Healthy Humans Foundation

is heart disease reversable?

2011-03-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

Is heart disease reversible?

Now there is a question that will elicit strong opinions in the medical community especially among cardiologists whose specialty is to care for people with heart disease.
The textbook definition of heart disease or more specifically coronary artery atherosclerosis describes it as a progressive disease be treated but not cured.
Some authors have described a steady progression of the disease, however more careful analysis reveals that while coronary atherosclerosis starts when we are young its progression is a not steadily progressive but goes through active and quiescent phases.

Most cardiologists and other Physicians will insist that heart disease cannot be reversed. Some will focus totally on cholesterol levels and insist that taking a cholesterol lowering drug is all that is needed and won’t discuss it further.
Surely the goal of treating coronary disease would be to reduce and eliminate the plaque and indeed a huge amount of money has been spent attempting to demonstrate that cholesterol lowering drugs would cause the plaques to shrink.
Pfizer who makes the cholesterol lowering drug lipitor spent over one billion dollars developing and testing a drug that would raise the levels of the so called “good cholesterol”, HDL only to find that not only did they not reduce the amount of plaque but the patients had significant side effects and the drug was withdrawn from further research, in fact this and other events has led Pfizer to completely abandon further development of any heart related drugs.
A large multi center trial called REVERSAL, REVERSing Atherosclerosis with Aggressive Lipid lowering (the drug marketing department loves these acronyms) showed that while one dosage of one particular medication did seem to stop the growth of the plaque the other medication did not, so there was no reversal in spite of the considerable amount of media coverage and marketing that followed promoting the medication (Lipitor) which supposedly had a better result.
All of this data has been discouraging in stopping the largest single cause of death in the developed world.
On the other hand one can find easily on the Internet advertisements for a variety of books and products claiming to reverse heart disease.
Dr. Dean of Ornish has made a career of claiming that following his very strict no fat diet. The joke about the Ornish diet because if it is so strict is that “it won’t make you live longer it just seems like it”. My older brother many years ago went to in Ornish seminar in came back with a very simple interpretation of the diet, he said” if you put something in your mouth and it tastes good spit it out” Other authors have also insisted that eliminating all fat will stop and reverse heart disease. A large group of people believe that chelation therapy works however there has never been any data demonstrating its effectiveness at reducing plaque.

If all this seems discouraging do not give up hope there are a small group of us who believe and have some evidence that heart disease actually can be reversed to some extent.

We must remember that fundamentally coronary artery disease is not a cholesterol problem and the focus on cholesterol will not lead us to a solution. The fundamental cause of coronary artery disease is inflammation.
The idea that inflammation is the cause of coronary disease begin to emerge in the medical literature in the mid nineties. Interestingly enough the renewed attention on the cause of coronary disease came about because of the problem of re-stenosis after an angioplasty or a stent.

This research caused a fundamental reevaluation of our whole idea of coronary disease, once described is a bland lipid storage disorder. The new research by many scientists has now fully described the role of inflammation from the inception of the plaque when it is called a fatty streak, to its growth and eventual rupture with disastrous consequences such as heart attack or stroke.

We will discuss inflammation more fully in week four and help you understand this very complicated subject.
But for now let’s just talk about inflammation in its simplest forms, we have all experienced acute inflammation for example if we experience a cut or abrasion on our skin we will see that classic signs of inflammation that have been described for centuries.
Warmth (calor)
Pain (dolor)
Redness (rubor)
Swelling (tumor)

We now know if that this is exactly what’s going on inside of our coronary arteries and the rest of our arteries for that matter. We can’t see it we can’t feel it but we know that this is what is going on.
I have seen it thousands of times in the operating room and came to the conclusion that inflammation was involved even though the experimental work was just beginning. I certainly will not take credit because I did not have the skills or the facility to accomplish the work that ultimately proved the clinical observation.

Lets it go back to your skin abrasion and remember that over a short period of time the signs of inflammation including the swelling and redness go away, the body is built to heal itself. However if you continue to injure that same spot every day it will never heal.

Dr. Peter Libby from Harvard University has a written eloquently both in the medical literature and in such publications as Nature and Scientific American explaining the change in our fundamental knowledge of heart disease and explaining the mechanisms by which inflammation causes the plaque to form grow and eventually rupture. Although he is certainly brilliant and very influential I am always disappointed to see that his only solution for inflammation is to prescribe a statin medication.

CAN HEART DIESAE BE REVERED?

The answer is yes, but not if we continue the same approach of trying to find a spot in the inflammatory pathway to block the inflammatory response.
But this is the typical approach; we don’t really ask what the fundamental cause is? We only ask how can we produce a drug that blocks the inflammatory process and make monstrous amounts of money using this medication.

Inflammation is the normal response our body makes to injury.

So to reverse heart disease a two pronged approach that; 1) avoids injury, to do this we must understand what it is that injures our arteries on a daily basis so that we can avoid the injury. 2) Understand the inflammatory process and the natural, normal things that modulate the responses so that we can maximize this affect without any side effects as are common with most medications.

It seems to me and to some others that if we stopped the injury that was causing the inflammation we would stop the growth of the plaque and facilitate healing.

I do not have any hard data but I do have several observations of patients who had dramatic reduction in the amount of plaque in their arteries by following a program to reduce inflammation.
(We may want to insert a couple of testimonials here from the inflammation awareness site)
One in particular is a man in his early fifties who was treated by a cardiologist friend of mine for chest pains, he underwent a cardiac catheterization demonstrating 60 to 70 percent narrowing in all three coronary arteries, and he was prescribed the usual statin medications but was not satisfied and sought my advice. My advice to him was to begin taking an omega three supplement, vitamin D and to restrict the amount of sugar and simple carbohydrates in his diet; he was also instructed to begin walking 30 minutes daily. At his six month follow-up his cardiologist scheduled another cardiac catheterization and warned am to be ready to have several stents placed in the arteries. Much to the cardiologist surprise the narrowing were now reduced to 40%.
I know anecdotes are not data and do not prove anything, but the observation has objective measurement of reduction in plaque which has been impossible with our current medications to reduce cholesterol.
The approach here was to have this gentleman stop injuries to his arteries by consuming a diet which he was genetically adapted to eat, avoiding those things that we know cause inflammation in the arteries. This diet and the exercise he began to do caused his weight dropped almost 20 pounds significantly reducing the inflammatory cytokines produced by that fat. We then took a look at those things lacking in his diet that are known to modulate the inflammatory response namely omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil and adequate amounts of vitamin D both of which are well documented to modulate the inflammatory spots in blood vessels.

Dr. William Davis has collected data using CT scans of the heart to obtain what is called a calcium score. Calcium in the coronary arteries proves that there is plaque there.
Dr. Davis published a paper which I was privileged to review before its publication showing that in 63 patients using a program to reduce inflammation a significant number had a reduction in calcium score. He actually had trouble getting it published in some journals because this was the first time such a thing had been reported.

Clinical observations and a small number of patients demonstrating reversal of coronary disease can never get the attention that a huge randomized trial, but we will continue to make the observations and publicize the fact that coronary artery disease is reversible by controlling inflammation.

The fundamentals of reversing heart disease then are;
Reducing the number of injuries to our blood vessels
Naturally modulating the inflammatory response.

inflammed by medical marketing

2011-03-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

INFLAMMED BY MEDICAL MARKETING

The Jupiter study made numerous headlines in November of 2008; most saying that taking a statin drug (Crestor) could lower their risk of a heart attack by 50%.

I know marketers do what marketers do but the facts are far different than the headlines.
The study was of 17,802 people with normal cholesterol levels but with elevated CRP, a blood test indication inflammation. Half were given a placebo and half were given Crestor 20 mg daily, after two years there were 157 cardiac events in the placebo group (1.8%) and 83 events in the treated group (0.9%), a real and actual reduction of 0.9% or less than ½ percent per year.
That would mean that 180 people would have to be treated for two years at a cost of $3.95 per day to prevent one cardiac event.
Since both LDL cholesterol and CRP went down no one can say that it was not the lowering of inflammation that was responsible for the small benefit.
When your Doctor started you on cholesterol lowering medications they did not tell you that there was only a 1 in 180 chance that you would benefit from the drug.
Marketing has trumped medicine, unduly influencing your Doctor, the FDA and NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) ignoring better solutions.
Since the last few years has produced massive amounts of evidence that inflammation is the root cause on Heart disease as well as many other chronic diseases let’s focus on ways to eliminate and correct the inflammation that is reducing the quality and quantity of our lives.

