Posts Tagged ‘stroke’
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How 40,000 People Reversed Heart Disease
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 lossWeek 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 diseasesWeek 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 diseasesWeek 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 personConnie 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
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Iron and Your Heart Health
A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary flour
Two experiments:
1)Some ordinary wheat flour such as can be found in most homes placed with some water in a zip-lock plastic bag. A magnet is passed over the bag and an extraordinary thing happens – Iron particles start popping out and attaching themselves to the side of the bag, forming clusters of what looked like iron filings.
2) The next experiment involves placing a well-known brand of cereal into a bowl of water. The magnet is again passed over the bowl this time and the flakes literally line up and follow the magnet round the bowl.
This is the first time I realized that there is so much added iron in the food that we eat and the effect it can have on our health.
We’ve all been told that heart attacks and heart bypass surgery are as a direct result of clogging or furring of our arteries by bad cholesterol. The arteries become so narrowed as to make the blood flow through the arteries very difficult thus placing enormous strains on the cardio-vascular system.
Why do we need chelators and what are they?
A few trace metals that we absorb are toxic, these include iron and lead
To make use of them our bodies must form chelates (key-lates) out of them, and to do this requires chelating substances
Chelating substances attach to desirable trace metals and allow the body to properly utilize those metals they also attach to undesirable trace metals and allow the body to remove them.
Types of Chelator
Many chemicals can serve as chelators. Their effects will depend on the precise nature and concentration of that chelator.
There are some weak chelators present in common foods.
Stronger chelators are substances used medicinally to rid the body of excess toxic metals
Why is there potential for Iron Overload? Iron overload is possible because there is no normal mechanism for removing it from the body.
The body is iron-efficient, it retains its iron and recycles it over and over again.
The body’s iron level is controlled almost entirely by absorption and iron can build up progressively as dietary intake increases, especially in men because they do not have a monthly blood loss.
Over a period of months and years this will result in the accumulation of several grams of iron.
Iron and Heart Disease Risk
Iron can generate free radical pathology.
There is now good evidence that free radical pathology leads to changes in the blood vessels which sets the stage for atheroscelerosis.
Accumulation of excess iron in the body may increase the risk for heart disease and the connection doesn’t end there….
Health statistics have revealed that women have a lower risk of heart disease than men, until menopause, after which the risk is the same.
Why?
Pre-menopausal women have a monthly blood loss that rids the body of excess, potentially toxic iron, which may protect against heart disease.
Even pre-menopausal women with high blood cholesterol levels and high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which are considered to be strong risk factors for heart disease, have less heart disease than men.
The Lead connection
Lead is a toxic element that has many undesirable health effects.
Evidence links excess lead with cardiovascular disease, cancer and other disorders.
Researchers have found that cancer rates are higher amongst people living near heavily-traveled roads and it was suggested that this increased risk is due to the higher levels of lead in the air.
This led the researchers to test the effect of a lead-removing substance – EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid),a man-made amino acid and chelating agent – on cancer rates in people living near high-traffic roads.
After 18 years those treated with EDTA had one-tenth of the cancer rate of those not treated with EDTA.(1)
Chelation Therapy
This is the use of chelating agents, orally or by injection, in order to bind and remove harmful metals from the body.
The man-made chelating agent EDTA can remove most toxic metals.
Intravenous Chelation
This therapy has been used by doctors as an effective alternative to bypass surgery for atherosclerosis since the 1950s, giving hope that having hardening of the arteries need not lead to coronary bypass surgery, heart attack, stroke and numerous other related diseases.
Doctors noted reduced pain and blood cholesterol levels as well as other favorable changes. EDTA chelation therapy has been reported to help in many conditions now thought to be related to free radical pathology: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and others.
Another effect of EDTA is that it changes the calcium/ magnesium ratio in the body.
EDTA removes calcium more efficiently than magnesium which reduces the ratio.
Lowering the ratio improves the flexibility of blood cells, reduces the tendency of blood to clot and reduces blood cholesterol and blood pressure.
So the benefits of EDTA are not entirely due to the removal of toxic metals but also the calcium/magnesium balance.
In the case of intravenous chelation, EDTA is used as the chelating agent. It is carried in a glucose formulation together with synthetic B Vitamins. It takes several hours and requires 80-100 treatments.
Oral Chelation
Oral EDTA therapy can also be used. One or two oral doses of EDTA per day, over a period of months can have a long-term preventative effect.
