If You Have A Heart, You Are At Risk For This...

Statins are supposed to lower your risk of heart disease. Meanwhile, cardiovascular disease is considered a major complication of diabetes!

About 65% of people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke than those without diabetes. And people with type 2 diabetes also tend to have high rates of high blood pressure, unbalanced lipids and obesity.

So if statins are supposed to decrease the risk of heart disease, how can they simultaneously increase the risk of diabetes, which can lead to… heart disease?

Surprising Ways to Save Your Heart

Here's a pretty startling statistic. One out of every 3 people in the U.S. has high blood pressure. And around 25% of them don't know it! Of course, if you ask anybody how to put a lid on rising blood pressure, they usually say "cut the salt!” But that's not the whole story.

Surprising Ways to Save Your Heart

You already know the usual advice for heart health: eat right, don't smoke, exercise regularly and lessen your stress levels. But here are some ways to protect yourself from heart disease that you may not have heard of:

The Problem With Your CoQ10

For years, I've been advising my patients over 50 to take supplemental CoQ10. And in fact, I've been taking it myself every day.  Here's why it's so important: As we get older, our ability to produce and metabolize CoQ10 declines.

What Does High Cholesterol Really Mean?

Ask most people what the biggest threat to heart health is and 99% of them—including most doctors—will say, “high cholesterol.” But here’s the $64,000 question… should we all be so focused on our cholesterol?

Urgent Message About Your Cholesterol Drugs

It’s no secret that high cholesterol levels contribute to clogged arteries. It’s also no secret that most doctors rely on potentially dangerous statin drugs to help patients keep their cholesterol under control. But here’s the thing: Right now, top-level researchers are asking serious questions about these multi-billion dollar cholesterol-lowering drugs.

This Increases Stroke Death Risk by 30%

Most of us don’t eat fish. And if we do eat the occasional piece of fish, it’s often fried. Which is bad news for your health. In fact, while eating grilled, steamed or baked fish twice a week can cut your risk of a stroke or heart attack in half, fried fish can hike your risk of dying from a stroke by a whopping 30%.¹

Healthy Ways to Reduce Inflammations

Ask most doctors what the biggest risk factor for heart disease is and they will probably say “cholesterol.” But if you’re a long-time Advanced Natural Medicine Bulletin reader, you know that isn’t the whole story. In fact, I’ve been telling you about another risk factor – inflammation – for years.

The New Marker for Heart Disease

Most of my patients are familiar with many of the common risk factors for heart disease—high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and even homocysteine. But one of the most critical risk factors is one that slides under the radar of patients and their doctors: inflammation.

Easy Ways To Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s made by the body and used to make cell membranes, certain hormones, and the bile acid that helps digestion. But if your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels become too high, they can contribute to blockages in the arteries.

Prevent Sudden Death With This Mineral

Dropping dead from a heart attack or other cardiac event is a leading cause of death in those over 40. But it doesn’t have to be.

Try These Resolutions For A Healthier Heart

Making changes that will cut your risk of heart disease isn’t something you need to do all at once. But gradually adopting these cardio-smart habits can drop your risk of heart disease by 50 percent or more.

Red Wine Nutrient: What's All The Fuss?

Resveratrol is one of the most amazing nutrients you can take to improve your health – and even prevent disease. Let me show you what I mean...

Safer Than Statins

Fortunately a recent study backs up the effectiveness of red yeast rice, a centuries-old natural alternative to statin drugs. Red yeast rice is produced when a certain type of yeast, Monascus purpureus, is grown on rice.

Resveratrol Health Benefits

The key to resveratrol health benefits are the polyphenols it contains. They prevent platelets from sticking together, boost antioxidant status and increase the availability of nitric oxide.

Do You Want McStatins With That?

In a recent paper published in the American Journal of Cardiology, Dr. Darrell Francis of the Imperial College in London suggested that fast food restaurants should dispense free cholesterol-lowering medications along with their cheeseburgers and fries. 

Does Cholesterol Really Matter?

For years, doctors have been lecturing their patients about the evils of cholesterol. High is bad, especially if your total cholesterol tops 200 mg/dL and your low-density or LDL cholesterol is over 130 mg/dL.

