New research shows grapes reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes

New research shows grapes reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes
by S. L. Baker, features writer
NaturalNews
Thursday, May 06, 2010

The millions of Americans with heart disease and type 2 diabetes didn't develop these diseases out of the blue. Their disorders are the result of a cascade of problems including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, abdominal fat and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Now University of Michigan (U-M) scientists say they've found something that could help put the brakes on this downward spiral of ill health. It's not a new drug but a delicious and easy lifestyle change: just eat grapes.

The U-M research findings, announced April 26th at the Experimental Biology convention held in Anaheim, California, showed grape consumption lowered blood pressure, improved heart function and reduced other risk factors for heart disease and metabolic syndrome, a condition affecting an estimated 50 million Americans that often leads to type 2 diabetes. The scientists stated the beneficial effects of grapes appear to be due to the rich supply of phytochemicals in the fruit.

Continue reading: http://www.naturalnews.com/028731_grapes_diabetes.html

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Some Vital Statistics from Diet for a New America

Photo: sadhu (hindu holy man) with cow - orchha (india) by Tristan Savatier
(please see or buy his beautiful prints)

Some Facts From Diet for a New America
t by John Robbins, © 1989.

# of humans who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by US livestock: 1.3 billion

% of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90

Lbs of grain and soybeans needed to produce 1 lb of feedlot beef: 16

# of children who starve to death every day: 40,000

# of vegetarians who can be fed on land needed to feed 1 meat-eating person: 20

# of people who will starve to death this year: 60 million

# of people who could be adequately fed by the grain saved if Americans reduced their grain intake by 10 %: 60 million

User of more than 1/2 of all water used in the US: Livestock production

Water needed to produce 1 pound of wheat: 25 gallons

Water needed to produce 1 pound of meat: 2,500 gallons

Cost of hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by US taxpayers: $35 per pound

# of US medical schools: 125

# of US medical schools with a required course in nutrition: 30

Training in nutrition received by average US physician during 4 years of medical school: 2.5 hours

How frequently a heart attack strikes in US: every 25 seconds

How frequently a heart attack kills in US: every 45 seconds

Most common cause of death in US: heart attack

Risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50 %

Risk of death from heart attack by average American pure vegetarian man: 4 %

Amount you reduce heart attack risk by reducing consumption of meat, dairy products and eggs by 50%: 45 %

Amount you reduce heart attack risk by eliminating consumption of meat, dairy products, and eggs: 90 %

Rise in blood cholesterol from consuming 1 egg per day: 12 %

Rise in heart attack risk from 12 percent rise in blood cholesterol: 24 %

Hollywood celebrity paid by Meat Board to tout beef as "Real food for real people": James Garner

Medical event experienced by James Garner in April 1988: Quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery

Pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by meat: 55 %

Pesticide residues in US diet supplied by vegetables, fruits, and grains: 11 %

% of US mother's milk containing significant levels of DDT: 99 %

% of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues in American diet contributable to meats, dairy products, fish, and eggs: 94 %

Original actor to play Ronald McDonald: Jeff Juliano

Diet now followed by Jeff Juliano: Vegetarian

% of total antibiotics used in US fed routinely to livestock: 55 %

% of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13 %

% of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1988: 91 %

Response by European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: BAN

Response to American meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Full and complete support

There Is a Way to Help Avoid Heart Disease and Diabetes: You Are What You Eat!

There Is a Way to Help Avoid Heart Disease and Diabetes: You Are What You Eat!
By Kathy Freston, AlterNet
October 31, 2009
Link to full article below

"If the truth be known coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger that need never, ever exist and if it does exist it need never, ever progress."

So says Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who was a researcher and clinician at the Cleveland Clinic for over 35 years. In 1991, Dr. Esselstyn served as the president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and organized the 1st National Conference on the Elimination and Prevention of Heart Disease. In 2005, he became the 1st recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine. Dr. Esselstyn is also an Olympic gold medalist in rowing, and he was awarded the Bronze Star as an army surgeon in Vietnam.

In this series of interviews I've conducted with extraordinary nutritional researchers and medical doctors, I've sought to understand the link between diet and the most common and dreaded diseases that are prevalent in our culture. What I'm hearing over and over is that a plant-based diet is both preventative and healing, whereas a diet high in animal protein is destructive to our health - this is the case with cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The great news is that there is very real hope in shifting the course of our health. What is becoming very apparent through various peer reviewed studies is that by changing our diet - eliminating that which causes havoc in the body (animal protein) and adding in plant based proteins and eating lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and whole grains, we can not only prevent disease, but also heal from it once it is already in motion. Following is a fascinating conversation I had on diet and heart health.

KF: What exactly is coronary heart disease?

CE: Coronary heart disease is the leading killer of women and men in western civilization. It is predicted to become the #1 global disease burden by 2020.

It consists of an inflammatory buildup of blockages in arteries to the heart muscle. These blockages are made of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and inflammatory cells. Blockages can become severe enough to cause symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain (angina). When blockages suddenly become complete, the portion of heart muscle fed by that blocked artery is now deprived of oxygen and nutrients, thus it is injured or now dies. This is a heart attack. The patient may survive or succumb if the event is accompanied by a fatal heart rhythm.