Weight Control
Overloaded fat cells produce chemicals that directly cause inflammation in our arteries. As little as 10% reduction in weight can correct the problem.

Baby aspirin
The original anti inflammatory has been proven to be more effective than drugs to prevent heart attack.

Avoid Soybean and corn oil

These oils, which are in every prepared food, and which we have been told to consume instead of animal oils, contain Omega 6 fatty acids which in excess amounts cause inflammation and heart disease.

Take a fish oil supplement

Omega 3 from fish oil is nature’s most effective anti inflammatory. Demonstrated in large studies to drastically reduce heart attack and death. Most of us do not eat enough fatty fish and need to supplement.

Be physically active

Recent studies have shown that the active muscle cell produces anti inflammatory compounds and releases them into the blood stream.

More statin nonsense

2011-03-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

All diabetics over 40 should be on statins, says an expert
Stockholm, Sweden - All people over the age of 40 with diabetes—type 1 or type 2—should be taking statins to reduce their risk of stroke or coronary events, one expert stressed to diabetes doctors at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2010 Meeting last week. Dr John Betteridge (University College London, UK) outlined the evidence base for statins in diabetes and stressed their safety, as long as they are appropriately used and drug interactions are avoided.
Betteridge has received honoraria for lectures and attendance at advisory boards and some research funding from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kowa, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Pfizer. This man clearly is a spokesman for the pharmaceutical industry. To say or infer that what he says is unbiased is terribly naïve yet this man is the expert at medical meetings, a man who dictates medical practice to other doctors, a man regarded by other doctors as particularly knowledgeable in the use of medicines and the treatment of illness. This is a man whose words are purchased by the highest bidder. Truth has no role when he speaks only allegiance to the mantra of his owners.
This is the man who can look at these facts:
1) Of the 137,000 people admitted to 500 U.S. hospitals with evidence of heart attack, 75 percent had LDL cholesterol levels below the recommended level of 130 and 50 percent had LDL cholesterol levels below 100.
2) 50 percent of heart attacks occurred in people with normal cholesterol levels.
And say with conviction that cholesterol elevation is the cause of elevated cardiovascular risk.
This is the man who can look at the ENHANCE study comparing Vytorin (a combination of Zocor and Zetia) and Zocor alone, which showed that even though the combination drug Vytorin lowered the LDL cholesterol 40 percent more than Zocor alone there was no difference in the progression of the atherosclerotic plaque and still say “lower cholesterol is better”, the marketing mantra of the statin maker, his masters.
This is the man who with respect to statin drug side effects can say to his fellow doctors, "you have to reassure your patients that the side effects are most unlikely due to the drug, and you have to look for other causes and counsel them that this is a very important drug for them to take."
Not one word about the ten of thousands of cognitive reactions to statins, manifested by various forms of amnesia, confusion, increased forgetfulness, disorientation and a dementia closely resembling that of Alzheimers. Nor about the adverse reaction of statins in the form of emotional and behavioral reactions such as aggression, sensitivity, paranoia, hostility, depression, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, combativeness and a road rage type reaction. Both the statin side effect repository at the San Diego College, directed by Dr. Beatrice Golomb and Dr. Graveline’s at www.spacedoc.net have found that cognitive and emotional reactions appear in patients reports just as often as reports of various neuromuscular problems. Most authorities now agree that myopathy incidence is now much closer to 15 percent than the less that 2 percent figure stated by the drug companies at the time statins first were marketed. Dr. Golomb has recently reported that of those cases reporting myopathy, 68 percent will prove to be permanent. Neuropathy already is considered permanent and particularly unresponsive to treatment of all kinds. Dr. Wolfe’s study following Baycol withdrawal reported that rhabdomyolysis incidence now runs at several hundred rhabdomyolysis hospitalization each year with a 10 percent death rate amounting to some 30deaths annually despite the withdrawal of Baycol from the market.
In view of this information about these well-known adverse reactions from statin drug use, how can Dr John Betteridge sleep at night knowing how widely divergent his words are from the truth? If this in formation is insufficient for you to question this man’s integrity concerning the relevance of cholesterol let me add the results of the JUPITER study that he has ignored so completely. Dr. Ridker took thousands of people of both sexes and over a wide range of ages with cholesterol levels of 130 or lower and no evidence of cardiovascular disease – healthy by all standards. He then gave all of these volunteers a test for inflammation known as the (hs)CRP test. Those testing positive for inflammation by this single test he then divided into two groups. To one group he gave a placebo, to the other he gave a moderate dose of a statin. Then Ridker observed these two groups for heart attacks and strokes (hard evidence of cardiovascular disease) as time passed. By 18 months of observation the placebo group showed so many cases of heart attacks and strokes that to proceed would be to violate medical ethics. This is the study that established for all to see the irrelevance of cholesterol either as a marker for CV risk or as a factor in the disease process – 35 years of brainwashing revealed by this one study. And our expert never mentioned it at the 2010 meeting in Stockholm a few months ago.
By Dwight Lundell MD

2009-02-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Utter Madness! 75% Of All Heart Attack Victims Have Normal Cholesterol!

Yet again, more evidence mounts that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease. If we but accept all this proof, it becomes clear taking cholesterol-lowering medication is a colossal waste of time, money and human suffering from side effects produced by statin medications.

The latest evidence is a new study in the American Heart Journal published in January, 2009. This new study tested the cholesterol of heart attack patients admitted to 500 hospitals. The disturbing new findings reveal:

· 75% of those patients had LDL-cholesterol levels below the current guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) of 130 milligrams.
· 50% had LDL-cholesterol levels below 100 milligrams.
· 17% had LDL-cholesterol levels below 70 milligrams, which is the new, more stringent guidelines.

How Much Lower Must We Go Before Admitting There Is No
Correlation Between Lowering Cholesterol And Heart Attack Risk?

One would think the overwhelming evidence that lowering cholesterol levels fails to prevent heart disease would be sufficient for a new focus. One would also think a scientist would be willing to re-examine a theory when the evidence against that theory is decidedly inaccurate.

Instead, the response from the American Heart Association sponsored researchers is to lower acceptable cholesterol levels even more resulting in countless people beginning statin medications unnecessarily.

This demonstrates once again the powerful success marketers of cholesterol-lowering medications have achieved. Their influence upon Physicians, government agencies and professional bodies leaves no one daring to question the cholesterol theory without fearing ridicule and risking professional suicide.

I am left with the utmost sadness their influence leaves intelligent and caring Physicians no longer giving needed thought to what really causes heart disease or how to prevent it. Instead, they have become convinced that cholesterol-lowering drugs are the answer despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Let’s use this study to our best advantage by stimulating an open-mindedness with questions and dialog about the cholesterol theory. Let’s get to the real cause and get serious about preventing unnecessary disease and death. Let’s re-examine the validity of the old science and examine the overwhelming evidence in today’s science. The latter provides the answer.

