Lifestyle Changes Can Improve Heart Health

Modifications You Can Make To Support the Hardest Working Muscle In Your Body -

Your Heart

Your heart - it beats on average 100,000 times a day and pumps the equivalent of 2,000 gallons of blood each day. Imagine what a workhorse our hearts must be! So vital to our life and yet not well taken care of by most of us. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming close to a million lives each year. Over 30 million Americans live with the burden of heart disease; 60 million Americans have been diagnosed with hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease.

While traditionally considered a "man's disease," heart disease has become a serious health challenge for women as well. Cardiovascular disease kills over 500,000 women each year, more than the next seven causes of death combined. To give you a perspective, 1 in every 2.5 women will die of heart disease and stroke, compared to 1 in every 30 women who will die from breast cancer. What may be the most important information is that heart disease in women presents with different symptoms and physicians tend to under-diagnose the disease in women. In fact, more than half of women who die of coronary heart disease have either had no classic symptoms, or have been misdiagnosed as anxiety, stress or musculoskeletal disorders. Part of the challenge comes from the fact that coronary artery disease in women tends to present with symptoms like shortness of breath or fatigue rather than the classic "crushing" substernal pain that is more typical in men. Research conducted by NIH with 515 women surprisingly revealed that fewer than 30% of women reported having chest pain or discomfort prior to their heart attacks, and 43% reported have no chest pain at all during any phase of the attack. The most common symptoms they reported were:

• unusual fatigue
• sleep disturbances
• shortness of breath.

So, whether you are male or female, today is the day to put your heart health on the radar screen.

So, let's talk about what you can do. First of all, let's assess your risk and then determine what you can do to lower your risks. Yes, there is much you can do to hopefully prevent a catastrophic event from happening to you down the road!

The seven major risk factors for coronary artery disease are:

1. family history
2. obesity
3. hypertension
4. elevated cholesterol and triglycerides
5. Type 2 Diabetes
6. smoking
7. sedentary lifestyle

Well, only one of these risk factors is not in your control. You cannot change your family history, but knowledge is good --so, if your family tree includes heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, it behooves you to look at the other 6 risk factors -- because these are all modifiable risks that you have control over! Knowing your risk factors is the first step in preventing heart disease. Once you know your risk factors, you can begin to take the steps needed to reducing your chances of developing heart disease.

Modifiable Risk Factor 1: Being overweight or obese
If you're like 65% of Americans who are overweight or obese the number one thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease is to achieve a healthy weight. Too much body fat, especially around your waist, puts you at higher risk. Being overweight or obese also increase your risk of other conditions like high cholesterol and triglycerides, stroke and Type 2 Diabetes. So by losing weight you can begin to reduce your risk of heart disease. And the good news is you don't have to lose a lot of weight to start to improve your health. Modest weight loss of even as little as 5-10% can significantly improve your cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Modifiable Risk Factor 2: Having High Blood Cholesterol levels
You can have high cholesterol and not know it because in the early phases of accumulation of cholesterol plaque in your arteries, there are no symptoms! This buildup of plaque can narrow your arteries and reduce blood flow ultimately leading to arterial blockage or blood clots in arteries that feed the heart and brain. This in turn can cause a heart attack or stroke. Lifestyle changes like improving your diet and increasing your physical activity can help lower your cholesterol. Consistently eating a diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes and low fat sources of protein (like soy protein) can help lower cholesterol and protect your heart. The FDA has recognized that the consumption of 25 grams or more of soy protein per day may reduce your risk of heart disease. Choosing healthy sources of fats is also incredibly important. You need to limit your intake of saturated fat (the type found in beef, butter, cheese and regular fat dairy products) and completely avoid trans fats (found in fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods and some margarines) as these have been clearly linked to increasing the risk of heart disease. Simultaneously, it is prudent to switch to monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds), as regular consumption of these fats has been shown to decrease your risk of heart disease. Another important heart healthy fat is omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in foods like fish and flaxseed that may also help protect your heart by decreasing your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and helping to lower triglycerides and blood pressure. Fiber is another important part of a healthy diet. Look for dark breads that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, whole grain cereal that provides at least 6 grams of fiber per serving. Fiber supplements that provide at least 5 grams of fiber, preferably a blend of soluble and insoluble fiber are a prudent addition for anyone dealing with elevated lipids.