KF: Who develops heart disease?

CE: Everyone eating the typical western diet. In autopsy studies of our GI's who died in the Vietnam and Korean wars almost 80% at an average age of 20 years, had disease that could be seen without a microscope. Forty years later in 1999, a study of young persons between the ages of 16-34 years who have died of accidents, homicides and suicides, finds the disease is now ubiquitous.

KF: What is the cause of the disease?

CE: It is the typical western diet of processed oils, dairy, and meat which destroys the lifejacket of our blood vessels known as our endothelial cells.

Please read this excellent article: http://www.alternet.org/story/143633/

Eat Your Heart Out

Eat Your Heart Out
By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK;Christine Gorman and Alice Park/New York
Wednesday, Jun. 07, 2006 Link to full article below

A few decades ago, taking care of your heart didn't seem all that complicated. You ate a balanced diet, didn't drink too much and got some fresh air and exercise--a round of golf, maybe. That was about it. Not that everyone, or even most people, actually lived up to these standards. But if you fell short, at least you knew what to feel guilty about.

Then we started hearing from the scientists. People who thought they were doing everything right, it turned out, were actually abusing their bodies--and in particular, their hearts. The cholesterol in steaks, cream, butter and especially those breakfast eggs was clogging arteries like sludge in a stopped-up drainpipe. Salt was poison: it drove up blood pressure and put an unhealthy strain on the ticker. Overeating and becoming overweight were a sure ticket to a coronary.

So, the thinking was, better cut out the steak, treat yourself to one egg a week (if you must), switch from butter to margarine and hide the saltshaker. Oh, and don't waste time with golf. Vigorous, pulse-pounding exercise was the only way to keep your weight within limits--and just as important, your heart properly toned. It was a spartan regimen and made folks who didn't follow it feel guiltier than ever, but it retained the virtue of being comprehensible.

Recently, however, the scientists seem to have gone mad. Hardly a week goes by without some expert somewhere issuing a new report declaring that a particular food or vitamin or activity or condition will either restore your cardiovascular health or ruin it--and as often as not, the new advice seems to contradict the old. Among the new findings:

--EGGS aren't nearly as bad for the heart as doctors used to think. Sure, they're packed with cholesterol. But scientists now know that eating cholesterol doesn't necessarily result in high levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood, where the damage is done.

--HOMOCYSTEINE, a substance found in the blood, may turn out to be as important a risk factor for heart disease as dietary cholesterol.

--SATURATED FAT, the kind found in red meat, butter and other animal products, may be a bigger threat to the heart and blood vessels than cholesterol.

--OTHER FATS--olive oil, other vegetable oils and the oil found in salmon and tuna--can actually drive down bad cholesterol and keep blood flowing freely.

--MARGARINE can be just as harmful as butter, if not worse; a process that stiffens vegetable oil into a butter-like stick also transforms it into an artery blocker. In general, the softer the margarine, the better. New butter substitutes, such as Benecol, can lower blood cholesterol.

--SALT has been considered taboo because it raises blood pressure. But it's not clear whether it's a problem for those whose pressure is normal.

--EXERCISE need not be pulse pounding to be beneficial, say experts. A little gardening or strenuous housework isn't a bad prescription for cardiovascular health.

To read the full article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,991517,00.html

6 Surprising Heart Disease Warning Signs (and What to Do about Them)

6 Surprising Heart Disease Warning Signs (and What to Do about Them)
Protect your heart: Check out these uncommon warning signs that might put you at risk.
Talk with your doctor about all circulation problems, as well as other possible risk factors
By Dana Blinder
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA
(link to full article below) 06-29-09



High blood pressure, stress, and diabetes are all familiar warning signs that someone’s at risk for cardiovascular disease. But there are other red flags that most of us are not aware of, such as hair loss, or problems in the bedroom. By paying attention to risk factors, and using them as cues to make healthy changes in your life, there’s a lot that can be done to prevent cardiovascular damage early on, says Rene Alvarez, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute. Here are six unusual signs of heart disease—and what you can do to protect yourself.

1. Sexual dysfunction
Heart disease may be the last thing on your mind when you’re cuddling close to your significant other, but trouble performing may be a concern for heart health as well as sexual health. Dr. Alvarez says that although sexual dysfunction in men and women is different, the issue linking it to heart disease is the same: When blood vessels don’t work well, sexual problems can occur. “If you have dysfunction in one circulatory area you have it in others,” he says.

Do this. Treat both issues. With good medical therapy and healthy lifestyle changes, both sexual dysfunction and heart disease can be avoided. Dr. Alvarez recommends regular exercise, and talking with your physician about daily aspirin use and your vascular health, to resolve both problems.

2. Male pattern baldness
Loss of hair is more than an issue of appearance—it may mean loss of circulation, according to a correlation between top rear head balding and cardiovascular disease described in a recent t issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alvarez says lack of circulation to the hair follicles may be related to heart circulation, although other factors may play a role in the connection. “Some patients who have male pattern baldness may smoke, have hypertension, or a genetic predisposition relating to heart disease,” he notes.

