Archive for December, 2009

Heart Disease Treatments-You Need A Roto Rooter For Your Arteries

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

There are many heart disease treatments on the market today. In my humble opinion, one of the best choices you can make is to do all you can to prevent heart disease in the first place. These can include steps such as exercising, not smoking, eating healthfully, watching your weight, etc.

Something else you can do is to take nutritional supplements. After all, everybody knows that clogged arteries can result in heart disease and attacks. Most people would love to reduce this risk.

There is a product called Vita Che which is what I call a Roto Rooter for your arteries. Vita Che works like this:

Lifelong vitality… Vita-Che is a broad-spectrum nutritional supplement that supports cardiovascular health. By providing vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, lipids, herbals, bioflavanoids, enzymes, EDTA and more, Vita-Che works in harmony with your body to:

Counteract free radicals and oxidants that disturb cells, membranes and blood vessels.

Complete the citric acid cycle to complete the energy transfer within the cells.

Selected Benefits:

Assist with the repair of tissue.

Address homocysteine concerns that impact circulatory issues.

Address obstructions.

Activate digestive and tissue healing enzymes.

Address blood circulation and stronger capillaries.

Address blood lipid levels including LDL and HDL cholesterol normal levels.

Encourage metabolism of fats into metabolites or energy.

As you can see, there are many health benefits of Vita Che.
Vita-Che is the product of choice for circulatory health. It includes herbs like Hawthorne Berry, rhizomes of Butcher’s Broom and lipids like CoQ10, EDTA, L-argine and L-carnitine. Together, these ingredients have a time-tested track record for stimulating circulation. That’s why Vita-Che is the foundation of good health.

To learn more, visit http://699456.shopvitamark.com When making an order, use this ID # 699456

Vita Che just might be what you are looking for. Your heart will thank you for it!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

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Posted in Heart Disease Treatments | 6 Comments »

Women’s Heart Problems-Women, Hormones, and Heart Disease

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Did you know that as a woman, estrogen provides crucial benefits that may help you prevent or at the very least delay, women’s heart problems?

Here is what Arthur Agatston, MD of everydayhealth.com has to say about this important health topic:

Women, Hormones, and Heart Disease
http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/women-hormones-heart-disease.aspx

It may appear as though women don’t get heart disease because they tend to develop it later in life than men, largely due to the protective effects of natural estrogen. As long as women are having regular menstrual cycles, they enjoy a significant, although not absolute, level of protection. Naturally produced estrogen is linked with lower levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides and higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol. When a woman’s estrogen production plummets in her late forties to early fifties, she begins to lose her hormonal advantage.

Female hormones and heart disease.
For decades, experts advised women to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to protect their hearts as well as to relieve menopausal symptoms and strengthen their bones. Estrogen’s heart-protective properties looked so promising that nearly half of all postmenopausal female physicians took HRT, a rate higher than that of the general public, according to a 1997 study.

That all changed in 2002, when preliminary results from the Women’s Health Initiative, a 15-year research program, caused a dramatic turnaround in the thinking about HRT. Compared with women who did not take HRT, women who took Prempro, a combination of estrogen and progestin, had a startling 29 percent increase in deaths from heart disease, along with a 22 percent increase in total cardiovascular disease. These results stunned the health community and caused a great deal of confusion in the general public.

But as it turns out, the HRT story is probably far from over. A review and analysis of many of the published HRT studies recently appeared in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The authors pointed out possible explanations for the disparities between the earlier observational HRT studies of women who had chosen, in consultation with their physicians, to be on HRT and the more recent controlled trials. One factor that appears to be important is the timing of when HRT is started. Those women who begin it later appear to be more likely to experience heart attacks than those who begin HRT soon after menopause. In addition, much of the increased risk seems to occur in the first year HRT is started and may be due to an increased tendency to develop blood clots in the first year of HRT use.

