With summertime activities in full swing, it’s more important now than ever to make sure you’re protecting your skin.  We sat down to talk with Dr. Peyton Card to ask a few common questions about sunscreen best practices.

Q. There are so many types of sunscreen out there, how do you know which kind to choose?

A. I recommend using a mineral-based (zinc oxide or titanium oxide) sunscreen. It’s the best option right now. Mineral-based sunscreens work by making a protective layer on top of your skin, so not as much is absorbed into your body. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF, or sun protection factor, of at least 30. There is debate over the efficiency of going above 50 SPF. Try to make sure the sunscreen is water and sweat resistant.

Q. How soon prior to sun exposure should sunscreen be applied?

A. Aim to apply sunscreen thirty minutes before sun exposure, if possible. If you can’t apply half an hour prior, just apply when you can. Any amount is better than none.

Q. How often should you reapply?

A. How often you reapply depends on if you’re in or out of the water. If you’re not in the water, you can apply every couple of hours. If you’re in the water or sweating, it will wear off quicker, so aim to reapply every forty minutes to an hour. The more frequent the better. Err on the side of caution when it comes to sun exposure.

Q. If you have darker skin and don’t burn easily, do you still need to wear sunscreen?

A. YES! All skin types benefit from sunscreen. You don’t have to burn in order for cancer-forming sun damage to occur. Sun rays can still damage skin through the clouds, too.

Q. What kind of sunscreen do you recommend for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin?

A. A zinc oxide sunscreen should be okay on sensitive skin. Those with acne may benefit from alcohol-based sunscreens to avoid breakouts. Clothing is another great option to minimize sun exposure. Long sleeved, dark, tight knit fabrics block sun rays best.

As you enjoy this summer with outdoor activities, don’t forget these sunscreen best practices. For more great advice on your health, check out our other heart health tips from Arkansas Heart Hospital’s experts.

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease in the United States, with thousands of patients affected every year. Learn more about CAD from our cardiovascular surgery experts by reading below.

What is coronary artery disease?

Coronary artery disease is a progressive thickening of the walls of the blood vessels due to atherosclerosis (deposits of cholesterol, fats and calcium). The thickened wall causes the vessel to narrow, thus decreasing blood flow to heart muscle. This process can be compared to rust and sludge buildup in plumbing.

What causes coronary artery disease?

Some causes have been identified and associated with coronary artery disease. They are classified as changeable and unchangeable risk factors.

Changeable

•   Cigarette smoking
•   High blood pressure
•   High cholesterol
•   High glucose levels
•   Obesity
•   Lack of regular exercise
•   Stress

Unchangeable

•   Family history of coronary artery disease
•   Gender (males are more prone)
•   Age
•   Diabetes

What are the symptoms of coronary artery disease?

The major symptom of coronary artery disease is angina. Angina occurs due to decreased oxygen to the heart muscle. Everyone can experience angina in a different way. It may be felt as chest pain or pressure that radiates to the neck, jaw or arms; shortness of breath; or indigestion. Usually angina is brought on by exercise, stress or excitement, exposure to the cold, or after eating a heavy meal when the heart must work harder. Angina can occur at rest, which may indicate more serious disease.

Women frequently have different signs of coronary disease than men. They may only notice increasing fatigue, decreasing activity tolerance or toothaches, but these symptoms can be as serious as angina. If the blood flow is severely restricted to an area of the heart muscle, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) may result, which is the death of a portion of the heart muscle. The pain associated with heart attack, unlike that of angina, is not relieved with nitroglycerin and rest.

How is coronary artery disease treated?

Your doctor may recommend heart surgery when the pain or other symptoms are not manageable by medications and lifestyle changes alone. Or, you may have critical narrowing in vessels that diminish the blood flow to a large portion of the heart muscle, placing you at risk for a disabling heart attack.

The surgeon must bypass the obstruction in the artery since it cannot be dissolved or removed. Bypassing the blockages will supply the necessary oxygen, thereby relieving angina and increasing the function of the heart.

At Arkansas Heart Hospital, our cardiovascular surgery team has over 60 years of collective experience and is equipped to perform all kinds of procedures to help patients with coronary artery disease. Learn more about cardiovascular surgery here.

Stress reduction is crucial to overall well-being. Why? Stress can take a physical and emotional toll on your overall health. Here are a few ways you can reduce the stress in your life:

1. Identify your stress triggers. Develop an awareness of your triggers and how you react to them. Try writing the triggers down and then developing a plan to address them individually.

2. Practice breathing. Just taking a moment to stop and focus on your breathing can calm and settle the mind. Try it yourself:

• Sit up tall and comfortably; close your eyes.
• Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth; relax your jaw, forehead and facial muscles.
• With your mouth closed, inhale through the nose slightly deeper than normal.
• Exhale slowly and fully through the nose while constricting the throat muscles to create an “ocean” sound in the back of the throat.
• Continue this breathing exercise for 3-5 minutes.

3. Meditate. Quiet the mind by focusing all thoughts on a single object, mantra (word/phrase) or, most commonly, your breathing. Here’s how:

• Find a quiet place to sit up tall and comfortably.
• Place the top of your hands on your thighs or knees.
• Close your eyes; relax your jaw, forehead and facial muscles.
• Breathe in and out through the nose without effort; let the breath come and go naturally.
• Focus your full attention on the object of your meditation. If it is your breathing, notice how the air enters and leaves the body. Observe how the chest, shoulders and ribs rise and fall with each breath. If your mind wanders, simply bring the attention back to your breath.

