In this issue: Calculate your risk of heart disease, choosing blood pressure medications, nutrition FAQs and more

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Vol. 13, Issue 5
February 1, 2012 Dear Subscriber, Get the facts on simple changes you can make to fend off heart disease and discover whether fasting is one of them. Also find out how to choose the blood pressure medicine that's right for you. Also this week, check out what's behind eye floaters, what the diagnosis of prediabetes means, and how women are using birth control pills to have fewer periods. Thanks for subscribing. Sincerely, The team at MayoClinic.com
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Featured Topic Heart Disease Blood tests for heart disease Blood tests can offer clues to your heart health. Here are tests you might encounter in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of heart disease. Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease Ready to start your heart-healthy diet? Here are eight tips to get you started. 5 medication-free strategies to help prevent heart disease Heart disease may be preventable by making heart-healthy lifestyle changes. Discover five strategies you can adopt now to protect your heart. Books & Newsletters Heart disease is the leading cause of death of both women and men in the United States, but you can learn to prevent it or lessen its severity in most cases. Improving your heart health doesn't really take a lot of time. You can start with as little as 10 minutes a day. This new book, "Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!" can show you how. Get your copy today! Highlights Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. Consider it an opportunity to take charge of your health. Choosing blood pressure medications Choosing the right high blood pressure medication can be tricky. Find out when the various drug options are appropriate. Delaying your period with birth control pills Wish your period didn't come every month? If you take birth control pills, it doesn't have to. Featured Tools Heart disease risk calculator Find out your heart disease risk and what you can do to reduce it. Symptom Checker Foot pain? Headache? Sore throat? Skin rash? Use the Symptom Checker to find out what's causing your symptom. Did You Know? Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution dedicated to patient care, education and medical research. Proceeds from advertising and the sale of Mayo Clinic books and newsletters support Mayo Clinic's mission. Share our passion for science and health. Please consider a gift to Mayo Clinic. Click here to donate. Now Playing: Video Endoscopic mucosal resection Endoscopic mucosal resection is used to remove suspicious tissue from your digestive tract. Healthy Recipes Hearty turkey chili Southwestern cornmeal muffins Turkey club sandwich Warm coleslaw with honey dressing Now Blogging Alzheimer's: Negative thoughts make Alzheimer's caregiving harder Depression: It sometimes shifts to bipolar disorder Living with cancer: Palliative care focuses on pain relief and quality of care Nutrition-wise: Questions about nutrition — Top 5 FAQs Books & Newsletters Great news! Start a healthier you with a trial issue of "Mayo Clinic Health Letter." As an added bonus, we'll send you two complimentary special reports on arthritis and weight control. Get started now! Expert Answers with Mayo Clinic specialists Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health? Grass-fed beef: What are the heart-health benefits? Nocturnal panic attacks: What causes them? Health Tip Of The Week Know enough about your parents' health? Prepare for a family emergency by gathering important details about your parents' health. For each parent, create a medical reference file that includes birth date, doctors' names and phone numbers, and insurance information. Compile a list of allergies, medications, major health problems and surgeries. Also include advance directives, the legal documents that outline your parents' decisions about health care, such as whether to use life-support machines. Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Try a daily dose of healthy lifestyle tips from MayoClinic.com. Receive the tips through your favorite RSS reader. Health Digest A wrap-up of this week's other new and updated information Chronic sinusitis Eye floaters High blood pressure (hypertension) Prediabetes For more of our reliable health information and tools, visit us at MayoClinic.com. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. For questions or comments, please contact Customer Service. If you no longer wish to receive Mayo Clinic Housecall, click here to unsubscribe: Unsubscribe. Or you may visit the Housecall subscription services page to SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your email address. Visit the Housecall archive to read past issues. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to a friend.
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