Red Wine, Heart Disease, Hungry Sharks and Knights in Shining Armor
What is so special about wine? What is it that makes it potentially more protective against coronary heart disease, and perhaps other diseases, that other forms of alcohol?
In recent years, scientists have concluded without doubt that many human diseases such as heart disease, cancer and the aging process is caused or stimulated by a ravenous group of chemicals called free radicals. These highly charged little villains prowl the body and attack healthy cell membranes through a process that is called oxidation. In this scenario, there is however a knight in shining armor that jumps to the rescue and purges these ever hungry little killers. The name of our crusader is antioxidants.
Without getting too technical, the oxidation process in our bodies is crucial for health, without it, for instance, we would not be able to extract energy from our food. But if there are too many free radicals in our bodies this can be harmful.
Our body has its own defenses against free radicals, in the form of enzymes that are able to turn the hungry little sharks into harmless water. However, sometimes our bodys natural defense mechanisms cant cope. Other times, external events can cause huge increases of free radicals within our bodies, such as x-rays, cigarette smoke and exposure to toxic substances. At times, this surge of free radicals can swamp our defenses and illnesses such as radiation sickness may take place.
So what does all this have to do with heart disease?
Low density lipoproteins, commonly know as bad LDL, can penetrate and gather against the inner walls of our arteries, under certain conditions, forming fatty streaks and plaque. Taken alone, LDL particles arent so dangerous it seems, however, when attacked by free radicals they turn into dangerous and somewhat aggressive cells, capable of actually penetrating and harming the smooth inner walls of our arteries. This process is called oxidation. Oxidized LDL is known to be the culprit in stimulating atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke.
Antioxidants, as the name suggests (anti-oxidants) can help stop the oxidation process, which are the results of free radicals doing their stuff. Most antioxidant research has been carried out on vitamins (A, E, beta carotene) but quite a lot of work has also been done on the healthy benefits of red wine. While most research on red wine has been done in relation to coronary heart disease, it seems that the benefits of wine dont stop there.
Red wine and Coronary Heart Disease
Red wine contains a wide range of flavanoids; these are the chemicals that give the wine its particular taste and character, making one different from another. Many of these flavanoids act like antioxidants. Perhaps the forerunner of wine research was carried out by a certain Serge Renaud, who discovered the French Paradox, which suggested that wine was the decisive factor in protecting the people in southern France from their very high fat diets and ultimately coronary heart disease. Even if these people do eat large quantities of high fat cheese, pt, and salami they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.
Another study, statistical rather than practical, by a Professor Grey of the University of Bern in Switzerland focused on the low, medium and high coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality figures of the World Health Organization.
What did he find? Well from among the high mortality areas were Finland and Scotland, the middle areas included Ireland, and the low CHD areas included Spain, Italy and France. He then compared heart attack rates with antioxidant levels in blood samples taken from men living in those areas.
What he found was very interesting, the results showed that high antioxidant levels, in particular vitamin E, coincided with low death rates of heart disease. Moreover, his results showed that vitamin E levels were 94% more accurate in predicting CHD rates than were cholesterol levels or blood pressure figures! Apart from diet, the high CHD regions drink very little, if any wine, whereas the low regions traditionally accompany their meals most days with wine.
It certainly seems strange that two much studied cities; Glasgow in Scotland and Toulouse in France show many similarities and yet many differences. The inhabitants of both cities eat tremendous amounts of high fat foods, traditionally take little exercise and drink alcohol. The surprising difference is that while the people of Glasgow have one of the highest rates of CHD in the world, the fortunate people of Toulouse have one of the lowest. Traditionally beer and spirits are the preferred drinks in Glasgow, while the folks in Toulouse drink red wine.
It has also been suggested that drinking in moderation together with meals is beneficial, while binge drinking at bars in the evening is harmful. It seems the southern Europeans dont drink for the alcohol buzz, but just as a pleasant accompaniment to their meals.
At first the large heart institutions such as the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association ignored both antioxidants and frowned upon wine. While it is clear that it could be potentially dangerous for a physician to recommend his patients start drinking alcohol, it is also strange that they pretended for so many years to ignore the evidence. Well, now even if they dont promote the taking of vitamin pills; antioxidants and free radicals are now recognized.
