B-Vitamins Help Promote Healthy Arteries and Heart

A 2002 study reported, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation reported that a six-month regiment of taking folic acid, vitamin b12, and vitamin b6 can be instrumental in the prevention of recurring blocked arteries in coronary angioplasty patients.

The findings, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association are an extension of a clinical trial that examined the effects of combining vitamins on the treatment of heart disease. The treatment apparently works by reducing levels of homocysteine, and amino acid which has long been associated with heart attacks.

The original study involved 205 patients who were given either a vitamin combination of vitamin b6, vitamin b12, and folic acid or a placebo for six months. Over that time period, the patients who took the combination of vitamins showed a 48% reduction in the development of restenosis, or re-narrowing of the vessel, compared with patients who received the placebo.

The new study added 348 new patients, and extended the follow-up observation period from six months to one year. The head researcher, Dr. Guido Schnyder, says that this time extension is important, since six months to one year is the time frame in which restenosis typically recurs. Out of all the patients monitored, the need for additional bypass operations was reduced by 38% over the entire year. This shows that the vitamin actually prevents the development of restenosis, rather than just preventing it.

Dr. Robert Bonow, the chief of cardiology at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and president of the American Heart Association said that the results of the study are very encouraging, offering more evidence that B vitamins are very important in maintaining healthy blood vessels.

Heartburn Free Foods for the Holidays: How to Enjoy Great Food Without the Heartburn This Holiday Season

Ahhh, the holidays... a time of friends, family and for all too many people...

Heartburn!

If youre one of the 60 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux disease you know how one meal of indulgence can lead to a day or night of misery.

The problem is that during the holidays we allow more things into our diets than we do the rest of the year. We eat more sweet and rich foods, drink more alcohol and coffee, and quite often can pay the price with increased heartburn.

But be of good cheer, dear holiday party-goer, you can still eat well, have a great time, and avoid your heartburn problems!

The secret lies in knowing what foods are bad so you can limit them or substitute something in their places.

The bad heartburn foods come in two varieties.

1. Those that cause an increase in stomach acid, some of which can spill over into your esophagus causing heartburn.
2. Those that relax the esophageal sphincter. The esophageal sphincter is a little muscle at the base of the esophagus that acts as a lid that prevents stomach acid from entering the esophagus.

Here are some of the heartburn causing foods you should look out for this holiday season.

Peppermint

What candy is more associated with the holidays than the red and white striped candy cane? Yet, peppermint is one of those foods that relaxes the esophageal sphincter and allows acid up into your esophagus.

Instead, try a stick of red licorice. You can buy these sticks in bulk, or individually wrapped.

Chocolate

Yes, Im afraid its true; chocolate is another "relaxing" food that can open the way for stomach acid to reach your esophagus. Instead of chocolate, though, try substituting...

Just kidding. True chocoholics know that theres no substitute for chocolate, but there are people who are thinking of creative ways to make chocolate heartburn free.

See the resource box at the end of this article for a collection of heartburn-free recipes, including one for fudge!

Alcohol and Coffee/Tea

Between the office holiday party, Christmas with the family, and New Years Eve, alcohol consumption for many people sky rockets during this time of year. And, even non-drinkers can over indulge with higher than normal levels of coffee or tea (regular and decaf).

All of the above beverages can increase the acid production in your stomach and give you heartburn. Instead try substituting hot cider (in moderation) for the coffee or tea, and non-alcoholic beer or wine for your other favorite alcoholic beverages.

Hors d' Oeuvres

Spicy and fatty foods are notorious for generating stomach acid production, and no place are these foods more conveniently and neatly presented than on the hors d Oeuvres trays and tables at holiday parties.

Foods to look out for include cheese, salami, beef sticks, and, of course, spicy buffalo wings. Instead, stick with pretzels, apples, or carrots and broccoli dipped in low fat ranch dressing.

Brunch Food

Lastly, another meal that friends and family share together during the holidays--and one thats loaded with heartburn traps and snares--is brunch.

From the coffee, to the eggs prepared in butter and garnished with bacon or sausage, to the donuts and fruit juices, brunch offers heartburn foods at every turn. Even here, just a few modifications can result in a very satisfying meal followed by a pleasant, heartburn free day.

Here are a few tips for making your brunch selections...

Egg white omelets are better than those made with whole eggs, and if you like to have some sort of bread with breakfast, try a whole grain bagel with low fat cream cheese.

Apples and bananas are the best choices for fruit and, if you want a fruit juice, apple is probably your best bet there, too.

As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities for acid reflux and heartburn sufferers to enjoy delicious heartburn-free food this holiday season.

