What is considered a good Mediterranean diet?  It consists of the following.

• Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Abundant olive oil
• Whole grains in breads and pasta
• Nuts in moderate or low amounts
• Less red meats, more fish
• Fish or seafood two times a week
• Regular red wine consumption in low to moderate amounts daily
• Regular exercise…like daily

What is the science behind the favorable results for the Mediterranean diet?  A good study of several thousand subjects was done at the University of Athens, Greece.  It found:

• More flexibility to arteries, believed due to increased nitric oxide and artery dilation.
• A high ratio of mono saturated to saturated lipids (this means more easily metabolized fats versus hard to metabolize trans fats.)
• Higher levels of essential minerals…magnesium, potassium and calcium.
• Natural antioxidants of fruits and vegetables…especially carotenes and specifically lycopene.
• Polyphenol (antioxidant) and omega 3 content  of olive oil.

While both meat and the cereal (probably wheat gluten) increased the oxidation and tendency for chronic inflammation, it was more than off set by the olive oil, nuts and fresh fruits and vegetables; these reduce oxidation and hence reduce inflammation. Inflammation is the mother of all heart disease and a major cause of hypertension.

Table salt (NaCl) is often implicated as a factor in high blood pressure; but the real issue is the ratio of potassium to sodium. Western diets are frequently deficient in potassium and magnesium.  Both of these minerals are extremely important to cardiovascular health.  The Mediterranean diet contains high levels of these two minerals as well as another important mineral to cardiovascular health, calcium.

Abundant fruits, vegetables and moderate amounts of nuts provide a good supply of these minerals. This would account for reducing the blood pressure, along with lowered arterial resistance due to the olive oil.  In addition, the abundance of polyphenols and antioxidants found in the Mediterranean diet quell  inflammation…the culprit in coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

A Spanish study done on 9,408 male and female subjects from 1999 to 2005 found reduced blood pressure associated with the Mediterranean diet. The risk factors for increased blood pressure, especially the age factor, were adjusted so the net effect was reduced hypertension with the Mediterranean diet.

Another  little emphasized factor in the study at Athens and in Spain was that of the red wine connection. Typically these populations regularly drink red wine in the low amounts daily, even in childhood.  A flurry of recent research has shown the red wine contains resveratrol (available in supplement) which is a good antioxidant and dramatically improves longevity.

A study in Burgundy France was so startling it is called the “French paradox”. A study of the population there found a 46% increase in longevity, in spite of a lousy diet high in fats.  Subsequent studies  in lab animals have confirmed that indeed everything fed resveratrol lives longer in spite of a poor, high fat diet.  The red wine in Burgundy is especially high in resveratrol because of the harsh conditions there. The effectiveness  and power of resveratrol is emerging as being due to its anti-oxidative power and longevity gene stimulation of SIRT-1. (Note: Over indulgence in wine is counter-productive, supplemental resveratrol makes more sense.)

Resveratrol, and components of wine, demonstrated to Japanese researchers that laboratory rats fed wine compounds for 8 weeks were able to maintained healthy blood pressure…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, inflammation, Mediterranean diet, resveratrol

Glutathione (GSH) is central to immune defense.  It functions to provide:

• A powerful antioxidant
• A potent detoxifier
• A co-factor in enzyme reactions
• “Go power” to the army of white blood cells who fight all invaders
• Amino acid transport to build and repair proteins
• Re-supply of electrons to antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

Glutathione is a powerful anti oxidant that defeats free radicals which are at the root of all degenerative diseases. Free radicals cause oxidation and inflammation because they are hungry for electrons.  Their chemistry is deficient in one or more electrons.  If they cannot find willing donors, they steal electrons from weaker molecules.  This is enormously disruptive, even to the extent they can change the DNA and genetic code of your cells.  Just as iron rusts due to oxidation, so also do your cells degrade due to oxidation caused by free radicals.

At the vary least, free radicals make the individual cells sick.  At the worst they can cause cancerous tumors to form. Glutathione not only willingly supplies electrons to the greedy free radical compounds but it also helps repair and build proteins.  The joining of GSH with other compounds facilitates the conjugation and repair of proteins where needed.  This is especially important to the preservation of your DNA.

Vitamin C and vitamin E are also good donors of electrons to help fight disease caused by free radical damage.  They do “run out” of electrons but glutathione recharges and re-supplies these needed electrons.  They cannot re-supply themselves.

