Plenty of evidence now shows that the state of your teeth and gums have a serious impact on your overall health, writes DR MERVYN DRUIAN. Gum disease, for example, is linked to a raised risk of heart disease, stroke and premature birth. Here's why you should make sure you are up-to-date with your dental appointments.
HEART DISEASE
It sounds unlikely, but bad teeth, bleeding gums and poor dental hygiene can end up causing heart disease.
Several studies confirm a link between gum disease and atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the blood vessels that can lead to heart attack.
The problem is that bleeding gums provide an entry into the blood for up to 700 different types of bacteria found in the mouth. Microbiologists at the University of Bristol have discovered that when bacteria get into the bloodstream, they stick to tiny fragments called platelets, causing them to clot.
This can lead to partial blockages of blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
So it does not matter how fit, slim or healthy you are, your chances of getting heart disease are increased by having bad teeth.
STROKE
Brush your teeth well and floss regularly to protect your brain. Poor tooth brushing and bleeding, infected gums raises your risk of stroke in the same way as it does heart disease - by allowing bacteria into the bloodstream.
A study published in the journal Stroke found that stroke risk increases with the severity of gum disease. Astonishingly, those with severe gum disease had more than four times the risk of suffering a stroke than those with mild gum disease.
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Research has long associated oral health with a raised risk of dementia, although studies have not made it clear how the state of the teeth affect mental function.
Last year, researchers found a link between mild memory loss and gum disease. A major health grant, welcomed by the British Dental Health Foundation, has recently been given to help scientists study this link.
OBESITY
Bacteria in our mouths could play a direct part in causing obesity.
A study in the Journal of Dental Research found that one species of bacteria - selenomona noxia - was present at above-average levels in all overweight women. Whether or not this bacteria helps to cause obesity or hinders weight loss is being researched.
DIABETES
Last month, research published from a study at New York University showed that the overwhelming majority of gumdisease sufferers were also found to be at high risk of developing diabetes. The link was so strong and significant that researchers concluded that dentists should offer diabetes screenings in their practices.
PREMATURE BIRTH
Pregnant women with high levels of oral bacteria linked to tooth decay and cavities are at risk of giving birth to lowweight or premature babies.
The study, in the Journal of Periodontology, adds to a growing body of research which shows a link between a pregnant woman's oral health and the health of her newborn.
Dr Dasanayake, professor of Dentistry at New York University, who conducted the research, hypothesises that cariescausing bacteria can travel to the uterus in the blood, where they trigger a reaction that leads to contractions and early birth.
The good news is that research at Columbia University College found that dental care before or during pregnancy can significantly lower the risk of premature birth.
TIPS FOR HEALTHY GUMS...
Research indicates that inflammation of the gums and bleeding - which allows oral bacteria to spread around the body in the blood - is linked to a raised risk of serious health problems.
Unfortunately, gum disease is common, yet unless severe, it often goes unnoticed. In mild gum disease, you may have inflamed gums but little bleeding.
Only once it gets worse do people tend to take notice. At this stage, your risk of health problems elsewhere is already higher. Meanwhile, the infection in your gums will be causing gum recession and bone loss, increasing the risk of cavities and tooth loss.
Good gum health is maintained through regular tooth brushing - twice daily - and tooth flossing, ideally after every meal to remove food trapped between your teeth. Crucially, you should see a dental hygienist every six months.
Professional tooth cleaning removes plaque, calcified deposits that build up on teeth and beneath the gums. Preventing the build- up of this plaque is vital as bacteria thrive on it.
Left in place, even thorough tooth brushing and flossing is unlikely to keep your gums healthy.
Showing posts with label Heart disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heart disease. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Cholesterol and how to control it
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States. According to the CDC, "About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one." One per minute works out to over half a million people dead from heart problems per year.
One of the leading causes of heart disease is cholesterol. The fact that cholesterol is the leading cause of the leading killer makes cholesterol important. So let's take a look at how cholesterol works.
What is cholesterol? It is a chemical that is essential to the cells in your body. If you were to hold a blob of pure cholesterol in your hand, it would look and feel waxy. Cells use cholesterol to make their membranes (the outer envelope that holds each cell together).
Because cholesterol is essential to your body, your liver and several other organs make the cholesterol you need - on the order of a gram per day. Then you add some extra cholesterol to the mix in your food - maybe 300 milligrams a day. Therefore plenty of cholesterol is floating in your bloodstream for your cells to use. When cells need it, cholesterol is readily available from a nearby capillary.
If cholesterol is essential to your body, how can cholesterol be bad? The very simplest explanation: cholesterol collects on artery walls and eventually clogs them up. When it clogs up the arteries on the heart, you have a heart attack which is frequently fatal. Why, you might ask, are the arteries on the heart so susceptible? They are not - all the arteries are clogging. It's just that the heart is one place where a clog causes an immediate and often deadly effect. If an artery in your leg clogs, it is known as peripheral artery disease. It's a problem, but not one that will kill you in a few minutes.
Because of the troubles associated with cholesterol, it is something your doctor thinks about. After all, a doctor's goal is to keep people from dying, and cholesterol is a leading cause of death. This is why you get tested for cholesterol. It used to be there was just one number - the amount of cholesterol in the blood, measured in milligrams per deciliter - and you needed to keep it below 200. Then came the differentiation between "good" and "bad" cholesterol, and then all the stuff with density and triglycerides, to the point where today a cholesterol report looks like a confusing bowl of alphabet soup.
But it is interesting, because it is the result of a better and better understanding of what actually seems to be going on with cholesterol inside the human body. The lipoproteins are there to transport things like cholesterol in the blood. Remember that cholesterol is waxy, and blood is watery. Wax and water don't mix, so cholesterol can't flow in the bloodstream and get where it needs to go without help. Lipoproteins provide the help. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are what cause artery walls to clog, and are therefore "bad". High-density lipoproteins (HDL) seem to prevent clogging, and are therefore "good". So you doctor is trying to keep overall cholesterol in the good range while decreasing LDL and increasing HDL.
What can you do about cholesterol? Your doctor can prescribe drugs like statins. Statins break a chain in the liver that creates cholesterol, so the amount of cholesterol goes down. They also can lower LDL levels.
In addition you have some dietary steps you can take. Eating low cholesterol foods and avoiding high cholesterol foods can help to some degree, although the body continues making cholesterol and will sometimes make more when you eat less.
There are also several foods you can start eating that affect cholesterol levels. You have probably heard about oat bran. It lowers LDL because it contains soluble fiber. So do fruits like apples. Walnuts also help. In some people, walnuts make a big difference. They contain "good fats" that push cholesterol numbers down. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in things like salmon, flax seed and fish oil pills, also help. And olive oil is a good thing to eat, especially if it is replacing unhealthy fats.
