Cholesterol Levels and Fitness : Heart disease treatment review 2008

Cholesterol Levels and Fitness
by Paul Rodgers
Cholesterol is an essential nutrient for human health that saves lives. It helps to protect against infectious disease and repairs damaged tissue. Cholesterol is naturally present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, liver, intestines, and heart. Cholesterol is required in the membrane of mammalian cells for normal cellular function, and is either synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, or derived from the diet, in which case it is delivered by the bloodstream in low-density lipoproteins. Cholesterol can also be converted to vitamin D in our body and used for the calcification of bones and teeth.
The precise causes of a high level of blood cholesterol are very complex, with many genetic factors playing important roles. The causes which are now seen as contributing to higher-than-normal cholesterol levels are: hereditary factors, which are the most important; then high blood pressure; followed by stress, smoking, obesity and dietary cholesterol. Unfortunately, some individuals have very high cholesterol levels, and the cause is hereditary; about 25 people in 10,000 carry this trait. Some drugs that are known to increase cholesterol levels include anabolic steroids, beta blockers, epinephrine, oral contraceptives, and vitamin D.
Some studies have shown that fish oil supplementation may increase the level of LDL-cholesterol (the "bad" kind), but that the ratio of HDL-cholesterol (the "good" kind) to LDL remains unchanged. Another study found an average reduction of 38% in triglyceride levels and an increase of HDL levels of 24% in both men and women consuming fish on a daily basis. Healthy lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight and exercising regularly can help lower triglyceride levels.
Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine. Physical fitness is the capacity of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. In previous years, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day's activities without undue fatigue. Physical fitness is now defined as the body's ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations. Whether exercise is aerobic or anaerobic, exercise, health, and physical fitness go together for life. Aerobic fitness reduces brain tissue loss in aging humans.
The decision to carry out a physical fitness program cannot be taken lightly. Unless you are convinced of the benefits of fitness and the risks of unfitness, you will not succeed. As you undertake your fitness program, it's important to remember that fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person. Your goals, your present fitness level, age, health, skills, interest and convenience are among the factors you should consider. Exercise that doesn't raise your heart rate to a certain level and keep it there for 20 minutes won't contribute significantly to cardiovascular fitness. The best-laid plans of many a fitness program have been ruined by too much enthusiasm on the first day andsore muscles on the second.
An aerobic exercise program can burn fat and increase the metabolic rate. Popular aerobic conditioning activities include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rope-jumping, rowing, cross-country skiing, and some continuous action games like racquetball and handball. It is generally recommended that aerobic exercises be done three to five days per week, from twenty to sixty minutes of continuous activity at a time, such that the heart rate increases from 50 to 90 percent, depending on the intensity of the workout. Heart rate is widely accepted as a good method for measuring intensity during running, swimming, cycling and other aerobic activities.
In a nation of couch potatoes, suggesting that people find whatever kind of exercise works for them is sound health advice. Weight training exercise is essential for enhancing muscular strength and endurance, helping to prevent the decline of muscle mass (and metabolic rate) that accompanies aging, and promoting bone health.

