Hidden Dangers of Alcohol - Plus a Good?

There is a huge core a-baloo over liquor and if individuals might as well drink it or not, what amount of, when and where. Directly, I feel it is the avocation of the individual to settle on these choices, not any other individual. Also when individuals do devour liquor, it ought to be finished in a mindful manner so nobody else is hurt simultaneously.

That aside, there are concealed dangers of liquor that numerous individuals don't understand.

We have been since a long time ago familiar with the colloquialism liquor kills mind units. It is kind of correct; liquor influences the cerebrum and can strip the myelin sheath around nerve cells and make them expire. This not just happens in the mind, yet all through the figure.

Liquor screws up the liver, however do you know why? A sound liver can transform around the range of 1 oz of liquor for every hour. Whatever remains of the liquor experiences your framework and is "saved" in different parts until the liver can metabolize it. This space can cause genuine issues, for example muscle torment, joint pain torment, heart disappointment and mind damage.

The liver is an exceptionally imperative organ keeping in mind it is expended with the transforming of the liquor, it can't do what it should. One of the boss concerns is that drugs are not handled in due time. Any go down of solution in the framework can make the pharmaceutical be more successful. Thus, provided that you are taking a pharmaceutical to lessen your heart rate, bringing liquor with it can make your heart moderate further. Furthermore, with liquor being a depressant, the drugs can turn lethal rapidly.

The dangerous by-items and added substances are likewise not handled while the liver is expended with liquor. These harmful added substances, for instance additives, colorings and counterfeit sugars, then are saved in large tissue. In light of the fact that our physique knows it will harm itself if that oversized tissue is utilized for vigor, you are unable to lose that bloated tissue regardless of how hard you practice. In this way, liquor makes you fatter.

As time passes, the liquor begins to pulverize the liver itself. This is the reason substantial consumers regularly bit the dust of liver ailment. The point when the liver starts to debase, its capability to process large and chemicals diminishes. These fats and chemicals are archived in the figure, especially in the liver and large cells. The liver swells and bloated tissue swells and drinks acquire the 'beer gut'. Indeed, easy beverages start to see this impact.

Consumers frequently improve diabetes. This is on the grounds that one of the pathways for the transforming of liquor transforms the liquor into sugar. It's comparative to drinking a pop. Likewise, consumers frequently have unfortunate diets. With the onset of diabetes, the liquor transforming is reduced. Any difficulties from diabetes is expanded, for example sightlessness and excising.

Distinctive plummet can play a component moreover. Individuals of Asian plunge are better ready to process liquor, yet pay the value in light of the fact that the poisonous by-items advance far faster than the figure's capacity to process them. Caucasians face the test of not separating the liquor as fast, so it stays in the framework more extended.

Furthermore, generally liquor has no nourishing quality. A couple of have some.

Crisp neighborhood lagers, the kind with the yeasts still animated, furnish an expansive measure of B12 vitamin. Be that as it may, any transforming, for example purification, packaging or archiving, decimates the health impacts and you are left with a nutritiously dead item. Any brewskie in a can or flask has no health profits.

All hard alcohol has no health profits.

Red wine is regularly discussed as solid. In servings of something like 4oz for every day, dim red wine is solid when devoured with a mid-day dish. The flavonoids from the grapes are to a great degree heart solid and can assist diminish cholesterol and diminish the possibilities of a stroke or heart assault. The lighter the wine, notwithstanding, the less the profits.

Here's the primary concern: assuming that you do drink, pick one of the healthier choices. Escape hard alcohol and purified lagers. Keep inside the 4 oz of a beverage.

Just know liquor is for the most part horrible. Outside of the healthier sorts and amount, liquor pulverizes our forms. The decision is presently our own to make. 

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So You Need Mitral Valve Surgery, Who Should Do It and How?

The story behind generally referrals for mitral valve surgery contrasts however frequently starts with either side effects or a "coincidental" finding of a mumble throughout a normal physical exam. The leading issue to grasp is the thing that the mitral valve is and what does it do? The mitral valve sits between two assemblies of the heart, the left chamber and the left ventricle. Blood documented with oxygen (oxygenated) streams into the left chamber from the lungs prepared to go out to the form. It then gets pumped from the left chamber into the left ventricle which then crushes which brings the force up in the ventricle. This makes the mitral valve close tight and the aortic valve to open, discharging the oxygenated blood into the form through the aorta. The heart then unwinds and the mitral valve opens once more, primed to do its work of keeping blood pushing ahead at the form and not retrograde towards the lungs.

The second issue to acknowledge is the thing that can happen with the mitral valve? Fundamentally two wide classes of issues can happen: spewing forth (flawed valve in which it permits blood to go regressively around the left chamber and lungs) and stenosis (limited valve than makes it challenging for blood to get from the left chamber to the ventricle). Underlying explanations for these conditions incorporate: myxomatous ailment, fibroelastic insufficiency, rheumatic ailment (brought on by untreated strep throat throughout adolescence), heart assaults (myocardial localized necrosis), heart flop (expanded foundering heart), and others.

Patients succumb to two fundamental classes: symptomatic and asymptomatic (without indications). Indications normally connected with mitral valve ailment incorporate: shortness of breath, weariness, leg swelling, quick or eccentric heart thumped (atrial fibrillation), midsection ache, and others. Obviously these manifestations might be connected with other restorative conditions moreover.

