Natural diuretic foods and drinks stimulate your kidneys to produce more urine, unloading excessive fluid and salt. Although they vary greatly in effectiveness, these foods and drinks allow you to take in healthy nutrients rather than prescription medications (“water pills”). You may be retaining too much fluid if there is … Read More
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, tinnitus is a sound in your ears that only you can hear. It is often referred to as ringing in the ears, but for some people, it may sound more like roaring or hissing. Most people with tinnitus … Read More
If you monitor your blood pressure at home, you may notice that your pressure is usually higher in the early morning. This is normal because your blood pressure has a normal variation that follows your body’s biological clock, also called your circadian rhythm. Blood pressure is higher a few hours … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
We live in a diet culture, one in which we are constantly exposed to the “next best way to weight loss.” If you’ve toyed with trying one of these trends on for size—Keto, Vegetarian, Atkins, Whole30—or if you’re the type who just dives right in, you likely already know that … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Sugar is not so sweet in the health and wellness world, now more than ever. Its bad reputation stems from research on added sugars, fructose in particular, in foods and beverages, linking it with chronic illness and disease, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. But even so, … Read More
You may be tired of reading that we need more studies before we can say that this supplement or that nutrient is good for certain health benefits. That is not the case with coffee. There have been lots of studies and there is little doubt that coffee is good for … Read More
It is well known that a short period of pain – called acute pain – can raise your blood pressure. Several studies show that people with long-term pain – called chronic pain – may develop long-term high blood pressure called hypertension. In more ways than one, pain can cause high … Read More
High blood pressure – hypertension – used to be when your blood pressure was consistently 140 over 90 or higher. In 2017, the American Heart Association (AHA) lowered the number to 130 over 80 and changed the blood pressure chart categories. [1] The only way to know if you have … Read More
What is a "mild heart attack"? You may have heard the expression and wondered exactly what it means. A bone can have a hairline fracture or a major break. A stroke can have relatively minor consequences or be severely debilitating. So can a heart attack be mild or major? The … Read More
Drinking alcohol raises your blood pressure, even if you are not a heavy drinker. [1,2] Having an occasional three drinks during a meal or at a party could cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. [3] However, if you are a regular drinker – you drink two drinks or more … Read More
