Causes, Symptoms And Prevention Of Heart Disease

Heart disease is a class of diseases involving the heart, blood vessels, or both. It may refer to any disease affecting the cardiovascular system of the human body, especially cardiac disease, peripheral arterial disease, and vascular disease of the kidney and brain. If you are a resident of Chennai, there are several cardiac hospitals, adept at diagnosis and treatment to patients suffering from different types of heart disease. If you want to know more about heart diseases, then the following information will definitely prove to be of help.

Causes of heart disease

There can be several factors that cause heart diseases, but hypertension and atherosclerosis are the most common one. Several morphological and physiological changes brought on by aging can also alter the functioning of your heart, leading to increased risks of developing a heart disease. There are certain factors that can increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is the primary cause of heart disease. This condition is usually caused by lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, tobacco use, unhealthy eating habits, etc. Other factors that may cause heart disease include the patients gender, age and heredity, in addition to sugar consumption, air pollution levels, psychological factors, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, etc.

Symptoms of heart disease

If you experience any of these symptoms, you probably need to see a cardiologist:

Chest pain or discomfort, characterized by any pressure, pain, numbness, choking, squeezing or any kind of discomfort in the neck, chest or upper abdominal area
Palpitations, identified by missed heartbeats, or periods of irregular or rapid heartbeats
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Loss of consciousness or fainting
Lethargy, fatigue, day-time sleepiness
Shortness of breath, especially with exertion, or while lying flat on the back

Prevention of heart disease

Any cardiologist in a heart specialist hospital such as Fortis Malar in Chennai will tell you that you need to avoid the causes of heart disease in order to prevent it. You need to practice the following measures in order to prevent heart disease:

Take high-fiber, low-fat diet, that includes whole grains, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies
Quit smoking, and avoid being near people who smoke
Limit alcohol intake
Control your blood pressure levels
Obese and over-weight people should reduce their BMI
Increase your daily activity level
Reduce your sugar consumption level
Reduce stress, and try a few relaxation therapies

An angioplasty specialist in Chennai might also prescribe you vitamins and antioxidants after careful consideration to maintain your hearts health. So, use this information to maintain and improve your hearts health.

Heart Attacks Top 10 Tips Cease Heart Disease

Taking fish oil for triglycerides is need to the ways to to lessen risks of heart problems considerably. Every year, enourmous amount get affected by cardiovascular diseases and a major number of them die too. In fact, medical journals say that heart problems kill more number people than cancer does. So, it is, without a doubt, truly serious problem which you may need to be associated with. Fortunately, there is something you do to prevent it. Allow us to take an appearance.

Where am i able to get them? You will immediately get most items at the local Toledo area grocery dealer. You can get many for this examples of fresh produce at the Toledo Farmers Market. To grow your own herbs, may do get plants or seeds at Mulberry Creek Farm, Bensell’s Greenhouse, or at one belonging to the other local greenhouses around the Toledo sector.

Coenzyme Q10 is a material that is involved your past production of your energy in debris. Its main function is to electrons which are needed within energy generation process. It is found in high concentrations in tissues and organs that desire a lot of energy. And mainly because heart requires huge variety of energy, Co q10 plays vital role to maintain a healthy heart.

How much curcumin an individual use for heart health for everybody who is taking certain ingredient enhancers? Single ingredient supplements of this nature are not beneficial. Benefit doses that is required cause indigestion and increase possible gallbladder disease or worsen the symptoms, if this already present-day. In animals, high doses have demonstrated an ability to negatively affect the liver. Is safe, in reasonable amounts, but there’s plant compounds, it may be possible to overload.

If happen to be new to exercising, it is important that you take things over time. The recommended daily associated with exercise is 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times per entire week. But do not sense that you need to do this amount straight away; a very important thing with exercise is consistency. Do what you can, but keep advertising. Over time you will be able to use longer and do a great deal more.

There are a couple of risk factors that can increase ones chances of developing coronary heart disease. Many of these risk factors can be treated or controlled, some factors are uncontrollable. Is actually also every vital that become well acquainted with the risks of heart problems. One of the ideal way to prevent cardiovascular disease is to decrease ones controllable risk factors through life-style changes.

Grilled kabobs with shrimp, chunks of wild salmon, whole baby tomatoes, peppers, onion, summer squash, and drizzled with this kind of oil and the feeling of Cajun seasoning. Serve with a huge bowl of fresh chopped summer fresh fruit.