But beware! – there are many so-called oral chelation supplements on the market containing few or no chelating substances!
For an oral chelation supplement that has been tested and certified to lower bad cholesterol by The University of Illinois, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition: Go to http://GetaHealthyHeart.com
References:
1. Blumer,W, et al Environmental International 3: 1980, pages 465-471
Bibliography:
New Answers to Old Questions, The Free Radical Story by Harry W Hersey
Jakki Francis operates ‘Natures Remedies’ a health and nutrition business selling cutting-edge herbal nutrition products. They are based in the UK and also trade in Europe, USA and Canada and new partners are welcome from any of these countries.
Natures Remedies also trade worldwide on-line. http://www.naturesremediesuk.com
And while there, don’t forget to subscribe to her F*REE Ezine, “Health News You Can Use”
Who is Jakki Francis? http://www.JakkiFrancis.com
Written By: Jakki Francis
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The Truth About Red Wine and Heart Disease?
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
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Vioxx Heart Attack and Stroke FAQs
What are the grounds for Vioxx stroke or Celebrex litigation?
Vioxx and Celebrex were billed as safe alternatives for people who suffer from chronic pain. In reality, they are expensive drugs that for most people provide no better treatment than older, less expensive medications. Far from having no side effects, these drugs share many of the same side effects of older NSAID medications. Despite claims to the contrary, new research has shown that patients who use these drugs are at risk of Vioxx heart attacks, stroke problems, liver damage, kidney damage, stomach ulcers, and other serious complications.
What has been done so far with regard to Vioxx heart attack and Celebrex litigation?
One class action suit has already been filed. Others are pending.
What options do I have if Ive been affected by Vioxx or Celebrex?
You may qualify for future class action litigation against these drug makers. You may also have grounds for an individual suit for specific damages.
What are the treatments for the disorders caused by Vioxx and Celebrex?
Check with your doctor first. You may be able to use another pain relief medication. Older NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen work well for some patients. Other patients may not be able to use these medications.
What are the dangers of Vioxx and Celebrex? Vioxx:Heart Attacks
Stomach ulcers and intestinal bleeding are the most common dangers. There is also a risk of Vioxx heart attack and stroke.
Other side effects of these medications include:
Serious stomach problems, such as stomach and intestinal bleeding, can occur with or without warning symptoms. These problems, if severe, could lead to hospitalization or death. Although this happens rarely, you should watch for signs that you may have these serious side effects and tell your doctor immediately.
Serious allergic reactions including swelling of face, lips, tongue, and/or throat which may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing occur rarely but may require treatment right away.
Serious kidney problems occur rarely, including acute kidney failure and worsening of chronic kidney failure.
Severe liver problems occur rarely in patients taking NSAIDs. Tell your doctor if you develop symptoms of liver problems. These include nausea, tiredness, itching, tenderness in the right upper abdomen, and flu-like symptoms.More common, non-life threatening, side effects include:
Upper and/or lower respiratory infection and/or inflammation
Headache
Dizziness
Diarrhea
Nausea and/or vomiting
Heartburn, stomach pain, and upset
Swelling of the legs and/or feet
High blood pressure
Back pain
Tiredness
Urinary tract infection.Which products contain Vioxx and Celebrex?
There are no generic equivalents for these medications. They are only sold as Vioxx and Celebrex.
Are there any safer alternatives to Vioxx and Celebrex?
Older medications like ibuprofen, naproxen, or even just an aspirin have been used as alternatives for Vioxx and Celebrex.
What could have been done to avoid the current Vioxx Heart Attack situation?
Several things:Adequate and more accurate testing prior to FDA approval could have revealed the same risks, like Vioxx Heart Attacks, that became known after the products were already on the market.
More extensive research could have been done prior to the approval and release of these drugs.
Advertising campaigns could have included more accurate information about the true effectiveness of these products.
A concerted effort was made to switch patients from less expensive prescriptions to these newer prescriptions which were much more expensive.
What are Vioxx and Celebrex and what are they used for?
Vioxx and Celebrex are used to treat the chronic pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute short-term pain, and for the treatment of severe menstrual pain. Although the two medications are slightly different in their chemical composition, Vioxx and Celebrex are both classified as COX-2 inhibitors and belong to a larger group of drugs knows as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Other NSAIDs include older medications like ibuprofen and naproxen.
