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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Johann]
#158961
12/04/13 01:33 AM
12/04/13 01:33 AM
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Research: Lack of cardiovascular fitness kills more than diabetes, smoking and obesity combined
by Mike Bundrant
(NaturalNews) The ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygenated blood to tissues, coupled with the the muscles' proper use oxygen is called cardiovascular fitness.
Aerobic activity increases cardiovascular fitness. It involves using the larger muscle groups during sustained physical movement. Most physical fitness experts recommend doing some aerobic exercise 5-6 days per week for around 30 minutes per session.
And....most people don't do it.
Steven Blair of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out the lack of fitness kills more than diabetes, smoking and heart disease combined.
Meanwhile, in America, the Center for Disease Control claims that 80% of Americans are not getting exercise regularly.
It is killing them.
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global death according to the World Health Organization. Levels of physical inactivity are rising in many countries. This increase has major implications for health, such as:
• Around 3.2 million deaths per year, including 2.6 million in low- and middle-income countries, are due to physical inactivity.
• Over 670 000 premature deaths (people aged under 60 years).
• Physical inactivity is estimated as being a cause of breast and colon cancer, 27% of diabetes and 30% of ischaemic heart disease.
The simple things that can increase your life expectancy
Something as simple as taking the stairs or walking the dog twice a day can increase life expectancy by about half a year. It all depends on which statistics are more appealing.
Could it be that we enjoy feeling down and lethargic more than feeling energized? Could it be that, even though we know that inactivity is going to kill us, we just don't mind dying? After all, who is all that happy anyway?
For many who are diabetic, overweight or obese, exercise as simple as walking for thirty minutes a day helps to manage weight and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels by suppressing appetite and create the kind of calorie deficit that results in weight loss.
Improvement in bone density is inevitable and your heart volume will help decrease your resting heart rate. Lung capacity will be maximized, which is something that many smokers need to recover since smoking clogs the lungs and lowers blood oxygen levels.
Additionally, it improves mood and with better blood flow to muscles, energy naturally increases. In fact, regular exercise may be the most effective and sustainable, long-term treatment for depression on the planet.
One study conducted by Duke University in the late 1990's divided depressed patients into three treatment groups:
1. Exercise only
2. Exercise plus antidepressant
3. Antidepressant drug only
After six weeks, the drug-only group was doing slightly better than the other two groups. However, after 10 months of follow-up, it was the exercise-only group that had the highest remission and stay-well rate.
Understanding and overcoming the real barriers to fitness
Some of reasons people give for not breaking through the physical inactivity barrier are:
• Not enough time to exercise
• Exercise is not enjoyable
• No motivation
• Exercise is inconvenient
• Lack of support
• Lack of skill
• Travel too much
• Lack of facilities such as parks, bicycle trails of walking paths
Of course, all of the above reasons are only a smokescreen. We all know you can get a fine workout by lightly jogging in place while watching TV in your underwear.
The real issue is that 80% of us don't really care how long we live, when it comes right down to it. If you don't exercise regularly, you don't care if you die sooner.
This is self-sabotage at its finest.
This is why many experts reverse the saying when I am thin, then I will be happy. It really should be when I am happy, then I will get thin.
Sources:
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/1/1.full.html
http://www.cbsnews.com
http://www.who.int/chp/media/news/releases/2011_2_physicalactivity/en/
http://fitness.mercola.com
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#164507
04/23/14 12:05 AM
04/23/14 12:05 AM
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Eating Legumes Improves Cardiovascular Health
by David Gutierrez, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Just a single serving of legumes a day can significantly improve cholesterol levels and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from St. Michael's Hospital in Canada and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on April 7.
"Legumes are generally considered healthy, but there [are no guidelines] about their intake from public policy officials," lead author Dr. John Sievenpiper said.
Eat local, eat healthy
Legumes, also known as pulses, are a family of plants that includes beans, lentils and peas.
Researchers reviewed the results of 26 prior studies on the connection between legumes and heart health, including a total of 1,037 people. All of the studies were randomized, controlled trials. The researchers found that eating just one three-quarter-cup serving of legumes per day reduced LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels by 5 percent, which could lead to a 5 or 6 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
LDL levels decreased more in men than in women. Although the researchers could not explain this effect, they noted that, on average, men are known to have higher cholesterol levels and to eat poorer diets than women. They speculated that, because of these factors, men might respond more strongly to an improvement in their diets.