The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have met councils to distribute guidelines on valve malady assessment and medicine to incorporate the mitral valve. All in all, generally patients with manifestations might as well have surgery assuming that they are great applicants from a danger viewpoint. Repair is inclined toward when conceivable as this has been connected with better conclusions. There are numerous distinctive surgical methodologies: full sternotomy (breastplate division), fractional sternotomy, right thoracotomy (entry point under right breast), mechanical methodologies incorporating right thoracotomy and completely endoscopic methodologies. For each path of performing mitral valve surgery, I can name a surgeon I might believe my family with. Nonetheless, the operation with the littlest entry points that I am mindful of is the completely endoscopic mechanical methodology. There are some advancing (as of now trial) catheter based methodologies yet these are punctual in their advancement and are prone to be restricted to high-chance patients in the close future.

Concerning who may as well do your mitral valve surgery, experience matters. I accept that mitral valve surgery, particularly repair, is turning into a subspecialty that is best performed via cardiovascular surgeons who are concentrated on it and have uncommon preparing in repair procedures. Despite the fact that generally mitral valve surgery in the U.s. is performed by surgeons who do less than 10 cases for every year, I don't feel this is perfect (my sentiment). Get some information about his/her volume of experience before settling on this paramount choice. 

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The Prescription for Preventing Heart Failure

Heart failure is often caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. The prescription for preventing heart failure includes improving your overall health and quality of life. Although some risk factors cannot be changed, like your age, family history or sex, making the following changes can significantly lower your risk of developing heart failure and other types of cardiovascular disease.

1. Don't Use Tobacco

One of the greatest risk factors for heart failure is smoking. The chemicals in tobacco are harmful to your blood vessels and heart and cause the arteries to narrow. Your heart also has to work harder when it is exposed to the nicotine in cigarette smoke. Some of the oxygen in your blood is replaced with carbon monoxide from smoke, and the heart responds by beating harder and faster, increasing blood pressure and narrowing the blood vessels.

No amount of smoking is safe, and even smokeless tobacco and low-nicotine or low-tar cigarettes are risky.

The good news is that quitting smoking cuts your risk of developing cardiac arrest and other types of cardiovascular disease dramatically after just one year. You will actually start reaping the rewards of quitting as soon as you stop, no matter how much or how long you smoked.

2. Get at Least 30 Minutes of Exercise Most Days

Getting regular exercise can significantly slash your risk of developing fatal heart disease. Heart failure is often caused by diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but working out regularly can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and avoid these conditions. Exercise also reduces stress, another factor in heart failure.

Aim to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least four days per week. Strenuous exercise is great, but you can also get many benefits by doing regular activities like housekeeping, gardening, walking the dog or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

3. Eat a Healthy Diet

Lower your risk of heart failure by eating foods that are low in salt, cholesterol and fat. Avoid sources of saturated fat, like coconut and palm oils, red meat and dairy products, and limit your consumption of trans-fat filled foods, like margarines, deep-fried fast foods, packaged snack foods and bakery products. Instead, eat a well-balanced mix of vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce your risk of cardiac arrest. Good natural sources of the nutrient include fish, like mackerel and salmon, and certain oils, including walnut, flaxseed, canola and soybean oil.

4. Maintain a Healthy Weight

When most people gain weight, they put on fat instead of muscle. This gain can cause conditions that boost your risk of developing heart disease, including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Reducing your weight by as little as 10 percent can lower your risk of developing these conditions.

5. Get Regular Health Screenings

Most people with the aforementioned risk factors for heart failure do not know they have them until they take a test. Regular screenings for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol levels can tell you whether you need to take action to prevent heart failure.

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Do You Have High Blood Pressure? Enzyme Therapy May Be Able to Help You

According to the American Heart Foundation, almost eighty-million people suffer from high blood pressure in the USA. That figure is astounding when you consider that this disease is a preventable disease. But sadly, many people go through life not understanding that the way they live is killing them. Silently!

In fact, high blood pressure (HBP for short, and also called hypertension) is known in the medical industry as 'the silent killer', because there are usually no symptoms - until it is too late. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to alleviate symptoms. One of them is taking a supplement called nattokinase, which has many heart and blood related benefits. More on that later.

Your blood pressure system works like this. Each organ in your body, for example your brain or lungs, needs oxygen to function. The oxygen is transported to your organs by your blood, which is pumped from your heart. Every beat of your heart creates 'pressure' within your arteries and veins when it beats. Your 'blood pressure' is determined by the pressure that is caused by the beat, and then in the time when it is not beating. This is when you get your arm wrapped tight with a cloth and fastened with velcro, and then a doctor will pump air into this tool (this can be done manually, or by a machine) and then make a note of the reading.

High blood pressure causes no end of problems for patients. They range from weakening of the arteries and blood vessels, high risk of blood clots, plaque build up and tearing of the veins and capillaries. I suffer from poor circulation, plus I have a family history of high blood pressure, which is why I take a natural enzyme therapy every morning and evening.

We will discuss this later in the article, but first I want to tell you more about the problems and serious health conditions that high blood pressure can cause if you don't catch it early enough. This 'silent killer' affects so many parts of your body when it gets out of hand. In these cases you are at high risk of stroke, damage to your kidneys, loss of vision and in men, erectile dysfunction. All of these are either killers or can destroy your life.

So it really is worth considering making changes to your lifestyle and perhaps your diet, to prevent such terrible things happening to you. And it doesn't take much either, unless you are a complete couch potato! It just depends whether you want a long life which is relatively (health) problem free or a short one, that will take you in and out of emergency rooms and numerous hospital beds. And eventually kill you!

Of course, I am talking about the extremes of what can happen here. But, this is the truth. If you don't feed your body unprocessed foods, drink plenty of fluids (excluding alcohol) and get at least some form or daily exercise, you are heading for problems of this horrible nature.