For those of you who are wondering about electrons…electrons are part of the structure of every atom. They are negatively charged particles that orbit around the central atom nucleus which has a positive charge.  They are much like our solar system.  They are so tiny they cannot be seen but have perpetual energy and are necessary for every function in your body.  All chemical reactions of the body involve electrons, without their availability the body would cease to function.

Toxins corrupt and tax  normal biochemical function. They preferably need to be excreted from your body, whole or in part,  or else they become stored in your fat… or react adversely with your chemistry. Glutathione (GSH) plays an enormous role in this regard.  Without electron exchange and flow, cells and ultimately the body, die.

Inflammation is at the root of all cardiovascular disease…heart attack and stroke. Inflammation is caused by the oxidative effects of free radicals, especially toxic compounds.  Unless neutralized, this inflammation produces atherosclerotic plaque formation, increased blood pressure and cardiovascular accidents (heart failure, heart  attack and stroke).

In numerous studies, glutathione is found to always be deficient when disease conquers your body. This includes cancer, arthritis, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, brain and kidney diseases as well as cardiovascular disease.

Whole foods, as opposed to packaged and preserved ones, especially raw cruciform vegetables, help provide the raw materials your body needs to manufacture glutathione. Toxins and junk food tax and take their toll causing increased disease… eliminate these foods...Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: anti oxidants, electrons, free radicals, glutathione, inflammation

If there is an abundance of bio-compounds that have free electrons to give… like vitamins A, C & E, plus bio-flavenoids in fruits and vegetables… they are satisfied.  Free radicals won’t then rob weaker compounds that your body needs. Another important anti-inflammatory and proven aid in both coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s are the omega 3’s.  Let’s explore the omegas.

Exactly why omega’s are so powerful in preventing heart disease and Alzheimer’s is not fully clear but studies and statistics prove their efficacy. It is well accepted in mainstream medicine and in alternative medicine that abundant omega 3’s are huge in prevention of coronary heart disease.  Now Alzheimer’s prevention can be added. Omega 3’s are essential fatty acids that you body, and especially your brain, needs because the fat content of the brain is relatively high.

A recent study presented to the American Academy of Neurology found that high amounts of the omegas, along with vitamin E and folate,  greatly reduced Alzheimer’s… to the tune of 42%. Also in the equation was (surprisingly) increased vitamin B-12… without apparent benefit.  The study did not find a co-relationship of high B-12 levels alone with reduced Alzheimer’s.  Normally deficient vitamin B-12 is associated with compromised brain function in the form of dementia.  The explanation given was high levels of B-12 were present because of high meat consumption that also increased saturated fats.  Apparently the Omega 3’s were able to overcome the detrimental effects of the saturated fats, which are inflammatory, and the B-12 was irrelevant.

A prime example of omega 3’s overriding the negative effects of high fatty meat consumption and reducing coronary heart disease is found with the Eskimos.  They live almost exclusively on fish and fatty meat for months. Studies show that in spite of high consumption of fats they have almost no coronary heart disease.  The reason why clearly points to the high intakes of omega 3… that are found in fish and sea animals.

This validates the hue and cry of alternative doctors to “get your omega 3’s”.  They are most abundant in salmon and deep sea fish.  Also flax and hemp oil are good sources…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: alzheimer's, coronary heart disease, free radicals, inflammation, omega 3's

Stress tends to be minimized or denied, both by the victim and his/her physician.  Yet an estimated 75% to 90% of visits to primary care physicians are because of stress related problems.

What are the negative aspects of stress?  The following are 7 major ones.

1. Stress promotes chronic, silent inflammation.  This greatly contributes to coronary artery disease.  Inflammation is the mother of all heart disease. It attracts dangerous plaque deposits of LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of blood clots or coronary artery obstructions.  Inflammation can also be a cause of arrhythmias.
2. Stress weakens the immune system.  Colds, flu and sickness in general are facilitated and accelerated when levels of stress are higher. Toxic by-products interfere with “normal” biochemistry.  The immune system is heavily taxed to handle increased inflammation.
3. Increased clotting of blood can occur due to increased blood pressure and circulation of inflammatory by-products.
4. Blood pressure increases due to anxiety and tension.
5. Insulin resistance increases, impairing the needed uptake of insulin into cells.  Some estimate 1 in 6 people now suffer from diabetes 2.  Diabetes 2 is definitely a risk factor in heart disease.  The American Diabetes Association says more than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.
6. Heart rhythm disturbances occur when your biochemistry is flooded with inflammatory or toxic chemicals. Stress produces free radicals that are oxidative and destructive to homeostasis (body harmony and balance).  “Bad chemicals” of stress must be handled and eliminated.
7. Stress is known to cause heart attacks when there is no evidence of coronary artery blockage or disease. Disruption of heart rhythm is a sudden and fatal cause of these heart attacks.  The heart fails to beat and death occurs.
8. Depression is really a form of stress. It changes the body chemistry adversely.  It affects metabolism and normal body chemistry.  The perceived heaviness is real to your body.  Chemical changes occur that are destructive to your body.