4. Eat well, sleep well and exercise daily. Nothing combats stress, anxiety and illness like healthy living. Take care of your body by making healthy food choices, getting plenty of rest and exercising daily. Even minor changes to your daily routine can have a major impact on your overall well-being.

Learning how to reduce stress is a discipline, but it’s made of small, simple steps that lead to major benefits. For more insights into living a healthy lifestyle, check out our heart health tips and our heart-healthy recipes today.

An autoimmune disease diagnosis can trigger lots of questions and can be tricky to understand — especially when other health concerns are involved, such as heart conditions. Autoimmune disease occurs when your body’s immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. This error leads to inflammation, cell injury or a functional disturbance with clinical manifestations. Here are some things you’ll need to know about autoimmune diseases:

What increases my risk for autoimmune disease?

• A family history of an autoimmune disease
• Women are more susceptible
• Pregnancy
• Exposure to sunlight or certain chemicals
• Certain medicines, such as antibiotics and cholesterol medicines
• Viral or bacterial infections

Signs and symptoms of autoimmune disease: 

• Red, warm, painful, swollen area or joints
• Joint pain, stiffness or reduced range of motion
• Tiredness, weakness or muscle pain
• Fever
• Weight gain or loss, or no appetite
• Diarrhea, stomach cramps or bloating
• Hair loss
• Rash or changes in skin color
• Red, inflamed eyes

Autoimmune disorders that affect the heart: 

• Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup)
• Rheumatic heart disease: recurring infections cause the immune system to react against tissues in the body, specifically flaming and scarring the heart valves
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus: can cause inflammation in all parts of the heart (pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis and atherosclerosis)
• Type 1 diabetes: antibodies attack beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin (a cardiovascular event is the No. 1 killer of diabetics)
• Psoriasis: chronic autoimmune skin disease (not just a skin problem), it can lead to plaque buildup and coronary artery disease
• Grave’s disease: autoimmune disorder where the thyroid becomes overactive (hyperthyroidism); the heart can overwork itself and weaken over time, and this can also lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat

How do you diagnose autoimmune disease?

• A blood test can measure the amount of inflammation in your body, find specific antibodies and may even show signs of infection
• An X-ray, CT or MRI can indicate joint or organ damage
• A biopsy is a procedure used to take a sample of joint tissue or fluids; the sample may be tested for infection, inflammation or other causes of your symptoms

Treating autoimmune disease:

The autoimmune protocol diet (AIP) is a diet that aims to reduce inflammation, pain and other symptoms caused by autoimmune diseases. It focuses on eliminating inflammatory foods and replacing them with health-promoting, nutrient-dense foods that help heal the gut and, ultimately, reduce inflammation and symptoms of autoimmune disease.

Living with autoimmune disease:

An autoimmune disorder diagnosis is not the end. It is the beginning of understanding why you are experiencing the symptoms you have, and finding the right way to treat and resolve those symptoms.

Arkansas Heart Hospital is dedicated to not only treating heart conditions, but also educating the public on the best ways to live a heart-healthy life. Read through our heart health tips and and expert insights provided by our doctors.

Did you know that if you have diabetes, you are 2-3 times more likely to have cardiovascular disease and have a 60% increased risk of dying from heart disease?

Diabetes and heart disease go hand in hand, but diabetes doesn’t have to be a death sentence. It is important to your health to have your A1C checked every three months, take your medications as prescribed, check your blood sugar daily, maintain a healthy weight, monitor your blood pressure and remember these simple nutrition tips:

• All foods fit—by limiting portion sizes, all foods can fit within a well-balanced diet.
• Well-portioned plates—focus on protein and non-starchy vegetables and balance your plate with healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and lower glycemic index foods, such as sweet potatoes.
• Fiber—sources of insoluble fiber, such as apples, sweet potatoes, broccoli, brown rice and leafy green vegetables, can help stabilize blood sugar by slowing down the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
• Be mindful—eat your  meals slowly, putting utensils down between bites, and listen to your body’s signals to stop eating when you begin to feel satisfied. This will help you to enjoy your food more, and prevent over-indulgence and weight gain.

If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment to meet with a dietitian about better managing your diabetes, please call (501) 219-7881 for more information.

Diabetes eating tips.

Most of the time when the word “fat” comes up in health-related discussions, people consider it a bad nutrient. But like all other nutrients, fats are very important for maintaining good health. There are both good and bad types. Here’s an overview of heart healthy fats.

Good fats are nutrients that perform essential functions. There are several different varieties of good fats, including:

• Monounsaturated fatty acids — fats that lower the level of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and help raise levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol in blood. Examples include olives, avocados, olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids — fats that lower total blood cholesterol levels. Sources include vegetable oils, soybean oil, sunflower oil.

Why eat fats? Here are some benefits: 

• They supply energy and provide satiety.
• They carry vitamins A, D, E and K through the body.
• They provide a reserve store of energy.
• They act as a cushion and heat regulator.

Bad fats:

• Saturated fatty acids — fats that raise the level of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Sources include meat, poultry skin, whole-milk dairy products, butter, margarine and palm oil.
• Trans fats — artificially produced partially hydrogenated fat
• High fat diets are linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. It’s very important to incorporate good fats and avoid bad fats to achieve good health.

To learn more about how to improve your heart health, check out these other heart health tips. And for great meal ideas, look through our heart healthy recipes.