6 Healthy Ways to Avoid Heart Disease Naturally

By Michael Angelo, Senior Editor on Friday, July 08, 2011

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America, Canada, England and Wales. In the US alone heart disease is responsible for 25 percent of all deaths. This article lists six of the best heart supplements and details how they help prevent and treat heart disease.
 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. Unfortunately, few people ever realize they have a problem until the symptoms appear. By then it's too late, and permanent damage has already occurred.

While standard medical practices include drugs, surgery or chemotherapy, there are several natural and less invasive methods that can help most anyone stay healthy and avoid the symptoms of heart disease. Even for those who've suffered their first heart attack, these methods can help prevent the onset of a second - and final - heart attack.

LDL and HDL Cholesterol

Doctors focus on cholesterol levels exclusively, though C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels are better markers for a future heart attack. Natural ways to lower LDL and raise HDL include taking supplements with niacin and vitamin B3. The best way is to start with 500 mg twice daily and work up to 1500 to 2000 mg daily. However, high doses of niacin can impact blood sugar control, so it's best to be under a doctor's care.

Homocysteine Levels and Heart Disease

High homocysteine and high C-reactive protein levels increase heart attack risks. While they're not checked as much as cholesterol levels, they should be. Sixty percent of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Niacin helps to normalize homocysteine, as does trimethylglycine. For optimum results, a dose of 1,000 mg a day of TMG is recommended with regular exercise.

A Low-Fat Diet

The diets of most Americans are loaded with fats and high carbohydrates. Such a diet promotes obesity and leads to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A low-fat diet helps prevent heart disease and can reverse the effects. A healthy diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables. Lean protein from beef, chicken and fish help as long as they come free of antibiotics that are found in meats on store shelves today.

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Today's food lacks the nutrient value that was common in foods fifty years ago. Many Americans are deficient in many essential nutrients that make them vulnerable to disease. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies compromise the immune system and lead to inflammation, a leading factor to many diseases. Supplementing is necessary to bring up the nutrient balance to the body.

The Heart and Free Radical Damage

Poor diet, the lack of exercise, a stressed lifestyle and a polluted environment all increase the growth of free radicals. Free radicals affect the arteries and speed up the aging process. Vitamin E is essential as it prevents the damage caused by free radicals. A good dose should be between 400 to 800 IU.

Stress Effects on the Heart

Everyone copes with stress. Stress can be beneficial. Unfortunately for many, stress is chronic. It leads to high blood pressure and many common mental disorders. The mineral, magnesium is lacking in many diets today. It helps to counter the effects of sodium that is all too readily consumed. It holds many functions, but one of the most important is in its ability to relax the muscles of artery walls to improve blood flow. That helps reduce stress on the heart. A good dosage of magnesium should be between 500 to 1,000 mg every day.

These natural methods can help avoid the deadly effects of heart disease. Naturally, before resorting to any of these methods, a health checkup and consultation with a naturopath can help prevent the symptoms that so many suffer today.

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What Are the Benefits of Taking Acai?

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Thursday, July 07, 2011

Acai berries have become popular weight loss supplements, but these powerful berries do much more than just burn fat. This article examines the clinical research conducted on acai and notes other areas of well-being acai contributes to.

Acai has hit the media by storm with its claims on its effects on weight loss. Does it really help you lose weight and is that the only benefit?

The benefits of acai berry are numerous. People of the Amazon have consumed this fruit for thousands of years, reaping the benefits of the many vitamins and nutrients it contains. As the news of its nutritional power has hit the United States, an increasing amount of people are discovering the ancient secret of health and well-being.

Acai for Weight Loss Support
Weight loss is on most American’s minds. It’s no wonder that most of the buzz targets how this power food can boost dieters’ efforts in losing weight. The good news is that acai does contribute to the body’s ability to shed excess fat by:

• Cleansing the colon to remove excess water and toxins
• Boosting energy levels
• Promoting metabolism health
• Being rich in carbohydrates
• Containing omega fatty acids
• Having low sugar content
• Containing more protein than one egg

So how do these points contribute to weight loss?