However, according to the AHA There is no scientific proof that drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage can replace conventional measures … No direct comparison trials have been done to determine the specific effect of wine or other alcohol on the risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Just ask yourself who would pay for such studies. Clinical Trials have the purpose of showing one thing to be better than another, or whether a certain substance is beneficial to health. The costs of clinical trials is so high that only the pharmaceutical industry have the financial clout to invest in them invest is the correct word. What a surprise.
About the Author
http://www.allabout-heart-disease.com the site that tells you how it is, about getting your life back and living it to the full! Articles, tips, advice and the latest news on how to take care of your heart. You can get articles like this in your mailbox each month by submitting to our eZine The Webs Heart at: http://www.allabout-heart-disease.com/webs-heart-subscribe.html
Written By: Nicholas Webb
Since the 1960s there have been numerous controlled clinical trials concerning the relationship between congestive heart failure and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). As its name implies CoQ10 is a coenzyme that is necessary for the proper functioning of other substances, one of the most important of which is ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is necessary for the production of cellular energy. By proxy CoQ10 is likewise essential for this process.
Clinical trials have attempted to study the relationship between CoQ10 and many chronic diseases including, but not limited to, heart disease, cancer and AIDS. But heart disease has gained the most attention; congestive heart failure being one of the primary subjects. Because heart muscle cells require so much energy to function and CoQ10 is at the core of the cellular energy process it makes sense to suspect that congestive heart failure might be linked to CoQ10 deficiency. With that theory in mind many studies like the ones that follow have been conducted. These trials have been presented in this essay in thumbnail format.
One early Japanese trial (1972) involved 197 patients with varying levels of severity of cardiac failure. The study reported significant improvement of cardiac function supplementing with 30 mg per day of CoQ10. Another Japanese study demonstrated similar results with 38 patients also supplementing with 30 mg. In 1985 a U.S. clinical study prescribed daily supplementation with 100 mg of the coenzyme for treatment periods of three months for patients with low ejection fraction measurements. The ejection fraction is the measure of the hearts ability to pump blood. A low ejection fraction is a classic symptom of congestive heart failure. Again, significant improvements in heart function were reported. Other clinical trials followed prescribing the same level of supplementation with similar results.
Studies in the early 1990s showed improvement for patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy (a low oxygen state usually due to obstruction) with supplemental levels of 200 mg per day. Supplementing with 100 mg per day demonstrated improvement for patients suffering from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart syndrome of unknown cause.
One of the largest trials of the 1990s involves 641 patients randomly divided into two groups. The first group received a placebo. The other group received CoQ10 supplements. During the one-year follow-up period 118 patients in the placebo group were hospitalized for heart failure compared to 73 in the group that received the supplements.
All of the preceding trials were relatively short-term studies. The level of improvement among patients varied depending on how long they had been suffering from some aspect of congestive heart failure. Through the years it has become increasing clear that the greatest improvements were shown in patients that had suffered from their condition the least amount of time. In other words, the longer a person had been suffering from the disease before he or she received CoQ10 treatments the less improvement was demonstrated. People who had received treatments early in the development of the disease showed the most dramatic improvement often returning to normal heart function. Long-term sufferers received less relief and were less likely to return to full heart function. Whatever the reasons for this disparity in health improvement, it demonstrates the importance of receiving treatment as early as possible.
But what about long-term studies? Do they show the same marked improvement with similar treatment? In the short-term trials it was apparent that even high level supplementing with CoQ10 seemed to produce no ill effects. In order to determine if this is only true for short durations a number of long-term studies were conducted.
In 1990 observations were published concerning 126 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Unlike previously noted studies this one followed the patients progress for six years. Long-term benefits from CoQ10 supplementing were noticed with no harmful side effects. Similar observations were made in a trial involving 2,664 patients treated with CoQ10 at levels up to 150 mg per day.
A 1994 study involving 424 patients with a variety of myocardial (refers to the heart’s muscle mass) diseases. Among these conditions were the following: Valvular heart disease (pertaining to dysfunction of heart valves), hypertension, diastolic dysfunction (failure of the heart to properly refill itself with blood), dilated cardiomyopathy (group of disorders where the heart muscle is weakened and enlarged and cannot pump effectively) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (low oxygen state usually due to obstruction of the arterial blood supply). Patients were treated with an average of 240 mg of CoQ10 daily during their treatment period. They were then followed-up for up to eight years with an average follow-up period of 18 months. Overall results demonstrated measurable cardiac improvements in one month with maximum improvements at about six months. With continued CoQ10 treatment the improvement in most patients was sustained. However, discontinuing the treatment usually resulted in a decline of cardiac function with eventual return to pre-treatment conditions.
