So How Much Curcumin Should You Use For Heart Health?
Ric Hawkins asked:
With the profile of curcumin being so much higher now as we become aware of its incredible qualities, the question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health is an ever present one. The crucial factors here are the quality and delivery method, let me explain.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric can play a vital role in protecting the heart, as you must know, due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Were you aware it can also help to prevent cancer, lower bad cholesterol and aid with skin irritations?
There is no set dosage in answer to your question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health, but with some companies offering doses of 1000mg a day and higher, is more necessarily better? Absolutely not!
Curcumin is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream as most that is taken is lost to the stomach acid. The best way forward is to use it in a multi health supplement that has other nutrients in it and an enteric coating.
This special coating allows it to pass unscathed through the stomach and into the upper intestine where it has maximum impact. If combined with other synergistic nutrients like piperine for example, from black pepper, its absorption rate can increase by up to 2000%, leaving no need for large or expensive doses.
This way you get the incredible heart benefits from curcumin and the benefits of the other ingredients and their interaction with each other, truly a win-win situation!
As a guide you should look for 98% pure curcumin extract at around 50mg per tablet to reap the full benefits.
We have much more to see from this humble compound, but why wait, now you know the answer to how much curcumin should you use for heart health, as you can have all the benefits now and start to protect your heart and prevent serious diseases further down the line.
Visit my website today if you would like to learn more about the synergistic health supplements which I personally take, including curcumin.
heart health
With the profile of curcumin being so much higher now as we become aware of its incredible qualities, the question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health is an ever present one. The crucial factors here are the quality and delivery method, let me explain.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric can play a vital role in protecting the heart, as you must know, due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Were you aware it can also help to prevent cancer, lower bad cholesterol and aid with skin irritations?
There is no set dosage in answer to your question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health, but with some companies offering doses of 1000mg a day and higher, is more necessarily better? Absolutely not!
Curcumin is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream as most that is taken is lost to the stomach acid. The best way forward is to use it in a multi health supplement that has other nutrients in it and an enteric coating.
This special coating allows it to pass unscathed through the stomach and into the upper intestine where it has maximum impact. If combined with other synergistic nutrients like piperine for example, from black pepper, its absorption rate can increase by up to 2000%, leaving no need for large or expensive doses.
This way you get the incredible heart benefits from curcumin and the benefits of the other ingredients and their interaction with each other, truly a win-win situation!
As a guide you should look for 98% pure curcumin extract at around 50mg per tablet to reap the full benefits.
We have much more to see from this humble compound, but why wait, now you know the answer to how much curcumin should you use for heart health, as you can have all the benefits now and start to protect your heart and prevent serious diseases further down the line.
Visit my website today if you would like to learn more about the synergistic health supplements which I personally take, including curcumin.
heart health
Cardio Enthusiasts Discover a More Effective Training Method for Fat Loss and Heart Health!
Alder Debid asked:
It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of “perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level”. Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the “hamster on the wheel” doing endless hours of boring cardio, I’d like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as all animals demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do “endurance” type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss).
Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way — Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints.
Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 – run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Interval 3 – run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this article is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
Caffeinated Content
It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of “perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level”. Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the “hamster on the wheel” doing endless hours of boring cardio, I’d like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as all animals demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do “endurance” type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss).
Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way — Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints.
Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 – run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Interval 3 – run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 – walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes;
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this article is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
Caffeinated Content
Healthy Chocolate and Heart Health
Abbas Shareef asked:
By: Chris Robertson
More Americans die each year from heart disease than any other cause, it is the number one killer disease in the US and parts of Europe. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 2,500 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of one death every 35 seconds.
There is a surprising new source of heart support, and more and more medical studies are showing that the incredible effect of raw, cold processed cacao beans, the beans used in healthy chocolate, give tremendous support to the cardiovascular system in various ways.
What Can Cocoa Do For My Heart?
