Choose Dark Chocolate for Heart Health
Martin Applebaum asked:
Have you heard of the saying – ‘A dark chocolate a day keeps the doctor away?’ if not, you need to gain a lot of knowledge about dark chocolate. Take a dark chocolate daily is good for the heart as these chocolates are fully loaded with many flavaniods. All you require to do to keep your heart in a healthy state is to eat a small 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate for heart health each day. Mary Engler of the University of California, San Francisco, has done the research.
Remember that not every chocolate is created equal. You must know that any standard manufacturing process for chocolate tends to destroy more than half of the flavaniods. However, fortunately, most companies have now learned the art of preparing dark chocolate that would preserve up to 95 per cent of its flavaniods. This is no scam. It is 100% true that you can benefit a lot by eating chocolate now.
This does not mean that you overload yourself with chocolate. Remember that chocolate tends to possess many calories and you definitely need to cut down on somewhere else if you are having a lot of dark chocolate.
There are several benefits of eating dark chocolate. Here are some of these benefits:
· Lowers blood pressure: One of the main benefits of eating dark chocolate is that it tends to lower your blood pressure if it is too high. This has been proved as confirmed by a report by Dirk Jaubert, MD, phd at the University of Cologne in Germany. The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, make sure this report does not give you a reason to binge on, as these are many calories in chocolate.
· Presence of antioxidants: When dark chocolate is taken in sufficient quantity, it proves to be a strong antioxidant to the body. This is proved by a report produced by Mauro Serafini, Phd and colleagues of Italy’s National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome. The issue of Nature published this report. Antioxidants are powerful enough to eat up many free radials, hazardous molecules implicated in heart disease or other health conditions. Remember that in order to benefit from antioxidants you need to eat dark chocolate without milk. People who have dark chocolate daily have higher levels of epicatechin. It is a real healthy compound found commonly in dark chocolate.
· Good heart: As discussed earlier, dark chocolate is rich in flavaniods. This compound’s healthy for the heart. It has also other healthy compounds that help in keeping the heart of individuals who eat dark chocolate in a healthy state.
With so many benefits of dark chocolate, there is no reason that you should stay away from it. All you require to do is to remember that a healthy diet balance is what keeps the heart fit and fine. Binging in will never help you achieve the desired goals. Choose dark chocolate for heart health.
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Have you heard of the saying – ‘A dark chocolate a day keeps the doctor away?’ if not, you need to gain a lot of knowledge about dark chocolate. Take a dark chocolate daily is good for the heart as these chocolates are fully loaded with many flavaniods. All you require to do to keep your heart in a healthy state is to eat a small 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate for heart health each day. Mary Engler of the University of California, San Francisco, has done the research.
Remember that not every chocolate is created equal. You must know that any standard manufacturing process for chocolate tends to destroy more than half of the flavaniods. However, fortunately, most companies have now learned the art of preparing dark chocolate that would preserve up to 95 per cent of its flavaniods. This is no scam. It is 100% true that you can benefit a lot by eating chocolate now.
This does not mean that you overload yourself with chocolate. Remember that chocolate tends to possess many calories and you definitely need to cut down on somewhere else if you are having a lot of dark chocolate.
There are several benefits of eating dark chocolate. Here are some of these benefits:
· Lowers blood pressure: One of the main benefits of eating dark chocolate is that it tends to lower your blood pressure if it is too high. This has been proved as confirmed by a report by Dirk Jaubert, MD, phd at the University of Cologne in Germany. The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, make sure this report does not give you a reason to binge on, as these are many calories in chocolate.
· Presence of antioxidants: When dark chocolate is taken in sufficient quantity, it proves to be a strong antioxidant to the body. This is proved by a report produced by Mauro Serafini, Phd and colleagues of Italy’s National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome. The issue of Nature published this report. Antioxidants are powerful enough to eat up many free radials, hazardous molecules implicated in heart disease or other health conditions. Remember that in order to benefit from antioxidants you need to eat dark chocolate without milk. People who have dark chocolate daily have higher levels of epicatechin. It is a real healthy compound found commonly in dark chocolate.
· Good heart: As discussed earlier, dark chocolate is rich in flavaniods. This compound’s healthy for the heart. It has also other healthy compounds that help in keeping the heart of individuals who eat dark chocolate in a healthy state.
With so many benefits of dark chocolate, there is no reason that you should stay away from it. All you require to do is to remember that a healthy diet balance is what keeps the heart fit and fine. Binging in will never help you achieve the desired goals. Choose dark chocolate for heart health.
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What You Deserve to Know About Heart Health!
Steven A Johnson asked:
The average human heart will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during a 66 year lifespan, which is roughly 72 beats per minute! It is the most important muscle in the body, so it is vital for your health to keep it functioning at its best! Heart disease is the number one cause of death among Americans, and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can increase the risk of developing hearth disease!
The heart functions in four parts, and is referred to as a four-chambered heart in warm blooded animals. The right side of the heart serves to collect de-oxygenated (carbon-dioxide rich) blood in the right atrium from the body. Blood leaves the right atrium and flows into the right ventricle where it is pumped into the lungs, leaving behind carbon-dioxide and picking up oxygen. The left side of the heart then collects the oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium, from there the oxygen rich blood moves into the left ventricle which pumps it out to the body.
Changing bad lifestyle habits can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks! It is important to be aware of how many calories that you take in, and use up at least that amount daily. Try not to eat more calories than you know you can burn up everyday. Performing physical activity for at least thirty minutes on most days of the week, or everyday, can help you maintain a healthy weight. The thirty minutes a day can be broken down into three ten minute sessions throughout the day as well!