As always in the medical community many more studies will need to be conducted to determine the future of CoQ10 treatment. However, the research to date seems to support CoQ10 as a viable treatment for many diseases that are caused or exacerbated by inadequate production of cellular energy.
http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html
About the Author
Greg has degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.
Written By: Greg Post
A heart-rate monitor can be an excellent training tool for a first time Ironman Triathlon hopeful. In a nutsell, following a heart-rate monitor program teaches your body to burn fat as opposed to carbs. It teaches to be aerobic as opposed to anearobic.
AEROBIC-Workouts where you are burning fat as your source of energy.
ANEAROBIC-Workouts where you burn carbs as your source of energy.
For an event like the Ironman Triathlon, where endurance is paramount, teaching your body to burn fat is ideal for a very simple reason.
Your body stores a lot more fat then it does carbs. So during your Ironman Triathlon, if you burn fat and not carbs, you don’t use up your glycogen stores too quickly. Glycogen, simply put, is stored carbs. Trust me on this–In a physically demanding event like the Ironman Triathlon, once you use up your glycogen stores, you will hit the proverbial wall with the force of a mac truck. Your pace will slow big time and even walking will extremely uncomfortable.
A heart monitor will guide you in staying in your fat burning range. There is a reliable formula for finding your maximum aerobic heart rate. The idea is to NOT go over this heart rate in the early months of your training. If you are in poor shape to start with, you will be training at a very slow pace at first. If the program is done properly, you will find that eventually you will be able to train at a faster pace and still stay below your max. Also, by staying out of the anearobic zone, your recoveries from training will be much faster and less painful. Better still, your chances of being injured will be diminished.
I have trained with a heart rate monitor for years and have had great success. I would highly recommend giving it a try.
If you decide to, here is how to figure out your max. aerobic heart rate:
The key number is 180. Subtract your age(no cheating).
When you begin, if your physical fitness really sucks(and don’t worry, we’ll change that)take off ten more beats.
If you have trained a few days a week for several years, don’t change the number.
If you have trained like an all-star for a few years and are in really good shape to start, add five beats.
If you are almost set to retire(over 60), add five beats.
If you are still in your teens, add five beats.
Now that you have that magic number. Your maximum aerobic heart rate, strap on that monitor and away you go. I would suggest using the monitor in the run and bike portions of your Ironman Triathlon training. It doesn’t work that well in the pool, because you basically have to stop to check your monior. Its pretty difficult to track while you’re swimming.
Use it on all your runs for sure and always start out running slowly for 10 or 15 minutes, then let your heart-rate get to within 20-25 beats below your max. If you are in really poor shape, it will seem very slow to you. THAT’S OK! Be patient. It will improve. Over the weeks you will teach your body to burn fat and like magic you will start running faster without going over your max. Here is how to do a test so you can actually see your progress. Do your initial test the first few days you start heart-rate monitor training.
Find somewhere(a track etc.)where you can run an exact measured mile. Warm up for 15 minutes and stay 20-25 beats below your max. After your warm-up, pick up speed so that when you hit the start line for your mile, you are right on your maximum aerobic heart-rate.
Begin your stop watch when you hit the start line. Stay in a very tight range for the whole mile. For example, if your max. rate is 130, stay between 125 and 135 through the whole test. The idea is to average 130–your max. rate. Stop your timer right at the end of the mile. Record that time.
In one month–not before–do the exact test again. If you have trained on a regular basis (4-5 times a week)and used the monitor properly you WILL see an improvement.
FOR EXAMPLE: If your first test resulted in a mile time of 9 min 40 seconds and your second test had a time of 9 min 15 seconds, then CONGATULATIONS! You are teaching your body to burn fat. YOU ARE BECOMING AN AEROBIC MACHINE! YOU ARE BECOMING FITTER! You are training at the very same heart-rate as when you started, but are able run faster without any added stress.
