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Entries tagged as ‘Heart Disease’

Gum disease linked heart disease, strokes, diabetes and infertility

10 June, 2009 · 2 Comments

Bad oral health can affect our general health and well-being as well as robbing us of our smile.

The British Dental Health Foundation recently conducted a National Dental Survey . The conclusions of the research are shocking and have gone so far as to associate gum disease to potential risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, premature births, low birth-weight babies and, in recent early studies, infertility. These are astounding implications and Dr Nigel Carter (the Foundation’s Chief Executive) states in conclusion ‘The public is put at risk by poor dental hygiene habits yet awareness of these risks is very low. Gum disease in particular has been linked to serious health issues. It affects most people at some point in their lives, so there is no excuse for ignoring good dental hygiene.”

Cleaning teeth

Brush twice a day

Such important conclusions that have wide spread effects need to be broadcast a little more widely.  The basic advice of the British Health Foundation is to:

a) brush your teeth twice a day with a flouride toothpaste (there is a massive debate about flouride that I will touch on in a separate post)

b) floss daily

c) avoid sweet sticky foods

d) have regular dental check ups

Of those responding to some research carried out by the foundation 33% did not follow the advice to brush twice daily, 8% (equivalent to nearly five million people in the UK), admitted they had no NHS dentist and were not inclined to find one.  I wonder if they know the darker side of not caring for your mouth and teeth?

Research carried out which looks specifically at the systemic links between oral health and general health has come up with these frightening conclusions:

Facts, figures and details taken from British Dental Health Foundation

Heart Health

Good oral healthcare and treatment for gum disease can prevent the bacteria that cause thickening of the arteries. (Piconi, Trabattoni et al, FASEB Journal Dec 08 Italian/UK study in FASEB Journal)

Gum disease can be linked to heart disease. (September 2008 – scientists present the Society of General Microbiology’s autumn meeting with two new studies illustrating this.

There are 700 million oral bacteria among these the harmful bacteria can bond and act against the immune system or antibiotics, increasing chances of heart disease even in the case of fit healthy people (Jenkinson, Kerrigan et al – Uni Bristol/RCS Dublin Sep 08)

Oral bacteria causes atherosclerosis, or ‘furring’ of the arteries, as oral bacteria’s similarity to proteins which cause arteries to fur confuses the immune system. (These findings were presented by University of Otago’s Professor Greg Seymour).

There is strong evidence that treating gum disease can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Inflammation in the mouth has a measurable effect in the bloodstream and the rest of the body. In trials, once the gum infection was eradicated the risk of heart attacks and future blood clots was reduced. (Taylor, Tofler et al; Journal of Dental Research, January 2006) * Jan 2006 – PERICAR trial).

Diabetes

There is evidence of links from periodontal disease to type 2 diabetes. Of 9,000 participants in the study 800 developed diabetes. Those with high levels of periodontal disease were twice as likely to develop diabetes. (Demmer, Desvarieux et al, Diabetes Care November 2008 – Columbia University. USA).

A link has been found between gum disease and pre-diabetes, often a precursor to type-2 diabetes. Dr. Carla Pontes Andersen said: “The gum inflammation seen in periodontitis can allow bacteria and inflammatory substances from the dental structures to enter the bloodstream. These processes seem to affect blood sugar control.” (Pontes Anderson, Flyybjerg et al; Journal of Periodontology)

Premature births

December 2008 – researchers in Finland question 328 women on oral health and pregnancy, those who needed urgent dental treatment, suggesting poor oral health, were 2.5 times more likely to miscarry. (Heimonen et al, Blackwell Publishing)

July 2007 – Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Chile finds link between gum disease and premature births. One in three women at risk of premature labour presented with gum disease bacteria in their amniotic fluid, as well as their mouth.

Strokes

In June 2006 scientists found that gum disease may contribute to clogged carotid arteries leading to an increased risk of a stroke. Blocked carotid arteries were much more common in people who had gum disease. (Chung, Friedlander et al, General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research)

Infertility

In February of this year a pilot study on 56 men  suggests links between gum disease and low sperm counts. ( Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dental Medicine and Bikur Holim Hospital-based scientists)

If that has scarred you into visiting the dentist or you need more information you can contact the National Dental Helpline for free and impartial expert advice on 0845 063 1188 Monday to Friday.

Categories: Mouth · Uncategorized
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Fish Oils

11 March, 2009 · 1 Comment

Cod Liver Oil has been used as a medicine for centuries although its clinical use did not begin until the mid 17th century when it was given to people suffering with bone disease and rheumatism. At that time no-one knew why it worked.

