Posts Tagged ‘cancers’

• How 40,000 People Reversed Heart Disease

  Date: 2008.07.24 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  It is well known that about two-thirds of the U.S. population is either overweight or obese. The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that approximately 75% of Western diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, gout, arthritis, excess weight gain, hypertension, diabetes, some cancers, impotence, biventricular disease, constipation, heartburn, and gallbladder disease, are lifestyle-related. They are directly correlated with our high fat diet, inadequate amounts of exercise, smoking, high intake of caffeine, and high amounts of stress coupled with insufficient support.

  Hoping to address this alarming situation, more than 20 years ago, cardiovascular epidemiologist Hans A. Diehl, DrHSc, MPH, created the Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP). Since then, this 40-hour community-based lifestyle intervention program has helped more than 40,000 people rediscover their health by preventing, arresting and reversing their diseases. It has been conducted in more than 150 North American cities as well as in Bangalore, India, Australia and Switzerland. Depending upon the needs of the group, the meetings are held either live with Dr. Diehl delivering the program personally (usually meeting four times per week for four weeks) or as a video-based program with certified CHIP facilitators (normally two times per week for eight weeks). In addition, Dr. Diehl is a best-selling author To Your Health, Dynamic Living, and Health Power (co-authored with Aileen Ludington, M.D.) — as well as the executive editor of a 24-page quarterly Lifeline Health Letter; he has produced scores of health videos. CHIP empowers people through its scientifically-documented, educational and inspirational program that addresses common western diseases — those that used to be seen primarily later in life. Today, these diseases increasingly appear at far younger ages. CHIP may make all the difference in ones life — even the difference between life and death.

  In 1999, CHIP launched a community health transformation template in Rockford, Illinois, a city with a population of 130,000. The intention was to transform Rockford into the healthiest city in American, thereby enabling it to serve as a model and template for cultural transformation on a community-wide level. Recently, CHIP was recognized as just such a model by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson and was approved under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a STEPS to a HealthierUS applicant. In addition to live CHIP, a series of CHIP videos are offered through schools, churches, corporations, and hospitals. In Rockford, CHIP is sponsored by the Swedish American Health Systems Center for Complementary Medicine.

  Who is the typical CHIP participant? Generally, CHIP participants are over the age of 40. Most are between the ages of 50 and 59. There are twice as many women as men, and almost 90% are married. Clinical research, published in peer review journals, has found that they have the following lifestyle diseases:

  10% report having heart disease

  27% have elevated blood sugar

  42% are overweight

  49% show evidence of hypertension

  60% are obese

  89% are cholesterol above 160mg%

  Over the course of the program, strict adherents are likely to experience significant clinical improvements such as the following:

  Serum cholesterol reduction average 15 20%

  Average weight loss of six pounds

  In about half of the participants with type 11 diabetes, a dramatic reduction in need for insulin and hypoglycemic agents

  Lowering of high blood pressure levels

  Diminishing of angina

  Reduced levels of depression and increase in self-esteem

  Class & Video Lecture Schedule

  Week 1

  Modern Medicine: Miracles, Medicines, & Mirages
  The limitations of high-tech medical approaches in dealing with lifestyle related diseases
  Portrait of a Killer: Onslaught from Within
  Atherosclerosis, the culprit in many lifestyle diseases
  Stalking the Killer
  Reviewing the risk factors for coronary heart disease
  Eat More and Weigh Less
  Basic guidelines for healthy, sustained weight loss

  Week 2

  Going Up in Smoke
  Smoking the most controllable risk factor for coronary heart disease
  The Magic of Fiber
  The role of fiber in preventing and reversing lifestyle diseases
  Reversing Hypertension
  Changing the major risk factors for high blood pressure
  Disarming Diabetes
  Lifestyle factors that can arrest or reverse diabetes
  Effective Cholesterol Control
  Dietary factors that prominently affect blood levels of cholesterol
  Fats in the Fire
  The role of excessive fat intake in lifestyle diseases

  Week 3

  Fit at Any Age
  Benefits of regular exercise in preventing and arresting disease
  Boning Up on Osteoporosis
  Cause and prevention of this so-called disease of aging
  Lifestyle and Health
  Clinical studies that demonstrate how lifestyle choices are related to health
  The Optimal Diet
  Positive dietary guidelines for the prevention and reversal of Western diseases

  Week 4

  Diet and Cancer
  Dietary factors in the development and prevention of common cancers
  Atherosclerosis of the Mind
  The importance of adaptability in achieving and maintaining optimal health
  The Gift of Forgiveness
  How a spirit of forgiveness enhances emotional and overall health
  Building Self-Worth
  The development, preservation and role of self worth in a healthy person

  Connie Thebarges Story

  At the age of 59, Connie Thebarge, a patient at the Ottawa Heart Institute in British Columbia, Canada, was told that her doctors could no longer help her. After all, in addition to suffering from hypertension, she had diabetes and painful diabetic neuropathy. She had two heart attacks followed by a triple coronary bypass surgery and an unsuccessful angioplasty. Every day, she had to take 27 pills. Not surprisingly, she was also depressed.