Do this. Watch and be aware. Knowing your family history—both of baldness and heart disease—can help you asses your own risk. If either runs in the family, it’s extra reason to take steps to prevent hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and to avoid or quit smoking.

3. Snoring and sleep apnea
Sawing logs may cause your heart to struggle. A study from Emory University in Atlanta found that the obstructed airways in people who have sleep apnea or snore were linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Disturbed sleep may be a predisposition of high blood pressure and diabetes, both contributing to heart disease, says Dr. Alvarez.

Do this. Prevent future problems now. The good news is that this warning sign gives you lots of time to take action. “Sleep-disordered breathing typically occurs decades before it’s diagnosed, and decades before signs of cardiovascular disease events,” says Dr. Alvarez. If you have these nighttime symptoms, take a sleep test and get advice from a specialist to improve your quality of sleep and quality of life, he suggests.

4. Migraines

To read the full article:
http://www.rodale.com/heart-disease-warning-signs?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_06_29-_-Top5-_-NA

Your Heart Needs More Than Housework

Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
Mix some cardiovascular exercise into your cleaning and gardening routines for better heart health.
Be active at home, but also carve out a half hour from your day and go for a walk or jog.
Active housework has health benefits, but you should exercise, too
By Leah Zerbe Topics: exercise
05-12-09

http://www.rodale.com/burn-calories-cleaning-house?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Those with green thumbs and ultratidy homes generally live longer, but heavy-duty housework and gardening isn’t enough alone to fully protect your heart health, according to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Epidemiology.
THE DETAILS: Scottish researchers looked at data from three national health survey samples to see how intense domestic physical activity (IDPA), such as heavy housework, intense gardening, and do-it-yourself projects, affected longevity and cardiovascular health. As it turns out, people who spend a lot of time digging in the dirt and cleaning house enjoyed a 31 percent lower risk of dying. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was not reduced, though, suggesting that you need continuous forms of moderate-to-vigorous exercise to help protect your heart.

To read the full article: Your Heart Needs More Than Housework

Seven Tips for Healthier Hearts

Seven Tips for Healthier Hearts

http://www.naturalnews.com/025723.html

by Reuben Chow

(NaturalNews) Based on statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 652,091 Americans died of heart disease in 2005. This was supposedly more than a quarter of all American deaths (27.1%), and applied almost equally to both men and women. In view of this heart wrenching epidemic, what simple steps can you take to drastically cut your risk of being hit by this ailment? A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has zoomed in on three "do's" and three "don'ts" for protection.

Do Not Smoke

Chemicals found in cigarettes increase blood pressure, lower levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol, the supposed "good" cholesterol), and also harm your blood vessels. All these damage cardiovascular health and contribute significantly to your risk of being hit by a heart attack.

And of course, it's not just about the heart - smoking is bad for just about every part of your body. In order to obtain and maintain good health, smoking is one of the first habits which must be kicked.

Do Not Drink Excessively

Drinking too much alcohol can cause elevated blood pressure and weight again; these, too, mean poorer heart health. And if you drink heavily on a long-term basis, you are at increased risk for cardiomyopathy, where your heart becomes enlarged and permanently damaged. These apply to beer, hard liquor, and even wine.

Do Not Keep Too Much Air In That Spare Tire

Recent research has linked belly fat to increased risk of heart disease. For example, one recent study discovered that every two additional inches translated to an added heart disease risk of almost 20%. Again, it is not just about the cardiovascular system - belly fat has been linked to premature death, too.

Get a Risk Assessment

Another suggestion put forth by the researchers is for you to assess your risk of heart disease, in particular through important numbers like your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc. Your family doctor could do the job, or the website HeartDecision.org can be used from the comfort of your own home. This website was launched by Dr Jon Keevil, a medical professor from the university.

Cut Your Weight

Obesity is linked to a whole host of serious diseases, including heart problems. The researchers do not want you to experiment with fad diets or to starve yourself. "The question really comes down to the type and amount of food you're eating. Not every diet is designed to help you have a healthy heart. Healthy diets are low in red meat, fried foods and sweets. They emphasize fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain, fish and poultry," said Dr Matt Wolff, the chief of cardiovascular medicine at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.

Exercise!

Exercise is the only way to get the heart pumping hard and working out, which is key to long-term good cardiovascular health. Like all muscles in the body, the heart loses its strength without regular use. If you can manage it, some vigorous exercise is useful, although moderate physical activities like walking have also been shown to have beneficial effects.

When it comes to cardiovascular health, there are numerous studies showing the massive importance of exercise. In fact, a recent study which was funded by the US government showed that even heart failure patients will benefit from a certain amount of exercise. Read more about that study at http://www.naturalnews.com/024996.html.