Vegetables and fruits are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber! By eating a variety of fruits and vegetables instead of junk food, you can control your weight and maintain healthy blood pressure. Another source of fiber is un-refined whole grain foods, they help maintain blood cholesterol and make you feel full after eating less! It is good habit to try and eat fish twice a week. Recent studies have shown that oily fish such as salmon, trout and herring contain omega 3 fatty acids, which can help to lower the risk of death from coronary artery disease.
Some recommendations for a healthy eating pattern are:
Eating meats and poultry without the skin and prepare them without adding saturated and trans fats.
Choose low fat and fat free dairy products.
To reduce the amount of trans fat in your diet cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
Try to reduce cholesterol intake by eating less than 300 milligrams each day.
Cut back on foods and beverages with added sugars.
Reduce your salt intake; try to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.
Drink alcohol in moderation- one drink daily for women, two drinks daily for men.
Clear Heart Advanced Cardio Therapy is a doctor formulated supplement that offers support for optimal heart health. This can be taken in conjuction with healthy diet and exercise habits to prevent problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol and heart attacks. Clear Heart Advanced Cardio Therapy is reported to diminish and eliminate chronic, painful, and even deadly heart associated health problems. For more information, or to purchase this product, please visit our website at: www.alternative-health-supplements.com/clear-heart.htm
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The average human heart will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during a 66 year lifespan, which is roughly 72 beats per minute! It is the most important muscle in the body, so it is vital for your health to keep it functioning at its best! Heart disease is the number one cause of death among Americans, and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can increase the risk of developing hearth disease!
The heart functions in four parts, and is referred to as a four-chambered heart in warm blooded animals. The right side of the heart serves to collect de-oxygenated (carbon-dioxide rich) blood in the right atrium from the body. Blood leaves the right atrium and flows into the right ventricle where it is pumped into the lungs, leaving behind carbon-dioxide and picking up oxygen. The left side of the heart then collects the oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium, from there the oxygen rich blood moves into the left ventricle which pumps it out to the body.
Changing bad lifestyle habits can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks! It is important to be aware of how many calories that you take in, and use up at least that amount daily. Try not to eat more calories than you know you can burn up everyday. Performing physical activity for at least thirty minutes on most days of the week, or everyday, can help you maintain a healthy weight. The thirty minutes a day can be broken down into three ten minute sessions throughout the day as well!
Vegetables and fruits are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber! By eating a variety of fruits and vegetables instead of junk food, you can control your weight and maintain healthy blood pressure. Another source of fiber is un-refined whole grain foods, they help maintain blood cholesterol and make you feel full after eating less! It is good habit to try and eat fish twice a week. Recent studies have shown that oily fish such as salmon, trout and herring contain omega 3 fatty acids, which can help to lower the risk of death from coronary artery disease.
Some recommendations for a healthy eating pattern are:
Eating meats and poultry without the skin and prepare them without adding saturated and trans fats.
Choose low fat and fat free dairy products.
To reduce the amount of trans fat in your diet cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
Try to reduce cholesterol intake by eating less than 300 milligrams each day.
Cut back on foods and beverages with added sugars.
Reduce your salt intake; try to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.
Drink alcohol in moderation- one drink daily for women, two drinks daily for men.
Clear Heart Advanced Cardio Therapy is a doctor formulated supplement that offers support for optimal heart health. This can be taken in conjuction with healthy diet and exercise habits to prevent problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol and heart attacks. Clear Heart Advanced Cardio Therapy is reported to diminish and eliminate chronic, painful, and even deadly heart associated health problems. For more information, or to purchase this product, please visit our website at: www.alternative-health-supplements.com/clear-heart.htm
Fish and Heart Health – Adding Fish to Your Diet Helps Reduce Heart Disease
Lisa Jenkins asked:
Fish has achieved health food status due to research that shows eating fish lowers the risk of heart disease. Public health agencies have recommended eating fish for several years. But new research continues to support additional links between diets that include fish and various measures of heart health.
While fish is a healthy source of lean protein, it is the omega-3 fatty acid content of fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon and tuna that is thought to help protect against heart disease. The key to lowering your risk of heart disease with fish seems to be eating enough fish each week to raise your blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
A recent study compared the omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of Japanese men living in Japan, Japanese men living in the U.S. and American men living in the U.S. Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood level of omega-3 fatty acids and the lowest rate of heart disease as the other two groups. In addition, higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the Japanese men improved at least one measure of atherosclerosis. This and other studies provide ample evidence that it may be omega-3 fatty acids from fish and seafood that are keeping the rates of heart disease in Japan so low compared with other countries.
The omega-3 fatty acids are richest in fish with the most fat. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy people eat fish at least two times per week and to include fish like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines. These fatty fish are rich in two of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids associated with lower rates of heart disease.
There are many ways that omega-3 fatty acids might help the heart. They are thought to reduce platelet aggregation and make the blood thinner, reduce triglyceride levels, and prevent arrhythmia. Supplementing the diet with fish or fish oil seems to greatly reduce the chances of having a heart attack. Supplementation is even being considered as a common intervention for people at a very high risk of having a heart attack.
But eating other types of fish can be heart healthy as well. Fish is low in saturated fat and eating fish can help keep levels of dietary saturated fat low and lower your risk of heart disease. And while fatty fish are highest in omega-3 fats, most fish have some of the heart these heart healthy fats. The levels of omega-3 fatty acids also vary with the diet fed to the fish. So, farm raised fish can have a very different fatty acid profile than wild fish of the same species. Because of this variability, a good approach is to eat a different types of fish and to consistently include fatty fish.