One of the leading causes of heart disease is cholesterol. The fact that cholesterol is the leading cause of the leading killer makes cholesterol important. So let's take a look at how cholesterol works.
What is cholesterol? It is a chemical that is essential to the cells in your body. If you were to hold a blob of pure cholesterol in your hand, it would look and feel waxy. Cells use cholesterol to make their membranes (the outer envelope that holds each cell together).
Because cholesterol is essential to your body, your liver and several other organs make the cholesterol you need - on the order of a gram per day. Then you add some extra cholesterol to the mix in your food - maybe 300 milligrams a day. Therefore plenty of cholesterol is floating in your bloodstream for your cells to use. When cells need it, cholesterol is readily available from a nearby capillary.
If cholesterol is essential to your body, how can cholesterol be bad? The very simplest explanation: cholesterol collects on artery walls and eventually clogs them up. When it clogs up the arteries on the heart, you have a heart attack which is frequently fatal. Why, you might ask, are the arteries on the heart so susceptible? They are not - all the arteries are clogging. It's just that the heart is one place where a clog causes an immediate and often deadly effect. If an artery in your leg clogs, it is known as peripheral artery disease. It's a problem, but not one that will kill you in a few minutes.
Because of the troubles associated with cholesterol, it is something your doctor thinks about. After all, a doctor's goal is to keep people from dying, and cholesterol is a leading cause of death. This is why you get tested for cholesterol. It used to be there was just one number - the amount of cholesterol in the blood, measured in milligrams per deciliter - and you needed to keep it below 200. Then came the differentiation between "good" and "bad" cholesterol, and then all the stuff with density and triglycerides, to the point where today a cholesterol report looks like a confusing bowl of alphabet soup.
But it is interesting, because it is the result of a better and better understanding of what actually seems to be going on with cholesterol inside the human body. The lipoproteins are there to transport things like cholesterol in the blood. Remember that cholesterol is waxy, and blood is watery. Wax and water don't mix, so cholesterol can't flow in the bloodstream and get where it needs to go without help. Lipoproteins provide the help. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are what cause artery walls to clog, and are therefore "bad". High-density lipoproteins (HDL) seem to prevent clogging, and are therefore "good". So you doctor is trying to keep overall cholesterol in the good range while decreasing LDL and increasing HDL.
What can you do about cholesterol? Your doctor can prescribe drugs like statins. Statins break a chain in the liver that creates cholesterol, so the amount of cholesterol goes down. They also can lower LDL levels.
In addition you have some dietary steps you can take. Eating low cholesterol foods and avoiding high cholesterol foods can help to some degree, although the body continues making cholesterol and will sometimes make more when you eat less.
There are also several foods you can start eating that affect cholesterol levels. You have probably heard about oat bran. It lowers LDL because it contains soluble fiber. So do fruits like apples. Walnuts also help. In some people, walnuts make a big difference. They contain "good fats" that push cholesterol numbers down. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in things like salmon, flax seed and fish oil pills, also help. And olive oil is a good thing to eat, especially if it is replacing unhealthy fats.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Check out this news on Avacados!
LOS ANGELES, Oct 30, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- New research published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reported that University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers were able to identify four additional carotenoids in the California Hass avocado, which had not been quantified until this study. In addition, the researchers reported that the total carotenoid concentrations were greatest in the dark green flesh of the avocado closest to the peel. Carotenoids are a class of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.
The research, led by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, studied California Hass avocados harvested in January, April, July and September 2008 from San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Riverside and San Diego and analyzed the fruit for total fat content, fatty acid profile, carotenoids and vitamin E.
Avocados are virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat, the fruit also contributes polyunsaturated fat (0.5 grams poly- and 3 grams mono- per 1 oz. serving). According to the American Heart Association, mono- and polyunsaturated fats (good fats), when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
"Consumers should be reassured that avocados from different growing areas in California have a remarkable constancy of carotenoid content per gram of fat during the growing season," said Heber. "And, that they can get the most nutrients out of an avocado by peeling the fruit before slicing it in order to capture the maximum amount of carotenoids from the darker green flesh found directly under the skin."
The carotenoids that were uniquely characterized in California Hass avocados through this study include trans neoxanthin, neochrome, lutein-5, 6-epoxide and chrysanthemaxanthin. The scientists also confirmed the presence of lutein, zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, a-carotene and b-carotene.
The researchers noted that California Hass avocados grown in different regions of California have a similar phytochemical profile. However, there are increases in both total fat and carotenoids in fruit harvested later in the season. Ninety-five percent of American avocado production is located in California.
This research was supported by the California Avocado Commission through an unrestricted educational grant.
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state's 6,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.
SOURCE: California Avocado Commission
CONTACT: GolinHarris Jennifer Baker-Asiddao, 213-438-8712 jbaker@golinharris.com
The research, led by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, studied California Hass avocados harvested in January, April, July and September 2008 from San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Riverside and San Diego and analyzed the fruit for total fat content, fatty acid profile, carotenoids and vitamin E.
Avocados are virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat, the fruit also contributes polyunsaturated fat (0.5 grams poly- and 3 grams mono- per 1 oz. serving). According to the American Heart Association, mono- and polyunsaturated fats (good fats), when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
"Consumers should be reassured that avocados from different growing areas in California have a remarkable constancy of carotenoid content per gram of fat during the growing season," said Heber. "And, that they can get the most nutrients out of an avocado by peeling the fruit before slicing it in order to capture the maximum amount of carotenoids from the darker green flesh found directly under the skin."
The carotenoids that were uniquely characterized in California Hass avocados through this study include trans neoxanthin, neochrome, lutein-5, 6-epoxide and chrysanthemaxanthin. The scientists also confirmed the presence of lutein, zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, a-carotene and b-carotene.
The researchers noted that California Hass avocados grown in different regions of California have a similar phytochemical profile. However, there are increases in both total fat and carotenoids in fruit harvested later in the season. Ninety-five percent of American avocado production is located in California.
This research was supported by the California Avocado Commission through an unrestricted educational grant.
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state's 6,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.
SOURCE: California Avocado Commission
CONTACT: GolinHarris Jennifer Baker-Asiddao, 213-438-8712 jbaker@golinharris.com
Monday, November 2, 2009
Switch your Corn oil Spread and watch your waitline shrink!
Have you seen this ad for one of those fake butter spreads?