Information about Nail Fungus Treatment

Information about Nail Fungus Treatment
by peterhutch
Nail fungus infections, also referred to as onychomycosis, are extremely common. Approximately 12% of all Americans suffer from nail fungus. Toenail fungus infections are much more common than fingernail fungus, and are more difficult to treat. This is because fungi thrive in dark, warm and moist environments. The nail provides the fungus with a strong protective barrier. This barrier makes it difficult for medications to kill the fungus. For this reason, prevention is very important.
The best treatment of course is prevention. Keep your nails cut straight across. If nails are hard to cut, soften by soaking in salt water (use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water and then dry well). Keep feet dry and well ventilated. Be careful with artificial nails and be selective about choosing your manicurist. Ask about how they sterilize their instruments. See a podiatrist or your health care provider if you see signs of fungus.
The prescription medicine has side effects of harming the liver so I looked for something non-toxic. I read about Tea Tree Oil and ordered some from a well know mail order vitimen supplier. I used a cotton swab and worked the oil under the nail and coated the entire outer nail. Within two weeks the decay had stopped and I could see the nail bed attached to the new growth. I'll continue until the nail completely is replaced and that should take about 8 months (my nails grow slowly) This stuff is great!"
Ozone is one of the most effective active ingredients used in our nail fungus treatment. This bio-oxidive is made up of 3 oxygen atoms, and we use it to flood the infected area with oxygen because ozone has exceptional anti�"microbial characteristics.
Conventional treatment of fungal nail infections is expensive and long-term. Treatment may include topical preparations and/or oral anti-fungal medications. Nail fungus can be very stubborn to treat and people whose infection clears up often find that it returns soon after discontinuing the medication. Oral antifungals all have significant side-effects and interact with many other medications. Antifungal lacquer. If you have a mild to moderate infection of nail fungus, your doctor may prefer to prescribe an antifungal nail polish called ciclopirox (Penlac). You paint it onto your infected nails and surrounding skin once a day. After seven days, you wipe the piled-on layers clean with alcohol and begin fresh applications. Daily use of Penlac for about one year has been shown to help clear nail fungal infections, but researchers found that it cured the infections in less than 10 percent of people using it.
Penlac Nail Lacquer is applied once a day with an applicator brush to all affected nails and immediately adjacent skin. Daily applications should be made over the previous coat and removed every seven days. Up to 48 weeks of daily applications, weekly trimming by the patient, and monthly professional removal of the unattached, infected nail, is needed.
If the nail infection does not cause any of these problems, then doctors often discourage treatment because of the potential side effects, the need to monitor the blood throughout therapy and the high recurrence rate. Patients with liver or heart disease generally should not take these medications.

How to Prevent and Treat Heart Disease

How to Prevent and Treat Heart Disease
by Cindy Heller
Heart disease is a general term for a number of different diseases, all of which influence the heart in some way. Heart disease is in fact considered as being the leading reason of death nowadays in the United States. Heart disease indeed possesses serious threat to many people. Therefore, it is important to understand the methods to prevent and treat heart disease.
Prevention methods
There is reason to be hopeful because according to experts, heart disease prevention is promising. Even though some risk factors including sex, genetics, and age of a person are not within our control, one can still make an alteration in lifestyle and also change diet so that the odds of heart disease are significantly reduced.
There are also other methods by which heart disease prevention can be achieved. According to what the American Heart Association proposes, one must control obesity even in children and also make a determined attempt to take proper diet that contains enough nutrition. One of the better nutritional supplements you may want to try for heart disease prevention is mangosteen puree that is rich in antioxidants which aid in destroying free radicals that are the reason behind damage to cells and which in turn will result in heart disease.
Good heart disease prevention may also mean controlling the blood pressure and having LDL cholesterol at low levels. The best way to attain these goals is by making appropriate changes to diet and even by taking medications if so recommended by the doctor. Clearly, having low blood sugar levels will consider as heart disease prevention.
Another alternative is to exercise because it is a well known fact that regular exercise can reduce the risks of heart disease. Experts have a tendency to recommend as much exercise as humanly possible at least an hour per day. For many people, this seems like a never-ending task but the truth is this amount of exercise can be attained in ways other than going to the gym. Basically changing some habits, such as walking to work, can make people healthier. Walking is perhaps the easiest, cheapest, and healthiest type of exercise for most people and therefore should be taken advantage of.
The best heart disease prevention may not be a solitary course of action; rather, one may decide to have many strategies combined into one that will prove to be more effective. You can select approaches such as changes in diet, together with reducing excess weight and also maintaining blood sugar levels as well as taking nutritional supplements that are suggested by health experts.
Treatment options for heart disease
If you have heart disease then you will have to have some types of heart disease treatment in order to solve your problem. There are various heart disease treatment options that are available nowadays. The first treatment is of course prevention as explained previously.
However, if your heart disease is serious, than most probably you will also have to use more serious techniques of heart disease treatment. This includes medical treatment, which will usually be started straight away, even before an exact diagnosis of a heart problem is made.
This medical treatment may comprise of oxygen from a tube in the nose, oxygen through a face mask, nitroglycerin under the tongue, pain medicines, and aspirin. There are also clot dissolving medications which are often given, and the earlier these drugs are given, the higher the chances of opening the blocked artery and defending the cardiac muscle from further injury.
Cellular therapy, for example, is considered as being a potential treatment for heart disease. This is due to cellular products have been revealed to hold great potential for the treating of injured and diseased tissues in the body. They come from many sources, such as stem cells from bone marrow, peripheral blood, and myoblasts from skeletal muscle cells. The research so far has shown that this cellular therapy offers amazingly positive results, and so with additional research and more advancement, in the future this just may be known as the cure for heart disease.
Surgery can be executed on those who experience heart disease at any age although other methods are preferable. Surgery is necessary for those who do not react to their medications or whose condition worsens radically. In some situations, surgery is the only method to amend the problem and give the patient a probability of good health. In uncommon cases, repeat surgery is needed afterward to rid the body of excess fluids that have developed in the chest.
Heart surgery can be wearing and the healing period can be slow so it is no surprise to find out that a huge number of people who suffer from heart disease which needs surgery are interested in less invasive surgery. Less invasive surgery for heart disease can involve smaller incisions, less pain, and a much faster healing period. Not only does this type of surgery involve shorter hospital stays, it can also reduce the risks of complications to the patient during and after the operation.
There are many resources that are available if you want more information on the treatment of heart disease. The most significant thing of all is to keep a healthy lifestyle, a healthy and nutritious diet, and plenty of exercise. By keeping a healthy lifestyle you will not only be guarding yourself against heart disease but as well against all illnesses and health conditions in general.