Modifiable Risk Factor 3: Having High Blood Pressure
You can also have high blood pressure or hypertension and not know it. With elevated blood pressure, your heart is working harder than normal, pushing your blood with too much pressure against your artery walls. This in turn may enlarge your heart and damage your arteries and significantly increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. What can you do? Well, if you are overweight, losing weight can make a significant difference in your blood pressure. Eating a heart healthy diet rich in plant foods and heart healthy fats can also help. And make sure to get adequate amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium but watch your sodium intake. Studies indicate that populations who consume diets rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, but limit sodium intake have lower blood pressure. Regular physical exercise also tends to strengthen the cardiovascular system and lower blood pressure. And, again, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to support healthy blood pressure and help to maintain healthy heart rhythm.

Modifiable Risk Factor 4: Having Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a serious and increasingly common disease in which the body doesn't properly use insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas that is responsible for transporting sugar in the blood into cells of the body where it can be metabolized. Left untreated, blood sugar levels increase and will damage blood vessels, thus increasing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Being overweight and sedentary are two big risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes, and once again, modest weight loss can help prevent diabetes from developing in the first place. If you already have diabetes, weight loss, improvements in your diet and the addition of fiber can help to naturally improve your blood sugar control. Regular visits to your health care provider are critical if you already have diabetes. If you have a family member with diabetes or you are overweight, have your doctor screen you for diabetes, which can often be without symptoms until it is advanced.

Modifiable Risk Factor 5: Being Physically Inactive
Being a couch potato increases your likelihood of developing heart disease. And increasing your physical activity can make a big difference. If you're overweight it will help you burn calories, it will also help lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. If you don't have time to do all 30 minutes at once, no worries, breaking it up into shorter periods of exercise is fine just be sure it all adds up to 30 minutes a day. In addition to vigorous activities like walking, running, or swimming, simple day to day activities count too. Activities like gardening, housework, mowing the lawn are all activities that can help improve your heart health.

Modifiable Risk Factor 6: Smoking
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the United States. Even second hand smoke, constantly breathing in smoke from someone else's cigarette or cigar also increases your risk of developing heart disease and other serious conditions like cancer. If you smoke the best thing you can do for your health and the health of others around you is to quit. Discuss quitting with your doctor. He or she can help direct you to a smoking cessation program that's right for you.

So in honor of February - Heart Health Month - we want to be sure you are taking special care of your most prized possession, your heart. Learn if you have any risk factors and take the necessary action outlined in this Bulletin to modify your risk - starting today. Start by following a heart healthy weight and inch loss plan and increasing your physical activity level. In addition, consider the use of heart-smart dietary supplements as added nutritional support. Incorporate soy protein and soluble fiber into your diet. Eat a diet rich in plant foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, other lean protein and heart healthy fats. Be sure you are consuming adequate amounts of homocysteine lowering folic acid, Vitamins B6 and B12. Make sure to get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. If you are concerned about contaminants in fresh fish, consider a pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement that will bring you a full spectrum of omega-3 fatty acids including EPA for hearth health and DHA to support brain function. And don't forget about Coenzyme Q10, to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, the form of cholesterol that makes up the plaque that builds up inside artery walls. People who take statin type drugs may be depleted in coenzyme Q10.

So, enjoy a few bites of mouth-watering dark chocolate on Valentine's Day (for its heart healthy polyphenols, of course) and then go for a walk with your "honey." Talk about your excitement about incorporating exercise, healthy eating and wise supplementation into your daily routine so that you can enjoy the coming year with energy and vitality--and the confidence that you are taking care of your heart.