A Time-Honoured Remedy

Research continued and cod liver oil was found to contain many nutrients that were not easily obtained from non-marine sources. Cod liver oil is a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins, A, D and E and also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA) which have essential roles in the body’s metabolism.

In 1970, two Danish doctors discovered that Eskimos in Grenland had a low incidence of coronary heart disease, associated with eating large amounts of fatty fish and seafoods. Further tests showed that EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) is contained in far greater quantities in the blood lipids of Eskimos, as is DHA (docohexaenoic acid). This is needed in high proportions in the grey matter of the brain, the nerve tissue and the retina of the eye to ensure healthy functioning of these organs.

So perhaps the “old wive’s tale” of fish being good for the brain is not so far fetched!

Researchers at the University of London have shown that fish oils can lower the risk of heart disease and reduce cholesterol levels and it has also been indicated that EPA can help with arthritis and rheumatism.

A Dutch researcher carried out surveys in more than 16 different countries to measure fish intake relative to heart disease frequency. His results showed that the groups eating no fish have a 10 times greater risk of heart disease than groups like the Japanese or the Eskimos who eat a great deal of fish.

More importantly, it is also shown that eating a limited amount of fish reduces the risk significantly so that changing the diet from eating no fish to eating 50g a day will reduce the risk by half. (One tsp of cod liver oil is equivalent to 50g fish.)

There is also good news for those who have had heart trouble. A study carried out by the Medical Research Council gives direct evidence that increasing the fish oil intake can reduce the risk of death from heart disease where one heart attack has already been suffered. One group advised to take 6 cod liver oil capsules a day (or eat fatty fish at least twice a week) had a 35% better survival rate.

Could fish oils calm us all down?

The intriguing possibility that eating more fish or supplementing the diet with fish oil capsules could calm us down has been raised by research published in the Lancet.

The idea comes as a result of a study suggesting that people with a high level of a certain type of fat in their blood tend to be more aggressive. Researchers in Edinburgh took samples from 1,500 randomly selected middle aged men and women. These were then measured for the different types of fat and the subjects’ personality profiles examined, assessing them for factors such as hostility and the extent to which they looked down on, or tended to dominate, other people.

After taking into account factors such as smoking and drinking habits, it was found that those with the most aggressive attitudes had higher levels of the triglyceride type of fat in their blood. The connection with fish lies in the well-established fact that eating more of the oil found in fish lowers the level of triglyceride due to its Omega-3 polyunsaturates content.

“A reduction in aggressiveness may be one more of the factors contributing to the explanation of how eating more oil-rich fish reduces heart disease risk” comments Fish Foundation chief executive, Dr Ray Rice.

Daily Dose

During the period from 1930 to 1950, the Government provided cod liver oil through the NHS as a vitamin A and D supplement to ensure healthy growth and bone formation in children and it was not until 1971 that the free distribution of cod liver oil was dropped at health clinics because of decreased demand.

For many of us, the daily dose of cod liver oil is a never to be forgotten experience as it tastes so unpleasant. Cod liver oil remains the subject of very extensive research and the good news is that much as been done to make it far more palatable.

Who Should Take Fish Oil as a Supplement?

  • Those with arthritis or rheumatism
  • Those concerned with heart health
  • Those with dry skin and hair

Categories: Bones · Health
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Cholesterol

4 March, 2009 · 1 Comment

Cholesterol is not itself fat, but a fat-soluble substance that normally combines with fats in the blood. It is essential to the human body but there is no need for us to consume it in our diet because the body itself can usually manufacture enough to meet its needs for cellular health, good digestion, hormone production and other bodily functions.

Because it does not dissolve in the blood, cholesterol is transported around the body by linking with fat and protein to form a lipoprotein. It is the proportion of cholesterol to protein in these combination molecules that determines their effect on the body. If the cholesterol proportion is high, the density decreases. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDLs) tend to clump together and cling to the walls of the arteries, forming a thick, hard deposit that can eventually clog the blood vessel and restrict the flow of oxygenated blood. This condition is termed atherosclerosis and can lead to heart attack or stroke.

High Density Lipoproteins (HDLs) on the other hand seem to do the opposite. They actually remove cholesterol from the artery walls and return it to the liver for disposal. It’s not surprising therefore that LDL, which contributes significantly to hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) is widely dubbed the “bad” cholesterol and HDL the “good” cholesterol.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the biggest cause of death in the UK, taking one in five women and one in four men. There is a clear link between these horrifying statistics and the fact that the average blood cholesterol level in the UK is one of the highest in the world – 5.8mmol/litre compared to, say 4.2mmol/litre in China. What is even more surprising though is that every time our cholesterol level drops by 1%, our risk of heart disease falls by 2%. If this is the case, why aren’t we all doing more to cut our own risk?