It features a 1950s family called the “Buttertons.” The mother serves the family entire sticks of butter shoved into baked potatoes. The voiceover says something like, “Back then we didn’t know much about cholesterol and saturated fats… Today, we know better.”
That means they’re telling you that you shouldn’t eat fat. It’s remarkable that this message is still dominant in the mainstream media.
The truth is we don’t eat a high fat diet. We eat less fat than our ancestors did. And yet we’re the ones with obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, clogged arteries and high blood pressure.
In direct contradiction of what you commonly hear in the media – like in that ad – real butter is good for you. Saturated fats are a natural part of your diet and are essential to life. Fat makes up the basic building blocks of compounds that help your body perform everyday functions. This includes things like regulating blood pressure, blood clotting and bolstering your immune system.
Saturated fats have been on the media hit list for over 50 years. Butter is just one example. Red meat is another. But one of the worst victims of this low-fat propaganda is coconut oil. Like butter, it’s been vilified for decades.
But a new study shows that coconut oil can lower your total cholesterol, boost your HDL “good” cholesterol, lower your LDL “bad” cholesterol, and shrink your waist size. Compare that to soybean oil, which did the opposite – lowered HDL, raised LDL and total cholesterol, and did nothing for your belly size.
And it’s not the only study to reach that conclusion. Several other studies back up those findings and find even more benefits of coconut oil.
Coconut oil can protect your heart, boost your immune system, and help you lose fat faster and easier than ever before. And today I’m going to show you how to use it.
Make the Switch from Corn Oil
and Watch Your Waistline Shrink
Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Unlike longer-chain fatty acids, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are tiny enough to enter your cells’ mitochondria directly.
This means your cells use the fat from coconut oil for energy instantly, instead of storing it for later use.
A Boston University study gave one group corn oil (longer-chain fatty acids) and the other medium-chain fatty acids.
After 90 days, those that got the medium-chain fatty acids lost weight, increased their insulin receptivity and even lowered their overall cholesterol.1
Another study published this year in the journal Lipids compared coconut oil with soybean oil. The women taking coconut oil saw their waist lines shrink and their HDL “good” cholesterol levels increase. Meanwhile, the women taking soybean oil didn’t see any change in their waist size. Plus, LDL, or “bad”, cholesterol levels rose and HDL levels dropped.2
Another study found that coconut oil can help reduce the symptoms of type-2 diabetes and that “people who incorporate medium-chain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat.”3
Coconut oil can help turn your body into a fat-burning furnace.
Plus, it can help you eat less. It controls your hunger by leaving you feeling satisfied, longer.4
Boost Your HDL Levels
Contrary to what mainstream medicine tells you, eating high amounts of fat does not automatically equal higher cholesterol.
And that’s certainly the case with coconut oil.
The War Against
Saturated Fat
The war against saturated fats started way back in the late 1950’s.
A researcher by the name of Ancel Keys was investigating cardiovascular disease. His goal was to prove eating high amounts of saturated fat was linked to heart disease.
He published the “7 Countries Study,” successfully showing fat as the major cause of heart problems.
His research was praised and soon became gospel. He even became known as the “father” of the Lipid Hypothesis. That’s the theory that high cholesterol causes heart disease… and in turn, eating a lot of fat causes high cholesterol.
But there was a slight problem with Keys’ research. Something he deliberately ignored. Keys only chose to use data from seven countries that matched exactly what he wanted to prove.
The truth is there were at least a half-dozen other countries with examples that proved the exact opposite. Countries where people routinely ate tons of fat – yet rarely experienced heart disease. When it didn’t fit his hypothesis, he ignored the data.
Unfortunately, Keys’ research caught on over the years. One group in particular -- the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – ran with Keys’ ideas. They launched what began an all out-war against all saturated fats. In fact, CSPI coined the term “artery-clogging” fat.
Sadly, coconut oil got caught up in it all.
Decades ago, food manufacturers used tropical oils like coconut oil in their baked goods. Movie theatres used it for their popcorn.
CSPI argued that coconut oil was terrible for your health. It was laden with saturated fat.
Instead, they demanded that these companies use vegetable oils instead (this of course benefited the American Soybean Association, who in the past has made generous donations to CSPI).
The food industry gave in. Coconut oil became taboo. Even the government joined in.
The National Cholesterol Education Program even issued a statement, encouraging margarine and partially hydrogenated fats, stating that “…coconut oil … should be avoided.”
Today, we know better.
The truth is it does the exact opposite. It helps improve your HDL to LDL ratio (“good” vs. “bad” cholesterol), lower overall blood levels of serum cholesterol, and reduce the amount of fat your body stores.5
In fact, in Sri Lanka, about 50% of calories from the typical diet come from coconut oil. Yet, heart disease there is virtually non-existent.
Researchers, perplexed by this, decided to see what happened when they took a group of young men and had them substitute coconut oil for corn and soybean oil.
The results weren’t pretty.
Their HDL level plunged 42 percent – which put them far below what’s considered healthy. Their LDL/HDL ratio increased 30 percent.6
That’s a recipe for heart disaster.
These results simply confirm what countless studies are finding. Coconut oil is good for your heart and helps increase your good HDL cholesterol.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition studied 25 women. They were given three different diets. A diet high in coconut oil, a low-fat diet with small amounts of coconut oil, and a diet high in polyunsaturated fats. Each diet lasted 3 weeks.
As you might guess, the highest increase in HDL was when the women ate the high fat, coconut oil diet.7
Bulletproof Your Immune System
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a powerful immune system booster.
Lauric acid has antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and antiprotozoal properties that help bullet proof your immune system against everything from free radicals, to a latent virus that’s waiting to wreak havoc.
It’s so powerful, in fact, that preliminary research suggests it’s effective against lipid-coated viruses, such as HIV.
A recent study took a group of 15 men with HIV. They had not received any prior treatment. After 3 months of supplementing with coconut oil, half of the patients showed a decrease in viral load.8
Good Health Can Taste Great
It’s pretty easy to get all the coconut oil you need in your diet.
Just follow any one of these simple tips:
Fry with it. Coconut oil has a high smoke point. That means that it won’t degrade at high temperatures – leaving all the fatty acids intact. It’s especially great for pan searing. If you do cook with it, consider getting it with no flavor. This is known as “expeller-pressed” coconut oil.
Take it to go. If you’ve got a very busy schedule, you can eat a snack with coconut oil already in it. My Primal Force Power Bars are great for this. Every bar is made with a healthy dose of coconut oil, and gives you plenty of protein to boot. It will give you the steady, long lasting energy you need.