I wish I could give women more definitive advice on this subject, but at this time the research is just too inconsistent. Whether beginning HRT earlier after menopause and perhaps at lower dosages is safer is frankly unknown at this time. Therefore, any decision on whether to begin HRT should be made with your physician after careful review of the potential risks and benefits for your particular situation.

JoAnne’s Story
“I feel younger now than I did 2 years ago.”
I’m 85 years old, and I have pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs). It can be very serious. When I went to see Dr. Agatston 2 years ago, I wasn’t doing well. I couldn’t walk across the room without getting out of breath. I was overweight and I felt terrible. He put me on a healthy diet and told me to get some exercise. Thanks to that, I’ve lost 40 pounds. I breathe a lot better now and I can do a lot more things. I like to walk, but I’m not a youngster. I go to the gym three times a week to walk on the treadmill and do the bike. I do as much as I can. When I get tired, I stop, but I feel much happier and I look much better.

feel younger now than I did 2 years ago. I used to eat a lot of sugar and a lot of junk. Now I don’t eat fried foods, and I don’t eat sugar. I don’t keep it in my house. If you visit me and you want sugar, you have to bring your own! Now I eat a lot of chicken soup with fresh vegetables. I take care of myself. I do my own shopping and my own cooking. I’m still driving. I never expected to make it to this age. But here I am, thanks to a great lifestyle.

I hope you benefited from this. Whatever you decide, you can always take steps each day to reduce the risk of developing women’s heart problems by eating right, exercising, and having the right mental attitude. When you do these this things, your heart will thank you for it!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

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Women’s Heart Attack|Women’s Heart Attack and Your Heart Rate

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

Did you know that women’s heart attack risk can be partically determined by their heart rate? I did not know this until I read an article by Dr. Susan Aldridge, medical journalist, PhD. Here is what she had to say:

Summary

Previously resting heart rate has been shown to be linked to increased heart attack risk in women. Now researchers for the long-running Women’s Health Initiative find a similar relationship for women. Measuring heart rate might therefore be a low tech and simple way of pinpointing women at higher risk of heart attack.

Introduction

The resting heart rate, which has a value of between 60 and 80 beats per minute, is an indicator of the tone of the autonomic nervous system. As such, it has been found to predict coronary events in men – with high rates indicating higher risk. But studies in women have not shown this association, save for one report from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey which did show a link between heart rate and cardiovascular death among African-American women. The relationship between heart rate and stroke in women is also unclear.

What was done

Researchers at George Washington University and elsewhere carried out this study as part of the Women’s Health Initiative which involves 161,808 postmenopausal women. They recorded cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke) during eight years of follow up and searched for any relationship between these events and resting heart rate.

What was found

There were 2281 heart attacks and 1877 women with stroke during the follow up period. Women with a higher resting heart rate – more than 76 beats per minute – were more likely to have a heart attack than those with a lower rate, defined as less than 62 beats per minute. No such link was found with stroke.

What this study means

Resting heart rate has more clinical significance than previously believed. It could be a simple and low cost way of assessing a woman’s heart attack risk, in conjunction with other assessments.

Source

* Hsia J Larson JC et al Resting heart rate as a low tech predictor of coronary events in women: prospective cohort study British Medical Journal Online First February 2009 doi:10.1136/bmj.b219

http://www.healthandage.com/professional/Heart-rate-can-predict-womens-heart-attack-risk

So, watch your heart rate. Do all you can to take care of you and your heart. If you do, heart disease is something you never will have to worry about.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

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Women’s Heart Problems-The Connection Between Inflammation And Disease

Monday, December 21st, 2009

There are many reasons for women’s heart problems. However, few people realize the connection between inflammation and disease including heart disease. Here is what I mean by this.

As you are well aware, the human body is marvelously made with so many amazing intricacies and abilities. Amid its functioning is the work of the immune system to protect you.

Years ago, infection was the major cause of disease, including heart disease, and death. However, with advancement in personal hygiene and ways of preventing infection’s onslaught, deaths from this source declined. Today researchers have turned their attention to inflammation as the major factor in many chronic diseases, disabilities and deaths.

