NUTRITION NEWS
NUTRITION NEWS
Supplements For A Healthy Heart
One of the great advances in modern medicine is the discovery that heart attacks and strokes are not diseases, but may be the results of long-term vitamin deficiencies.
This new understanding of America's number one health problem was discovered by Dr. Matthias Rath, M.D., who has concluded that cholesterol and other blood factors are deposited inside the arteries only if the blood vessel walls are weakened by vitamin deficiencies.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition, was conducted with different stages of coronary heart disease, ranging from early to advanced forms. The study documented the growth of calcified atherosclerotic deposits in the coronary artery walls of these patients before and during one year of the vitamin program.
The deposits were measured directly by means of Ultrafast Computed Tomography. This new technique allows diagnosis of heart disease before the patient feels any symptoms, and allows the non-invasive monitoring of the coronary deposits.
A comparison of the growth rate of coronary calcium deposits before and after following a natural program of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients, showed that this disease can be stopped in its early stages in the relatively short time of one year.
The researchers also concluded that in some cases the nutritional supplement program was likely responsible for the reversal of existing coronary deposits.
According to a paper co-authored by Matthias Rath, M.D., and Aleksandra Niedzwiecki, Ph.D., subjects taking part in the study received a daily dosage of the following nutritional supplements for a period of one year:Vitamins: 2,700 mg vitamin C, 600 IU vitamin E, 7,500 IU beta carotene, 30 mg vitamin B1, 30 mg vitamin B2, 195 mg vitamin B3, 180 mg vitamin B5, 45 mg vitamin B6, 90 mcg vitamin B12, 600 IU vitamin D, 390 mcg folic acid, 300 mcg biotin, 150 mg inositol, 30 mg coenzyme Q10, 30 mg pycnogenol, and 450 mg citrus bioflavonoids.Minerals: 150 mg calcium, 180 mg magnesium, 90 mg potassium, 60 mg phosphate, 30 mg zinc, 6 mg manganese, 1500 mcg copper, 90 mcg selenium, 45 mcg chromium, and 18 mcg molybdenum.Amino acids: 450 mg L-proline, 450 mg L-lysine, 150 mg L-carnitine, 150 mg L-arginine, and 150 mg L-cysteine.
Reference: Journal of Applied Medicine, January 1997.
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Natural Support For Impotence
Impotence remains largely unrecognized simply because most men do not discuss sexual problems with their doctors. While almost all men will experience some degree of sexual difficulty at one time or another, only those who are unable to have successful intercourse 75% of the time are considered impotent. Contrary to popular belief, aging does not inevitably cause impotence.
Psychological causes account for the majority of impotency complaints, yet dietary factors, largely ignored by conventional medicine, also fuel the problem.
A variety of diseases are associated with impotence-especially arteriosclerosis and diabetes. Both affect the blood flow and make it more difficult to achieve and sustain an erection. With proper treatment of the underlying diabetes or arteriosclerosis, however, the impotence can be reversed.
Conventional medical doctors usually treat impotence by prescribing a drug regimen or performing surgery-but both have drawbacks.
In contrast, vitamins, minerals, herbals, and homeopathic medicines can correct impotence by treating its primary cause. Nutrients such as vitamins C and E, zinc, and essential fatty acids are important to a man's normal sexual function.
Botanical medicines offer many of the same therapeutic benefits as drug therapies without the sometimes severe side effects. In contrast to drug therapy, however, herbal medications take longer to bring about a result, due in part to the subtler action of plant-derived medicines or dosage.
In several studies, ginkgo biloba caused increased peripheral blood flow both in normal, healthy subjects and those with arteriosclerosis. For instance, 60 mg per day of ginkgo extract increased penile arterial flow in a group of patients, with half of the participants regaining potency within six months.
Yohimbe, shown to increase libido and the latency period between ejaculations, enhances erectile function in patients with diabetic neuropathy. While yohimbe has many positive effects, self medicating or overdosing can result in anxiety, aggressive behavior, and hypertension.
Saw palmetto is a general medication that works well for impotence particularly if included with other medicines because it helps to enhance the actions of other herbs.
Reference: Ackerman, M., et al. "Impotence: Help for erectile dysfunction." Patient Care, 22-56, March 15, 1994.
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Two Herbs For Cardiovascular Health
When it comes to herbs for cardiovascular health, few are as well known as hawthorn. In Native American, European, and Asian traditions, the flowers, leaves, and fruits of hawthorns have all been used traditionally for the treatment of heart conditions or for cardiovascular health. In China and Europe, hawthorn-based herbal preparations are recognized and used as therapeutic agents for treating various forms of heart disease.
A well-known Irish physician, Dr. Green of Ennis, County Clare, had a wide reputation for his ability to successfully treat heart disease. After his death, his daughter revealed that his "famous cure" was in fact a tincture of the ripe berries of the English hawthorn, C. oxyacantha.
Chinese scientists have conducted dozens of studies over the past 30 years where hawthorn has been shown to have cardiodontic (heart-stimulating and -regulating) activity to inhibit arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) and reduce symptoms of angina.
Another herb that European specialists associate with circulatory problems is ginkgo biloba. The flavonoids in ginkgo have a free-radical scavenging effect and are thought to be responsible for most of the herb's antioxidative activity.