• Excess water and toxins in your body may inhibit you from losing weight because it interferes with the natural process of bodily functions. Eliminating these restrictions will cause your body to function efficiently.
• Since your body is functioning more efficiently, it will create more energy, which helps you burn more calories. This natural bodily energy, along with omega fatty acids, helps regulate your metabolism.
• The protein, carbohydrates and fiber content of the fruit prevents you from feeling hungry throughout the day, and also aids in the absorption of necessary nutrients.

Cancer Fighting Agents in Acai
Are you concerned about cancer? The acai’s high concentration of antioxidants, which the body absorbs, according to research^[1] by Dr. Steve and Dr. Susanne Talcott, helps the fight against cancer.
Antioxidants keep free radicals from forming. These free radicals are what damages cells in the body that could lead to certain types of cancer.

• The University of Florida conducted a study^[2] which found that the acai berry does have cancer fighting antioxidants.
• A study^[3] in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that acai berry extracts helped produce a trigger to self-destruct as much as 86 percent of leukemia cells tested in the trials.

Other Benefits of Acai Berry
Aside from the weight loss and possible cancer prevention benefits of acai, there are also many other health and well-being effects. The acai berry also:

• Regulates cholesterol levels and blood pressure
• Lowers risk of heart disease^[4]
• Lowers reactions to life stressor’s
• Prevents the aging of cells – making skin look younger
• Improves immune system functioning – preventing illnesses and diseases
• Regulates hormones that could lead to depression
• Improves sleep patterns
• Reduces inflammation
• Has a low glycemic index
• Provides essential vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, 19 amino acids, and anthocyanin or flavonoids typically found in chocolate and wine

How Much Acai Berry to Take for Maximum Health Benefit
The amount of acai berry you should consume varies on many different factors. If you are taking a multivitamin, or already eat many fruits and vegetables, you may not need as much as someone who doesn’t.

Many bottles of acai capsules indicate to take two daily. The wisest way to determine if this is the right dosage for you is to consult your doctor. He will be able to consider your lifestyle, your current medications and/or supplements, discuss the effects of acai berry and answer any questions you may have about this power fruit.

Sources

1. http://agnews.tamu.edu/showstory.php?id=764
2. http://news.ufl.edu/2006/01/12/berries/
3. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf052132n
4. http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/acai-berries-and-acai-berry-juice-what-are-the-health-benefits

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How Do I Know If It's a Food Allergy?

By Kristina Haralampopoulos, Staff Writer on Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Many people aren't aware of the nuances of food allergies and thus, live their lives without any knowledge of what is causing their discomforts. This article will help people identify their food allergy symptoms and give advice on how to overcome their allergies.

How do you know if it’s a food allergy?  What're the signs and how do you treat them?  Identifying the allergen is the first step, and if you or your loved one is craving a particular food constantly, it’s a food allergy.

We all want the food we can’t or shouldn’t have.  Like children when it comes to candy, we all naturally crave what we know isn't good for us -- including food allergens.  There are symptoms, visably and emotionally detectable, that signify typical allergy symptoms but that most people aren't aware of.

Some of the most common food allergy symptoms for adults include: hives, eczema, vomiting, itching, diarrhea, lightheadedness, abdominal pain, and in rare cases, difficulty breathing.  If you or a loved one experience difficulty breathing, seek medical help right away.

When asked, the majority of doctors can identify the most obvious food allergens -- for instance, peanuts, soy products, milk, eggs, or fish.  However, we all can become allergic to our favorite foods just by eating them over and over daily.  This is one reason why a rotation of diet is very important.  Not only does it give you the nutrients your body needs, it keeps food allergies at bay.

If you detect that you or a loved one has a food allergy, first thing's first, write it down.  Start a food diary so you can pinpoint the substance causing the grief.  Once discovered, remove it from the diet.  Supplementation is also important.  Within a week you should see a difference but within a month you’ll see significant changes. 

