Category Archives: Cardio Health

Blood Flow and Healthy Functioning

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Nitric oxide is an organic chemical substance that is found to improve the flow of blood as well as enhance Muscle quantity through oxygen delivery and also vasodilation. It might even help to protect your heart. Nitric oxide, a signalling molecule takes on a crucial role in vascular regulation, neuro-transmission, apoptosis as well as triggering reactions from your immune system.

Generally, nitric oxide in its role as a signaling molecule facilitates cellular communications. For body builders, one of the most useful processes in which nitric oxide is involved could be the dilation of blood vessels – vasodilation.

Nitric oxide’s ability to improve blood flow makes it useful in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The problem for a lot of men is that the presence of this signaling molecule decreases with age and can contribute to impotence problems. The great news is that you can top it up, by using supplements with arginine, to improve nitric oxide levels. They provide other health advantages as well. L-Arginine, such as is found in ProArgi9 Plus is converted by the body into Nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide improves stamina and improves training abilities relative to your body weight. It helps you have more energy.

Heart Disease and the Cholesterol Connection

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Cholesterol is a wax-like and fatty substance produced in the liver. Cholesterol is observed in selected foods like red meat, saturated and unsaturated fats, oils, butter, cheese etc.

Cholesterol is essential to keep the body working, but too much of the ‘bad’ cholesterol known as LDL can cause more harm than good. The presence of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body, may lead to formation of plaque in the arteries, preventing free flow of blood to the heart.

The presence of bad cholesterol or LDL (Low density Lipoprotein) increases the risk of heart attack or heart failures due to blockage of arteries. The arteries are blocked due to formation of plaque in the body. The intake of fatty foods; butter, cheese, oils, raises bad cholesterol and is largely responsible for the accumulation of excessive fat in the arteries.

HDL (High density Lipoprotein) cholesterol is also known as the good cholesterol since HDL cholesterol drives away the bad cholesterol. HDL protects you from heart disease. Elevated levels of HDL may be as important for the heart as low levels of LDL since each contributes to a lowered risk of heart disease.

Triglycerides are yet another kind of fat that travels in the bloodstream. High triglyceride levels may be due to hypothyroidism, diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease or might occur as a result of large intakes of fats, butter, cheese and alcohol.

The ideal way to reduce bad cholesterol is to do it naturally by opting for compound carbohydrates like barley, oats, lentils, wheat, and dried peas in your diet and staying away from simple and refined carbohydrates like sugar, pastries and sweets.

Consume more soluble fiber like fruits, greens and oats, which will significantly boost HDL or good cholesterol levels. The top foods in this category include almonds, apples, apricots, carrots and cabbages – all of which are rich in fiber.

Keep away from smoking and tobacco. Go for a regular walk for at least 45 minutes every single day. In addition, performing yoga and meditation will have twin advantages of quieting both the body and the mind. If you can do these things your bad cholesterol can be decreased in a natural way.

The best bet towards controlling high cholesterol is change in your life style and eating habits.

You Can Avoid Hardening of the Arteries

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The coronary systemis one of the most important parts of the body and when it is not taken care of properly, several unhealthy conditions can arise like hardening of the arteries. Medically, it’s referred to as arteriosclerosis and often appears along with high blood pressure.

The arteries transport O2 and nutrients from the heart to the other parts of the body. Over time, fat deposits can build up in the arteries and harden which then reduces the supply of blood to the organs. When this is not properly handled, the arteries can be come blocked,or worse, the plaque can break free into the blood stream causing heart attacks or stroke.

There are several factors that are associated with hardening of the arteries which are categorized into modifiable and non-modifiable. The non-modifiable factors are those which you can’t change such as hereditary factors, advancing age, gender (males have a higher risk) and race. The modifiable factors are the ones that you can manage which include cigarette smoking, obesity and lack of exercise, eating a diet that is high in saturated fat, high blood pressure, diabetes and high LDL cholesterol levels.

The indicators and symptoms of hardening of the arteries depend on the location of the affected arteries. If it is happening in the arteries that supply the heart, you might experience chest pain, profuse sweating, shortness of breath and anxiety. Arteries that supply blood to the brain when affected will be manifested through numbness or weakness, paralysis typically in one half of the body, loss of speech, blindness and difficulty when swallowing. For the ones that supply the legs, severe leg pain will develop while you walk but disappear when you stop. Kidney failure and high blood pressure are the signs when the arteries affected supply the kidneys.

As to this date, there is no medically recognized cure for hardening of the arteries but the symptoms can be treated with anti-hypertensives, cholesterol decreasing medicines, diuretics and medications to control the chest pain. To re-open the artery when it is blocked, angioplasty is generally performed.

