Category Archives: Heart Health

SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEART HEALTH

We receive a lot of emails with questions on this subject so let’s talk about it.
Bowl of Pills, Photo by rselph, CC BY 2.0
Bowl of Pills, Photo by rselph, CC BY 2.0

Bill and I for quite a while have been big believers in the benefits of supplements as natural alternative therapies.  Years ago when he was diagnosed with Rosacea, he didn’t want to go on the life-long regimen of antibiotics as prescribed, so we turned to supplements for help.  And it worked!  Another time I struggled with debilitating pain behind my left ear that progressed to a chronic level, sending me to various doctors which led to a possible prognosis of a brain tumor and a CT scan, which fortunately found nothing.  Then by chance we went out sailing for the day with friends and I took ginger every 3 hours to manage motion sickness (yes it works), only to be amazed at the end of the day that I had been pain free!  Apparently there was inflammation somewhere inside me (ah ha!) so I began a regimen of ginger for a period of time and the problem went away.  And on another occasion we reversed a serious eye condition with supplements, to the amazement of Bill’s eye doctor.  I’m a believer!

But think about this.  By definition, a supplement is:

“Something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.”

So the key word here is supplement–they are not a panacea.  Continue reading SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEART HEALTH

SATURATED FAT AND YOUR HEART

 Is butter back on the table?

NCI_butter

Earlier this year the headlines and TV news reports were hard to miss when a new study concluded saturated fat did not cause heart disease.  It was a huge story and the media ate it up (no pun intended).  Creamy sticks of  butter and juicy steaks flashed across the screen as reporters gleefully shared this news.

This can’t be right … right? 

Here’s what I’ve learned and what we’re doing as food for thought for your own plate.

First,  you should know the study was not an actual study but instead a meta-analysis.  A meta what? Continue reading SATURATED FAT AND YOUR HEART

Vitamin D and your Heart

The Sunshine Vitamin!

Vitamin D and your heartMost of us have heeded the warnings to avoid sun exposure–covering ourselves with protective clothing and sunblock.  And this time of year it’s not easy to get much Vitamin D from the sun anyway, unless you live in the more southern climes.  But our bodies need Vitamin D so what are we to do?

Vitamin D is essential to our health for many reasons, and it’s important to know that low levels of Vitamin D are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.  According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “a growing number of studies point to vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for heart attacks, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), strokes, and the conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes”. Continue reading Vitamin D and your Heart

Eat To Not Get Hungry

Bill Tips-2
New Bill here … One of my tricks to keep me happily cruising down the Road Back From Heart Attack, is not letting me get hungry whilst I’m out bustling around my world.  Straying away from the right food when you’re away from the home hearth can be too tempting if you get hungry out there.
Snack Bag-3 Continue reading Eat To Not Get Hungry

Death by Pepto-Bismol®?

HEARTBURN OR HEART ATTACK?

generic aspirinWe’ve all heard that heartburn might actually be a heart attack, right?  And hopefully we all know, if you think you could be having a heart attack, you should chew one regular strength aspirin (not enteric coated) for 30 seconds.  Doing this may just save your life, and it may also ease your chest pain.  And of course call 9-1-1, don’t drive yourself!

Pepto-BismolBut did you know Pepto-Bismol® could also ease the pain of a heart attack?  Well we didn’t.   Well it can!  Had we known, it would have changed the course of events the week of Bill’s heart attack and we would have sought medical attention much, much sooner.  In fact, we would likely have prevented his heart event.

Bill had burning pain in his chest after dinner one night that felt like heartburn, a condition he rarely experienced.  He swallowed a dose of Pepto-Bismol® and Voila! the pain disappeared.  Continue reading Death by Pepto-Bismol®?