2008-12-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Lower Risk for Type 1 Diabetes
Omega-3 fatty acids when consumed regularly by the children at risk of developing type 1 diabetes are revealed by a preliminary research to help lower that risk. This was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.With type 1 diabetes, the beta cells in the pancreatic islets are destroyed. No one knows why this happens although the hypothesis has been that this is caused by both heredity and environment. Nutritional factors are also thought of as related to type 1 diabetes so Dr. Jill Norris wanted to see if the regular consumption of Omega-3 Fatty Acids were a factor in the destruction of the beta cells that produce insulin.From 1994-2006, Dr. Norris and her team studied 1770 children who were at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes. They followed this case up for more than six years on the average with the subjects taking polyunsaturated fatty acids since when the children were one year old. They found out that the regular consumption of the Omega-3 Fatty Acids lowered the risk by 55%.The following are some of the findings related to Omega-3 Fatty Acids:The tendency of the diabetics to have low HDL and high triglyceride levels makes it essential to consume omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. Since they are considered essential to maintain health and are not manufactured by the body, they must be consumed through foods such as tuna, salmon, and halibut, lake trout, mackerel and sardines at least twice a week.Another essential fatty acid is the omega-6 but the trouble is there has to be the correct balance between these two. An imbalance could contribute to the development of disease while a proper balance will do the opposite, that is, maintain and improve health. The usual American diet in order to be healthy should contain approximately two to four times more omega-6 fatty acids than the omega-3 but the trouble is that is not the case in what we usually eat. What we have instead is a usual diet with 14 to 25 times more of the omega-6 than the omega-3 fatty acids.
This post is from freediabesesalert.blogspot.com.
The blog contains excellent material on Diabetes, but missees the real point. Type 1 Diabestes is caused by the the destruction of the islet cell of the pancreas by an auto immune disorder. Those children who took more Omega-3 either from food or supplements have lower measured antibodies against the islet cells. Omega-3 is an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating agent.
Do not forget to take some today and give some to your loved ones.

2008-11-27T11:15:00.000-08:00

Doctor Lundell’s Arizona Ironman report

I began this ironman with great trepidation; my first Ironman, having only considered triathlon two years ago, not being able to run or swim at that time, not feeling at peak fitness for cycling, only my second 2.4 mile swim, being undertrained for running because of a tibial stress fracture in the spring and multiple hamstring and foot issues.
That being said my few successes in life have been achieved more with determination than talent, so I was determined to finish with the goal of 16 hours 59 minutes.

Knowing that I am a slow swimmer in spite of Ann Wilson’s great instructions, I started near the back. The swim was comfortable and I thought I was doing OK until I saw Jeff and Shawn who were volunteers on the swim course. They said 1:23 had already passed and the Mill Ave Bridge was still in front of me, disappointed but still determined. I was out of the swim at 1:42:50. Happy to be done and feeling good, but with 2065 people in front of me.

The bike leg went well. I followed Bill Wilson’s instructions and took it easy, got in all the calories and electrolytes per the plan, and finished the bike segment in 5:48:02 having passed 847 faster swimmers.

The run was starting out poorly, running too fast then getting tired and walking. On the first Mill Ave Bridge crossing, to my humiliation Sharon caught me walking. Sharon is my sweetheart and training partner. When you run with Sharon there is no run-walk strategy it is all run. She encouraged me, so it was back to running and only walking at the aid stations. At the end of the first lap she told me that the internet spies said I was first in age group by 40 min coming off the bike, now the pressure was on. I kept a steady, but slow pace on the second loop. Sharon and her friend Jacque were at multiple locations on the course to encourage me; they may have covered more miles than I did. Sharon reported that I had lost time to my pursuer so my determination really kicked in. The last lap was my fastest segment, my legs felt OK so I picked up the pace. I saw Preston out on the course and his encouragement was vital in keeping me going for the last segment. What a beautiful sight that left turn arrow is at the bottom of the park to be followed by a more beautiful sight, the finish!
I am amazed that I finished, amazed that I was less than 13 hours and amazed to be first in age group, truly humbled to qualify for Kona.
I am extremely thankful for all support and encouragement from friends especially the TriScottsdale friends. To have children and grandchildren at the finish to celebrate was very special. I have much to be thankful for.
Special thanks to Ann and Bill from Camelback Coaching, Nate and the other pros at Endurance Rehab, Karyn Hendrickson at One Stop Fitness for getting this old carcass across the finish line.
Very special thanks to Sharon Johnston for her love, encouragement and all the great time we have spent training, she is the real Ironman.

2008-10-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

Another reason to stay healthy
The number of serious drug reactions and deaths reported to the government shot up in the first three months of this year to set a new record, a health industry watchdog group said Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration received nearly 21,000 reports of serious drug reactions, including more than 4,800 deaths, said an analysis of federal data by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, known as ISMP.
Two drugs accounted for a large share of the latest reports. One was heparin, the tainted blood thinner from China that caused an international safety scandal. The other was Chantix, a new kind of anti-smoking drug from Pfizer.
Clearinghouse for informationThe watchdog group that prepared the analysis has served hospitals and pharmacists for years as a clearinghouse for information on medication errors. Known as ISMP, the organization is now trying to reach consumers with regular reports on drug safety trends.
“We believe that one of the most important tools to promote is to monitor trends on a regular basis,” said Thomas J. Moore, a senior scientist with ISMP. “Knowing which drugs are causing injuries and how many people are being hurt is the raw material we need to fashion sound measures to promote patient safety.”
The FDA defines serious drug reactions as ones that cause hospitalization, require medical intervention, or place a life in jeopardy. The agency’s monitoring system relies on voluntary reports from doctors and is only believed to capture a fraction of overall problems.
The 20,745 cases reported from January through March was 38 percent higher than the average for the previous four calendar quarters, and the highest for any quarter, the report said.
The number of deaths, 4,824, was a nearly threefold increase from the last calendar quarter of 2007. The FDA said heparin was largely to blame.
Previous ISMP research has shown that reports of serious drug safety problems had increased markedly since the late 1990s.
The FDA case reports provide a signal of possible problems with a drug, but a cause-and-effect connection can only be established through painstaking investigation. If the FDA were a police agency, the reports would indicate “probable cause,” but not necessarily “guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
‘Significant drug safety problem’The ISMP study found that heparin accounted for 779 reports of serious problems, including 102 deaths. The FDA, using data that covers a longer time period, has reported 238 deaths possibly linked to heparin.
Heparin “illustrates an example of a significant drug safety problem that was promptly and effectively resolved by the drug manufacturers and the FDA once the issue was detected and understood,” the report said.
Most physicians believe the problem of drug reaction is severely under reported be cause of the amount of paperwork the doctor must do to make a report.

2008-10-23T07:31:00.001-07:00

Are Arizona Workers Healthier?
Are Employers Noticing the Difference in the Bottomline?

The Salt River Project (SRP) Teams with the Healthy Humans Foundation to Implement Employee Wellness Program

October 22,2008—The Healthy Humans Foundation, a non-profit focused on the open communication of health and wellness research and advocacy, extended its employee health program with visits and seminars at two Arizona power plants.

Dwight Lundell M.D., founder of the Healthy Humans Foundation, led seminars at two Arizona power generating stations—the Navajo Generating Station in Page, and the Agua Fria Station in Peoria, with 400 employees participating.

“It’s smart business,” says Dr. Lundell. “Providing employees with information that can significantly change their lives not only shows employees that they’re recognized and appreciated, but it dramatically lessen health insurance claims and associated expenses. We’ll see more companies follow suit.”

Dr Lundell shared the simple and startling message that heart disease can be prevented and cured by simple dietary and behavior changes that recognize our human biology in the modern environment. Employees at both plants showed tremendous participation in the question and answer sessions—proving acceptance and appreciation to SRP for showing a concern about their health.

“SRP (Salt River Project) is a very forward thinking company who recognizes that health of their employees goes beyond just reducing medical claims, but goes to job satisfaction, productivity and loyalty,” says Dr. Lundell. “I’m honored to play a role in their positive forward movement.”

The power plants purchased Dr Lundell’s book The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation, Co-Authored by Todd Nordstrom, for all the employees at the two plants.

“The economy is forcing businesses to rethink their relationships with their employees,” says Lundell. “Health insurance rates are eating the bottom line, and employee engagement is a huge topic during turbulent times. Implementing a wellness program addresses both issues.”

The SRP employee health programs follows similar successful programs conducted by Dr. Lundell at the SRP Santan Generating Station, Henry Brown GMC Pontiac, and a 10% weight loss challenge at Waste Management done in cooperation with the Triscottsdale Foundation.

“Modern medicine, with all its benefits, is focused on treatment of disease,” says Lundell. “The Healthy Humans Foundation is focused on prevention and reversal of disease and disability through education about human biology and nutrition.”

Dr. Lundell says recent interest in Employee Wellness programs has spiked, and feedback from both the employers and the employees has been phenomenal.