Consume a Healthy Diet

Although it is indirectly implied and mentioned above, it is still very surprising that consuming a healthy diet is not a specific recommendation of the Wisconsin study. With that in mind, here is a quote from a study conducted by Canadian researchers, which found that people who ate a lot of fried foods and meat had a 35% higher risk of getting acute heart attacks, as compared to those who were "prudent" eaters:

"What we found was that the prudent diet, which is very simple - lots of fruits and vegetables, less fried food and red meat - was protective. It was protective in every part of the world, in men and women, old and young - everybody. And the degree of protection was quite substantial," said Dr Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at McMaster University and director of the Population Health Research Institute at Hamilton Health Sciences, the leader of that study.

Conclusion

So there you have it - seven important suggestions to make your heart happy and healthy. These tips also come with a very useful side effect - better health and vitality all round. That is way better (and cheaper) than what any heart drug can offer.

Sources

Study offers heart-healthy advice for living longer (http://www.estacadanews.com/feature...)

Heart Disease Facts and Statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/heartDisease/sta...)

In any diet, fried food, meat raise heart-attack risk: Study (http://www.canada.com/Health/diet+f...)

http://www.naturalnews.com/024996.html

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes - start now!

Prevent and reverse heart disease, cancer, and diabetes -- start now!
by Peggy Kraus
Disease Prevention Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/x-672-Disease-Prevention-Examiner~y2009m1d4-Prevent--and-reverse-heart-disease-cancer-and-diabetes--start-now

There's no better time than now!

You can prevent and reverse heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as many other chronic illnesses that have been linked to lifestyle, such as osteoporosis, dementia, macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

In 1990, Dean Ornish, MD, conducted a small-scale study proving that having positive lifestyle habits can reverse heart disease. The results were published in 1998.

Since then, countless studies have been done to replicate these data. Researchers now have expanded these lifestyle benefits to the include the reversal of other common diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia, and macular degeneration and their prevention as well.

There are 4 lifestyle habits you should follow to reap the benefits:

1. Eat a low-fat vegetarian (better yet, vegan) diet. Animal products cause inflammation of the body's tissues, and over time, render them dysfunctional and damaging to surrounding tissues..

2. Exercise regularly. Studies have varied recommendations, but they all average 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise on most days or 20-60 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week.

3. Do not smoke. Smoking of any kind is linked to disease and to mortality.

4. Practice stress management. Everyone has stress; some more than others. Learn what is good stress and what is bad stress, and what can be done to prevent its taking a toll on your life.

5 Medication-free Strategies To Help Prevent Heart Disease

5 medication-free strategies to help prevent heart disease

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/heart-disease-prevention/WO00041/METHOD=print
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease-prevention/WO00041

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors - such as family history or age - there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.

Take steps to avoid heart disease - don't smoke, get regular exercise and eat healthy foods. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are five heart disease prevention tips to get you started.
1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products

Smoking or using other tobacco products is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Even so-called "social smoking" - only smoking while at a bar or restaurant with friends - is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease.

Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don't do either. Worse, this risk increases with age, especially over 35.

The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.
2. Get active

Regularly participating in moderately vigorous physical activity can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.

Guidelines recommend that you get at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of exercise offer heart benefits, so if you can't meet those guidelines, don't give up. You can even break up your workout time into 10-minute sessions and still get the same benefits.

And remember that things like gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don't have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Eating a special diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan also can help protect your heart. Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products that can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat - saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat - saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils. There's growing evidence that trans fat may be worse than saturated fat because unlike saturated fat, it both raises your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol, and lowers your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol. Sources of trans fat include some deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers. Look at the label for the term "partially hydrogenated" to avoid trans fat.

Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people, for instance, need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet - with a goal of five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease but also may help prevent cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish are a good natural source of omega-3s. However, pregnant women and women of childbearing age should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they contain levels of mercury high enough to pose a danger to a developing fetus. But for most others, the health benefits of fish outweigh any risks associated with mercury. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.

Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation - no more than two drinks a day for men, one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. Above that, it becomes a health hazard.
4. Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease - high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat.

BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

The BMI is a good but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference is also a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat you have. In general, men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters, or cm). And women, in general, are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm).

Even small reductions in weight can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.
5. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

* Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more frequent checks if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.
* Cholesterol levels. Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of heart disease.

Prevention pays

Heart disease is often avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. Find ways to include heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle - and you may well enjoy a healthier life for years to come.

15 Reasons to avoid Vegetable Oils

15 REASONS TO AVOID VEGETABLE OILS

1. THEY ARE NOT FOOD:
"...Chemically speaking, free oils are chains of carbon found in a purified state. Extraction processes have removed all of the other ingredients of the whole food. Thus, free oils are no longer intermixed with the naturally-designed and balanced environment of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and ten thousand other chemicals found originally in the plants. Free-oils are not food..."

...and don't forget the 100+ pure fat calories PER tablespoon.

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

2. PREMATURE AGING:
"In a study released today by The Lancet Oncology, Dean Ornish, M.D., and colleagues found that comprehensive lifestyle changes, including a low-fat vegan diet, increase the body's ability to fight premature aging, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases... Among other beneficial effects that were previously reported, the intervention led to increased levels of telomerase, an enzyme that protects and repairs DNA. Blood levels of telomerase increased by an average of 29 percent during the study..."