So, what else can you do to prevent high blood pressure? As we discussed earlier, I am a huge advocate of one particular product called nattokinase. Nattokinase is a proteolytic enzyme originating from fermented soybeans. It dates back centuries in Japan, because they have ingested it via Natto. This is the main substance that the enzyme can be extracted from. Natto is a specialized food, usually only eaten by its connoisseurs, mainly in Japan. It is has a really slimy texture and tastes of a cheesy peanut butter (apparently), which makes it pretty revolting to smell and taste, to you and me.

But the good news is that if you want to add it to your diet, you don't have to worry about the 'uggy' smell or taste, as it is only the enzyme you need, which can easily be obtained in supplement form.

Nattokinase has other benefits too, like helping to keep your blood thin. This is the reason why I use it, because I have poor blood circulation. And it works! The bruising around my ankles has decreased, along with the swelling and I also feel a lot less pain because of this supplement. And I feel confident in the fact, that by taking nattokinase, I am protecting my heart from clots and also reducing the risk of heart disease as I get older.

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The Amazing Benefits of Drinking Tea

A cup of tea anyone? Drinking this brew has been connected to providing a lot of amazing health advantages for many centuries. But it is only during the recent years that its healing properties have been properly investigated. A lot of health experts recognize the powerful benefits of this drink.

Antioxidants

The amazing benefits are mainly because it is rich in flavonoids. What are flavonoids? Flavonoids are antioxidants and they are compounds that are plant-derived. Green tea, the healthiest type, is a good source of catechins. They are more powerful compared to the famous vitamin C and vitamin E in preventing oxidative damage to healthy cells.

Catechins can also help boost our immune systems, lowering our risk of getting serious diseases. According to studies, drinking this healthy brew can help reduce the risk of many types of cancers like colon, lung, esophageal, bladder, skin, and breast. Green as well as black teas are loaded with polyphenols which are antioxidants that are associated with a lot of powerful health benefits.

Other Benefits

Other benefits include a decreased risk for developing heart ailments. Antioxidants that are found in black, oolong, and green varieties prevent the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol in the body. On the other hand, these antioxidants help increase the HDL or good cholesterol.

Antioxidants found also help improve the function of the arteries. According to a study that was recently published, regular green or oolong drinkers showed an amazing 46% to 65% decrease in hypertension risk compared to people who do not consume this drink at all. It also has positive effects on our mental functioning, short-term memory, feelings of well-being, and increase in alertness.

How to Drink Tea

Drink it a few occasions per day to properly absorb the antioxidants as well as other healthy plant compounds. In tea-drinking countries, the customary amount is up to three cups per day. Allow it to steep for about three to five minutes. This will bring out the catechins. To make the most out of the catechins and other antioxidants is to drink it freshly brewed.

Choosing the Best Kind

It is also important to choose the best one to drink. Loose leaf kinds are healthier than those in bags. Bags only contain dusts and therefore they contain lesser catechins, flavonoids. Bottled and ready-to-drink, instant, and decaffeinated varieties have lesser catechins and other compounds. However, this healthy drink could impede iron absorption from vegetables and fruits. But you can add milk or lemon or drink it in between meals to counteract the problem.

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Signs of a Heart Attack - Knowing Them Can Help You Save Lives

Heart attacks account for millions of deaths every year. A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) must be treated promptly after early detection if this danger is to be averted. For this, you should be able to recognize a heart attack when it happens. So let's discuss the signs of a heart attack.

What is an Acute Coronary Syndrome?

An acute coronary syndrome, of which heart attacks are one form, is caused when blood flow in a coronary artery becomes suddenly reduced or occluded completely. Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, providing it with energy and oxygen needed to pump blood to the rest of the body. When coronary blood flow drops below a critical level, the heart is unable to perform its regular activity and fails.

Typically the reduction in blood flow is caused by an atherosclerotic plaque which is the deposition of excess fat and cholesterol in the wall of blood vessels. This is the result of inflammation in the vessel wall resulting in blood cells becoming sticky and obstructing the flow of fluid in the narrowed tubes.

When the sticky blood clots and totally blocks the coronary flow, it results in a heart attack - unless immediate corrective action is taken.

Signs of a Heart Attack

The most common presentation of a myocardial infarction is the onset of crushing, severe chest pain located in the middle of the chest or towards the left. The pain often radiates from here to the upper stomach, neck, angle of the jaw or left arm. It is severe in intensity, and quite unlike any other pain the person has experienced in the past. The pain does not relent with time or medication, and may even get worse.

Not all infractions occur with chest pain. In older people, diabetics and some women, a heart attack may be entirely painless and indicated only by other signs. These signs include palpitations, profuse sweating, light headedness or dizziness, extreme fatigue and sudden breathlessness.

Emergency Measures To Take

Whenever you suspect a myocardial infarction, it is best to seek immediate medical assistance. Call an emergency service number to ask for an ambulance to rush the patient to hospital. As an immediate measure, placing a crushed tablet of aspirin in the patient's mouth, or a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, can help restore some blood flow in the obstructed artery by making the platelets in the clot less sticky.

As soon as the victim of an attack reaches hospital, emergency measures like nasal oxygen and maybe a pain killer like morphine will be administered. An EKG test will confirm the diagnosis by showing characteristic changes. Blood tests to measure the level of markers of heart muscle damage like Troponin levels can help make the diagnosis more certain.

The key to saving life by rushing a heart attack victim to hospital at the earliest lies in correctly identifying the warning signs and taking prompt action. This list of symptoms can serve as an important indicator of serious injury and when you take note of it and act promptly, you may save a person's life - quite literally.