A new study compared fatty fish and lean fish for their affects on heart disease risk. While heart disease patients who were placed on a diet that included fatty fish several times per week had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids at the end of the study, blood pressure actually decreased in the patients who ate lean fish several times per week. The effect of eating fish on blood pressure may be due to some other component of fish than omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s the best way to gain the heart health benefit of omega-3 fatty acids from fish? Eating fatty fish is the best way. Many research studies support the heart health benefit of eating fish. But if you can’t eat fish, don’t like fish, or can’t eat enough to meet recommendations, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil is a good alternative. Intervention studies have proven some benefit of taking these supplements to reduce the risk of heart disease. Talk with your health care provider if you are considering taking a dietary supplement.
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Fish has achieved health food status due to research that shows eating fish lowers the risk of heart disease. Public health agencies have recommended eating fish for several years. But new research continues to support additional links between diets that include fish and various measures of heart health.
While fish is a healthy source of lean protein, it is the omega-3 fatty acid content of fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon and tuna that is thought to help protect against heart disease. The key to lowering your risk of heart disease with fish seems to be eating enough fish each week to raise your blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
A recent study compared the omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of Japanese men living in Japan, Japanese men living in the U.S. and American men living in the U.S. Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood level of omega-3 fatty acids and the lowest rate of heart disease as the other two groups. In addition, higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the Japanese men improved at least one measure of atherosclerosis. This and other studies provide ample evidence that it may be omega-3 fatty acids from fish and seafood that are keeping the rates of heart disease in Japan so low compared with other countries.
The omega-3 fatty acids are richest in fish with the most fat. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy people eat fish at least two times per week and to include fish like salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines. These fatty fish are rich in two of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids associated with lower rates of heart disease.
There are many ways that omega-3 fatty acids might help the heart. They are thought to reduce platelet aggregation and make the blood thinner, reduce triglyceride levels, and prevent arrhythmia. Supplementing the diet with fish or fish oil seems to greatly reduce the chances of having a heart attack. Supplementation is even being considered as a common intervention for people at a very high risk of having a heart attack.
But eating other types of fish can be heart healthy as well. Fish is low in saturated fat and eating fish can help keep levels of dietary saturated fat low and lower your risk of heart disease. And while fatty fish are highest in omega-3 fats, most fish have some of the heart these heart healthy fats. The levels of omega-3 fatty acids also vary with the diet fed to the fish. So, farm raised fish can have a very different fatty acid profile than wild fish of the same species. Because of this variability, a good approach is to eat a different types of fish and to consistently include fatty fish.
A new study compared fatty fish and lean fish for their affects on heart disease risk. While heart disease patients who were placed on a diet that included fatty fish several times per week had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids at the end of the study, blood pressure actually decreased in the patients who ate lean fish several times per week. The effect of eating fish on blood pressure may be due to some other component of fish than omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s the best way to gain the heart health benefit of omega-3 fatty acids from fish? Eating fatty fish is the best way. Many research studies support the heart health benefit of eating fish. But if you can’t eat fish, don’t like fish, or can’t eat enough to meet recommendations, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil is a good alternative. Intervention studies have proven some benefit of taking these supplements to reduce the risk of heart disease. Talk with your health care provider if you are considering taking a dietary supplement.
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Cheap Heart Health Is Not A Mystery
Lynne Gordon asked:
Good heart health does not have to be expensive. Mother Nature provides three cardiovascular cures/helpers which are surprisingly low in cost. Together all three can help you build up a weak heart and are guaranteed to provide additional benefits in preventing type II diabetes.
Cheap Heart Health Cure #1: Psyllium Husk.
Psyllium husk is a soluble fiber. It is also a complex carbohydrate. All this means is that the human body can not digest it so that once you eat it, it will be fermented in the large intestime and will yeild a wide range of heart-healthy benefits. meaning it is an indigestible, complex carbohydrate. Among the benefits are appetite control, and control of your blood sugar and your body’s insulin production.
Studies have shown that for each ten grams per day of fiber in your diet will give you approximately a 15 percent decrease in the risk of a heart attack. This proactive treatment also gives about a 25 percent decrease in death from heart disease.
Psyllium husk is also a great supplement because of its ability to help control blood sugars. Excess sugar in the blood stream can cause heart disease because it becomes “oxidized.” This oxidation leads to a change in the molecular structure of sugars – causing what is known as advanced glycation end products or AGE-products. Like a knife carving clay, AGE products scar arterial walls. The scarring results in plague buildup and excess blood clotting. This mechanism is why diabetics have a 4.5 times increase of suffering from heart attack and stroke relative to non-diabetics.
Psyllium can be purchased for about $3 per month and the benefits it will give your body…? Priceless!
Cheap Heart Health Cure #2: B Vitamins.
B vitamins are absolutely imperative for proper brain and nervous system functions. The human body can not even replicate blood cells without B vitamins.
B vitamins are also involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially for proper DNA synthesis and regulation, but also for fatty acid synthesis and energy production. Harvard researchers writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that women could cut their risk of heart disease by half with daily consumption of B vitamins.
The process of methylation, which rids the body of harmful homocysteine, is started by B vitamins. Without them this process can not occur and as the levels of homocysteine rises in the arteries the greater your chance of suffering from cardiovascular disease.