Even if there are non-modifiable factors for hardening of the arteries, you can do a lot to help decrease your risks. Life style changes are warranted and included smoking cessation, choosing a balanced diet that is low in fat and LDL cholesterol, getting enough exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. Hardening of the arteries is a serious cardio vascular disorder so while you can, you have to prevent it.

A Plaque Buildup in Your Arteries

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Coronary artery disease means there is a plaque build up in the arteries. The function of the arteries is to supply oxygen rich blood to the body. Essentially, plaque consists of cholesterol, fat, lime scale, and other kinds of dangerous substances that can be found in the blood.

Plaque in the arteries is better known ad Arthrosclerosis. Some of the factors that contribute to arthrosclerosis include family history, individual lifestyle and your overall health history. Plaque starts off developing slowly in the coronary arteries but eventually the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart is strangled.

The man or woman might experience severe pain in chest or gasp for breath as adequate blood is not reaching the heart. As a result, your heart is compelled to work harder for its oxygen. At times this discomfort or pain can be felt in the neck, arms, face and the back.

Over the course of time, the heart muscles become fragile. Nitric Oxide has been shown to dissolve arterial plaque and relax the blood vessels and a product ProArgi9 Plus – an L-Arginine supplement can help your body boost it’s Nitric oxide levels.

Plaque in the arteries or coronary artery disease is a serious condition and the best cure is prevention. Get exercise. Eat a good diet. Steer clear of fatty, oily, fried and high sodium foods. A change in lifestyle and eating habits will help prevent the formation of arterial plaque and improve the free flow of blood to the heart. It is advised to keep away from cigarette smoking and alcoholic drinks, too.

Antioxidants are Important for the Brain

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Human brain

From your first moment to your last and for every microsecond in between, there is a war raging in every part of your body.  Literally millions of these battles happen at the same time with oxy-radicals on one side and antioxidants on the other. It’s a war that affects your lifespan, your vulnerability to many different diseases and without question the quality of your life and health as a senior.

A human brain is highly vulnerable to oxyradical damage because although it only accounts for about 2% of your body mass, about 20% of the oxygen you take in is metabolized in your brain.  Free or oxy-radicals – unstable oxygen molecules, are created by many different things, but a major  cause is a natural and unavoidable by-product of metabolizing oxygen. Since twenty percent of your oxygen supply is used by your brain, it’s easy to understand that the cells in your brain will be subjected to a high number of free radicals.

Within your brain is a large concentration of fat molecules known as Lipids. Lipids include sterols, waxes, fats and also include a few fat soluble vitamins like E, A, D and K. Lipids store energy. They are  signaling molecules and they’re structural components of your cell membranes.  Lipid peroxidation is the name given to free radical Lipid damage and a reason for the importance of antioxidant supplements to the health and functioning of your beloved bonce.

Your brain is defended against Lipid peroxidation by antioxidants, and at best from a group called Network Antioxidants or the Antioxidant Network. The network includes Vitamins C, E, CoEnzyme-Q10, glutathione and Lipoic acid.  Network Antioxidants function as a team to clear out free radicals in the brain and are also uniquely able to repair each other. 

Among the Network Antioxidants, the most important is Glutathione also known as The Master Antioxidant. Glutathione is naturally produced in your body and can be found in each and every cell.

Surprisingly, your brain maintains lower levels of the Master Antioxidant, Glutathione than do other organs and with aging, the total supply is further depleted because our ability to produce Glutathione falls by around ten percent with every decade after our twenties.  But your brain must have Glutathione to be healthy. 

There is a powerful correlation between Alzheimer’s and aluminum. In a study conducted in 2009 on laboratory rats, two equal groups were purposely given aluminum toxins, but one group was also supplied with free radical scavengers- antioxidants.  One group recorded a significant increase in lipid peroxidation that results in a condition known as oxidative stress. Reduced Glutathione and other network antioxidants were also noted. For the group that was provided with the toxins and the antioxidants, none of these changes were measured .

Because of it’s vulnerability to the creation of lipid peroxides a plentiful store of antioxidants (in particular Network Antioxidants and most importantly, Glutathione) is key to sustaining a healthy and functioning brain. While oral glutathione supplements are not considered to be effective, you can take a glutathione precursor like Max One.

Cardio Vascular Disease and Some of its Causes

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Cardiovascular disorder is a general term given to describe a wide range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. There are two main groups of risk factors. The first are those risk factors that can’t be changed, such family history or gender.

The second category of risk factors are those than can be affected by your choices and behaviours and include things like, obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, lack of exercise and adult onset diabetes. This is the more dangerous group of risk factors and will more often result in heart problems. However by modifying or eliminating these risks, we have the ability to reduce the chance of being afflicted with cardio vascular diseases.