A 2006 study from a joint team of researchers from the University of California-Davis and the University of Dusseldorf in Germany ascertained that the compound epicatechin found in cocoa is directly linked to improved circulation and other hallmarks of cardiovascular function. The researchers explained that the relaxation response observed in the blood vessels of the subjects was mediated by nitric oxide (NO), a key signal released by the inner lining of blood vessels (the endothelium). Because the vessels are able to relax and become less stiff, they are less susceptible to clotting, blockage and risk of high blood pressure. (1)
Cesar G. Fraga of the University of Buenos Aires recently demonstrated a rise of chocolate-derived procyanidins in the blood of men and women who had just eaten cocoa-based foods. His team found that blood sampled two hours after cocoa consumption protected its circulating lipids from oxidation. The more chocolate they ate, the better the protection. (2)
Nutritionist Carl L. Keen of the University of California-Davis says that prostacyclins are naturally occurring compounds that inhibit platelet clotting, reduce risk of thrombosis and blood vessel constriction, and prevent the oxidation of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), as well as its entry into the blood vessel walls, where it can result in inflammation. Keen’s study, published in a 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that the procyanidin and flavonol content of cocoa again demonstrated significant antioxidant properties and the ability to protect the heart and vascular system. (3)
If you have high blood pressure, a daily serving of flavonol-rich dark chocolate might lower your blood pressure, researchers report in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. (4) “Previous studies suggest flavonoid-rich foods – including fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine, and chocolate – might offer cardiovascular benefits, but this is one of the first clinical trials to look specifically at dark chocolate’s effect on lowering blood pressure among people with hypertension,” said one of the authors of the study. The findings also prompted the researchers to recommend that flavonoid-rich foods should be part of an overall healthy diet, and dark chocolate should be part of that effort.
The More Cocoa, the Better
When it comes to the health benefits ascribed to chocolate, they’re almost exclusively related to the dark, bittersweet-tasting chocolate and to products with a cocoa content of 60% or more. Because healthy polyphenols are found in the cocoa bean but not in the milk, cream, sugar, waxes, fillers, fats and preservatives that are often added to chocolate, the darker the chocolate the better. It’s also important to preserve chocolate’s antioxidant properties and avoid “Dutch process” and alkalinization. Similarly, because heat can destroy cocoa’s polyphenols, choose cocoa beans that have been cold-pressed.
Beyond those caveats, enjoy chocolate and keep your heart healthy!
(1) Schroeter H, et al. – Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006 Jan 24;103(4):1024-9
(2) Engler M, et al.Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J AM Coll Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):197-204
(3) Keen CL et al. Cocoa antioxidants and cardiovascular health. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81(1Suppl):2985-303S
(4) Baba, S, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;85(3):709-17
(Information herein is NOT intended as medical advice. No therapeutic or medical claims are either implied or made. DO NOT ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT, OR THE USE OF MEDICATIONS, WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER. FDA regulations prohibit the use of therapeutic or medical claims in conjunction with the sale of any product not approved by the FDA.)
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Healthy Chocolate and Heart Health or Majon’s Health and Beauty directory.
www.MyChocolateHeaven.blogspot.com
Kansieo.com
By: Chris Robertson
More Americans die each year from heart disease than any other cause, it is the number one killer disease in the US and parts of Europe. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 2,500 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of one death every 35 seconds.
There is a surprising new source of heart support, and more and more medical studies are showing that the incredible effect of raw, cold processed cacao beans, the beans used in healthy chocolate, give tremendous support to the cardiovascular system in various ways.
What Can Cocoa Do For My Heart?
A 2006 study from a joint team of researchers from the University of California-Davis and the University of Dusseldorf in Germany ascertained that the compound epicatechin found in cocoa is directly linked to improved circulation and other hallmarks of cardiovascular function. The researchers explained that the relaxation response observed in the blood vessels of the subjects was mediated by nitric oxide (NO), a key signal released by the inner lining of blood vessels (the endothelium). Because the vessels are able to relax and become less stiff, they are less susceptible to clotting, blockage and risk of high blood pressure. (1)
Cesar G. Fraga of the University of Buenos Aires recently demonstrated a rise of chocolate-derived procyanidins in the blood of men and women who had just eaten cocoa-based foods. His team found that blood sampled two hours after cocoa consumption protected its circulating lipids from oxidation. The more chocolate they ate, the better the protection. (2)
Nutritionist Carl L. Keen of the University of California-Davis says that prostacyclins are naturally occurring compounds that inhibit platelet clotting, reduce risk of thrombosis and blood vessel constriction, and prevent the oxidation of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), as well as its entry into the blood vessel walls, where it can result in inflammation. Keen’s study, published in a 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that the procyanidin and flavonol content of cocoa again demonstrated significant antioxidant properties and the ability to protect the heart and vascular system. (3)
If you have high blood pressure, a daily serving of flavonol-rich dark chocolate might lower your blood pressure, researchers report in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. (4) “Previous studies suggest flavonoid-rich foods – including fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine, and chocolate – might offer cardiovascular benefits, but this is one of the first clinical trials to look specifically at dark chocolate’s effect on lowering blood pressure among people with hypertension,” said one of the authors of the study. The findings also prompted the researchers to recommend that flavonoid-rich foods should be part of an overall healthy diet, and dark chocolate should be part of that effort.