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The Enemies of PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions) and Heart Arrhythmias: What You Must Avoid

There are certain factors which either trigger heart palpitations. I would therefore suggest that, no matter what you are doing to reduce or eliminate your PVCs (otherwise referred to as extra systoles or arrhythmia), you avoid the following:

1 - Stimulants - I found caffeine (and coffee in particular) to make my extra heart beats much worse; generally speaking caffeine and any ingredient containing caffeine, such as black, white and green tea, chocolate, cocoa, mate-based drinks and so on, are to be avoided; all stimulates, as a matter of fact, should be avoided when you suffer from PVCs, as they may act like fuel on a fire. On the other hand, relaxants are always a good idea (relaxing activities but also relaxing teas and natural supplements, as explained on my other article).

2 - Alcohol - I found that alcohol (even a healthy glass of good quality red wine, unfortunately) is a significant trigger of extra heart beats in my case or, if I already have them as I sip an alcoholic drink, it seems to make them much worse very soon afterwards.

3 - Lack of sleep. It's commonly argued that lack of sleep or irregular sleep may trigger Premature Ventricular Contractions. I believe lack of sleep was a key factor in my case: before I started suffering from 'heavy' PVCs, I had spent several months sleeping very little, from 3 to 5 hours a night! I now wish I had not! I would strongly recommend to anybody (even if you are totally healthy) to sleep the recommended 7 hours per night. If not, eventually your heart will 'give out' and then you wish you had found the extra hours! Occasionally, given my work, I do skip some good sleeping time but I try to minimize this: it's jut not worth it.

4 - Stress - it's sometimes inevitable but - as you probably already know, stress does cause or at least trigger extra systoles. So, the key is to learn to either avoid stressful situations altogether or to remember, every time you feel stressed in any way (including anger, despair etc), that your life is more important than anything else. If you ever undertook a pharmacological stress test for your heart (as I did), you will know what I'm talking about: the test was to painful and dreadful in my case, that it made re-think my priorities: these days I care a lot less about many things, including money. Nothing, absolutely nothing is more important than your life!

5 - Sudden 'movements' after prolonged periods of 'rest' (sitting down or lying down): I noticed that, if I sit down for prolonged periods of time and then I suddenly stand up and walk quickly, even if only for a short distance, I trigger heart palpitations or make them worse. A person with a totally healthy heart in a totally healthy cardiovascular system may not even notice that his/her heart needs to beat faster to compensate for the sudden 'gear change' (so to speak): but someone with PVCs may not be so lucky (I certainly was not!), so 'changing gear' slowly is best. Now that I take a series of supplements (which I list, see below), I don't have to be so careful, but I still try to shift from rest to activity slowly (if I can remember!)

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Heart Attack Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore

Having a heart attack is a life threatening occurrence. Patients often misread or overlook the messages their body is sending them. It's important not to misread your symptoms.

Because heart attack symptoms mimic other illnesses, many victims of this malady overlook the seriousness of their conditions. Some individuals confuse their symptoms with viruses, the flu, jetlag, being tired, exercising too strenuously, not getting enough rest, or being stressed. One of the reasons individuals are so confused about their symptoms is because of the variety of ways this event shows up. The sufferer could be resting, sleeping, working, or simply walking down the street. Victims could be male or female, young or old, or live in any city or nation in the world. By the time many victims get to the hospital, it may be too late. After being examined, it becomes evident that telltale signs have been going on for days or even weeks. It's important to pay attention to your body and to recognize any unusual feelings, sensations, and red flags.

Some common sensations that point to a heart attack include pressure, pain, and shortness of breath. The pressure that occurs may feel like the center of the chest region is being squeezed or may just feel like fullness in the area. Pain can occur in the abdomen, in the chest, shoulder, back, and/or arm. Patients even report a painful feeling in their mouths along the jawbone and into their teeth. Angina is the name of chest pain that occurs repeatedly. Although it's not a full-blown health crisis, it can be a sign that one is imminent. Angina is a result of a loss of blood flowing to this organ. The shortness of breath can sometimes be confused with overexertion because sweating often accompanies it. If a person has been exercising, going up stairs, or carrying something heavy, he or she may think the breathing difficulty and perspiration are a result of the exercise. In women, feeling exhausted or overly fatigued may be an indicator of this serious occurrence.

Some patients report a feeling of impending doom which may be their intuition telling them that something is very wrong. They may become dizzy, lightheaded, and may actually faint. Some individuals not only have stomach pain, but they actually throw up which makes them think they simply have the flu or food poisoning. Their skin may become cool and pale so that they look like they've seen a ghost.

If you or someone you love is having unusual symptoms that may be a heart attack, it's important to pay attention. It's better to go to the doctor or hospital and be declared healthy than not going and be declared dead. This malady is very serious indeed. Patients should have regular examinations and follow healthy lifestyle habits to minimize their risks. Paying attention to the signs and signals of one's body is truly a matter of life or death.

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H Pylori Infections Cause Heart Disease - Part One

H pylori is a tiny bacterium that buries itself into the stomach lining. It is very common, infecting more than 50% of the world's population.

It is best known for causing common digestive symptoms such as gastritis, heartburn, acid reflux, bloating and irritable bowels, though it can lead to more serious problems such as ulcers and even stomach cancer.

It causes symptoms primarily be creating inflammation in the stomach and intestine. It is this inflammation that can spill out into other areas of the body and cause symptoms and even serious disease there.

When inflammation spills out from the gut into the body, the arteries can become damaged, leading to the early stages of heart disease and it's this mechanism we'll explore in this article series to show how a simple stomach infection may lead to a deadly heart attack or stroke in some people.