Another great favorite of mine is to grab one banana. Dip it in plain yogurt. Then roll it in finely chopped coconut. Afterwards I put it in the freezer and eat it whenever I want a quick snack.
Make a smoothie. Scoop a healthy serving of coconut oil (it’ll probably be solid, but that’s okay) into the blender. Mix in your favorite fresh fruits. Maybe even add some protein powder. Add organic milk and a little ice. Blend it all and enjoy a tasty, heart-healthy smoothie.
Bake with it. It’s okay to have your favorite foods from time to time. And if you like to bake cookies, brownies, or anything else, go for it. Just substitute expeller pressed coconut oil for vegetable oil. Not only will everything taste better, but most of the fat you’ll be eating will get burned off right away.
It features a 1950s family called the “Buttertons.” The mother serves the family entire sticks of butter shoved into baked potatoes. The voiceover says something like, “Back then we didn’t know much about cholesterol and saturated fats… Today, we know better.”
That means they’re telling you that you shouldn’t eat fat. It’s remarkable that this message is still dominant in the mainstream media.
The truth is we don’t eat a high fat diet. We eat less fat than our ancestors did. And yet we’re the ones with obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, clogged arteries and high blood pressure.
In direct contradiction of what you commonly hear in the media – like in that ad – real butter is good for you. Saturated fats are a natural part of your diet and are essential to life. Fat makes up the basic building blocks of compounds that help your body perform everyday functions. This includes things like regulating blood pressure, blood clotting and bolstering your immune system.
Saturated fats have been on the media hit list for over 50 years. Butter is just one example. Red meat is another. But one of the worst victims of this low-fat propaganda is coconut oil. Like butter, it’s been vilified for decades.
But a new study shows that coconut oil can lower your total cholesterol, boost your HDL “good” cholesterol, lower your LDL “bad” cholesterol, and shrink your waist size. Compare that to soybean oil, which did the opposite – lowered HDL, raised LDL and total cholesterol, and did nothing for your belly size.
And it’s not the only study to reach that conclusion. Several other studies back up those findings and find even more benefits of coconut oil.
Coconut oil can protect your heart, boost your immune system, and help you lose fat faster and easier than ever before. And today I’m going to show you how to use it.
Make the Switch from Corn Oil
and Watch Your Waistline Shrink
Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Unlike longer-chain fatty acids, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are tiny enough to enter your cells’ mitochondria directly.
This means your cells use the fat from coconut oil for energy instantly, instead of storing it for later use.
A Boston University study gave one group corn oil (longer-chain fatty acids) and the other medium-chain fatty acids.
After 90 days, those that got the medium-chain fatty acids lost weight, increased their insulin receptivity and even lowered their overall cholesterol.1
Another study published this year in the journal Lipids compared coconut oil with soybean oil. The women taking coconut oil saw their waist lines shrink and their HDL “good” cholesterol levels increase. Meanwhile, the women taking soybean oil didn’t see any change in their waist size. Plus, LDL, or “bad”, cholesterol levels rose and HDL levels dropped.2
Another study found that coconut oil can help reduce the symptoms of type-2 diabetes and that “people who incorporate medium-chain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat.”3
Coconut oil can help turn your body into a fat-burning furnace.
Plus, it can help you eat less. It controls your hunger by leaving you feeling satisfied, longer.4
Boost Your HDL Levels
Contrary to what mainstream medicine tells you, eating high amounts of fat does not automatically equal higher cholesterol.
And that’s certainly the case with coconut oil.
The War Against
Saturated Fat
The war against saturated fats started way back in the late 1950’s.
A researcher by the name of Ancel Keys was investigating cardiovascular disease. His goal was to prove eating high amounts of saturated fat was linked to heart disease.
He published the “7 Countries Study,” successfully showing fat as the major cause of heart problems.
His research was praised and soon became gospel. He even became known as the “father” of the Lipid Hypothesis. That’s the theory that high cholesterol causes heart disease… and in turn, eating a lot of fat causes high cholesterol.
But there was a slight problem with Keys’ research. Something he deliberately ignored. Keys only chose to use data from seven countries that matched exactly what he wanted to prove.
The truth is there were at least a half-dozen other countries with examples that proved the exact opposite. Countries where people routinely ate tons of fat – yet rarely experienced heart disease. When it didn’t fit his hypothesis, he ignored the data.
Unfortunately, Keys’ research caught on over the years. One group in particular -- the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – ran with Keys’ ideas. They launched what began an all out-war against all saturated fats. In fact, CSPI coined the term “artery-clogging” fat.
Sadly, coconut oil got caught up in it all.
Decades ago, food manufacturers used tropical oils like coconut oil in their baked goods. Movie theatres used it for their popcorn.
CSPI argued that coconut oil was terrible for your health. It was laden with saturated fat.
Instead, they demanded that these companies use vegetable oils instead (this of course benefited the American Soybean Association, who in the past has made generous donations to CSPI).
The food industry gave in. Coconut oil became taboo. Even the government joined in.
The National Cholesterol Education Program even issued a statement, encouraging margarine and partially hydrogenated fats, stating that “…coconut oil … should be avoided.”
Today, we know better.
The truth is it does the exact opposite. It helps improve your HDL to LDL ratio (“good” vs. “bad” cholesterol), lower overall blood levels of serum cholesterol, and reduce the amount of fat your body stores.5
In fact, in Sri Lanka, about 50% of calories from the typical diet come from coconut oil. Yet, heart disease there is virtually non-existent.
Researchers, perplexed by this, decided to see what happened when they took a group of young men and had them substitute coconut oil for corn and soybean oil.
The results weren’t pretty.
Their HDL level plunged 42 percent – which put them far below what’s considered healthy. Their LDL/HDL ratio increased 30 percent.6
That’s a recipe for heart disaster.
These results simply confirm what countless studies are finding. Coconut oil is good for your heart and helps increase your good HDL cholesterol.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition studied 25 women. They were given three different diets. A diet high in coconut oil, a low-fat diet with small amounts of coconut oil, and a diet high in polyunsaturated fats. Each diet lasted 3 weeks.
As you might guess, the highest increase in HDL was when the women ate the high fat, coconut oil diet.7
Bulletproof Your Immune System
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a powerful immune system booster.
Lauric acid has antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and antiprotozoal properties that help bullet proof your immune system against everything from free radicals, to a latent virus that’s waiting to wreak havoc.
It’s so powerful, in fact, that preliminary research suggests it’s effective against lipid-coated viruses, such as HIV.
A recent study took a group of 15 men with HIV. They had not received any prior treatment. After 3 months of supplementing with coconut oil, half of the patients showed a decrease in viral load.8
Good Health Can Taste Great
It’s pretty easy to get all the coconut oil you need in your diet.
