Anti-Aging Tips From Fountain Of Youth AntiAging Medicine Pros » Heathy Heart

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:58:37 +0000

Longevity and Cognitive Decline Several studies have found that selenium blood levels fall as we age and those with the lowest levels experience shorter life spans. One study showed a drop of 7 percent at age 60 and 24 percent by age 75. In one study involving 1,389 patients ages 60 to 71, it was discovered that, when compared to those with the higher selenium levels, those with the lower levels have a highest likelihood of experiencing cognitive and neurological problems. (Epidemiology 07;18:52–58) (Sci Total Environ 95;170:133–139) (Med Hypotheses 97;48:355–360)

Cancer Selenium prevents cancer. It’s been proven time and time again. One study involved 1,312 patients with no melanoma skin cancer. Half received a placebo and the other half received 200 mcg of selenium for an average of 4½ years. Those who took the selenium had an overall decrease in all cancers of 35 percent compared to those on the placebo. Prostate cancer decreased by 63 percent, lung cancer by 46 percent, and colorectal cancer by 58 percent. The effect was so dramatic that the blinded part of the study was ended early so those on the placebo could be told the benefits of taking selenium. (JAMA 96;276:1957–1963)

Other research has now found that increasing levels of selenium could cut the incidence of bladder cancer by as much as 70 percent. And it also appears that breast cancer is far more prevalent in individuals with low selenium levels—and supplementation could lower those rates as well. (J Surg Oncol 80;15:67–70) (Mol Carcinog 99;26:213–225) A study in Arizona of 1,763 individuals found that those with lower levels of selenium were more likely to have polyps in their intestinal tract than those with higher levels of the mineral (33 percent compared to only 9 percent). Polyps are considered pre-cancerous. (J Natl Cancer Inst 04;96:1669–1675)

Arthritis This is another area where there hasn’t been enough research concerning selenium. We do know that with inflammatory arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis there are consistently lower levels of selenium in the blood, and oftentimes a low intake of the mineral. Selenium is a part of not only antioxidant proteins, but anti-inflammatory ones as well. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, selenium can prove to be a godsend to many with rheumatoid arthritis. (Biol Trace Elem Res 96;53:51–56) (Ann Rheum Dis 94;53:51–53) (Semin Arthritis Rheum 97;27:180–185)

Most people should take of selenium supplement between 200–400 mcg/day. This has been proven to help in cancer, AIDS, and other conditions, on top of whatever one consumes in their diet, wouldn’t be a problem. Research consistently has shown these levels to be totally safe and effective.

ALA May Contribute A Long And Healtfy Life

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:39:31 +0000

There have been other studies in the medical literature noting rats that were fed a combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine actually had regeneration of brain tissue along with more youthful behavior and activity. Alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine have long been regarded as potential anti-aging nutrients. In addition vitamin B6. Researchers from Tufts University reviewed the data collected in a 2003-2004 Health and Nutrition Examination Survey known as NHANES. It was previously thought that B6 deficiency is rare in the United States. B6 has been linked to healthy heart function and immune function. It was found that in a group of over 7,800 men and women, nearly a quarter of them who did not take any supplementation had blood levels of B6 that were deemed to be deficient. In those individuals who took some supplementation, 11% were noted to have a deficiency of B6. Interestingly, in women who reported using oral contraceptives, they were much more likely to have extremely low levels of B6 in their blood stream.

We have been asked by many people what a good vitamin regimen is. Aside from one of Nutraceutical Sciences Institute® (NSI®) Synergy Multi-Vitamins we consume NSI Mega EFA®, an excellent omega-3 essential fatty acid product as well as with NSI's combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine and NSI Longevatrol® . This resveratrol and red wine polyphenol complex in a very stable Licap®. We also add extra nutrients, especially if there have been some recent favorable studies on them. NSI Synergy nutraceutical multis are one of the only multis on the market with alpha lipoic acid, not to mention effective levels of natural trans form CoQ10, as well as many other powerful antioxidants not found in other multis. In fact, the new version of Synergy NeuroPower® has 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid combined with 1,000 mg of acetyl-L carnitine, 200 mg of CoQ10 and over 34 other beneficial nutrients.

Why do other multi vitamins fail to include such important nutrients at effective levels? Some of the nutrients utilized in Synergy are thousands of times more expensive but also far more powerful when compared to the primary ingredients in other multis. Why can Vitacost.com provide these NSI products at such a great value? By being 100% direct to consumer with zero retail stores, VitaCost is able to remove the mark ups distributors and retail stores add on to the price of products. In fact, did you know the average price paid at a retail store is 500% more than it costs to make the product? Multilevel or network marketing products are even worse, the typical markup is 1,000% or more.

