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Heart disease is the leading cause of death around the globe. There are countless risk factors, and understanding those make it easier to be proactive to prevent heart disease in the first place.

My doctor said that I am at risk of developing heart disease. Meds were mentioned, but I’d rather make a few lifestyle changes.

The good news is that I was given a lot of good information. Let me share…

Risk Factors

First off, it’s important to identify the most common risk factors:

• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle

Age and family history also play a role, but you can’t really do anything about those.

Once you look at the risk factors that apply to you, it’s easier to see how you can make changes to your lifestyle.

Establish a Heart Healthy Diet

If you want to prevent heart disease, a heart-healthy diet is critical. This means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, as well as lean proteins (like chicken and turkey). You should also limit saturated and trans fat, which can often lead to artery blockage.

A few things you can include in your diet are avocados, nuts, and olive oil as these are all considered “healthy fats.”

A Few Tips to Help with Being Heart Healthy

A few lifestyle changes can go a long way to prevent heart disease.

• Become more active and focus on activities that improve circulation and help you to maintain a healthy body weight.
• Manage your stress so that you don’t end up increasing your blood pressure.
• Avoid unhealthy “coping” mechanisms such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake.
• Get a good night’s sleep, ensuring that you’re getting between 7 and 9 hours every night.

In the end, it’s up to you to maintain your health. Schedule regular doctor’s appointments so that you can receive the necessary screenings. When you make a few lifestyle changes and focus on your health, you will live a healthier and longer life.

 

My doctor recently talked to me about high blood pressure, often known as hypertension. Meds were discussed, but I don’t want to be on medication for the rest of my life. That’s when I started to do some research.

What is Hypertension?

Hypertension is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ because the symptoms aren’t present until there has already been significant damage to the heart. What happens is that there’s too much force to the blood against the artery walls. Stroke and heart disease can occur if this continues for too long.

Blood pressure is expressed as two numbers: systolic / diastolic.

Systolic: The pressure when the heart is beating.

Diastolic: the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.

A normal reading is 120/80, and you are considered hypertensive when you’re at 130/80 or higher.

What You Can Do to Prevent Hypertension

According to the CDC, healthy living habits are critical to prevent high blood pressure.

Here are some of the things that you can do:

• Focus on a healthy diet with lean protein, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables
• Reduce salt intake to less than 2300 mg per day
• Introduce regular physical activity, including 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week
• Maintain (or achieve) a healthy weight
• Limit alcohol use
• Reduce or eliminate tobacco use

Discuss Your Concerns with a Doctor

It’s important to regularly monitor your blood pressure. If your blood pressure isn’t going down as you make various lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor. There may be underlying conditions that require attention.

By focusing on your health and making changes, it’s often possible to avoid hypertension – and the sooner you start, the healthier you can be.

Fans of Gracie Abrams are growing concern with the “That’s So True” singer’s health. Today (March 3), Abrams to Instagram to announce two more of her The Secret Of Us: The Deluxe Tour dates have been postponed.

In the Instagram stories post (obtained by Rolling Stone), Abrams revealed that due to an undisclosed illness she could not move forward with her Nottingham show at Motorpoint Arena today or her Leeds’ gig at First Direct Arena tomorrow (March 4).

“I hate that I have to write this again so soon,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, I am really still struggling with this illness and have been advised that I cannot perform these next two nights.”

She continued: “I can’t tell you how much this breaks my heart,” Abrams wrote in her latest note. “This tour is something I’ve been dreaming of since the album came out and the shows we’ve played so far have meant more to me than I can tell you. The moment we have any concrete details about these two shows in your cities, we will be in touch. Please know I’d give anything to be able to be with you. Thank you for understanding. I’m sending all my love and my deepest regrets.”

Late last month, Abrams pulled out of her February 28 show at Forest National in Brussels, Belgium. “Fighting off something gnarly for the past week, and despite doing everything in my power to keep it contained, it has gotten to a point where all medical advice I’ve received says I cannot perform and need to rest,” she announced.

At this time, the new date for Gracie Abrams’ Nottingham and Leeds performances have not yet been announced. Ticket holders are encourage to check their email for future details.

View the remaining The Secret Of Us: The Deluxe Tour dates here.

Yesterday (March 2), the 2025 Oscars was all about honoring stellar cinematography. Still, the coveted ceremony was sure to extend a warm invite to music’s biggest name–including Doja Cat.

During the 007 tribute, Doja Cat, Lisa, and Raye’s mission was to celebrate the beloved spy franchise. However, viewers were not fond of the musical story being told–specially by Doja Cat.

Today (March 3), over on her official Instagram page, Doja Cat responded to the criticism of her 2025 Oscars performance.