The researchers further noted that some participants did report objectionable effects to legume consumption, such as bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea. These symptoms tended to reduce and disappear over time, however.
The studies were not designed to explain the beneficial effects of legumes, but the researchers noted that pulses often play the same role in a meal that would otherwise be played by animal protein, animal fat or trans fats. As such, pulses may be displacing less healthy foods as well as providing a benefit on their own.
"We have a lot of room in our diets for increasing our pulse intake to derive the cardiovascular benefits," Dr. Sievenpiper said.
"Pulses already play a role in many traditional cuisines, including Mediterranean and South Asian. As an added bonus, they're inexpensive. Since many pulses are grown in North America, it's also an opportunity to buy and eat locally and support our farmers."
Legumes for your health
Legumes are lauded by nutritionists for their high fiber content, low glycemic index and richness in protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and other nutrients.
"It is a well-known fact that high-soluble, fiber-rich foods, like legumes, produce significant effects on LDL numbers and actually add to the cholesterol-lowering effects of statins," said Dr. Chip Lavie of Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in Louisiana.
"People should seriously think about adopting legumes in their diet. The LDL-lowering effect aside, it's a healthy thing to be doing, anyway."
Dr. Walter Willet of the Harvard School of Public Health said the study adds new evidence to the health benefits of legumes.
"[The study] appears to be a useful summary of the literature on metabolic effects of legume consumption and suggests that there are benefits, especially if beans or other legumes replace red meat," Dr. Willett said.
He also noted that legume cultivation produces significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than livestock production, providing another benefit to replace some of the meat in your diet with legumes.
In addition to promoting general health and lowering LDL cholesterol, legumes have also been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, legume consumption in the U.S. is very low overall. To eat the single three-quarter cup recommended by the study, the average U.S. consumer would need to more than double his or her legume consumption.
Sources for this article include:
http://indianexpress.com
http://abcnews.go.com
http://www.rttnews.com
http://www.tasnimnews.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#164602
04/28/14 12:21 AM
04/28/14 12:21 AM
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Low-carb Vegan Diet Improves Cardiovascular Risk Factors
by David Gutierrez, staff writer
(NaturalNews) A low-carb vegan diet leads to more weight loss and a better cholesterol profile than a high-carb vegetarian diet, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto, St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto), Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, New York Medical College and Solae LLC, and published in the journal BMJ Open in February 2014.
"A self-selected low-carbohydrate vegan diet, containing increased protein and fat from gluten and soy products, nuts and vegetable oils, had lipid lowering advantages over a high-carbohydrate, low-fat weight loss diet, thus improving heart disease risk factors," the researchers wrote.
Prior studies have shown that certain low-carbohydrate diets may assist in weight loss, while others have shown that protein and fat from vegetable sources may lower the risk of heart disease. The current study sought to examine both of these factors together, in the form of a low-carb vegan diet.
Improved heart health
Thirty-nine overweight adults with high levels of blood lipids (hyperlipidemia) were recruited from the first phase of the study in which all their meals had been provided for them for a full month, consisting of either a low-carb vegan diet or a high-carb lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Participants were asked to continue the same eating patterns for six months on their own. At the beginning and end of the study, researchers measured each participant's weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipids, including cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
A vegan diet is one that does not include any animal-derived foods, including flesh, dairy or eggs. A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet does not include flesh (meat, poultry or seafood) but does include eggs and dairy.
Participants on the low-carb vegan diet were instructed to get 26 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 31 percent from protein and 43 percent from fat; participants on the high-carb vegetarian diet were instructed to get 58 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 16 percent from protein and 25 percent from fat. Low-carb vegan participants were encouraged to eat soy and nuts, high-fiber foods such as oats and barley, and low-carbohydrate vegetables such as eggplant and okra. High-carb vegetarian participants were encouraged to eat whole wheat grains, low-fat or skim dairy and liquid egg substitutes.
All study participants lost weight over the course of the trial, but participants on the low-carb vegan diet lost significantly more (15.2 vs. 12.8 pounds). Their LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels also significantly decreased relative to the high-carb vegetarian group, indicating lower cardiovascular risk.