Be well.

Health Alert: Not All Vitamins Are Created Equal

MSNBC.com recently tested vitamins found on store shelves. Of 21 brands of multivitamins on the market in the United States and Canada selected by ConsumerLab.com and tested by independent laboratories, just 10 met the stated claims on their label or satisfied other quality standards. (Do you know how to pick a quality vitamin? Read the Quality Vitamin Checklist so you know where your money is going.)

Most worrisome, is that one product, The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women, was contaminated with lead.

"I was definitely shocked by the amount of lead in this product," ConsumerLab.com's Dr. Tod Cooperman stated. "We've never seen that much lead in a multivitamin before."

Other products contained more or less of a particular vitamin than listed on the label. Some did not dissolve in the correct amount of time, meaning they could pass through the body without being absorbed.

ConsumerLab.com independently evaluates hundreds of health & nutrition products and periodically publishes reviews. In the news report, released to MSNBC.com, the company purchased a selection of the popular multivitamins on the market as well as some smaller brands and sent them, without labels, to two independent laboratories to be tested.

"I think this confirms the advice often given: you are safer choosing a well-known brand of vitamins sold by some company that you have confidence in."

In the reports, tests show that the Vitamin Shoppe women's product contained 15.3 micrograms of lead per daily serving of two tablets. This same product also contained just 54% of the 200 milligrams of Calcium listed on the label.

This amount of lead is more than 10 times the amount permitted without a warning in California. This mineral is stored in the body and could build up over time.

"I would be concerned about a woman taking a multivitamin that contains 15.3 micrograms of lead per daily serving," stated Judy Simon, a dietician at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. "Among other health effects, lead can contribute to high blood pressure."

ConsumerLab.com also found that Hero Nutritional Yummi Bears, a multivitamin for children, had an extra 216% of the labeled amount of vitamin A, delivering 5,400 International Units in a daily serving. That's substantially more than the tolerable level of 2,000 IU for kids ages 1-3 and 3,000 for kids 4-8.

"Because too much vitamin A can cause bone weakening and liver abnormalities, the Yummi Bears could be doing more harm than good. Vitamin A is one of those vitamins you don't want to get too much of," Dr.Cooperman noted.

The lead and Vitamin A findings are worrisome because vitamins are generally taken every day, potentially building up to toxic levels and leading to problems down the line. In particular, women with high levels of lead in their bodies who get pregnant could pass on problems to their baby.

In other findings, Eniva VIBE, a liquid multivitamin sold in packets, had only 54% of the claimed Vitamin A.

The ConsumerLab.com report also found that some vitamins did not break apart within the 30-minute standard set by the United States Pharmacopia. Nature's Plus Especially Yours for Women required more than an hour to disintegrate, while AARP Maturity Formula took 50 minutes. These products could go through your body without releasing the nutrients.

Editor's Note: Shaklee's Vita-Lea won a "disintegration derby" conducted by NBC several years ago that showed Vita-Lea disintegrating in under 20 minutes-- faster than all other multivitamins tested.

There are many, many reasons that set Shaklee apart from all other vitamins, herbs and nutritional supplements on the market today, and one of the most important is found right in the Shaklee Guarantee.

1. 100% guarantee that the ingredients listed on the label are in the product
2. 100% guarantee of quality-controlled product formulations that ensure product safety, purity, reliability, and product performance
3. 100% guarantee that we use the finest quality ingredients available

As you can see with Shaklee, it's not just an unconditional money back guarantee, but a whole philosophy and commitment to making Shaklee products the very best. With Shaklee you never have to worry or wonder if what's on the label is in the bottle. And you can rest assured that you're getting the very best quality and formulation based on solid scientific research and unprecedented testing.

A handy one page view with links to all the vitamins and minerals, herbs, botanicals and nutritional supplements.

