strenuous on your joints. Running, jumping and other high impact activities can lead to injury or joint soreness, leading some people to shy away from exercising altogether.

Topics: cholesterol, heart health, exercise, swimming for heart health

5 Reasons to Eat Acai Berries

Posted by North Ohio Heart | Ohio Medical Group on Thu, Jan 23, 2014

There are plenty of reasons to eat berries—in addition to being sweet and delicious, they are packed with antioxidants and important vitamins and nutrients that can improve everything from your heart health to your cancer risks. Ironically, one of the healthiest of all the berries is probably the least popular. Introducing, the acai berry.

Acai berries (pronounced Ah-SIGH-EE) are related to blueberries and cranberries—two other super fruits with plenty of their own benefits to boast about. Whether eaten raw, juiced, as a supplement, extract or oil, acai could just be the berry with the most benefits.

Here are five reasons why you should add them to your diet:

Heart Health: Acai berries are high in anthocyanins, which are associated with the ability to lower cholesterol. The heart health benefits don’t stop there, however: acai can also help lower the risk of blood clots and improve circulation thanks to high levels of plant sterols.
Weight Loss: In addition to being known as a super-food, acai pulp might also contain the ability to reduce the side effects of a high fat diet, according to a study conducted by the National Institute of Aging. (However, don’t rush out to chew a bunch of acai pulp just yet—the study just used fruit flies, so further testing is needed!)
Skin Health: Acai oil is a common ingredient in many beauty products, primarily for the antioxidant benefits and is certainly preferable to the chemical ingredients in many skin care products. You don’t have to rub acai oil onto your skin to enjoy the benefits, though—ingesting them can also yield positive results for skin health.
Immune System Boosts: Acai berries are very high in Vitamin C, which boosts your immune system and might even help reduce the spread of cancer, a study from the University of Florida found.
Anti-Aging Properties: If you’re tired of hearing about the high levels of antioxidants in acai berries, hang tight for just a little bit longer—after all, those antioxidants could have a hand in slowing down or even reversing aging processes that result from oxidation. And though other fruits also boast antioxidant powers, they can’t hold a candle to acai berries, which have twice the antioxidants of blueberries and ten times that of some other fruits.