In this article from April 9, 2019, Dr. Martin Juneau of the Montreal Heart Institute looks at the interplay between regular exercise and sedentary periods as it relates to health risk factors. It is well established that regular physical exercise improves lipid levels, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity, all of which are cardiovascular risk factors.…
Plant or Animal Proteins: An Impact on Health
OVERVIEWPlant-based proteins meet all the amino acid requirements if care is taken to vary the diet and include plants high in protein such as whole grains, legumes, and oleaginous seeds.Excessive consumption of sulfur amino acids, which are found in greater amounts in animal proteins, has been associated with a higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases.In animal…
Spicing Up the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with Chili Peppers
OVERVIEWThe frequency of weekly consumption of chili peppers by 22,811 Italians from the Molise region was measured over an 8-year period.At the same time, researchers identified deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other causes that occurred during this period.Results show that people who eat chilies 4 or more times per week have a 44% and 61%…
COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease
Originally published April 9, 2020, on observatoireprevention.org OVERVIEWPeople with cardiovascular disease are more likely to develop the more severe forms of COVID-19, which significantly increases the mortality rate of this disease.In addition to being an important risk factor for COVID-19, cardiovascular disease can also be a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.Patients with severe COVID-19 frequently…
Pure Fruit Juices: Sugary Drinks Like Any Other?
So-called “sugary drinks” generally refer to beverages containing added sugars (sucrose, corn syrup, juice concentrates, or other sweeteners) such as soft drinks, fruit punches, energy drinks, or even sports drinks. These beverages are the main source of simple sugar in the diet of North Americans and a significant proportion of calories consumed daily, especially among teenagers…
Marked Decline in Youth Smoking Rates (Contrary to What the Headlines Say)
In recent years, there has been much mention of the marked increase in the use of e-cigarettes by young people, a trend that has recently increased with the arrival of Juul. The often alarmist tone that accompanies the reports of these studies suggests that vaping currently reaches “epidemic” proportions and poses a serious threat to…
Anti-Aging Effect of a Healthy Lifestyle
According to recent studies, adopting a healthy lifestyle, i.e., eating well, exercising, managing stress, and not smoking or drinking too much alcohol, has beneficial effects on the aging of our cells. One of the well-documented phenomena that occur during cellular aging is the degradation of telomeres, unique structures found at the ends of each of…
An Increase in Cardiovascular Disease on the Horizon?
The dramatic decrease in mortality from cardiovascular disease between 1970 and 2010 is one of the greatest successes of modern medicine. In several industrialized countries (particularly North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand), the mortality rate fell by about 70% during this period, so that in some countries (notably Canada), cardiovascular disease is no…