There was no significant difference in blood pressure, blood glucose or insulin resistance between the two groups.
"We conclude that a weight loss which reduced carbohydrate in exchange for increased intakes of vegetable sources of protein, such as gluten, soy and nuts, together with vegetable oils offers an opportunity to improve both LDL cholesterol and body weight, both being risk factors for coronary heart diseases," the researchers wrote.
Further research needed
The researchers did indicate some limitations in their research, suggesting that further studies are needed to confirm the results.
The study involved a small number of total participants and had a high dropout rate in both comparison groups. In addition, first author David J. A. Jenkins and other researcher disclosed that they had served on advisory boards or received money from numerous food companies, including the Almond Council of California, the Canola Council of Canada, the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, Kellogg's, the Peanut Institute and Quaker Oats. The study was also partially conducted and funded by Solae LLC, a food and feed company that focuses on soy.
Other funding came from Loblaw Companies Limited and the Canada Research Chair Program of the Federal Government of Canada.
Sources for this article include:
http://bmjopen.bmj.com
http://www.dailyrx.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#164648
05/01/14 10:47 PM
05/01/14 10:47 PM
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
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Blueberries: Superfood For the Heart
by Sandeep Godiyal
(NaturalNews) Blueberries are well known as being one of the superfoods prized by health experts. While it is important to remember that eating a well balanced diet is the key to good health, there are a number of foods that have been shown to have particularly promising health benefits. It is often that these superfoods have a particularly high level of beneficial components that are optimal in ensuring good health.
Blueberries top the list
While there are a number of tasty and nutritious foods that are on the list of superfoods, blueberries continuously top any list of that nature. Not only are blueberries delicious and convenient to eat, their antioxidant qualities make them the star component in the diet of anyone who is concerned about their optimal health. The antioxidants contained within these berries are known to help cells across the body fight off disease.
An innovative study
While studies in the past have shown a positive relationship between blueberries and a lowered risk of heart disease, it is sometimes difficult to tease out which foods in the diet are the actual ones that are making these positive outcomes. To address this issue, researchers in Maine decided to take a different approach.
Obese rats step up to the plate
Researchers at the University of Maine knew that obese rats show many of the same health concerns that obese people show. This collection of symptoms, often known as metabolic syndrome, includes inflammation, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and arteries and veins that have a reduced amount of elasticity. This condition increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and affects nearly one third of the adults that live in the United States
Because the eating habits of lab rats are able to be better controlled, they make the ideal vehicle to track changes made by eating blueberries. The obese rats were divided into two groups so the effects of their eating habits could be better monitored. Researchers fed one group what equated to two cups of wild blueberries while the other group received no blueberries. The study lasted for eight weeks.
Significant results after only eight weeks
After only eight weeks, researchers noticed a significant improvement in the ease in which the veins of the rats on the blueberry diet expanded and constricted. This elasticity helped to lower the blood pressure of those rats. The researchers point the antioxidants present in blueberries as the reason for the reduction of inflammation and, eventually, reversing the devastating effects of metabolic syndrome.
It is studies such as this one that underscore the need to eat a diet high in nutrient dense foods. In addition to good health in the present, such a diet can help ensure good health in the future.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/heart/art4198.html
http://health.yahoo.net
http://greatist.com/health/superfood-blueberries
The top six better substitutes for sugar
Top five ways to get more vitamin D in your diet
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#166845
07/15/14 06:55 PM
07/15/14 06:55 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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Processed Red Meat Increases Risk Of Heart Failure
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) There are some studies that point to red meat, especially processed red meats, as conducive to heart failure and/or cancer. Recently, perhaps the largest study focusing on processed meats strongly indicates a strong association to heart failure with even moderate consumption of meats processed by salting, smoking, curing, or using additives such as nitrates.
These include cold cuts, salamis, sliced smoked hams, bacon, hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, and those always accessible beef jerkies. It could also be said that even sliced turkey or chicken, and pretty much any processed packaged meats offer similar problems. Processed foods in general are causing most of our health problems.
This latest study was conducted by the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and Department of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences using a large cohort of Swedish men. Women are currently being studied.
