Category: Heart disease

Long-term exercise positively impacts cellular aging

In an article appearing in the December 1, 2009 issue of Circulation: Journal of
the American Heart Association, Ulrich Laufs, MD of Saarland University in Homburg,
Germany and his colleagues report an association between long-term intense exercise
and a reduction in the shortening of telomeres that occurs with aging.

In an article appearing in the December 1, 2009 issue of Circulation: Journal of
the American Heart Association, Ulrich Laufs, MD of Saarland University in Homburg,
Germany and his colleagues report an association between long-term intense exercise
and a reduction in the shortening of telomeres that occurs with aging. Telomeres
are protective segments of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with cell
division. Shorter telomeres limit the number of cell divisions, and have been
linked with conditions associated with aging of the whole human organism, such
as high blood pressure and dementia.

Ref: http://circ.ahajournals.org

Editor’s Note: A recent study published February 10, 2009 in Health & Medicine showed that vigorous exercise may help prevent vision loss. For more related information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

Studies Show Benefits of Pomegranate Juice in Preventing Heart Disease

Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a leading killer of older adults. Pomegranate extracts work at every step in the deadly atherosclerosis cascade to prevent or reverse the damage, thereby extending life.

Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a leading killer of older adults. Pomegranate extracts work at every step in the deadly atherosclerosis cascade to prevent or reverse the damage, thereby extending life.

Ref: Nutr Rev. 2009 Jan;67(1):49-56.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Mar;53(3):322-31.

Pomegranate juice helps protect the heart by reducing inflammation, reducing LDL (low density lipoproteins), as well as reducing oxidative stress and platelet clumping,

Studies also indicates pomegranate juice has anti-cancer properties and helps lower blood sugar for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Healthy circulation is critical for helping prevent eye disease. For related information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

New Study Shows Cinema popcorn to be a nutritional horror

Nutritional analysis of popcorn servings at some of America’s biggest cinema chains has found mind-boggling calorie counts that may surprise consumers who think of the snack as a relatively healthy treat.

Nutritional analysis of popcorn servings at some of America’s biggest cinema chains has found mind-boggling calorie counts that may surprise consumers who think of the snack as a relatively healthy treat.

The non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest study compared some popcorn and drinks combos to consuming three McDonald’s quarter-pounders topped with 12 pats of butter.

At Regal Theatre movie chains for example, one medium popcorn and soda combination contained an eye-popping 1,610 calories and around 60 grams of saturated fat.

At AMC theaters, the second largest theater chain, a large popcorn contained 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat, equivalent at a pound of baby back spare ribs topped with a scoop of luxury ice cream.

The study said the high calorie counts could be attributed to the fact that corn was popped in coconut oil.

The study came out on the same day as new numbers in the U.S. suggested that by 2018, 40% of Americans will be obese. The most at-risk states for bursting at the waistline include Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Insufficient levels of vitamin D puts elderly at increased risk of dying from heart disease

Insufficient levels of vitamin D puts elderly at increased risk of dying from heart disease, based on new study recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age. The research, just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, evaluated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older. The study found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin, with approximately 1/3 of seniors considered to be deficient in vitamin D.

Editor’s note: Vitamin D3 is the form best absorbed in a supplement. See more information on nutrients and health conditions.

Can Eating Dark Chocolate Lower the Risk of Fatal Heart Attacks?

Researchers in Sweden have recently published a study assessing the long-term effects of chocolate consumption on patients with established coronary heart disease.

In the study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers followed 1169 non-diabetic patients hospitalized with a confirmed first heart attack between 1992 and 1994 in Stockholm County, Sweden. Participants completed a questionnaire on their usual chocolate consumption over the preceding 12 months and underwent a health examination 3 months after discharge. Participants were followed for 8 years.

Participants who consumed chocolate twice a week or more were almost 70% less likely to die from future heart attacks than those who rarely ate it. This affect was not found with other sweets.

Study authors noted that this affect is found with only with dark chocolate, high in flavonoids and polyphenols, rather than milk or white chocolate.

SOURCE: Chocolate consumption and mortality following a first acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program, Janszky, et al, Journal of Internal Medicine, Volume 266 Issue 3, Pages 248 – 257

New Recommendations for Daily Sugar Consumption

How much sugar can you safely eat in a day?

The answer is probably less than you think.

Although Americans are used to eating more than 22.2 teaspoons (or 355 calories) of added sugar a day, the recommended limit is 10 teaspoons, or 100 calories a day. A new study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association (AHA) gives consumers detailed guidance on sugar consumption by recommending an upper limit on added-sugars intake.

Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or preparation as well as those added at the table. This does not include naturally sweet foods such as fruit.

Excessive consumption of sugars has been linked with several metabolic abnormalities and adverse health conditions, as well as with a lack of essential nutrients.

The AHA report also noted:

  • An upper limit for added sugars should be no more than half your discretionary calories.
  • Most American women should consume no more than 100 calories of added sugars per day; most men, no more than 150 calories. That’s about 6 teaspoons of added sugars a day for women and 9 for men.
  • Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet. A 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 130 calories and 8 teaspoons of sugar.

The AHA recommends a diet that is rich in fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, high-fiber whole grains, lean meat, poultry and fish in order to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Juicing Tips – What combinations of fruits & vegetables would be best to juice?

Overview | Enzymes | Recipes

Juicing Tips

We consider daily juicing of primarily organic vegetables and fruits to be an essential part of any long term healing program. Juicing provides a highly effective and efficient way for the body to be able to absorb essential nutrients into the blood and cells, taking a little as a few minutes for the body to start utilizing these nutrients.