Do the test every month(not every week). Your mile time will continue to drop and your fitness level will improve as well if you train on a reguar basis. After 4 months or so when you have developed a sound aerobic base, you will be able to start adding some anearobic work-outs. This is an indication that you come a long way. GOOD FOR YOU!
Should you decide to use a heart-rate monitor in your training, I feel sure you will improve your chances of finishing your very first Ironman Triathlon.
About the Author:
My name is Ray and I’ve competed in 14 ironman races. Most of my training is done with the aid of a heart monitor. I’ve created a site called “Ironstruck” that has many other training and racing tips that the beginner triathlete/novice ironman may find helpful.. http://triathlon-ironman-myfirstironman-ironstruck.com
Written By: Ray Fauteux
Are you aware that one of the most important indicators of heart disease is homocysteine? -1
A naturally occurring amino acid in your body, homocysteine can cause inflammation and damage to your blood vessels when levels become elevated because of a functional deficiency of B vitamins and Folic Acid. -2
Every week we read or hear about heart disease being one of the biggest health concerns facing America today. Most people have experienced this problem because they know a friend or family member with one of these health problems.
In many cases, they may be facing one of these conditions themselves.
Would it be fair to say you really want to take control of and improve your health?
All it takes is a special blood test (just like a test for cholesterol levels), to measure the level of homocysteine in your blood. It is NOT a routine test so do yourself a favor and ask your Doctor for the test.
Also this test may not be covered by your insurance however, because it is so important to your health – get it anyway.
So what is the normal range for homo- cysteine levels? Your level should be under 8, below 7 is even better for your health.
How you can naturally and easily keep your homocysteine levels in the normal range? One can accomplish this with a few supplements and better eating habits for life.
And guess what? You are going to feel better and gain more energy in the process!
The first thing you may want to consider is taking a pharmaceutical grade natural multi-vitamin which contains B vitamins (B2,B6 and B12) and Folic acid 2-3 times a day. Why should I take a vitamin 2-3 times a day you ask? Because the body can only absorb so much nutrition at any one time.
Most quality vitamins will only contain about as much of a certain vitamin and mineral which can be absorbed by your body at one time.
Because the body needs nutrition throughout the day, this is one of the best ways to feed your body what it needs.
Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10. Research has shown and proven this to be effective in fighting heart disease: -3
Slows the effects of LDL cholesterol to fight heart disease.
Inhibits formation of free radicals
Replaces natural CoQ10 levels depleted by statin drugs and poor diet.
Next, here are some great natural food sources to keep your homocysteine levels in the normal range.
Vegetable proteins do not raise levels like some meat proteins can so eat plenty of leafy dark green vegetables.
Legumes (beans) of all kinds which are a great source of protein.
Eggs are a great source of protein (the only protein with all 20 amino acids in the correct ratios for your body) and also a great source of Folic Acid, which helps to control your level of homocysteine.
Great sources of Soy like tofu, soy beverages, soy nuts.
Nuts – in particular – Brazil, walnuts, almonds, pecans and hazelnuts. As well as seeds like sunflower seeds and flaxseed, which is also high in Folic Acid.
High quality grass fed organic beef, wild game, wild Alaskan salmon and sardines.
Poor quality sources of meat protein can actually raise your level of homocysteine.
So as you have learned, you can naturally and easily help your body avoid one of the factors which leads to heart disease with these proven, simple and low cost methods.
And guess what? Just imagine how you are going to feel better and gain more energy in the process in a short period of time!
1- Physicians Health Study, Milosevic-Tosic M. ,et al. Hyperhomocysteinemia a risk factor for development of occlusive vascular diseases Med pregl. 2002 Sep-Oct;55(9-10):385-91
2- Hyman, Mark M.D., Liponis, Mark M.D. Ultra-Prevention, The 6-Week Plan that will Make you healthy for life, New York, Scribner, 2003, pgs 43, 50.