This is from an article by Dr. Allen S. Josephs "For Your Health" Newsletter.

http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=379&csrc=EM-FYH20080523:main

Vitamin E Can Slow Physical Decline

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:30:21 +0000

It’s been known for years that vitamin E helps prevent heart disease, stave off Alzheimer’s, and protect against cancer. This vitamin is also therapeutic for patients with high cholesterol, PMS, and Parkinson’s disease. Now, new research from the Yale School of Medicine reveals another benefit of this powerful antioxidant: Vitamin E also appears to halt physical decline. Scientists took blood samples from nearly 700 people, age 65 and older, who lived in Tuscany, Italy, and determined their levels of iron, folate, and vitamins B6, B12, D, and E. Over three years, they measured the study volunteers’ rates of decline in three areas: rising multiple times from a chair, walking speed, and standing balance. What they found was that people with low levels of vitamin E were 60 percent more likely to have declining physical function. Folks, this is big news. If a simple nutrient can stave off disability in an aging population, it should be recommended for everyone over age 60. You won’t find adequate levels of vitamin E in food sources, so look in your health food store for supplements containing natural vitamin E and take 400 IU daily.

More on Vitamin E Can Slow Physical Decline

Hot Chili And A Healty Heart

admin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:46:46 +0000

Chili peppers are one of the unsung heroes of natural medicine. Contrary to what many say, eating chili peppers doesnâ€™t cause ulcers. In fact, peppers have been shown to trigger mechanisms that actually protect the lining of the stomach. Just because the peppers can cause a burning sensation upon entering and exiting your body doesnâ€™t necessarily mean they burn a hole in the stomach or other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Even if you donâ€™t eat chili peppers, we recommend that you keep a large container of cayenne pepper powder around at all times. Itâ€™s safe and inexpensive, and has dozens of uses. Cayenne pepper works wonders for reducing blood pressure. One-half to one teaspoon twice daily mixed in a glass of warm water will often be like magic. If you find it difficult to take it this way, you can encapsulate it or buy capsules in health food stores but it's more expensive.

Start with 2 or 3 capsules a day. It also reduces the adhesiveness of blood platelets. In simple terms, it reduces blood clotsâ€”which are one of the major contributing factors to heart attack and stroke. A few capsules or a teaspoon of cayenne powder could be one of the easiest and least expensive ways to help prevent blood clot problems associated with extended airline travel which is known as deep vein thrombosis. It can be used to help open blood vessels and get oxygenated blood to vital organs immediately following a heart attack. Take a tablespoon of hot sauce such as Tabasco, or a heaping tablespoon of cayenne pepper, in a glass of warm water. Also, a tablespoon three times daily for two days following a stroke can help lower blood pressure while at the same time improving circulation.

Studies in Hungary recently found that consumption of capsaicin actually decreased the acid output of the stomach, while at the same time increased protective secretions. In simple terms, peppers act as an antacid. Capsaicin was also particularly effective at protecting the stomach from ulcerations caused by alcohol and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These drugs, cause injury to the protective mucosal lining of the stomachâ€”which results in bleeding. Capsaicin reduced the amount of NSAIDinduced bleeding dramatically. Researchers in Singapore compared the eating habits of 103 ulcer patients to those of 87 controls and found that ulcer patients consumed hot peppers an average of 8 times per monthâ€”compared to 24 times a month in the control group. Further evaluation revealed that eating the chili peppers reduced the risk of developing gastric ulcers by 53 percent. The fact is that hot chili peppers donâ€™t cause gastric ulcers. They help prevent ulcers.

Cranberries Are Good for Your Heart

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:54:49 +0000

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec, Canada have found that drinking cranberry juice can reduce your risk of several forms of heart disease. A group of 30 men was asked to drink up to a pint of cranberry juice each, daily for three weeks. The study was looking for an effect on the oxidation of cholesterol and the level of what are called adhesion molecules. The levels of both decreased significantly, compared to levels at the beginning of the study. Cholesterol in your bloodstream doesnâ€™t become a problem until it oxidizesâ€”at which point it begins to damage the lining of blood vessels. Adhesion molecules play a role in damage to the lining of your blood vessels. Reduced levels indicate an increased ability of your arteries to resist the effects of damaging substances such as oxidized cholesterol.

We have reported on the cardiovascular benefits of cranberry previously. This latest study shows that cranberries both strengthen your arteries directly an weaken the force directed against them. The protective ability of cranberries is due to their content of certain antioxidants. The compounds peonidin and petunidin resist breakdown in your body, and they are found in cranberries at higher levels than in other fruits. The researchers in the study gave the men a â€œlowcalorie cranberry juice cocktail.â€ Unfortunately most cranberry â€œcocktailâ€ drinks contain only about 25 percent juice or less, and are loaded with added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Youâ€™re far better off eating cranberries themselves, or getting cranberry powder in your diet. The whole berries are tart so youâ€™ll probably want to sweeten them with something such as xylitol. If you choose a powder, you donâ€™t need very much of it per dayâ€”just 50â€“100 mg combined with plenty of other fruits and vegetables is enough to do the trick.

