Heart Disease Related Articles & News

Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease

Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease
The Great Cholesterol Lie

Friday, June 12, 2009

Using supplements to help prevent heart attack and stroke

Getting and staying healthy is a very important aspect of many people's lives. Yet, relatively few people take full advantage of the possibilities that exist for doing more to improve their health. Nutritional supplements are some of the simplest things that you can use to greatly improve your overall well-being. Supplementing your diet takes relatively little time, but can prove priceless to those who can avoid traumatic health concerns later in life by taking care of their body's now.

Prevention is the best approach to any disease. Fortunately for all of us, it is very difficult to do too much to prevent poor health, especially when it comes to heart health. Heart disease takes more lives in America than any other disease. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of nutritional supplements out there that you can use to help in the prevention of the symptoms of heart disease.

People neglect to do the simple things to prevent heart attack and stroke for many reasons, but perhaps the most common reason is because of inconvenience. We do not want to be troubled to take any more time from our day than we have to. Our fast paced society takes advantage of fast food and driving to get from here to there, instead of focusing on our health and what can be done on a daily basis to make improvements. Many people are aware of what such things as the food pyramid are and what nutritious foods are suggested, but no one seems to have the time or the effort to do anything about it. Proper nutrition in combination with supplements is the key to forming optimal health. Being in optimal health is the key to avoiding health problems.

So the answer is simple, exert some effort to eat right and take the nutritional supplements that your body needs to keep working at its best. But what types of supplements are there that are specifically formulated to help prevent cardiovascular problems? The answer lies within a unique blend of products that combines natural ingredients (such as the Acai berry) with ingredients that are found naturally in the body (such as L-Arginine and L-Citrulline) that when combined restore the body's natural nutrients and provide a boost that helps all of your systems work at their optimal level. This type of blend that takes all of the body's inner workings into consideration but puts specific emphasis on what can be done to improve the function of the heart is precisely the kind of product that those who are concerned about heart attack and stroke should be looking into.

There have been studies that show that there is even relief for those who are already experiencing the symptoms of an unhealthy heart. Supplements such as L-Arginine can reduce the discomfort of some of those symptoms by allowing for improved blood flow. Although cures for heart disease have yet to be found in herbal supplements and alternative medicines, it has been found that these products can improve the symptoms of these conditions, making it easier to fight through them and safeguard your health. Lifestyle changes are needed and therefore there is no miracle cure for any disease. The effort required is in the hands of each individual concerned about their own health. 
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Eric Glenn is the successful owner of several global health businesses and regularly advises clients and customers on health, nutrition and creating a global business. Eric strongly recommends the use of supplements to improve your health. To learn more about supplements that can help to improve your health visit http://www.ericglenn.com or his health supplements website http://www.synergyteamglobal.com.

Periodontal Disease and Heart Attacks

"Brush your teeth or you'll have a heart attack!"

This is not an admonishment that I either heard as a child or ever made to my own children or patients. However it is becoming increasingly evident that maintaining good dental hygiene and treating periodontal disease is one of the easiest and most important things that we can do to prevent heart disease, stroke and several other illnesses.

Periodontitis is defined as inflammation of the supporting tissues of the tooth. These tissues include bone, the periodontal membrane and the gums. Gingivitis (infection of the gums) is a common cause of periodontitis as is the dental plaque that forms on the other periodontal tissues. Periodontitis has been known for centuries to be responsible for a large proportion of dental problems but recent research has shown that its deleterious effects extend far beyond the mouth.

In a recent article I wrote about a condition called chronic systemic inflammation which is a low grade, pervasive form of inflammation that damages the endothelial linings of arteries and has also been implicated in causing harm to a variety of other tissues and organs.

Periodontitis is a very important cause of this sinister inflammatory process and is associated with infection and inflammation of the periodontal tissues and the release of bacteria, toxins, protein acids, pro-inflammatory chemical messengers and other harmful compounds into the mouth and blood stream. Once in the blood stream these agents stimulate a systemic inflammatory response that in turn causes problems a long way from the mouth. Some of the most important targets of periodontitis-induced systemic inflammation are the blood vessels – especially the endothelial linings of the arteries.

These inflammatory agents cause narrowing and rigidity of the arteries that results in reduced blood supply to the heart, brain, kidneys and other organs. In addition, systemic inflammation is thought to contribute to an inflammatory process in the arterial endothelium itself. Inflammation in this important part of the blood vessel aggravates the formation of cholesterol plaques in the arteries and ultimately causes the rupture of these plaques – events that result in heart attack or stroke.

The theory of the effects of periodontitis on heart disease and other illnesses is backed up by several very recent clinical trials.

One study found that those who had recently suffered a heart attack had far higher levels of pathogenic bacteria in their mouths than those in a non-heart attack control group. In another study arterial blood flow was measured in those with periodontal disease before and after intensive treatment for their periodontal disease. Interestingly, the arterial blood flow in these patients diminished slightly over the first few days following the treatment but a few weeks later it increased substantially and was significantly better than that of the untreated control group.

