Reverse Heart Disease in 24 days (11)

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.

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

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

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (8)

Hi folks - time to get nutty! No, I do not mean going mad, I mean it is time to ensure that nuts are part of your balanced nutrition. At least 5oz of nuts a week seems to reduce the risk of heart attack or heart disease by 33 percent. As usual, moderation is the key, with balanced nutrition the goal.Nuts contain mostly heart healthy unsaturated fats and are said to reduce LDL cholesterol levels. They also contain significant levels of protein, fibre and fat, helping you to feel fuller quicker, thus helping you lose weight, as you eat less. Furthermore, a Harvard School of Public Health study found a thirty percent reduction in type two diabetes risk - a serious heart disease risk factor - in women who ingested at least five one ounce servings a week in comparison to women who ate little or no nuts. Also, women who ate 5 tablespoons of peanut butter a week reduced type two diabetes risk by almost twenty percent.

So, what other nutrients are present in nuts? They include magnesium, manganese, protein, fibre, zinc and phosphorus. Some examples:

- Walnuts. One ounce of walnuts (about 14 shelled walnut halves) is all that is needed to meet the 2002 dietary recommendation of the Food Nutrition Board of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine for omega-3 fatty acids.

- Almonds. One ounce of almonds (about 20 to 24 shelled whole almonds) provides 35 percent of your daily value for vitamin E. Vitamin E may help promote healthy aging.

- Peanuts. Though often discussed with nuts, peanuts are actually a legume along with dry beans, peas and lentils. One ounce of roasted peanuts provides about 10 percent of the daily value of folate, a B vitamin recommended to help reduce the incidence of birth defects and lower the risk of heart disease. Peanuts also are an excellent source of the cardiovascular health vitamin niacin, providing about 20 percent of the daily value. Nuts are cholesterol free and low in sodium - useful when seeking to reverse heart disease. So get nutty right now .....

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

NUTS for Nutrition: Alice Henneman, MS, RD, Extension Educator University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension - Lancaster County, USA

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (7)

Day seven - the job is not complete, not yet. It is time to take at least nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Yes, I know you were told five, but now we are talking about heart disease reversal, so we need to turn the ante up, five helpings will just not cut it. Cruciferous vegetables like kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli should be a mainstay as these contain generous amounts of anti oxidants and various heart nourishing and repairing phytonutrients. So take your time in the vegetable market or vegetable produce section today and select fruit and vegetables to cover all the colours of the rainbow. Enjoy.....

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

Juice Yourself Slim by Jason Vale

7lbs in 7 Days Super Juice Diet by Jason Vale

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (6)

Sixth day in - and it is time to juice up! This is simple, quick and SO easy to do - but packs a big, highly nutritious punch, with numerous healthy benefits. Juice whole organic fruits and vegetables, waste nothing, all the benefits are obtained this way - enzymes, nutrients, minerals, vitamins you name it, you will get it. Experiment, have fun, create recipes, use fruits and vegetables of all the colours of the rainbow - red, green, violet, blue, yellow etc. Some of the numerous benefits?

Oranges for example contain folate which helps to reduce the levels of homocysteine in the blood - a known heart risk blood marker. Grape juicing releases flavonoids and resveratrol, both powerful anti oxidants that seem to discourage red blood cell clumping and artery blockage leading to heart attack and numerous circulatory problems. Vegetables like broccoli contain essential potassium and magnesium for optimal heart and circulatory health. Juicing is also an easy way of starting the life long process of increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, an crucial ingredient in your quest to living a long, healthy and happy life, while reducing reliance on animal protein for the bulk of your protein intake. Aim for up to eighty percent or more of your nutrition to be plant based. This is beneficial for both us and the planet called Earth in various ways. So start juicing up today, and watch your energy levels, health and well being soar!

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

Juice Yourself Slim by Jason Vale

7lbs in 7 Days Super Juice Diet by Jason Vale

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (5)

Fifth day, and I hope you like fish - especially oily fish. If not, you need a credible alternative, like flax seed oil or krill. Why? It is because omega 3 fatty acids, so necessary for heart and circulatory health - indeed the health of all the cells of the body - are available from oily fish like salmon, cod, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Cod liver oil is another alternative, and is available in various forms, including odourless capsules. So no more excuses for those who turned up their noses at cod liver oil as children! Remember, eating one oily fish serving a week can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by up to a staggering fifty two percent. It is time to bite into that fish and swallow - if not, make sure you take a proper substitute, starting today.....


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

Benefits of saturated fats http://www.stop-trans-fat.com/benefits-of-saturated_fats.html