The More Cocoa, the Better
When it comes to the health benefits ascribed to chocolate, they’re almost exclusively related to the dark, bittersweet-tasting chocolate and to products with a cocoa content of 60% or more. Because healthy polyphenols are found in the cocoa bean but not in the milk, cream, sugar, waxes, fillers, fats and preservatives that are often added to chocolate, the darker the chocolate the better. It’s also important to preserve chocolate’s antioxidant properties and avoid “Dutch process” and alkalinization. Similarly, because heat can destroy cocoa’s polyphenols, choose cocoa beans that have been cold-pressed.
Beyond those caveats, enjoy chocolate and keep your heart healthy!
(1) Schroeter H, et al. – Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006 Jan 24;103(4):1024-9
(2) Engler M, et al.Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J AM Coll Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):197-204
(3) Keen CL et al. Cocoa antioxidants and cardiovascular health. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81(1Suppl):2985-303S
(4) Baba, S, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;85(3):709-17
(Information herein is NOT intended as medical advice. No therapeutic or medical claims are either implied or made. DO NOT ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT, OR THE USE OF MEDICATIONS, WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER. FDA regulations prohibit the use of therapeutic or medical claims in conjunction with the sale of any product not approved by the FDA.)
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Healthy Chocolate and Heart Health or Majon’s Health and Beauty directory.
www.MyChocolateHeaven.blogspot.com
Kansieo.com
5 Food Fats to Know for Heart Health
Karen Marschel, RD, LD, CDE asked:
1. Omega 6 Fats: This type of fat is found in corn oil and soybean oil and the amount we use has increased over the years because we eat more processed foods. Go check a few boxed foods in your kitchen cupboard and you will likely find soybean oil in the ingredient list. Too much omega-6 fat can increase inflammation.
2. Omega 3 Fats: There are 3 omega-3 fats – DHA, EPA and ALA. The first two are found in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, and herring. ALA is the plant source of omega-3 and is found in flax seed and walnuts. Omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation. If you can eat fish high in omega 3 twice a week you can get a good base amount for heart health. If you don’t like fish then you can take fish oil capsules. Remember to read the dosage directions on your supplement bottle. If your doctor recommends 1000mg or 1gram fish oil daily, that actually means 1000mg EPA/DHA. What you need to do is add the EPA and DHA amounts. Most bottles have about 300mg of these once you add them together so that means you need 3-4 pills to get 1000mg of omega-3. You also want to buy a brand you feel has good quality. Since supplements are not regulated you have no guarantee what is actually in the bottle. Flax seed is a grain and can be purchased as seed or milled. You need to eat the ground form to get the health benefits because the body can not break down the seed form. Once it is ground be sure to keep it refrigerated. Add 1-2 tablespoons to cereal, yogurt, or any dish you are having. You will get the benefit of the omega-3 and the fiber!
3. Monounsaturated fats are also anti-inflammatory and good for our heart and cholesterol. The Mediterranean Diet is high in monounsaturated fats and includes regular intake of foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados and nuts. Eating these good fats can lower blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce risk for diabetes.
4. Trans fats are not good for our health. Some trans fats are naturally found in animal foods but most of our excess trans fats are from processed fat in packaged foods. Stick margarine is the classic example of trans fats. When stick margarine is made, oil is processed to become solid. This process is called hydrogenation and you will often see the words “partially hydrogenated” on ingredient labels. The chemical process of making oil turn solid creates trans fats which have been found to raise artery clogging cholesterol (LDL) and lower artery cleaning cholesterol (HDL). Trans fat amounts are required to be on labels by FDA and you want to try to keep your intake as close to zero as possible. The simplest way to keep trans fat intake low is to eat less processed food.