PCRM PRESS RELEASE:
http://www.pcrm.org/news/archive080916.html

STUDY CITED:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470204508702341/abstract?isEOP=true

3. CLOTTING FACTORS:
"...One of the most important clotting factors predicting the risk of a heart attack is an elevated factor VII. All five fats tested-rapeseed oil (canola), olive oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, and butter-showed similar increases in triglycerides and clotting factor VII..."

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

STUDY CITED:
Larsen LF, Bladbjerg EM, Jespersen J, Marckmann P. Effects of dietary fat quality and quantity on postprandial activation of blood coagulation factor VII. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997 Nov;17(11):2904-9.

4. ALTZHEIMER'S DISEASE:
"... A review published in the Nov 2008 issue of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care suggests... that by restricting your intake of calories, a practice known as caloric restriction, you may not have to contract Alzheimer's disease in the first place. The review led by Gillette-Guyonnet S and Vellas B. from aGérontopôle Toulouse, France bInserm, U558, Toulouse, France says caloric restriction does not just extend lifespan, but may benefit brain functioning as well.

SOURCE:
http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/G_eneral_H_ealth_34/101506092008_Want_to_prevent_Alzheimer_s_disease_Eat_less.shtml

5. PLAQUE FORMATION RUSSIAN ROULETTE:
"...Every forkful of fat, he [Esselstyn] says, causes an immediate biochemical assault on the endothelium, the lining of the arteries. White blood cells collect there, gobbling up bad cholesterol and creating fatty deposits over time. For many people, especially those who smoke or have other risk factors, accumulation of plaque is a time bomb for a coronary event..."

INTERVIEW SOURCE:
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2008/06/exsurgeon_caldwell_esselstyn_e.html

SHORT VIDEO ON PLAQUE FORMATION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNeWCvLZaFM

6. BLOOD VESSEL ELASTICITY/PRESSURE:
"... Back in 2000 Vogel ...wanted to see how olive oil, salmon (fish oil) and canola oil actually affect the blood vessels. Using the brachial artery tourniquet test he had 10 healthy volunteers with normal cholesterol ingest 50 grams of fat, in the form of olive oil & bread, canola oil & bread, and salmon. Measuring their arterial blood flow before & after each meal Vogel could tell whether or not a meal was causing damage to the endothelial lining of the brachial artery, based on how the blood was flowing through the artery after the meal was eaten. The results really surprised him. The olive oil constricted blood flow by a whopping 31% after the meal; the canola oil constricted it by 10%; and the salmon reduced it by only 2%. Why should we care? Because when the arteries constrict, the endothelium (the vessel's lining) is injured, triggering plaque build-up, or atherosclerosis..."

SOURCE:
http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2008/07/im-going-to-miss-my-olive-oil---who-knew-it-wasnt-so-healthy-after-all-drs-esselstyn-ornish-vogel-rudel-did.html

STUDY:
Vogel RA. Corretti MC. Plotnick GD. The postprandial effect of components of the Mediterranean diet on endothelial function. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 36(5):1455-60, 2000 Nov 1.

ALSO:
"High-Fat Fast-Food Meals Cause the Heart to Beat Harder and Blood Pressure to Rise: A new study from the Journal of Nutrition finds that a single fatty meal can cause the heart to beat harder and blood pressure to rise..."

STUDY:
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/137/4/935

7. HEART ATTACK PROOF YOURSELF:
"Every day, nearly 2,600 Americans die of some type of cardiovascular disease, an average of one death every 34 seconds, and 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack during their lifetimes." --- (American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2005 Update. Dallas, Texas: American Heart Association; 2005)

20 years of peer-reviewed research by Drs. Ornish and Esselstyn, independently shows that a very low no-added fat vegan diet can reverse and prevent heart disease. Modern science has
NOT accomplished this feat by any surgery, drug, or mechanism.

THE ORNISH "LIFE CHOICE" DIET:
http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Dean_Ornish_Diet

DR. ESSELSTYN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.heartattackproof.com

8. THE MEDITERRANEAN STUDY MYTH:
"After four years on the Mediterranean Diet, 25 percent of the people either died or had another major cardiac event. To me, that has absolutely nothing to do with the arrest and reversal of heart disease; that is simply slowing the rate of progression. We want to use nutrition that can arrest and reverse disease, not slow the rate of progression... When you think about it, what does olive oil have in it? A tiny bit of vitamin E, no minerals, no other vitamins, and no fiber. All you are getting is 100 percent fat, 14 percent of which is artery-clogging."

FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ESSELSTYN:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_97/ai_n21193775/pg_5

9. DIABETES:
"Eating a low-fat vegan diet may be better at managing type 2 diabetes than traditional diets, according to a new study... Researchers found 43% of people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 22 weeks reduced their need to take medications to manage their disease compared with 26% of those who followed the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA)... Forty-nine of the participants followed a low-fat vegan diet consisting of about 10% of daily calories from fat, 15% protein, and 75% carbohydrates..."

FROM:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20060726/low-fat-vegan-diet-may-treat-diabetes

10. IMPOTENCY:
"... when you control your risk of a heart attack, you also control your risk of stroke, impotence, kidney failure and even wrinkles. A major cause of all of these is arterial aging, and while arterial aging is typical, it is neither normal nor necessary."