The medical system and media tend to blame cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke) on so-called "traditional" risk factors, which include:

High cholesterol levels 
High blood pressure 
Family history 
Type II Diabetes 
Tobacco Smoking 
Obesity 
Inadequate exercise

These factors are certainly legitimate, but are the likes of family history and high cholesterol the true underlying factors for this killer disease?

We have to acknowledge that the likes of high cholesterol and high blood pressure are the end results of damaging processes in the body. As such it is vitally important to consider the reasons why blood pressure elevates and why cholesterol levels rise.

Simply taking drugs to suppress cholesterol and decrease blood pressure do absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause(s) of the problems!

It just so happens that H pylori infections appear to increase blood pressure and cause potentially dangerous changes to blood cholesterol levels. These claims are backed up by a lot of scientific evidence, as I'll show you in this series of articles.

Here's something interesting: 50% cardiovascular disease patients have NONE of the traditional risk factors listed above. In other words:

They don't smoke cigarettes 
They have no family history 
They're not obese 
They don't have hypertension 
Their cholesterol levels are normal or even low 
They don't have diabetes 
They exercise 
They are relaxed and not under stress

In these people, we have to look for other possible causes, and that's something we'll do in this article series.

A number of studies are available suggesting a cause and effect relationship between bacteria/viruses and heart disease.

According to Aristo Vojdani, PhD, the relationship between infectious agents and heart disease was reported as long ago as 1911. H. pylori is one of those infectious agents. Dental infections and oral health are also heavily implicated in heart disease.

H. pylori infections are associated not only with heart disease and stroke, but also with many of the risk factors that are used to assess vulnerability to cardiovascular disorders.

I think this article series may shock you a little, but I believe it's time you knew the truth about this leading killer disease and how to minimize your risk of falling foul of it.

As such I'm thoroughly looking forward to summarizing this information for you over the coming days and weeks.

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Why Patients End Up At Heart Clinics

There are lots of reasons why patients end up checked into a heart clinic. They may have experienced some sort of health crisis that involves cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, pain, or improper function. The cardiovascular system is a complex one that is best checked into by a specialist such as a board certified cardiologist. Tests that may be given to patients to sort out the difficulties and come to a solid diagnosis include cardiac stress tests, blood tests, electrocardiograms, and more. These medical facilities are extremely helpful in helping patients return to normal functioning and getting their bodies back on track to live normal lives. But how did these patients end up there?

Lifestyle Choices

The lifestyle choices that individuals make are often what lead them through the front door of a heart clinic. They may arrive by car or by ambulance but many of their own actions are what precipitated the appointment or hospital stay. One wrong choice that they made was what they ate. Eating heavily processed, fat-filled foods is a great way to pile on the pounds and clog up the arteries, both of which strain the cardiovascular system. Smoking cigarettes is another no-no unless a person wants to end up having a stroke or cardiac arrest. Living a stress filled life without an arsenal of coping tactics is another heart-attack-waiting-to-happen.

Heredity Happens

A person's DNA can also be the reason he or she winds up at the heart clinic. High blood pressure or coronary problems may be inherited from family members who share the same gene pool. Congenital issues occur, as well. Some babies are born with murmurs or heartbeat irregularities that require help from medical doctors such as cardiologists.

Neglectful Living

A person may end up at the heart clinic because he or she neglected some important must-do's. For example, if a person may not have gone to the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings, allowing plaque and decay to become well established. Having dental challenges can lead to coronary problems along with diseased teeth. If an individual doesn't take medicines as instructed by a family doctor or cardiologist, he or she may end up in serious condition at the hospital. Not following a doctor's orders is another act of negligence that can lead to serious consequences including death.

Going to the heart clinic for coronary trouble is a wise move because these medical facilities have the specialists and equipment to cure what ails each patient. Patients need to make wise decisions, too, by making positive lifestyle choices, paying attention to their DNA, and staying no to neglectful living.

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Cardiovascular Disease Prevention With Nutrition and Herbs

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in this country. It has become an epidemic attributed to our lifestyles and diets. The typical American diet is high in saturated fats and cholesterol which creates inflammation that leads to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is the main disease process of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease includes atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease and heart disease. The major risk factors for cardiovascular disease are: cigarette smoking, high cholesterol values and high blood pressure. Secondary factors include: obesity, being overweight, genetics, stress, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes an alcohol abuse. Many of these factors have become quite prevalent in our society, which is why cardiovascular disease has become the number one cause of death.

A complete medical work-up will help to determine presence or risk of CVD. This should include cholesterol testing, an EKG and thorough medical history. Prevention is the best approach to cardiovascular disease, but it's never too late to reduce risk and improve your health even if you have been diagnosed.

The inflammatory process that leads to atherosclerosis is due to a toxic lifestyle. Acidic body chemistry creates inflammation, so consuming a primarily alkaline diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables will reduce inflammation dramatically. The number one thing a person can do to decrease risk of CVD is stop smoking cigarettes. Avoiding cigarette smoke and other inhaled chemicals will also decrease inflammation. Developing methods to handle and cope with stress will help with lowering blood pressure. These may include exercise and mediation. High blood pressure or hypertension left untreated, may also contribute to increased risk of stroke.

Secondly, consuming a diet low in saturated and hydrogenated fats, cholesterol, salt and processed, refined sugars and fats will dramatically decrease risk of CVD and improve existing conditions. Other important steps include: consuming high fiber foods (20-30 grams daily), plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, regular exercise or physical activity and maintaing low body fat percentage. Cholesterol should be reduced to less than 300mg per day. Red meats should be very limited and cured meats should avoided completely. Avoid whole milk and dairy products as they contain mostly saturated fats and cholesterol. Flaxseed oil is also a good source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which have been linked to heart health. Limit salt and sugar intake.