“We want people to feel alive and vibrant,” says Lundell. “Companies want their employees to feel young, energized, and engaged too. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelming. Obviously employees are feeling the results of the programs, and their employers are seeing the results in the workplace.”

For more information about The Healthy Humans Foundation, go to: www.healthyhumansfoundation.com

For more information about the book, The Cure for Heart Disease, go to: www.thecureforheartdisease.net.

Or to inquire about Dr. Lundell speaking at your organization, call:

2008-10-23T07:30:00.001-07:00

2008-10-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Think fish oil
Emerging research is now showing that Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. An article on WebMD dated Dec. 26, 2007, by Daniel J. DeNoon, titled Fish Oil Prevents Alzheimer’s Plaques: Brain Needs Fish Oil Fatty Acid to Make Plaque-Fighting Protein, discusses how the brain needs the fish oil fatty acid DHA in order to produce a plaque-fighting protein. Researchers at UCLA, under the leadership of Greg M. Cole, PhD, found that those people who took a lot of DHA reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and determined that it was due to DHA’s ability to cause brain cells to increase the production of the protein LR11 (also called SorLA).
LR11 acts to help clear the brain of amyloid precursor protein. Amyloid precursor protein is essential for the production of beta-amyloid plaque, the plaque that seems to clog the brains of people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated that approximately 15% of people with Alzheimer’s disease carry a genetic mutation that reduces LR11.
Just last month, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published an article citing more evidence that Omega-3s may reduce the risk of dementia and depression. The article, Low plasma eicosapentaenoic acid and depressive symptomatology are independent predictors of dementia risk by Samieri C et al., discusses how plasma Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to be inversely related to the risk of dementia and to depression, frequently associated with dementia.
Samieri reports that a high level of plasma EPA (Omega-3 fatty acid) concentration may decrease the risk of dementia. Further, it is reported that ratios of Omega-6 fatty acids to Omega-3 fatty acids may actually increase risk. This was especially true when the ratio of Arachidonic acid (AA, an Omega-6) to DHA (docosahexanoinc acid, an Omega-3) was high. The increased risk due to the high ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3s was especially applicable in depressed older persons. Samieri concludes by stating that the role of EPA in dementia warrants further research.
The research into the therapeutic benefit of Omega-3s will continue and new revelations regarding their incredible health benefits will undoubtedly continue to accumulate.

2008-10-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

The Great Statin Scam

The television ad featuring artificial heart inventor Dr. Robert Jarvik, who by the way can't row a skull, and never practiced medicine, claims that Lipitor will lower heart attack risk by 36%. Now who wouldn't want to do that? However, the fine print required, says “in a large clinical study. 3% of people taking placebo had a heart attack and 2% of those taking Lipitor had a heart attack.
Let's do the math. For every 100 people in the trial, which lasted for 3 1/2 years, three people on placebo, and two people on Lipitor, had a heart attack. That is one less heart attack for every 100 people. In other words, 100 people had to take the drug 3 1/2 years to prevent one heart attack. What this really means is that 99 out of 100 people, taking the drug had no benefit.
This is explained in a little known statistic called number needed to treat (NNT). In the case of Lipitor, 100 patients would have to be treated for 3 1/2 years to possibly eliminate one heart attack. Let's compare that to today's antibiotic treatment to eradicate ulcer causing H. pylori stomach bacteria. The NNT is 1.1; give the antibiotic to 11 people and 10 will be cured.

Several recent scientific papers peg the NNT for statins at 250. Dr. Jerome R. Hoffman, professor of clinical medicine at UCLA asks “What if you put 250 people in a room and told them that they each would have to pay over $1000 per year for a medicine they must take every day, that may give them diarrhea and muscle pain, and that 249 would get no benefit. How many would take that?”

Marketing over Medicine!
Drug companies have a responsibility to their shareholders to make a profit, and we need them to develop new medicines. But when they grossly overstate the benefits and spend huge amounts of money influencing physicians it turns bad and leads to potential corruption.
The National Cholesterol Education Program, (NCEP) 2004 guidelines that lowered the targets for cholesterol treatment and recommended that many more Americans take statins was issued by a panel on which 8 of 9 experts had financial ties to the drug industry.
“The guideline and process went awry” says Dr. Henry C. Barry of the Michigan State University College of medicine. Dr. Barry and 34 other experts sent a petition of protest to the National Institutes of Health, saying the evidence was weak and the panel biased because of its ties to the drug industry.
I and all other physicians who speak out take great risks; medicine and government agencies do not like criticism.
At a recent meeting, a prominent statin boosting physician who advises the NCEP
said that Dr. Rodney A. Hayward, professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School “should be held accountable in a court of law for doing things to kill people” because Dr. Hayward had the audacity to suggest that ”current evidence supports ignoring LDL cholesterol altogether”.
We would expect this kind of vitriol from zealots and extremists not from government agencies or scientists.
If we spent a fraction of the money that we spend on cholesterol testing, cholesterol lowering drugs, and doctor visits instead on educating people about proper diet, exercise and weight loss we would be far healthier.

2008-06-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

The tragic and untimely death of Tim Russert raises many questions. Could his death from a heart attack have been prevented or was it inevitable?

By all reports he had excellent medical care, he was on medication for high blood pressure, and it reportedly was under control. He was being treated for high cholesterol, with a statin drug and enjoyed an excellent response. His LDL was 68, below, the new recommended level of 70. His HDL had been raised from the low 20s to 38. He had passed a stress test this past April, and reportedly was trying to lose weight and had begun to exercise on a stationary bike.

Mr. Russert and his family had the false hope as do countless others that taking a statin drug or some other medication solves the problem of heart disease.

Mr. Russert died in spite of excellent conventional medical care. His death was caused by a ruptured plaque in the left anterior descending coronary artery, which blocked it and caused ventricular fibrillation. Sadly this same thing happens to about 90 people every single day, it just does not make headlines.

So what are we to do to prevent this from happening to us or our loved ones?

Modern heart care is excellent at treating symptomatic heart disease and intervening in a crisis, but is very poor at prevention or predicting future events. This is because we have focused on cholesterol levels and ignored the real cause of plaque and plaque rupture; inflammation!

Inflammation is caused by bad diets, inactivity, and excess body weight. Inflammation can be controlled, heart disease can be prevented, tragedies can be avoided.

To learn how please read a new book called The Cure for Heart Disease available at Amazon and www.thecureforheartdisease.net.

WANT TO LIVE AN EXTRA 14 YEARS?

2008-05-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

DON'T SMOKE
BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
MODERATE ALCOHOL INTAKE
EAT 5 SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES DAILY

This important study reported in January in the Journal PLosMedicine is elegant in it's simplicity and rigorous in its follow-up and analysis.

Between 1993 and 1997, about 20,000 men and women aged 45–79 living in Norfolk UK, none of whom had cancer or cardiovascular disease (heart or circulation problems), completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire, had a health examination, and had their blood vitamin C level measured as part of the EPIC-Norfolk study.

A health behavior score of between 0 and 4 was calculated for each participant by giving one point for each of the following healthy behaviors:
1) Current non-smoking
2) Not physically inactive (physical inactivity was defined as having a sedentary job and doing no recreational exercise)
3) Moderate alcohol intake (1–14 units a week; a unit of alcohol is half a pint of beer, a glass of wine, or a shot of spirit)
4) A blood vitamin C level consistent with a fruit and vegetable intake of at least five servings a day.

Deaths among the participants were then recorded until 2006. After allowing for other factors that might have affected their likelihood of dying (for example, age), people with a health behavior score of 0 were four times as likely to have died (in particular, from cardiovascular disease) than those with a score of 4. People with a score of 2 were twice as likely to have died.

What Do These Findings Mean?

These findings indicate that the combination of four simply defined health behaviors predicts a 4-fold difference in the risk of dying over an average period of 11 years for middle-aged and older people. They also show that the risk of death (particularly from cardiovascular disease) decreases as the number of positive health behaviors increase.

Finally, they can be used to calculate that a person with a health score of 0 has the same risk of dying as a person with a health score of 4 who is 14 years older. They strongly suggest that modest and achievable lifestyle changes have a marked effect on the health of populations. Quality of life is strongly correlated with mortality.