FROM:
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/magazine/article/509629

11. BREAST CANCER:
"... The researchers found that doubling fat intake, from 20 percent to 40 percent, was associated with a 15 percent increase in breast cancer risk. The increase in risk was similar for all types of fat-saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated..."

FROM:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070321161542.htm

12. COLON & PROSTATE CANCER:
"Most importantly, population studies tell us that, worldwide, the lower the total fat intake, the less the risk of common cancers, such as breast, colon and prostate."

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

STUDIES CITED:
21) Carroll KK. Experimental evidence of dietary factors and hormone-dependent cancers. Cancer Res. 1975 Nov;35(11 Pt. 2):3374-83.

22) Rao GN. Influence of diet on tumors of hormonal tissues. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1996;394:41-56.

23) Weisburger JH. Worldwide prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases based on knowledge of mechanisms. Mutat Res. 1998 Jun 18;402(1-2):331-7.

13. OBESITY:
LOW-FAT VEGAN DIET MAY SPUR WEIGHT LOSS: (09/23/05):
"A diet free of animal products and low in fat may help trim the waistline without the task of strict calorie watching, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of 64 postmenopausal, overweight women, those assigned to follow a low-fat vegan diet for 14 weeks lost an average of 13 pounds, compared with a weight loss of about 8 pounds among women who followed a standard low-cholesterol diet. The weight loss came despite the fact that the women were given no limits on their portion sizes or daily calories -- and despite the fact that the vegan diet boosted their carbohydrate intake.

[Dr. Neal] Barnard and his colleagues at George Washington and Georgetown universities report the findings in the American Journal of Medicine. Despite the restrictions of going vegan, Barnard maintained that it's easy to take on the lifestyle. "Just eat fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains," he said. "Everything you're eating is good for you." It is wise, he noted, to take a multivitamin, particularly to get enough vitamin B12, which is found naturally only in animal products."

SOURCE: American Journal of Medicine, September 2005.

Note: the write-up above is no longer on the web, but you can read about the study, including abstract, at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TDC-4H3H3D5-D&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2005&_rdoc=12&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235195%232005%23998819990%23606135%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5195&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=37&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=206b5ede2e92106c530fa68ba0b213b2

14. CRAVINGS FOR FAT:
MC: "... What happens to the cravings for fat?"
Esselstyn: "Within about 8 to 12 weeks you've down-regulated the fat receptors and it's no longer an issue."

[You can read the full interview (with embedded links) and downloadable copies of the Interview to Print and/or Distribute at:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_MCIview05.000.html

15. DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL:
Author of "The China Study" (history's largest study on diet and health):

"S.J.: What kind of treats do you use when you are feeling like a treat?

T.C.C.: Oh, a treat. I had some of my wife's cookies for one thing. She makes cookies now with no fat and just a very minimal amount of sugar and she puts in fruits, dried fruits and things like that and grains.

S.J.: Ground nuts.

T.C.C.: Yes.

S.J.: So that takes the place of oil, for example, using the whole food nut.

T.C.C.: Exactly, I just find that I am adapted to that taste now and that to me is a great treat. Just to get her to make some of those cookies."

INTERVIEW (AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTS, THIS IS FROM PAGE 114) AT:
http://climatehealth.net/Interviews.html

Pomegranate Juice Delivers More Antioxidant Benefits than Red Wine

by David Gutierrez

(NaturalNews) Pomegranate juice has the highest antioxidant content, activity and protective benefits of eight different beverages tested, according to a study conducted by researchers from Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California-Los Angeles' David Geffen School of Medicine, and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

"Oftentimes, a beverage will make a claim about its superior antioxidant content based on the results of one test alone that provides the highest antioxidant capacity," said lead researcher Dr. David Heber. "What is important about this study is that all the beverages included were run against several tests resulting in a more complete assessment of a beverage's antioxidant activity and capability."

Researchers conducted a total of seven tests on 100 percent pomegranate juice, red wine, orange juice, blueberry juice, Concord grape juice, acai berry juice, white tea and green tea. Four of these tests evaluated the antioxidant strength of the beverages.

Pomegranate juice was found to have the highest polyphenol content of any beverage, even outcompeting recent "superfoods" such as acai berry or green and white tea.

Polyphenols are a naturally occurring family of plant chemicals that are known to function as antioxidants in the body. They are believed to help reduce the risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease and the effects of aging.

In addition to polyphenol content, the researchers also tested how well the various beverages performed at scavenging free radicals and preventing oxidation (decay) of LDL ("good") cholesterol. Once again, pomegranate juice outperformed all competitors, with an antioxidant potency composite index 20 percent higher than any other beverage tested.

This study marks the 11th study in the last 10 years to demonstrate the health benefits of 100 percent pomegranate juice. Prior studies have linked the juice to reducing the risks of heart disease, prostate cancer and even erectile dysfunction.

