It’s never too late to strive for a healthier lifestyle, and September is Healthy Aging Month, which makes it the perfect time to make a plan. Recapture that “back to school” feeling with a personal commitment to renew yourself. To improve yourself physically, socially, and mentally, here are 4 reasonable tips from the Healthy Aging website to inspire you: 1) Exercise, 2) Diet, 3) Social, and 4) Mental Health.

Follow these six tips to help prevent chronic disease and have a healthy summer: move more, wear sunscreen, keep cool, eat healthy, drink wisely and don’t use tobacco. Learn more details from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Summer is a time for barbecues and other outdoor fun, but it’s also a time for sweltering heat. And experts say everyone, especially the elderly and very young, need to know how to limit the sometimes-deadly effects of high temperatures. The ancient Greeks and Romans called the sultriest days of summer the “dog days.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac marks the time as 40 days from July 3 to Aug. 11, coinciding with the rising of the star Sirius, also called the Dog Star.

Southern California Hospitals at Culver City and Hollywood are 5-star rated for Pacemaker Procedure outcomes in 2022, according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 31 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions. This is the fifth year in a row the hospital has been nationally recognized.

Southern California Hospital at Culver City was the 2021 five-star recipient for treatment in 10 clinical categories, including two national recognitions for cardiac care: 2021 Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for seven years in a row (2015-2021) and Pacemaker Procedures for four years in a row (2018-2021).

In the past six months, Southern California Hospital at Culver City has launched a number of new initiatives focused on improving the technology and services offered by the Heart Institute. Despite the recent challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the institute has continued to move forward with upgrades to its cardiac care, such as a novel treatment system for heart failure and construction of a new catheterization lab.

Today, Southern California Hospital Heart Institute celebrated the start of construction on a new cardiac catheterization lab that will allow for faster, easier access to care. The lab expands the Heart Institute’s capacity to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease in West Los Angeles.

Dr. Ernst von Schwarz performed the first implantation in California of the new Optimizer® Smart system for treating patients with chronic, moderate-to-severe heart failure. The device addresses an unmet medical need in patients who fail to get adequate benefits from standard treatments and have no alternative treatment options.

To continue to provide care for patients during the COVID-19 outbreak, many doctors are offering telemedicine appointments, including Dr. Ernst von Schwarz, a board-certified cardiologist and medical director of the Southern California Hospital Heart Institute in Culver City.

Read Dr. Ernst von Schwarz, Heart Institute medical director, Ernst von Schwarz’s invited commentary in JAMA about palliative care and the heart failure patient. Although palliative care has been traditionally associated with patients with cancer, there is increasing recognition of its important role in caring for patients with other life-limiting chronic diseases such as HF.

“We are proud to be clinically recognized for our treatment of heart attack and heart failure,” said hospital CEO Michael Klepin. “Our community can take comfort in the fact that nationally recognized cardiac care is available close to home.”

When it comes to nutrition, there are macronutrients and micronutrients.  The Big 3 macronutrients (macros) are fats, carbohydrates and protein. When eaten in the right ratios, these three macronutrients can improve your weight, health and overall physical well-being.

February is American Heart Month, which is an annual reminder of small steps you can take starting today to reduce the risk of heart disease in the future--especially if you are Hispanic/Latino.

Sometimes grocery shopping can be a dangerous task. We tend to go to the grocery store when we are hungry, ready to scoop up all of the delicious-looking, ready-made food or sweets from the bakery.

Southern California Hospital at Culver City received the 2019 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, putting the hospital in the top 5% in the nation among acute care hospitals for patient safety for the second year in a row.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. For this reason, The American Heart Association created the Go Red for Women awareness campaign. The campaign is designed to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women.

Knowing which foods to eat more of and which foods to limit is a powerful way to prevent heart disease and improve your overall health.  Use the steps below to work toward a more heart-healthy diet. Here are 6 easy ways to eat smart for your heart.

There is a reason that National Heart Month falls in February—the same month that Valentine’s Day is celebrated. As Valentine’s Day is all about the heart, this is a good match. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both American men and women; almost one in every four deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease.

So, you’ve been recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, often called hypertension. High blood pressure increases your chances of heart attack and stroke. Here are 8 lifestyle changes you can make to change your lifestyle that can naturally bring down your blood pressure.

Your diet impacts your health on so many levels. It’s undeniable that a well-balanced diet supports an all-around healthy lifestyle. Choosing what to eat and what not to eat are factors in keeping many leading chronic diseases at bay.

When combined, chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. For this reason, health experts regularly study how exercise can lower the risk of developing chronic problems. Findings show that exercise is one of the best ways to manage and prevent chronic diseases.

Whether it’s a cat, dog, horse or iguana, pets can improve your overall health and happiness. We know they enrich our lives in many ways, but you may be surprised to learn how many health benefits our furry friends encourage. 

Heart disease is often missed or misdiagnosed in women—especially young women. Hear 29-year-old Tara’s lifesaving story with Dr. Ernst von Schwarz.