Gingivitis and Heart Disease: How Are They Related?

Gingivitis and Heart Disease: How Are They Related?
by Patricia Woloch
Gingivitis and Heart DiseaseGingivitis is a common type of gum disease. Its most common symptoms involve gums that are red, irritated and prone to bleeding. It’s a condition with a wide range of severity â€" left untreated, it can lead to more serious gum problems, and even tooth loss! If you have any of the symptoms of gingivitis â€" even if those symptoms are not very severe â€" you owe it to yourself to meet with a cosmetic dentist for an examination.
The bacteria both above and below the gum line can be cleaned out, and your gums can be returned to their full health. It’s typically a non-invasive procedure. Still, gum disease isn’t pretty. And, to make matter worse, scientists have found a clear link between gingivitis and heart disease.
“I’ve treated many patients at my Reedley, California cosmetic dentistry office who have ignored the beginning signs of gingivitis,” says Dr. Dennis Ikuta. “By doing this, they are putting themselves at risk for serious dental and even heart problems.”
Heart Disease and Gum Disease: What’s the Connection?In 2004, a study found that 91% of people with cardiovascular disease also had some degree of periodontal disease. This was a surprising find. Why would there be such a link between two seemingly unrelated conditions?
The answer, in a nutshell, is that gum disease â€" an inflammatory condition â€" releases chemicals into the bloodstream. These chemicals are pro-inflammatory, which triggers a similar inflammatory response throughout the body. That is to say: The same chemicals that hurt the gums and cause gingivitis get into the bloodstream and then hurt the heart.
A second study was also conducted which further illustrated this. Over 5,000 people were evaluated, and a high correlation between gum disease and CRP levels with further established. CRP is “C-reactive protein,” a test that reveals the amount of protein in the blood that signals acute inflammation.
The SolutionGum disease can be treated quite effectively. It involves a deep gum cleaning technique called SRP, which stands for Scaling and Root Planning. This removes plaque and tarter from both above and below the gum line. The extent of this procedure depends upon the severity of the individual’s specific gum condition.
But does this remove the risk of heart disease? The answer is “not necessarily.” While it’s important to eliminate the source of the pro-inflammatory chemicals into the bloodstream, treatment of heart disease is highly specific to the individual patient. Simply removing the gum disease does not automatically help your heart.
The Good NewsThis link between heart disease and gum disease is, overall, good news. Now patients who are diagnosed with heart disease know to make an appointment with their dentist and get screened for gum disease, and vice versa.
The connection is firmly established, and the earlier both heart disease and gum disease is detected, the greater the chance there is for successful treatment. So if you have one, be sure and get checked out for the other!