The study's format and figures
The study started with 37,035 Swedish men 45 to 79 years old with no history of heart failure, heart disease, or cancer in 1998. They were given thorough questionnaires regarding lifestyles and food intakes, then followed up until the study's end in 2010, a total of 12 years. Naturally some of them died of heart failure before 2010, and their demise was part of the statistical evidence.
In case you're wondering how a study would be completed in 2010 and just recently published, consider the factors involved: over 37,000 men involved throughout Sweden, sifting through the questionnaires, checking all the medical records, and the statistical analysis needed to minimize other factors that would contribute or distract from the results.
You could say the tracking period ended in 2010 and compiling the evidence to obtain clear results ended in 2013. The study itself was published after peer review in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure in April of 2014.
At the end of almost 12 years and adjusting their findings by eliminating other variables, the researchers released the following figures:
• Heart failure was diagnosed in 2,891 men and 266 died from heart failure.
• Men who ate the most processed red meat had more than a two-fold increased risk of death from heart failure compared to men in the lowest category.
• Men who ate 75 grams per day or more of processed meats had a 28 percent higher risk of heart failure compared to men who ate 25 grams per day.
• For each 50 gram increase in daily consumption of processed meat, the risk of heart failure incidence increased by 8 percent and the risk of death from heart failure by 38 percent.
A gram is only .035 of an ounce. So 75 grams is 2.6 ounces while 25 grams is just under one ounce, and 50 grams is just under two ounces.
Many SAD (standard American diet) consumers chomp down a few of ounces of bacon or sausage for breakfast, eat one or maybe two quarter-pound hamburgers for lunch, and may often enjoy an eight- to 12-ounce steak for dinner, alternating throughout the day with deli meats and hot dogs.
That's 18 to 25 ounces a day of processed and unprocessed mostly red meats per day, or 504 grams to 700 grams a day (an ounce is 28 grams).
Quality and quantity are both factors
An earlier study focused on red meats in general and showed higher risks of heart failure among those who ate the most red meat.
But as usual, it failed to differentiate between meats from free range grass fed cattle without antibiotics and hormones and polluted factory farm CAFO (confined animal feeding operations) that are fed GMO soybean and corn mash while receiving injected antibiotics and hormones.
Controversial cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra pointed out the earlier red meat study fallacies mentioned and advises eating only uncontaminated, unprocessed red meats from grass fed animals with servings of 3.5 ounces every other day. He recommends buffalo meat.
This author grew up in a heavy meat-eating family and cultural environment and participated heavily, but eventually evolved into occasional Natural News contributor Hesh Goldstein's philosophy: "If it has a face or a mother, I don't eat it!"
Sources for this article include:
http://newsroom.heart.org
http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org
http://www.drsinatra.com/is-red-meat-safe?promocode=WEB14
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#167434
08/11/14 06:08 PM
08/11/14 06:08 PM
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Easy Way To Halve Heart Disease Risk: Run Just 7 Minutes A Day
by L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
(NaturalNews) Pharmaceutical advertisements have bombarded radio, magazine and television in the last decade like never before. Eyes and ears absorbing the propaganda send the messages to the brain, storing thoughts that could eventually turn into misleading beliefs.
These pharmaceutical ads paint a clear picture, instilling an idea that is easily adopted and believed. These ads can make people believe that their health problems are not connected, making them believe that each issue is a separate symptom needing a specific prescription drug. These ads inundate the mind with the idea that health problems are caused by a deficiency of a pill and can only be solved with the corresponding prescription.
Pharmaceutical propaganda disregards the power of exercise for treating both heart disease and depression
Inundated with pharmaceutical propaganda, people find themselves running more readily to the doctor as they look to a prescription for answers. Two prescriptions common today are unnecessary in virtually all cases, but they are prescribed anyway. These are high blood pressure medications and antidepressant medications.
There are over 144 million blood pressure prescriptions each year now in the U.S. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2005-2008 showed that 11 percent of Americans aged 12 years and over now take antidepressant medications.
There is one natural way to eliminate dependence on both of these pills, along with several others pills, and that is the daily practice of exercise. Running has been clinically proven to alleviate the symptoms of the depressed, because it releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria.