Children are different.  They have younger bodies, weaker immune systems and symptoms that can be seen in adults but are most common to children.  Some signs that a child may have a food allergy include the following:hyperactivity, behavioral issues, redness under the eyes, a red ring around the anus, a constantly stuffy nose, hives, rashes, red ear lobes, rashes at the corners of the mouth, gassy or abdominal pains and frequently clearing the nose.

I've experienced this firsthand with my daughter.  She was very hyperactive, and it seemed as though something was not connecting.  Even though she was very smart and sweet, I knew something was wrong.  She would yank my arm to get my attention and she became impulsive and easily distracted.

I know what you’re saying, she’s a normal toddler.  But I knew something was deficient in my daughter’s body, that it wasn’t her fault she couldn’t control herself.  At the time, she was always craving “junk” - the name we've given to candy and other sweet foods like donuts and store-bought cookies.  Even though she ate healthy, she still wanted “junk” all of the time.  I only allowed her three pieces a day and sometimes she consumed all three pieces in one sitting. 

After starting a food diary and writing down when she had reactions, I discovered that my daughter has an allergy to all dairy products.  It didn’t matter if I bought organic or not, anything with casein gave her this reaction.

I’ve since removed it from her diet and have her taking high quality supplements everyday.  She's doing great.  When she talks she’s not jumping from story to story, she's not yanking my arm and she’s calmed down tremendously.

The key nutrients I give my daughter are fish oil, magnesium, calcium and soon will be introducing zinc.  Within three days I saw a difference, but by the third week - the changes were significant.  Better yet, she still continues to improve.  She knows she has a milk allergy and she'll tell anyone who'll listen.  She’s always been a great little girl and now the rest of the world can see it too.

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DHA May Help Bipolar Disorder, Alcohol Abuse

By Michael Angelo, Senior Editor on Tuesday, July 05, 2011

A recent study suggests the supplementation of docasahexanoic acid (DHA) in the bipolar and those addicted to alcohol may help the afflicted cope better with their conditions. Although more research is needed on human subjects, the effect in mice was prevalent in the study's findings.

A recent study on docasahexanoic acid (DHA) at the Indiana University School of Medicine showed several advantages of the omega-3 fatty acid in mice with bipolar disease, mood disorders and alcohol abuse.

In the study, mice that were bred to develop bipolar disease symptoms, such as depression and manic response to stress, were given high DHA diets by researchers. Three weeks after the beginning of the experiment, mice were given behavioral challenge tests.

“The mice that were given DHA normalized their behavior, they were not depressed and when subjected to stress, they did not become manic,” said Dr Niculescu, one of the researchers in the study.

In a separate study, on bipolar mice craving alcohol, the mice given DHA drank much less alcohol and their alcohol abusive behavior was reduced.

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Recognizing the Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Monday, July 04, 2011

Most Americans are vitamin D deficient yet aren't aware of it. This article reviews the first symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency and includes insights taken from recent vitamin D studies and research.

Vitamin D deficiency could lead to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and rickets in children. While you may think sun exposure and drinking milk and other vitamin D rich foods are enough to combat these deficiency effects, you may still not be getting enough.

According to a report published in Scientific American, a 2009 study found three-quarters of Americans (teens and older) are deficient in vitamin D. Why are there so many people lacking this essential nutrient?

Skin care protection is one of the biggest factors in decreasing the most natural way to absorb vitamin D. Using sunscreen with as little as 15 sun block cuts down the skin’s production of this nutrient by 99 percent. A diet low in salmon, tuna, mackerel and dairy are also the other cause of deficiency.

So how do you know if you aren’t getting enough of this essential nutrient? Be aware of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.

Symptom No. 1: Depression
Have you been “down in the dumps” lately? If you’re not feeling like yourself and suspect that you may be depressed, you may want to consider your vitamin D intake.

People with low levels of vitamin D were 85 percent more likely to suffer from depression, according to a study published in the International Archives of Medicine.  Another study reported by the Vitamin Council^[5], found that Italian women with lower levels of the vitamin were twice as likely to develop depression and men were 60 percent more likely to.