Dr. Weil recommends daily supplementation

Sunday, Jan. 7, 2009, I watched Good Morning America and saw Dr. Andrew Weil, an integrated medicine specialist and author of the bestselling "Healthy Aging," share his tips on what supplements people should be taking every day. I have admired Dr. Weil for many years and so I pass his recommendations on to you.

• Multivitamin:

  People should take a quality multivitamin every day because the body needs vitamins every day. Our main dietary source of vitamins are fruits, and vegetables and whole foods. Most people are not eating those in sufficient amounts, or even every day. So the multivitamin is insurance for gaps in the diet. And even if you are eating fruits and veggies everyday, it's not a bad thing.

  Choose a multivitamin by reading the labels. There are some things that definitely should and shouldn't be on the label. The multivitamin should not contain any pre-formed vitamin A, which is usually called retinol. Don't get a multivitamin that has iron in it unless your doctor has recommended you do so. (Learn more about choosing a quality multivitamin.)

  You do want vitamin D3. If the label says vitamin D2, then it's not the good kind of vitamin D.

• Vitamin D:

  There's research coming out really month by month showing vitamin D prevents many kinds of cancer and multiple sclerosis. We used to think vitamin D was just necessary for bone health, but now we're seeing it prevent a lot of other diseases.

  But make sure you're taking D3. So often, you see orange juice or foods that say they're vitamin D fortified. But many times, those are fortified with D2. Vitamin D has to be taken with fat. Taking a vitamin D pill with orange juice isn't going to work; it won't stick to you.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Take one gram of fish oil every day. The body needs adequate intake every day for optimum mental and physical health, and there are not many dietary sources. You can really only find it naturally in oily fish from cold water (salmon, herring, sardines). It helps prevent heart disease, aging, cancer and dementia.
• CoQ10: People should also take the antioxidant CoQ10. It helps muscle function, heart function and brain function. It is absolutely necessary for people with heart disease. Co-Q-10 is made naturally in your body, but more doesn't hurt.
• Herbal Tonics: Tonics are natural substances, which, taken over time, increase general resistance to illness and encourage longevity. There are many different ones, and they're worth learning about and experimenting with. If you're lacking in energy or get sick a lot, these could be very useful to you.

Dr. Weil also had recommendations about how to choose a supplement. He said that when it comes to supplements, there's not necessarily a correlation between price and quality, which is important to know. Start by reading the label. Be careful of the milligram amount you're getting per capsule.

If the recommended dose is 1,000 milligrams and the pill only contains 200 milligrams, then you're going to be taking a lot of pills every day just to reach that dosage, so pay attention to the details.

Try to get brand-name recommendations. Sadly, many doctors haven't learned about supplements in medical school, so your doctor may not be able to advise you on that. To find the best brands, do your homework. Either get names of products from people you trust, or go on the Internet and look these supplements up. Check how the different brands do quality control. Ideally, pharmacists will be able to help; but again, they aren't getting this in their education any more than our physicians are.

We hope this information is of help to you and yours. Optimal health requires knowledge and action on our part.

How can we stay healthy during the year?

Listen to a discussion about how to stay healthy during the year.

This 16 minute discussion covers:

• Is there a natural supplement that can boost our immune system?
• What is interferon and what does it do to keep us healthy?
• What are the challenges to our immune system?
• Learn about Dr. Kojima, the world renowned immunologist who discovered interferon in 1954, and spent 40 years searching for a natural interferon booster.
• How can we boost our immunity?
• What does the digestion tract have to do with immune health?
• What is the most important thing you need to do to stay healthy?

Additional Information: Read an informative pamphlet on a natural supplement to boost the immune system developed by Dr. Kojima.

Learn more about natural immune support.

Find premium immune support supplements.

Find a comprehensive source of digestive health supplements.

Find powerful, green and non-toxic cleaners.

Do you know how stress effects your health?

Listen to a discussion about the health impact of stress.