Two other things struck me;
1) those who took vitamin supplements had no increase death rate, contradicting the meta-analysis mentioned in a previous post.
2) it reinforces the importance of fruits and vegetables as a source of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients.

PLoS Medicine - Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study

2008-05-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

PLoS Medicine - Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study: "What Do These Findings Mean?

These findings indicate that the combination of four simply defined health behaviors predicts a 4-fold difference in the risk of dying over an average period of 11 years for middle-aged and older people. They also show that the risk of death (particularly from cardiovascular disease) decreases as the number of positive health behaviors increase. Finally, they can be used to calculate that a person with a health score of 0 has the same risk of dying as a person with a health score of 4 who is 14 years older. These findings need to be confirmed in other populations and extended to an analysis of how these combined health behaviors affect the quality of life as well as the risk of death. Nevertheless, they strongly suggest that modest and achievable lifestyle changes could have a marked effect on the health of populations. Armed with this information, public-health officials should now be in a better position to encourage behavior changes likely to improve the health of middle-aged and older people."

PLoS Medicine - Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study

2008-05-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

PLoS Medicine - Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study: "What Did the Researchers Do and Find?
Between 1993 and 1997, about 20,000 men and women aged 45–79 living in Norfolk UK, none of whom had cancer or cardiovascular disease (heart or circulation problems), completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire, had a health examination, and had their blood vitamin C level measured as part of the EPIC-Norfolk study. A health behavior score of between 0 and 4 was calculated for each participant by giving one point for each of the following healthy behaviors: current non-smoking, not physically inactive (physical inactivity was defined as having a sedentary job and doing no recreational exercise), moderate alcohol intake (1–14 units a week; a unit of alcohol is half a pint of beer, a glass of wine, or a shot of spirit), and a blood vitamin C level consistent with a fruit and vegetable intake of at least five servings a day. Deaths among the participants were then recorded until 2006. After allowing for other factors that might have affected their likelihood of dying (for example, age), people with a health behavior score of 0 were four times as likely to have died (in particular, from cardiovascular disease) than those with a score of 4. People with a score of 2 were twice as likely to have died."

Selective Science

2008-05-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

We were concerned when the headlines screamed "Antioxidants increase mortality" "Antioxidants do no good, may harm". The article below demonstrates how "selective science" can lead to misinformation. Sadly most reporters read no further than the first line, adding to the confusion.

One of the reasons for founding Healthy Humans Foundation is to sort through the nonsense and provide you with the most accurate information about your health.

Article in NutraIngredients.com:

A meta-analysis of 67 randomised trials with antioxidant supplements has reported that vitamins A and E, and beta-carotene may increase mortality risk by up to 16 per cent.

On the other hand, vitamin C did not have an effect on mortality and the antioxidant mineral selenium was associated with a nine per cent decrease in all-cause mortality.

"We could find no evidence to support taking antioxidant supplements to reduce the risk of dying earlier in healthy people or patients with various diseases," said Goran Bjelakovic from the Copenhagen Trial Unit at the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.

A republishing of last year's antioxidant meta-analysis in the prestigious Cochrane Systematic Review today looks set to refocus attention on the efficacy of antioxidant supplements, and raise questions over their safety.
The meta-analysis was originally published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2007, Vol. 297, pp. 842-857) last year and attracted criticism from both inside and outside of the dietary supplements industry.
The authors admit that this report contained errors and corrections were subsequently published in JAMA (2008, Vol. 299, pp. 765-766). "The present version of the review incorporates all these corrections," they state.

Review details

Bjelakovic and collaborators from the University of Nis in Serbia, and Ospedale V. Cervello in Palermo, followed the Cochrane Collaboration method for meta-analysis and systematically reviewed 67 randomised clinical trials including 232,550 participants, and focusing on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium supplements versus placebo.
Seven hundred and forty seven trials were excluded for several reasons, including no mortality in the study groups (405 trials), the studies were not randomised trials (69 trials), they did not fulfil inclusion criteria (245 trials), or the studies are ongoing (four).
Bjelakovic and co-workers report no reduction in mortality, and note that 13.1 per cent of the participants randomised to antioxidant supplements died, compared to 10.5 per cent randomised to placebo or no intervention.

"The findings of our review show that if anything, people in trial groups given the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality. There was no indication that vitamin C and selenium may have positive or negative effects. So regarding these antioxidants we need more data from randomised trials," said Bjelakovic.

"The bottom line is that current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general healthy population or in patients with certain diseases.

"The reviewers highlighted several possible explanations or mechanisms behind the potentially detrimental effects of antioxidant supplements, noting that elimination of free radicals may interfere with some essential defensive mechanisms, including programmed cell death (apoptosis), detoxification, and phagocytosis. "Better understanding of mechanisms and actions of antioxidants in relation to a potential disease is needed," they added.

Dr. Bjelakovic was contacted by NutraIngredients.com and asked to comment on the exclusion of the 405 death-free trials, and to contextualise why most of the trials included in the meta-analysis tested for secondary prevention, looking at how a nutrient works in diseased populations, instead of primary prevention studies in healthy populations. No response was received by NutraIngredients.com in time for publication.

Stinging criticism

The dietary supplements industry has responded strongly to the review, with the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), an industry association, releasing a statement that read:

"Although [the authors] have updated their meta-analysis, by handpicking additional studies and correcting a litany of minor mistakes made in previous versions, it is for all intents and purposes not a new study, nor is it truly new information.

"In fact, it appears to be a systematic attempt by the authors to publish work that supports their own pre-determined conclusions about antioxidants and the way they should be regulated."

John Hathcock, Ph.D., senior vice president, scientific and international affairs, CRN, was quick to draw attention to the exclusion criteria employed by the researchers.
"With nearly 750 studies to choose from, it's interesting that they chose to include only 67 studies - less than nine percent of the total clinical trials on antioxidants that are available," said Dr. Hancock.

"Moreover, the possible 750 clinical trials do not even account for other sources of evidence, such as observational studies, which were not considered by the authors at all. It is their exclusions, not the inclusions, where the fault lies."

"The conclusions one can reach from this meta-analysis are very limited."When the meta-analysis was published initially in JAMA, Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health who was not connected to the meta-analysis, told the Associated Press that the studies reviewed were too different to be able to pool them together.

"This study does not advance our understanding, and could easily lead to misinterpretation of the data," Stampfer told the AP.Similar comments were forthcoming from the UK natural health industry association, the Health Food Manufacturers' Association (HFMA). A spokesperson stated that the review was "systematically flawed."

"The analysis focused on one broad category of study, then evaluated just 67 of the 748 studies that could be included in the review. Therefore, the paper's conclusions are drawn on less than nine per cent of available evidence.

In no way can this review be considered comprehensive," said the spokesperson."Antioxidant supplements cannot be expected to undo a lifetime of unhealthy living, but combined with good lifestyle choices, can play an important role in promoting overall health and wellbeing."Pointing out the practicalities Andrew Shoa, Ph.D., CRN's vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs said: "It really comes down to whether or not this meta-analysis should mean anything to consumers or scientists. And from a practical standpoint, it doesn't mean much.

"We maintain that healthy consumers who are using antioxidant supplements in the manner that they were meant to be used-as complements to, not in place of-other healthy lifestyle habits, can continue to feel confident in the benefits these supplements provide. "For those consumers who are seriously ill with cancer, heart disease, etc., they should talk with their doctor about everything they put into their bodies."Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007176. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007176."Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases"Authors: G. Bjelakovic, D. Nikolova, L.L. Gluud, R.G. Simonetti, C. Gluud

Preventing Heart Disease with Fruit Juice

2008-05-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

This well done study demonstrates that atherosclerosis can be prevented by anti-oxidants from fruit sources. The fatty streaks in the arteries was reduced by 93% by the consumption of purple grape juice which is rich vitamin C along with polyphenols and caretenoids. This study showed that the juice was more powerful than the fruit.

Dr. Lundell

Long term supplementation of antioxidant-rich apples and purple grapes, particularly in juice form, may prevent artery hardening, researchers from France have reported for the first time.

