Ian Stewart Harris M.D.

How Do High Cholesterol Levels Affect the Heart?Cholesterol is not that bad for our body – it has several important functions and is needed in moderate amounts. This compound is required to make new cells in the body, protect neurons, and also produce hormones. But when the amount of cholesterol...

Too Much Sitting May Increase the Chance of Dying “Spending too much time sitting may increase the odds of dying due to any cause”, says a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The chances of dying from any cause increases by as much as 40% in people who spend a lot of time...

Heart failure, or congestive heart failure, is a chronic condition that indicates the inability of one’s heart to sufficiently fill with blood or distribute adequate amounts of blood to the entire body.Heart failure usually occurs in individuals with advancing age. However, anyone can develop the...

As men age, their risk of heart attack rises, especially if they are prone to anxiety. In a 12-year study, anxiety was found to increase the risk of heart attack by 30% to 40% in men who are anxious when compared to men who are calmer, irrespective of other personality and risk factors. In this...

The liver primarily produces cholesterol. Each day, it makes 1,000 mg of cholesterol. The cells lining the small intestine can also produce cholesterol. If the level of cholesterol in the body is low, it may mean that the body is producing low amounts of cholesterol and is going to shut down. In...

Trans fats can be classified as natural and man-made. Natural trans fats are found in beef, pork, lamb, and dairy products. Man-made trans fats are used to increase the shelf life of many products, and these fats are found to increase the risk of heart disease and clogging the arteries. According to...