New info on when to take your blood pressure medication
A Gallup Poll once found that 58 percent of adults ages 35 to 54 and 59 percent of those ages 55 and older say they’re morning people. Only 24 percent and 20 percent, respectively, of folks in those age groups claim they’re best in the evening or late at night.
Seems pretty clear: Mornings are the majority’s best option for feeling good. But, when it comes to taking blood pressure medicines, it turns out it (mostly) doesn’t matter if you take them early or late in the day.
Results from the TIME trial, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, showed that there was no difference in the incidence of heart attack or stroke among the more than 21,000 people taking antihypertensives who were studied over a period of five years. Of note: One subgroup, those with diabetes (13 percent of the participants), also saw no significant difference in benefits from morning or evening dosing of their medication.
To make sure you’re timing your blood pressure medication in a way that’s best for you, ask your doctor about potential interactions between various meds and supplements you are taking and always avoid risky combinations.
In addition, researchers say that certain groups of folks — those with sleep apnea or high blood pressure that’s resistant to control — may do better taking their blood pressure meds at night. And, for everyone with high blood pressure, it’s important to make lifestyle adjustments (plant-based diet, healthy weight and stress management, and plenty of exercise and sleep) that can also lower blood pressure.
Statins and muscle pain — a mistaken connection for most folks
Sienna Miller is often mistaken for her friend Naomi Watts: “We get sent each other’s headshots to sign,” says Miller. And Samuel L. Jackson says he’s consistently mistaken for Laurence Fishburne. If asked for an autograph, “I just sign what they want me to sign for whoever they think I am,” he says.
While fans aren’t really hurt by these mistakes, there are times when it’s essential that the man and woman on the street know what’s what — especially concerning medication side effects.
If you think a physical symptom such as muscle pain is a result of taking a statin, you may discontinue it — giving up its lifesaving powers. But, a new study in The Lancet, says that for around 90 percent of statin-taking patients who complain of muscle pain, the statin is NOT the cause. The discomfort may instead be the result of inflammation, obesity, over — or under-exercise, or some undiagnosed issue.
The researchers did discover that 1.1 percent of folks taking a moderate dose of statin experience related muscle pain and weakness in the first year. That fact may be focused on by other statin takers who are contending with unidentified discomforts.
My advice: If you have muscle pain and are on a statin, take 200 milligrams of coenzyme Q10 daily and talk to your doctor. Explore other possible causes. If pain persists, try a different statin. You don’t want to unnecessarily give up the benefits — lowering LDL cholesterol, reducing your risk of cardio-related death, and maybe fighting infections like pneumonia and reducing COVID-19 severity.
Are plant-based “milks” delivering the nutrition you need?
Legendary comic Lewis Black once said, “There is no such thing as soy milk. It is soy juice.” And, author Dean Koontz (“Kaleidoscope”) declared, “I do not permit … obscenities such as soy milk at my table.” People get stirred up about soy, as well as almond, cashew, hemp, oat, pea and rice milks, but they provide a good alternative to anyone who is lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy — and they’re mostly saturated-fat-free.
Until now, however, there wasn’t much info on their mineral content. Recent research presented at the American Chemical Society meeting analyzed magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium content of plant-based milk alternatives. Researchers highlighted these minerals because they aren’t required to be listed on the “Nutrition Facts” label and are components of dairy milk — which traditionally has been many Americans’ main source for them. The researchers also called attention to the fact that plant milks can be low in protein, calcium, iodine and B12 — additional nutrients found in dairy milk.
What they found was that pea-based drinks had the most phosphorus, zinc and selenium; soy drinks averaged the highest amounts of magnesium. And, of all the samples analyzed, only pea — and soy-based drinks had higher levels of those four essential minerals than cow’s milk, with pea-based drinks containing about 50 percent higher levels of phosphorus, zinc and selenium.
So, if you consume plant milks, consider the benefits of soy and pea milk, take half a multivitamin containing both vitamins and minerals twice a day, and make sure to get enough plant-based and lean protein.
Getting healthy and happy by giving up ultraprocessed foods
“American Ultra” is a 2015 black comedy about a mild-mannered slacker turned CIA hit man. That’s a pretty good analogy for any super-bland-tasting, squishy, white-bread-encased, fast-food sandwich. That ultraprocessed conglomeration is really a killing machine, just like Jesse Eisenberg’s hapless character, Mike.
Three new studies prove the point. One, published in The BMJ, found that overall high consumption of ultraprocessed foods in men was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. And, men who ate meat/poultry/seafood based ready-to-eat products and sugar sweetened beverages were especially vulnerable, as were women who ate ready-to-eat/heat mixed dishes. Among both men and women, the top 20 percent of ultraprocessed food consumers were also more likely to be current smokers or to have smoked for many years before quitting; to be heavier; get less physical activity; and consume less dietary fiber, folate, calcium, vitamin D, and whole grains and eat more fat, added sugars, and processed meats.
A second study published in BMJ found that adults with the lowest quality diet and the highest intake of ultraprocessed food were at highest risk for death from cardiovascular disease.
And then there’s the study that found an association between eating ultraprocessed foods and emotional distress. Researchers found that adults who ate the most ultraprocessed foods had statistically significant increases in mild depression, “mentally unhealthy days” and “anxious days,” compared to folks eating the least amount of the ultraprocessed foods.
Need I add, “Eat a plant-based diet (salmon is a good addition), and no red or processed meats, added sugars or highly processed foods”?
Coming up with a solution to chemo brain
Julie Walters, who played Molly Weasley in seven Harry Potter movies, announced that she beat stage 3 bowel cancer in 2020 and that her chemotherapy turned out to be “fine.” She was fortunate. Around 75 percent to 80 percent of cancer patients experience chemo brain — confusion, memory lapses, and trouble with words and focus. And, although for many folks the fogginess clears nine to 12 months after treatment, it persists for 10 percent to 20 percent of patients.
Well, finally there’s good news for anyone contending with those life-dimming side effects. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has uncovered the molecular changes that chemo causes. It turns out that it alters an important cellular pathway in the brain that’s linked to cognitive function. They also found that there are already two drugs approved for treating multiple sclerosis that can halt those cognition-damaging biochemical changes — they’re called S1PR1-antagonists. One MS drug, Gilenya, is also being studied to see if it can prevent neuropathic pain in patients with breast cancer who were treated with Paclitaxel.
If you have gone through chemo, are going through it now, or are scheduled to, talk to your oncologist about the status of these studies. Ask if the drugs have been used safely off-label in patients (it may be too early to know that) and keep track of how the research progresses. And, know that despite potential side effects, chemo is lifesaving. It may cure cancer or reduce symptoms, and it can make surgery and radiation treatments more effective.
Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
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