Make good food choices. Get up and move around. Live an active life. Be happy! While we can’t promise anyone will live to a hundred, preventative measures and good choices will an individual live a pleasant and healthy life.

Heart Rate Facts

What is heart rate? Heart rate (HR) is an indicator of heart’s work and is calculated as number of heart contractions (beats) in one minute (beats per minute – bpm). Individual heart rate is very much influenced by physical fitness of the person, genetics, age and environment.
Heart rate reserve – what is it? Heart rate reserve is the difference between the maximum heart rate and so called resting heart rate. If your maximum heart rate is 200 beats per minute (bpm) and your resting heart rate is 60 bpm, then your heart rate reserve is 140 beats per minute (200 – 60). Trained people usually have larger heart rate reserve than those who do no sports.
What is recovery heart rate? Recovery heart rate is the decreased heart rate measured after period of time after the training. For example if your heart rate immediately after the training was 185 beats per minute (bpm) and after 2 minutes your heart rate decreased to 110 bpm, then the 110 bpm represents your recovery heart rate. Together with maximum heart rate, recovery heart rate also helps to determine the intensity of your training.
How does the heart rate decrease after training? The time that the heart needs to decrease its rate to resting rate is individual. Typically, trained people do have higher maximum heart rates, their heart can work longer with higher heart rates, their resting heart rate is lower then the heart rate of an untrained individual and they need less time to reach resting heart rate. With semitrained person, the heart rate drops at least 20 beats per minute (e.g. 180 bpm during the training, 140 bpm or less after 2 minutes).
What is resting heart rate? Resting heart rate represents number of heart beats in one minute while you are at rest. The resting heart rate is best measured if you did not perform any activity for at least 10 minutes (standing up from the chair is considered an activity!), ideally after waking up the natural way, without an alarm (an alarm signal causes stress in organism and results in an increased heart rate) still resting on the bed.
What is maximum heart rate? Maximum heart rate represents the highest number of heart contractions a person can bear. As maximum heart rate can be truly measured only during a moderated stress test under physician’s supervision, you can estimate your maximum heart rate using the following formula: Maximum heart rate = 220 – age (in years); That means that if your actual age is 34 years, your maximum heart rate would be 186 bpm (220 – 34). The maximum heart rate of a trained person is higher than the maximum heart rate of the less fit person~Trained people usually have higher maximum heart rate than those who are less fit.
What is normal heart rate? There is nothing like average normal heart rate. A typical resting heart rate of a medium conditioned man is approximately 70 bpm. Genetics and mostly the physical fitness play a significant role. The resting heart rate of a well conditioned sportsman can be as low as 40 bpm as a trained heart Works more effectively.
What is a safe heart rate during the training? If your heart is healthy (means you never suffered from a heart disease or a heart attack) the safe range would be 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. This doesnt apply to people who are in cardiac rehabilitation, their exercise heart rate is limited at maximum 50-60% of their maximum heart rate.
What is the difference between Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability? While heart rate refers to the number of times a heart contracts in one minute, heart rate variability refers to the beat-to-beat alterations in heart rate.

Understanding The Symptoms Of Hardening Arteries And Slowing The Heart Aging Process

The symptoms of hardening arteries occur when the smooth lining inside the arteries become damaged and inflamed leading to a chain reaction of events that ultimately will lead to artery hardening, narrowing, and the reduction of blood flow to one or more of a number of areas of the body. Additionally, the likelihood of blood clots increases with arterial hardening which can result in a myocardial infarction. You are probably saying that is interesting but how does all this apply to the symptoms of heart disease and heart aging. We are just a few sentences away so stay with me.

The heart is surrounded by arteries which are not surprisingly known as coronary arteries. Their responsibility is to supply the heart blood, and when this fails to occur a heart attack results. But long before blood flow is completely cut off chances are hardening of the arteries has been getting worse for years and bit by bit slowly reducing the amount of blood your heart has to work with. As the blood flow decreases the heart has to work ever harder to provide the body with the oxygen it needs to survive. As the hearts workload increases symptoms of hardening arteries of the heart known as angina start to appear. Amongst these symptoms are chest pain, tightness in the chest, and a heavy oppressive sensation in the middle of the chest. Additional symptoms of hardening arteries around the heart include profuse sweating, an irregular heartbeat, discoloration of the skin, shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, and swelling the extremities known as edema.