The heart of the matter

The heart of the matter
by Sharon Bell
When the heart speaks, it can’t be ignored â€" more so when it cries out in pain. The pain and burden of heart disease has brought immense suffering to many people throughout the world. This has literally led to many broken hearts.
The grim statistics tell a heart-rending story: Close to 17 million people around the world die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
CVD accounts for 29 percent of all deaths globally. The bitter truth is that no one is spared from this global problem. The WHO said men, women, and children are at risk and 80 percent of deaths occur in developing countries.
It gets even worse: the WHO predicts that heart disease and stroke will become the leading cause of both death and disability worldwide, with the number of fatalities reaching more than 20 million a year by 2020 and over 24 million a year by 2030.
Many deaths and disabilities caused by heart disease, stroke, and heart attack can be prevented if high blood pressure or hypertension is controlled.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The WHO estimates that over 600 million people all over the world have hypertension and are at risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
Hypertension alone is responsible for 5 million premature deaths a year worldwide. Research indicates that 62 percent of strokes and 49 percent of heart attacks can be prevented if hypertension is treated.
Sadly, a lot of people who have hypertension are either unaware that they have the disease or are not properly treated.
In England alone, 85 percent of patients are not treated while 35 percent are unaware of their condition reported the British Heart Foundation. This can lead to terrible consequences to the patient and his family.
To avoid becoming a statistic of CVD, take good care of your heart by eating the right food, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and learn to control stress.
To strengthen your body, take Immunitril â€" your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

Heart disease. Why do men often fail to get treatment : Heart disease treatment review 2008

Heart disease. Why do men often fail to get treatment
by Family Health Guide

A lot more attention is given to women’s health issues such as breast cancer and cervical cancer. These are important issues but what about Men’s Health? Especially the “silent” diseases like heart disease, which are more common in men. They are often left undetected and therefore untreated.
Research shows that men generally prefer to ‘sweep health problems under the carpet’, and on average are far less likely to pay a routine visit to their doctor than women. They either don’t like to make a fuss or tend to believe they ‘it won’t happen to me’.
Most health care advisors agree that men, especially men over 40, need to be more willing to have regular health checks for their general health and for conditions like heart disease.
A man in his forties is about four times more likely to die of heart disease than a woman of the same age. This is because until menopause, woman’s hearts are protected to a degree by the female hormone oestrogen.
The risk of developing heart disease increases significantly for women after menopause, but the relative risk for men is always higher.
Age is also a factor, as the incidence of heart disease increase steadily for both men and woman as they grow older, although the smptoms of heart disease, such as angina, are fairly uncommon unti the age of 45 in men and 55 in woman. After these ages, risk increases at a steady rate, for example, the risk of a heart attack for a man of 62 is about 500 times that of a 22 year old man.
Lifestyle Factors
It is thought that men’s lifestyles may be a major contributing factor to higher cholesterol levels ��" the favoured workman’s lunch of a meat pie or take-away is high in saturated fats, and after a while the body struggles to cope, especially when daily exercise decreases. This can lead to obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Working together
In many UK households it is the female partner who takes responsibility for what is eaten at meal times. Many women feel responsible for their husbands or partner’s health and well being, especially if he suffers from a lifestyle related illness, such as heart disease .
When trying to lower cholesterol, it is important to involve the whole family. Start a healthier eating plan that’s lower in saturated fat, higher in fruits, vegetables and cereals. Take up a form of physical activity together, this can be of benefit to everyone, and make the changes in lifestyle less like a punishment and easier to keep up.
This is also the case when remembering to take medicines. If you or your partner have difficulty remembering which medicines you should be taking and when, work together ��" try to combine pill-taking with an activity you can do together, at the same time everyday. This could be taking a walk, walking the dog, even having breakfast together or watching the morning news.
Action Plan
• If you have had a heart attack, angina, bypass surgery or angioplasty, talk to your doctor about lowering and managing your cholesterol.
• Improve your eating habits
• Become more active
• If you have been prescribed cholesterol lowering medication then make sure you keep taking it

