Can your gut bacteria influence your heart health? Turns out, they just might! In this episode of Hadassah On Call, we sit down with Dr. Rabea Asleh, director of the Heart Failure Unit and Cardiovascular Research Center at the Hadassah Medical Organization, to explore the surprising link between the microbiome and heart disease — specifically, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
HFpEF is one of the most common yet under-recognized forms of heart failure, especially in women, older adults and people with obesity or high blood pressure. Unlike traditional heart failure, where the heart's pumping ability is weakened, HFpEF keeps the heart's function intact but makes it stiffer, leading to fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling. Dr. Asleh's research suggests that gut bacteria might play a key role in the disease's development and progression.
So, what does this mean for your diet, lifestyle and heart health? Could a simple change in your diet help manage or even prevent HFpEF? And what new treatments are on the horizon?
Listen to this episode to take your heart health to the next level.
Further learning:
If you'd like to hear more about heart health, check out previous podcast episodes and Hadassah stories:
- Pulse Check: Beating Heart Disease with Donna Zfat-Zwas, MD, MPH
- Heart Matters: Exploring Innovative Heart Treatments with Dr. David Planer
- How Gender Plays a Role in Heart Disease with Donna Zfat-Zwas, MD, MPH
- Breakthroughs, Risks and Warning Signs: An Insider's Tips for a Healthy Heart with Dr. Offer Amir
- Heartfelt Change, Thanks to Female-Focused Center at Hadassah
- Saving Women's Hearts: The Dangers of Delay and the Power of Education
- A Memo From the Director of Hadassah's Cardiac Wellness Center for Women
Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine is a production of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America. Hadassah enhances the health of people around the world through medical education, care and research innovations at the Hadassah Medical Organization. For more information on the latest advances in medicine, please head over to hadassah.org.
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The show is hosted by Maayan Hoffman and produced by the team at the Hadassah offices in New York and Israel.
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Our recent episode with Dr. Anna Woloski Wruble
If you are enjoying this episode, you’ll want to check out our previous episode with Dr. Anna Woloski Wruble, an experienced nurse, midwife, senior lecturer and healthcare professional with a focus on sexual health and oncology. Dr. Woloski Wruble leads our conversation about sexual health and intimacy as we age on this episode, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you get your podcast or on the web at hadassah.org/hadassahoncall.
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