Cardiovascular Health, Naturally

Today's blog is about the heart, specifically about heart health. The health of this vital organ depends largely on what we eat, drink and do. Our heart is a personal responsibility. The thing is, we could also use a bit of help either from our doctors or from natural products in the health and natural supplements industry because some heart problems develop which we can't control 100%.

When we speak of heart trouble, the vast majority of people think that the heart suffers only one problem, or that there's only one kind of trouble. One thing is clear: when the heart does not receive sufficient blood because the arteries are blocked, then that's when the problems start.The cardiovascular question then is not one question, but several. What I mean is that there are at least six types of heart problems. I'll give a brief description of each:

• Stroke - There's a heart and brain connection, and when this connection is not in synch, a stroke occurs. Someone gets a stroke when the blood vessels in the brain do not receive adequate oxygen because they are either blocked or impaired. This stroke can either be ischemic (it is a temporary condition usually lasting 24 hours) or permanent (clot or coronary thrombosis).
• Heart attack - a heart attack develops when the heart cannot pump enough blood for distribution to other parts of the body. Again, this means that basic heart functions are impaired or the heart muscles are damaged.
• Rheumatic heart disease - children aged between five and 15 years old get this condition when they are exposed to bacteria that cause rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can inflame the body's connective tissues, particularly the heart, joints, brain or skin. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, "about 60% of people with rheumatic fever develop some degree of subsequent heart disease." Rheumatic heart fever is, however, not an exclusively childhood disorder because it can affect adults later in life.
• Ischemic heart disease - this type of heart disease is prevalent in modern, industrialized societies. Signs of ischemic heart disease are blocked arteries, chest pain or shortness of breath. A total blockage can result, leading to damaged tissues or a heart attack.
• Peripheral vascular disease - known as PAD. It is a condition that develops when fat deposits accumulate in the arterial walls that impede blood circulation. The arteries leading to some vital organs like the stomach, kidneys and the extremities (hands and feet) are affected. Early symptoms are leg cramps, fatigue or pain in the buttocks during activity. PAD should be detected and treated early because those who are diagnosed with it are subject to a higher risk of death from heart attack and stroke.
• Congenital heart disease - this occurs at birth. The infant could be born with a hole in the heart affecting circulation. This is usually corrected by surgery. If not treated, this disease can lead to severe disability or death. Some of us mayhave heart problems and not even know it because for some heart conditions, there are no clear warning signs. This is why it is a good idea to have our hearts checked at least once a year. It is even more crucial to have these tests if we've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

I care about my heart, so I don't wait for a problem to start. I take natural supplements. Since they are 100% natural, they are more safe than traditional medicatons. Fact is, I'd rather be taking natural supplements than heart medication so I'm doing what I can now to stave off any potential problems.I carefully choose my heart dietary supplements.
The are several natural heart supplements that many people find effective:

• Cholesten LDL or CholestSure - naturlly lower LDL cholesterol
• HDL Booster - promote HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol)
• Heart Supplement (Oral Chelation) - act as natural chelating agents
• intraMAX - supply over 415 vitamins and minerals in one product
• Omega 3 - contains molecularly distilled fish oil
• Resveratrol (red wine complex) - like drinking almost 50 glasses of red wine
• Anti-Oxin - provide antioxidant support

I don't think you'll find one product that will provide all the above, but because they're all natural, you can take two or three natural remedies at the same time without problems. For example, if you have high cholesterol, you can choose those supplements that are developed for lowering bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol and combine them with antioxidants or a product with all the required vitamins and minerals.

Insulin Resistance: A Culprit In Today's Health Crisis

You may have heard of insulin, but do you really know all of its functions in the body and what insulin resistance is doing to you?

Insulin: An anabolic hormone for growth and repair.

Insulin:

• Stores excess nutrients
• Stores blood sugar for future energy requirments
• Stores Magnesium
• Retains Sodium
• Mediates blood lipids (fat)
• Stimulates cell division
• Stimulates sympathetic nervous system

You may be saying, so what, insulin does all these great things, what's the big deal? Here's the problem.

When we eat carbohydrates (sugar, pasta, bread, grains) the body converts them into glucose. The liver only stores about a one day supply of glucose (stored as glycogen). What do you think happens to the rest of it? It's stored as FAT (about 98% is Palmitic acid---a saturated fat).

SORRY TO GET SO TECHNICAL

So, a high carbohydrate diet is really a high glucose (SUGAR) diet. Insulin needs to be secreted to help store this added glucose and there is a large secretion of insulin. However, the cells try to protect themselves from the toxic effects of insulin (which in large amounts is irritating to the cells) and they down regulate their receptors and the number of receptors.

When this happens, the pancreas secretes more and more insulin because the receptors aren't sensing that there is so much insulin circulating in the blood. Finally the pancreas gets tired and Type 2 Diabetes can result.

Negative Affects of Insulin Resistance

Now that you understand why so much insulin is secreted due to our diets, I want you to understand the negative affects of insulin resistance, so that YOU will resist from eating so many carbohydrates in the form of pasta, donuts, muffins, cake, bread, sugar, cereal, etc.

Insulin is involved in the storage of magnesium. When the cells are resistant to insulin, magnesium is secreted in the urine. One of magnesiums major jobs is to relax muscles. With lower magnesium levels the smooth muscles in the blood vessels can't relax and they constrict, causing--high blood pressure.

To add insult to injury, magnesium also is involved in intracellular energy, so you also feel weaker and tired all the time.

Insulin is also involved in sodium retention. With the added sodium, you get fluid retention and you guessed it, yet higher blood pressure.

Insulin also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and you get further vasoconstriction (higher blood pressure), increased heart rate, increase in ability for blood to clot, increased respiration and an increase in blood sugar and cholesterol in the blood.

Since insulin is a mytogenic hormone, you also get increased cell division, which leads to increase in cancer and aging.

There is so much more insulin does, but I think you are getting the idea by now.

There Are Things You Can Do

Doesn't it sound like many of the medications you or your family and friends are on are designed to reduce the effects of insulin resistance?

Think of these: Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, cancer.

These are all preventable illnesses that have nothing to do with our genetics. It's our lifestyle that is killing us. There is hope if you begin now to change your lifestyle.

You must eat right, exercise right and think right to be a healthy human being. It is easier than you think. It's a lot harder to be sick than healthy.

Begin by:

• Drinking 2-3 liters of pure water each day
• Stop Smoking
• Eat fresh fiber throughout the day---veggies, fruit
• Limit your intake of sugar and other carbohydrates
• Eat Grass Fed Meats---high in Omega 3's...nothing wrong with good fat
• Take Cinnamon Bark or GTF Chromium to help lower your blood sugar
• Exercise 30-60 minutes EVERY DAY...you must get your heart rate up
• Meditate or Pray Daily.
• Love yourself, and your friends, family and the planet.

If you are not physically fit, you should always discuss with your doctor before beginning exercise or changing your medication.

More information on Diabetes Remedies...