5. Saturated fats can also raise cholesterol. Just think of saturated fat as solid fat like lard or butter. Whole and 2% milk, cheese and fatty meats are also high in saturated fat. Some snack foods and bakery products are high in saturated fats as well. Check the labels and try to keep saturated fat less than 20 grams daily. You do not need to quit eating cheese and eggs. My recommendation is to choose small portions of less processed cheese. I personally don’t like fat-free cheese for the taste or texture. Eggs have a little saturated fat but are also a very good protein source. They have gotten a bad reputation over the years due to their higher cholesterol content. Reducing processed foods will do much more for your health than cutting out the eggs.
heart health
1. Omega 6 Fats: This type of fat is found in corn oil and soybean oil and the amount we use has increased over the years because we eat more processed foods. Go check a few boxed foods in your kitchen cupboard and you will likely find soybean oil in the ingredient list. Too much omega-6 fat can increase inflammation.
2. Omega 3 Fats: There are 3 omega-3 fats – DHA, EPA and ALA. The first two are found in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, and herring. ALA is the plant source of omega-3 and is found in flax seed and walnuts. Omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation. If you can eat fish high in omega 3 twice a week you can get a good base amount for heart health. If you don’t like fish then you can take fish oil capsules. Remember to read the dosage directions on your supplement bottle. If your doctor recommends 1000mg or 1gram fish oil daily, that actually means 1000mg EPA/DHA. What you need to do is add the EPA and DHA amounts. Most bottles have about 300mg of these once you add them together so that means you need 3-4 pills to get 1000mg of omega-3. You also want to buy a brand you feel has good quality. Since supplements are not regulated you have no guarantee what is actually in the bottle. Flax seed is a grain and can be purchased as seed or milled. You need to eat the ground form to get the health benefits because the body can not break down the seed form. Once it is ground be sure to keep it refrigerated. Add 1-2 tablespoons to cereal, yogurt, or any dish you are having. You will get the benefit of the omega-3 and the fiber!
3. Monounsaturated fats are also anti-inflammatory and good for our heart and cholesterol. The Mediterranean Diet is high in monounsaturated fats and includes regular intake of foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados and nuts. Eating these good fats can lower blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce risk for diabetes.
4. Trans fats are not good for our health. Some trans fats are naturally found in animal foods but most of our excess trans fats are from processed fat in packaged foods. Stick margarine is the classic example of trans fats. When stick margarine is made, oil is processed to become solid. This process is called hydrogenation and you will often see the words “partially hydrogenated” on ingredient labels. The chemical process of making oil turn solid creates trans fats which have been found to raise artery clogging cholesterol (LDL) and lower artery cleaning cholesterol (HDL). Trans fat amounts are required to be on labels by FDA and you want to try to keep your intake as close to zero as possible. The simplest way to keep trans fat intake low is to eat less processed food.
5. Saturated fats can also raise cholesterol. Just think of saturated fat as solid fat like lard or butter. Whole and 2% milk, cheese and fatty meats are also high in saturated fat. Some snack foods and bakery products are high in saturated fats as well. Check the labels and try to keep saturated fat less than 20 grams daily. You do not need to quit eating cheese and eggs. My recommendation is to choose small portions of less processed cheese. I personally don’t like fat-free cheese for the taste or texture. Eggs have a little saturated fat but are also a very good protein source. They have gotten a bad reputation over the years due to their higher cholesterol content. Reducing processed foods will do much more for your health than cutting out the eggs.
heart health
Future Medical Insurance Premiums Lowered If We Look After Our Hearts
Health-on-Line asked:
Medical insurance companies are often paying out for treatment for heart conditions. In fact, it is up there at the top with cancers in being one of the biggest factors that will bring down British people. Without medical insurance, sufferers are often subjected to lengthy waits for treatment on the National Health Service.
However, there is good news. Scientists have discovered a drug which cuts death from a common heart problem by almost a third. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder of the heart rhythm but ‘Multaq’ has been shown to reduce the incidents of this claiming lives by up to thirty per cent.
This medical condition affects 700,000 Britons but the recent advancement in its treatment is the first in twenty years. The fast and erratic heartbeat of patients needs stabilising to avoid angina and heart failure. It is the upper chambers of the heart that are out of rhythm and causes the heart to beat up to twice its normal speed.
Another complication of this condition is the fact that it causes tiny blood clots to form and these can lead to strokes, another topper on the medical insurance claims. At best, previous treatments involved the use of digoxin which successfully slows the heart beat but cannot regulate it and death rates remained the same. Drugs to thin the blood followed by minor electric shocks to restore normal rhythm are also used.
