Tag Archives: HDL

Benefits Of Eating Garlic

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Recent findings on the power of garlic to fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, give garlic the bona fide characteristics to elevate it to Superfood status.

Throughout the history of civilization, the medicinal properties of garlic have been prized, and it’s been used to treat an array of ailments, including atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, immune disorders, cerebral aging, arthritis, and cataract formation.
Garlic’s power as a heath promoter comes from its rich variety of sulfur containing compounds. Of the nearly one hundred nutrients in garlic, the most important in terms of health benefits seems to be the sulfur compound allicin-an amino acid. Allicin is not present in fresh garlic. It’s formed instantly when cloves are crushed, chewed, or cut. Allicin seems to be responsible for the super-biological activity of garlic as well as its odor.

In addition to allicin, a single clove of garlic offers a slew of compounds with potential health benefits, including saponins, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, polyphenols, and arginine. In addition to these compounds, garlic is a good source of vitamin B6 and also of vitamin C. As with most whole foods, garlic’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities are probably due to the sum of the whole rather than a single agent.
A number of studies have shown that garlic has an important impact on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It has been demonstrated that those who make garlic a regular part of their diets enjoy lowered blood pressure and decreased platelet aggregation, as well as decreased triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Garlic also may increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Consuming one half to one clove of garlic daily lowers LDL cholesterol levels by approximately 10 percent, partially by decreasing cholesterol absorption.

Garlic extracts have also been shown to decrease blood pressure. In one study, a 5.5 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure and a slight decrease in diastolic pressure were noticed. While these are modest decreases, they could still lead to a significant lessening of the risk for stroke and heart attack. The end result of all of these benefits is a lowered risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease as well as a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. Garlic oil has been shown to decrease total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well.

Garlic’s primary positive effect on cardiovascular disease comes from its sulphur compounds, but the effects of vitamin C, B6, selenium, and manganese can’t be ignored. Garlic’s vitamin C-the body’s primary antioxidant defender-protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation. It’s the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that begins the process that damages blood vessel walls. Vitamin B lowers levels of homocysteine, a substance that can directly damage blood vessel walls. The selenium in garlic fights heart disease, while it also works to protect against cancer and heavy metal toxicity. Manganese works on a variety of antioxidant defences, and studies have found that adults deficient in manganese have lower levels of the “good,” or HDL, cholesterol.

A number of studies have reported on garlic’s ability to fight cancer, although further research is needed to clarify the precise role of garlic in this battle. Several population studies have shown a link between garlic in the diet and a decrease in the risk for colorectal and gastric cancer, and one clove of garlic daily may decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. Recent reviews of more than thirty-five studies report some protective effect against cancer in about 75 percent of the published articles.

Two recent studies have shown that garlic can be a potent antibiotic. Particularly impressive was that garlic was effective against strains of pathogens that have become resistant to many drugs. One study demonstrated that garlic juice showed significant antibacterial activity against a host of pathogens, even including antibiotic-resistant strains such as ciprofloxacin-resistant staphylococci.

The second study, conducted on mice, found that garlic was able to inhibit a type of staph infection that’s become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and increasingly common in hospitals. This type of staph infection has become a potential danger for health care workers, as well as for people with weakened immune systems. Sixteen hours after the mice were infected with the pathogen, garlic extract was fed to them. After twenty-four hours, garlic was found to have provided protection against the pathogen and to have significantly decreased the infection.

Natural Heart Disease Risk Reduction, Weight Loss

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You can group cardiovascular disease into diverse groups.Some of these elements are not variant, like the inherited factors, as well as the factors connected to age and gender. There are other elements which are just as noteworthy, and perhaps more self-destructive, and these factors can interpose in the process of ameliorating your health.I am here accosting lifestyle factors, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a lack of exercise and obesity, as well as others..

Prior to starting up any diet or exercise syllabus, and I demand to be clear here, everyone needs to consult a physician, in order to ensure their capacities for physical exertion, and set up demarcations thereto.In addition, in order to find a fitting diet for your body type, I must accent the importance of the advice of a nutritionist. So, the message is established, think of your wellness now, do not forget to see your doctor. We are approaching obesity as a disease, as played off to a aesthetic circumstance, it is a global problem with people today. The presence of obesity leads in a more size able chance of heart disease or stroke, even given the absence of other risk elements. Obesity pressures the heart to run harder, as well as being identified in affiliation to coronary disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

What can a person do, to counterbalance the position, when obesity is existing situation?As previously mentioned we should cover obesity as a disease and as one of the components that step-up the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases. The same as any other disease, the original step towards remedy is the admittance of illness, look for medical care. After this gear up your life for a heartily diet, in conjunction with a daily routine of physical exercises that will render physical well being and augmented emotional balance on a daily basis.