“I never get to sing like that and what I did was brave and scary as f*ck for me,” she wrote. “I know a lot of people didn’t like it, but a lot of people did, and I feel good that I pushed myself.”

She continued: “The song is a classic and I put a lot of work into it, but the nerves got to me and a b*tch hit some flats. I can’t wait to do something like that again. What a blessing that was. I feel amazing about the whole thing. Bye. ”

In a separate comment, Doja showed love to all the evening’s performers, writing: “Also ALL the girls chewed down last night God BLESS them all. Absolutely gorgeous performances from everyone .”

Followers are applauding Doja Cat for standing up for her artistic choice under the post and taking an uncharacteristically gentler approach to shut down haters.

Type 2 diabetes is more common than you might think. It occurs when your body cannot metabolize glucose (sugar) properly. My doc said that I’m at risk, so there are things that I can do now to be proactive and prevent being diagnosed with the chronic condition.

Why is Type 2 Diabetes a Concern?

There are plenty of reasons to avoid being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Your body may resist insulin or not produce enough, which can lead to a number of health problems. You may encounter higher than normal blood sugar levels. Over time, this can lead to kidney problems, heart disease, and even nerve damage.

The Risk Factors

Understanding the risk factors can help you to take charge. While some things are out of your control, plenty can be controlled.

• Sedentary lifestyle
• Abnormal cholesterol levels
• Certain ethnicities (including Hispanic, African American, Asian, and Native American)
• Being over the age of 45
• Family history of diabetes

What Can Be Done

Don’t just assume because you fall into a risky category that nothing can be done. There are actually plenty of things you can do. Try making a few changes:

• Eat a healthy and balanced diet
• Exercise regularly with biking or walking
• Reduce your weight and maintain a healthy BMI
• Manage your stress with deep breathing and yoga
• Get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night
• Monitor your blood sugar levels

When you are proactive and make modifications to your lifestyle, you can reduce many of the risks and (hopefully) prevent ever being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Ultimately, it comes down to having your blood sugar levels reviewed by your doctor on a regular basis. Early prevention really does make a difference!

 

 

Migraines are the absolute worst. It can lead to light and sound sensitivity, a throbbing head, and more. If you encounter migraines on a regular basis, you know that it can be absolutely debilitating.

Chronic migraines are when you get them at least 15 days a month.

While medication is an option, there are ways that you can manage (and even prevent!) migraines naturally.

Determine the Various Triggers

Believe it or not, many times, migraines are triggered by something. Some of the most common triggers include:

• Disturbance in sleep
• Certain foods and drinks
• Strong odors
• Bright or strobing lights
• Stress
• Hormonal changes

It’s not just triggers to be aware of. Various risk factors like gender, age, and family history can also lead to more frequent migraines.

Try a Few Lifestyle Changes

By making a few changes to the way you live your life, you may be able to reduce migraines or say goodbye to them once and for all.

• Make changes to your diet to get rid of such things as caffeine, processed meats, artificial sweeteners, and even aged cheeses
• Focus on being more active
• Stay hydrated by drinking more water throughout the day
• Manage stress with mindful thinking, nature walks, yoga, and more
• Exercise more frequently so that you can enjoy the release of endorphins

You may also want to explore a few alternative therapies. This can include chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture.

Track Your Migraines

The best way to improve your migraines is to start a journal. Track when you have the migraines so that you can begin to identify patterns. Is it a certain time of the month? After doing a certain activity?

Relief for migraines is out there, so by identifying when they occur, you can start to change your lifestyle. Pretty soon, you may be able to lead a healthy and happy life without wondering if you’ll experience a piercing migraine again.

 

Losing weight is never easy. It requires a significant amount of discipline. One of the biggest challenges is overeating. While you have to make sure you’re eating enough to maintain your energy, you don’t want to eat until you feel stuffed.

Check out these 8 tips to help you:

1. Eat Breakfast: Enjoy a morning meal that consists of fat, protein, and carbs.
2. Eat Every 4 Hours: Eating smaller meals throughout the day will keep you full.
3. Chew Slowly: Eating slower will allow your body to send the signals to tell you when you’re full.
4. Start Your Dinner with Greens: A salad will fill you up so you’re less likely to eat more of what’s bad for you.
5. Stop Eating Processed Foods: Frozen foods, processed snacks, and more will leave you feeling hungry again in minutes.
6. Eat Your Proteins: A Prevention report says that protein is capable of leaving you feeling more satisfied after a meal.
7. Keep a Food Journal: Writing down what you eat (or using an app) will help you to se how much you’re really eating.
8. Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Getting a good night’s sleep will help you improve your health.