Perhaps the principal reason is that we don’t even know we’re at risk. Atherosclerosis remains an invisible problem until an affected artery becomes so clogged with sludgy cholesterol that heart attack or stroke occurs “out of the blue.”

Another reason is that it is not obvious which foods contribute to raising blood cholesterol levels. Eggs, prawns, shrimps and organ meats like liver actually contain natural cholesterol and are best avoided if your cholesterol level is very high. However, if they are eaten, it is thought that the body simply compensates by producing less cholesterol in the liver. The real baddies in terms of cholesterol are saturated fats, the prime sources of which are dairy products, animal fats and tropical oils like palm and coconut. These all raise levels of LDL cholesterol, while polyunsaturated fats like vegetable oils lower both “good” and “bad” cholesterol and monounsaturated fats like olive oil reduce “bad” cholesterol and, at the same time help to protect levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol.

As well as restricting intake of the wrong types of fat, cholesterol levels can also be controlled by reducing its absorption in the gut. Fibre in fruit and vegetables helps to do this by speeding the passage of foods through the intestine but high amounts of fibre will reduce HDL as well as LDL cholesterol.

The most valuable dietary components for reducing cholesterol levels are plant sterols and plant stanols. Sterols are a natural part of the cell membrane in both plants and animals, cholesterol being exclusively an animal sterol. Plant stanols, less common in nature are produced by hydrogenating sterols and the term sterols is generally used as a generic term to encompass both. Because plant sterols are structurally very similar to cholesterol, they reduce the absorption of cholesterol by competing for the limited sites for take-up in the gut. The result is a lower concentration of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Unfortunately, plant sterols are easily destroyed during food processing and, as a consequence, we generally don’t consume anywhere near as many as we should. Studies indicate that consuming 2g per day of plant sterols can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol while retaining HDL levels and produce a 25% reduction in the risk of heart disease. The average daily intake in the UK is a pitiful 167mg.

These precious plant sterols can now be taken as a food supplement. Lestrin tablets contain beta-sitosterol and beta-sitostanol, the most abundant forms in the same amounts used in recent studies. Taking two tablets twice a day with meals will help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and the intake may be reduced to two tablets per day for a maintenance dose

Categories: Health · Heart and Blood
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Health Benefits of Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

5 November, 2008 · 1 Comment

Antioxidants Found in Pomegranate Juice

  • Antioxidants prevent free radical damage. Free radicals are produced naturally in our body and are thought to play a role in the progression of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and premature aging.

Other items of interest

  • One of the body’s main defenses against this onslaught of free radicals is to consume antioxidants that are typically found in fruit and vegetables. Research has shown that the POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is very high in antioxidants. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice was compared to other beverages known to be high in antioxidants, and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice has more polyphenols than all the other beverages tested.
  • POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is very high in antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols are thought to be highly beneficial for optimum health, particularly for heart health. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice has more polyphenols than red wine, green tea, white wine, red grape juice, white grape juice, cranberry juice, blueberry juice, apple juice, orange juice and grapefruit juice.

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice and Heart Health

  • Antioxidants such as those found in POM Wonderful pomegranate juice diminish the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (LDL oxidation) in humans and mice. LDL oxidation is thought to be a factor in the formation of plaque in arteries, a key step in the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in the arteries).
  • When a compound is attacked by a free radical, its chemical structure is changed, and it can no longer perform its function in the usual way. This is considered ‘free radical damage’ and the compound is considered oxidized. LDL cholesterol is susceptible to oxidation. Also, after it is attached, it becomes a free radical itself, attacking other normal compounds and turning them into free radicals.
  • Free radical damage is cumulative over time and is thought to contribute to the progression of many conditions, including heart disease, cancer and premature aging.
  • An additional human study showed that consuming pomegranate juice reduces another enzyme: ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme). ACE is involved in blood pressure, and inhibition of ACE has been shown to lead to fewer heart attacks in patients with heart disease. Pomegranate juice inhibited ACE by 36% after two weeks of juice consumption. It also caused a 5% decrease in systolic blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis.
  • The latest published research (Clinical Nutrition: 2004) showed a decrease in plaque of up to 30% among patients who drank 8oz of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice a day. After one year of consuming 8oz of pomegranate juice daily, patients had up to a 30% decrease in arterial wall thickness in the carotid artery, a 21% decrease in blood pressure, a 59% decrease in LDL susceptibility to oxidation, and improvement in total serum antioxidant status by 130%. Those patients continuing the daily dosage for two additional years maintained the benefits.
    Pom Wonderful © April 2005