This drug is considered a huge breakthrough because it is having positive effects on all those that are trialling it, without side effects. More than 4,500 patients from 33 countries have trialled the effectiveness of Multaq over a year and this is when it was discovered that cardiovascular deaths were greatly reduced among the group. Quality of life is greatly improved for all those taking the drug and life time expectancy is greatly increased. It is hoped there will be a license for using this drug as early as next year.
If this is something of a warning to those who are concerned about their heart health, or for those who would like to keep the cost of their medical insurance premiums down, there is even more good news as to how we can look after ourselves. Drink red wine.
A chemical found in the skin of red grapes contains resveratrol, an anti-aging compound. This has been captured and put into pill form and has received the backing of the UK’s largest pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. In fact, GSK bought out the company that made the drug for £361 million.
The drug was tried in lengthy tests on mice and it was found that they lived longer, were almost immune to the effects of obesity and rarely get diabetes, cancer or Alzheimer’s. It was also found that if the rodents were subject to starvation diets they could even extend their life by up to thirty per cent. It is believed this is because starving the body activates a gene known as sirtuin, a survival gene.
These discoveries are hoped to bring about more treatment for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers. The same scientists have also found that flavanoids in blueberries and other fresh fruit interact with nerve cells and stimulates the re-growth of brain cells.
So, it would seem that while scientists are doing their best to find the elixir of life, it will always pay to look after our bodies to enable them to continue working as long as possible. And if this includes eating tasty food with the occasional glass of red wine then who am I to argue?
Caffeinated Content
Medical insurance companies are often paying out for treatment for heart conditions. In fact, it is up there at the top with cancers in being one of the biggest factors that will bring down British people. Without medical insurance, sufferers are often subjected to lengthy waits for treatment on the National Health Service.
However, there is good news. Scientists have discovered a drug which cuts death from a common heart problem by almost a third. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder of the heart rhythm but ‘Multaq’ has been shown to reduce the incidents of this claiming lives by up to thirty per cent.
This medical condition affects 700,000 Britons but the recent advancement in its treatment is the first in twenty years. The fast and erratic heartbeat of patients needs stabilising to avoid angina and heart failure. It is the upper chambers of the heart that are out of rhythm and causes the heart to beat up to twice its normal speed.
Another complication of this condition is the fact that it causes tiny blood clots to form and these can lead to strokes, another topper on the medical insurance claims. At best, previous treatments involved the use of digoxin which successfully slows the heart beat but cannot regulate it and death rates remained the same. Drugs to thin the blood followed by minor electric shocks to restore normal rhythm are also used.
This drug is considered a huge breakthrough because it is having positive effects on all those that are trialling it, without side effects. More than 4,500 patients from 33 countries have trialled the effectiveness of Multaq over a year and this is when it was discovered that cardiovascular deaths were greatly reduced among the group. Quality of life is greatly improved for all those taking the drug and life time expectancy is greatly increased. It is hoped there will be a license for using this drug as early as next year.
If this is something of a warning to those who are concerned about their heart health, or for those who would like to keep the cost of their medical insurance premiums down, there is even more good news as to how we can look after ourselves. Drink red wine.
A chemical found in the skin of red grapes contains resveratrol, an anti-aging compound. This has been captured and put into pill form and has received the backing of the UK’s largest pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. In fact, GSK bought out the company that made the drug for £361 million.
The drug was tried in lengthy tests on mice and it was found that they lived longer, were almost immune to the effects of obesity and rarely get diabetes, cancer or Alzheimer’s. It was also found that if the rodents were subject to starvation diets they could even extend their life by up to thirty per cent. It is believed this is because starving the body activates a gene known as sirtuin, a survival gene.
These discoveries are hoped to bring about more treatment for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers. The same scientists have also found that flavanoids in blueberries and other fresh fruit interact with nerve cells and stimulates the re-growth of brain cells.
So, it would seem that while scientists are doing their best to find the elixir of life, it will always pay to look after our bodies to enable them to continue working as long as possible. And if this includes eating tasty food with the occasional glass of red wine then who am I to argue?
