Beetroot for treating heart failure

Beetroot juice supplements may enhance exercise capacity in patients with heart failure, according to a new proof-of-concept study. The study examined the impact of dietary nitrate in the form of beetroot juice supplements on the exercise capacity of eight heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction, a condition in which the heart muscle doesn't contract effectively and can't get enough oxygenated blood to the body.

Researchers found that the beetroot supplement resulted in significant increases in exercise duration, peak power and peak oxygen uptake while exercising. The improvements were not accompanied by any changes in the breathing responses of the patients, and there was no change in their exercise efficiency, a measure of how much external work a person gets for a certain input of energy.

Abnormalities in aerobic exercise responses play a major role in the disability, loss of independence and reduced quality of life that accompany heart failure, elevations in ventilatory demand and decreases in peak oxygen uptake are highly predictive of mortality in patients with heart failure. Dietary supplementation may be a valuable addition to treatment for exercise intolerance among heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction.
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Links between flu and heart attack

Chances of a heart attack are increased during the first seven days after detection of laboratory-confirmed influenza infection, according to a new study by researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Public Health Ontario (PHO). Researchers found a significant association between acute respiratory infections, particularly influenza, and acute myocardial infarction.

The risk may be higher for older adults, patients with influenza B infections, and patients experiencing their first heart attack. The researchers also found elevated risk - albeit not as high as for influenza - with infection from other respiratory viruses. Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events and mortality, support international guidelines that advocate for influenza immunization in those at high risk of a heart attack.

The researchers examined adult cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza infection from 2009 to 2014 and identified 332 patients who were hospitalized for a heart attack within one year of a laboratory-confirmed influenza diagnosis. People at risk of heart disease should take precautions to prevent respiratory infections, and especially influenza, through measures including vaccinations and handwashing.
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Effects of father's diet on fetus

Father's diet before conception can impact newborn's health, low carbohydrate and high protein diet can make the fetus healthy. Experiments were performed on fruit flies and the results showed offspring were less likely to survive if their fathers consumed a poor diet of high carbohydrates and low protein.

The insects were used because they have 60 percent of human genes.
Researchers mated male fruit flies with females after they altered their diet.
Since fruit flies share similar genes to that of humans, the researchers believe the impacts of the bugs' diet would correlate with that of men.

The study claims that men who want to become fathers should have a diet consisting of fish, meat, vegetables and fruit while cutting out pasta, rice and white bread. Sugary foods such as sweets, cakes and biscuits should be avoided. Exposure to toxins can be passed from the father to his offspring through his semen. During the experiment, female fruit flies were fed the same diet while males had different ones consisting of yeast and sugars.

The insects ate different foods, from low to high concentrations of proteins, carbohydrates and calories. After some days the males were mated with two females. The results showed that embryos were more likely to survive if they had a father with a high protein and low carbohydrates diet. Mortality was highest for offspring of males given a high carbohydrate, low protein diet. Researchers also found a connection between the male's body condition and his offspring's mortality.
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New congenital heart disease gene

 One in every 100 babies is born with congenital heart disease CHD, it is one of the leading cause of mortality from birth defects. Although advancements in surgery and care have improved rates of survival for these infants, CHD patients remain at elevated risk for heart complications, congenital abnormalities and neurodevelopmental deficits later in life.

Some genetic mutations are transmitted from parents to children: researchers identified mutations in FLT4 gene that consistently led to Tetralogy of Fallot, a complex malformation that often presents with cyanosis, or blue baby syndrome. The team found that mutations in the gene encoding myosin, a contractile protein that is highly expressed during development accounted for about 11 percent of Shone syndrome which affects four regions of the left-side of the heart.

The team also reports a shared mutation among some CHD patients with Ashkenazian ancestry. The identical mutation in both gene copies of GDF1 accounted for five percent of severe CHD among children of Ashkenazian descent could have direct clinical implications for assessing risk among people with this ancestry.