Hawthorne and ginkgo leaf extracts are two herbal dietary supplements that have been shown to help a wide range of cardiovascular conditions.
Reference: Foster, S., Herbs for Health, 1996.
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Relief For Heartburn-Naturally
Nearly 100 million adult Americans experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Simply stated, GERD is the backward flow of powerful stomach acids and enzymes through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus.
A variety of foods and beverages can cause or worsen GERD by irritating the esophageal lining and increasing the amount of acid produced in the stomach.
The herbs spearmint (Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha Piperita) have a long tradition of use for all sorts of digestive discomforts including heartburn. If these herbs do not bring relief, try licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), angelica (Angelica archangelica) or chamomile (Matricaria recutita).
Licorice has been shown to treat both heartburn and ulcers of the stomach and esophagus. Several studies show licorice has antispasmodic properties and can reduce stomach acid, thereby reducing reflux.
The carminative angelica can be used either in its oil form via aromatherapy or by juicing the stalks, according to James Duke, Ph.D., in his book The Green Pharmacy. Chamomile's anti-inflammatory properties can help sooth esophageal irritation.
Duke suggests cardamon, cinnamon, dill, fennel, and gentian as secondary herbs to try after angelica, chamomile, licorice, and peppermint.
The enzyme-rich fresh fruits papaya and pineapple aid digestion. In general, eating fresh raw foods each day, in addition to supplementing with digestive enzymes, benefits the entire body and can alleviate the discomforts of digestive disorders such as heartburn.
Reference: Ruddell, R.W., et al. "Effect of cimetidine and antacid on gastric bacterial flora." The Lancet 29:672-4, March 1980.
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Amino acids for a healthy heart
Essential amino acids are those required in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body. These essentials are leucine, isoceucine, threonine, methionine, tryptophan, valine, histamine, phenylalanine, and lysine.
Two nonessential amino acids, taurine and carnitine, are both valuable for the heart, especially as people age.
Taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid derived from the amino acid cystine, is a component of the bile salts produced in the liver. It is important for proper digestion of fats and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Taurine also enhances the contractile strength of heart muscle and thus can help treat heart failure-which is a decreased ability of the heart to pump out all of the blood that flows into it.
In a 1984 study, taurine protected against heart failure, reducing mortality by 80% in the taurine-treated group with no diminishment of cardiac function.
Carnitine is not an essential amino acid because it can be synthesized in the body from lysine and methionine. One of carnitine's important roles is in fat metabolism. Carnitine provides energy for the cells and also helps burn off fats so they do not accumulate.
In this regard, carnitine has been shown to help lower serum lipids. In a clinical trial where patients were given approximately 1 gram of carnitine per day, cholesterol was lowered from 295 down to 234, with an increase of the good HDL cholesterol and a decline of triglyceride levels.
As with taurine, one of the clinical values of carnitine is supporting heart muscle tissue. A 1996 study showed improvement in patients with a myocardial infarction (heart attack) when they were given 2 grams per day of carnitine for 28 days when compared to placebo.
References: Pisarenko, O.I. "Mechanisms of myocardial protection by amino acids: Facts and hypotheses." Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 23(8):627-33, August 1996.
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Had Your Garlic Today?
From ancient philosophers to modern practitioners, garlic has been revered for its strength and multipurpose applications. Most recently, however, it has been investigated for its cardiovascular, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Garlic contains significant amounts of several other compounds that are beneficial in promoting good health including selenium, germanium, and vitamin C.
The most active compounds in garlic are the sulfur-containing compounds, which have been subject to much research. These compounds are primarily responsible for garlic's potency and for its use in healing high blood pressure, lowering cholsterol, helping to prevent certain types of cancer, and as an immune stimulant.
Garlic's main compounds are an odorless chemical called alliin, the anti-bacterial allicin, and the enzyme allinase.
Recent research indicates that a stable component present in aged garlic extract has a direct inhibitory effect on actively growing cancer cells.
A double-blind crossover study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a maximal reduction in total serum cholesterol of 6.1% or 7.0% when test subjects were given 7.2 grams of garlic extract per day.
Reference: Bordia, A., et al. "Effect of Garlic on Platelet Aggregation in Humans: A Study in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Coronary Artery Disease." Prostaglandins Leukot Essential Fatty Acids, 55:3:201-5 (1996).
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Periodontal disease affects 80% of all adults and causes more tooth loss than dental decay, according to research disclosed at the Eighth International Symposium on the Biomedical and Clinical Aspects of Coenzyme Q10, held in Stockholm, Sweden.
Research showed that many cases of periodontal disease can be successfully treated using CoQ10 in place of traditional periodontal treatment.
More than 20 years ago, dental research showed that patients suffereing from periodontal disease have low levels of CoQ10 in the tissues surrounding their teeth. Since then, several studies have shown definite improvement in periodontal disease as a result of CoQ10 supplementation.
CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance which is present in every cell of the human body and is an important part of energy production. After six weeks of treatment with CoQ10, significant changes were shown in plaque levels, pocket depth, and bleeding tendency; slight improvement was also noted in tooth mobility.
Reference: Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, March 1994.
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Written by: EcoMall
Disclaimer: These statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and is for educational purposes only. For any serious illness or health related disorders please consult your physician.
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