A daily B vitamin supplement should cost no more than $10 per month. The results? Priceless!
Cheap Heart Health Cure #1: Flavonoids.
Flavonoids are plant derived pigments. Over 4,000 have been studied for their cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends consuming at least 7.5 mg a day. This will help to decrease your chance of dying from heart disease by as much as 20 percent.
Flavonoids preserve the cardiovascular system and heart by improving blood flow. This in turn enhance oxygen and nutrient delivery throughout your entire body,and prevents the formation of artery-scarring, oxidized LDL. It also relaxes the coronary arteries to prevent high blood pressure.
Foods that are the best sources of flavonoids are broccoli, hawthorn, grapeseed extract, black tea, citrus fruits, and organic dark chocolate.
Using these three cardiovascular cures to preserve health rather than drugs is a wise investment. It could potentially save you thousands in drug costs.
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Good heart health does not have to be expensive. Mother Nature provides three cardiovascular cures/helpers which are surprisingly low in cost. Together all three can help you build up a weak heart and are guaranteed to provide additional benefits in preventing type II diabetes.
Cheap Heart Health Cure #1: Psyllium Husk.
Psyllium husk is a soluble fiber. It is also a complex carbohydrate. All this means is that the human body can not digest it so that once you eat it, it will be fermented in the large intestime and will yeild a wide range of heart-healthy benefits. meaning it is an indigestible, complex carbohydrate. Among the benefits are appetite control, and control of your blood sugar and your body’s insulin production.
Studies have shown that for each ten grams per day of fiber in your diet will give you approximately a 15 percent decrease in the risk of a heart attack. This proactive treatment also gives about a 25 percent decrease in death from heart disease.
Psyllium husk is also a great supplement because of its ability to help control blood sugars. Excess sugar in the blood stream can cause heart disease because it becomes “oxidized.” This oxidation leads to a change in the molecular structure of sugars – causing what is known as advanced glycation end products or AGE-products. Like a knife carving clay, AGE products scar arterial walls. The scarring results in plague buildup and excess blood clotting. This mechanism is why diabetics have a 4.5 times increase of suffering from heart attack and stroke relative to non-diabetics.
Psyllium can be purchased for about $3 per month and the benefits it will give your body…? Priceless!
Cheap Heart Health Cure #2: B Vitamins.
B vitamins are absolutely imperative for proper brain and nervous system functions. The human body can not even replicate blood cells without B vitamins.
B vitamins are also involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially for proper DNA synthesis and regulation, but also for fatty acid synthesis and energy production. Harvard researchers writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that women could cut their risk of heart disease by half with daily consumption of B vitamins.
The process of methylation, which rids the body of harmful homocysteine, is started by B vitamins. Without them this process can not occur and as the levels of homocysteine rises in the arteries the greater your chance of suffering from cardiovascular disease.
A daily B vitamin supplement should cost no more than $10 per month. The results? Priceless!
Cheap Heart Health Cure #1: Flavonoids.
Flavonoids are plant derived pigments. Over 4,000 have been studied for their cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends consuming at least 7.5 mg a day. This will help to decrease your chance of dying from heart disease by as much as 20 percent.
Flavonoids preserve the cardiovascular system and heart by improving blood flow. This in turn enhance oxygen and nutrient delivery throughout your entire body,and prevents the formation of artery-scarring, oxidized LDL. It also relaxes the coronary arteries to prevent high blood pressure.
Foods that are the best sources of flavonoids are broccoli, hawthorn, grapeseed extract, black tea, citrus fruits, and organic dark chocolate.
Using these three cardiovascular cures to preserve health rather than drugs is a wise investment. It could potentially save you thousands in drug costs.
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Maintaining Heart Health With Cholesterol Drugs
Michelle Bery asked:
Today’s health-conscious culture is one that is pointedly focused on keeping certain bodily systems in line; we know that by paying close attention to such important levels as blood pressure, sugars, and cholesterol, we can put certain protective measures in place to keep our hearts and our bodies healthy. One of the ways in which we can accomplish this is with the help of cholesterol drugs.
Cholesterol is a natural substance produced by our liver and found in our body’s cells and bloodstream. Its purpose – in moderate levels – is to help build cell membranes, produce hormones, and metabolize fats. The health risks associated with cholesterol stem from its overproduction. For cholesterol to be filtered through the liver and delivered to the appropriate cells it relies on carriers called lipoproteins. High-density lipoproteins – or HDLs – are considered to be our “good” cholesterol – that which filters cholesterol away from our arteries and back to our liver. LDLs – low-density lipoproteins – are considered to be our “bad” cholesterol. When our levels of LDLs are elevated, the cholesterol forms a type of plaque that builds up on artery walls – constricting arteries and setting us up for possible heart disease and stroke.
The ways in which we manage cholesterol levels – keeping HDLs high and LDLs low – is through a healthy diet that limits foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats. Red meat, for instance, is high in both, and when eaten on a regular basis can significantly impact the cholesterol levels in our body. While foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – such as fish and olive oils – raise HDLs and help our bodies eliminate bad cholesterol while strengthening our hearts.
But when diet isn’t enough to keep cholesterol levels in check, we often turn to cholesterol drugs to assist in the battle. Genetics can not be overlooked when it comes to cholesterol and sometimes it requires an extra measure or two to keep us at our healthiest.
It is estimated that over ten million people today take cholesterol drugs to help keep their levels in check. The type of cholesterol drugs ordinarily given to patients are known as statins – drugs that work to lower bad cholesterol. Among the most popularly used drugs today are Lipitor, Pravachol, Lescol, and Crestor.
