Lifestyle changes can help to control erratic heart rhythm

August 1, 2014 Updated: August 1, 2014 5:21pm

In "I Really Love You," when George Harrison declared "my heart skips a beat," he was describing a sudden heart flutter that signals a surge of romantic passion. But if your doctor says your heart is skipping a beat, it may mean you have (or are headed for) atrial fibrillation, or A fib.

A fib is a disturbed heart rhythm that happens when rapid, erratic electrical signals make the heart's two upper chambers (called atria) contract quickly and irregularly. Sometimes you can feel it - but not always - and the problem may come and go or be persistent. For most folks, it ups the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Drugs to control your heart rate and rhythm, blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots and procedures that deliver low-energy shocks to the heart may treat the condition. But now a new study reveals that lifestyle changes can slash symptoms without using drugs.

Overweight people with A fib went on an eight-week, physician-led program to reduce underlying triggers of A fib: elevated levels of blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and blood sugar; sleep apnea; and tobacco and excess alcohol use. The participants saw a "substantial reduction" in A fib severity and symptoms.




So, if you're diagnosed with A fib, talk to your doctor about starting a well-monitored program to lose weight if you need to and to reduce those A fib triggers. And start today (A fib gets harder to reverse the longer you have it). Then you and your true love can enjoy the flutter of your heartbeats for years to come.

Undiagnosed chlamydia

Why is the whiptail lizard, the state reptile of New Mexico, never at risk for getting a sexually transmitted disease? Because it reproduces asexually through a process called parthenogenesis: An unfertilized egg can produce an offspring.

But for us folks who have partnered sex, the extra bit of fun comes with the risk of transmitting a virus or bacteria during the act. That risk is particularly present for young adults; they're most likely to get and spread any STD.

One of the easiest STDs to catch is chlamydia, a bacterial infection affecting more than 1.8 million North Americans. Unfortunately, around 400,000 folks don't know they have the disease and are sharing it. That's because it doesn't always cause symptoms. But when it does, they include abnormal discharge, swelling of and around the genitals, and a burning feeling while urinating. The infection rate is 6.4 percent among sexually active girls ages 14-19 (that's the most affected demographic); boys that age have an infection rate of 2.4 percent.

Untreated chlamydia is potentially damaging: It can cause sterility in men and infertility in women, and if contracted while pregnant, it can trigger premature birth or during delivery pass along an eye infection or pneumonia to the newborn. The good news is that it's easy to prevent (use latex condoms) and treat (it responds well to antibiotics). So ask your doctor or gynecologist for a checkup and always use a condom unless you know that you and your partner are free of all STDs.

Q: I'm worried that I'll end up with memory problems, like my mom. I'm 47, and she's 79. What can I do to dodge that bullet?

Francine T., Chicago

A: We're sorry your mom has memory problems, but that doesn't mean you will. A new Mayo Clinic study shows that even if you have a genetic predisposition for late-onset Alzheimer's disease, making specific lifestyle choices can postpone symptoms for a significant number of years (nine in the study) and reduce non-Alzheimer's cognitive decline, too.

First and foremost, you want to protect your cardiovascular system so it delivers the nutrients and oxygen that your brain needs to stay healthy. That calls for smart nutrition and plenty of physical activity (which also will help you manage stress and control your blood pressure - important steps for heart and brain health).

What you eat, or don't eat, can help your arteries stay clear of plaque. So dump the Five Food Felons - added sugar and syrup, trans and saturated fats, and any grain that isn't 100 percent whole - and eat lots of omega-3-rich fish, like salmon and sea trout, while aiming for nine daily servings of fruits and veggies. (Ask your doctor about taking 162 milligrams of aspirin daily; research shows that it may help protect brain function.)

Walking 10,000 steps, or the equivalent, at least five days a week also can protect or even boost brain power. One minute of aerobic activity equals 100 steps, so a 90-minute aerobics class is really good. Combining walking with strength-building exercise does the most to encourage growth and survival of new neurons in the brain.