3- http://www.smartbodyz.com/CoQ10Text.htm
3- Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., The CoEnzyme Q10 Phenomenon, McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books,1998
2004 © by Lee Cummings
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Lee Cummings has been studying natural proven nutrition for 9 years. Because he has shown people how to get the results they want with natural proven nutrition, he has helped dozens of people feel better and gain energy over the last 4 years. Lee is the publisher of the monthly LC Nutrition newsletter. For more information on how proven nutrition will help you, visit http://www.LC-Nutrition.com
leeman@lc-nutrition.com
Written By: Lee Cummings
Acai is a new fruit from Brazil that offers vital nutritional benefits for people over 40 years of age. The Acai contains 33 times the cholesterol fighting anthocyanin than a glass of red wine, a Daily Value (DVS) of calcium, twice the DVS at the antioxidant ‘Vitamin E and a substantial amount of dietary fiber (2)
Cardiovascular Maintenance, Anthocyanins are cholesterol regulating compounds with well researched data (indicating their value in Cardiovascular support Elevated blood cholesterol is one of the major modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (5) and the leading cause of death in the US The fact is that 490,000 Americans die of Coronary Heart Diseases each year (3) with cost of over $60 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity ( 4) Therefore, regulating and reducing cholesterol through dietary means can contribute to prolonging life and reducing medical expenses.
Low cholesterol foods and exercise are only a part of the natural program to prevent and mitigate cardiovascular diseases. The consumption of foods rich in compounds that reduce cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and carry antioxidant protection completes the program. Acai is an excellent example of such a functional food that is now accessible to food, beverage and supplement markets in an economical and convenient form.
Calcium rich Acai also provides several cardiovascular health benefits. According to a research summary by the Just-Food.com editorial team. More than maintaining skeletal strength and reducing the impact of osteoporosis, studies have shown that people who suffer from high blood pressure often also have diets low in calcium, When calcium is added to their diet, blood pressure drops. Some research also suggest that calcium may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Also the lower risk of stroke, found in a study of 86,000 women, was attributed to calcium. Diets rich in calcium have also been linked to reduced occurrences of colon and breast cancer in various laboratory studies.
The generous amount of Vitamin E in Acai, twice the D.V., (Daily Value), is essential for regeneration of damaged tissue and as a protective antioxidant. Cancer prevention and Intestinal function: “Acai” high fiber content is very favorable to the consumers proper intestinal function, ” reports Dr. Herve Rogez , “Fiber accelerates the intestinal processes and has a very important role in avoiding colon cancer, The D.V. is 35g of fibers/adult a day, Acai consumers reach this dose very easily,” (2)
References (1)Claire Madden, VP Marketing at MarketResearch.com, (2) “Biochemical and Technical Studies on Acai” by Dr. Herve Rogez 2, Sofia Pascal 2, Jesus N.S. de Souza, Arlete R. Aquino & Raphaele Buxant Dept.. de Engenharia Quimica – Centro Tecnologico, Diaouiweir ria I niinnin, Beligica) (3) National Contor for Health Statictice. Annual summary of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths United States, 1993, Monthly vital statistics report-, vol 42 no 13. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service, 1594. (4) American Heart Association. Heart and stroke facts 1995 statistical supplement. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 1994, (5) National Cholesterol Education Program. Second report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults Adult Treatment Panel II). BeM6sda National Heart, Lung
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Written By: Mike Law
Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food. In addition to protein, carbohydrate, and fat, nuts contain many other important nutrients: fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, and magnesium. Although on some food charts you may see nuts listed in the same food category as diary products, eggs, and red meat because of the fat content, new information calls into question this designation.
While nuts do contain a high proportion of fat, tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, and macadamia are actually low in saturated fat. Most of the fat comes in the form of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered to be acceptable forms of fat that actually “reduce” the incidence of heart and vascular disease.
Several large studies have examined the relationship between the risk of heart disease and intake of omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources. In the Seventh Day Adventist Health Study researchers found that those who reported eating nuts more than four times per week had a 50% lower risk of heart disease than those who rarely ate nuts. The Nurses’ Health Study found that heart disease risk was reduced by 35% in those who ate nuts compared with those who rarely ate nuts. An addition study found that the risk of type 2 diabetes went down by nearly 1/3 in women who consumed 1/4 cup of nuts five times per week compared to those that did not eat nuts at all.