When the symptoms of hardening arteries start to be noticed arterial blockage is generally around 70 percent. In other words your heart is telling you it is reaching the breaking point and can no longer provide your body with the oxygen it needs to run efficiently. At this point all bets are off and anything can happen including a heart attack or stroke.

As far as the heart aging part of the equation goes your heart beats about 100,000 times a day sending 1,800 gallons of blood through more than 60,000 miles of blood vessels. As the symptoms of hardening arteries start to be noticed your heart is forced to work harder in an attempt to pump all that blood through narrower tubes. This excess pressure causes the heart to wear out, aging disproportionately with each passing day. Add this to the fact that your heart loses 50 percent of its pumping capacity during vigorous exercise naturally, and slightly less than half of its resting capacity naturally and something eventually has to give.

The choices are pretty simple either take steps to reopen tubes (arteries) thus taking pressure off of the heart or join the 40 percent of people ages 40 through 74 who lose their battle with heart and artery disease.

To stay young at heart there are nine simple steps to consider: First, exercise under the supervision of your doctor; second control blood pressure levels; third keep the consumption of artery clogging cholesterol and saturated fat to a minimum; fourth consider eating baked fish twice a week; fifth increase consumption of high fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables; sixth dont smoke and avoid second hand smoke as well; seventh maintain a healthy weight; eighth take a vitamin B complex supplement daily to neutralize artery damaging homocysteine levels; and finally consider a prescription cholesterol medication or natural cholesterol reduction supplement to send artery clogging high cholesterol and triglycerides packing once and for all.

Is Reversing Heart Disease Really Possible

Is it possible to reverse heart disease? It’s a question that can raise a lot of debate. The effect of reversing heart disease can be done if you adopt a few lifestyle changes. If you eliminate some of the risk factors that you can control, and that put you in harms way of the disease, you can turn back the clock, in a manner of speaking.

There are many risks that can lead to heart disease and there are many different kinds of heart disease. One major factor that leads to most heart disease is blocked arteries that feed blood to the heart. If the heart does not receive a fresh supply of blood, it can die, or part of it can die, resulting in a heart attack. By unclogging these arteries, you are essentially reversing heart disease and, therefore, healing your heart.

How You Can Reverse Heart Disease
Diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol can contribute to the blockage that causes most diseases of the heart. Reversing heart disease can be helped by revising your diet, by eating more fruits and vegetables. Eat foods with a high fiber content and stay away from foods with a lot of saturated fat. By simply changing to a more heart healthy diet, you are getting a step closer to reversing a heart disease. Clogged arteries are one of the major factors that cause heart attacks and reducing this huge threat can help prolong or even save your life.

Get More Exercise
Another factor that is a risk is the lack of exercise. So a technique that works in reversing heart disease is getting more exercise. When you exercise, you increase your cardiovascular health, and your heart begins to work better. Exercise can be had anywhere, anytime, simply walk instead of drive your car, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Take a daily walk during your lunch hour or break-time at work, or just walk around the block every day that you can.

Surgery May be an Option
A more drastic, and doctor recommended move for reversing heart disease, is surgery. Although not in the reach of everyone due to the great expense, surgeons have been able to unblock arteries or bypass clogged arteries to improve blood flow to the heart. In many cases, surgery helps those who are afflicted with this horrible disease; however, for surgery to be effective, the heart disease must be caught early, like most other diseases. Surgery can be an effective means for reversing heart disease, but surgery can only do so much as there are thousands of miles of arteries in your body. The most effective way is to adopt good living habits and remove the risk factors you can control, once you find out you have a heart disease.

The Practical Effect Can be Yes
Once heart disease factors have been eliminated, you can look forward to, and continue to living a long healthy life, despite having a heart disease. So the short answer to reversing heart disease is really no, but the practical effect can be yes.

By eating right, reducing stress levels, and getting more exercise it will help improve your general health whether you have heart disease or not. Reversing heart disease does not need to hold you back, or reduce your life span. You can help in reversing heart disease by changing your living habits. If you have heart disease or want to reduce your chance of getting it, then improve your life by eliminating the things that contribute to the disease.

How Magnesium Supplements Can Reverse Heart Damage

Liquid magnesium supplements bring hope to heart disease and blood pressure patients who have tried drugs and remedies that have not worked. The secret lies in the fact that these patients lack magnesium, which is the most essential mineral to the human body. This mineral helps the functioning of potassium, calcium and sodium.