Regular vigorous exercise strengthens the heart and circulation. Drinking spring water is best due to its beneficial mineral content that can help reduce chemical exposure apsorption. Abstaining from caffeine and alcohol are is wise, caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure and alcohol is an irritant.

Not smoking, aggressively control of obesity, hypertension and/or diabetes and a strict low-fat diet(20-25% of total calories) are mandatory for CVD prevention.

Herbs like garlic and cayenne help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and foods like onions and soybeans or tofu may have a benefit cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis. Ginger, hawthorn berry and ginkgo are also beneficial for circulation and as heart tonics.

A daily Vitamin E and selenium supplement will help reduce platelet stickiness protect cells and tissue linings. 800-1000 IU of Vitamin E and 250 to 300 mcg of selenium is recommended. A daily B vitamin complex supplement can help in lipid metabolism, metabolism and reduction of homocysteine levels. Likewise, foods rich in B vitamins should be consumed, spinach and mushrooms are rich sources of most B vitamins. Magnesium is essential in CVD protection and is found in nutrient dense foods like spinach, swiss chard and sprouted navy beans. Magnesium levels should be 400-750 mg daily.

In the event of pharmaceutical use to prevent cardiovascular disease, CoQ10 may be depleted. This essential nutrient should be supplemented, 50-200 mg per day and is beneficial even if you are not taking prescription medicines.

These tips will help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and also can improve your condition if you have already been diagnosed. Please continue to seek the consult of a medical physician.

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Ways to Take Care of Your Heart

Some people don't pay much attention to their own heart health unless they experience chronic chest pain. After a severe chest pain, your doctor might recommend a few changes you need to make. At this point, it has become increasingly obvious that you definitely need to think about your own heart health before these unwanted issues develop.

Here are some ways on how to take care your heart:

1. Regular exercise. You should know that regular exercise is good for your heart. Exercising does not only help you shed excess ponds, but it can also protect you from heart disease. Taking care of your heart through regular exercise does not necessarily mean you have to hit the gym everyday. Any form of exercise with a heart rate between resting and maximum is good for your heart health.

2. Include low-fat meals in our diet. Eating foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals will help you maintain a good heart health. Make sure you include fruits and fresh vegetables to your daily diet. Try to curb your fat intake because it is not good for your heart. Include fish and lean chicken on your daily meal for these are foods that contain low fat.

3. Get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is good for your overall health. Many studies show that lack of sleep can lead to certain heart conditions. According to experts, 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night is good while 5 hours or less can be detrimental to your heart health. Try not to get too much sleep for it can also lead to heart problems.

4. Reduce your level of stress. According to studies, stress can lead to heart problems. It can also deplete the level of your hormones in the body. When you are stressed or burned out, you tend to lose your appetite. You no longer focus on exercising or even eating healthy foods. You can improve the health of your heart by taking time to relax every time you are feeling strained or exhausted.

5. Don't forget your fish oil supplements. Studies show that omega-3 fish oil supplement is good for your heart. If you happen to have high triglycerides in your body, you may develop heart problems. With omega-3 fish oil supplement, you can lower the triglycerides in your body and keep them at a healthy level.
Remember that it is never too late to take preventive measures in taking care of your heart. It is crucial that you consult your doctor as early as possible before heart problems develop. These 5 tips can help you maintain a good heart health.

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Getting Heart-Strong With Stats, Warning Signs, and Health Tips, Too

In case you missed it, red was the color of choice when choosing what to wear last Friday, as the first of February marked the tenth anniversary of the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day. Its purpose: to help raise awareness of heart disease in women, while at the same time, launching American Heart Month.

Be aware, too, that The Million Hearts™ national initiative sponsored by the American Heart Association and others is also making headlines right now. Introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services in September, 2011, its aim is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over a 5-year period. To that end, this month Walgreens has engaged "its 26,000 health care providers to offer free blood pressure testing in consultation with a Walgreens pharmacist."

Is the need great? You bet. Just take a look at these unsettling facts of life about cardiovascular disease, the umbrella term for all heart and blood vessel diseases, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and aortic aneurism:

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.
2. About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year-or one in four.
3. Every year, some 935,000 Americans have a heart attack; about 610,000 first-timers.
4. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 385,000 people every year and costing the U.S. $108.9 billion annually in services, medications, and lost productivity.

Meanwhile, recognizing the warning signs is key to survival; experience any of them and call 911 immediately:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Upper body pain or discomfort in arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

Know, too, that while the most common sign is chest pain or discomfort, women are somewhat likelier to feel short of breath, nauseous, and/or experience jaw pain.

Meanwhile, be advised that lifestyle is a determining factor, so be forewarned if you don't exercise, enjoy a high fat, sodium, and/or sugary diet, smoke, are overweight/obese, and/or have diabetes. To be in the know, head to your primary care doctor for a physical and make it an annual event. These are the numbers you'll want to hear:

• A blood pressure reading less than 120/80
• A total cholesterol that's less than 200 mg/dl
• An LDL ("bad" cholesterol) that's less than 100 mg/dl
• An HDL ("good"cholesterol) that's more than 50 mg/dl for women and 40 mg/dl or higher for men
• Triglycerides that are less than 150 mg/dl
• Blood glucose levels that are less than 100 mg/dl

To get you there, take time to de-stress every day, allowing yourself some "chill" time to meditate, garden, walk, and so on. You get the idea. And then:

• If you smoke, promise to stop. There's lots of quitting help out there, everything from gums and lozenges to patches and hypnosis. Online assistance is right at your fingertips, too. Need motivation? Quitting before 40 reduces the risk of death by about 90% finds an American Cancer Society study. Plus, smokers die, on average, about 10 years earlier than non-smokers.
• Get moving, aiming for at least 30 minutes a day of low to moderate intensity activity. The upside: lower blood pressure and triglyceride numbers, as well as higher HDL levels. Do it all in one outing or break it up into 10- or 15-minute workouts that can include walking, jogging, dancing, gardening, even playing outside with the kids. Then add just two weight training sessions a week-about 20 minutes or so each-and you're on your way.
• Start every day with a heart-healthy breakfast, as in oatmeal, a smoothie made, for example, with frozen berries, a banana, yogurt, and skim milk, a veggie-filled egg-white omelet, or even peanut butter on whole wheat toast sprinkled with ground flaxseed. Tempted to skip it and go right for the coffee? Keep in mind that eating breakfast cancels out the need for a mid-morning pick-me-up or heavy lunch, thus helping prevent weight gain.
• Eat a heart-healthy lunch and dinner, too, ones that are rich in fruits, veggies, fiber, whole grains, low-fat, calcium-rich dairy, and lean protein. Aim for two servings of fish each week, too. Not sure how much produce you should be consuming every day? The CDC has the answer for you.
• Take an inventory of what's on your pantry shelves when it comes to snacks, soups, salad dressings, etc. and consider tossing a few of them. As you read the nutrition labels, keep in mind that you want to limit your daily sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg and less than 150 mg of cholesterol. Then opt for better-for you alternatives like baked chips, nutrition-dense granola bars, heart-healthy soups and frozen dinners, and so on. While you're at it, put away the salt shaker and replace sugary drinks with plain water or sparkling water with a spritz or two of lemon juice.
• Be heart-savvy when eating out, too. Need some help as you peruse the menus of your favorite restaurant chains? There's actually an app for that, and it's called "Restaurant Nutrition."

In the meantime, need an easy, heart-healthy recipe to get you started? 

You will need:

• 1 cup halved walnuts or pecan (unless allergic)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese (unless allergic)
• 2 cored, thinly sliced apples or pears
• 1 bag of pre-washed spinach (or salad greens)
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup of virgin olive oil

Steps to Take:

1. Place spinach or greens in large salad bowl.
2. Add nuts, dried cranberries/cherries, sliced fruit & cheese.
3. Toss.
4. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss well.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

As they say in France, à votre santé.

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The Curse of the Mummy: Heart Disease

A recent Lancet study titled "Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history: the Horus study of four ancient populations" purports to show that our ancient ancestors suffered from arteriosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries" just as we do. They concluded: "The presence of atherosclerosis in premodern human beings suggests that the disease is an inherent component of human ageing and not characteristic of any specific diet or lifestyle." In other words, go ahead and eat another Big Mac and wash it down with a supersized Coke because your arteries will eventually clog up no matter what you do. Thank you judge Tingling for cancelling Mayor Bloomberg's ridiculous super-sized soda ban, although looking at your picture I suspect that you may want to back off on super-sizing of anything, especially yourself.

Unfortunately this study largely ignores the actual disease process leading to heart attacks and strokes. This study documented calcium deposits in the arteries of mummies from four different variably ancient cultures: Egyptians, Peruvians, ancestral Puebloans and Unangans from the Aleutian Islands. Although it is likely true that as humans grow older they tend to accumulate some calcium deposits in their arteries, by itself this process won't likely lead to heart attacks and strokes. To turn arteriosclerosis into a deadly killer, you also need to add some inflammation.

It's All About the Details

To understand how this process works, we first need to review a little anatomy. Arteries are lined by endothelial cells that form a tight junction to keep blood elements from leaking into the surrounding tissue. These cells are coated with a hair-like protective surface called the glycocalyx. This layer keeps the flowing blood from coming into contact with the endothelial cells. It more or less acts like Teflon, allowing the blood to flow smoothly. Fats are transported in the blood stream as combinations of fat and protein called lipoproteins. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids into cells and high density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids out of cells.

LDL cholesterol comes in two forms-small, dense LDL particles and fluffy, large LDL particles. When you consume a diet high in saturated fat, LDL particles migrate to the intima, the layer beneath the endothelium. Small, dense LDL particles tend to hang around longer and become oxidized, leading to inflammation. Oxidized LDL particles strip away the protective glycocalyx layer and damage the underlying endothelium, leading to endothelial dysfunction. White blood cells are attracted by this inflammation and migrate to the intima where they gobble up the oxidized LDL cholesterol, creating fat-ladened foam cells. This inflammatory mess can eventually lead to dangerous blood clots, so your body responds by walling it off with a layer of calcium and a fibrous cap. With a solid fibrous cap, blood continues to flow freely and everything is good-that is until you add more inflammation to the mix.

Harden My Arteries but Please Don't Give Me Inflammation

Many components of our modern diet can feed this inflammatory process, including trans fatty acids, excessive omega 6 fatty acids relative to omega 3 fatty acids, excessive fructose mainly from sugar and HFCS, and high glycemic carbohydrates mainly form grains. These dietary elements lead to high glucose levels, high insulin levels, high uric acid levels and systemic inflammation. Grains, legumes and dairy products can lead to a leaky gut, further feeding this inflammation. Consuming our Standard American Diet (SAD) is like throwing gas on a fire when it comes to feeding inflammation. All of this inflammation can eventually cause the fibrous cap to rupture, where all the pro-inflammatory foam cells spill into the circulation. This leads to a blood clot, your bodies' last brave attempt to seal off the damage. If the blood clot is large enough, it blocks the artery leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Although arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) may be a normal part of human aging, heart attacks and strokes clearly are not. When the authors of this study examined the mummies with CT scans, they were documenting calcium deposits in their arteries. They could only document arteriosclerosis and as the discussion above describes, hardening of the arteries will never kill you without throwing in a lot of inflammation leading to rupture of the plaques. We really have no idea whether these mummies were prone to such events and this study is not helpful in this regard.