Just follow any one of these simple tips:
Fry with it. Coconut oil has a high smoke point. That means that it won’t degrade at high temperatures – leaving all the fatty acids intact. It’s especially great for pan searing. If you do cook with it, consider getting it with no flavor. This is known as “expeller-pressed” coconut oil.
Take it to go. If you’ve got a very busy schedule, you can eat a snack with coconut oil already in it. My Primal Force Power Bars are great for this. Every bar is made with a healthy dose of coconut oil, and gives you plenty of protein to boot. It will give you the steady, long lasting energy you need.
Another great favorite of mine is to grab one banana. Dip it in plain yogurt. Then roll it in finely chopped coconut. Afterwards I put it in the freezer and eat it whenever I want a quick snack.
Make a smoothie. Scoop a healthy serving of coconut oil (it’ll probably be solid, but that’s okay) into the blender. Mix in your favorite fresh fruits. Maybe even add some protein powder. Add organic milk and a little ice. Blend it all and enjoy a tasty, heart-healthy smoothie.
Bake with it. It’s okay to have your favorite foods from time to time. And if you like to bake cookies, brownies, or anything else, go for it. Just substitute expeller pressed coconut oil for vegetable oil. Not only will everything taste better, but most of the fat you’ll be eating will get burned off right away.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Lower your risk of Heart Attacks!
Here’s a tip I bet you’ve never heard of… you can lower your triglyceride levels with white bean extract! This simple vegetable blocks sugars from being absorbed and digested. One study showed that it lowered triglycerides by an average of 26 mg/dL.
Plus, white bean extract has an added benefit. Those who took it lost on average four pounds. Dr. Cutler suggests you take 1,500 mg of white bean extract twice a day.
He recommends other breakthrough treatments you can use to strengthen your heart, including:
How a certain tree resin from India prevents the build-up of plaque in your arteries.
The “sugar cane cure” that helps lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
The ginger spice that blocks cholesterol absorption in your intestines.
And, how a tasty “lemonade cleanse” can lower your blood pressure.
Dr. Cutler’s medical briefing A Doctor’s Treasury of Hushed Up Natural Heart Cures and Deadly Deceptions of Popular Heart Treatments blows the lid off mainstream medicine’s popular assembly line heart treatments. In his urgent report, you’ll find little known ways you can avoid a heart attack, unclog your arteries (before you experience a heart or brain related disaster), reverse heart disease, and even restore a failing heart without surgery, doctors, or drugs.
Plus, get the tools you need to see if your heart’s at risk, such as:
The heart attack predictor—this test accurately predicts whether or not you’ll have a heart attack in the next five years. It measures the presence of a seemingly harmless mineral that sticks to the walls of your arteries. Score above 400 and I suggest you see your doctor immediately!
The simple and safe blood test that helps you diagnose heart failure.
Plus, why allergies can increase your risk of having hardening of the arteries and what exactly what you can do about it.
In Dr. Cutler’s special medical briefing, he’ll explain in detail the six deadly heart deceptions you must know about if you want to keep your heart pumping for years to come. Don’t listen to conventional medicine… there are alternatives to dangerous surgery and harmful medications.
Plus, white bean extract has an added benefit. Those who took it lost on average four pounds. Dr. Cutler suggests you take 1,500 mg of white bean extract twice a day.
He recommends other breakthrough treatments you can use to strengthen your heart, including:
How a certain tree resin from India prevents the build-up of plaque in your arteries.
The “sugar cane cure” that helps lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
The ginger spice that blocks cholesterol absorption in your intestines.
And, how a tasty “lemonade cleanse” can lower your blood pressure.
Dr. Cutler’s medical briefing A Doctor’s Treasury of Hushed Up Natural Heart Cures and Deadly Deceptions of Popular Heart Treatments blows the lid off mainstream medicine’s popular assembly line heart treatments. In his urgent report, you’ll find little known ways you can avoid a heart attack, unclog your arteries (before you experience a heart or brain related disaster), reverse heart disease, and even restore a failing heart without surgery, doctors, or drugs.
Plus, get the tools you need to see if your heart’s at risk, such as:
The heart attack predictor—this test accurately predicts whether or not you’ll have a heart attack in the next five years. It measures the presence of a seemingly harmless mineral that sticks to the walls of your arteries. Score above 400 and I suggest you see your doctor immediately!
The simple and safe blood test that helps you diagnose heart failure.
Plus, why allergies can increase your risk of having hardening of the arteries and what exactly what you can do about it.
In Dr. Cutler’s special medical briefing, he’ll explain in detail the six deadly heart deceptions you must know about if you want to keep your heart pumping for years to come. Don’t listen to conventional medicine… there are alternatives to dangerous surgery and harmful medications.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Vitamin D and Elderly Woman!
A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age. The research, just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, evaluated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older. The study found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin (see also Massachusetts General Hospital).
"It's likely that more than one-third of older adults now have vitamin D levels associated with higher risks of death and few have levels associated with optimum survival," said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine's Division of Emergency Medicine and lead author on the study. "Given the aging population and the simplicity of increasing a person's level of vitamin D, a small improvement in death rates could have a substantial impact on public health."
Older adults are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency because their skin has less exposure to the sun due to more limited outdoor activities as well as reduced ability to make vitamin D.
The study analyzed data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. The research team analyzed vitamin D in blood samples of more than 3,400 participants that were selected to be representative of the 24 million older adults in the United States. Compared to those with optimal vitamin D status, those with low vitamin D levels were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause.
Dr. Ginde says the findings suggest that current daily recommendations of vitamin D may not be enough for older adults to maintain optimal health. The research team has applied for research funding from the National Institutes of Health to perform a large, population-based clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation in older adults to see if it can improve survival and reduce the incidence of heart disease.
"Confirmation of these results in large randomized trials is critically important for advancing public health," says Carlos Camargo, MD, DrPH, of the MGH Department of Emergency Medicine, the senior author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
The study looking at elderly death rates is the second of two studies by the same team of researchers on vitamin D and general health. The first study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine earlier this year, identified vitamin D as playing a significant role in boosting the immune system and warding off colds and flu.
"Vitamin D has health effects that go beyond strong bones," says Ginde. "It's likely that it makes a vital contribution to good health."
"It's likely that more than one-third of older adults now have vitamin D levels associated with higher risks of death and few have levels associated with optimum survival," said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine's Division of Emergency Medicine and lead author on the study. "Given the aging population and the simplicity of increasing a person's level of vitamin D, a small improvement in death rates could have a substantial impact on public health."