What are 7 things you can do to reduce stress?

1. Stop over commitment to demands of time and work.
2. Take time for recreation and vacations.
3. Relax…take time to “notice and smell the flowers”.
4. Build family relationships by spending time with family members.
5. Get regular exercise…statistics clearly show you will live longer.
6. Be in right relationship with your Creator.
7. Employ the golden rule:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Whatever you sow that will you also reap!…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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Technorati Tags: arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, heart attack, inflammation, LDL cholesterol, stress, stroke

A large study done at Harvard found that just as many heart attacks occurred in those with normal  (150 to 200) levels of cholesterol. High levels of HDL alone do not co-relate to decreases in heart attack.   What about LDL (low density lipids) cholesterol?

LDL cholesterol is considered the culprit, but is it really?  Recent, dozens, of creditable studies show a high relationship of blood inflammation as the real culprit. HDL or LDL cholesterol is irrelevant. Inflammation in the blood is well measured by  CRP (C-reactive protein) and/ or Interleukin-6. These are markers in the blood that easily measure the levels of inflammation.  They are the most highly co-related factors in heart disease and stroke.

The danger comes because inflammation in the artery linings attracts LDL (especially the small particle size) and it forms nature’s bandage to protect the “wounded” arteries. The problem comes when the cholesterol dominated plaque causes a clot or plaque to breaks off and plug a coronary or cerebral artery. This produces a heart attack or stroke respectively.

Drug companies have convinced medical doctors, legislators and the public that cholesterol is the problem, when it really is not. The revenue generated from cholesterol lowering drugs (statins) is enormous.  The last figures I read were 20 billion dollars for this class of drugs.  Proof of this rip off came home to roost when Pfizer was recently fined 2 billion, 300 million dollars for false and misleading advertising. (They can afford the fine since they generate over 12 billion annually from Lipitor, their flagship cholesterol lowering drug.)

It seems clear to me that the wrong emphasis is placed on reducing cholesterol.  Our emphasis should be focused on lowering inflammation in the blood. This means reduction of obesity and diabetes 2… excessive intake of fats, trans fats, sugar and other harmful dietary consumptions…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: cholesterol, coronary heart disease, HDL, heart attack, inflammation, LDL

The World Health Organization reports that we in the U.S.A. are 31st in longevity worldwide. The United Nations Health reports gives an even worse report… 38th in longevity worldwide. Our U.S. Census gives the worst report of all…42nd in the world.

The Health Alert reported in their newsletter of Oct. 2008 (edited by Dr. Bruce West, M.D.)  that a new generation of cardiologists are saying: “average M.D.’s, including cardiologists, are 10 to 20 years behind the times in the greatest, most effective, and safest advances in heart disease care!”

The reason that doctors don’t accept the new information is because of:
1. Indoctrination from old, outdated information that in ingrained into doctor’s minds.
2. Unlearning and change are typical resistant with human nature.
3. The money in “standard” treatment is huge.
(It is estimated that 100 billion dollars is done in elective surgeries that are useless or of questionable benefit in heart disease.)
4. There is enormous influence by drug companies, especially for the cholesterol lowering (statin) drugs.  It is a $20 billion revenue source for drug companies.  It is the largest selling drug category in the world.

Surgeries and drugs are considered best remedies. Here are some examples cited by Dr. Bruce West, M.D., who treats heart patients:
1. 100 million in angioplasties…typically at a cost of $39,200 per case
2. 500,000 bypass surgeries at an average cost of $83,900

Angioplasties have proven themselves as only a brief help, if at all.  Statistics show no difference in survival rate with bypass surgery versus no treatment at all. Most bypasses are expected to “be good” for no more than 10 to 12 years. The real issue is treating the cause of heart disease.