And what is the solution? The first course of action is to combat risk factors with all plausible exertion.

I recommend following these 4 tips put forward by Isabel De Los Rios.

1. Quit Smoking. The practice of tobacco for smoking has been celebrated as a fundamental factor in heart disease, to a large extent due to chemical additives (not that I am suggesting the use of tobacco).The peril of a heart attack in a smoker is two times steeper than in a non-smoker. The presence of passive inhalation of tobacco also exposes individuals to a higher relative incidence of cardiovascular disease.There is evidence that smoking increases the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and depresses HDL (good cholesterol), accelerating the onset of atherosclerosis. That is, smoking is also directly contributing for the accumulation of fat in the walls of coronary arteries, bearing on the heart and blood vessels. The evidence has demonstrated that a person who is already inclined to high rates of cholesterol is increasing his/her risk of heart disease by smoking.

2. Walk, walk, walk. If getting time for a integrated exercise curriculum is just too much of a challenge right now, just start by walking. I have known many people who Have strengthened and reversed their severe heart conditions by getting outside and walking. If you can, find a scenic route there’s nothing more quieting than the outdoors. (I highly advocate whistling and singing while you walk. It creates for happy thoughts).

3. Calm down. By this I mean, do not stress about matters you do not Have to, or have command over.The most affirmative thing I did, other than eat healthy food, was to relax, and increase the playfulness.

4. Don’t start, again, don’t start a low fat diet.You can exacerbate a bad condition with misguided effort.Get rid of the saturated fats (hydrogenated oil and the like problematic oil in French fries and donuts) and eat heart-healthy fat, like coconut oil, olive oil, walnuts and whole eggs. And at the risk of sounding redundant, before you begin any program, consult your dietitian, and your MD. Good health! For further information on our programs, please Visit Us @ EliKen Health,.

Insider Secrets Of Preventing And Reversing Heart Disease

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If you are reading this, it is possible that you or someone you know or love may need help for their heart! Here’s to a healthy heart!

EAT FISH TWICE A WEEK

Heart disease is quite uncommon among people who eat lots of fish. Certain unsaturated fatty acids unique to fish are thought to be responsible for this protective effect. Eat at least four ounces of fish a week. Best: Rich, oily species like bluefish, mackerel, tuna and Salmon, but before you ingest whatever kind of fish you choose, you would be wise to make sure that fish is not contaminated with any chemicals. Whether you realize it or not, our environment has been compromised over and over. What about fish-oil supplements? There’s little evidence that they’re beneficial.

ALCOHOL AND ASPIRIN

Study after study has proven that an occasional drink raises levels of HDL cholesterol (that is your “good cholesterol”). Men whose HDL is below 30 should consider having one or two drinks daily (one if you’re a woman). One drink equals a glass of wine, a shot of distilled spirits or 12 ounces of beer. A sip of alcohol or one drink a day for women, can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, especially when in combination with healthful eating habits, (more is not recommended) because too much alcohol raises the risk of other diseases that affect your liver or causes cancer. Low-dose aspirin therapy-one-half tablet a day-is proven to prevent heart attacks in those who have heart disease. Aspirin may also be beneficial for individuals at risk for heart disease. That includes men over 50 and postmenopausal women. There’s no evidence that preventive aspirin therapy is beneficial to people with healthy hearts. Word of Caution: If you’re allergic to aspirin, have ulcers or are prone to digestive bleeding, aspirin therapy is not for you. Consult your physician as to other alternatives.

CONSIDER TAKING ANTIOXIDANTS

Cholesterol damages arteries when it has been oxidized, via a chemical reaction analogous to rusting. Fortunately, the body has enzymes that prevent oxidation by “mopping up” the unstable molecules (free radicals) that cause oxidation. Three antioxidant nutrients – vitamins C and E and beta-carotene – give this natural defense system a big boost, especially when taken in combination. Sufficient levels of beta-carotene can easily be obtained by eating green and yellow vegetables, and vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits. But it’s hard to get much vitamin E from dietary sources, so start taking a daily supplement but research what quantities are enough for you, or ask your physician.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER SUPPLEMENTS?