The list of cardio vascular diseases includes rheumatic heart sickness, irregular heartbeat, stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure and congenital heart failure. As far as age is concerned, the majority of people in high risk groups are between 35 and 64 years old. That is an age range that’s younger than I would have expected, but then heart disease is a leading cause of death in America.

Due to the life style of many Americans the death rate will be even worse in the years to come, unless individuals are prepared to make some fairly drastic changes in the way they live. The high obesity rate in the United States in youngsters as well as adults is staggering. The stresses of high pressure urban life also contribute to the incidences of high blood pressure. Type II adult onset diabetes is no longer just an adult ailment, but also now a disease appearing among adolescents. Once again, looking for causes, the finger is pointed directly at obesity.

There is hope for reducing the incidence of heart disease. More information is available to the public about the high stakes involved in modifying the risk factors before a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease is made. But, the problem can be hidden until it is too late. A routine annual physical with your health care provider is a good step to take and an easy one. Listen to what you’re told about your personal risk factors. But honestly, your health is in your own hands. No one needs to be told if they’re overweight or inactive, but it seems that many people need a bit of a kick now and then to take the steps necessary to fix the problem.

Try to Slow Down Heart Disease with Antioxidants

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Picture of a heart composed from healthy foods

The human heart is truly a miraculous machine.  Even before you’re born, the muscles that make up the heart are working hard, pumping oxygen rich blood to each organ in you and returning oxygen depleted blood back to the lungs.  On average, the heart will beat 37,869,120 times each year, year after year.  That’s about two and a half billion heartbeats in a lifetime.

Plainly, your heart is your powerhouse and it’s worth protecting. We know, nobody can live without a beating heart and indeed, with an average of 2 deaths every 68 seconds,  forty percent of all the deaths in the United States are from heart disease, led by Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

As the hardest working organ in the body, the heart muscles naturally produce a continuous supply of energy and it’s this massive level of energy creation which makes the heart vulnerable to the attack of free radicals. Hence, your heart is one organ with a large requirement for antioxidants like Glutathione which is the most valuable.

The Heart’s Energy Production

The heart’s amazing ability to produce energy is based within each cell in the cellular power plants- Mitochondria.  Every cell in every organ possesses these tiny energy producing locations.  On average, most cells will have a few hundred mitochondria, but the cells in your heart are estimated to include up to 5,000! The power that’s made in your cells, takes the form of a compound called ATP – adenosine triphosphate.  Unfortunately, making energy has a price.

The by- products of creating energy are free radicals and with the high concentration of energy producing mitochondria in the cells of the heart, there is an equally high production of free radicals. Think about wood burning in a fireplace and the ashes that accumulate. If they don’t get cleared out now and then, eventually they’re smother the fire. That clearing out process is accomplished by antioxidants and without their work, free radicals create a cascading response within the cells that will destroy them and their components – including the cellular DNA.

CAD and Heart Disease

Arteriosclerosis – Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) which is commonly called hardening of the arteries or loss of arterial elasticity is one of the main causes of Heart disease. It’s been linked to a substance known as lipid peroxidase. That’s what happens if the lipids in your heart are converted into free radicals.  Lipids, are a molecular group that includes sterols, waxes, fats and the fat soluble vitamins E, A, D & K.  As well as elevated levels of free radicals, patients with CAD also have low levels of antioxidants including Glutathione.  Lacking the antioxidant reserves to clean out free radicals in your heart, it and the arteries in the system will eventually suffer from oxidative stress.

Human bodies have originally been designed to clean up the free radicals created by normal processes, but most of us are subject to extra stressors that aren’t natural . These stresses include environmental toxins (and especially tobacco smoke!), poor diets, the unhealthy pace and emotional stress of everyday living and a weak condition of our muscles from not getting enough exercise.  We have put our antioxidant capabilities at a terrible disadvantage.

The Benefits of More  Glutathione and Other Antioxidants

As we grow older, our chemistry starts to slow down. The mitochondria in our heart muscles inevitably create less energy and we also naturally begin to produce less glutathione – which is vital for a healthy heart.  Boosting glutathione reserves will not make us live forever, but given how hard your heart is working for you, it must make sense to  improve your diet, choose a healthier lifestyle and take concrete steps to increase your natural production of glutathione.

Oral Glutathione supplements are not effective, but you can increase your glutathione with a glutathione precursor like  Cellgevity- available at wholeearthhealth.com.

Avoid Heart Disease- Know the Risk Factors

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Atherosclerosis, the scientific term for heart disease is the # 1 killer among North Americans. But what is it Well, sclerosis signifies “hardening” and athero identifies the type of substance that stops up and hardens arteries. Over time, our risk factors slowly rise but specific risk factors are important in figuring out if we’re probably prospects and they include our years, blood pressure, total cholesterol levels and good (HDL) cholesterol ranges.