Serious problems, like Vioxx Heart Attacks, have been associated with the long-term use of NSAIDs. Problems include bleeding stomach ulcers, intestinal bleeding, Vioxx heart attack problems, and damage to the liver and kidneys. These complications can occur with or without warning symptoms. These problems, if severe, could lead to hospitalization or death.
About the Author
Michael Monheit, Esquire is the managing attorney for Monheit Law. The practice is focuses on plaintiff personal injury cases and Vioxx Lawyers info can be found at Vioxx Lawyer – Monheit Law
Written By: Michael Monheit, Esquire, Monheit Law, PC
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How To Enhance The Prevention of Heart Disease
Four Primary Reasons Why the “Mediterranean Diet” Promotes Heart Health
Introduction
The term “Mediterranean Diet,” while widely in use in the 21st century, actually is something of a misnomer. In reality, there is not a diet regimen that is common to all of the countries of the Mediterranean region. With that said, there is some commonality between what people of the different nations of the Mediterranean eat on a regular basis. Equally important, there are food and beverage items that are not often found in the diets of the peoples of the Mediterranean.
Statistically speaking, men and women who do live in the Mediterranean region experience a notably lower incidence of heart disease than do people in many other points around the globe. There is some consensus amongst physicians, medical researchers and nutrition experts that the diet of the Mediterranean region does play a role in reducing the rate and incidence of heart disease.
While the Mediterranean Diet may not be a letter perfect heart healthy regimen, it is a far superior dining plan than most other programs people have adopted in different places around the world. There are four primary reasons why the Mediterranean Diet is the type of diet regimen that promotes heart health.
Low in Saturated Fat
One of the primary reasons that the Mediterranean Diet promotes heart health is found in the fact that it is a diet that is low in saturated fat. The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that includes the consumption of healthy amounts of monounsaturated fat. The human body actually does require the intake of some fat on a daily basis. The most appropriate type of fat to consume is monounsaturated fat.
A significant number of people who are not paying particularly close attention to their eating habits can be found consuming significant amounts of saturated fat each and every day. Saturated fat raises “bad” blood cholesterol levels which is a precursor to heart disease and stroke.
Monounsaturated fat does not raise blood cholesterol levels. When eaten in moderation, monounsaturated fat provide the body with an element it does need for proper functioning and overall good health.
High in Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains
Another of the reasons that the Mediterranean Diet promotes heart health is the inclusion of significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, red beans and nuts in daily dining routines. Multiple scientific studies that conducted on every continent demonstrated time and again that a diet that includes significant amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables together with whole grains, beans and low-fat nuts is a regimen that reduces the risk and incidence of heart disease.
Low in High Fat Dairy Products
While non-fat and low-fat dairy products can play a role in advancing a healthy diet, fatty dairy products can have an adverse effect on the heart, other organs and certain bodily functions over time. The Mediterranean Diet involves the use of only a limited amount of dairy products — including very few eggs. When it comes to the inclusion of dairy products, for the most part non-fat or very low fat products are utilized. Heavy creams are not common in the Mediterranean Diet.
Due to the fact that the Mediterranean Diet relies on non-fat and low-fat dairy products (in only limited amounts) and virtually no eggs (which are high in cholesterol), people who follow this diet scheme have been found to have a lower incidence of heart disease and related conditions.
Low in Red Meat
Numerous studies that have been conducted over the past thirty years have demonstrated that a diet high in the consumption of red meat can have a harmful impact on the heart. The Mediterranean Diet is very low in red meat. In fact, red meat rarely is included within a meal. If red meat is served, the portion provided is notable small.
The Mediterranean Diet favors lean fish and some other types of white meats, but again in small portions. The manner in which red meat is limited in the Mediterranean Diet, combined with other elements of the regime, leads experts in the field of health and nutrition to conclude that the diet plan promotes a healthy heart.
Conclusion
If you are concerned about developing a healthy lifestyle, including proper dining habits, adopting the fundamentals of the Mediterranean Diet would be a positive step in the correct direction. The elements of the Mediterranean Diet appear well suited to promoting heart health and an overall hale lifestyle.
About the author:
Site Owner & Publisher Ray Darken – You can gain much more detail from Ray’s sites along with other relevant information at http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com or http://www.weightloss-diet-health-vitamins.com
Written By: Roy Barker
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Take Heart on Cholesterol
Take Heart on Cholesterol.