Studies have even shown that pregnant woman who have periodontitis have a higher incidence of preterm, low birth weight babies than those who have had this condition treated early on in pregnancy. This particular cause of preterm low birth weight babies is thought to be due to an inflammatory process caused by bacteria in the blood stream that come from infected oral tissue. Simply treating the periodontitis in these pregnant woman by descaling, root planing and regular antiseptic mouth rinses was sufficient to avoid this serious obstetrical problem.

Along with a good diet, weight control, exercise and blood lipid control, a visit to your dentist to treat any existing periodontal disease is another simple but important thing you can do to help prevent heart disease, stroke and maybe several other diseases.

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Dr Keith Scott is a medical doctor with a special interest in nutrition. He has written several books including the ground breaking, "Medicinal Seasonings, The Healing Power of Spices" and "Natural Home Pharmacy".
Download a free pdf copy of "Medicinal Seasonings" and find out more about the latest research into periodontitis, chronic systemic inflammation and interesting aspects of other diseases.
http://www.medspice.com

5 Big Reasons To Buy Fish Oil and Make your Heart Smile

Let's face it... The American Heart Association, the single most influential organization when it comes to matters of the heart, has already repeatedly proven that Omega 3 Fatty Acids preferably from fish oils play a crucial role in maintaining good cardiovascular health in healthy individuals, high risk population, and even sufferers of heart illnesses. Buy fish oil today, and lessen the chances of getting inflicted with heart diseases (or dying from it.)

Numerous reviews, researches and clinical studies have come to one conclusion with regard to fish oil benefits to heart health; but how do fish oils actually make your heart smile? Here are the scientific facts behind the claims that Omega 3 Fatty Acids in fish oils are indeed heart-friendly:

1. First fact: Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). This kind of fat (LDL) is the nasty death bringer when it comes to its potential to bring heart attack and other heart illnesses. When not regulated, a very high level of LDL can accumulate in blood vessels forming fat plaques that may clog heart vessels and can eventually decrease blood supply to the heart itself, eventually making the heart ischemic and ending up with myocardial infarctions (heart attacks.)

2. Second fact: Population-wide studies have revealed that Mediterranean people and Inuit Eskimos have remarkably higher levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) as compared to other population groups. HDL's are the good fats that are easily excreted, are light weight, and are not prone to clog your vessels.

Their conclusion was that Mediterranean people and Eskimos have higher intake of fatty fish in their staple of diet which eventually increases their Omega 3 Fatty Acids levels. Follow up studies with the same population groups revealed that Mediterranean people and Inuit Eskimos have lower chances of getting heart disease and heart attacks as compared to other study groups. This is a testament that Omega 3 Fatty Acids indeed have a positive effect in increasing HDL levels.

3. Third fact: Fish oil supplements lower triglyceride levels. It is a well known fact that triglycerides are the ones we should avoid in our diet because this kind of fat is similar in composition with cholesterol, the deadly fat. The recommendation for people who needs to lower the triglyceride levels is to buy fish oil in capsule or supplement form which should contain 2-4g of DHA and EPA (main components of fish oils) and take it everyday.

4. Fourth fact: Omega 3 Fatty Acids from fish oils make your blood less dense and less viscous. A lowered blood viscosity (or a thinner blood) can reduce the entire cardiac workload, meaning, the heart will not be too overstressed to pump "heavy" blood.

And also, when blood is too sticky, it may either clump up together, or agglutinate in your blood vessels making your arteries and veins clogged. What happens is that blood (that carries oxygen) can no longer reach its destination when they come to a halt due to a clogged artery or vein. When the heart tissues don't receive enough oxygenation, then heart attack is triggered.

5. Moreover, a currently ongoing research has been saying that Omega 3 Fatty Acids in fish oils can help people with cardiac dysrhythmias. The claim is that fish oils help the electrical conduction system of the heart resulting to a more regulated and normal heart rhythm.

The ultimate point is: there are numerous drugs for cardiac disorders and heart problems available in the market today. They are expensive and sometimes can even produce unwanted side effects. Of course it is not recommended to base your treatment solely on alternative therapies; however, you can always buy fish oil and help yourself and your heart live healthier (and longer.)

Make no mistake about it... If you do not care for your heart in a timely manner, the heart disease will catch up with you sooner rather than later. I would urge you to visit my Omega 3 DHA fish oil supplements website so that you can further learn to take timely action to ensure that the heart protection required for you and your family starts right this moment. 

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Rajagopalan has learned early in life the critical importance of omega 3 supplements to minimize health risks and maximize healthy living. There are too many fish oil supplements in the market that he has found to be very expensive, they do not deliver on results and are pure hype. To learn about the product that he has finally found to be most effective but at the same time least expensive, head over to ==> http://www.omega3fishoilsguide.com

How to prevent, even cure heart disease.

How to prevent, even cure heart disease.
How to prevent, even cure heart disease.

Heart Disease