Run 7 minutes a day, throw the pills away, and still cut heart disease risk in half
In a new study from Iowa University, the University of South Carolina and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, researchers examined the benefit that running had on slashing heart disease risk. They looked at the lives of 55,137 adults between ages 18 and 100.
What they found is an encouragement to anyone of any age, suffering from any sort of circulatory problem. Runners had a 30 percent lower risk of death across the board. Even better, daily runners had a 45 percent lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke.
The most remarkable aspect of the study was the average running time needed to obtain the positive results; heart disease risk was nearly cut in half for runners who ran just seven minutes a day!
Exercising doesn't have to be time-consuming each day. Just 420 seconds of running can make all the difference in one's quality of life, allowing them to be free of mind from needing blood pressure medications and antidepressant prescriptions.
Runners live three years longer; consistent running halves heart disease risk
The researchers also proved that regular runners lived three years longer on average than non-runners.
The participants in the study were followed over a period of 15 years. Approximately 3,000 of the participants died during that time. Over a third of the deaths (1,217) were related to heart disease and stroke.
Fewer than 25 percent of the participants were daily runners. This group ran for less than 51 minutes per week, or just seven minutes a day, and ultimately had a 30 percent lower risk of death from all causes.
It didn't matter if participants ran 51 minutes or 3 hours per week. Risk of death was reduced at the same rate, regardless. This is hope for anyone who thinks that there isn't enough time to exercise each day.
Just seven minutes a day did the trick.
The greatest benefit was seen in runners who ran regularly for six years in a row. They effectively reduced their risk of death from heart disease or stroke by 50 percent!
Sources for this article include:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.foxnews.com
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#168162
09/17/14 05:20 PM
09/17/14 05:20 PM
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How Fruit Can Naturally Reduce Your Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
by J. Anderson
(NaturalNews) An apple a day can help keep cardiovascular disease (CVD) away. In fact, a seven year study out of China indicates that you can cut your risk of CVD by up to 40% by eating a piece of fruit every single day, and the more you eat the more you can reduce your disk of cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease (stroke and ischemic heart disease) is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. Compared to the United States where ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of CVD death, stroke is the leading CVD cause of death in China.
The Study
The seven year study looked at half a million participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank who had no history of CVD. Over the 7 years of the study, it was found that 18% of the participants ate fruit daily while 6.3% never ate fruit (the average portion a day was 1.5 or 150grams). Compared to the people who never consumed fruit, people who ate fruit daily had significantly lower blood pressure and decreased risk of CVD by 25-40%.
In a separate analysis, the team found that those that ate fruit daily compared to those that never consumed fruit reduced their overall risk of death by 32%. Dr. Huaidong Du from Oxford, UK explained, "Our data clearly shows that eating fresh fruit can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including ischaemic heart disease and stroke (particularly haemorrhagic stroke). And not only that, the more fruit you eat the more your CVD risk goes down. It does suggest that eating more fruit is beneficial compared to less or no fruit."
Preventing CVD
Along with reducing the amount of hydrogenated fats and sugars you consume and increasing your omega-3 fatty acid consumption, fruit has been previously implicated in helping to prevent CVD. In a 2009 study it was found that eating 2-3 kiwi fruits a day can help significantly reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol while raising HDL, also known as "good" cholesterol. The researchers believed this was due to its very high antioxidant concentration.
Likewise, it was found in a study published in the American Heart Association journal, that men who skipped breakfast and instead ate larger meals at night had a higher risk of coronary artery disease. This was hypothesized to be due to some adverse metabolic effects caused by altering the metabolic repair process.
Conclusion
It seems that fruit (along with a healthy diet lacking hydrogenated oils, sugars...etc) can be an easy, healthy, natural way to help decrease your risk of CVD. The team from the China Kadoorie Biobank study said, "Our results show the benefit of eating fruit in the healthy general population and in patients with CVD and hypertension. Fruit consumption is an effective way to cut CVD risk and should not only be regarded as 'might be useful'."
Sources for this article include:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
Note: Be sure to purchase organic apples if possible.