Grapes may lower blood pressure, aid heart

Grapes may lower blood pressure, aid heart
Published: Oct. 29, 2008 at 1:16 AM

Source: UPI


ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Table grapes lowered blood pressure and signs of heart muscle damage while improving heart function in lab rats, U.S. researchers have learned.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., studied the effect of regular table grapes -- a blend of green, red and black grapes -- that were mixed into the lab rats' diet in a powdered form, as part of either a high- or low-salt diet.

The researchers performed many comparisons between the rats consuming the test diet and the control rats receiving no grape powder -- including some which received a mild dose of a common blood-pressure drug. All the rats were from a research breed that develops high blood pressure when fed a salty diet.

After 18 weeks, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet powder had lower blood pressure, better heart function, reduced inflammation and fewer signs of heart muscle damage than rats that ate the same salty diet, but didn't receive grapes.

The study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, also determined rats that received the blood-pressure medicine, hydrazine, along with a salty diet also had lower blood pressure, but their hearts were not protected from damage as they were in the grape-fed group.

Western Diet Causes 1/3 of Heart Attacks

Swapping fried and salty foods for fruit and veg could cut the global incidence of heart attacks by a third, a study of eating habits suggests.

Researchers analysed the diet of 16,000 people in 52 countries and identified three global eating patterns, Circulation journal reports.

The typical Western diet, high in fat, salt and meat, accounted for about 30% of heart attack risk in any population.

A "prudent" diet high in fruit and veg lowered heart risk by a third.

30% of the risk of heart disease in a population could be related to poor diet
Lead author Romania Iqbal

An Oriental diet, high in tofu, soy and other sauces, made no difference to heart attack risk. The researchers created a dietary risk score questionnaire based on 19 food groups and then asked 5,561 heart attack patients and 10,646 people with known heart disease to fill out their survey.

People who ate a Western diet had a 35% greater risk of having a heart attack than those who ate little or no fried foods and meat.

The typical Western diet has been widely linked to heart disease. High salt in the diet can raise blood pressure and the wrong type of fat can clog blood vessels.

Investigating overall eating patterns is more true to life than looking at intake of individual foods or nutrients.

Global trend

The researchers said their work suggested that the same relationships between food and heart disease that are observed in Western countries exist in other regions of the world.

Lead author Romania Iqbal, of McMaster University in Canada, said: "30% of the risk of heart disease in a population could be related to poor diet."

The researchers said that while components of the Oriental diet might be bad for the heart - such as the salt in soy sauce - these elements were likely cancelled out by protective components.

Ellen Mason, a cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study shows that it doesn’t matter whether you live in Bolton or Bombay, or whether you like to eat British, African Caribbean or Asian foods.

"The vital thing is to reduce your intake of salty, fried, fatty food to a minimum but increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7680283.stm

Published: 2008/10/21 00:16:34 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

Tea Time Increases Life Time

Tea Time Increases Life Time
From The McDougall Newsletter

Tea is the most popular beverage in many parts of the world and
levels of consumption are increasing. Historical records show that
the enjoyment of tea goes as far back as 5000 years ago in China.
This stimulating beverage remained an important part of the cultures
of China and Japan for thousands of years, and was finally imported
to Europe in the 1500s. Not until the early 1600s, however, did tea
drinking become popular in England and America.

There are four common categories of tea made from the same tea plant
species (Camellia sinensis). The difference in the varieties is the
result of the methods of processing. White tea is simply steamed
leaves. Oolong tea is partially fermented and green tea is steamed
to stop the oxidation. Black tea undergoes several hours of oxidation
during preparation (accelerated by heat and humidity). The degree of
processing after harvest changes the relative amounts and kinds of
chemicals found in the final beverage

White Tea = boiled and dried.

Green Tea = withered by exposure to the air, steamed, rolled, and
dried.

Oolong Tea = withered, shaken, fermented briefly, and dried.

Black Tea = withered, rolled, fully fermented, and dried.

Tea May Help You Lose Excess Weight

In experimental animal studies, tea results in a significant
reduction of “high-fat diet-induced” body weight gain, and reduces
the accumulation of fat in the abdomen and liver, and prevents the
development of hyperinsulinemia (elevated insulin levels associated
with weight gain).1 Research published in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition suggests that an extract from green tea may help
with weight loss by speeding up fat oxidation.2 Relative to a
placebo, treatment with the green tea extract resulted in a
significant increase in 24-hour energy expenditure. Treatment with
caffeine in amounts equivalent to those found in the green tea
extract had no effect on energy expenditure. Thus, tea may have
specific benefits for losing excess body fat -- and should be an easy
addition to the daily routine for anyone interested in becoming
trimmer.

Oolong Tea Helps Diabetics

In a recent study published in the journal Diabetes Care, oolong tea
was found to be very effective at lowering the blood sugar of
diabetics on medications. Compared to water, this variety of tea
decreased blood sugars from an average of 229 mg/dl to 162.2 mg/dl.
This decrease was not due to any weight loss by the diabetics, but
rather was a direct effect of the tea. The mechanism by which tea
lowers blood sugars is not known but it may be due to the
insulin-like activity of compounds (polyphenols) found in teas, and
the delay of glucose absorption through the intestine.