Research has shown that these cholesterol drugs administered appropriately – and in conjunction with proper diet and exercise – can lower cholesterol almost as much as sixty percent. This means, that for people whose genetic make-up requires more than diet to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, cholesterol drugs can make all the difference in achieving and maintaining heart health well into the future.
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Today’s health-conscious culture is one that is pointedly focused on keeping certain bodily systems in line; we know that by paying close attention to such important levels as blood pressure, sugars, and cholesterol, we can put certain protective measures in place to keep our hearts and our bodies healthy. One of the ways in which we can accomplish this is with the help of cholesterol drugs.
Cholesterol is a natural substance produced by our liver and found in our body’s cells and bloodstream. Its purpose – in moderate levels – is to help build cell membranes, produce hormones, and metabolize fats. The health risks associated with cholesterol stem from its overproduction. For cholesterol to be filtered through the liver and delivered to the appropriate cells it relies on carriers called lipoproteins. High-density lipoproteins – or HDLs – are considered to be our “good” cholesterol – that which filters cholesterol away from our arteries and back to our liver. LDLs – low-density lipoproteins – are considered to be our “bad” cholesterol. When our levels of LDLs are elevated, the cholesterol forms a type of plaque that builds up on artery walls – constricting arteries and setting us up for possible heart disease and stroke.
The ways in which we manage cholesterol levels – keeping HDLs high and LDLs low – is through a healthy diet that limits foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats. Red meat, for instance, is high in both, and when eaten on a regular basis can significantly impact the cholesterol levels in our body. While foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – such as fish and olive oils – raise HDLs and help our bodies eliminate bad cholesterol while strengthening our hearts.
But when diet isn’t enough to keep cholesterol levels in check, we often turn to cholesterol drugs to assist in the battle. Genetics can not be overlooked when it comes to cholesterol and sometimes it requires an extra measure or two to keep us at our healthiest.
It is estimated that over ten million people today take cholesterol drugs to help keep their levels in check. The type of cholesterol drugs ordinarily given to patients are known as statins – drugs that work to lower bad cholesterol. Among the most popularly used drugs today are Lipitor, Pravachol, Lescol, and Crestor.
Research has shown that these cholesterol drugs administered appropriately – and in conjunction with proper diet and exercise – can lower cholesterol almost as much as sixty percent. This means, that for people whose genetic make-up requires more than diet to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, cholesterol drugs can make all the difference in achieving and maintaining heart health well into the future.
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Latest Discussion on Heart Health!
daveclark asked:
Hearth health has become the biggest concern among people around the world these days. Now people are better informed and have gained information through various researches and clinical trials, they are more conscious about their heart health and have better control over their heart than their predecessors thus reducing risks of hearth related ailments to a large extent.
Numerous researches have been conducted on heart health. The talk on ‘statins’ also figures prominently in discussion about the heart. Statins have been highly helpful in controlling cholesterol levels in the people suffering from heart disease. Statins act by effectively lowering the LDL (levels of bad cholesterol); though, they do slightly affect raising HDL (the levels of good cholesterol).
In the latest researches, it has been found that those who have had a heart attack or some other cardiac problem get more benefit by the immediate high-dose statin therapy.
Main advantages of statins are as follows:
Statin acts to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and it also minimizes the need for cardiac procedures.
Statin therapy proves beneficial for people with high levels of C – reactive protein (a substance in the liver, produced by the inflammation of arteries). It must be noted here that one can have low cholesterol but still s/he might be at the high risk of heart problem; if s/he has high levels of C-reactive protein.
It has been found that statins are not only safe but also a well-tolerated in the majority of patients using it.
In another research conducted in mice, it has been found that leafy greens can prove beneficial in reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke. It is due to the fact that nutrients in the veggies protect the heart from getting damaged. To reach at this conclusion, some mice were provided with the drinking water that contained nitrites or nitrates while others were given plain drinking water.
After a week’s time, the mice were given an induced heart attack to study their heart after the attack. It was found that the mice having nitrite or nitrate contained water had less heart attack damage compared to those mice that were drinking plain water. Diets comprising of cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, meat and broccoli are ideal.
In the ayurvedic approach to have good heart health, it has been pointed out that practicing transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice in a day leaves a positive and considerable effect on the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries. It plays a vital role in reducing pain in a number of patients if practiced regularly. However, the experts have added that meditation is used only as a supplement, so it must not be taken as a substitute to the existing heart problem therapy.
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Hearth health has become the biggest concern among people around the world these days. Now people are better informed and have gained information through various researches and clinical trials, they are more conscious about their heart health and have better control over their heart than their predecessors thus reducing risks of hearth related ailments to a large extent.
Numerous researches have been conducted on heart health. The talk on ‘statins’ also figures prominently in discussion about the heart. Statins have been highly helpful in controlling cholesterol levels in the people suffering from heart disease. Statins act by effectively lowering the LDL (levels of bad cholesterol); though, they do slightly affect raising HDL (the levels of good cholesterol).
In the latest researches, it has been found that those who have had a heart attack or some other cardiac problem get more benefit by the immediate high-dose statin therapy.
Main advantages of statins are as follows:
Statin acts to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and it also minimizes the need for cardiac procedures.
Statin therapy proves beneficial for people with high levels of C – reactive protein (a substance in the liver, produced by the inflammation of arteries). It must be noted here that one can have low cholesterol but still s/he might be at the high risk of heart problem; if s/he has high levels of C-reactive protein.