More on Cranberries Are Good for Your Heart

Coffee and Green Tea Are Cholesterol Control Beverages

admin — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:53:18 +0000

There was an interesting small study out of Rome , Italy published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September regarding coffee. Ten healthy volunteers, after an overnight fast, drank about seven ounces of filtered coffee. Blood was then drawn 30 minutes and 60 minutes after drinking coffee. It was found that resistance to LDL oxidation significantly increased after coffee drinking, although LDL concentration did not increase. It's the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that causes damage. Researchers concluded that resistance to LDL oxidation was probably the result of phenolic compounds in coffee which have antioxidant activity. Another great option is green tea as it provides a large amount of antioxidant nutrients. Look for green tea with high levels of EGCG, one of the key antioxidants.

More on Coffee and Green Tea Are Cholesterol Control Beverages

Folic Acid Aids The Brain And Heart

admin — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:12:49 +0000

In a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it was found that after adjusting for other factors, individuals with higher plasma folic acid levels had overall better global cognitive function and better performance on tests of psychomotor speed. Researchers felt that these associations may be mediated by vascular mechanisms. In addition to this study there was a second study regarding meta-analysis of 14 double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trials regarding folic acid. The study concluded that high doses of folic acid appeared to improve endothelial function and as a result potentially promote good cardiovascular function.

More on Folic Acid Aids The Brain And Heart

Warning On Danger Of Diabetic Drug Avandia And Heart Danger

admin — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:56:07 +0000

Well the FDA has been up and down on the decision on this drug. We don't know but it seems that pressure from the pharmaceutical industry may be involved. Watch the video and read the article and decide for yourself. We are concerned because we care about the heart health of or readers.

Salt Restriction For Cardiovascular Health

admin — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:25:17 +0000

Cutting back on salt does more than lower blood pressure. Harvard researchers recently tracked the rates of heart attack, stroke, and death of more than 3,000 people who participated in two 1996 clinical trials on sodium and blood pressure. The results were astounding. Those who were assigned to the low-salt group cut their sodium intake by 25 to 35 percent for at least 18 months during the study and were 25 percent less likely to have had a cardiac event in the intervening 10 to 15 years than those who were in the control group and had not altered their sodium consumption. More impressive, the mortality rate among those who ate less salt was 20 percent lower.

It is important to note that those who followed the sodium-restricted diets tended to adhere to these guidelines in subsequent years. Now you should be looking for easy ways to scale back on salt. First of all eliminate processed foods since they are responsible for approximately 80 percent of our sodium intake. In addition, refill your salt shaker with three parts potassium salt (Nu-Salt or Mortonâ€™s Salt Substitute) to one part saltâ€”or use Safe Salt.

More on Salt Restriction For Cardiovascular Health

Does "Snaking" The Heart Really Save Lives?

admin — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:50:16 +0000

PCI, also known as angioplasty, is a surgery in which a catheter is snaked into the blood vessels of the heart, usually through an artery in the leg. A small balloon is then inflated to open the artery and a mesh tube called a stent is inserted to help keep the artery open. After evaluating seven years of results, the researchers found that both groups of patients had practically the same number of heart attacks and strokes. The surgery was also no more effective at preventing future cardiovascular events or at reducing the death rate. The only benefit of the surgery over the medication therapies was that it reduced the amount of angina or chest pains. (American College of Cardiology 56th Annual Scientific Session 2007)

One of the best therapies for cardiovascular disease is to change oneâ€™s lifestyle. This means quit smoking, increase exercise, improve the diet, and use proper supplements. Bromelain, garlic, vitamins E and C, and omega-3 fatty acids all reduce platelet clotting activity. And a recent study found that tomatoes do so as well. A tomato extract equivalent to six tomatoes was given to 23 healthy volunteers. Platelet aggregation was reduced significantly in just three hours and the effect persisted for 12 hours. It unlikely that you will eat six tomatoes a day, but including tomatoes in your diet along with products like low-sodium V8 juice, tomato paste, and supplements like the tomato extract Lycomato plus other foods and supplements that decrease platelet activity is a good way to accomplish the injestion of more of this nutrient. Remember that one of the biggest culprits that increases platelet activity and contributes to cardiovascular disease is sugar. We know that, in the long run, lifestyle changes and proper nutrition are more effective than the use of drugs and, more importantly, they address the root cause of the problems instead of just the symptoms. By correcting the cause, the opportunity exists, particularly in cardiovascular disease, to actually reverse the damage that has occurred. It is estimated that more than one million PCIs are performed each year in this country.

More on Does "Snaking" The Heart Really Save Lives?