Older adults are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency because their skin has less exposure to the sun due to more limited outdoor activities as well as reduced ability to make vitamin D.
The study analyzed data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. The research team analyzed vitamin D in blood samples of more than 3,400 participants that were selected to be representative of the 24 million older adults in the United States. Compared to those with optimal vitamin D status, those with low vitamin D levels were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause.
Dr. Ginde says the findings suggest that current daily recommendations of vitamin D may not be enough for older adults to maintain optimal health. The research team has applied for research funding from the National Institutes of Health to perform a large, population-based clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation in older adults to see if it can improve survival and reduce the incidence of heart disease.
"Confirmation of these results in large randomized trials is critically important for advancing public health," says Carlos Camargo, MD, DrPH, of the MGH Department of Emergency Medicine, the senior author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
The study looking at elderly death rates is the second of two studies by the same team of researchers on vitamin D and general health. The first study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine earlier this year, identified vitamin D as playing a significant role in boosting the immune system and warding off colds and flu.
"Vitamin D has health effects that go beyond strong bones," says Ginde. "It's likely that it makes a vital contribution to good health."
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Low cholesterol isn't always a good thing!
Low cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean healthy veins and cardiovascular system.
Research done at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University found that those with low cholesterol didn’t have any better heart health than those with high cholesterol.1
One of the most well-known and publicized heart studies is the Framingham study. The findings are nearly identical to the Yale study. Half the people had no better heart health than those with higher cholesterol.2
Cholesterol on its own is harmless. It’s the oxidation of cholesterol that can impact overall cardiovascular health. When cholesterol mixes with oxygen, it causes free radical damage.
You can support the health of your blood vessels from oxidation and promote normal levels of inflammation naturally.
First, measure your homocysteine. I do this for all my patients. It’s not only a predictor of arterial health, it is also important to keep homocysteine down to keep your arteries healthy.
Homocysteine is a simple amino acid. It gets cycled with other amino acids to facilitate the exchange of atoms between your cells. But when this cycle breaks down, homocysteine has nowhere to go and gets backed up, just like a drain that gets clogged.
Keeping homocysteine levels down helps promote normal levels of inflammation, which helps promote the health of your blood vessels.
There are a number of studies supporting this connection:
Research from the Physician’s Health Study, which tracked 15,000 male physicians, found that those with low levels of it had overall better heart health than those with higher levels.3
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms these findings. They discovered that keeping lower levels of homocysteine is associated with better overall health. More so than any other measured factor – including cholesterol.4
I’ve seen at least 20 more studies like this, indicating a strong link between levels of homocysteine and heart health.
Lower your homocysteine – The irony is that you can easily manage your homocysteine. A simple blood test will tell you if you have high homocysteine levels. I like to keep my patients’ levels at 7 or below to maintain arterial health.
I have not had a single case of elevated homocysteine that couldn’t be corrected with the right combination of natural supplements. Here’s what I use with my patients (amounts are daily):
Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
Folic acid – 800 mcg
Vitamin B6 – 25 mg
Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg
TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg
You can find these at your local health food store.
Reduce oxidation – The other key is to protect your blood vessels with powerful antioxidants. The most heart healthy warrior is omega-3s. I also recommend resveratrol.
Resveratrol inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, promotes healthy, flexible arteries, and keeps your heartbeat steady. I recommend getting 200 mg of resveratrol daily. You can find resveratrol at your local health food store.
Get Omega-3s – Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage promotes health heart rhythms, promotes healthy triglyceride levels, and raises HDL, your good cholesterol.
Research done at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University found that those with low cholesterol didn’t have any better heart health than those with high cholesterol.1
One of the most well-known and publicized heart studies is the Framingham study. The findings are nearly identical to the Yale study. Half the people had no better heart health than those with higher cholesterol.2
Cholesterol on its own is harmless. It’s the oxidation of cholesterol that can impact overall cardiovascular health. When cholesterol mixes with oxygen, it causes free radical damage.
You can support the health of your blood vessels from oxidation and promote normal levels of inflammation naturally.
First, measure your homocysteine. I do this for all my patients. It’s not only a predictor of arterial health, it is also important to keep homocysteine down to keep your arteries healthy.
Homocysteine is a simple amino acid. It gets cycled with other amino acids to facilitate the exchange of atoms between your cells. But when this cycle breaks down, homocysteine has nowhere to go and gets backed up, just like a drain that gets clogged.
Keeping homocysteine levels down helps promote normal levels of inflammation, which helps promote the health of your blood vessels.
There are a number of studies supporting this connection:
Research from the Physician’s Health Study, which tracked 15,000 male physicians, found that those with low levels of it had overall better heart health than those with higher levels.3
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms these findings. They discovered that keeping lower levels of homocysteine is associated with better overall health. More so than any other measured factor – including cholesterol.4
I’ve seen at least 20 more studies like this, indicating a strong link between levels of homocysteine and heart health.
Lower your homocysteine – The irony is that you can easily manage your homocysteine. A simple blood test will tell you if you have high homocysteine levels. I like to keep my patients’ levels at 7 or below to maintain arterial health.
I have not had a single case of elevated homocysteine that couldn’t be corrected with the right combination of natural supplements. Here’s what I use with my patients (amounts are daily):
Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
Folic acid – 800 mcg
Vitamin B6 – 25 mg
Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg
TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg
You can find these at your local health food store.
Reduce oxidation – The other key is to protect your blood vessels with powerful antioxidants. The most heart healthy warrior is omega-3s. I also recommend resveratrol.
Resveratrol inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, promotes healthy, flexible arteries, and keeps your heartbeat steady. I recommend getting 200 mg of resveratrol daily. You can find resveratrol at your local health food store.
Get Omega-3s – Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage promotes health heart rhythms, promotes healthy triglyceride levels, and raises HDL, your good cholesterol.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Dr Sears Take on Lipitor!
If you buy Lipitor, you may see a new warning label.
Here's a proven fact: Cholesterol-lowering drugs – also known as statins – slash your levels of CoQ10. In fact, studies found that statin drugs lower CoQ10 levels by as much as 40 percent.1
Now, officials in Canada are finally blowing the whistle.
The Canadian government is now requiring all statin drugs to put a warning label on their box. And for good reason... The loss of CoQ10 can impact your heart health.
I couldn’t say it better than well-known CoQ10 researcher Dr. Peter Langsjoen:
“The depletion of the essential nutrient CoQ10 by the increasingly popular cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) has grown from a level of concern to one of alarm...”
I added the underline for emphasis.