Cholesterol can be both good & bad, so it’s important to learn what cholesterol is, how it affects your health and how to manage your blood cholesterol levels. Understanding cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart, so you can lead a healthier life and reduce your risks of heart attack and stroke.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, white, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all the body’s cells. Despite its reputation, cholesterol is essential to life! The body needs cholesterol for digesting dietary fats, making hormones, building cell walls, and other important processes.
However, our liver makes all the cholesterol our body needs. Consuming fatty foods can lead to a high level of cholesterol in the blood which is easily deposited in the arteries and narrowing the diameter and impeding blood flow to the heart and other organs, creating a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Cardiovascular disease is still Australia’s greatest health problem affecting over 3.6 million Australians. One Australian dies every 10 minutes of heart disease, stroke or blood vessel disease. According to the National Heart Foundation more than 6 million adults aged 25 and over have high cholesterol levels.
Certain risk factors increase your risk of developing heart disease – factors such as being over weight, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, diabetes, insufficient physical activity and high blood pressure.
What can we do to improve our heart and overall health?
The good news is that cholesterol can be brought under control by lifestyle changes – such as diet, losing weight, and an exercise program.
* Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight – The more you weigh, the more your body stores fat and cholesterol.
* Eat more fruit & vegetables. Include soy products into your diet. Eat more seafood (omega 3 fats are very healthy and good for your heart). Choose wholegrain breads and cereals.
* Be more active – walk for 20 minutes a day
* Dairy products are a good source of calcium, while meat, fish and poultry are a good source of iron. Ensure you choose low fat dairy products and lean meat cuts.
* Avoid take-away foods high in fat.
(Some risk factors, eg heredity, cannot be controlled & need medication to manage.)
As we cut down our intake on foods with saturated fats, some gaps appear in our nutritional intake, resulting in the need to add high quality nutritional supplements to our diets. Also, cutting back on our red meat intake can lead to a diet deficient in protein. Including some soy protein in our diets will help protect against heart disease as well as help to maintain healthy protein consumption.
If you need to lose some weight, look for a program that has adequate daily protein without the high calories and saturated fats associated with animal products. Ongoing personal support from a coach will help you achieve your goals and helps to keep you on track.
If you need to add some more exercise into your day – try simple things like using the stairs, parking further from the supermarket and walking to the local shop for your daily newspaper. Key point here is to add more activity into your day and not put yourself under the pressure of a formal exercise program at a gym. If you need or want something more formal, then by all means, join a gym or a sporting team. You could take up golf, get together with a couple of friends and go for a 20 minute walk a couple of times a week – great time to catch up and get more active! Find something that interests YOU. Make exercise fun!
And finally, make a commitment to yourself to improve your health. After all that is what truly dictates the quality of life we experience. Without our health, we are consumed with doctors visits, medications and restrictions. Take control, take heart, and live a full and healthy life.
About the author:
Dee Britton is a Health & Wellness Coach specialising in weight management & nutrition. Personal support, recipes, hints & tips, newsletters + lots more to help you reach your goal weight. Online health profile & free weight loss consultation at http://www.weightloss-2day.net
Written By: Dee Britton
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What you need to know about heart diseases
Heart is the most significant organ of the body. It controls and regulates the entire body. An individual can survive the loss of other organs of body but not of a heart. The moment heart ceases pumping blood to the body, it results in a heart stroke and there are chances that the person may die.
But people are often negligent in taking care of this undeniably crucial organ of their body. This is made evident by the studies that reveal the escalating deaths due to cardiac arrests every year. It is not just the elderly who are gripped by cardiac seizures due to their age, which implicates a declining health but also young children, and even infants who are inflicted by heart ailments.
The purpose of this article is to make its readers aware of some of the most common cardiac problems, few possible preventions and cures to them and the measures one should adopt to enjoy a healthy heart.
1.Heart diseases- human heart starts malfunctioning due to many reasons. In other words there are different diseases that affect human heart.
Congenital Heart Disease is a very common one. It leads to malformation of heart during prenatal development and other severe complications. Chromosomal abnormalities, transfer of infected genes and environment are the main attributed causes to congenital heart disease.