Synergetic Actions of Teas Prevent, and Maybe Treat, Cancers

Non-toxic approaches for the prevention and treatment of cancers are
very important because of the relative ineffectiveness of drug
therapy – little benefit has been realized for the patient’s survival
of most cancers. Anticancer drugs are also very toxic and costly.
Therefore, the likely possibility that green tea could improve the
quality of your life is valuable information.

Heavy consumption of tea, especially green teas in Japan, has been
associated with a decreased risk of cancer and artery disease
(atherosclerosis). In particular, people who drink green tea have
been reported to have lower incidences of cancer of the esophagus and
breast. Most promising are the consistent findings in animal models
that tea will reduce the development of skin, lung, colon, liver and
pancreatic cancer.3

Even small concentrations of tea’s active ingredient
(epigallocatechin-3-gallate) in the blood can stop the progression of
growth of cancer cells by any or all of the above mechanisms.
Effective levels can be reached with as little as 2 to 4 cups a day.4
There may even be a benefit for people after they have developed
cancer. Green tea consumption of three or more cups daily has been
found to delay the recurrence of breast cancer by about one-third.5

Protection from High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease

Tea may raise blood pressure right after drinking, but the long-term
effects in daily users may actually be a lower blood pressure and tea
may offer protection against the development of hypertension.6,7 In
addition, other studies have shown tea to have anti-inflammatory,
antithrombotic, and cholesterol-lowering effects – all important in
preventing the atherosclerosis that leads to heart attacks and
strokes. Tea may further prevent artery disease by inhibiting the
oxidation of cholesterol into a more artery-toxic, “oxidized,”
form.8,9

Other Health Benefits

Tea may protect against brain degeneration disorders, such as
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.10 Green tea seems to be kind
to the stomach – as opposed to coffee and “decaf”, which cause
stomach inflammation – and tea prevents chronic gastritis.11 Tea has
also been shown to have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Tea has a pleasant taste, which people quickly learn to enjoy. One
of the attractive qualities of tea, even green tea, is that it
contains a desirable stimulant, caffeine, which relieves sleepiness
and fatigue in most people.

Overall, research has found that tea drinkers live longer and
healthier.12 Add this battle tactic of daily tea drinking to the
well-established benefits of an abundance of natural plant chemicals
found in a healthy, low-fat, plant-food based diet, and you will have
the best defense now known to science to keep disease away from your
body.

References:

1) Murase T, Nagasawa A, Suzuki J, Hase T, Tokimitsu I. Beneficial
effects of tea catechins on diet-induced obesity: stimulation of
lipid catabolism in the liver. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2002
Nov;26(11):1459-64.

2) Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M,
Chantre P, Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in
catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy
expenditure and fat oxidation in humans.
Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5.

3) Frei B, Higdon JV. Antioxidant activity of tea polyphenols in
vivo: evidence from animal studies. J Nutr. 2003
Oct;133(10):3275S-84S.

4) Lee YK, Bone ND, Strege AK, Shanafelt TD, Jelinek DF, Kay NE.
VEGF receptor phosphorylation status and apoptosis is modulated by a
green tea component, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), in B-cell
chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Blood. 2004 Aug 1;104(3):788-94.

5) Inoue M, Tajima K, Mizutani M, Iwata H, Iwase T, Miura S, Hirose
K, Hamajima N, Tominaga S. Regular consumption of green tea and the
risk of breast cancer recurrence: follow-up study from the
Hospital-based Epidemiologic Research Program at Aichi Cancer Center
(HERPACC), Japan. Cancer Lett. 2001 Jun 26;167(2):175-82.

6) Yang YC, Lu FH, Wu JS, Wu CH, Chang CJ. The protective effect of
habitual tea consumption on hypertension. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jul
26;164(14):1534-40.

7) Hodgson JM, Puddey IB. Acute effects of tea on fasting and post
meal blood pressure. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S71.

8) Osada K, Takahashi M, Hoshina S, Nakamura M, Nakamura S, Sugano
M. Tea catechins inhibit cholesterol oxidation accompanying
oxidation of low density lipoprotein in vitro. Comp Biochem Physiol
C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2001 Feb;128(2):153-64.

9) Kurihara H, Fukami H, Toyoda Y, Kageyama N, Tsuruoka N, Shibata
H, Kiso Y, Tanaka T. Inhibitory effect of oolong tea on the
oxidative state of low density lipoprotein (LDL). Biol Pharm Bull.
2003 May;26(5):739-42.

10) Weinreb O, Mandel S, Amit T, Youdim MB. Neurological mechanisms
of green tea polyphenols in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. J
Nutr Biochem. 2004 Sep;15(9):506-16.

11) Shibata K, Moriyama M, Fukushima T, Kaetsu A, Miyazaki M, Une H.
Green tea consumption and chronic atrophic gastritis: a
cross-sectional study in a green tea production village. J
Epidemiol. 2000 Sep;10(5):310-6.

12) Nakachi K, Eguchi H, Imai K. Can teatime increase one's
lifetime? Ageing Res Rev. 2003 Jan;2(1):1-10.