Calcium Supplements - Increased Heart Attack Risk?

A few weeks ago, a study blanketed the Internet linking calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attack. Since then, many of my postmenopausal patients have come to me wondering if they should stop taking calcium.

RX For Hypertension

High blood pressure is the most common of all cardiovascular diseases and the leading cause of heart attack and stroke—the first- and third-leading causes of death among Americans.

Aerobics For Healthy Arteries

People across America join gyms and fitness clubs in droves with the hope of dropping those pounds or developing a killer six-pack.

Pipe Dreams

Here’s a nice little nugget of truth—you are only as healthy as your arteries. Your arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to other parts of the body.

A Sensitive Issue

Salt. It can bring out the flavor in many of the foods we eat and it’s critical to good health. In fact, we couldn’t survive without it.

Stanols vs. Statins

By now, I’m sure you know my position on statin drugs—they are dangerous and often prescribed unnecessarily. For my patients with unhealthy cholesterol levels, I often opt for phytosterols as an important part of a safe and effective strategy to bring down both their total and LDL cholesterol.

Skip The Statins

As popular as statin drugs are, the doctors who prescribe them are finding one unexpected problem: Up to 40 percent of their patients either stop taking them or they refuse to take them in the first place!

Ubiquitous Good Health

What would you give for an unlimited supply of energy that starts in your cells and keeps you powered up all day, every day? For most people, it would be a priceless gift.

Pick The Right Omega 3

By now, I’m sure you are all aware of the benefits omega-3 fatty acids provide. But, just to recap, these healthy fats promote healthy brains and hearts, fewer cardiac arrhythmias, reduced joint pain and glowing skin.

The New Marker For Heart Disease

Most of my patients are familiar with many of the common risk factors for heart disease—high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and even homocysteine.

The Tropical Secret To Lower Blood Pressure

It’s the little things in life that count. And when it comes to keeping your heart healthy, every little bit helps. Case in point: new research suggesting that hibiscus tea can significantly lower your blood pressure.

Cut Cholesterol Safely

It’s no secret that most doctors hand out statin drugs like they were candy. While some people do benefit from these cholesterol-lowering drugs, they can cause problems for many patients.

The Sweet Way To Lower Blood Pressure

I have a confession to make. I love a good piece of dark chocolate. To some, that might seem like a weakness. But, new evidence suggests that it might be a virtue—at least as far as my cardiovascular system is concerned.

5 Steps To Stop Strokes

Stroke. It’s one of the most frightening things that can happen to you—and, it happens entirely too often. But it’s not just that a stroke can kill you. It’s that it won’t. Instead, it can leave you unable to talk, unable to walk, and unable to function.

The Silent Killer

If you suffer from joint pain, you know how bad inflammation can make you feel. But what about the chronic inflammation inside your blood vessels and arteries?

C Better Heart Health

Ask any of my patients and they’ll tell you that I’m a big fan of vitamin C. It’s one of the most important nutrients you can take for optimal health and it’s been linked to preventing everything from cancer to the common cold.

Hearts and Flowers

Well, we’ve made it through another Valentine’s Day. Candy, flowers and hearts everywhere! But there’s another reason to pay attention to all those hearts. February is heart health awareness month.

Does Low Cholesterol Cause Cancer

Virtually all of the mainstream doctors I know are on an unrelenting mission to slash total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels as far as they can. While this might (and I say “might” because there’s no solid evidence that moderate cholesterol levels contribute to heart attacks) reduce cardiovascular disease, there’s mounting evidence linking very low cholesterol levels to cancer.

A Case For Chelation

Heavy metal. If you’re under the age of 30, you might think I’m talking about music (although, in my book, calling it music might be a topic for debate). But if you are middle age or older, you probably know that I’m referring to those natural—yet toxic—compounds like lead, mercury and arsenic that are linked to numerous health problems.

Can Statins Really Unclog Your Arteries?

There’s a lot of hype about statin drugs these days. The most recent is about their supposed ability to unclog your arteries and prevent heart attacks. And the two biggest proponents of this “benefit” are the pharmaceutical giants who make the prescription drugs Zetia and Vytorin.