Measures of atherosclerosis were reduced in hamsters with high cholesterol levels following consumption of the fruit and their respective juices, but the benefits were significantly greater for the juices, report researchers from the University of Montpellier 1 and 2, and the Victor Ségalen University in Bordeaux 2 in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research."The present results clearly show for the first time that apple and purple grape prevent diet-induced atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that the fruit processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of fruit in pathological conditions," wrote the researchers, led by Jean-Max Rouanet. "These findings, therefore, provide encouragement that fruit and fruit juices may have a significant clinical and public health relevance."

Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy about €169bn ($202bn) per year.

New dataRouanet and co-workers took 40 male Syrian golden hamsters and randomly divided them into five groups. The animals were fed a diet to promote the development of artery hardening, and supplemented with mashed apple or purple grape, or the same volume of apple juice or purple grape juice, or water (control group) for 12 weeks.At the end of the study, they found that total cholesterol levels were significantly reduced in the animals fed the fruit-supplemented diets, by 11 per cent in apple group and 24 per cent in the apple juice group, and 30 per cent in the purple grape and 34 per cent in the purple grape juice group. This was attributed to the reductions in levels of non-HDL cholesterol.The juices also outperformed the fruit for protecting against atherosclerosis, measured by the aortic fatty streak lesion area or AFSA. This value was reduced by 93 and 78 per cent for the purple grape juice and the fruit, respectively, and by 60 and 48 per cent for apple juice and apple, respectively.

"The results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apple and purple grape, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of a product," stated the researchers.

Mechanism of protection; Commenting on the underlying mechanism, Rouanet and co-workers stated that the greater potency of the purple grape and its juice may be due to the flavonoids content.

"Flavonoids, especially anthocyanins and catechins in purple grape and purple grape juice, generally have more hydroxyl groups than phenolic acids found in apple and apple juice," wrote the authors. "This could explain why purple grape juice and purple grape displayed a better efficacy than apple and apple juice against early atherosclerosis. "Nevertheless, these beneficial effects cannot only be attributed to their phenolic contents, but to the result of the action of different antioxidant compounds present in the fruits (vitamin C, carotenoids, polyphenols) and to possible synergistic and antagonist effects still unknown," they added.

Source: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research2008, Volume 52, Pages 400-407, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200700141"Phenolics from purple grape, apple, purple grape juice and apple juice prevent early atherosclerosis induced by an atherogenic diet in hamsters"Authors: Kelly Décorde, P.-L. Teissèdre, C. Auger, J.-P. Cristol, J.-M. Rouanet

Fish Oil, Low Calorie Diet Reduce the Risk of Inflammation

2008-05-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

A diet high in fish oil and low in calories could reduce markers of inflammation by up to 90%, according to a study published in the journal Life Sciences.

The study looked at the effects of fish oil and/or low-calorie diets on markers of inflammation-such as lipid oxidation levels and concentrations of superoxides, prostaglandins and leukotriene B4-in both young and old mice. The animals received either corn oil or fish oil and those on calorie-restricted diets received the same dosages of corn oil or fish oil as did the controls.

Older mice on the corn oil diet had superoxide levels about 18% higher than their younger counterparts. Younger mice on the calorie-restricted diet had superoxide levels about 35% lower, while for those on the fish oil diet the decrease was about 60%. In calorie-restricted younger mice consuming fish oil, superoxide levels were decreased by 90%.
Life Sciences 78(21):2523-2532, 2006

Dr Lundell's comments:

Oxidative stress occurs when we have more oxidation than the body can overcome with its native antioxidant systems. Oxidative stress is connected with premature aging, cancer,tissue and DNA damage. This study emphasizes the connection between inflammation and oxidation and shows how important Omega 3 from fish oil is in reducing both. Think about this when you order supersize french Fries cooked in corn oil.

2008-04-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

TROUBLE IN THE TEMPLE OF LDL

The ENHANCE Study widely discussed in the press and in the halls of Congress was reported as showing that Vytorin was a bad drug for heart disease.
The study compared Vytorin, which is a combination of a simvastatin (a statin) and Zetia (a drug that blocks cholesterol absorption), we have all seen the clever commercials, with simvastatin alone, both drugs at high doses.

The study measured the effect of the drugs on the thickness of the line of the carotid artery (CIMT); this measures the progress of arteriosclerosis.
The thickness of the lining of the artery increased in both groups, 0.0111 mm in the Vytorin group and 0.0058 mm in the simvastatin group.
LDL cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol was reduced by 58% in the Vytorin group and only 41% in the simvastatin group.

Lost in all the fuss about the delay in reporting the study is the fact that this study destroys the theory that “lower is better” which is the main mantra in the Temple of LDL.
If lower is better, then the Vytorin group should have had better results, they didn't.
Cardiologists from university centers either ignored this inconvenient truth or lamely try to explain it away.

Eric Topol M.D. famously ran out of the Cleveland Clinic for daring to speak out against a drug produced by a company, which heavily supported the Cleveland Clinic, was the only one who said that we should rethink our worship in the Temple of LDL.

Overwhelming evidence shows that heart disease is caused by low-grade inflammation.
Statin drugs do lower LDL cholesterol, statin drugs do help reduce heart attacks in certain groups of people. But this effect occurs, long before the LDL is lowered. Statin drugs have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Marketing has triumphed over medicine and stifled the progress in understanding and eliminating heart disease. There is beginning to be cracks in the Temple of LDL.

SOMETHING IS FISHY

2007-10-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

The FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency co-issued a warning in 2001 that pregnant women should eat less than 12 ounces of fish per week because of the dangers of mercury contamination. This warning was reissued in 2004.

Recently a group of nutrition experts led by the Maternal Nutrition Group And the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition made a recommendation that pregnant women should eat at the least 12 ounces of seafood per week a direct contradiction to the FDA recommendations.

The new recommendation is based on the fact that fish are a critical source of omega-3 essential free fatty assets, most importantly, DHA and EPA, which are critical to the development of the brain in the fetal period. The groups also stated that the scientific evidence suggests that the consumption of these essential fatty and said leads to improved visual, cognitive, motor and behavioral skills that last well into childhood. Others remain adamant that seafood, especially the so-called "top predators" such as tuna and swordfish accumulate high levels of toxins.

While the two sides of the debate argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, I will have to state the obvious; high-quality fish oil supplements contain undetectable levels of mercury and are a simple, beneficial, inexpensive method to make sure we have smarter and better children.

MAGIC WAND OR DANGEROUS SWORD?

2007-10-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

What if you could go to your doctor's office have a short noninvasive study that would tell you if you had a heart disease? No. It's not the scanner from the starship enterprise, it's a new pocket-sized ultrasound available to doctors and technicians at a reasonable price.

In the past, ultrasound machines cost up to $100,000 and came on a heavy, bulky cart. The use of these devices was limited to hospitals and the specialist's office. This has all changed now, with the avaliablibility of pocket sized scanners such as the Acuson P10 just-released buy Siemens with a list price of only $10,000. They are designed to be readily used in the intensive care unit, he emergency room and your family doctor's office. They provide a quick glimpse inside the body to assist with a diagnosis.

The main artery carrying blood to our brain is called the carotid artery, thickening of the wall of this artery not only increases the risk of stroke, but has been proven to reflect disease in the coronary arteries.

Since the majority of heart attacks occur without previous warning, many specialists myself included, think this is a wonderful way to warn us of impending danger.

However, others to seem to have a vested interest in disease have advised against it's widespread use.

It baffles me to see that the American Heart Association has recommended against widespread screening with these devices.

Indeed I do see some downside, some people will unnecessarily be started on statins, which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease in a limited number of people, some people will undergo cardiac catheterization and have ill-advised stenting.

Dr. James Stein, a cardiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is leading a panel to write guidelines as to who should have the scans and how to use the information.
A great controversy will arise, because almost no one in cardiology or medicine in general, believes that heart disease is preventable or reversible.

The relatively new knowledge that arteriosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, gives us ways to both prevent and reverse heart disease. These are documented in the new book" The Cure for Heart Disease". Dr. William Davis, with his book and web site track your plaque is another voice calling for a change in the way we look at heart disease.