While Canada has come to their senses … it seems that the U.S. is hell-bent on pushing statins on everyone.
Not long ago, the JUPITER study (funded by AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor) was presented at an AMA conference.
The claim: Statin drugs save lives when given to people who show no signs of high cholesterol. There was even talk of putting statins in the water supply, so everyone could get their share – as if we’re all born with a Crestor deficiency.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to be fed statins… or any other drug… without consent.
For my part, I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing for many years - warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs.
If you do take them, a CoQ10 supplement is vital to your heart, your strength and your vitality. It’s one of the most important nutrients in the world today, because it fuels your cells with energy.
Don't put your health at risk. If you're taking cholesterol drugs, you need Accel. Accel has the most absorbable form of CoQ10 available. It’s 8 times stronger than regular CoQ10, so it helps restore the energy you lose by taking cholesterol drugs that much faster.
And now, Accel has the added benefit of tocotrienols.
They are the rarest and most active forms of vitamin E. They provide an additional layer of heart support by:
Boosting heart arterial health to support healthy circulation
Bringing your cholesterol and soluble-fat blood levels into balance
Promoting normal response to inflammation
Fighting oxidative stress throughout the body
Together, CoQ10 and tocotrienols give you unmatched cardiovascular support.
Here's a proven fact: Cholesterol-lowering drugs – also known as statins – slash your levels of CoQ10. In fact, studies found that statin drugs lower CoQ10 levels by as much as 40 percent.1
Now, officials in Canada are finally blowing the whistle.
The Canadian government is now requiring all statin drugs to put a warning label on their box. And for good reason... The loss of CoQ10 can impact your heart health.
I couldn’t say it better than well-known CoQ10 researcher Dr. Peter Langsjoen:
“The depletion of the essential nutrient CoQ10 by the increasingly popular cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) has grown from a level of concern to one of alarm...”
I added the underline for emphasis.
While Canada has come to their senses … it seems that the U.S. is hell-bent on pushing statins on everyone.
Not long ago, the JUPITER study (funded by AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor) was presented at an AMA conference.
The claim: Statin drugs save lives when given to people who show no signs of high cholesterol. There was even talk of putting statins in the water supply, so everyone could get their share – as if we’re all born with a Crestor deficiency.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to be fed statins… or any other drug… without consent.
For my part, I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing for many years - warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs.
If you do take them, a CoQ10 supplement is vital to your heart, your strength and your vitality. It’s one of the most important nutrients in the world today, because it fuels your cells with energy.
Don't put your health at risk. If you're taking cholesterol drugs, you need Accel. Accel has the most absorbable form of CoQ10 available. It’s 8 times stronger than regular CoQ10, so it helps restore the energy you lose by taking cholesterol drugs that much faster.
And now, Accel has the added benefit of tocotrienols.
They are the rarest and most active forms of vitamin E. They provide an additional layer of heart support by:
Boosting heart arterial health to support healthy circulation
Bringing your cholesterol and soluble-fat blood levels into balance
Promoting normal response to inflammation
Fighting oxidative stress throughout the body
Together, CoQ10 and tocotrienols give you unmatched cardiovascular support.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
D-Ribose AMAZING!
For millennia, people have believed that as we age,
we naturally lose energy and vitality, but increasingly
we're learning that lhose losses are not incvitablc.
Humans,like all living things, must maintain high levels
of ATP to support physical activity, and damagcd
or strcssed nruscle is slowcr at restoring those criticzrl
levels back to normal. And when ATP levcls drop and
cannoI bc restored quickly, wc do indeed fcel "drained"
or energy.
But remalkable scicntific progrcss has been rladc
in the past few decadcs. Scientists are discovcring
that sin-rply by providing injurc.d, ailing, or l-atigucd
muscle tissue wilh the ingredients for ATP, that tisslre
can be "rciuvenated," restoring cnergy levels and
boosting function. D-ribose, a natLrral sugar molcculc
rvith no known side effects, is one of those key ingredients.
D-ribose supplenrentation powers damaged
heart muscle back to near-normal levels of ftinction,
allowing victir-r-rso f cardiovascular diseasc to begin
the vital rehabilitation process. D-ribose can also
help restore ATP levels in skeletal muscle, relieving
pain and weakness post-exercise, and helping people
1o actually maintain the moderate level of increased
exercise that is so criLical to preventing heart disease
and to recovering from it if it does occur. D-ribose
can improve both cardiac energy and quality of lifea
winnins con-rbination
we naturally lose energy and vitality, but increasingly
we're learning that lhose losses are not incvitablc.
Humans,like all living things, must maintain high levels
of ATP to support physical activity, and damagcd
or strcssed nruscle is slowcr at restoring those criticzrl
levels back to normal. And when ATP levcls drop and
cannoI bc restored quickly, wc do indeed fcel "drained"
or energy.
But remalkable scicntific progrcss has been rladc
in the past few decadcs. Scientists are discovcring
that sin-rply by providing injurc.d, ailing, or l-atigucd
muscle tissue wilh the ingredients for ATP, that tisslre
can be "rciuvenated," restoring cnergy levels and
boosting function. D-ribose, a natLrral sugar molcculc
rvith no known side effects, is one of those key ingredients.
D-ribose supplenrentation powers damaged
heart muscle back to near-normal levels of ftinction,
allowing victir-r-rso f cardiovascular diseasc to begin
the vital rehabilitation process. D-ribose can also
help restore ATP levels in skeletal muscle, relieving
pain and weakness post-exercise, and helping people
1o actually maintain the moderate level of increased
exercise that is so criLical to preventing heart disease
and to recovering from it if it does occur. D-ribose
can improve both cardiac energy and quality of lifea
winnins con-rbination
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Can you turn back time?
Heart and Energy “Cocktail”
Following is recipe for dramatically improving cardiac function
and energy production. Try this for 6 to 12 weeks to see
the optimal effects, then use as needed.
Ribose: Take 5 g 3x/day for 6 weeks, then 5 g 2x/day for 6
more weeks. This nutrient is outstanding for heart disease.
Coenzyme Q10: Take 400 mg/day for 6 weeks, then 200 mg/
day for 6 more weeks. This nutrient is especially critical for
anyone on cholesterol-lowering medications, even if there are
no heart problems, as these medications cause Co-Q10 deficiency
(a nutrient critical for energy production).
Magnesium: Take 200 mg/day for 12 weeks.
Vitamin B complex: Take 50+ mg/day for 12 weeks.
Acetyl-L-carnitine: Take 500 mg 2x day for 6 weeks, then
500 mg/day for 6 weeks (and it can often simply be stopped in six weeks)
Corvalen Ribose Link
Following is recipe for dramatically improving cardiac function
and energy production. Try this for 6 to 12 weeks to see
the optimal effects, then use as needed.