There’s been much less research on chromium than on the “big three” antioxidants. But in one study, volunteers took 200 micrograms of the mineral three times a day. Results: Levels of protective HDL cholesterol rose by 16%. That translates into 20% reduction in the risk for heart disease. If your HDL levels are below 30, and it cannot be raised via weight loss, exercise or moderate alcohol consumption, ask your doctor about taking, chromium supplements.

Important Note for Diabetics:

Glucose tolerance factor (GTF) seems to be safer than the more popular supplement, chromium iodinate. In another study involving more than 15,000 physicians and researchers, it was found that those whose blood contained high levels of the amino acid homocysteine were more likely to have a heart attack. Homocysteine seems to damage artery walls and promote clotting. To keep homocysteine levels down: take a daily supplement containing vitamins B-6 and B-12 and folic acid.

MEDICAL TESTS AND LAB -WORK-UP

Your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar should be checked each time you have a physical exam. However, if you are diabetic, a blood profile and A1C should be checked every three months. Moreover, you should have an electrocardiogram with each check-up. Stress tests aren’t necessary unless you’re having chest pains or other heart disease symptoms.

Acai Berry With Heart Medications

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Can acai berry mend a broken heart? If the broken heart pertains to a heart disease that continues to be one of the leading causes of deaths, acai may help tame it before it becomes a full blown killer.

Heart diseases encompass a variety of conditions relating to the cardiovascular system. It may involve the ability of your heart to pump out blood, its valves, your blood vessels, and more instances that compromise the function of your heart.

Below are some of the most common heart conditions that warrant urgent attention:

Myocardial Infarction or heart attack
It happens when the cells of the heart die due to the disruption of its blood supply. The formation of cholesterol plaques contributes a great deal to the blockage of the coronary blood vessels. When the blood flow is compromised, there is no delivery of oxygen to the tissues, leading to cell death.

Hypertension or high blood pressure
When it requires more force to get the blood flowing, you get a high blood pressure. It makes the heart work harder to pump blood effectively to all organs in the body. Hypertension can be due to other coexisting diseases such as diabetes, kidney problems, arteriosclerosis, etc. Genetics play a significant role in primary hypertension.

Arteriosclerosis
It involves the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, and its ability to deliver blood to the organs. The arteries in this case have hardened due to the build up of plaques from fatty substances. This makes the vessels less flexible which makes it harder for blood to flow. When the plaques break apart, they travel in the bloodstream towards smaller arteries, where they may cause a complete blockage. This is how it contributes to heart attacks, stroke, and common heart conditions.

High Cholesterol
Chlolesterol makes up a part of the bodys lipids. It is vital to the structure of cells, and in the production of hormones and energy. When the levels go up, it creates problems in the blood vessels. The arteries are hardened and blocked. In turn, the blood pressure rises just to be able to push adequate blood for delivery to the organs. When the heart doesnt receive adequate amount of blood supply, heart attack can occur.

Heart Failure
The heart functions to pump blood into the body. When it fails, it doesnt mean that it has stopped beating. It just lost its ability to function efficiently, affecting all organs in the long run. The blood goes back to the lungs instead of pushing it forward. Breathing becomes laborious. Fluid accumulates in the dependent portions of the body like the feet.

How Can Acai Save You From A Broken Heart?

Acai berry (Euterpe oleracea), a superfood from the Amazon, offers hope for those with heart problems.

Acai is rich in fatty acids, giving it the oily feel. It contains 2 essential fatty acids called Omega 6 (Linoleic acid) and Omega 9 (Oleic acid). The Omega 6 is a polyunsaturated essential fatty acid that lowers both LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) levels. The Omega 9, which is a monounsaturated, essential fatty acid, helps lower only the LDL, while maintaining a good level of HDL.

Acai is also unusually rich in beta-sitosterol, which is a phytosterol that competes with dietary cholesterol for absorption, hence reducing blood cholesterol. The high fiber content of acai berries may likewise reduce bad cholesterol levels.

The dark pigmentation of acai is attributed to anthocyanins, which are potent antioxidants. Even in trace amounts, anthocyanins effectively protect against LDL oxidation. The anti-oxidant properties of acai help heal the cell membranes and linings of arterial wall and help protect the integrity of smaller blood vessels. This prevents the development of arteriosclerosis and the subsequent increase in blood pressure.

Free radicals can speed up the process of arteriosclerosis and aggravate ischemia (the lack of oxygen supply to an organ). With the rich anti-oxidant content of acai, the damaging effects of the free radicals are taken cared of.