Symptom No. 2: Fatigue
Yawning, longing for bedtime and grabbing a cup of coffee any chance you get are all telltale signs that you are fatigued. If you’re getting enough sleep but still feel sluggish during the day, vitamin D could help you feel more rested and alert.

Dr. Michael J. Breus, Ph.D. also known as The Sleep Doctor, points out a case study in which a woman had no trouble sleeping at night and woke up rested. But by the middle of the day, she would suffer from sleepiness. After testing to rule out sleep disorders and other medical problems, she started taking 50,000 units of vitamin D and in two weeks, she reported that she was less sleepy and fatigued during the day.

Symptom No. 3: Obesity
If you’re carrying extra weight, your levels of vitamin D may be low, further increasing the risk of illness and disease.

In a study published in the December 2010 Journal of Nutrition, participants who weighed more had lower levels of vitamin D. Researcher Zoya Lagunova MD, reports that it may be because their bodies are not absorbing the nutrient as well as thinner people. He concludes that obese people need to increase their intake of vitamin D.

Symptom No. 4: Chronic Pain
If it weren’t for your aches and pains you could do so much more, right? Well, consider upping your vitamin D intake to help ease your suffering.

• 1 in 4 people with chronic pain have low levels of vitamin D, reported by the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
• After testing 150 people with unexplained chronic pain and body aches, results showed 93 percent of them had low levels of the nutrient, according to a study by the University of Minnesota’s Community Health Care Center.

How Much Vitamin D?
The Institute of Medicine reports that most Americans and Canadians 70 years of age or younger should have 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D daily with an upper level intake of 4,000 IUs daily. Older adults 71 and older need 800 IUs with also an upper daily limit of 4,000 IUs.

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Win the Bout Against Gout Naturally

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Sunday, July 03, 2011

 Gout is a painful and oftentimes debilitating condition that affects millions worldwide. This article examines natural medicines and treatments for managing and treating gout.

Gout is a painful condition to live with – and one that can lead to irreversible joint damage if left untreated for extended periods of time. Many people use medications to lower uric acid levels and help ward off another gout flare up, but not everyone can tolerate uric acid-lowering medications. For those people, and others like them who choose not to use prescription medications, there are several alternatives to choose from for fighting gout naturally.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin that reduces inflammation^[1]. Gout attacks are caused by deposits of uric acid crystals that form in joint spaces and the pain comes from the body’s response to these crystals. When uric acid crystals form, white blood cells enter the area and release chemicals that cause inflammation and pain. Vitamin E is a great gout medicine because it reduces inflammation and may help to prevent joint damage during a gouty flare.

Selenium
During a gout flare, the affected joint becomes inflamed and free radicals form. Selenium is an element and natural medicine that helps reduce free radical formation and the resulting inflammation^[2]. Supplementation of 100 micrograms a day of selenium is ideal for maximizing the element's benefits.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps to lower uric acid levels so it may be helpful for people prone to gouty flares^[3]. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine^[4] showed that a greater intake of vitamin C was linked with a lower risk of gout.  Additionally, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights against the damage caused by free radicals.

Folic Acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin that inhibits an enzyme involved in uric acid synthesis. Taking it as a supplement can lower uric acid levels, which should reduce the risk of a gouty flare and the pain that is experienced when a flare up occurs^[5].

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish and flax seeds. Studies show they help reduce inflammation, increase bloodflow and thin the consistency of blood.  It's because of these properties that omega-3 fatty acids may be especially helpful for treating inflammatory conditions like gout^[6].  Although many omega-3 supplements come from fish, other sources of the essential oil make it possible to avoid fish products but still receive the full benefits of omega-3.

The Bottom Line
Prescription medicines are often more volatile than the conditions they're trying to correct, and gout medicines are no different. People suffering from gout should try any or all of the above methods for reducing the pain and inflammation associated with the disorder - any one or a combination of several could be all it takes to win the bout against gout naturally and prescription drug free.

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