One recent study looked at almonds in particular. They examined the effects on LDL ["bad"] cholesterol values. Each person served as his own control and they were each on three different “diets”: almonds representing about 1/4 their entire daily calorie intake, OR a “handful” of almonds per day, OR a muffin [containing about the same number of calories as a "full dose" of almonds]. The LDL cholesterol went down about 10% when the subjects took a “full dose” of almonds, went down about 5% with intake of a “handful” of almonds, and did not go down at all with eating a muffin. In those with the higher “dose” of almonds, the “ratio” of bad to good cholesterol [LDL/HDL ratio] went down by 12%.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recognizes nuts [including almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, macadamia, and pistachios] may help to lower your blood cholesterol and may be a very healthy “snack”. However, they also warn that they are a source of calories and should not be used to great excess in those with calorie restricted diets and that you should avoid nuts with added oils or added salt. The AHA recommends eating an overall balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and includes low-fat [or non-fat] diary products, fish and lean meats. If you add nuts to your diet, just be sure that you don’t inadvertently add considerable total calories – despite the benefits of nuts, maintaining an ideal body weight is more important. Weight is often a simple lesson in physics – what comes in either stays [as increased pounds] or is used up for energy and metabolism [which is increased by a regular exercise program].
Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.
About the Author
Dr. John Rumberger’s experince in the field is extensive, and includes achieving his doctorate in 1976 (Bio-Engineering/ Fluid Dynamics/ Applied Mathematics) from Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio, with a dissertation on, A Non-Linear Model of Coronary Artery Blood Flow. He has just completed his book The WAY Diet available on amazon.com or direct through the publisher at http://www.emptycanoe.com
Written By: Dr. John Rumberger
There are several factors can lead to depression after heart attack. The stress of being in the hospital, the fear of another heart attack, time away from work can all contribute to feeling depressed, helpless, down and despondent.
Do many people suffer depression after heart attack?
Not surprisingly, the answer to this question is yes. Recent studies show that as many as 65% of people who have a heart attack report feeling depressed, down and despondent. A general state of despair. Moreover, women, people who have been depressed before, and people who feel alone and without social or emotional support are at a higher risk for feeling depressed after a heart attack. Two new Canadian studies have shown that More than twice as many women than men tend to fall into chronic depression after suffering a heart attack and are more likely to lead lives of poorer quality following their treatments.
Being depressed can also make it harder for you to recover. However, depression can be treated.
Being told by doctors that you should take up exercise, adopt a new diet, stop smoking, etc. etc. etc. can certainly make you feel helpless, in fact, you will probably have good days and bad days following your release from hospital. However, most people start to feel better as time passes. People that are quickly able to get back to their usual routines normally notice a drop in anxiety faster than those that dont.
So what exactly is depression?
Depression, be it after a heart attack or not, is a medical illness, like diabetes or high blood pressure and not just somebody going crazy. This is important both for the sufferer and family members to understand. The symptoms of depression may include some or all of the following:
- Feeling sad or crying often
- Losing interest in daily activities that used to be fun
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Sleeping too much or having trouble sleeping
- Feeling agitated, cranky or sluggish
- Loss of energy
- Feeling very guilty or worthless
- Problems concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Can heart disease trigger depression or depression trigger heart disease?
Either of the above may be true, one thing seems clear. The two are often found hand in hand, therefore controlling one may help control the other.
According to The American Academy of Family Physicians research has shown that people who are depressed and have pre-existing cardiovascular disease have a 3.5 times greater risk of dying of a heart attack than patients with heart disease who are not depressed. In a recent study, depression was shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease in men and women. Depression was shown to increase mortality related to coronary heart disease in men but had no effect on mortality in women.
How can the risk of relapse be avoided?
The risk of relapses, be it of heart disease or depression, can be greatly reduced by living a healthy lifestyle, and your doctor will instruct you on this. However, some important lifestyle modifications are avoiding alcohol, illegal drugs, smoking, start a regular exercise program, eating a balanced diet, manage stress, join a club, meet new people or take courses in things that interest you, get enough rest and sleep.
About the Author
For more heart health related information visit www.AllAbout-Heart-Disease.com – a site that offers user-friendly articles, tips and advice for avoiding heart disease, getting the edge on risk factors and living your life to the full!
Written By: Nicholas Webb
Preventing a heart attack should be one of the things that concerns you most. After all, heart disease and heart attacks are some of the leading causes of death among people these days. And while it is obviously not possible to completely prevent having a heart attack, there are several important ways that you can help guard yourself against suffering a heart attack.