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Heart Health Information Everyone Should Know
Steven A Johnson asked:
Your heart is located in the middle of your chest just slightly to the left. It’s about the size of your fist and it sends blood to every part of your body like a pump. The right side of your heart receives the blood and pumps it to the lungs and the left side receives the blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body. The heart beats by filling the heart with blood and then contracting to move the blood along.
There are four main chambers in the heart. The atria are the two chambers on top. They are the ones that fill with blood the returns from the lungs and body. The ventricles are the chambers and the bottom. These chambers pump the blood out into the body and lungs. The septum is a wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart. There is also one valve in each of the chambers; they are called the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves. They let the blood flow from the atria to the ventricles by closing one valve and then opening another. The blood that your heart pumps moves through your arteries and veins. These blood vessels are attached to your heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and the veins bring it back.
There is few easy things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Exercising helps keep your heart healthy. Try to get at least 30 minutes a day or an hour is even better. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and avoid sugary and fatty foods. Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels so quit if you are a smoker. Eating less salt will lower blood pressure levels, so don’t add it to your foods and cook less with it. Watch your weight, try to stay at a weight the is proper for your age and height. Relax, stress can but pressure on your heart. And lastly, get a yearly check up.
Keeping your heart healthy can prevent risks of getting heart disease. heart disease is the number one problem for men and women in the states. Heart disease is also called cardiovascular disease. the disease has a number of problems that go with it like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and hardening of the arteries.
Many people don’t even realize that they have heart disease until they experience chest pains, stroke, or heart attack. A person who has heart disease might have to take medicine or go in to surgery. There is some supplements that can be taken that can help to prevent heart problems. Alternative Health Supplements offers some all natural supplements that can support and maintain a healthy heart as well as promote good blood vessel health and function. Some doctors can prescribe medications too; they might recommend taking a blood thinner.
Some of the surgery involved in heart disease, angioplasty is done to help blocked vessels by using a balloon like tool in the artery. Atherectomy cuts plaque out of an artery so the blood can flow easier. Pacemakers are a device that is put in the body to keep the heart beat regular. Valve replacement is done if there is a valve that is damaged. And Bypass surgery takes a part of the artery from another part of the body and uses it to direct blood around a blocked area. These surgeries can prevent heart attacks and strokes.
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Your heart is located in the middle of your chest just slightly to the left. It’s about the size of your fist and it sends blood to every part of your body like a pump. The right side of your heart receives the blood and pumps it to the lungs and the left side receives the blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body. The heart beats by filling the heart with blood and then contracting to move the blood along.
There are four main chambers in the heart. The atria are the two chambers on top. They are the ones that fill with blood the returns from the lungs and body. The ventricles are the chambers and the bottom. These chambers pump the blood out into the body and lungs. The septum is a wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart. There is also one valve in each of the chambers; they are called the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves. They let the blood flow from the atria to the ventricles by closing one valve and then opening another. The blood that your heart pumps moves through your arteries and veins. These blood vessels are attached to your heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and the veins bring it back.
There is few easy things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Exercising helps keep your heart healthy. Try to get at least 30 minutes a day or an hour is even better. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and avoid sugary and fatty foods. Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels so quit if you are a smoker. Eating less salt will lower blood pressure levels, so don’t add it to your foods and cook less with it. Watch your weight, try to stay at a weight the is proper for your age and height. Relax, stress can but pressure on your heart. And lastly, get a yearly check up.
Keeping your heart healthy can prevent risks of getting heart disease. heart disease is the number one problem for men and women in the states. Heart disease is also called cardiovascular disease. the disease has a number of problems that go with it like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and hardening of the arteries.
Many people don’t even realize that they have heart disease until they experience chest pains, stroke, or heart attack. A person who has heart disease might have to take medicine or go in to surgery. There is some supplements that can be taken that can help to prevent heart problems. Alternative Health Supplements offers some all natural supplements that can support and maintain a healthy heart as well as promote good blood vessel health and function. Some doctors can prescribe medications too; they might recommend taking a blood thinner.
Some of the surgery involved in heart disease, angioplasty is done to help blocked vessels by using a balloon like tool in the artery. Atherectomy cuts plaque out of an artery so the blood can flow easier. Pacemakers are a device that is put in the body to keep the heart beat regular. Valve replacement is done if there is a valve that is damaged. And Bypass surgery takes a part of the artery from another part of the body and uses it to direct blood around a blocked area. These surgeries can prevent heart attacks and strokes.
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