  Yet, today, more than a decade later, Thebarge walks three miles a day, swims twice a week, dances, and travels to Florida and Europe. No longer depressed, she also requires far fewer pills. How was this accomplished? Thebarge participated in CHIP and transformed her life.

  Written by the Editors at Weight Loss Buddy Press in collaboration with Hans A. Diehl, DrHSc, MPH, FACN, CNS

  Copyright © 2004, by Weight Loss Buddy Press

  May be reproduced and distributed as is.

  Joey Dweck- your Weight Loss Buddy

  http://weightlossbuddy.com

  PO Box 488 Tenafly NJ 07670

  Tel. 877-BuddyUp

  Written By: Joey Dweck

• American Heart Association Recommendations

  Date: 2007.08.26 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from the different food groups. In order for women to lose one to two pounds a week, they should consume between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. Men should consume between 1500 and 1800 calories a day if they want to lose one to two pounds a week. Let’s examine the different food groups the American Heart Association suggests you consume. Meat, Poultry, Fish – You should consume no more than 6 ounces of meat, poultry, and fish per day. Lean cuts of poultry and fish have fewer calories than fatty red meat, but you can find lean cuts of red meat in your supermarket.

  Breads, Cereals, Starches – This food group includes bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. You can have six servings from this food group a day. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal, and 1cup of rice, pasta, or to cup of starchy veggies. So, if you eat Remember here, that whole grain is best. When you can, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta instead of their white counterparts that have been stripped of nutrients and fiber.

  Vegetables and Fruits – Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of your diet because they contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients. You can have five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables. A serving size is cup to 1 cup of cooked and raw vegetables, cup of fruit juice, or one medium piece of fruit. Aim to choose a variety of colors in your diet because they have different vitamins and minerals. Let’s examine the colors you should include in your diet every day.

  Red – Red fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help keep your heart and urinary tract healthy. They also help with your memory and lower your risk of some cancers. When it comes to red, choose from apples, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers, and radishes, to name a few.

  Yellow/Orange – Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that keep your heart, vision, and immune system healthy. Some yellow and orange fruits and veggies include apricots, lemons, peaches, cantaloupe, yellow squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

  Green – Green fruits and vegetables help lower your risk of some cancers and keep your bones and teeth strong. Choose foods like green grapes, broccoli, avocados, spinach, green apples, and limes.

  Blue/Purple – Blue and purple fruits and vegetables lower the risk of some cancers and keep your urinary tract healthy. They also help maintain your memory function. Some delicious blue and purple foods are blackberries, blueberries, raisins, plums, eggplant, and purple cabbage.

  White – White foods promote your heart health, and if you already have healthy cholesterol, they’ll help maintain those levels. Bananas, pears, cauliflower, mushrooms, and garlic are tasty options you can fit into your meal plan.

  Milk Products – If you love dairy products, the good news is that you can still eat them and lose weight. However, choose low-fat or fat-free products. They contain the same vitamins and minerals, taste good, and lower your cholesterol all at the same time. Adults aged 19-50 should have three servings of milk products per day. A serving of dairy is 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk, 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese (stay away from fat-free cheeses–they have too much sodium) or a cup of low-fat cottage cheese.

  Fats – You should have no more than five servings of fats a day in the form of oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and mayonnaise. Fat servings include one teaspoon of oil, three teaspoons of nuts or seeds, 5-10 olives, 1/8 of an avocado and two teaspoons of mayonnaise. If you love the taste of butter on your vegetables, use a fat-free imitation butter spray. It really doesn’t taste that much different.

  About the Author

  Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments on popular diets.