This 31 minute discussion covers:

• Costs of stress.
• Causes of stress. How many are in your life?
• What is the impact of stress on our body?
• What is the stress response and how does it work?
• What is chronic stress and how does it affect us?
• Who is most at risk for stress related health problems?
• How does stress effect our heart, cortisol levels, memory, and immunity
• How do men and women react differently to stress?
• What can we do to lessen the effects of stress on our bodies?
• How does stress effect weight? How does diet effect stress? What should we eat to help our stressed out bodies?
• How can a cup of tea help?
• What other supplements can assist with stress and how do they help?

Additional Information: Read an informative pamphlet on a comprehensive stress relief supplement.

Learn more about stress and find supplements to aid in blunting the effects of stress on our bodies.

Health Alert: Red Wine (Resveratrol) Can Help Prevent Stroke Damage

Red wine might work to protect the brain from damage after a stroke, and drinking a couple of glasses a day might provide that protection ahead of time, U.S. researchers recently reported.

In an effort to better understand how red wine works, the scientists from Johns Hopkins University fed mice a moderate dose of a compound found in red grape skins and seeds before inducing stroke-like damage. They discovered that the animals suffered less brain damage than similarly damaged mice who were not treated with the compound, which is called resveratrol.

"When we pre-treat the animals with the compound orally, then we observe that we have a significant decrease in the area of stroke damage by about 40 percent," said Sylvain Dore, the lead researcher for the study.

Dore and his research team presented their results from the study, which was funded in part by the U.S. government, at a Society for Neuroscience conference in Atlanta.

"What is unique about this study is we have somewhat identified what can be the specific mechanism," in the wine that is good for health, Dore said. "Here we are building cell resistance against free radical damage." The study showed that resveratrol increases levels of an enzyme in the brain, heme oxygenase, that was already known to shield nerve cells from damage.

Dore said the beneficial effects associated with drinking a moderate amount of red wine could be explained by the fact the wine turns on the heme oxygenase anti-oxidant system.

"Red wine has been suggested for the heart. Here what we show is its special effect in stroke and pre-treatment," Dore said. "It suggests that prophylactic use of wine could work." The fermentation process in winemaking boosts the
concentration of resveratrol, Dore said. But said more studies are needed to translate the findings from mice into humans.

The amount of wine that must be consumed in order to reap the benefits of the compound will vary depending on a person's weight and the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. But, Dore said, it will likely work out to about two
glasses a day.

Editors Note: Besides providing the most bioavailable form of CoQ10 which helps supply energy for your heart, this CoQ10 Heart supplement also contains 640 mcg of resveratrol, equivalent to the amount of resveratrol in one glass of red wine. In light of this promising study, CoQ10 Heart supplement may be an even more valuable part of any smart cardio health program. For more information on this breakthrough supplement, please read this informative pamphlet.

Make Your Money Stretch

Cost of Diet Plans

Forbes magazine's 8/30/06 issue gives us a great weekly price comparison for diets. Cinch wasn't included but it easy to see where it fits in.

• LA Weight Loss: $138.29/wk


• Jenny Craig: $137.65/wk


• Nutrisystem: $113.52/wk


• Atkins: $100.52/wk


• Weight Watchers: $96.64/wk


• CINCH Starter Pack: $94.98/wk*


• The Zone: $92.84/wk


• Ornish: 78.74/wk


• CINCH Refill Pack: $78.64/wk*


• South Beach: $78.61/wk


• Slim Fast: $77.73/wk


• Sugar Busters: $69.62/wk


• Subway: $68.60/wk


• Average Single American Food Expense: $54.44/wk

Visit our educational site and learn why this plan really works. Lose inches and save money too!

* Cost of snacks and evening ""regular food"" meal were not included in the Cinch numbers. If you look at the relatively low cost of good, unprocessed food, the cost of Cinch is highly competetive with other plans, particularly since we have high quality supplements and tea included in our plan. A bargain compared to all the problems that come from overweight and obesity in any case.