Reverse Heart Disease in 24 days (14)

Hi there,

Two weeks in - time to conduct some experiments! Now before you go out and buy a lab coat, I mean it is time to try some variation and addition to your exercise plan. Try something new, something you used to do for fun and enjoyment. Things like dancing, roller skating, swimming, kicking a ball about, after consultantion with your responsible health professional as well as your exercise consultant. Enjoyable exercise leads to release of beneficial endorphins in the brain, boosting your emotional health and well being as well as reducing the effects of stress on the body. Stress reduction is likely helpful in reversing heart disease, so get some enjoyable variation into your exercise - starting today.....


To your abundant excellent health,

Dr Ike
Holistic Health Mentor and Functional Health Expert.

Sources:

Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article

Horizon - The Truth About Exercise (BBC, 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyQSzx0ofto

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 days (13)

Hi there,

It is time to move.... (no, not from your house!). I am talking about exercise, moving your limbs, your whole body!. A great body of research has revealed that appropriate exercise reduces the risk of heart attack by up to a stunning 50 percent!. Notice I said appropriate. There is no one size fits all approach to exercise. Fortunately, as more evidence is collated by exercise researchers, it is becoming easier for exercise trainers and specialists to plan individualised, tailored exercise approaches for people, as more tools and techniques backed by credible science and practical experience become available. This was shown dramatically in the BBC programme Horizon earlier this year.

In the programme it was shown that people basically fall into two main catergories - responders to high intensity interval training (HIIT) and non responders to such exercise training, and this was predicted by genetic testing. However, before you blame your genes and not do any exercise, a huge body of evidence has also accumulated that doing any level of exercise is better than doing none at all. The data in the programme was mostly for this one exercise training technique, where basically participants pushed themselves to the absolute maximum exertion for a total of 3 minutes (in 20 second bursts) per week had nearly all the health benefits (not the ascetic I hasten to add) and more so than completing 4 hours steady state cardiovascular training per week. The benefits were- glucose release from the muscle stores, and increasing insulin sensitivity by an average of 24%. Vo2 Max (the bench mark of cardiovascular performance) was also increased in around 15% of participants.

What about non responders, you ask? Well, they may not benefit much from HIIT, but as I pointed out earlier, an overwhelming body of evidence does point to some level of benefit for just about everyone when tailored, individualised exercise is undertaken. Seek the advice of your physician, a trained exercise professional and make sure you engage in exercise that you enjoy - that way you will stick to it. Never push yourself above your limit for a prolonged period, that is courting trouble....


To your abundant excellent health,

Dr Ike
Holistic Health Mentor and Functional Health Expert.

Sources:

Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article

Horizon - The Truth About Exercise (BBC, 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyQSzx0ofto

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 days (12)

Day 12, halfway to reversing heart disease...

Have you been taking vegetable protein? It is time to increase your intake - increase your legumes and pulses, hemp protein (NOT marijuana, this is totally different), artichokes, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, green peas, green pepper, kale, lettuce, mushroom, mustard green, onions, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress, yams and zucchini are some examples. Spirulina, blue green algae,wheatgrass, barley grass and chlorella could contain up to seventy per cent protein - higher than beef, chicken or pork.

Soy protein may be eaten by those who are not intolerant, but due to containing estrogen like compounds, I personally avoid (I would advise other men to avoid also, there are so many other vegetable protein sources) and should be taken after medical advice by women with either a personal or family history of breast cancer. Increase your intake of vegetable proteins, and watch your chloesterol levels (especially LDL cholesterol) plummet!


To your abundant excellent health,


Dr Ike
Holistic Health Mentor and Functional Health Expert.


Sources:

"Canadian Nutrient File". Health Canada. Retrieved 2012-05-07 - all data unless specified was computed from their database

L P Johnson, J O Reagan, K D Haydon and M F Miller The prediction of percentage of protein in pork carcasses.
J ANIM SCI 1990, 68:4176-4184.

Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/reverse-heart-disease-in-24-days/article

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