It has been found that statins are not only safe but also a well-tolerated in the majority of patients using it.
In another research conducted in mice, it has been found that leafy greens can prove beneficial in reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke. It is due to the fact that nutrients in the veggies protect the heart from getting damaged. To reach at this conclusion, some mice were provided with the drinking water that contained nitrites or nitrates while others were given plain drinking water.
After a week’s time, the mice were given an induced heart attack to study their heart after the attack. It was found that the mice having nitrite or nitrate contained water had less heart attack damage compared to those mice that were drinking plain water. Diets comprising of cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, meat and broccoli are ideal.
In the ayurvedic approach to have good heart health, it has been pointed out that practicing transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice in a day leaves a positive and considerable effect on the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries. It plays a vital role in reducing pain in a number of patients if practiced regularly. However, the experts have added that meditation is used only as a supplement, so it must not be taken as a substitute to the existing heart problem therapy.
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Is Saturated Fat In Coconut Good For Your Heart Health?
Chris Chew asked:
You probably know that saturated fats are bad fats that can cause all kinds of heart related diseases. Did you know that and the humble coconut oil has 92% saturated fats? Then why is it that there are many advocates of taking coconut oil as a health supplement? Isn’t that contradictory?
Supporters of virgin coconut oil argue that coconut oil helps them to improve skin condition, have more energy and even to lose weight. Huh? consuming saturated fats to lose weight? How is that possible?
These advocates hail the virgin coconut oil as one of the hottest new nutritional supplement to hit the health and nutrition industry in years. This logic flies against conventional wisdom, isn’t it?
Saturated fat and there are plenty of it in coconut oil has been the villain for heart diseases. When hydrogenated vegetable fat (trans fat) was invented like in margarine, it was supposed to replace unhealthy saturated fat like in butter and was thought to be a healthier form of fat only until it was discovered in the last few years that trans fat is more dangerous to your heart health than saturated fat.
It is with this thinking that proponents of coconut fats is now arguing that not all forms of saturated fat may be bad and the coconut oil may be one of them. Dr. Bruce Fife, a US based naturopath and author of “The Coconut Oil Miracle” remarked during a press conference in Singapore last month, “Not all saturated fatty acids act in the same way. The fat in coconut oil is different from most other fats and has many health giving properties”.
He further added that, “The Lauric acid (I coconut oil) boosts immunity, has antioxidant properties and is being investigated in reducing viral load in HIV patients. You should also take into account the size of the carbon chain in the fatty acid. Most of the oils and fats we consume are long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is the richest source of medium-chain fatty acids, which actually behave very differently from the long-chain versions.”
“Medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil boost the body’s metabolic rate and promote weight loss. They are broken down immediately in the liver to produce energy and are not stored as fat,” he added.
So is the consumption of coconut fats good or bad for health? It’s very controversial isn’t it?
Let’s hear it from another expert Dr Annie Leong, deputy director of the nutrition department at the Health Promotion Board. “There is not enough evidence to prove that medium-chain saturated fats can reduce heart risk.”
Nutritionist Anna Jacob argued that, “Kerala is the coconut capital of India and it also has the highest rates of heart disease. While it is possible to argue that Indians are genetically predisposed to heart disease, but a diet high in saturated fat as well could heighten that risk.”
My question is that since Indians are more prone to heart disease, then the high rates of heart disease should be spread evenly throughout India and not just in Kerala, don’t you think so? Therefore, I am still a little skeptical.
So who is right and who is wrong? So is coconut oil saturated fat good or bad for your heart health? Well, the jury is still out there as far as I am concerned. I for one will make a conscious effort to avoid consuming coconut oil too often until the coconut debate is more conclusive with empirical evidence that the coconut oil is good for heart health.
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You probably know that saturated fats are bad fats that can cause all kinds of heart related diseases. Did you know that and the humble coconut oil has 92% saturated fats? Then why is it that there are many advocates of taking coconut oil as a health supplement? Isn’t that contradictory?
Supporters of virgin coconut oil argue that coconut oil helps them to improve skin condition, have more energy and even to lose weight. Huh? consuming saturated fats to lose weight? How is that possible?
These advocates hail the virgin coconut oil as one of the hottest new nutritional supplement to hit the health and nutrition industry in years. This logic flies against conventional wisdom, isn’t it?
Saturated fat and there are plenty of it in coconut oil has been the villain for heart diseases. When hydrogenated vegetable fat (trans fat) was invented like in margarine, it was supposed to replace unhealthy saturated fat like in butter and was thought to be a healthier form of fat only until it was discovered in the last few years that trans fat is more dangerous to your heart health than saturated fat.
It is with this thinking that proponents of coconut fats is now arguing that not all forms of saturated fat may be bad and the coconut oil may be one of them. Dr. Bruce Fife, a US based naturopath and author of “The Coconut Oil Miracle” remarked during a press conference in Singapore last month, “Not all saturated fatty acids act in the same way. The fat in coconut oil is different from most other fats and has many health giving properties”.
He further added that, “The Lauric acid (I coconut oil) boosts immunity, has antioxidant properties and is being investigated in reducing viral load in HIV patients. You should also take into account the size of the carbon chain in the fatty acid. Most of the oils and fats we consume are long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is the richest source of medium-chain fatty acids, which actually behave very differently from the long-chain versions.”
“Medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil boost the body’s metabolic rate and promote weight loss. They are broken down immediately in the liver to produce energy and are not stored as fat,” he added.