Inflammation is the body’s response to harm, which can result from bacterial, viral or parasitic infection, injury or trauma, stress, genetic abnormalities, metabolic disorders and even poor lifestyle choices, amongst other sources.

When the body is assaulted, the immune system kicks into gear. Immediately white blood cells are sent to the problem area to start destroying the damaged cells by secreting various inflammation-promoting chemicals. As such, these chemicals and the heat associated with them can cause the following symptoms: redness, swelling, warmth and pain. As well, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue and aching may also be the result of inflammation.

The body’s normal and natural response to damage is called acute inflammation which is short-lived for the specific purpose it’s addressing. However, being overworked or impaired by things such as lifestyle factors, the immune system may either overreact or react inappropriately. In this state it loses its ability to tell good or healthy cells from bad or sick ones. As a result it starts to attack all cells of a particular type preventing that body system or region from ever healing. This causes chronic inflammation and gives rise to autoimmune diseases.

If the immune system attacks connective tissue the person is said to have lupus. If it attacks the beta cells of the pancreas, they are said to have Type 1 diabetes. If it attacks the joints they suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation of the airways is called asthma, inflammatory skin reactions are known as eczema and an inflamed bowel lining is called ulcerative colitis (Crohn’s disease).

Cancer, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and women’s heart problems, Alzheimer’s, gum disease, allergies … and the list goes on, are all associated with chronic inflammation.

The saying ‘prevention is better than a cure’ can certainly stand its ground when you consider the above diseases. So what can be done on the preventative side? There are some simple, easy steps that taken daily can yield significant positive changes. If you follow these steps, the liklihood of your developing women’s heart problems, will be reduced.

1. Breathe Deeply. There is simply no other means of expelling body toxins faster.

2. Drink Enough Water. Many people are chronically dehydrated. To ensure you drink enough water, take your weight in pounds and divide it in half. Drink at least that amount in ounces per day. Drinking water will not only give you an energy boost, it will help you eat less and more importantly, will help your body flush toxins out.

3. Eat Quality Nutrition. More than quantity, the body needs quality nutrition as its fuel. Most authorities agree that the quality of today’s food is lacking in providing what the body requires to function at an optimal level. Therefore taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended. Search around to find nutritionally dense whole-food supplements that are readily assimilated by the body.

4. Be Active. The body was created to move. Research has repeatedly shown that your body functions so much better when you are active on a regular basis. To increase the likelihood of staying active, find an activity that you enjoy doing, or find a friend that you can exercise with so you can encourage each other to keep at it.

5. Get Enough Rest. A sufficient amount of sleep is needed by the body for repair and regeneration. It is recommended that adults get between seven and a half to nine hours of sleep every night. Of course, non-interrupted, peaceful sleep is the ideal! It is also suggested that the room be as dark as possible – the darker the better.

6. Deal With Stress. Emotions, inner turmoil, negative thought patterns and the demands of everyday life all affect the body’s ability to function. People need to have coping mechanisms in place that allow them to be at peace with themselves and others. Without this, the body’s immune system is never given any down time for it to be rested and repaired.

7. Be Grateful. There is a lot to say for simply stopping and counting your blessing each day. Yes at times life seems to deal you more than seems fair, but even in those hard times if you can find it within yourself to be grateful, the positive impact it will have on you physically will be well worth the effort.

This is not a comprehensive list, but starting to implement these easy-to-do steps will certainly aid your body’s immune system. You will develop a healthy heart too and limit ever having any type of women’s heart problems!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

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Heart Disease Treatments-Exercise Tips for Women

Monday, December 14th, 2009

In my previous posts, I talked about how being overweight and developing heart disease are related. Therefore, one of the heart disease treatments that work well is keeping yourself fit. How? By developing the right eating habits and exercising.

I recently had a reader post a question about exercise. She was mindfull that exercise was a good way to keep a healthy heart, but was concerned about becoming bulky.

It is interesting this question was posed, especially since I had recently read an article by Dr. Susan Lark regarding this very issue. De. Lark is one of the foremost authorities in the field’s of women’s health care, family practice, and complementary and alternative medicine.