Coronary Artery Disease is one where heart simply stops pumping blood to the arteries. The blockages or difficulty in the blood flow to the main source of oxygen to the heart muscle i.e. coronary arteries is deemed to be the primary factor that results in this disease. Apart from this the thickening of the arteries called arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and other problems like asthma, diabetes etc. are the causes of CAD. CAD produces a heart attack and so even the death of the concerned individual.
A viral infection that attacks the pericardium pouch enveloping the heart is the ground for the Pericardial heart disorder.
2.The Roots of Heart Ailment- in most of the cases the individuals themselves are responsible for their cardiac troubles.
Over stress is the biggest threat to a healthy life so much so that it affects even ones heart.
Faulty food habits i.e. eating more of junk and fattening food rich in cholesterol is the primary reason for a heart attack.
Obesity and lack of physical labor also accentuates cardiac problems.
Heart problems are also hereditary.
Blood pressure patients are more prone to heart attacks.
Alcoholics, smokers and drug addicts have acute possibilities of heart failure.
3.Some Common Cures- it is not likely to prevent every heart problem especially those malformations or diseases that are innate or since the time of birth. They can at best be treated with the aid of surgeries.
Watch your eating and drinking habits. Avoid cholesterol abounding food like butter, cheese, creams, cakes and pastries etc.
Aspirin is deemed to be a potential medicine to ward off cardiac snags. According to physicians aspirin thins the blood and aids in its transfer from heart to other parts of the body.
Pregnant women are advised to keep away from hard drinks, cigarettes and narcotics. Negligence in this regard can be a source of incurable congenital heart disease to the baby.
If you are a sedentary worker, make it a point to exercise daily in order to maintain a healthy living.
Endeavor your best to have a nutritious and balanced diet.
If you suffer from diabetes, blood pressure, asthma or any such disease, go for regular medical check ups to know about the functioning of the internal organs of your body.
Last but not the least, avoid doing things that petrify you and do not favor your health. For instance if altitude or great height scares you, it is not a prudent choice to go for mountain climbing.
About the Author
Mansi gupta writes about heart diseases topics.
Written By: Mansi gupta
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Add years to your life and save your heart for free
If you were told that you can add years to your life, get your cholesterol levels back to normal and protect yourself from heart disease and atherosclerosis, all for free would you believe it?
No need for the latest fashionable supplement or designer drug. No need to worry about unwanted drug side-effects and expense. You dont even have to be too concerned about your bad LDL cholesterol! Yes, you read correctly.
It sounds too good to be true, but it isnt
Every day the evidence is piling up that links an increased risk of heart disease and stroke more strongly to low levels of the good HDL cholesterol rather than to high levels of the bad LDL. Studies have clearly shown that for every one-milligram rise in HDL, the risk for developing cardiovascular disease falls by 2 to 3 percent. There is a really simple, zero cost way of increasing your HDL by 5mg that means a 15% reduction in the possibility of suffering from heart disease!
For some time it has been known that HDL cholesterol is a so-called negative risk factor, meaning high levels zeros one of your other risk factor on your overall health profile. But this latest evidence takes the HDL issue one step further.
The good news is that it is quite easy to increase levels of HDL and while doing so often levels of the so-called bad LDL decrease. So, you actually get twice your moneys worth. In fact, the HDL actually cleans up the potentially harmful cholesterol from your arteries and sends it off to the liver where it is eliminated. But it doesnt end there, it also acts as an antioxidant that helps stop oxidation the bad cholesterol. Inflammation has also been receiving a lot of press coverage as being one of the culprits for heart disease, well guess what? HDL is also an anti-inflammatory agent, helping to repair what artery disease. It can also help keep blood clots from blocking arteries.
So now all the buzz is on the good guy, which unlike LDL, that should be a low as possible; the higher your level of HDL cholesterol the better for your health. So now you can give your health a natural, zero cost boost and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
So, what should your HDL cholesterol levels be?
For some time it has been known that people who live into their 90’s without evidence of heart disease, typically have very high levels of HDL. You should do your best to get your HDL levels up to at least 60 milligrams; levels below 40 mg for men and 50 mg for women, according to the most important international health institutions, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Come on over to our site now by selecting the link below and find out how to get YOUR levels of HDL up to standard. Dont worry we dont push supplements or pharmaceuticals; we just give you the tips you need.
About the Author
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 by clicking here.
Written By: Nicholas Webb
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Your Dentist Might Stop Your Next Heart Attack
As the Webmaster for a site dedicated to helping people save money when they go to the dentist, I find myself having to consistently fight two different and distinct battles; one against the average Americans reluctance to pay the high cost of modern dental care and the other is the same Americans belief that seeing a dentist regularly just isn’t that important.