Coronary heart disease : Heart disease treatment review 2008

Coronary heart disease
by Sulamita Berrezi

The term coronary heart disease covers a group of clinical syndromes arising particularly from failure of the coronary arteries to supply sufficient blood to the heart. They include angina peactoris, coronary thrombosis or heart attack and sudden death without infarction. There has been a marked increase in the incidence of heart disease in recent years. Heart attacks have become the number one killer in Western countries. They rank third in India, after tuberculosis and infections. The disease affects people of all ages and both sexes, although it is more common in men than in women, especially among those aged 40-60 years. The heart, the most vital organ in the body, is a muscle about the size of a clenched fist. It starts working even before birth inside the womb. Weighing less than 350 grms, it pumps about 4,300 gallons of blood per day through the body and supplies oxygen and nourishment to all the organs. It beats 1,00,000 times a day, continuously pumping the blood through more than 60,000 miles of tiny blood vessels. The heart, in turn, needs blood for its nourishment which is supplied by coronary arteries Coronary arteries are so called because they are arranged rather like a crown or carona. In case of strain, etc., the heart needs more blood and the arteries, under normal conditions, adjust themselves to the increased flow. In the event of narrowing or hardening of the arteries on account of their getting plugged with fatty substances, the flow of blood is restricted. The heart then does not get sufficient oxygen. This condition is known as ischaemia of the heart or angina pectoris. In this condition , exercise or excitement provokes severe chest pain and so it limits the patient's physical activity. It serves as a warning to slow down and prompt preventive measures will prevent a heart attack. If the narrowed arteries get blocked due to a clot or thrombus inside them, causing death of that portion of the heart which depends upon the choked arteries, it is called a heart attack or coronary thrombosis. It may lead to death or heal, leaving a scar. Patients with healed lesions may be severely disabled or may be able to resume normal life with restrictions in their physical activities. Symptoms A common symptom of heart disease is shortness of breath which is caused by the blood being deprived of the proper amount of oxygen. Another common symptom is chest pain or pain down either arm. Other symptoms are palpitation, fainting, emotional instability, cold hands and feet, frequent perspiration and fatigue. All these symptoms may be caused by many other disorders. Appropriate tests and studies are, therefore, essential to establish the true nature of these symptoms. Causes The basic causes of heart diseases are wrong dietary habits, faulty style of living and various stresses. The famous Framingham Heart Study of the National Heart and Lung Institute identified seven major risk factors in coronary heart disease. These are : (i) elevated blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and other fatty substances ( ii) elevated blood pressure (iii) elevated blood uric acid levels (mainly caused by high protein diet), (iv) certain metabolic disorders, notably diabetes, (v) obesity, (vi) smoking, and (vii) lack of physical exercise. Each or a combination of these risk factors can contribute to heart disease. Most of them are of dietary origin. These risk factors can be controlled by changing one's life style and readjusting the diet. Constant worry and tension stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline and cartisons. This also contributes to constricted arteries, high blood pressure and increased work for the heart. Treatment The fundamental conditioning factor in all heart diseases is the diet. A corrective diet designed to alter body chemistry and improve the quality of general nutritional intake can, in many cases, reverse the degenerative changes which have occurred in the heart and blood vessels. The diet should be lacto-vegetarian, low in sodium and calories. It should consist of high quality, natural organic foods, with emphasis on whole grains, seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods which should be eliminated are all white flour products, sweets, chocolates, canned foods in syrup, soft drinks, squashes, all hard fats of animal origin such as butter, cream and fatty meats. Salt and sugar should be reduced substantially. The patient should also avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco. The essential fatty acids which