Dr. Lark talked about how important it is for women, especially if they are menopausal, to do what they can to hold on to the muscle they have and gain back, if possible, the muscle lost. Her article was entitled “How to Build Postmenopausal Muscle Mass.” In it she gave 4 tips on how to do this. Following the principles are great heart disease prevention tips! Briefly, here they are:

1. Don’t go on a weight loss diet, even if you gained fat. Losing weight by drastically cutitng calories increases health risks because of the muscle loss. So inspite of your best intentions, it these diets make things worse.

2. DO go on a health-promoting diet. Replace processed and empty calorie foods, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and junk food with fresh, organic whole foods that are jam packed with nutrition. They should include fruits and vegetables, oats, qunoa, buckwheat, milliet, and chia; omega 3 oils, and salmon, tuna, and mackerel. This shifts your carbohydrates dominated diet to a more balanced and wholesomeone with proteins, fiber, and healthy fats, all foods your heart will love.

3. DO stregnth training in addition to cardio training. Dr. Lark said many women tell her that they find weightlifting boring, uncomfortable, and might make them bulky; the same concern a reader had. In fact, nothing can be further from the truth per Dr. Lark. The key is to work the muscles until they are fatigued and then allow them a day or two to heal between meals.

Some simple exercises for women to do are squats, lunges, leg lifts, ab work, shoulder presses, bicep curls, triceps work, etc. A good rule of thumb is 3 sets of 15 reps. Other exercise alternative are group sculpting classes such as Body Pump, Acquatic Resistance Training, using a Whole Body Vibration Device, etc. There are lots of choices and much material out there.

As someone who who has been exercising for years, I like to look at routines in magainzes such as Fitness and Shape for fresh ideas. There are also many books available on the market and women can also schedule an appointment with a personal trainer to help get them going with a routine that will work for them.

4. Do get physically active. Your heart will love you for it, you’ll have more energy, relieve stress, and feel great!

The article was lengthy. If anyone would like to read it in its entirely, contact me and I will send you a copy of it. My email address is mentormonqiue@gmail.com

So yes ladies, exercise is one of the most effective heart disease treatment and prevention strategies you can use. Take the time to do this everyday and your heart will thank you for it!

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newletter!

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Heart Disease Prevention-What Does A Rainbow Have to Do with Heart Disease

Monday, December 7th, 2009

The rainbow is beautiful to look at and a refreshing symbol to behold after a good rain. It is also a reminder of God’s love for us. The rainbow also can be a reminder on steps to take to avoid developing heart disease. Yes, it’s a powerful heart disease prevention model.

The colors of the rainbow can be a reminder of the colors of the fruits and vegetables that we should eat on a daily basis for optimum health and a healthy heart.

The blue and purple of the rainbow can remind us to eat purple grapes, blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, and black currents. These contain anthocyanins, which can reduce the risks of cancer, heart attack, diabetic complications, age-related memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease. They can also help control high blood pressure.

Many of the dark purple foods contain phenolics, which may slow the effects of aging and are powerful antioxidants. This group includes prunes, plums, and raisins.

The green color in the rainbow can remind us to eat green peas, honeydew melons, kiwifruit, broccoli, green lettuces, kale, spinach, and leafy greens. These contain lutein, which helps maintain good vision and reduces the risks of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Another green group includes cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, rutabaga, Swiss chard, cauliflower, watercress, and turnips. These contain indoles, which are good for reducing the risks of cancer and tumor growth in cancer patients.

The yellow orange colors of the rainbow can remind us of foods that contain bioflavonoids, which work with vitamin C to reduce the risk of heart attack and cancer. They also have powerful antioxidants that help maintain strong bones, healthy skin, and good vision. The foods in this group include tangerines, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, apricots, nectarines, papaya, pineapple, pears, yellow raisins, and yellow peppers.