Be careful when choosing among the many acai supplements available in the market. The juice form uses other ingredients and preservatives, with only little concentration of acai. It has undergone the irradiation which is something you may want to avoid. The pill form, on the other hand, contains 100% acai, without preservatives. It has not undergone any procedures known to harm your health.

Can I Take Acai Together with my Heart Medications?

With early prevention, acai can lessen your need for expensive heart medications. However, if maintenance drugs should be used, no data has been found as to the drug-drug or drug-food interactions with acai and the common heart conditions.

Be cautious when taking medications containing anti-coagulants or blood thinners because acai contains vitamin k, which exerts the opposite effect.

Potassium is abundant in acai, so you might as well be careful with drugs reacting to potassium:
ACE-inhibitors which are used for the treatment of hypertension. Examples are captopril, enalapril, lisinopril. Potassium levels may increase further with ACE inhibitors especially those with diminished kidney function.
Potassium-sparing diuretics like spironolactone, triamterene, or amiloride may increase potassium levels in the blood.
Heparin which is a blood thinner, used for the prevention of heart attacks. Potassium levels may be further increased with concomitant use of acai, aside from with the antagonistic effect of vitamin K present in acai.
Beta blockers such as metoprolol and propranolol that are used to treat high blood pressure can potentially increase blood potassium levels when mixed with acai.

The high amount of calcium in acai may create potential reactions with certain medications:
Beta-blockers. Calcium may interfere with the blood levels of beta-blockers and vice versa.
Calcium-channel blockers are a class of anti-hypertensives. Calcium may reverse the therapeutic effects of calcium-channel blockers, although studies are conflicting.
Digoxin is used to treat irregular heart rhythms. Calcium may make this drug ineffective.
Anti-cholesterol drug, particularly bile acid sequestrants such as cholestyramine, colestipol, and colesevelam, may interfere with calcium absorption and increase loss of calcium in the urine.

Anti-oxidants in general, are not advised to be taken along with most chemotherapeutic agents that act by producing free radicals to kill the tumor.

There are no documented effects of the above drugs interacting with acai berry supplements, only possible risks. Nonetheless, caution must be taken to avoid untoward reactions.

Obesity and Heart Disease

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We only have to look at a Titian painting to recognize that at one point in the history of Western culture, fat was considered beautiful. Before the 20th Century, corpulence was touted as a sign of wealth and luxury, largely because most people were barely surviving on a meager existence.

Ironically, now in our era of affluence and plenty, we have to contend with the health and economic problems of obesity. We have a population in North America that is more than 55% overweight. More than 20% of those overweight are considered obese, a situation which proves to be an economic burden on our Health Care system because of the coronary risk factors associated with obesity. In 2004, total national health expenditure in the USA was $1.9 Trillion or $6,280 per person.

Why is obesity a risk factor for heart disease?

Among obese individuals, triglyceride levels are unusually high, while HDL levels tend to be low; both of these situations are risk factors for heart disease .A recent study involving tissues collected from autopsies of 3000 men (15-34 years old) who had died of external causes (not heart related) identified an association between obesity and coronary atherosclerosis.

Abdominal fat which characterizes obese individuals is also an area of concern. A study of 1300 Finnish men (42-60 years old) suggests that abdominal fat is an independent and major risk factor for coronary events. Several reasons have been suggested for this: a) stomach fat is continually released into the bloodstream in the form of artery-clogging fatty acids; b) abdominal fat also releases compounds that facilitate risk factors such as atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and inflammation; c) abdominal fat initiates biochemical events that lead to insulin resistance, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Obesity is often a precursor to metabolic syndrome, a dangerous health situation that is manifested through a cluster of symptomsexcess body fat, insulin resistance, low HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels and high blood pressureall risk factors for coronary events. People with metabolic syndrome release immune system messengers called cytokines into their bloodstream. Cytokines lead to a communication breakdown between body cells and insulin which leads to excessive insulin production by the pancreas, creating a situation that is a literal time bomb for heart disease . In addition, this excessive insulin production can raise fibrinogen concentrations in the bloodstream, thus allowing blood to clot more easily, a situation that is a direct risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Because of their size, obese individuals are more often than not sedentary in lifestyle. Inactivity in and of itself is also a coronary risk factor. Data from more than 88,000 women in the Nurses Health Study shows that a lean sedentary woman had 1.48 greater risks for coronary heart disease than a slightly heavier but physically active woman.