Eat Away High Cholesterol

Nearly everyone knows that having high cholesterol puts you at an increased risk of developing heart disease. And, if you are a long-time reader, you also know the risks of using statin drugs like Lipitor or Crestor. The good news is that, unless your total and LDL (bad) levels are through the roof, you may be able to lower your cholesterol simply by eating certain foods.

Boost Your Heart Health

As a former cardiac surgeon, these statistics are indeed disturbing. I believe that the reason behind these staggering numbers is that conventional medicine, spurred on by the pharmaceutical industry, has only focused its attention on part of the problem – cholesterol.

Tackle Unhealthy Triglycerides

Chances are you understand how important it is to know your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) numbers, but elevated triglycerides can be just as risky for your heart.

Enhance Artery Health

Talk to most doctors about heart health and they will typically bring up two things: Blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But the true villain of heart disease is when plaque begins to build up in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

6 Ways to Prevent Hypertension

High blood pressure can sneak up on you—and, unless you get regular check-ups, you may not even know you have it. That’s because high blood pressure—also known as hypertension—doesn’t have any symptoms.

Supplements For Hypertension

Hypertension affects about 27% of Americans. Increasing your intake of potassium, magnesium and coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) may have a favorable impact on your blood pressure.

Reduce Salt Intake For Reduced Blood Pressure

Two studies released by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute show that everyone could benefit from less salt in their diet, even those of us with normal blood pressure.

Bitter Melon Helps Maintain Normal Glucose Levels and Reduce Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Research shows that a natural supplement derived from the fruits of bitter melon may help maintain normal glucose levels and reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Migraines with Aura Are Linked to Heart Disease

Auras often consist of brightly colored or blinking light, blurred vision, blind spots or zigzag lines in your field of vision. While all migraines cause suffering to those who get them, it’s migraines with aura that appear to threaten health the most.

Vitamin D For Your Heart

New evidence points to a link between low vitamin D levels and the risk of dying from a heart attack. While that might not make sense on the surface, it appears that a vitamin D deficiency is involved in the development of atherosclerosis – the narrowing of arteries that ultimately leads to an often fatal heart attack.

Atherosclerosis

The culprit in atherosclerosis is the formation of plaque – a fatty substance made up of cholesterol and other fats or lipids, calcium and a blood-clotting material called fibrin which causes the endothelium tissue to malfunction.

CoQ10- The Multi-Talented Nutrient

Coenzyme Q-10 is a nutrient that’s gained enormous notoriety in recent years—and with good reason. Think of it as the Energizer Bunny of the cellular world. This novel enzyme is so important to cellular energy and good health that it’s found in virtually every cell in your body.

When stroke symptoms occur, quick action is vital. Learn what you can do to get the proper care and minimize damage.  Preventing stroke is largely a matter of healthy living and having regular check-ups, but adding certain supplements to your diet may also help prevent the condition.

Having higher than normal cholesterol levels doesn’t automatically mean you need to take statin drugs for the rest of your life. Simply making some changes to your lifestyle can bring those numbers down.

Inflammation is central to the development of cardiovascular disease. Learn about some healthier ways to reduce inflammation, rather than resorting to statin drugs.

Heart Healthy Diet

Learn about some healthy eating habits and nutritional supplements that can help ward off heart disease even before it takes hold. 

Oral EDTA Chelation

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death in the U.S., affecting 4.6 million Americans. In fact, arteries that are clogged with plaque are responsible for one death ever hour. Have you considered oral EDTA chelation?

Slash Your Risk of Stroke

Two new studies show that the same nutritional tactics used to tame homocysteine-related heart problems can also lower your risk of stroke.

Congestive Heart Failure

At age 40, your chance of developing congestive heart failure over your lifetime is 1 in 5. About 5.7 million Americans are currently living with this cardiac condition. Learn how to avoid becoming a statistic.

Reducing Your Sodium Intake

Recent reports reveal high levels of sodium in some unexpected places, including sweet snacks, breakfast foods, low-fat products, and restaurant meals. Learn what to avoid and what to eat in moderation.

Chelation

Chelation can have a dramatic effect on your arteries. It can also help to clear your body of toxins that contribute to a variety of diseases. Best of all, both intravenous and oral chelation may be safe alternatives to invasive surgery.