The dark orange of the rainbow can remind us to eat pumpkin, apricots, peaches, carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, butternut squash, and cantaloupes. These contain beta-carotene, which can boost the immune system, is a powerful antioxidant, helps maintain good vision, and reduces the risks of heart attacks and cancer.

The red band of the rainbow can remind us to eat tomato based products, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and guava. These foods contain lycopene and can reduce the risk of breast, skin, and prostrate cancer. They also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Other good foods in the red band are red onion, kidney beans, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, beets, cranberries, red apples (with the skin), and red cabbage. These contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. They can help control high blood pressure and can reduce the risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart attack, and diabetes complications.

A healthy goal is to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It would be good to try to include fruits and vegetables from the different colors of the rainbow. There are many other fruits and vegetables that are not listed here. Include as many of them as possible for added variety and even better health a healthy heart. These are simple heart disease prevention tips you can begin to use today!

So the next time you see a rainbow, let the rainbow’s colors remind you to eat the colorful fruits and vegetables that will help your body to be healthier.

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve to Have A Healthy Heart” newsletter.

To Your Success,
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
SKype: Monique371
mentormonique@gmail.com

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Women’s Heart Problems-Why Phytochemicals Are Good For You

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Women’s heart problems is a major problem in our western culture. The factis, there are simple lifestyle and diet changes that women as well as men can decide to follow that will drastically reduce their chance of ever developing heart disease. If a women does develop heart problems, these diet and lifestyle changes can still help her overcome the disease.

As time goes by the typical western diet seems to increasingly contain more fatty processed foods and less natural plant based foods than ever before. The results of this disturbing trend can be seen in the alarming statistics on cancer, heart disease, stroke and many other degenerative diseases.

Aside from the obvious dietary problems of high fat, protein and simple carbohydrate intake is the considerably inadequate intake of plant based foods and all the health giving benefits they bring with them.

Enter Phytochemicals

Many people are aware that eating plant based foods add much needed fiber, vitamins and minerals to the diet but what is less well known is the many benefits of the phytochemicals that these plants contain.

Phytochemicals come in a variety of forms and different vegetables have higher concentrations of a particular phytochemical than others. Some of the main phytochemicals include:

Carotenoids – Found in broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, squash, sweet potato and yams.

Flavonoids – Found in cabbage, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, soybeans and berries.

Isoflavones – Found in peas, beans and legumes.

Indioles – Found in brussels sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage and kale.

Lignans – Found in walnuts, flaxseeds and many other nuts and seeds.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Found in walnuts and flaxseeds.

Plant Sterols – Found in eggplant, soybeans, peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, cabbage and broccoli.

The list above is only a small segment of the entire phytochemical family which encompasses a very large and extensive range of nutrients.

Benefits of Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals act in numerous ways to assist your body in combating disease and health problems such as:

1) Help to protect the cells by blocking carcinogens that try to enter the cell walls.

2) Helps to fight the malignant changes within cells that have already been penetrated by carcinogens.

3) Appear to boost enzyme activity to increase the benefits of the various protective enzymes consumed within the diet.

4) Combines with numerous vitamins to boost antioxidants activity to scavenge free radicals before they can cause damage within the body.

Although it is not important to know the names and benefits of the large range of phytochemicals that exist, what is important is to understand that maintaining a diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables will combine the benefits of the phytochemicals and vitamins to help you achieve optimal health.

By reducing your high fat/processed food intake and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables you will greatly reduce your chances of falling victim to the ever-growing list of degenerative diseases which plague the general population today as a result of following a typical western diet.

It is not only the damaging effects of high fat, high sugar foods in the western diet that allow cancer, heart disease etc to develop, but the absence of the protective phytochemicals that are only found in plant foods as well.

By adding plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet you will bring a host of phytochemicals to fight the damaging effects of free radicals and carcinogens and give you a level of health that most people will envy. You will have a healthy heart and reduce the chance of developing womens heart problems!

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve to Have A Healthy Heart” newsletter.

To Your Success,
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
SKype: Monique371
mentormonique@gmail.com

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