Since magnesium blocks calcium, it helps to dilate blood vessels that are constricted due to vascular spasms and atherosclerosis. It can reverse atherosclerosptic plaques and it helps to excrete excess sodium. It also bonds with potassium in order to help regulate the patient’s blood pressure.

Certain elements such as calcium and lead can cause the blood pressure to be raised, but this can be prevented by magnesium. Blood pressure can be lowered when magnesium reverses the effects of calcification of the blood vessels. In the process, high cholesterol and thrombo-embolism will also be lowered. In the same way, magnesium helps every cell in the human body. Apart from its benefits to the heart, it helps the nerves to be alert and the muscle to be strong. Studies have proven that daily supplementation with a quality liquid magnesium supplement can benefit even those patients with ailing hearts.

Heart patients who take magnesium supplements have been able to exercise for longer periods of time. The magnesium protects their hearts from damage due the the strain of exercise. Studies have also shown that magnesium can restore the ability of blood vessels to open up when the body needs more blood. Since cells that are magnesium deficient are more vulnerable, heart disease patients require liquid magnesium supplements. The element has the ability to fend off stress at a cellular level.

Unfortunately, doctors make use of a simple blood test that cannot give an accurate measure of magnesium deficiency. If this type of test indicates a deficiency, it is often much worse in reality. Therefore, someone whose magnesium levels are normal on the GP’s test, probably still needs supplementation. Eighty percent of women and 70% of men are deficient in this essential mineral as their diets do not provide the right amounts.

Many supplements are available over the counter, but they may not provide the neccesary benefits. In some countries supplements are regulated and quality is monitored. This is not the case in America and therefore it is hard to know what you get in a supplement. For this reason it is important that you know what to look for in a supplement before you buy it.

As a rule, mineral supplements should be in liquid form. This provides a much higher absorption rate than it does in tablet form, which is only about 20-40%. Liquid magnesium supplements offer an absorption rate of ninety percent or more. This type of supplement should be taken in conjunction with a diet rich in leavy green vegetables such as spinach and also whole grain foods, seeds and nuts.

Some people have problems with oral magnesium supplements, as it may cause stomach upsets. However, this does not mean that you cannot take the supplement at all. Magnesium oil provides a great alternative to oral supplementation. When the liquid is applied to the skin, it absorbs direcly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system and thus avoiding stomach upset.

In addition to the benefits that liquid magnesium supplements offer to the heart, it has several other benefits, making it an essential mineral for the entire body. For women it can improve the symptoms of premenstrual disorder and menopause. It also reduces the risk of premature labor in expectant mothers. People who have leg cramps, headaches and fatigue should consider using liquid magnesium supplements, as they are likely to be deficient.

Cardiovascular Center Innovative Trials And Screening For Advanced Heart Disease

Directed by Kenneth L. Baughman, MD, the Advanced Heart Disease Program part of the Cardiovascular Center is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of leading specialists dedicated to the care of patients with congestive heart failure and other severe cardiac conditions. New clinical trials at the Program include:

Jarvik 2000 Heart Assist System Gregory S. Couper, MD, and James Fang, MD, are directing this trial assessing a new ventricular assist device (VAD) that is quieter, smaller, and more durable compared with older generation VADs. Patients with end-stage congestive heart failure who are failing medical therapy and considered appropriate candidates for cardiac transplantation may qualify for this clinical trial. (For more information, please call Gregory S. Couper, MD, at 617-732- 7678 or email .)

OPCAT For patients with diastolic heart failure, this National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored, international multicenter trial is testing the efficacy of an aldosterone antagonist in the treatment of heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. Patients 50 years of age or younger with a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than or equal to 45 percent and signs and symptoms of heart failure with either a heart failure hospitalization in the past 12 months or elevated brain natriuretic peptide levels are eligible for the study. TOPCAT is led internationally by Brigham and Womens Hospital senior cardiologist Marc A. Pfeffer, MD, PhD, and locally at Brigham and Womens Hospital by Dr. Fang, along with Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, Scott D. Solomon, MD, and Akshay S. Desai, MD. This trial is only the second major trial that has offered a medical therapeutic option for patients with diastolic heart failure. (For more information, please contact Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, at 617-525-7057 or , or James Fang, MD, at 617-732-7367 or .)

