Number of pregnancies may impact heart health

Is it the protective benefits of pregnancy-related hormones? The extra social support that coincides with having more children? Better overall health of women who are able to conceive? Researchers aren’t sure what’s behind their findings, but what they do see from study results published in Fertility and Sterility is that those who had multiple pregnancies were less likely to die from heart disease than those who had never been pregnant.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego surveyed 1,300 women between ages 50 and 96 about their pregnancy histories and the number of times they’d given birth, as well as their lifestyle habits (for example, smoking and exercise habits). They also tested their cholesterol levels and noted their blood pressure readings, heights and weights, and tracked the women for 19 years. Women who had been pregnant at least four times were 35 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease and, after accounting for age and weight, half as likely to die from stroke. Still, that’s not to say that conceiving necessarily shields a woman’s heart. The women in this study had good access to health care, were financially stable and had long life spans, so these results may not apply to everyone. Additional research on the possible link is needed.

Revive your resolution!

Looking for ways to get back on track with those seemingly forgotten New Year’s resolutions to lose weight? Don’t worry. Temple University in Philadelphia has spent the year gathering up research-based tips on how to lose the weight in 2012. Based on their findings, here’s a good game plan:

• Get support. Whether it’s having a walking buddy or receiving daily, personalized text messages from a Facebook weight-loss group, you’re more likely to succeed if you have a shoulder (or shoulders) to lean on.
• Sleep, perchance to lose weight. Not getting enough (or less than seven hours) could be affecting your ability to lose weight. A Finnish study in 2010 hypothesized that not getting enough sleep could alter chemicals that dictate appetite.
• Forget the diet focus. Whether it’s low-carb or low-fat, you need to be certain that whichever eating plan you choose is one you can live with for the long term, and be ready to make the necessary behavioral changes to lose the weight.
• Think, ‘We are family.’ When trying to lose weight, bring the entire family along on the healthy journey. Everyone wins.

Have you donated?

February is heart month and the perfect time for a gentle reminder that giving the gift of life is fast and free if you become a blood donor. Only 5 percent of eligible donors donate regularly, but blood is needed every day. And it doesn’t matter what your blood type is—all types are needed and appreciated. Here are some things to consider:

• You must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Before you can donate, your iron level will be tested and you will be asked questions about your health, behaviors and previous travel experiences. Travel to certain countries and some health conditions may make you ineligible to donate.
• If you've never donated before, there's nothing to fear. The actual donation only takes about six to 12 minutes, and after you’re done you can relax in a waiting room and enjoy a free treat!
• Before donating, get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water. You may also want to eat iron-rich foods in the weeks leading up to your donation. Lean meats and leafy green vegetables can help boost your iron levels.
• The blood is drawn quickly and safely from your arm.
• It only takes 24 hours for your body to replenish the fluids lost during a donation, and you’ll be eligible to donate again in 56 days.

Low iron levels may increase the odds of blood clots

Could treating low iron levels decrease your risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a dangerous condition in which a blood clot forms in a vein? Researchers at Imperial College London in England think it may. Their study looked at 609 patients with a hereditary blood vessel disease that causes excessive bleeding and, therefore, low iron levels. Simply put: Those with low levels of iron in their system faced a greater risk of blood clots, while those who took iron supplements did not, suggesting that treating low iron levels could possibly stave off DVT in the general population, although more research is needed to prove that hypothesis. Major surgery, immobility and cancer are the established risk factors for blood clots. The study appeared in the journal Thorax.