Tired of hearing advice about heart attack prevention? I guess people like me will continue to give advice about ways to prevent heart attacks until the numbers of people suffering the effects of heart attacks decreases significantly. If you have not taken seriously the warnings and advice you have heard, seen and read, then please read on to learn about simple ways of heart attack prevention for almost everyone.
Because the heart is a muscle it can be worked out and conditioned just like all of the other muscles in the body. Just like we can distinguish between people who are in good shape and people who are in poor shape, so we can distinguish between hearts that are in good shape or poor shape. One of the best ways to maintain the health of your heart and hence to prevent a heart attack is to get in shape. Exercise is so, so important in trying to prevent a heart attack from taking your life.
Taking the time for exercise and getting in shape should be high on your list of priorities. The three biggest excuses I hear from people about why they are not in better shape are that they are too tired, too busy, and that exercising costs too much money. When a possible heart attack is on the line, none of these three excuses seem valid enough to stop you from getting your body in good shape.
Being too tired to exercise is ironic in that exercise is one of the best ways to gain energy and to help people sleep well at night. Therefore, the best way to have the energy to exercise is simply to start exercising. Don’t immediately jump up from the couch and run a marathon, but look for small and quick ways to incorporate exercise into your day. Even a small amount of brisk walking will do wonders in helping you prevent a heart attack.
Making the claim that you do not have enough time in your day to exercise is simply a reflection of what you care most about. Look at your days and see what you are making time for. Eating out, sleeping in, watching television? If you desire to really get in shape and to help prevent a heart attack, then making fifteen or twenty minutes a day will become easy and very doable.
Getting in shape does not have to cost you a lot of money. In fact, almost everyone I know can get outside and go for a walk for free. No one says that preventing a heart attack requires you to have a membership at the most expensive and exclusive athletic club. Heart attack prevention can be as simple as throwing on a pair of old sneakers and getting out for a walk or a jog.
Your heart is worth it. Regardless of the sacrifices you have to make in order to get in shape, preventing a heart attack is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself and the ones you love.
About the Author:
Author Triston Huntsmin is passionate about seeing people get healthy and prevent a heart attack. He believes that having accurate information is one of the most important first steps, so learn more at www.heartattackgroup.info
Written By: Triston Huntsmin
Your heart is a muscle that is located on the left side of your chest and is about the size of your fist. It sends blood thoughout your body, providing it with the proper nutrients and oxygen that it needs. The heart is also made up of four different blood filled areas which are called chambers. Each side of the heart contains two of these chambers that are used primarily to send blood to your lungs. This is why the need of cardiovascular exercise is important because the more blood being transferred from your lungs to your heart, the more calories you are burning.
A person`s heart rate in an exact measurement can and will determine one`s fat loss progress. With physical activity, the heart rate increases to supply the muscles with more oxygen so that the body produces more energy. The heart can beat up to two-hundred times per minute and the brain controls this rate by sending nerve signals to the heart. The rate in which a person`s heart beats depends on intensity of exercise, activity levels, and genetics. There is no “one size fits all” average for heart rate, it will vary on the individual.
A person`s resting heart rate is simply the number of times that your heart beats while resting. The average resting heart rate is anywhere from fifty-five to eighty-five beats per minute. Your resting heart rate gets higher as you get older and is lower with physically fit people. Athletes sometimes measure their resting heart rate as one way of finding out if they have overtrained. Measuring your resting heart rate is also used to determine a person`s target heart rate.
Athletes use a heart rate monitor as a training aid in identifying their maximum heart rate (MHR) to determine their needed training zones. The easiest method of calculating your maximum hear rate is to subtract your age from 220. Studies have show that one`s MHR on a treadmill is five to six beats higher than on an exercise bike, and two to four beats higher than on a rowing machine. It was also found that physically fit people over the age of fifty are likely to have a higher maximum heart rate that the average person of their age group.
This article was intended to provide you with the basic information of calculating your heart rate and information that will become useful when deciding to start your own cardiovascular workout. You also need to take into consideration that you don`t have to burn yourself out by calculating every single step you take to measure your heart rate. Believe it or not, some people actually do this and are looked at strangely by others as well. If you want to burn more calories, simply eat less or become more active, you don`t have to get scientific until you are advanced enough to know what you`re doing. Until next time, later!
About the Author:
Author’s Site: http://www.mightybody.com
Written By: Zach Bashore
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
