Cardiovascular Specialists

10/25/2026

MOVE OVER, MEDITERRANEAN — THE NORDIC DIET IS MAKING A STRONG CASE FOR YOUR HEART

You've heard plenty about the Mediterranean diet — but its Scandinavian counterpart deserves a place in the conversation. The Nordic diet, built around rye bread, oatmeal, fatty fish like salmon and herring, rapeseed oil, cabbage, apples, berries, and locally grown root vegetables, has been consistently linked in research to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. A landmark 12-month Swedish study found that people who adopted Nordic eating patterns saw meaningful improvements across several chronic disease risk factors — lower blood sugar, reduced cholesterol, less liver fat, and decreased inflammation — all compared to a control group who continued eating their usual diet. Swapping white bread and pasta for rye and oats, butter for rapeseed oil, and adding more oily fish and local produce are the core shifts. For anyone in Southwest Louisiana where seafood is part of the culture, the Nordic diet's emphasis on fatty fish is already a natural fit. Your plate can work harder for your heart than you might think.

READ MORE — https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/nordic-diet-type-2-diabetes-chronic-disease-b3053577.html
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/23/2026

YOUR ZIP CODE MAY PREDICT YOUR HEART HEALTH BETTER THAN YOUR WEIGHT

Most people focus on the number on the scale when thinking about cardiovascular risk — but scientists are increasingly pointing to a different number: your zip code. A 2024 review found that where you live may be just as predictive — if not more so — of your overall health outcomes as your BMI. Neighborhoods shape access to healthy food, clean air, walkable streets, safe places to exercise, and quality healthcare — all of which directly influence blood pressure, diabetes risk, and cardiovascular disease. The impact is especially pronounced for communities of color: research shows that racial segregation at the neighborhood level is independently linked to higher rates of heart disease and high blood pressure, but those gaps narrow measurably in areas with lower segregation. The encouraging takeaway is that many individual risk factors remain within your control regardless of where you live — regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, avoiding to***co, and staying connected to your cardiologist are habits that protect your heart no matter your zip code.

READ MORE — https://www.sciencing.com/2261014/zip-code-not-weight-bmi-scientists-say-number-bigger-effect-health-think/
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/21/2026

🏆 EXCELLENCE WORTH RECOGNIZING. AGAIN.

Some honors are especially meaningful because they come from the very community you have the privilege of serving.

We're proud to congratulate Dr. Thomas J. Mulhearn IV, MD, FACC, on once again being voted Best Cardiologist in Southwest Louisiana in the Lake Charles American Press People's Choice of SWLA Awards!

This recognition is a testament to Dr. Mulhearn's dedication to cardiovascular medicine, his commitment to providing exceptional patient care, and the lasting relationships he has built with patients throughout Southwest Louisiana. His expertise, compassion, and commitment to the health and well-being of our community continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those he serves.

At Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists, we're honored to work alongside physicians like Dr. Mulhearn who share our commitment to providing high-quality, personalized cardiovascular care. Recognition like this is particularly special because it reflects the confidence and appreciation of the people who matter most—our patients and our community.

To everyone who voted, thank you! Your continued trust and support mean so much to Dr. Mulhearn and our entire team. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved honor!

❤️ Read more about Dr. Mulhearn's recognition: https://www.csswla.com/mulhearn-voted-best-cardiologist/
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect withImperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists📞 337-436-3813 • ❤️ www.CSSWLA.com

We're proud to congratulate Dr. Thomas J. Mulhearn IV, MD, FACC, on once again being voted Best Cardiologist in Southwest Louisiana in the Lake Charles American Press People's Choice of SWLA Awards! This recognition is a testament to Dr. Mulhearn's dedication to cardiovascular medicine, his commitme...

10/21/2026

CARDIOLOGISTS WISH YOU'D STOP DOING THESE 5 THINGS — IS ANY OF THEM YOUR HABIT?

Heart disease is rarely the result of one dramatic event — it's usually the cumulative effect of small, everyday habits that quietly add up over years. Cardiologists identify five of the most common ones they wish patients would address: sitting too much (even one daily workout doesn't fully offset prolonged daily sitting), ignoring stress (which drives cortisol up, increases blood pressure, and makes healthy habits harder to maintain), late-night snacking (which elevates blood pressure during the overnight hours when it should be recovering), drinking too much alcohol (which raises blood pressure and increases cardiovascular risk — the American Heart Association recommends no more than two drinks daily for men, one for women), and smoking or va**ng. The encouraging message from cardiologists: it is never too late to change course. Each of these habits is modifiable — and addressing even one of them can produce meaningful improvements in your cardiovascular health over time.

READ MORE — https://www.eatingwell.com/this-habit-may-hurt-heart-health-12127630
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/20/2026

🏆 EXCELLENCE WORTH RECOGNIZING. AGAIN.

Some honors are especially meaningful because they come from the very community you have the privilege of serving.

We're proud to congratulate Dr. Thomas J. Mulhearn IV, MD, FACC, on once again being voted Best Cardiologist in Southwest Louisiana in the Lake Charles American Press People's Choice of SWLA Awards!

This recognition is a testament to Dr. Mulhearn's dedication to cardiovascular medicine, his commitment to providing exceptional patient care, and the lasting relationships he has built with patients throughout Southwest Louisiana. His expertise, compassion, and commitment to the health and well-being of our community continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those he serves.

At Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists, we're honored to work alongside physicians like Dr. Mulhearn who share our commitment to providing high-quality, personalized cardiovascular care. Recognition like this is particularly special because it reflects the confidence and appreciation of the people who matter most—our patients and our community.

To everyone who voted, thank you! Your continued trust and support mean so much to Dr. Mulhearn and our entire team. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved honor!

❤️ Read more about Dr. Mulhearn's recognition: https://www.csswla.com/mulhearn-voted-best-cardiologist/
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect withImperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists📞 337-436-3813 • ❤️ www.CSSWLA.com

10/20/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. MULHEARN!

Please join the entire team at Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists in wishing Dr. Thomas Mulhearn a very happy birthday! His skill, dedication, and genuine compassion for his patients make him an invaluable part of our team and our community. We hope today is as exceptional as the care he provides every single day. Happy Birthday, Dr. Mulhearn! ❤️
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/19/2026

CHRONIC STRESS MAY BE PHYSICALLY RESHAPING YOUR HEART — YEARS BEFORE YOU FEEL IT

A landmark new study from Imperial College London and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences — the largest of its kind, analyzing nearly 480,000 adults — has found that chronic inflammation driven by everyday stress, poor mental health, poverty, and lifestyle factors may be silently remodeling the heart's structure years before any symptoms appear. People with the highest inflammation levels had a 43% greater risk of heart attack and stroke, even with no prior heart disease. Researchers found that elevated inflammation was associated with thicker heart walls, smaller chambers, and poorer heart filling — changes that can quietly progress toward heart failure over time. Perhaps most striking: the study found that social and economic stressors, mental health struggles, and genetic susceptibility all intersected to drive inflammation — confirming that cardiovascular risk isn't just about what you eat or how much you exercise. It's also about how much chronic stress your body is quietly carrying. Addressing inflammation through smoking cessation, weight management, stress reduction, and — increasingly — targeted anti-inflammatory therapies may represent the next frontier in preventing heart disease before it starts.

READ MORE — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222354.htm
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/17/2026

YOUR BODY MAY ALREADY BE WARNING YOU THAT YOU'RE EATING TOO MUCH SALT

Nine out of ten Americans consume too much sodium — averaging 3,400 mg per day against a recommended limit of 2,300 mg. But here's what most people don't realize: your body often tries to send warning signals long before a blood pressure diagnosis. Constant thirst and more frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom are two of the most common signs. Bloating and swollen hands, feet, or ankles (edema) signal your body is retaining extra fluid to balance out excess sodium. Frequent mild headaches, brain fog or trouble concentrating, disrupted sleep, and mysterious weight gain on the scale are all connected to chronically high salt intake as well. And of course, the most serious and silent consequence — high blood pressure — typically develops without any symptoms at all, quietly damaging artery walls year after year. If several of these signs sound familiar, it may be time to read more food labels, cook more at home, and talk to your cardiologist about where your numbers stand.

READ MORE — https://www.healthdigest.com/277679/youre-eating-too-much-salt-if-this-happens-to-you/
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/15/2026

IF YOUR PARENT LIVED TO 100, YOUR HEART MAY HAVE WON THE GENETIC LOTTERY

A compelling new study published in JAMA Network Open — combining data from three major long-running research projects in the U.S. and UK — found that children of centenarians had a 42% lower risk of death, a 33% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 32% lower risk of high blood pressure at any given age compared to peers whose parents died younger. Even more striking: high blood pressure showed up roughly five years later in children of centenarians, and their average age of death was about three years later. Critically, these advantages held even after researchers accounted for smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol, and education — suggesting something biological, beyond lifestyle, may be at play. That said, the researchers were clear: having long-lived parents isn't a green light for ignoring your health. Cancer risk was not significantly lower, and stroke protection was inconsistent. Whatever genetic advantages may exist, lifestyle choices still determine whether those advantages are protected or squandered. Your family history is a starting point — not a finish line. ❤️

READ MORE — https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-family-trait-could-lower-your-risk-of-heart-disease-and-early-death/
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com

10/13/2026

COULD YOUR WEEKEND MEAL SCHEDULE BE QUIETLY RAISING YOUR HEART DISEASE RISK?

A fascinating new study tracking more than 104,000 French adults over eight years has introduced a compelling concept cardiologists are now paying attention to: "eating jet lag" — the gap between when you eat on weekdays versus weekends. When men shifted their weekend meal timing more than an hour later than their weekday pattern, each additional hour of that shift was associated with a 14% higher cardiovascular disease risk and a 21% higher coronary heart disease risk. Men who delayed their weekend eating by more than an hour had a 36% higher risk of coronary heart disease — and those who shifted their eating earlier by more than an hour had a 44% higher cardiovascular disease risk. The good news: the fix is remarkably simple. The lowest-risk group just ate within roughly one hour of their weekday schedule on weekends. Pick one anchor — breakfast — and keep it within an hour of your weekday time. That single habit tends to pull the rest of your meals into a tighter, heart-healthier window naturally.

READ MORE — https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/could-your-weekend-brunch-be-increasing-your-heart-attack-risk
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For expert cardiovascular care you can trust, connect with
Imperial Health–Cardiovascular Specialists
📞 337-33HEART • ❤️ CSSWLA.com