  Written By: Kirsten Hawkins

• CO-Q10 for a Healthy Heart

  Date: 2007.02.22 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  Coenzyme Q10 (also known as Co-Q10, Vitamin Q or ubiquinone) is a compound that is made naturally in the body. It is also found in all living organisms and most foods contain traces of it as well. The highest amounts are found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas, with the lowest amounts found in the lungs. It is needed for the proper functioning of enzymes (thus the reason for the name “coenzyme”) that are necessary for chemical reactions throughout the body. Coenzymes are a sort of energy sparking catalyst for the cells of the body.

  Our bodies could not survive without energy producing Co-Q10. It’s a necessary nutrient needed for the proper functioning of every cell. Without it we would not have enough cellular energy to fuel the physiological reactions we need to survive. As a powerful antioxidant, it also protects the body from free radical damage that can damage important parts of the cell. Several small studies have even shown a benefit for some cancers, possibly because of its immune enhancing effects.

  The heart requires the most Co-Q10, calling for a constant supply of energy to pump blood throughout the body. Numerous studies have shown that Co-Q10 can support the cardiovascular system when dealing with such issues as mitral valve prolapse, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, irregular heartbeat, angina and high blood pressure.

  Since Coenzyme Q10 assists the body on a cellular level, sufficient stores of this nutrient are needed to fight off illnesses such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and Parkinson’s disease. Having enough Co-Q10 ensures that you can retain proper muscle function and overall stamina.

  This important nutrient is easily depleted by stress, age, illness, exercise, and some drugs. Along with blocking the liver mechanism that manufactures cholesterol, cholesterol-lowering drugs, like Lipitor, Zocor and Pravachol (also known as statins) block the production of Coenzyme Q10. Other drugs such as antidepressants and beta blockers also deplete this important nutrient.

  Co-Q10 is essential for the functioning of every cell in our bodies. Again, without it we could not survive. When it drops, so does our cardiovascular health, our immunity and general health. When Co-Q10 levels are boosted, so is our immune systems response. Therefore, taking a look at Co-Q10, may assist you in reversing cardiovascular disease, symptoms of fatigue or generally in enhancing the immune system and fending off disease.

  Coenzyme Q10 is a boost to overall health. An aid for…TRUE HEALTHY LIVING!

  About the author:

  Due to personal health issues we have been researching health & fitness for the last five years. The information we have obtained has helped us and our family members get off pharmaceutical drugs and regain a level of health we had never known. Please visit us at http://www.truehealthyliving.blogspot.com

  Written By: D & D @ True Healthy Living

• How Heart-Healthy is Alcohol?

  Date: 2006.12.24 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  Although past research suggests that drinking a glass or two of wine a day may have some heart benefits, new findings suggest that those studies were flawed.

  Risks Outweigh the Benefits

  There is some evidence that heavier drinking provides heart protection — alcoholics have relatively ‘clean’ arteries — but the other health risks of heavy drinking outweigh the benefits.

  Early observations in the 1970s and 1980s seemed to indicate a 20 to 25 percent reduction in heart disease risk linked to light drinking. However, the way those studies were carried out did not allow researchers to say with certainty that the findings could not be due to factors other than alcohol consumption.

  Diet, Exercise, Quit Smoking

  The British Heart Foundation responded to the new evidence by saying that their advice remained the same: “… the best way to reduce the risk of heart disease is to quit smoking if you smoke, increase levels of physical activity and eat a healthy balanced diet.”

  BBC News December 2, 2005

  Dr. Mercola’s Comment:Good advice from the British Heart Foundation, so long as your balanced diet is nutritionally sound.

  As I’ve said before about studies touting all the “benefits” of drinking red wine, I personally do not advocate it. There are many health experts that feel it is fine in moderation, but I am still not convinced.

  This is largely because I am convinced the alcohol itself is actually a neurotoxin, which means it can poison your brain. Additionally, it has the strong potential to seriously disrupt your delicate hormone balance. Plus, drinking two or more glasses (of wine or any alcoholic beverage for that matter) may offset the benefit and increase your risk of certain cancers.

  You also need to be aware that consuming large amounts of wine will increase insulin levels and eventually have a negative impact on your health that way as well.

  If you absolutely insist on drinking red wine, check on the growing conditions of the grapes used and how the wine is made. And if you can, take a brisk walk to pick it up, as exercise is your real ticket to preventing heart disease.

  About the author:

  This article is reprinted from Mercola.com, the world’s #1 most visited and trusted natural/alternative health website. For a limited time only, you can take the FREE “Metabolic Type Test” to help you learn the right foods for your particular body type so you can achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm right now to take this quick test!

  Written By: Dr. Joseph Mercola