HF-ACTION (Heart Failure A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training) Sponsored by the NHLBI, this randomized, controlled, multicenter trial is designed to evaluate the impact of exercise on advanced heart disease, including its effects on mortality, morbidity, hospitalizations, and over- (continued on page 6) all quality-of-life. Class II, III, and IV systolic heart failure patients with ejection fraction less than or equal to 35 percent may qualify for participation in this trial, that is overseen locally in three locations by Brigham and Womens Hospital specialist Daniel E. Forman, MD. (For more information, please call Research Study Coordinator Maria M. Lopez, MA, at 617-525-7638 or .)

Milestones in Transplantation
Adding to a long history of accomplishments in organ transplantation at Brigham and Womens Hospital, specialists completed the Cardiovascular Centers 500th heart transplant in December 2005 more than any other center in New England. Brigham and Womens Hospital physicians performed the first heart transplant in New England more than 20 years ago and the worlds first successful human organ transplant in 1954.

Cardiovascular Genetics Center
The Cardiovascular Genetics Center also part of the Cardiovascular Center offers comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and management for individuals and families with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), inherited aortic aneurysms, inherited arrhythmias (including QT syndrome), and Marfan syndrome. Center Director Christine E. Seidman, MD, and Medical Director Carolyn Ho, MD, along with other Center clinicians, provide:

Individual genetic screening with clinically approved DNA analysis;

Family screening;

Genetic counseling;

Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death.

Disease-specific experts carefully monitor patients with genetic mutations for cardiac disease, and early medical intervention is available to delay the onset of disease. Careful longitudinal evaluation may also prevent or minimize the incidence of high risk cardiac events and sudden death. The Center is currently evaluating patients with pre-symptomatic hypertrophic myopathy in an effort to avoid development of the disease.

Information and Referrals
To refer a patient to the Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Womens Hospital, please call a Referral Coordinator at (617) 732-9894.

Maximized Living Celebrates National Heart Health Month With Healthy Lifestyle Events

The heart is considered the most important muscle our own body, it’s our life pump. Is actually possible to one of the few organs usually are expected to work continuously, without rest, for a lifetime.

Where i’d like to get they? You can get most items at your local Toledo area grocery dealer. You can get many on the examples of fresh produce at the Toledo Farmers Market. Develop your own herbs, purchase get plants or seeds at Mulberry Creek Farm, Bensell’s Greenhouse, or at one with the other local greenhouses around the Toledo areas.

One must keep under consideration that the fewer risks one has, the lesser chance of developing heart problems. Two or more risk factors indicate the possibility particular may be pron to develop heart disease. It is clear that one of the risk factors listed could natural heart health be avoided with life style changes.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death ultimately United Nations. Finding a connection between heart health and inflammation among the gums could lead to a whole new approach in preventative cardiac medicine.

And don’t think that “buffered” aspirin is any better when referring to gastro-intestinal bleeding. A survey in Lancet found how the risk of bleeding was 2.6 times higher in people taking 325 mg or a reduced amount of regular aspirin compared persons not taking any aspirin. The risk in people taking “buffered” aspirin was five.1 higher. In because they came from took higher than 325 mg of regular aspirin every single day the risk was the 5.8 times higher, while in those taking buffered aspirin it was 7.0 time higher. In other words, people taking buffered aspirin actually had higher risk!

Women are well-endowed with emotions associated with lives. You are looking for joys very strongly, and take setbacks very most certainly. Experts in cardiology claim that powerful negative emotions like anger, anxiety, and depression have a wider impact on women’s hearts than they on men’s. Research shows that men’s hearts aren’t as responsive to emotional stimuli and that emotion can be a more important predictor of heart problems in people. Such strong emotions can result in woman’s ringing in the ears to become spastic and shut down thus preventing the normal flow of blood.

Early studies with aspirin showed no way benefits due to came to preventing heart attacks. (BMJ 1974 vol. 1 p. 436, Lancet Vol. 2 k. 1313, JAMA Feb 15, 1980, BMJ 1988 vol. 296 pg. 313-6). Then one study which used Bufferin (aspirin and magnesium) revealed that while the volume of of fatal heart attacks was not reduced, there was 40% fewer non-fatal heart attacks in people taking Bufferin. This will be the reason why doctors recommend aspirin for prevention of heart strikes.