Simply, approach each get together or party with a strategy about what and how much you'll eat. Then, choose to avoid the bad heartburn foods and, most importantly, have a great time this holiday season!

Happy Holidays!

Heart Disease and Homocysteine

Are you aware that one of the most important indicators of heart disease is homocysteine? -1

A naturally occurring amino acid in your body, homocysteine can cause inflammation and damage to your blood vessels when levels become elevated because of a functional deficiency of B vitamins and Folic Acid. -2

Every week we read or hear about heart disease being one of the biggest health concerns facing America today. Most people have experienced this problem because they know a friend or family member with one of these health problems.

In many cases, they may be facing one of these conditions themselves.

Would it be fair to say you really want to take control of and improve your health?

All it takes is a special blood test (just like a test for cholesterol levels), to measure the level of homocysteine in your blood. It is NOT a routine test so do yourself a favor and ask your Doctor for the test.

Also this test may not be covered by your insurance however, because it is so important to your health - get it anyway.

So what is the normal range for homo- cysteine levels? Your level should be under 8, below 7 is even better for your health.

How you can naturally and easily keep your homocysteine levels in the normal range? One can accomplish this with a few supplements and better eating habits for life.

And guess what? You are going to feel better and gain more energy in the process!

The first thing you may want to consider is taking a pharmaceutical grade natural multi-vitamin which contains B vitamins (B2,B6 and B12) and Folic acid 2-3 times a day. Why should I take a vitamin 2-3 times a day you ask? Because the body can only absorb so much nutrition at any one time.

Most quality vitamins will only contain about as much of a certain vitamin and mineral which can be absorbed by your body at one time.

Because the body needs nutrition throughout the day, this is one of the best ways to feed your body what it needs.

Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10. Research has shown and proven this to be effective in fighting heart disease: -3

Slows the effects of LDL cholesterol to fight heart disease.

Inhibits formation of free radicals

Replaces natural CoQ10 levels depleted by statin drugs and poor diet.

Next, here are some great natural food sources to keep your homocysteine levels in the normal range.

Vegetable proteins do not raise levels like some meat proteins can so eat plenty of leafy dark green vegetables.

Legumes (beans) of all kinds which are a great source of protein.

Eggs are a great source of protein (the only protein with all 20 amino acids in the correct ratios for your body) and also a great source of Folic Acid, which helps to control your level of homocysteine.

Great sources of Soy like tofu, soy beverages, soy nuts.

Nuts - in particular - Brazil, walnuts, almonds, pecans and hazelnuts. As well as seeds like sunflower seeds and flaxseed, which is also high in Folic Acid.

High quality grass fed organic beef, wild game, wild Alaskan salmon and sardines.

Poor quality sources of meat protein can actually raise your level of homocysteine.

So as you have learned, you can naturally and easily help your body avoid one of the factors which leads to heart disease with these proven, simple and low cost methods.

And guess what? Just imagine how you are going to feel better and gain more energy in the process in a short period of time!

CRP And Your Heart

Monitoring your CRP level is vitally important because it is one of the best indicators of heart disease. C-Reactive Protein has proven to be one of the best indicators of looming Heart disease.

Find out why high cholesterol alone is NOT responsible for heart disease. And you will find out how to keep your CRP Level in the normal range.

Because your body produces C-Reactive Protein as part of your bodys defense like when you are injured, it signals your immune system for help. Your immune system sends out white blood cells and inflammatory molecules (including C-Reactive Protein) to the injured area.

This defensive system causes inflammation which is damaging to blood vessels and leads to heart disease. Because this is an continuous process, not like an ankle injury which heals and then inflammation goes away.

Elevated C-Reactive Protein levels are an early indication of inflammation in the body. When there is inflammation in the body, there is usually a problem. Realize this is why C-Reactive Protein is a great indicator.

Naturally you can easily understand that C-Reactive Protein is a better indicator of heart disease than cholesterol. A huge study on CRP backs this up.

The New England Journal of Medicine published A report where nearly 28,000 people participated in a study of CRP. Researchers in the study used LDL cholesterol and CRP to predict heart attacks and stroke.

What the researchers found was that CRP was a better predictor of cardiac events than LDL cholesterol -1

So what can you do to keep your C-Reactive Protein level low? In a word, exercise. Activity is the best way to keep CRP levels low. Just taking a walk is a good way to get your activity level up.

There are also important nutrients to help limit the damage from the inflammation.

Here are several nutrients you have heard of:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• And Folic Acid protects the blood vessels.