It might take a while for you to incorporate all of these tips into the way you eat on a daily basis. Over time, though, you’ll stop overeating. Then, you’ll start to see real progress on the scale and how your clothes fit!

 

Do you ever get the sense that something is biting you in the middle of the night? You may even wake up with bites or itchy spots. If you own a pet, your first thought may be that they have fleas, especially if they sleep on or near your bed at night.

If you’re confident your dog doesn’t have fleas, there are actually a few other possibilities to explore. It’s time to play detective in your home, and we have a few ways to help you solve the mystery.

Bed Bugs: These bugs are similar to flea bites, but they hide in mattresses, bed frames, and such. They only come out at night.

Mites: A variety of mites exist, but dust mites may be the most likely culprit, especially if there is a lot of dust in the room. A scabies mite is another possibility and can burrow into the skin and lay eggs.

Spiders: Spiders aren’t quite as common, but many will bite humans.

Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes can and will survive indoors. They’re usually more active at night, which could explain getting bitten while you sleep.

Other Insects: Small ants, beetles, and other insects could bite you at night. You’d likely see their presence during the day. They may be attracted to a food source nearby.

How to Address the Issue

If you’re able to identify the source of the bites, you can focus on the problem – either with over-the-counter products, a fumigation service, or something else. You may have to inspect your bedding and nearby areas.

If you’re unable to identify the source, it may be necessary to hire a professional pest control company. They can do the necessary inspections and even make recommendations on how to prevent issues in the future.

Once it’s over, you can sleep peacefully without getting bitten while you snooze.

 

Raw honey offers a number of benefits. You can usually find it at a local health food store or even a nearby farmer’s market. It’s always good to have some on hand, even if it’s just used to sweeten your tea on occasion.

It’s great before bed, but let’s go over a few good uses for raw honey.

Get a Better Night’s Sleep

A spoonful of raw honey before bed can help you sleep more soundly. Medical Daily offers the reasoning as honey causing insulin to rise and releasing serotonin. Then, the serotonin converts to melatonin, regulating your sleep better.

Dress a Wound

Raw honey has antibiotic properties, so it can be used on a wound. Since it is sticky, it will work to stay on the wound while it heals.

Rehydrate

When you are dehydrated and reach for an electrolyte drink, think about making your own instead. ½ cup of orange juice, ½ cup of lemon juice, 2 cups of cold water, 4 tablespoons of honey, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Mix in a glass or the blender.

Treat a Fungus

Honey has antifungal properties, so you can apply it to various fungal infections, like athlete’s foot.

Soothe a Sunburn

Who needs aloe? You can use raw honey to help soothe a sunburn instead.

Alleviate Your Allergies

Raw honey produced in the same area that is producing your allergens can be great. Two tablespoons, and it’s like a natural vaccine against the seasonal allergies.

Treat Various Health Problems

Honey can even be used for a number of other health issues, including:

• Gum disease
• Colds
• Sore throat
• Herpes
• Scaly scalp
• Ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders

Who knew that raw honey could be such a great natural home remedy, right? The next time you see some for sale, you might want to go ahead and get a bigger jar!

 

 

Hearing that you have high cholesterol is never good news. It’s usually announced by the doctor once you’ve had some labs done as part of your annual checkup. If your cholesterol is really high or you’ve been high for too long, medications are usually discussed.

If you maintain high cholesterol, it can lead to hardening of the arteries, strokes, and heart attacks.

Don’t want to be on meds? There are plenty of diet and lifestyle changes you can make so you can manage your cholesterol naturally.

Eliminate “Bad” Fats

Trans and saturated fats are considered “bad.” Harvard Medical School suggests decreasing your intake of these fats. Be careful not to intake more sugar as you decrease these fats, though.

Increase “Good” Fats

Increasing your good fats lowers your LDL (the bad form of cholesterol). Such foods include olive oil, peanut oil, and other plant-based oils. Various fish like salmon, tuna, and herring can also help you get these oils into your diet.

Increase Fiber Intake

More soluble fiber added to your diet is what the Mayo Clinic recommends. This includes such food sources as darker fruits and veggies, nuts, beans, and whole grains.

Exercise Frequently

Exercise is capable of impacting your cholesterol level (and can help you lose weight, too). It’s suggested that you do aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes a day, four times a week.

Reduce Stress

Stress is capable of driving cholesterol numbers up. This means that you should actively work to reduce stress, whether it’s with yoga, deep breathing exercises, or just socializing to let off some steam.

None of this sounds too hard, right? With a bit of effort, you can keep your cholesterol down in order to lead a healthier life.