All medications that have the experience of treat heart problems should be treated with caution. While they will assist in relieving symptoms and will often help you survive a heart attack, they are not drugs on this with no forethought. For you to the advice of historical past and keep the dosing is accurate. Take note of your body and any side effects you may see. If you have any concerns, speak regarding your doctor or pharmacist gone. Do not stop taking any medications for heart disease without first speaking to your personal doctor. With all the proper care and treatment, heart disease is manageable. With the addition of a healthy life style and diet, heart disease can be overcome.

Bromelain And Heart Attacks

For years Ive discussed many of the potential dangers involved with taking an aspirin a day to help prevent heart attacks. Now, I want to tell you about an “aspirin substitute”bromelain.
Bromelain is an enzyme extracted from the pineapple plant. It is referred to as a “protease” which means it breaks down proteins, reducing them to their basic building blocks.
Almost 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus and his crew “discovered” the pineapple on the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe. Even then, they were amazed at its medicinal uses. Natives used the juice to aid in digestion of meat and cure stomachaches. Women used it to beautify their skin and warriors used it to improve the healing of their wounds. Recent research suggests that the pineapple (more specifically bromelain, which is extracted from the stem) may be one of the best tools we can use to help prevent and even treat heart disease.
Atherosclerosis or clogging of the arteries directly accounts for one-half of all the deaths in this country. It kills by cutting off the life-sustaining blood supply to vital organs like the heart, brain and kidneys. Heart attacks result from blockage of small blood vessels supplying the heart muscle and strokes are often the result of a similar blockage to the brain.
Research has continually shown that the clots formed in arteries are composed largely of protein (fibrin). These clots also contain particles of various fats and cholesterol, but the protein mesh of fibrin seems to be the culprit holding the clot together. In fact, clot-busting drugs like streptokinase (marketed as Streptase) and urokinase that have been shown to dissolve 70 percent of the clots in heart patients work by breaking down the protein fibrin! (The enzymes involved break down fibrin not cholesterol. Despite this, everyone still wants to call cholesterol the cause of the problem.)
Bromelain works much the same way as these miracle clot-busting drugs. (Just like streptokinase, bromelain stimulates the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, which in turn helps break down fibrin clots. (Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn 1981; 254:157-67.) (Med. Hypothesis 1980; 6:1123-33.) (Med. Hypothesis 1980; 6:99-104.) J. Int. Acad. Prev. Med. 1979; Vol. 6, No. 1.)
Even more surprising, bromelain may be able to “clean” arteries of atherosclerotic plaquing before a problem occurs. In an animal study, bromelain broke down arteriosclerotic plaquing before a problem occured. In an animal study, bromelain broke down arteriosclerotic plaque in the aortas of rabbits. (Dissert. Abstr. B 1975; 35 (2 pt) 6013, Ord. No. 75-13, 735.)
Besides breaking down clots, bromelain appears to keep clots from forming in the first place. Explaining this area can get somewhat complicated and confusing (to me anyway). The “stickiness” of your blood cells has a lot to do with clot formation. This “stickiness” is linked to your bodys production of temporary hormones called prostaglandins. Bromelain blocks the production of prostaglandins that keep blood cells from getting too sticky, and promotes the production of those that help circulation. On the other hand, aspirin blocks the production of all prostaglandins, both good and bad!
Bromelain also has been shown to be very effective in treating inflammation, again without the side effects of aspirin or the nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, Rufin, Medipren, Midol, etc. In fact, even the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been effective using 2250 mg. of bromelain twice daily between meals. In one study, over 70 percent of those on the program experienced good to excellent results of less joint swelling, less pain and more mobility. (Pennsyl. Med. J. 64; 67:27-30.)
Bromelain is sold in health food stores everywhere as a digestive aid and is generally considered very sage without any known side effects. After all, it comes from pineapple juice which again has been used medicinally for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Most studies Ive reviewed recommended between 2,000 and 4,000 mg. daily. When used for inflammation and the other reasons Ive described, it is best taken between meals. Some authorities recommend taking at least 500 IU of vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) along with bromelain to prevent harmful clogging of the arteries due to sticky blood cells.
Bromelain use is another one of those therapies you wont hear much about because theres not much money to be made in pineapple extracts. You can bet, however, that drug companies are studying bromelain very closely. Anything that works this well for so many problems, without side effects, would be the ideal starting point for some new medications.