Ribose: Take 5 g 3x/day for 6 weeks, then 5 g 2x/day for 6
more weeks. This nutrient is outstanding for heart disease.
Coenzyme Q10: Take 400 mg/day for 6 weeks, then 200 mg/
day for 6 more weeks. This nutrient is especially critical for
anyone on cholesterol-lowering medications, even if there are
no heart problems, as these medications cause Co-Q10 deficiency
(a nutrient critical for energy production).
Magnesium: Take 200 mg/day for 12 weeks.
Vitamin B complex: Take 50+ mg/day for 12 weeks.
Acetyl-L-carnitine: Take 500 mg 2x day for 6 weeks, then
500 mg/day for 6 weeks (and it can often simply be stopped in six weeks)
Corvalen Ribose Link
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Corvalen and the mystery of Ribose
In this fast paced world your body needs all the extra energy it can get. But when you over do it, your body uses more energy than it produces. Running on empty results in overwhelming fatigue, muscle soreness, stiffness and pain. Ribose, the active ingredient in Corvalen products is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in every cell and is the key compound to rebuilding the energy pool.
This product is scientifically backed to supply the ribose your body needs to restore energy! Feel great and enjoy the energy you need day! Day after day!
This product is scientifically backed to supply the ribose your body needs to restore energy! Feel great and enjoy the energy you need day! Day after day!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
B Complex
What’s a B-complex? A B-complex is a supplement of a combination of B vitamins. Luckily, discovering the healthy benefits of these B’s is not complex. Here is some helpful information:
A B-complex supplement commonly includes thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), inositol, folic acid (B9), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), para-aminobenzonic acid (PABA) and vitamin B12. All of these nutrients are considered to be part of the B family. These nutrients can help our bodies live healthier.
B’s as Antioxidants:
An antioxidant is a compound that can prevent the damaging effects of oxidation that can lead to disease initiating events. Antioxidants are thought to play a role in the prevention of most diseases. For example, thiamine (vitamin B1) is known for its antioxidant properties that make it beneficial to cognitive function and heart health as it prevents lipid peroxidation which promotes atherosclerosis. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is traditionally known for its anti-oxidant and wound healing abilities.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a personal favorite for its fun name and its ability to assist in the production of glutathione, the major antioxidant enzyme in the body. Glutathionine is an extremely important factor to your body’s health as it enhances antioxidant activities and thus reduces the risk of many diseases including cancer, arthritis and heart disease.
B’s for Heart Disease:
Many B vitamins play a part in heart health. Perhaps the best known are vitamin B6, B9 and B12. This trio of B vitamins is vital to the health of your cardiovascular system. These vitamins are co-factors for homocysteine metabolism. A co-factor is like a key that opens doors to keep a process moving. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can interfere with proper functioning of the cells that line blood vessels and increase oxidative stress. These two effects lead to an unhealthy cardiovascular system. In fact, hyperhomocysteinemia (i.e. elevated levels of homocysteine in the body) is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Ensuring that your body contains sufficient amounts of vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 keeps the doors of homocysteine metabolism open and thus, preventing a build up of homocysteine in the body. Keep your cardiovascular system healthy with these three Bs.
There is another heart disease risk factor that is inhibited by the power of the Bs. Vitamin B6 is also connected with C-reactive protein levels (i.e. an indicator of inflammation associated with poor cardiovascular health). Low levels of vitamin B6 in the body is associated with elevated levels of C-reactive protein. Thus, vitamin B6 is doubly important to cardiovascular health.
Another important B vitamin to our hearts is niacin (vitamin B3). Niacin is involved in many aspects of the body. However, it is mostly known for its anti-hyperlipidemic activity and thus, niacin is commonly used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
B’s for Mental Health:
Folate (B9) is not only a key that promotes healthy homocysteine levels, it is also an antioxidant. Its ability to prevent oxidation and reduce homocysteine levels thus inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques likely explains why folate is thought to be important in the prevention of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and poor cognitive function.
I hope this gave some insight on B vitamins!
A B-complex supplement commonly includes thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), inositol, folic acid (B9), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), para-aminobenzonic acid (PABA) and vitamin B12. All of these nutrients are considered to be part of the B family. These nutrients can help our bodies live healthier.
B’s as Antioxidants:
An antioxidant is a compound that can prevent the damaging effects of oxidation that can lead to disease initiating events. Antioxidants are thought to play a role in the prevention of most diseases. For example, thiamine (vitamin B1) is known for its antioxidant properties that make it beneficial to cognitive function and heart health as it prevents lipid peroxidation which promotes atherosclerosis. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is traditionally known for its anti-oxidant and wound healing abilities.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a personal favorite for its fun name and its ability to assist in the production of glutathione, the major antioxidant enzyme in the body. Glutathionine is an extremely important factor to your body’s health as it enhances antioxidant activities and thus reduces the risk of many diseases including cancer, arthritis and heart disease.
B’s for Heart Disease:
Many B vitamins play a part in heart health. Perhaps the best known are vitamin B6, B9 and B12. This trio of B vitamins is vital to the health of your cardiovascular system. These vitamins are co-factors for homocysteine metabolism. A co-factor is like a key that opens doors to keep a process moving. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can interfere with proper functioning of the cells that line blood vessels and increase oxidative stress. These two effects lead to an unhealthy cardiovascular system. In fact, hyperhomocysteinemia (i.e. elevated levels of homocysteine in the body) is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Ensuring that your body contains sufficient amounts of vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 keeps the doors of homocysteine metabolism open and thus, preventing a build up of homocysteine in the body. Keep your cardiovascular system healthy with these three Bs.
There is another heart disease risk factor that is inhibited by the power of the Bs. Vitamin B6 is also connected with C-reactive protein levels (i.e. an indicator of inflammation associated with poor cardiovascular health). Low levels of vitamin B6 in the body is associated with elevated levels of C-reactive protein. Thus, vitamin B6 is doubly important to cardiovascular health.
Another important B vitamin to our hearts is niacin (vitamin B3). Niacin is involved in many aspects of the body. However, it is mostly known for its anti-hyperlipidemic activity and thus, niacin is commonly used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
B’s for Mental Health:
Folate (B9) is not only a key that promotes healthy homocysteine levels, it is also an antioxidant. Its ability to prevent oxidation and reduce homocysteine levels thus inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques likely explains why folate is thought to be important in the prevention of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and poor cognitive function.
I hope this gave some insight on B vitamins!
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