So is the consumption of coconut fats good or bad for health? It’s very controversial isn’t it?
Let’s hear it from another expert Dr Annie Leong, deputy director of the nutrition department at the Health Promotion Board. “There is not enough evidence to prove that medium-chain saturated fats can reduce heart risk.”
Nutritionist Anna Jacob argued that, “Kerala is the coconut capital of India and it also has the highest rates of heart disease. While it is possible to argue that Indians are genetically predisposed to heart disease, but a diet high in saturated fat as well could heighten that risk.”
My question is that since Indians are more prone to heart disease, then the high rates of heart disease should be spread evenly throughout India and not just in Kerala, don’t you think so? Therefore, I am still a little skeptical.
So who is right and who is wrong? So is coconut oil saturated fat good or bad for your heart health? Well, the jury is still out there as far as I am concerned. I for one will make a conscious effort to avoid consuming coconut oil too often until the coconut debate is more conclusive with empirical evidence that the coconut oil is good for heart health.
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Coenzyme Q10, Statins, And Heart Health
Byron J Richards asked:
Coenzyme Q10 is a top cardio-friendly nutrient. Your heart has very high energy requirements and never gets to take any time off. Q10 is required for the proper production of energy at an optimal rate, around your body and specifically for your heart. If you lack it, you will be more tired and you will make free radicals instead of energy. If you lack Q10 within your heart it will speed up the aging process and weaken your heart.
Q10 also operates as a direct antioxidant in cell membranes, meaning that it is highly protective to your overall circulatory system, having a direct benefit to support healthy blood pressure. It also acts as an antioxidant team player, helping vitamins E and C maintain their antioxidant roles which provides additional synergistic cardiovascular protection.
It is very clear from the literature that statins interfere with the natural production of Q10, which is evidenced by lower blood levels of Q10 in patients taking statins. It has been known for over a decade that statin drugs reduce Q10 levels as much as 25% and that 100 mg of Q10 is enough to offset a relatively low dose of statins (20 mg of Zocor.)
Since Q10 is essential for energy production within cells, energy is reduced. This results in fatigue, makes it more difficult to exercise, and is part of the reason for muscle aches and pains in some statin-taking patients. The interference with cell energy production results in an increased production of lactic acid, which contributes to muscle aches. In patients with muscle pain associated with statin use a double blind study showed that 100 mg per day of Q10 reduced pain by 40%.
The medical profession does not endorse the widespread use of Q10 with all statin takers because it cannot be proven that a lack of Q10 is the cause of all statin-related muscle pain. This will never be proven, because statins cause muscle pain in multiple ways. Statins turn on gene signals that damage muscles in a percentage of patients, independent of Q10. It seems to elude the logic of doctors that if a drug causes a depletion of a nutrient then the nutrient should be consumed to make up for the deficiency.
One study showed that the adverse side effects in fifty consecutive patients was so bad (muscle pain, fatigue, difficulty breathing, memory loss, and nerve problems) that they were all taken of statins and put on 240 mg a day of Q10 to recover. After a year the great majority of adverse side effects had been cleared up. It is pretty obvious that the side effects of statins are under-reported.
One of the serious side effects of statins is actual damage to the heart resulting in the condition known as cardiomyopathy. The severe side effects of statins in people over 70 are so bad that their use cannot be justified. Indeed, there are now over 450,000 new cases of heart failure per year in this older group of Americans, and it is likely that statins are a cause of this dramatically expanding health problem.
An animal study helps shed light on why some people may get cardiomyopathy and others don’t. Animals lacking in friendly nitric oxide (eNOS), which manifests as high blood pressure, were more at risk of cardiovascular toxicity from statins. This is interesting because Q10 is also an antioxidant and a lack of eNOS implies that antioxidants in the circulatory system are already low. Also, as fatigue in any individual increases then free radicals within cells increase, something that Q10 helps reduce.
Thus, if Q10 levels are driven down even further it might cause major problems. This means the worse the health a person is in, the greater the need to be sure to take Q10, especially if on a statin. The combination of high blood pressure and type II diabetes would flag an individual already seriously lacking eNOS activity. Indeed, a brand new study shows that 200 mg of Q10 per day improves circulation in type II diabetic patients taking statins.
On the other side of the coin, taking Q10 is helpful in restoring cellular energy production within your heart and around your body. It also helps reduce free radical production in your general circulation, improving the status of friendly nitric oxide to relax your vascular system – thereby supporting healthy blood pressure.
These positive influences of Q10 for cardiovascular health extend far beyond the notion of simply correcting a deficiency. It is more of an anti-aging concept for your cardiovascular system.
The fact that for those taking statins their Q10 is lowered as an adverse side effect is a very serious health issue. This is especially true for older Americans or for anyone who has a more advanced situation of poor health, such as type II diabetes and high blood pressure.
Unfortunately, there are millions of Americans being given statins who are in this high risk health category wherein a lack of Q10 could aggravate already lacking antioxidant and energy systems, thus making their heart health worse. It is shocking that the rate of heart failure in those over the age of 65 has doubled over the past two decades in direct proportion to the increase of statin use – with over 450,000 extra cases of heart failure per year.
This new finding on heart failure was reported for the very first time at last fall’s yearly meeting of the American Heart Association. It received very little press, while the media was instead fed another round of faulty vitamin E data – an ongoing attempt by the AHA to get consumers to stop taking vitamins and just take drugs.
It is not easy to sweep 450,000 cases of serious injury under the rug. I seem to be the only one, even in the alternative health industry, who is pointing out this glaring problem. If you are taking a statin it is prudent to consume a dose of Q10 ranging from 100 mg – 300 mg a day. Higher doses would be warranted for those in poorer health.