reduce serum cholesterol levels and minimise the risk of arteriosclerosis can be obtained from sunflower seed oil, corn oil or safflower oil. Several studies have indicated that garlic can reduce the cholesterol level in persons whose body normally cannot regulate the cholesterol fractions. Other important cholesterol lowering foods are alfalfa and yogurt. Lecithin helps prevent fatty deposits in arteries. Best food sources are unrefined, raw, crude vegetable oils, seeds and grains. Fruits and vegetables in general are highly beneficial in the treatment of heart disease. Seasonal fruits are quite effective heart tonics. Apples especially contain heart stimulating properties and the patients suffering from the weakness of heart should make liberal use of apples and apple jams. Fresh grapes, pineapples, oranges,custard apples, pomegranaes and coconut water also tone up the heart. Grapes are effective in heart pain and palpitation of the heart and the disease can be rapidly controlled if the patient adopts an exclusive grapes diet for few days. Grape juice, especially will be valuable when one is actually suffering from a heart attack. Indian gooseberry or amla is considered an effective home remedy for heart disease. It tones up the functions of all the organs of the body and builds up health by destroying the heterogeneous elements and renewing lost energy. Another excellent home remedy for heart disease is onions. They are useful in normalising the percentage of blood cholesterol by oxidising excess cholesterol. One teaspoon of raw onion juice first thing in the morning will be highly beneficial in such cases. Honey has marvellous properties to prevent all sorts of heart disease. It tones up the heart and improves the circulation. It is also effective in cardiac pain and palpitation of the heart. One tablespoonful daily after food is sufficient to prevent all sorts of heart troubles. Patients with heart disease should increase their intake of foods rich in vitamin E, as this vitamin promotes the functioning of the heart by improving oxygeneration of the cells. It also improves the circulation and muscle strength. Many whole meal products and green vegetables, particularly outer leaves of cabbage are good sources of vitamin E. The vitamin B group is important for heart and circulatory disorders. The best sources of vitamin B are whole grains. Vitamin C is also essential as it protects against spontaneous breaches in capillary walls which can lead to heart attacks. It also guards against high blood cholesterol. The stress of anger, fear, disappointment and similar emotions can raise blood fat and cholesterol levels immediately but this reaction to stress can do little harm if the diet is adequate in vitamin C and pantothenic acid. The richest sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits. The following is the suggested diet for persons suffering from hypertension or some disorder of the heart : On rising : Warm water with lemon juice and honey or fresh fruit juice of apple,grapes, orange, pineapple. Breakfast : Fresh fruit such as apples, grapes, pears, peaches, pineapple, orange, melons, one or two slices whole meal toast, yogurt, skimmed milk or soya milk. Mid-morning : Fresh fruitjuice or coconut water. Lunch : Combination salad of vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, endive, carrots, cucumber, beetroot, tomato, onion and garlic. One or two slices of whole meal bread or chappatis, curd, fresh grapes and other fruits in season. Mid-afternoon : One or two wholemeal biscuits and fruit juice. Dinner : Fresh fruit or vegetable juice or soup, two lightly cooked vegetables, one or two whole wheat tappets. The patient should also pay attention to other laws of nature for health building such as taking moderate exercise, getting proper rest and sleep, adopting the right mental attitude and getting fresh air and drinking pure water. Water Treatment The use of an ice bag on the spinal area between the second and tenth thoracic vertebrae for 30 minutes three times a week, a hot compress applied to the left side of the neck for 30 minutes every alternate day and massage of the abdomen and upper back muscles are water treatments which are beneficial in cases of heart disease. Hot foot and hand baths are excellent for relieving the pain of angina pectoris. To this may be added hot packs on the chest over the heart for one minute and a cold pack applied alternately for five minutes. Asanas such as shavasana, vajrasana, and gomukhasna, yogic kriyas like jalneti and pranayamas such as shitali, sitkari and bhramari are also helpful in providing relief to heart patients.