http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/feeds/heart-smart-living?key=heart-smart-living Healthline Health Blogger Sarah Samaan - Heart Smart Living en-us Copyright (c) 2012 Healthline, All rights reserved. en-us Copyright (c) 2012 Healthline, All rights reserved. http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/peripheral-arterial-disease Just like CHD, PAD involves hardening of the arteries due to buildup of cholesterol plaque, or atherosclerosis. In PAD, however, it is the blood vessels feeding the legs, arms, and organs of the body (other than the heart) that are affected. Carot... Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/peripheral-arterial-disease Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-23T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/personality-heart-disease In my daily practice of cardiology, I see so many different people of diverse backgrounds and broad ranges of life experiences. I learned early on not to typecast. The hard-driving businessman may play the dobro and hang out at the lake in his off... Mon, 21 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/personality-heart-disease Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-21T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/attitude-and-stress My book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before or After it Starts, will be released in June by The Experiment publishing house. In the book, I outline seven important steps that will help you to achieve optimum heart... Thu, 10 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/attitude-and-stress Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-10T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/antioxidants-and-brain-health “Antioxidant” is a word that has become part of our daily jargon, but exactly how these nutritional scavengers work is not entirely clear. We know that they block the effects of harmful free radicals, preventing damage to the cells of our bodies a... Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/antioxidants-and-brain-health Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-09T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/why-i-love-mangoes One cup of sliced mango supplies 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement, 35% of your daily vitamin A, numerous other antioxidants known as polyphenols, and a healthy 3 grams of fiber, all for just 100 calories. The riper the fruit, the more nutr... Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/why-i-love-mangoes Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-08T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/use-your-common-sense My book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before or After it Starts, will be released in June by The Experiment publishing house. In the book, I outline seven important steps that will help you to achieve optimum heart... Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/use-your-common-sense Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-07T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/low-fat-dairy-foods-may-reduce-stroke-risk Way back in 1997, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a landmark study evaluating the effects of diet on blood pressure. Researchers tested the impact of a diet known as the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertensi... Tue, 01 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/low-fat-dairy-foods-may-reduce-stroke-risk Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-05-01T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/get-a-move-on My new book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before or After it Starts, will be released in June by The Experiment publishing house. In the book, I outline seven important steps that will help you to achieve optimum h... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/get-a-move-on Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-27T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/three-tips-for-a-long-life Fred (not his real name) is a bright, energetic, and optimistic 85 year old gentleman who lives every day to its fullest. Fifteen years ago he had heart bypass surgery. The surgery was successful, and he recovered quickly. Sadly, he spent the next... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/three-tips-for-a-long-life Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-26T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/what-if-all-our-medications-were-free We are all feeling the pinch of higher health care costs. If we have insurance, our co-payments to doctors and pharmacies are probably higher than ever, and there’s a good chance that we’re also seeing higher deductibles. For those with no insuran... Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/what-if-all-our-medications-were-free Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-24T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/learn-how-to-take-a-break My new book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before or After it Starts, will be released in May by The Experiment publishing house. In the book, I outline seven important steps that will help you to achieve optimum he... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/learn-how-to-take-a-break Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-17T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/fewer-heart-attacks-more-unhealthy-lifestyles Between 1999 and 2005, deaths from heart disease and stroke plummeted by 25 percent. That’s great news, but it’s not because people are making healthier choices or giving up bad habits. In fact, a recent analysis from the Centers for Disease Contr... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/fewer-heart-attacks-more-unhealthy-lifestyles Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-17T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/eat-well-to-live-better My new book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before or After it Starts, will be released in May by The Experiment publishing house. In the book, I outline seven important steps that will help you to achieve optimum he... Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/eat-well-to-live-better Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-12T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sudden-cardiac-arrest Jeff (not his real name) was an outwardly healthy and fit 35 year old who often enjoyed a quick pickup game of basketball after a hard day at the office. One recent evening at his local gym, Jeff’s teammates were stunned to see him collapse to the... Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sudden-cardiac-arrest Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-10T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/struggling-to-shed- the-pounds In my cardiology practice, I see the harm inflicted by overweight and obesity every day. It’s estimated that about 70 percent of Americans are overweight, and as many as one in three are medically obese. That’s alarming enough, but amongst heart p... Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/struggling-to-shed- the-pounds Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-04T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/struggling-to-shed-the-pounds In my cardiology practice, I see the harm inflicted by overweight and obesity every day. It’s estimated that about 70 percent of Americans are overweight, and as many as one in three are medically obese. That’s alarming enough, but amongst heart p... Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/struggling-to-shed-the-pounds Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-04T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-weight-gain High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) can be found in most commercial processed foods, including baked goods, breads, soft drinks, and snack foods. Manufacturers choose HFCS over sucrose (what we know as table sugar) because it is inexpensive, maintains... Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-weight-gain Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-04-02T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/saviseeds I love exploring natural foods stores. They’re stocked with an intriguing assortment of groceries and products, and they’re often willing to take a chance on something new and a little quirky. Sacha inchi seeds, a Peruvian treat marketed as SaviSe... Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/saviseeds Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-29T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/the-electronic-medical-record I am a member of a group of 14 very busy cardiologists. In our office, we see patients in consultation, perform a variety of high tech imaging and stress testing studies, and offer several different in-office procedures. Five years ago, every one ... Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/the-electronic-medical-record Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-27T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/keeping-beat-atrial-fibrillation It’s easy to take the strong and steady beat of our heart for granted, counting on it to speed up when we need a surge of power and to slow down when it’s time to rest. Our hearts are usually such marvelously quiet and dependable organs that the m... Thu, 22 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/keeping-beat-atrial-fibrillation Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-22T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/best-practices-healthy-heart-step-1 Last week I introduced my new book, Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: A 7-Point, Evidence-Based Plan to Protect and Heal Your Heart. The book is scheduled to be released in May by The Experiment publishing house. Over the next several weeks I wi... Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/best-practices-healthy-heart-step-1 Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-19T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/put-mind-body-connection-work Success is defined in many ways, but most of us would agree that good health is a goal worth pursuing. No matter what our limitations, the choices we make each day have a profound impact on our vitality, our productivity, and on the way our co-wor... Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/put-mind-body-connection-work Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-15T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/best-practices-healthy-heart As a busy cardiologist with a diverse practice, I discovered early on that my patients were hungry for information that would help them to take care of their own health. Although most came to see me for diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of c... Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/best-practices-healthy-heart Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-12T07:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/preventing-heart-disease When I first began my practice of cardiology in 1994, my ten years of medical training had prepared me exceptionally well for treating heart attacks and saving lives on the front line. At that time, the emergency room was our battleground, and our... Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/preventing-heart-disease Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-08T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sodium-intake A recent report from the aptly named What We Eat in America survey, published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), evaluated the amount of sodium, generally in the form of salt, consumed by a representative sample of 7,227 Americans ages 2 ye... Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sodium-intake Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-06T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/conjugated-linoleic-acid-weight Every year or so, a new product arrives on the scene promising quick and easy weight loss. Our fantasy of a pain free solution to unwanted body fat is nothing new. In the 1970’s, I remember my groovy teenage babysitter sprinkling a “magic” weight ... Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/conjugated-linoleic-acid-weight Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-03-01T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/protect-heart-protect-prostate Heart disease kills ten times as many men as prostate cancer, yet polls consistently show that it is cancer that men fear the most. New research from Duke University suggests that a lifestyle that supports heart health may also provide protection ... Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/protect-heart-protect-prostate Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-02-27T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/brush-your-teeth-healthy-heart A trip to the dentist may mean more than just a healthy smile. A growing body of research suggests a strong link between oral health and heart health. Although the connection is not completely understood, the common pathway appears to be inflammat... Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/brush-your-teeth-healthy-heart Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-02-23T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sleep-apnea-linked-dementia Sleep-disordered breathing, a spectrum of problems that includes sleep apnea, affects 12 million or more Americans, causing fragmented sleep and excessive daytime fatigue. When someone suffers from sleep apnea, they typically snore very loudly, of... Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/sleep-apnea-linked-dementia Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-02-21T08:00:00Z http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/praise-lowly-chickpea Hummus is a Middle Eastern specialty that has moved from the exotic to the mainstream in record time.  A simple blended concoction of chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic, usually combined with a little tahini (sesame paste), hummus weigh... Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/heart-smart-living/praise-lowly-chickpea Sarah Samaan, MD, FACC 2012-02-16T08:00:00Z