And for anyone, keep in mind that Q10 is a top cardio-friendly nutrient that can help keep you energized, your heart happy, and your circulation flowing along in a less stressed condition.
Related Entries:
Top Cholesterol and Statin News of the Past Year
For a fully referenced article: Coenzyme Q10, Statins, and Heart Health.
For Byron’s Free E-Health News Letter
Caffeinated Content
Coenzyme Q10 is a top cardio-friendly nutrient. Your heart has very high energy requirements and never gets to take any time off. Q10 is required for the proper production of energy at an optimal rate, around your body and specifically for your heart. If you lack it, you will be more tired and you will make free radicals instead of energy. If you lack Q10 within your heart it will speed up the aging process and weaken your heart.
Q10 also operates as a direct antioxidant in cell membranes, meaning that it is highly protective to your overall circulatory system, having a direct benefit to support healthy blood pressure. It also acts as an antioxidant team player, helping vitamins E and C maintain their antioxidant roles which provides additional synergistic cardiovascular protection.
It is very clear from the literature that statins interfere with the natural production of Q10, which is evidenced by lower blood levels of Q10 in patients taking statins. It has been known for over a decade that statin drugs reduce Q10 levels as much as 25% and that 100 mg of Q10 is enough to offset a relatively low dose of statins (20 mg of Zocor.)
Since Q10 is essential for energy production within cells, energy is reduced. This results in fatigue, makes it more difficult to exercise, and is part of the reason for muscle aches and pains in some statin-taking patients. The interference with cell energy production results in an increased production of lactic acid, which contributes to muscle aches. In patients with muscle pain associated with statin use a double blind study showed that 100 mg per day of Q10 reduced pain by 40%.
The medical profession does not endorse the widespread use of Q10 with all statin takers because it cannot be proven that a lack of Q10 is the cause of all statin-related muscle pain. This will never be proven, because statins cause muscle pain in multiple ways. Statins turn on gene signals that damage muscles in a percentage of patients, independent of Q10. It seems to elude the logic of doctors that if a drug causes a depletion of a nutrient then the nutrient should be consumed to make up for the deficiency.
One study showed that the adverse side effects in fifty consecutive patients was so bad (muscle pain, fatigue, difficulty breathing, memory loss, and nerve problems) that they were all taken of statins and put on 240 mg a day of Q10 to recover. After a year the great majority of adverse side effects had been cleared up. It is pretty obvious that the side effects of statins are under-reported.
One of the serious side effects of statins is actual damage to the heart resulting in the condition known as cardiomyopathy. The severe side effects of statins in people over 70 are so bad that their use cannot be justified. Indeed, there are now over 450,000 new cases of heart failure per year in this older group of Americans, and it is likely that statins are a cause of this dramatically expanding health problem.
An animal study helps shed light on why some people may get cardiomyopathy and others don’t. Animals lacking in friendly nitric oxide (eNOS), which manifests as high blood pressure, were more at risk of cardiovascular toxicity from statins. This is interesting because Q10 is also an antioxidant and a lack of eNOS implies that antioxidants in the circulatory system are already low. Also, as fatigue in any individual increases then free radicals within cells increase, something that Q10 helps reduce.
Thus, if Q10 levels are driven down even further it might cause major problems. This means the worse the health a person is in, the greater the need to be sure to take Q10, especially if on a statin. The combination of high blood pressure and type II diabetes would flag an individual already seriously lacking eNOS activity. Indeed, a brand new study shows that 200 mg of Q10 per day improves circulation in type II diabetic patients taking statins.
On the other side of the coin, taking Q10 is helpful in restoring cellular energy production within your heart and around your body. It also helps reduce free radical production in your general circulation, improving the status of friendly nitric oxide to relax your vascular system – thereby supporting healthy blood pressure.
These positive influences of Q10 for cardiovascular health extend far beyond the notion of simply correcting a deficiency. It is more of an anti-aging concept for your cardiovascular system.
The fact that for those taking statins their Q10 is lowered as an adverse side effect is a very serious health issue. This is especially true for older Americans or for anyone who has a more advanced situation of poor health, such as type II diabetes and high blood pressure.
Unfortunately, there are millions of Americans being given statins who are in this high risk health category wherein a lack of Q10 could aggravate already lacking antioxidant and energy systems, thus making their heart health worse. It is shocking that the rate of heart failure in those over the age of 65 has doubled over the past two decades in direct proportion to the increase of statin use – with over 450,000 extra cases of heart failure per year.
This new finding on heart failure was reported for the very first time at last fall’s yearly meeting of the American Heart Association. It received very little press, while the media was instead fed another round of faulty vitamin E data – an ongoing attempt by the AHA to get consumers to stop taking vitamins and just take drugs.
It is not easy to sweep 450,000 cases of serious injury under the rug. I seem to be the only one, even in the alternative health industry, who is pointing out this glaring problem. If you are taking a statin it is prudent to consume a dose of Q10 ranging from 100 mg – 300 mg a day. Higher doses would be warranted for those in poorer health.
And for anyone, keep in mind that Q10 is a top cardio-friendly nutrient that can help keep you energized, your heart happy, and your circulation flowing along in a less stressed condition.
Related Entries:
Top Cholesterol and Statin News of the Past Year
For a fully referenced article: Coenzyme Q10, Statins, and Heart Health.
For Byron’s Free E-Health News Letter
Caffeinated Content