Hi all,
Eleventh day - time to drink up, in moderation.....
I am talking about alcohol drinking, about 1-3 oz a day which is approximately 1/8th to 3/8th by volume of a standard cup or glass. Studies have indicated that this level of consumption can lead to a significant reduction in heart disease risk (20 -40 percent reduction), especially in men over 40 and and women after menopause. However, there are some caveats - there shold be no issues with alcohol, including binge drinking or alcoholism. Also you should not have hypertension.
Researchers are not fully sure how alcohol can lead to this reduction, but have put forward some possible reasons:
- increasing elasticity in blood vessel walls, helping blood vessel dilation and thereby reducing blood pressure.
- helping to reduce blood clot formation by decreasing blood stickness and reducing blood platelet clumping.
- Reduces the risk of a heart attack by helping dilate coronary arteries
- It may protect you from a second heart attack
- Red wine seems to be more protective against heart disease than other alcohol types like beer or spirits for the same levels of drinking. This may be because red wine contains chemicals called procyanidins which help provide the protection. However, people who drink red wine also tend on average to make healthier lifestyle choices - smoking less, eating better, for instance, so the evidence is not so clear cut.
So the message is (as you would expect) drink alcohol, especially red wine in moderation....
To your abundant excellent health,
Dr Ike
Holistic Health Mentor and Functional Health Expert.
Sources:
Corder, R, Mullen, W et al 2006, ‘Oenology: Red wine procyanidins and vascular health’, Nature, vol. 444, no. 7119, p.566.
de Lorgeril, M et al 2002, report published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2002, reported by McCook, A. ‘Light drinking may lower 2nd heart attack risk’. Reuters (September 3, 2002).
Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine
Emeson, E, Manaves, V, Singer, T et al 1995, ‘Chronic alcohol feeding inhibits atherogenesis in C57BL/6 hyperlipidemic mice’, American Journal of Pathology 147(6), pp. 1749-1758.
Hammerstone, J, Lazarus, S & Schmitz, H 2000, ‘Procyanidin content and variation in some commonly consumed foods’, Journal of Nutrition 130, pp. 2086-2092.
Mukamal, K, Chiuve, S & Rimm, E 2006, ‘Alcohol consumption and risk for coronary heart disease in men with healthy lifestyles’, Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 166, no.19, pp. 2145-2150.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 1999, Alcohol Alert, no. 45, October, http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa45.htm
Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article
Rubin, R 1999, ‘Effect of ethanol on platelet function’, Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research 23(6), pp. 1114-1118.
Zimlichman, R, ‘Arterial stiffness in health and in disease’, American Journal of Hypertension, vol. 17, issue 5, p. S139.
Monday 30 April 2012
Friday 20 April 2012
Reverse Heart Disease in 24 days (10)
Hi all,
Day ten - time to flax regularly....
No, that was not a typo, I am talking about flaxseeds. They are a powerful source of omega 3 fatty acids, which have anti inflammatory properties and are crucial for heart and blood vessel health. In fact, research has shown that when flaxseeds are added long term to your nutritional intake, it reduces your chances of developing heart disease by a staggering 46 percent, as well as stopping red blood cells from sticking together in blood vessels. In this way, clots are prevented, which could block blood vessels like arteries - leading to strokes.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your cereal or salad daily. It is preferable to grind the flaxseed yourself and refrigerate to prevent the flaxseed from going rancid - use it as soon as possible after grinding!....
To your abundant excellent health,
Dr Ike,
Holistic Health Coach and Functional Health Expert.
Sources:
Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine,
Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article
Day ten - time to flax regularly....
No, that was not a typo, I am talking about flaxseeds. They are a powerful source of omega 3 fatty acids, which have anti inflammatory properties and are crucial for heart and blood vessel health. In fact, research has shown that when flaxseeds are added long term to your nutritional intake, it reduces your chances of developing heart disease by a staggering 46 percent, as well as stopping red blood cells from sticking together in blood vessels. In this way, clots are prevented, which could block blood vessels like arteries - leading to strokes.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your cereal or salad daily. It is preferable to grind the flaxseed yourself and refrigerate to prevent the flaxseed from going rancid - use it as soon as possible after grinding!....
To your abundant excellent health,
Dr Ike,
Holistic Health Coach and Functional Health Expert.
Sources:
Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine,
Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article
Monday 9 April 2012
Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (9)
Hi all,
After a long hiatus, I am back! Without wasting any more time, let me dive straight in to what you can change on day 9 in your quest to reverse heart disease ASAP....
Change what you spread on your bread. Better yet, change the type of bread you eat. But first things first - do away with margarine immediately. Margarine is full of dangerous trans fat, a confirmed killer and bringer of heart disease. Stop using it NOW. Butter is a much better and healthier option, especially truly organic butter.
Contrary to popular advice, saturated fats are an important part of a balanced nutritional intake, and have anti inflammatory properties. If you doubt this, see the documented evidence for the benefits of saturated fats here: http://www.stop-trans-fat.com/benefits-of-saturated_fats.html Why not try avocado on bread? I find it delicious - and it contains beneficial saturated fats and other nutrients. Natural honey, preferably straight from the bee hive, is also another option. Also, you can make your own peanut butter paste rather than relying on shop bought peanut butter, atleast you know the ingredients then.
Now to bread. The best option is to make your own bread - it is quicker and easier than you think! Notice I wrote make rather than bake. I will go into the difference soon, so keep reading! But to give you a hint, think gourmet fresh...
Failing that, the bread should be as whole grain or as brown as possible. The browner or more whole grain, the lower the GI (glycaemic index) and so the healthier the bread is. Watch out also for sugar and salt content, as well as other additives. The less of these, the better. Make these changes, and watch your cholesterol levels drop.....
To your abundant excellent health,
Dr Ike,
Holistic Health Coach and Functional Health Expert.
Sources:
Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine
Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article
After a long hiatus, I am back! Without wasting any more time, let me dive straight in to what you can change on day 9 in your quest to reverse heart disease ASAP....
Change what you spread on your bread. Better yet, change the type of bread you eat. But first things first - do away with margarine immediately. Margarine is full of dangerous trans fat, a confirmed killer and bringer of heart disease. Stop using it NOW. Butter is a much better and healthier option, especially truly organic butter.
Contrary to popular advice, saturated fats are an important part of a balanced nutritional intake, and have anti inflammatory properties. If you doubt this, see the documented evidence for the benefits of saturated fats here: http://www.stop-trans-fat.com/benefits-of-saturated_fats.html Why not try avocado on bread? I find it delicious - and it contains beneficial saturated fats and other nutrients. Natural honey, preferably straight from the bee hive, is also another option. Also, you can make your own peanut butter paste rather than relying on shop bought peanut butter, atleast you know the ingredients then.
Now to bread. The best option is to make your own bread - it is quicker and easier than you think! Notice I wrote make rather than bake. I will go into the difference soon, so keep reading! But to give you a hint, think gourmet fresh...
Failing that, the bread should be as whole grain or as brown as possible. The browner or more whole grain, the lower the GI (glycaemic index) and so the healthier the bread is. Watch out also for sugar and salt content, as well as other additives. The less of these, the better. Make these changes, and watch your cholesterol levels drop.....
To your abundant excellent health,
Dr Ike,
Holistic Health Coach and Functional Health Expert.
Sources:
Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine
Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article
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