The first battle I have a decent chance of winning but the second battle I’ve had to throw my hands up in surrender; I mean if someone doesn’t care about their teeth enough to have them taken care of by a dentist, what can I possibly say to convince them otherwise?
How about this; “Did you know that your next visit to the dentist could prevent a heart attack?”
Medical researchers have known for years now that there’s a definite link between gum disease (i.e. gingivitis) and persons’ risk for a heart disease (see http://discountdental4u.net/gumdisease.htm). Evidence is mounting, however, that information gleaned from a routine panoramic dental X-rays-wide-angle frontal images – taken to establish the baseline condition of teeth and surrounding bone – may serve as an accurate early-warning system of risk of dying from heart attack or stroke.
According to researchers at the University of Buffalo School of Dental medicine, a study of 818 teeth and jaw x-rays of Pima Indians in Arizona found that those who had a build-up of calcified plaque in the carotid arteries were twice as likely to die from heart attack or stroke. Normally, calcified plaque is present in only about 3 percent of the general population.
An earlier study of 2,700 dental patients showed calcium deposits on each side of the carotid arteries can be spotted in x-rays of the teeth and jaw bone.
It makes sense that the dental x-rays would see the carotid artery -which carries blood from the heart to the brain and back – so dentists should be aware that it is screening tool for cardiovascular disease. If they see signs of calcification in dental x-rays, they tell the patient to see his or her doctor ASAP.
BOTTOM LINE: Most dental insurance plans allow you a yearly dental exam at little or no cost so schedule a complete check-up, including x-rays, with your dentist ASAP. If you don’t have dental insurance, consider enrolling in a discount dental plan that fits your budget and then go see a dentist ASAP.
Kenneth Kowalsky is the webmaster of DiscountDental4U.net, a web site devoted to helping people to save money on dental care, including advice on choosing the best dental plan for you, inexpensive tips on easing toothache pain, little-known ways to lower your dentist bills, etc. You can contact him via e-mail at DiscountDental4U@yahoo.com or via this toll-free number 1-877-534-4808.
discountdental4u@yahoo.com
Written By: Ken Kowalsky
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6 Power Foods For Your Heart
Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Traditionally, a low fat diet has been the prescription for heart health which causes many people to shrink away at the thought of giving up their favorite foods. Although decreasing saturated fats is still an important step, there are many things you can add to your diet that can greatly improve your risk factors of heart disease. Here are 6 power foods you can start adding to your diet to keep you heart healthy.
Nuts- Although nuts aren’t exactly low in calories or fat, they contain high levels of unsaturated fats that are known to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown eating about one ounce of nuts every day can reduce the risk of heart disease by 30%.
Soy- Using soy on a weekly basis is a great step towards protecting your heart due to its cholesterol lowering properties. If you are not a tofu fan, try soy milk or yogurt, garden burgers, edamme (soy beans), or soy sausage patties. There are all kinds of ways to include soy in your diet.
Hot Cocoa- Yes you read right. Cocoa contains high levels of flavonoids which are a class of phytochemicals known to help prevent heart disease. Researchers have found that hot cocoa has more disease-fighting antioxidants than tea or red wine and the heat may help propel them into the bloodstream. Hot cocoa is also much lower in saturated fats than other chocolate sources such as candy bars.
Beans and Lentils- including kidney beans, peas, black beans, etc. —are high in both soluble fiber and folic acid to help lower cholesterol and decrease homocysteine levels (high homocysteine levels are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease). Add beans to your salads, soups, and rice dishes.
Broccoli- A powerful antioxidant found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts may help protect the heart from high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. A new study shows the compound, called glucoraphanin, helped improve heart health, fight inflammation, and boost natural defense systems against oxidative stress.
Grape juice- The flavonoids in grape juice, like that in wine, have been shown to prevent the oxidation of so-called bad cholesterol (LDLs, or low-density lipoproteins) that leads to formation of plaque in artery walls. Grape juice can also lower the risk of developing the blood clots that lead to heart attacks.
Start adding these foods today and begin your journey to better heart health.
About the Author
Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She specializes in weight management and cardiovascular nutrition and offers online programs to help people reach their health goals. For more information visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com.
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Written By: Meri Raffetto
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