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

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (4)

Rough up your food intake - Day Four

Right, the fourth day of your quest to reverse or prevent heart disease is here, what do you do? It is time to rough up your food intake! No, no beating your food up, no matter how tempted you are! I simply mean it is time to take some more fibre - roughage.Research has revealed the more roughage you eat, the lower the risk of a heart attack. Fibre should be introduced gradually to help reduce the likelihood of stomach upset and wind - which could be embarrassing. Just reduce the amount of fibre eaten if these symptoms occur and gradually build your intake up, as tolerated. Whole grain bread, cereals like bran, oats, wheat bran - if you are not gluten intolerant, fresh vegetables and fruits, beans are all excellent sources of roughage, aiding elimination and detoxification. Try to ensure you eat between 25 -35 grams a day of fibre. You are now well on your way to reducing your risk of heart attack by 60 per cent. Just twenty more days to go......

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..... (3)

Hi there again,

This is the third installment in the series on reversing heaart disease in twenty four days, and today I will be talking about substituting harmful nutritional oils with beneficial types. Oils such as olive oil, especially extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil and palm oil can be substituted for margarine in baking. Olive oil can be used in salads, but avoid frying, as harmful trans fats are produced in the process. Remember, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats are all necessary for healthy nutritional balance and optimal health. For those who question the benefits of saturated fats nutritionally, there is ample evidence to support the intake of them here: http://www.stop-trans-fat.com/benefits-of-saturated_fats.html - also do some research yourself and see....

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

Reverse Heart Disease in 24 Days..... (2)

Hi all, today I am posting the second step, to be commenced on day two of the quest to reverse heart disease - as used and advocated by the Duke University Medical Center in the USA with great success - see my previous blog entry for step one. The second step is to adjust your fat intake. Aim for fat ingestion to be twenty five percent of your calorific intake. Increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids until there is a 3:1 ratio when compared to omega 6 intake. Eliminate trans fats like margarine from your food intake - these types of fats are highly dangerous to your heart and circulatory health. Monounsaturated, poly unsaturated and saturated fats are all part of a healthy fat intake. Remember that essential fatty acids cannot be manufactured by the human body and must be ingested if we are to have healthy brains and nervous systems, and indeed healthy body cells in general.

That is step two, watch out for step three in my next post. Remember, you can also use these steps to prevent heart disease - no need to wait till you have already had a heart attack or stroke....

To your abundant excellent health,

Dr Ike
Holistic Health Coach and Functional Health Expert