• Cardiovascular

    Housecall: Are you eating heart-healthy?

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THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease
A diet that's high in fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease. Eating habits can be hard to change, though. Here are eight tips — from controlling portion sizes and choosing food that are healthier to allowing yourself the occasional indulgence — that can help make heart-healthy eating both doable and enjoyable.

Osteoporosis: What are your risks?
Every day, your body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. As you get older, however, the ratio becomes unequal — more bone is lost than gained. If too much is lost, you can develop the bone disease osteoporosis. Some osteoporosis risk factors, such as older age, can't be changed. But there are many risk factors you can control. Here's what you need to know.

EXPERT ANSWERS
Is UV protection important in sunglasses?
Sunglasses are more than a summer fashion accessory. Because UV radiation from the sun can damage not only the skin of your eyelid, but also the cornea, lens and other parts of the eye, choosing sunglasses with UV protection is important for your health, too. Learn more from Dr. Cheryl Khanna, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist.

Can hypothyroidism cause peripheral neuropathy?
With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. In rare cases, peripheral neuropathy may be caused by severe, long-term, untreated hypothyroidism. Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves that carry information to and from your brain and spinal cord and the rest of your body, such as your arms and legs. Learn more from Dr. Todd Nippoldt, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist.

PLUS ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories
Traumatic brain injury
Pulmonary embolism
Food allergy

HEALTHY RECIPES
Banana pecan compote
Barley risotto with asparagus
Tossed greens with pasta, fruit and balsamic vinaigrette
Parmesan roasted cauliflower

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK
Blood pressure tip: Get more potassium
Want to lower your blood pressure? Consume less sodium and more potassium. Sodium increases your blood pressure. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Many fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium, including bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, spinach, peas and tomatoes.

Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Discover more healthy lifestyle topics at mayoclinic.org.

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