Two others you may not have heard as much about:

• Taurine - is an amino acid-like compound and a component of bile acids, which are used to help absorb fats and fat- soluble vitamins. It is found in meat and fish.
• L-arginine - A naturally occurring amino acid found in food proteins that the body uses to make Nitric Oxide.

You can easily get plenty of these nutrients through food and supplements combined.

Talk to your doctor about a simple test for CRP levels, it is like a blood test. It is best to keep your levels under 5 mg per liter, preferably 3 mg per liter.

Heart Attack Symptoms, Causes and Treatment: Small Lifestyle Changes Can Help Prevent Heart Attack!

Ask a few well informed people over the age of fifty: What are they afraid of the most? Four out of five would answer: Sudden death due to heart attack. Heart attack is becoming a common cause of death after the age of fifty. Heart attach is preventable to a large extent and we know how to prevent it. We also know that by these measures people have already brought down death and ill-effects caused by it.

Heart receives blood for its own nourishment from coronary arteries, the two blood vessels that are the first to come off the aorta and lie embedded in the heart muscle itself.

The important factors that accelerate coronary artery narrowing are:

1. Excess of fats and cholesterol in the blood: Fats are made up of different fatty acids and glycerol. Cholesterol is a type of fat. Surplus of fats are stored as such in different parts of the body. A high level of cholesterol in the blood, particularly if it is held in combination in the form of LDL globules, leads to irs deposition in the walls of the blood vessels. Coronary artery disease, blood cholesterol level, and the amount of fat taken in the diet usually go hand in hand.
2. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries through which it flows. With high blood pressure, blood vessels do not relax to receive the blood from heart. Hence, the heart has to work harder against this resistance. This strains the heart, so that it ultimately fails to perform its function of pumping the blood to all parts of the body.
3. Over-Weight: A person starts gaining weight after the age of 25, unless he does something about the food he eats. The reason is that, beginning at this age, the body starts to need less food because the metabolism is slowing down. Obesity is a disorder closely associated with other potent risk factors, i.e. hyperlipidaemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension.
4. Diabetes Mellitus: Diabetes may be defined as high level of glucose in the blood, so that some of it overflows into the urine. Usually it is due to deficiency of insulin. Diabetes causes a lot of complications, an important one being the narrowing of the blood vessels called atherosclerosis. Coronary artery disease is common in diabetics. Also, heart attacks in diabetics occur at a younger age than they do in non-diabetics.
5. Smoking: It has been suggested that Nicotine repeatedly over-stimulates the heart. The carbon monoxide absorbed into the blood takes the place of oxygen and hampers nourishment of the heart muscle and other tissues. The smoke damages the lining of the coronary arteries, allowing artery clogging cholesterol to build up and narrow the passage ways.

Narrowing of the coronary arteries is caused by a process called atherosclerosis. In this, the inner lining of the medium-sized and large arteries raises, yellow or has pearly whites streaks or plaques.

The bitter truth is, Heart attacks do not respect time, place or circumstances. These can happen to anyone anytime. So get moving and work for it.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

(NC)-Heart disease is a leading cause of death for Canadian men and women.1 Chest pain (a classic symptom of angina or heart attack) occurs when not enough blood is reaching the heart muscles due to the narrowing of the heart's coronary arteries or complete blockage of these arteries. Learn the signs of a heart attack and the steps to take if you or a loved one experience these signs:

• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
• Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms
• Chest discomfort with lightheadness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
• Atypical chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain; nausea or dizziness
• Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
• Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue

Not all of these signs occur in every attack. Sometimes they go away and return. If any occur, get help fast.

If you or someone else is having heart attack warning signs, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Speak to your doctor to determine your level of risk and to discuss what measures you can take to reduce the risk of heart attack.

Lowering Your Risk Of Heart Disease

(NC)-If you have been deemed at risk by your doctor, there are steps you can take to help control risk factors.

According to Statistics Canada, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death of Canadians, accounting for over 26% of all deaths.1 Despite this, there are a variety of ways Canadians can lower their risk of heart disease and ultimately heart attacks:

Diet and Nutrition

• Get your blood cholesterol level checked by your doctor
• Lower LDL (low density lipoproteins) levels by following a low-saturated fat and low cholesterol diet

Exercise *

• Become physically active for a minimum of 30 minutes at least three times per week
• Physical exercise may lower your risk for heart disease or stroke

Lifestyle Modifications 

• Limit alcohol consumption for overall lifestyle benefits
• Stop cigarette smoking, or at a minimum cut back gradually

Preventative therapies

• Consult your doctor for regular check-ups and for a prevention plan, especially if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, have had a heart attack or stroke, are overweight, smoke or have an inactive lifestyle.