For more information, visit http://www.searchhearthealth.com

The Beet Can Protect Against Heart Disease And Certain Types Of Cancer

Beet (Beta vulgaris) is a plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae, formerly classified in the family Chenopodiaceae. The root of the beet is very popular around the world, used cooked or raw vegetables is one of the most prized in cooking, its flavor sweet and tastes like earth attracts the palate. Although used as food is also effective when used medicinally, is the cure of diseases or as a preventive.

The roots contain red powerful compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain types of cancer, especially colon cancer.

The pigment that gives beets their color-reddish purple is betacyanin is also a powerful agent in fighting cancer. Its effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been shown in several studies. This pigment is absorbed into the blood and can increase the transport capacity of oxygen in the blood by up to 400 percent.

In an animal study beet fiber increased the activity of two antioxidant enzymes in the liver, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase. The liver is the main organ of detoxification of the body, where toxic substances are broken down and eliminated, a process that generates a large amount of free radicals. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase are the bodyguards for liver cells and biliary tract, protecting them from attack by free radicals.

Although this study has not only increased the activity of antioxidant protection in liver but also on the levels of total cholesterol fell by 30%, their triglycerides fell 40% (elevated triglycerides, the form in which fats are transported in the blood are an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases), and the level of HDL (beneficial cholesterol) increased significantly.

In animal studies, scientists have observed an increase in the number of colonic CD8 cells, which are immune cells responsible for detecting and eliminating abnormal cells.

In patients with stomach cancer, when scientists compared the effects of fruit and vegetable juices for the formation of nitrosamines, carcinogenic compounds produced in the stomach from chemicals called nitrates, it was discovered that beetroot juice is a potent inhibitor of cell mutations caused by these compounds. Nitrates are commonly used as chemical preservatives in processed meats.

People whose diets are focused on betaine (found naturally in vegetables such as beets and spinach), have levels of inflammatory markers at least 20% lower than individuals with lower average consumption American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB , et al.).

Beets are particularly rich in folate, vitamin B, which is essential for the growth of normal tissue. Eating folate-rich foods is especially important during pregnancy, because without enough folic acid, the backbone of the child does not develop properly, a condition called neural tube defects. The daily requirement of folic acid is 400 micrograms. A cup of cooked sliced beets contains 136 micrograms of folate.

The green leaves can be cooked and are also rich in beta carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C and iron.

Nutritional value per 100g.

Vitamin A: 20 IU

Thiamine: .02 mg

Riboflavin: .05 mg

Niacin: .4 mg

Vitamin C: 10 mg.

Calcium: 27 mg.

Iron: 1.0 mg.

Phosphorus: 43 mg.

Carbohydrates: 9.6 gm.

Protein: 1.6 gm.

Calories: 42

The beetroot is a treatment traditionally used to combat leukemia. Therapy with beets, with consumption of about two pounds of mashed beet per day, has been reported favorably to the cases of leukemia and cancers (including cancer).

Research also shows that beetroot juice can help inhibit the development of colon cancer and stomach. It is believed that the beet red when eaten regularly can help against oxidative stress caused by certain disorders.

The red beet fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels by 30 to 40%, can also help normalize blood pressure. Sugar helps to maintain the elasticity of the arteries, when consumed regularly can help prevent varicose veins.

The iron content of red beet, although not high, it is the best quality that makes it a powerful cleanser and blood builder. This is why sugar is very effective in treating many diseases caused by toxic and pollution.

The beet juice is highly alkaline which makes it effective in the treatment of acidosis. Drinking juice regularly can help relieve constipation.

Beetroot and carrot juice in combination is excellent in the cure of gout, kidney and gall bladder may also help in the following problems, headaches, toothaches, dysentery and lumbago, skin problems, menstrual problems etc..

The beet juice is very strong, do not take much if your body is not used, it is advisable to increase the amount of beetroot medium-size to 1 every week. The juice is so strong that you may feel dizzy during cleaning, this discomfort is normal as the toxins are being eliminated. It is advisable to drink plenty of water to aid in the elimination of toxins. When you start eating sugar regularly, you will see a red color in urine or feces, there is nothing to worry because this is just the color of beet. When the beet is cooked part of its nutrient content is destroyed, you can consume it as juice or raw.

Marcelo Rigotti.
Agronomist, Dsc. Agronomy.
www.curaplantas.com.br