Will you get the scan?
Will you make the changes in your life that will prevent you from getting heart disease?
Will you make the changes in your life that will reverse the disease you have?
Was you take control of your health, or will you continue to listen to the bad advice of petrified institutions?

Can Negative Thoughts Be Positive to Your Health?

2007-10-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Our mothers told us as children, "Think positive." Was it good advice?

Okay, there's no denying that positive thoughts can help us all achieve our goals whether they be personal, career driven, relationship driven, financially motived, and health oriented.

However, during a recent conversation with Dr. Lundell, he raised a thought provoking question. "Why is it that we (referring to the American Culture) refuse to see benefits of removing certain aspects of our lifestyles and diets? Why don't we acknowlege that by removing toxins, we can actually cure disease? Instead we think we need to add medications."

I thought about his coments for days. He's right. For some reason the American public views advice to eliminate harmful ingredients from our diets as simply a good recommendation--when in reality these ingredients are actually the cause of our ailments.

"Trans fats, and Omega 6 overload is extremely toxic and dangerous," says Dr. Lundell. "But, instead of following the science that proves how beneficial it can be for our health to eliminate these ingredients, our science looks for solutions to continue consuming these toxins. Instead of eliminating toxins, our pharmaceutical companies try to create medications that we can add to our daily regimens so we can continue making unhealthy choices. Instead of looking for bandages to cover our bad choices, why can't we just stop making bad choices?"

So, maybe it's time to think negative thoughts--let's live our lives eating healthy foods, minus the toxins. Instead of adding pills to our daily regimens, lets eliminate the junk that is causing the problems in the first place.

"If the public receives the truth about disease, instead of getting their information from pharmaceutical commercials, we can cure disease," says Dr. Lundell. "That's our job--to reveal the real science."

Let's start thinking about we can remove from our diets, instead of what pills we may need to add if we continue our unhealthy choices. That's negative thinking turned positive. And, it means that our mothers were right--with a little positive thinking, eliminating toxic ingredients from our diets isn't very difficult after all.

Posted by: Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author
The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation

THE BIG SECRET ABOUT FISH OIL FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

2007-10-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

People don’t know how effective fish oil can be at reducing pain and inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I’m starting to understand why. No one is telling them. I’m a scientist who has worked in research and education with nutrition and dietary supplements for over 15 years. Human research has consistently shown that fish oil is both safe and effective at reducing RA pain. In order to get symptomatic relief, however, it is vital that people know how much and how long to take fish oil. I’ve seen people take a little fish oil for a few days and wonder why ‘it doesn’t work’. It’s upsetting to me that people don’t know about fish oil for RA, particularly because the drug alternatives are problematic and they don’t stop progression of the disease.

The first studies showing that fish oil reduced RA pain were published in the 1980s (e.g. Cleland, 1988) and it has been shown several times over that fish oil is effective for reducing joint pain, morning stiffness and other symptoms of RA (e.g. Kremer, 1995). In these studies, people felt better, moved easier and were able to reduce their use of NSAIDs and other COX-2- inhibitor drugs. These studies were completed in humans with arthritis taking fish oil (not rats eating chow).

Fast forward to 2007. Two doctors completed a careful scientific review (called a meta analysis) of studies using omega-3 fats for pain in people with RA. Looking at 17 studies that followed the gold standard of research design, they were able to identify what TYPE, how MUCH and how LONG to take the supplements for real benefit (Goldberg, 2007).

The need-to-know information is this: People with RA have less joint pain, less morning stiffness and have been able to reduce their use of NSAIDS when they took at least 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA from fish oil for at least 3 months. People who took enough for 5 months or more had even better results.

Some key points to keep in mind: 1) This is 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are unique fats found in fish oil. 2) Humans can not make these fats - that's why we need to eat them, that’s why they are called ‘essential’ fats. 3) EPA and DHA work to naturally to reduce inflammation and that’s why you need enough, long enough. We need to provide enough material for the anti-inflammatory job. 5) Flax seeds do not contain EPA or DHA.

It’s easy to do. Pharmaomega LIFE is a concentrated, pure fish oil supplement. 4 capsules provide 2.8 grams of EPA and DHA. With most fish oil products on the market you need to take 9-10 capsules a day to get this amount. I am a scientist and I work for this fish oil company. It’s my job to ensure the science and quality of product. I appreciate being able to share the information and the science. Please write if you have questions.

Gretchen Vannice, MS, RD
Manager, Scientific Affairs
Nourish Life, LLC

STOP KILLING YOUR KIDS

2007-10-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Something is slowly killing our kids! It is hurting their IQ, contributing to the increase of obesity, asthma, ADD and all kinds of behavior problems. It is causing heart disease in teenagers.

We are guilty of giving them this thing everyday, and we sit idly by and watch television commercials urged them to consume it.

What is this poison?

Ironically, it is a necessary nutrient called Omega 6 essential free fatty acid, " essential" meaning that the body cannot make it and it must be obtained from the diet.

The biggest source of Omega-6 in our diet is soybean oil. In fact, all of the vegetable oils that we have been instructed to use contribute to the overdose of Omega-6.

Omega 6 is an almost all the food our children eat: snacks, school lunches, salad dressing, baked goods, chips, and all of fast foods. Even meat and poultry now contain more omega six. Then before, because we feed them grain, corn and soybean meal instead of grass.

Overdose of Omega 6 harms kids and adults by competing with omega-3 for critical metabolic pathways that cause an increase of inflammation. Omega-6 promotes inflammation Omega-3 reduces inflammation.

Inflammation is the root cause of heart disease, and ADD, depression, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and many more disorders prevalent and increasing in our society. We are literally setting a fire inside our kids, inflammation means" fire inside".

One of the leading experts on food and behavior, Dr. Joe Hibbeln Of the National Institutes of Health states that he and other sciences have firmly established. Why our population is seeing increases in heart disease, asthma, developmental disorders, depression, bipolar disorders and even suicide.

The Cause?

Too much Omega 6 (soybean oil)

Too little Omega-3 (fish oil)

What can we do to help our kids? Cut back on all foods that contain Omega 6; chips, cookies, baked goods, commercial foods, and especially fast food.

Manufactured food almost always has too much Omega 6

Switch to grass fed meat and poultry

Encourage eating more fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.

Consider a fish oil supplement, one to 2 g a day has been proven to be beneficial in children and adults. Choose a high quality fish oil from an established source.

Take the TV out of your kids room. Eighty percent of American children have a television in their rooms. Get rid of its negative influence and make your positive influence felt.

Use your power to change the world!

If you don't buy products containing Omega 6 manufacturers will quit making it!

Dennis Embry Ph.D. speaks about and is writing a book on what he calls "Youthanasia", killing our kids with too much Omega 6!

Diet, does it affect behavior! Nourish your children for a healthier life.

VITAMINS C AND E AND BETA CAROTENE DO NOT PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN WOMEN

2007-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Screams, the headline of a study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine August 2007. This is another paper, in what seems a lot of papers recently attempting to discourage people from taking antioxidant vitamins.

The conclusion from this study is so blatantly ridiculous that it should never have been published in a prestigious medical journal, much less quoted by medical reporters in the media.

The study consisted of 8171 women, mean age of 60, who had a mean follow-up of nine years after being started on vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene every other day.
To be included in this study, the women were required to have a documented history of cardiovascular disease or at least three major risk factors. This is a very select group of sick women; almost 18% had a heart attack, stroke, surgical intervention or death from heart disease. There is no evidence that any prescription medication would have benefited this group. Much to their chagrin, and not included in the headline was the fact that there was a significant reduction in heart attack in the group of women taking vitamin E. who had a history of previous cardiovascular disease. In addition, the group of females who took vitamin E. and vitamin C had a statistically significant reduction in the rate of strokes.
In spite of this, the conclusion of the paper was that there was no benefit to vitamin E. C. or beta-carotene in reducing cardiovascular events in women who are high-risk.
The published commentary by other physicians, said that physicians should warn people that there is no benefit to antioxidant vitamins.
Yet those same physicians would not hesitate to prescribe an expensive medication with multiple side effects.