Why is juicing so important?

    1. What are enzymes? The basic key to the efficacy of nourishing your body is the life present in food and of those intangible elements known as enzymes.  
    2. Why not just eat fruits and vegetables for our essential nutrients? Solid food requires many hours of digestive activity before its nourishment is finally available to the cells and tissues of the body. 
    3. Can juicing prevent disease? Many studies point out that a diet high in fruits and vegetables does in fact reduce the incidents of serious disease.
    4. Do vegetables contain protein? Although fruits and vegetables do not contain large quantities of protein, their juice can be a convenient carrier.
    5. What are phytochemicals? They are substances in plants that are linked to good health and to prevention of specific diseases. They are found only in fruits and vegetables, and juicing is a great way to get them.
    6. How much juice can be taken safely? As much as one can drink comfortably without forcing oneself. Recommended amount of juice per day is at least 1 pint per day. Some healing centers actually do 2-8 pints per day for therapeutic purposes.
    7. Can I store the juice I make? Juices should generally be drunk when prepared, since certain enzymes and vitamins break down pretty quickly in sunlight.
    8. What combinations of fruits and vegetables would be best to juice? There are many different recipes  See more info …, but in general at least 50-75% of the juicing should consist of greens (spinach, kale, chard, parsley, dandelion, watercress, broccoli, etc.)
    9. Can I still continue to eat fast food and sugar products? These should be kept to an absolute minimum as they use our precious resources to breakdown and digest, offering little in the way of healthy nutrients.
    10. Should I use only organic products? In general, yes. By juicing all non-organic products, we stand the chance of taking in concentrated amounts of pesticides used on the plants, thereby negating the value of daily juicing.
    11. What juicer should I use? There are a number of excellent juicers.  We like the pulp extracting omega juicers that juice without generating heat that can destroy some of the essential nutrients. At 80 RPM (most juicers work at 3600 RPM and higher), it essentially masticates the fruits and vegetables slowly, preserving the most nutrients possible. The disadvantage is that the process is a little slower, and cleaning takes a couple of more minutes.

What are enzymes?

The basic key to the efficacy of nourishing your body is the life present in food and of those intangible elements known as enzymes. Enzymes are complex substances that enable us to digest food and absorb it into our blood. They are the body’s ‘working force’ that act as catalysts for many essential life functions, such as separating the nitrogen from the air we breath, so we may absorb the oxygen. They act as catalysts in probably millions of chemical reactions that take place throughout the body. They are essential for the digestion and absorption of the food we eat and drink … for conversion of food to body tissue, and for the production of energy at the cellular level.

Enzymes become sluggish at cooking temperatures above 118 degrees, and are destroyed at temperatures above 130 degrees (microwaves completely destroy enzymes in your food).
Fresh juices are a wonderful source of enzymes. Food which has been cooked at temperatures above 118 simply don’t have the properly functioning enzymes to allow you to enjoy the full benefits of their nutrients.

Why not just eat fruits and vegetables for our essential nutrients?

Solid food requires many hours of digestive activity before its nourishment is finally available to the cells and tissues of the body. While fibers in foods are essential for helping cleanse our digestive tract, the removal of fibers in the extraction of juices allows essential nutrients to be absorbed within minutes instead of hours, and with little effort by our body.

Do vegetables contain protein?

Although fruits and vegetables do not contain large quantities of protein, their juice can be a convenient carrier. Simply add some brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, or whole grains to whatever you’re juicing. These give you protein without the fat that meat contains, and protein that is quickly and easily absorbed by the body.

What to Juice?

There are many different recipes but in general at least 50-75% of the juicing should consist of greens: spinach, kale, chard, parsley, dandelion, watercress, broccoli, etc.

Sample Juicing Recipes for Specific Eye Conditions

Cataracts, Conjunctivitis
We recommend carrot, spinach, celery, endive, parsley, blueberry, apple – not too much fruit.

Glaucoma
We recommend celery, carrots, cucumber, radish, turnip, parsley, beets, cabbage, raspberries, plums, apple (not too much fruit).

Macular Degeneration
We recommend broccoli, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, apples, raspberries, leafy greens

Best’s Disease

We recommend daily juicing of vegetables and fruits (preferably organic) – some combination of the following: ginger, garlic, leeks, parsley, beets, cabbage, carrots, celery, spinach, apples, grapes, raspberries, lemon, chlorophyll, wheat grasses (not too much fruit). See the discussion of best’s disease for other points

Optic Neuritis

We recommend: ginger, parsley, beets, cabbage, carrots, endive, chlorophyll, wheat grasses, berries (all organic preferably)

Other Conditions

Peptic Ulcers – cabbage juice promotes rapid healing of patients with peptic ulcers

Urinary Tract Infections – cranberry juice is well known to help with bladder and urinary tract infections

Heart Disease – also well known is the beneficial effect of pomegranate juice. Antioxidants (compounds that limit cell damage by fighting free radicals) contained in pomegranate juice may help reduce the formation of fatty deposits on artery walls. The antioxidant level in pomegranate juice was found to be higher than that in other natural juices, such as blueberry, cranberry, and orange juices.

Resources
N.W. Walker, D.Sc. “Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices: what’s missing in your body?”
Michael T. Murray, N.D. “The Complete Book of Juicing”

Paul Pitchford, N.D. “Healing with Whole Foods”

Research on peptic ulcers & cabbage juice
Research on UTI & cranberry juice