We are almost at the end of Heart Disease Awareness Month in February, and I ran across an interesting article I wanted to share. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you have an "apple" shaped body, compared to a "pear" shaped body, you may have an increased risk of heart disease. We know that obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, and the "apple" shaped body is one that contains most of the extra weight around the middle or waist. This is compared to a "pear" shape, where most of the extra weight is around the hip area.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Curcumin, an ingredient in the curry spice tumeric, can reduce heart enlargement and may lower the risk of heart failure, Canadian researchers say.

The scientists at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital tested the effects of curcumin in mice with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy) and found it could prevent and reverse the condition, restore heart function, and reduce scar formation. The study was published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

TUESDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with adult stem cells harvested from blood or bone marrow may benefit some patients with certain kinds of cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases, a new U.S. analysis shows.

FRIDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that in-hospital deaths from heart disease are over-reported in New York City.

“With regard to coronary heart risk we saw evidence, although it was not conclusive, that hormone therapy may benefit younger women and harm older women,” Women's Health Initiative (WHI) project officer Jacques Rossouw, MD, tells WebMD (April 3, 2007, http://www.webmd.com/menopause/news/2007...).

By Amanda Gardner
EmpowHer HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A greater percentage of patients than previously thought may develop heart failure when taking the breakthrough cancer drug Sutent, researchers report.

The drug was approved for advanced kidney cancer and a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer.

By Steven Reinberg
EmpowHer HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) -- People who live near major airports may be disturbed by the din of aircraft flying overhead all day, but a new study finds it can also boost their blood pressure even while they're sleeping.

In fact, the louder the noise, the higher blood pressure will go, the study found. That finding holds whether the noise comes from airplanes, passing traffic or other sources, according to the report in the February issue of the European Heart Journal.

One in four women experience physical, sexual, or emotional violence and abuse in their lifetime. And now, according to a recent survey by the CDC, intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with poor health, chronic disease, injury and disability. Over 40,000 women nationwide were surveyed, and the results are astonishing. Women who suffered from intimate partner violence reported a higher prevalence of these chronic health conditions: Diabetes Arthritis Asthma Stroke High blood cholesterol Heart disease