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#170852
12/25/14 12:15 AM
12/25/14 12:15 AM
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OP
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Leafy Green Vegetables Improve Heart Function and Reduce Diabetes and Obesity Risk
by Jennifer Lilley
(NaturalNews) Three independent studies have linked leafy green vegetables to reduced health risks associated with obesity, diabetes and heart complications, reinforcing the benefits of consuming a diet rich in such foods.
In particular, the scientists involved in these University of Southampton and Cambridge studies point to nitrate as a key factor that makes these vegetables so effective.
According to Dr. Andrew Murray of the University of Cambridge, "There have been a great many findings demonstrating a role for nitrate in reducing blood pressure and regulating the body's metabolism. These studies represent three further ways in which simple changes in the diet can modify people's risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity as well as potentially alleviating symptoms of existing cardiovascular conditions to achieve an overall healthier life."(1)
Dr. Murray worked on all three of the studies.
Leafy greens helpful in preventing heart attack and stroke
For the first study, which was published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, experts delved into the role that nitrate-rich vegetables play in the amount of red blood cells people have, which provides more of an understanding about oxygen transport in the body as well as blood viscosity. Consumption of leafy green vegetables such as nitrate-containing spinach allows for a reduction in the production of a hormone called erythropoietin, which determines the behavior of the aforementioned bodily occurrences.(2)
It's important to maintain a balance of this hormone, since too much of it can wreak havoc on the body. For example, excessive amounts of blood cells can cause death and altitude sickness, while too-thick blood is most commonly associated with heart problems due to oxygen deprivation in areas that it can't easily pass through such as small blood vessels. Therefore, the researchers maintain that reducing blood thickness also reduces the risk of clot formations that may lead to heart attack and stroke.
The journal states, "Suppression of hepatic erythropoietin expression by nitrate may thus act to decrease blood viscosity while matching oxygen supply to demand, whereas renal oxygen sensing could act as a brake, averting a potentially detrimental fall in hematocrit."(2)
The connection between leafy green consumption and better blood flow
The second study bolstered the finding of nitrate's health benefits, noting that leafy greens are an effective way to help the heart pump with more efficiency.
This study, published in The Journal of Physiology, outlines that nitrate in the diet protects the heart and improves overall blood flow. Some of the key points from this journal state that "nitrate supplementation suppresses cardiac arginase expression and increases tissue L-arginine levels under both hypoxic and normoxic conditions" and that "Nitrate supplementation may thus be of benefit to individuals exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at altitude or in patients with diseases characterised by tissue hypoxia and energetic impairment, such as heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or in the critically ill."(3)
Fight fat cells, reduce diabetes risk by eating more greens
Obesity was the focus of the third study, which was published in Diabetes.
Researchers discovered that nitrate has the potential to help convert "bad" fat cells, which are white, into beige cells which are similar to the "good" brown fat cells that work to reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes risks. "Since resulting beige/brite cells exhibit anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects," the study notes, "nitrate may be an effective means of inducing the browning response in adipose tissue to treat the metabolic syndrome."(4)
Nitrate-rich foods include spinach, parsley and lettuce.(5)
Sources:
(1) http://www.southampton.ac.uk
(2) http://www.fasebj.org
(3) http://jp.physoc.org
(4) http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org
(5) http://www.nhs.uk
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#172402
03/12/15 06:40 PM
03/12/15 06:40 PM
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Reduce women's heart disease by staying active just 2-3 times per week
by J. Anderson
(NaturalNews) We all know that being active can help increase our heart health and overall health, but how much is enough? It seems that simply staying active 2-3 times a week can help middle-aged women reduce their risk of stroke, heart disease, and even blood clots when compared to inactive women.
As we age, we tend to become more sedentary, which can lead to decreasing bone density and muscle mass. This is especially true in women who have a greater risk of osteoporosis and decreased muscle strength. But the simple act of just staying active 2-3 times a week can negate some of these adverse outcomes.
The study
The research which was published in the journal Circulation - an American Heart Association publication - looked at 1.1 million women in the United Kingdom. These women had no history of heart disease or cancer with an average age of 56 years old. During the study the women reported their activity levels at the beginning of the study and then three years later. The researchers then on average followed up with the participants 9 years later and looked at their hospital admissions and death records to compare the responses.