According to Dr. West (and many other doctors) inflammation in the blood vessels is the real culprit in the accumulation of the bad cholesterol lining the blood vessels…which increases heart attack and stroke risk.  Dr. West cites viruses, high levels of circulating insulin (type 2 diabetes) and bacteria as major causes of inflammation.  Additionally, reliable studies list excess homocysteine, trans fats and sugar (dietary factors), as  major contributors to blood vessel inflammation.

Most alternative treatment doctors, including alternative cardiologists, favor strengthening the heart and and preventing the free radical damage and inflammation in the the cardiovascular system. How then can you do this? It is not  that difficult and there is an enormous difference in cost between the old, outdated, standard treatment and the new alternative way.

Dr. West who treats many heart patients is big on phytonutrients, which are found in raw, fresh foods, especially vegetables.  The majority of enzymes and organic catalysts are ruined and destroyed by man’s processing.  Heat destroys some enzymes at as low a temperature as 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

Canning and cooking doesn’t necessarily destroy fats, carbohydrates and protein, but it does destroy the thousands of enzymes and phytonutrients that help the body’s biochemistry in fighting inflammation and disease. Dr. West says: “most heart disease is caused by nutritional deficiencies”.

Ignorance about a healthy heart diet abounds. The American Heart Association guidelines for good diet recommends a low fat diet which has not proven itself statistically.  The Mediterranean diet with whole food, vegetables, nuts, butter and olive oil, with little attention to fat consumption demonstrates one of the lowest heart attack rates of any group tested.

A long term study at Loma Linda University found those who ate nuts 5 or more times a week had a 50% less heart attack rate.   Concern about fats in nuts is overblown.  They are rich in Omega 3’s and mono saturated fats.  Many nuts have anti-oxidants and trace nutrients beneficial to heart and general health.

The bottom line is drugs are not the answer to optimal health and longevity. Raw vegetables, whole grains, nuts and uncooked, unprocessed foods have the best record for longevity…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: coronary heart disease, enzymes, inflammation, longevity

Homocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Studies have shown that too much homocysteine in the blood (plasma) is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease…according to the American Heart Association.

Inflammation of the vascular system comes in many forms.  One of the well recognized causes of inflammation is homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can accumulate in excessive amounts from red meats… especially beef.  In the process of digestion and breakdown by your body it is one of the amino acids released.

Vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid are likewise very important in reducing the inflammation  caused by excess homocysteine.

Inflammation in heart disease can occur because of other causes like high insulin levels and triglycerides. They are a story in themselves.   Inflammation is a problem no matter what the cause because it attracts LDL  cholesterol that attaches to the walls of the arteries, making a dangerous plaque, raising blood pressure and increasing heart attack and stroke risk. I want to focus on homocysteine because it is easy to over consume or over indulge in red meats.

In dealing with too much homocysteine it is important to cut back on beef and other red meats. In addition, studies have shown that consumption of the B vitamins is quite effective in neutralizing  excess  homocysteine. The B-vitamins are mutually beneficial to each other and work in unison with each other.  The ones that seem to most benefit you are B-6, B-12 and Folic Acid…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, B-12, B-6, Folic Acid, homocysteine, inflammation

A key ingredient for causing arteriosclerosis is the accumulation of calcified plaque that lines the blood vessels and linings of the heart. This arteriosclerosis occurs when there is inflammation in the blood vessels and it attracts LDL (low density lipids) cholesterol.  Cholesterol alone is not the problem but rather inflammation in the blood vessels. Calcium sticks to inflamed artery linings and also helps LDL cholesterol become attached.

Even if an artery doses not rupture to cause a heart attack or stroke, the same kind of cardiovascular accident occurs if a plaque that lines the blood vessels chips off and plugs the coronary artery or the cerebral artery. When blood flow stops to part of the heart tissue it dies or necroses.  The same thing occurs in the brain. Dead cells in the heart or brain compromise the function of these organs.

It behooves us to control inflammation by paying attention to diet and intake of substances that inflame the blood vessels. (Check out other risk factors on this site.)  Certain mineral and vitamins are also crucial to cardiovascular health.  Arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis is truly a significant risk factor in both coronary heart disease and in cerebral artery disease…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

Technorati Tags: arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, heart attack, inflammation