Sadly, most physicians would only look at the title of the study and then the conclusions to make their treatment decisions rather than actually going into the details of the paper.
This is just another vivid reminder that we should not be swayed by the latest headline. And that we should take control of our own health, as we each are the most responsible and get the most benefit from being healthy.

WHY IS EXERCISE GOOD FOR US ?

2007-10-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.

Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
Reasons for the beneficial effect of exercise are just beginning to be understood.

In the last decade those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.

Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
has been firmly established that cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, type II diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Alzheimer's disease are to a major extent inflammatory disorders. These disorders are characterized by an environment of sedentary lifestyle and excess body weight. Systemic low-level inflammation is a consequence, and cause of this environment.

Abundant, recent research has demonstrated that excess body fat contributes to the inflammatory burden by the production of pro inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are signaling molecules that trigger the inflammatory pathways that are the basis for these chronic diseases. Elevated levels of pro inflammatory cytokines are present in all the diseases previously mentioned as well as acute and chronic depression.

The new and exciting research now being done, demonstrates that the contracting muscle fiber produces cytokines (named myokines because they are derived from muscle) that are profoundly anti-inflammatory and have a beneficial effect on metabolism mood and brain function. These myokines counter act, the pro inflammatory cytokines, derived from fat or adipose tissue (adipokines) and does have a positive effect on the heart, brain, bones, arteries, and the immune system.

Much more knowledge will come in the future as this complicated system is further studied.
But for now, get out and get some exercise!!!

Where's Your Hole in "Whole Health"

2007-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

What does "Whole Health" mean anyway?

A variety of companies and organizations seem to be engaging in a concept that encompasses every form of wellness—creating a circular spectrum of health. I guess when you really stop and think about it, any area of your life that isn't so robust and vibrant could be deemed as unhealthy. And, the obvious questions I think most of us ask are: should we care about everything? And, is it possible to achieve complete wellness?

Let's say my relationships are strong, my physical health is envied, my spiritually is glowing, and my emotional health is robust—yet, I'm the guy who somehow turned out to be happy with only a slightly infectious disease called personality. If all of this is in tact, I should be great. But, what if my pocket book is suffering? Or, what if I hated my job?

One of the most intriguing tidbits of scientific brilliance I've learned from working side-by-side with Dr. Lundell on our book, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation is that our physiology is completely biological—we're simply moving masses of interconnected living cells.

What does that mean? Why should we care that we're not just a bunch of machine-like parts?

Well, it means that if we don't practice a philosophy of "whole health," sooner or later our weaknesses will catch up with our strengths. It's impossible to have diabetes without the disease, at some point in its progression, leading to heart disease. It's impossible to be overweight without the excess body fat slowly planting a flag of disease somewhere else in the body. And, all this havoc is really caused by the same thing—inflammation.

So, what does inflammation—the heat, swelling, and physical irritation that can cause disease—look like in a spectrum of "whole health?"

Well imagine that all things I mentioned earlier in this post were interconnected like the cells of our body. Just like inflammation, if you allow any injury or foreign object to continue to irritate and progress, it can proceed to creat a much larger problem—a small infection can overrun your entire body. And the same is ture with your"whole health." Maybe your physical health depends on keeping your stress levels in check, and your stress was created by financial strife, and your financial strife affected your relationship, and your relationship issues lowered your self esteem, and your self esteem affected your productivity to a greater extent at work—at a job that you already despised, which got you fired, which further enhanced your financial difficulties, and so on...

Tired yet? See the downward spiral?

Physical health is the foundation to complete health. When you achieve physical wellness, your healthy body can better manage all the other aspects of your life.

Ta-Da! Maybe you're now realizing where your hole in "whole health" is located.

The healthy human is the whole human. And, sadly, we all have at least a few potholes in our life that need to be mended from time to time.

Posted By Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation

75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015

2007-09-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

A recent study published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, indicates that if the rates of obesity and overweight continues at the current pace by 2015 75% of adults and nearly 24% of children and adolescents will be overweight or obese.

Currently, 66% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. An alarming 80% of black women, 44 over are overweight and 50% are obese.

Obesity is a public health crisis, if nothing is done, it will soon become the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Obesity creates a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is the cause of heart disease, Alzheimer's, stroke, depression, and a long list of other chronic conditions that plague Americans.

Can Type 1 Diabetes be Prevented

2007-09-26T13:34:00.001-07:00

Can Type 1 Diabetes be prevented?

Type 1 Diabetes, the third most common chronic disease in children, occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly targets the pancreas, killing the cells that make insulin.

A study published in the September 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concludes that children who were at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes, because a sibling or parent had diabetes, dramatically reduced that risk by consuming Omega-3 fatty acids.

Children who ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a 55% less chance of developing antibodies to their own insulin producing cells. To make sure that diets were accurately reported omega-3 levels were measured in the red blood cell membranes.

Dr. Lundell's comments:

While we still don't know what triggers the auto immunity that destroys the pancreas. The possibility of preventing this devastating disease is exciting.

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation, the fact that they seemed to prevent the antibodies from forming in the first place is further indication of the broad anti-inflammatory activity of Omega-3 fatty acids.

2007-09-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Can Type I Diabetes be prevented?

2007-09-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

Seven Principles Of Healthy Living:

1) Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body fat cells produce chemicals that cause heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, and many more. Aim for a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or less

2) Exercise. Be more physically active. Working muscle cells produce chemicals that reduce heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes and obesity. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, included resistance exercise and intense intervals to build muscles for better health.

3) Relax. Learn to control stress. Chronic stress leads to poor mental and physical health. Get involved in productive, and pleasant activities involving family, friends, community and spirituality.

4) Get Proper Nutrition. Balance calories consumed with calories burned. Cut back on simple carbohydrates, especially chips, cookies and commercial baked goods. Eat more lean protein. Eat healthy fats, Fish and fish oil, Oils from fruits and nuts and seeds. Avoid vegetable oil, especially if hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated (as most are). Take a high quality supplement with antioxidant vitamins and minerals

5) Maintain Dental Hygiene. Chronic calm and tooth disease are associated with heart attack. Chronic infections in the mouth and elsewhere produce chemicals that cause heart disease.

6) Don't smoke, use drugs or excess alcohol, don't engage in risky behaviors.

7) Be informed, be prepared. The informed consumer as ultimate power, know what you want and demand it. Learn all you can about proper human nutrition, then share it. Know where to go for professional help if you are sick or injured. Resolve conditions as soon as possible.

2007-09-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

World Alzheimer's day, September 21st should cause us to reflect on this terrible disease that effects 5 million americans and costs over $100 billion.
Just like Heart disease, Alzheimer's is caused by chronic low grade inflammation. This month's issue of Neurology contains a study which showed that Alzheimer's patients were 76% less likely to die if they adhered to a Mediterranean Diet. This diet is rich in fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish, red wine and olive oil.
Key components thought to be beneficial are polyphenols, antioxidants and Omega 3.
If it is good for treatment it should be better for prevention!
Get off the SAD (Standard American Diet) with it's low fat-high carbohydrate toxic mess, eat more like the Mediterranians, get antioxidants and Omega-3 in suppliments if needed.

2007-09-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world, still we rank poorly in almost every measure of health status. This paradox results from our emphasis on high technology and polypharmacy with no emphasis on prevention. Over 80% of health insurance claims and over 40% of premature deaths are a result of lifestyle choices. Behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse are obvious, but the largest factor is obesity. Smoking is on the decline but we are being overwhelmed with the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity.
We are now raising the first generation of Americans who cannot expect to live longer than their parents.
Full and free access to health insurance will not solve this problem!
Having spent a career as a Cardiac Surgeon I was a provider of high tec solutions. As dramatic as each individual operation was it is not the cure for heart disease.

The Healthy Humans Foundation is dedicated to improving human health by:
1) Empowering people to take control of their health through education about nutrition and activity choices that impact good health
2) Improve our food supply by the power of educated consumers.
3) Building a database of scientific information about health and nutrition that is current and free from bias.