What they found was that the women who perform "strenuous" activity (enough to increase heart rate and induce sweating) such as cycling, hiking, and gardening at least 2-3 times a week had a 20 percent reduction in stroke, heart disease, and blood clots compared to the women who didn't. What was surprising was that there were no increased benefits from a higher activity level.
Health benefits of staying active
As we age, there are numerous health benefits that come with staying active. For instance, weekly strength training can help burn calories and can therefore be helpful in controlling your weight. It can also build muscle, improve your strength, improve your quality of life, etc. It can even help fight osteoporosis.
By performing 2-3 full-body strength training workouts a week, women (and men) can help improve their bone density (any of these exercises http://alwaysactiveathletics.com would work). This is because weight-bearing exercise likes strength training, hiking, dancing, and jogging all cause our bones to reinforce themselves - improving our bone density! [As with any exercise program, consult your doctor before beginning.]
Wrap-up
As we age, it is important for all of us to stay active. Even as little as 2 or 3 activity sessions a week are enough to witness remarkable results. When it comes to helping women improve their heart health, Dr. Miranda Armstrong, lead author of the study, said, "Inactive middle-aged women should try to do some activity regularly. However, to prevent heart disease, stroke and blood clots, our results suggest that women don't need to do very frequent activity as this seems to provide little additional benefit above that from moderately frequent activity." The main point: start getting active to improve your health - a little goes a long way!
Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
Suzanne
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Re: HEART DISEASE
[Re: Suzanne]
#175967
08/10/15 06:57 PM
08/10/15 06:57 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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Vitamin C For Heart Disease - Shown To Greatly Reduce Risk Of World's Number One Cause Of Death
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) It's the leading cause of death worldwide, but heart disease has an enemy in vitamin C, according to new research out of Denmark. Scientists from the University of Copenhagen and Herlev and Gentofte Hospital found that the risk of suffering cardiovascular disease and early death is reduced as blood levels of vitamin C are increased.
Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), their paper draws from the Copenhagen General Population Study, which includes nutrition data on roughly 100,000 Danes. After looking at fruit and vegetable intake and comparing it to both DNA and health outcomes, the team came to some interesting conclusions about the role of vitamin C in preventing heart disease.
"We can see that those with the highest intake of fruit and vegetables have a 15 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 20 percent lower risk of early death compared with those who very rarely eat fruit and vegetables," stated Camilla Kobylecki, a medical doctor and Ph.D. student at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital's Department of Clinical Biochemistry.
"At the same time, we can see that the reduced risk is related to high vitamin C concentrations in the blood from the fruit and vegetables."
Vitamin C repairs connective tissue, mitigates oxidative stress, and prevents disease
This discovery highlights some important characteristics of vitamin C, including its ability to build and repair connective tissue throughout the body and inside the vital organs. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells and biological molecules from oxidative damage, which is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses.
Natural vitamin C from food is obviously the best choice, with citrus fruits containing some of the highest levels among common produce. Acerola cherry and camu camu berry are also rich in vitamin C, containing some of the highest levels of vitamin C among all known foods.
"We know that fruit and vegetables are healthy, but now our research is pinpointing more precisely why this is so," added Boerge Nordestgaard, a clinical professor at the University of Copenhagen and consultant at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital.
"Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is a natural way of increasing vitamin C blood levels, which in the long term may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death. You can get vitamin C supplements, but it is a good idea to get your vitamin C by eating a healthy diet, which will at the same time help you to develop a healthier lifestyle in the long term, for the general benefit of your health."
Vitamin C acts as a powerful cofactor in many bodily functions, including nutrient synthesis
The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University (OSU) is a storehouse of scientific information about vitamin C. This nutrient functions as an essential cofactor in an array of enzymatic reactions, reveals data published by the institute, meaning it aids in the synthesis of other nutrients that the body uses to protect against disease.
"Inside our bodies, vitamin C functions as an essential cofactor in numerous enzymatic reactions, e.g., in the biosynthesis of collagen, carnitine, and catecholamines, and as a potent antioxidant," explains the institute.
"Prospective cohort studies indicate that higher intakes of vitamin C from either diet or supplements are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease and stroke."
To learn more about vitamin C and its role in human health, be sure to check out the work of the Linus Pauling Institute:
lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C
Sources:
http://www.eurekalert.org
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu
Suzanne
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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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