Some mutations appear for the first time in a child's genome: the team reports de novo mutations in many genes, but particularly in those that modify chromatin, a complex material that surrounds DNA and that undergoes dynamic changes during development.
These mutations occurred regularly in CHD children with other congenital defects and neurodevelopmental issues.

These same genes have been previously associated with autism, which may be responsible for high rates of neurocognitive issues in some children with CHD. These new findings could be used to expand current genetic testing panels for CHD, to improve both information for parents about the recurrence risks in future children, and the long-term care of the CHD infants.

As many as 400 genes contribute to CHD, sequencing a baby's whole genome may be a better approach than screening for specific mutations. Whole-genome sequencing may be the most effective way to detect genetic variants that cause birth defects and may effect a child's short- and long-term care.
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Links between poor diet and untimely death

Inadequate nutrition and unhealthy eating habits are associated with untimely death. Many people are eating a diet which consists of too much salt and saturated fat, and less fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Western diet comprises of processed foods that have little or no nutrients, it is linked to hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, colorectal cancer and hepatitis. Low intake of healthy foods is the major cause of mortality, poor nutrition habits can be a behavioral health issue, because nutrition and diet affect feeling, thinking and behavior. Poor diet results in lower strength.

According to National Institutes of Health, hypertension is one of the results of poor nutrition. Eating too much junk food, fried food, salt, sugar, dairy products, caffeine and refined food can cause hypertension.

Poor nutrition can lead to high cholesterol, which is the major cause of heart disease. High cholesterol foods contain large amount of saturated fat. Ice cream, Eggs, Cheese, Butter and Beef can cause high cholesterol. Diabetes also can be linked to poor diet.

A stroke is caused by plaque that builds up in a blood vessel, then breaks free as a clot that moves to the brain and creates a blockage can be linked to poor nutrition. Strokes damage the brain and impair functioning, sometimes leading to death. Foods high in salt, fat and cholesterol increase the risk for stroke.

Different types of cancer like bladder, colon and breast cancers, may be caused by poor dietary habits. Avoid foods that contains refined sugars, nitrates and hydrogenated oils. Eat fruits and vegetables everyday to remain healthy and avoid untimely death.
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Neuroticism may postpone death

Having higher levels of trait of the neuroticism may reduce the risk of death for those that hav poor health. An aspect of neuroticism related to worry and feelings of vulnerability was associated with lower mortality, irrespective of state of health.

Being high in neuroticism may sometimes have a protective effect, perhaps by making people more vigilant about their health. People with high levels of neuroticism may experience negative emotions like irritability, frustration, nervousness, worry, and guilt compared with those who have lower levels of neuroticism.

 The link between neuroticism and risk of death may depend on how people rate their health. The protective effect was present in people who rated their health very low or does not really care about what will happen to their health.

Behaviors like smoking, exercise, diet and alcohol consumption did not have any link with vulnerability and mortality risk. Worry and vulnerability to sicknesses and diseases might encourage people to behave in a healthier way and hence lower their risk of sudden death.
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Treat sepsis with vitamins C

Sepsis is a progressive disease process caused by an aggressive and dysfunctional immune response to an infection in the bloodstream. Illnesses like bronchitis, pneumonia and kidney infection can turn septic.

 Sepsis starts with symptoms of an infection, the condition can progress to septic shock, which may be lethal.
Lack of vital vitamins in the body can increase the risk of Sepsis.

Chronic diseases like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, lung, kidney and liver raises the risk of Sepsis. Being exposed to
infection-causing bacteria in health centers can also increase the risk of Sepsis.

The condition can leads to extremely low blood pressure that is unresponsive to fluid replacement, weakening of the heart and multiple-organ failure if treatment is delayed.

Steroid hydrocortisone, intravenous   (IV) vitamin C, thiamine (vitamin B-1) can be used to treat Sepsis. Vitamin C
prevents and treat infectious diseases.
Thiamine is required for metabolism of some of the metabolites of vitamin C. It
reduces the risk of renal failure and mortality.
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