Categories: Antioxidants
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Experience the Incredible Health & Weight Loss Benefits of the Premier Coconut Oil

5 November, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Why should you be using coconut oil versus any other type of oil? Because it can:

Other items of interest

Help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight

  • Reduce the risk of heart disease
  • Lower your cholesterol
  • Improve conditions in those with diabetes and chronic fatigue
  • Improve Crohn’s, IBS, and other digestive disorders
  • Prevent other disease and routine illness with its powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents
  • Increase metabolism and promotes healthy thyroid function
  • Boost your daily energy
  • Rejuvenate your skin and prevent wrinkles

In short, after unjustly getting lumped in the “no-fat” craze of past decades, coconut oil is now starting to get the respect it deserves as not only the healthiest oil you can consume, even superior to olive oil which contains trans-fat, but as one of the most nutritious of all foods.

Coconut oil’s benefits have been covered extensively on [www.Mercola.com, but now it’s benefits are finally reaching the mainstream. For example, the May 20, 2003 edition of Women’s World, a very popular and wide-reaching magazine, called coconut oil a “miracle food” and particularly touted its ability help the body burn unwanted fat, triple your energy, and greatly help those with thyroid problems.

You should be absolutely certain, however, of the quality and effectiveness of whatever coconut oil brand you choose. There is a very wide variance in terms of the types of coconuts, the manufacturing processes used to make the oil, and more, which will have a major impact on the healthiness and effectiveness your coconut oil.

Dr Joseph Mercola © Dr Joseph Mercola

Categories: General
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Why a dose of folic acid is good for all

5 November, 2008 · Leave a Comment

D. Express, “WHY A DOSE OF FOLIC ACID IS GOOD FOR ALL” by Dr Rosemary. Pregnant mums know folic acid supplements help prevent spina bifida, but new research in British Medical Journal reveals it could combat heart disease & strokes etc.

Other items of interest

Folic acid (a B vitamin) has an important role in forming DNA, the vital part of each cell that contains genetic material. It ensures cells duplicate normally.

Insufficient folic acid could increase cancer risks where cells grow abnormally. There’s now evidence that extra folic acid may prevent lung, cervix & bowel etc. cancers. This B vitamin helps regulate the chemical homocystein in the blood.

High homocysteine levels can increase heart attacks & strokes. An Illinois University study found men with the highest intake of folic acid were almost 30% less likely to have a stroke due to a blocked artery. (This has been known for ages in complementary medicine but it’s good the BMJ have now reported it).

Dr Rosemary © Daily Mail. 3 February 2004

Categories: Heart and Blood
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A choc a day keeps the doctor away?

29 September, 2008 · Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you but I always delight in seeing chocolate in the news for just how health giving it can be.

With all the good press dark chocolate has been given, me and quite a few of my friends indulge in a square or two of raw or dark chocolate with 50% cocoa solids or more each day, for health benefits you understand! But here it is again: ‘Two-week dark chocolate diet that reduces heart disease risk’ headlining in the press.

The studies in question were carried out at the University of L’Aquila in Italy and Tufts University in the States and reported on in the Journal of Nutrition. The outcome of the trials is that eating dark chocolate daily for two weeks may lessen the risk of heart disease. Eating a couple of chunks daily for a fortnight can keep high blood pressure at bay and reduce the risk of diabetes. The chocolate appears to bring about such benefits quickly. Only dark chocolate works though, so take a fresh look at the high cocoa solids chocolate with health in mind. For us milk chocolate lovers, all is not bad news. Montezuma’s have a Milk chocolate from the dark side, with 54% cocoa solids. For the serious dark chocolate eaters we have 73% cocoa solids dark chocolate from Montezuma’s, Green & Black’s 85% cocoa solids intense dark, Maya gold has 55% cocoa solids and is really delicious, combining fairtrade dark chocolate with orange and spices. My problem is limiting it to a few squares, remember the calories do add up.

Cocoa flavanols appear to increase nitric oxide bio availability, protect vascular endothelium and decrease the risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The people in the test systolic and diastolic blood pressures also fell after the dark chocolate diet.

Categories: Chocolate · Health
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