Warning Indicators
High total cholesterol

High levels of cholesterol in the blood can contribute to atherosclerosis, which is the slow build-up of fat, cholesterol and other particles along the sides of your arteries. It’s called plaque and it can accumulate enough to narrow and harden the artery. If the plaque is serious enough, it can restrict blood flow past the blockage. Portions can also detatch themselves and cause a heart attack or stroke. An acceptable cholesterol level is 170 mg/dL or lower.

Low HDL “good” cholesterol
High concentration lipoproteins (HDL) absorb cholesterol and recycle it back to the liver for removal. A normal, healthy HDL level is over 60 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol rises with workouts. We need daily exercise to boost our HDL and decrease our risk of heart attack.

Elevated blood pressure
Blood pressure measurements are read as two numbers. The higher number, referred to as the systolic pressure, signifies the pressure in the arteries when your heart beats . The smaller number, called the diastolic pressure, signifies the pressure when the heart is at rest.

A normal systolic number is 115. If your arteries are narrowed, hardened or inflamed your heart needs to beat harder and this will generate a higher systolic measure.

A normal diastolic number is 75 or less. When the diastolic number is too high it can suggest that your lungs, kidneys and liver are not properly detoxifying your body.

High blood pressure, along with high cholesterol levels and low HDL levels should be considered as warning signals from our body. Heightened homocysteine sounds a louder alarm and high C-Reactive protein levels should never be ignored.

In addition to exercise, products like Cellgevity with support the heart by supporting our glutathione production, ProAri-9 Plus which acts as a Nitric Oxide Precursors and Herbal supplements like RGardens Heart Blend will all help you support your good health.

Why Your Heart Needs AntiOxidant Protection

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Elderly man in great shape

The human heart is certainly a wonderous organ .  Even before your first breath , the muscles that make up the heart are working hard , circulating oxygen rich blood to every part in you and drawing oxygen depleted blood back to your lungs.  On average, your heart will beat 37,869,120 times each year , year after year.  That’s around two and a half billion heartbeats in your lifetime .

Clearly , the heart is your powerhouse and deserves protection. You know , nobody can survive without a working heart and   with an average of 2 deaths every 68 seconds ,  forty percent of all the deaths in the United States are the result of heart disease, the leading cause of which is CAD- Coronary Artery Disease

Because it’s the hardest working organ in your body, the heart muscles will produce a continuous supply    of energy and it’s this massive level of energy creation which renders your heart vulnerable to the threat of free radicals. Hence , the heart is one organ with a high demand for antioxidants  and the most important of which is Glutathione.

Producing Energy for the Heart

The heart’s astounding ability to make energy is rooted within each cell’s power plants known as Mitochondria.  Every cell in every organ has these tiny energy producing sites .  On average, most cells will have a few hundred mitochondria, but the cells found in the muscles of your heart have about 5,000! The power that’s made in your cells, is created in the form of a compound called ATP or adenosine triphosphate.  Unfortunately , producing energy has a price .

The by- products of creating energy are free radicals and with so many mitochondria in the cells of the heart , there will also be a matching population of by-products . Without the intervention of antioxidants , free radicals can create a cascading response within the heart cells that can kill them and their components – like cellular DNA.

CAD and Heart Disease

Arteriosclerosis – Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) which is generally called hardening of the arteries or loss of arterial elasticity is a leading cause of Heart disease. It’s been linked to a substance called lipid peroxidase. That’s what you get when the lipids in your heart are converted into free radicals.  Lipids, are a large group of molecules which include waxes, sterols, fats and the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K.  In addition to   raised levels of Free radicals, patients with CAD have also been found with depressed levels of antioxidants including Glutathione.  Missing a sufficient supply of antioxidants to scavenge free radicals in your heart, this organ and your arterial system will eventually suffer from oxidative stress.

Our systems are designed to manage free radicals created by normal processes, but most of us are subject to extra stresses that were not part of the original plan . They include environmental chemicals ( like cigarette smoke!), lousy diets, the unhealthy pace and emotional stress of our busy lives and poor conditioning of our muscles from not enough exercise.  We have placed our antioxidant reserves at a terrible disadvantage.

Why You Need More  Glutathione and Other Antioxidants

As we age , our chemistry starts to slow down. The mitochondria in our cells inevitably produce less energy and we also naturally begin to produce less glutathione – which is vital for a healthy heart.  Boosting glutathione supply can’t make us live forever, but given how important your heart is , it only makes sense to  eat better ,  live a healthier lifestyle and take concrete steps to boost our natural production of glutathione.

Oral Glutathione supplements are not effective, but you can increase your glutathione with a glutathione precursor like MaxONE.