Did Mummy Ever Have to Dial 911?

It is possible that they did sometimes have heart attacks and strokes, because we know that all of these groups consumed some food items found in our modern diet. Three of the groups were already heavily into agriculture by growing and consuming grains. The Unangan's from the Aleutian Islands were presented as a group of hunter-gatherers, yet the mummies from this group died around 1900. Even though their traditional lifestyle involved hunting sea animals, fishing and collecting shellfish, by this time they had already been trading with Russians and other groups for several centuries. They traded animal pelts for subsistence items like food and clothing. Clearly we cannot classify this group as strictly hunter-gatherer.

This study made headlines around the world, implying that our ancient ancestors suffered from the same vascular problems that we do. This is simply poor science. In order to suffer from increased morbidity and mortality, you need to add inflammation to arteriosclerosis and this study doesn't discuss the issue of inflammation. Studying mummies can be exotic and fun, but let's not forget to include a little science and common sense in the discussion.

Headlines, Smeadlines

News articles about this study often concluded that because the mummies had arteriosclerosis, our modern diet likely is not contributing much to this process. In other words, go ahead and eat junk food because your arteries will harden no matter what you eat. Although this may be true, having "hardened" arteries or arteriosclerosis will never by itself kill you. Throw a pro-inflammatory modern diet into the mix and people start falling like flies from heart attacks, strokes and other modern inflammatory diseases.

Mummy, I need help!

So what's a confused, modern non-mummy supposed to do? To keep calcium from building up in your arteries, taking vitamin K2 as a supplement might be helpful. This form of vitamin K moves calcium out of your arteries and into your bones where it belongs. I recommend taking at least 1,000 mcg of vitamin K2 daily. More importantly, you should do everything possible to eat a diet that doesn't promote inflammation. A good starting point is to eliminate sugar and HFCS, two inflammatory bombshells in our modern diet. I also recommend keeping your fructose intake below 25 grams per day as Richard Johnson suggests in his books "The Sugar Fix" and "The Fat Switch". I also recommend reducing your intake of omega 6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and increasing your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. You can also measure your omega 3 index to balance your diet so your ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids is between 1 and 3. For more information about fatty acids, I recommend reading "Toxic Fat" by Barry Sears or "The Omega Diet" by Artemis Simopolos. To learn more about the adverse effects of high glycemic carbohydrates, read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes. Gary really understands the woes of carboholics.

I'm Not Your Mummy-If You Want to be Healthy, You Need to Take the Bull by the Horns

To keep damaging inflammation out of your body, you need to become self-educated and these books are a good place to start. Most physicians and dieticians still follow the government's nutritional recommendations like the disastrous Food Pyramid recently replaced by the incomprehensible Food Plate. These dietary recommendations are highly influenced by our modern food and agricultural industries, the very folks who have been peddling a pro-inflammatory diet for decades. If you are already suffering from inflammatory diseases like obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks, you might want to consider following a Paleo diet. This type of diet eliminates all pro-inflammatory grains, legumes, dairy and bad fats. For more information about going Paleo, read "The Paleo Answer" by Loren Cordain or "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. Even if you decide not to go full Paleo, moving in this direction will help to reduce dangerous inflammation in your body.

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You Can Save Lives With The Right Training

The heart is indeed an incredible organ. Throughout the course of your life, it is continuously going through a cycle of filtering your blood, pumping it to different organs, bringing the blood back, filtering it and pumping again. What is more, the heart does not get any rest; it cannot stop even for a second! Considering the enormous amount of pressure that is exerted on this organ, it is only natural that it begins to slow down with time. A lot of people tend to have continually weakening hearts as they grow old, and one day the organ suddenly stops.

It is not just old people; the heart can give way at any time for anybody, irrespective of age. And what if you are around to witness something like that happening? Say you are in a mall or a crowded restaurant and you suddenly see somebody having a heart attack. What will you do?

The natural thing to do will be to call for an ambulance, but it is an established fact that over ninety per cent of all patients who have sudden cardiac arrests are dead by the time they reach hospital. This means that the first ten minutes after the attack are crucial, and you can actually do something to help.

These days there are associations that will train you in the process of administering emergency aid to patients who are having a cardiac arrest. They are certified by the American Heart Association and they will train you in the process of CPR.

CPR is an acronym for Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, and it involves pressing the victim's chest hard in order to manually pump the blood to the brain, to keep the victim alive until the ambulance arrives. Apart from this there is oral resuscitation, which means that carbon dioxide is breathed through the victim's nose or mouth.

Even apart from heart patients, you can train yourself to administer basic first aid for your home or office. All the courses use curriculum and stringently follow the most recent guidelines set by the American Heart Association (AHA). When you train as a group, you can train at times that suit your requirements, get a two-year AHA certificate and get special group rates.

Some companies also provide onsite training, helping you in keeping your friends and family potentially safe by teaching you how to deal with choking, burns, bites, stings, wounds, hypothermia, fever, broken bones and the like.

There are different courses offered, based on your needs. There is one course which will educate you about the basic techniques used for adult CPR, and also how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and give first aid for choking. It will teach you how to recognize four major emergencies namely cardiac arrest, stroke, heart attack and foreign body airway obstruction.

There is another course which is based on AHA guidelines which will train you in CPR skills that you can administer to patients of all ages. And then, there is a course to treat adult or pediatric emergencies for those professionals who are in the health care field.

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