Creating Optimal Health For a Lifetime . . One Meal At A Time
Creating Optimal Health For a Lifetime . . One Meal At A Time
One of the most crucial factors in determining your cardiovascular health is something about which you and your doctor are probably completely clueless. It’s what happens in your bloodstream and blood vessels every time you overeat.
If you pay close attention, you may notice a sluggish, low energy, foggy-headed funk an hour or two after consuming a large meal of the wrong kinds of foods and drinks. This is a sign that your system is bogging down under a flood of too much sugar and fat being dumped into your bloodstream.
The spikes in blood sugar and fats that occur immediately after, for example, a meal of a double cheeseburger, fries and a large cola, trigger an acute rise in the age-accelerating free radicals. These dangerous molecules cause oxidation, analogous to rust, throughout your system, and make your stress hormones surge.
A study by Dr. Robert Vogel, showed that blood vessel function will deteriorate by about 50 percent within two hours after a junk food meal, even in healthy young volunteers.
Practically speaking, this means that the arteries constrict when they should dilate, and they lose their Teflon-like, non-stick lining that prevents abnormal clotting.
Post-Meal Stress
Post-meal stress can also ignite and fuel the fires of inflammation and atherosclerosis, which leads to hardening of the arteries. Although this post-meal stress settles down four to six hours later, the typical 21st century American overloads their system with excessive calories from sweet, fatty, and/or starchy treats three, four, five, or more times each day; leaving their blood vessels under constant siege. Like waves crashing against a shore, this destructive process can eventually erode your health and vitality by filling your arteries with inflamed plaques and jeopardizing the wellbeing of your heart and brain.
How well your body metabolizes food is a major predictor of your long-term vigor, mental clarity, physical strength, and life expectancy. In a scientific paper to be published in the near future, we summarized the data showing that surges in the blood sugars and fats that occur immediately after eating present serious risk to your heart and arteries.
In pre-disposed individuals, such as those with diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, or even high blood pressure, these post-meal spikes in sugar and fat are increasing the risks for heart disease, stroke, and maybe even Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.
One of the real scary aspects of this post-meal stress is that it usually remains completely hidden. These days we generally live our waking lives in the post-meal state since it takes us about six hours to completely metabolize a meal. Yet, traditionally we only measure glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides in the fasting state (at least 12 hours since last intake of calories). In fact, about the only time most of my patients ever fast is when they come to the office to have their cholesterol and glucose checked. Virtually, the rest of their waking lives they are in the post-eating condition, which could be silently ravaging their cardiovascular systems.
This post-meal stress is a chronic problem for a large proportion of Americans. A steady diet of processed high-calorie foods creates a vicious cycle: causing immediate inflammation and stress, and over time leading to weight gain. Today, two out of three American adults are overweight or obese. The excess belly fat that goes along with an expanded waistline aggravates the tendency for the blood sugar and fats to spike after eating or drinking. Repeated meal-induced oxidative stress causes the blood pressure to rise and damages the pancreas, predisposing you to diabetes. Consequently, the prevalence of diabetes or pre-diabetes has tripled in the past 20 years. Today, about one-third of adult Americans have diabetes or prediabetes, yet most are unaware of it.
A recent study showed that prediabetes even afflicts about 11 percent of teenagers (which translates to about 3 million American teens). This is a major reason why today’s kids are poised to be the first generation in modern history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.
Hunt, Gather and Thrive
Our ancient ancestors often lived on the edge of starvation, and thus we are genetically designed to thrive on low-calorie natural food that usually required strenuous hunting and gathering. In stark contrast, our world today is one of delicious, cheap, and ever-present fast food in combination with our deskbound occupations, and seated entertainment. This mismatch between the world we are designed for, and the one in which we live today, is the genesis of most of our modern health woes, including the post-meal spikes in sugar and fat.
A healthy fasting glucose is less than 100; 100 to 125 is pre-diabetes; and two or more fasting readings above 126 is diabetes. But you can have a perfectly normal fasting glucose of 90 and still have a level of over 200 an hour or two after eating, which is the more important risk factor.
So these days we are doing more glucose tolerance tests, which involve measuring blood glucose after drinking a large glass of a sweet drink, containing 75 grams of glucose (the amount of sugar in about two cans of pop). A healthy glucose level two hours after consuming the sugary drink is less than 140; a glucose of 140 to 200 is pre-diabetes; and a level of 200 or higher is considered diabetes.
If you have a personal or family history of borderline or elevated blood sugars, obesity, high blood pressure, or any blockages in your coronary arteries, you should ask your doctor to consider checking your oral glucose tolerance; or you can check your post-meal blood sugars yourself with a blood glucose meter. It’s easy to do this on your own by simply measuring your blood sugar about one or two hours after eating.
The latest blood sugar meters are simple to use, accurate, and relatively inexpensive. We recommend one called One Touch Ultra 2, which you can find at your local pharmacy. Monitoring your blood sugars at home is a great way for you to see the striking hour-to-hour benefits of consuming a healthy diet and leading a physically active lifestyle.
Why the People of Denmark are the World’s Happiest
Last September I spent about 48 hours in Copenhagen, Denmark meeting with Dr. Jorn Dyerberg, the first scientist to recognize, over 40 years ago, that it is the omega-3 oils in fish that confer their protective effects on the heart and blood vessels.
During my two-day visit we traveled everywhere on bikes as I had the pleasure of experiencing the unique charms of Copenhagen. The streets of this city, rain or shine, winter or summer, are teeming with cyclists, and fully one-third of Danes commute to and from work each day by bike.
The evening I arrived there, Jorn and Bruce (a mutual friend) met me downtown, where we enjoyed a memorable dinner. We were treated to a 10-course meal that included small servings of locally caught fish, grilled lamb, delicately prepared vegetables, and for dessert, fresh raspberries topped with a little cream. We drank hearty red wine with the meal and had strong black coffee with dessert. By the time we finished it was almost 11 p.m., and it was time for Dr. Dyerberg to leave. So we walked him over to the central train station where he unlocked his slightly rusted very average-looking bike, and rolled it onto the train. About 15 minutes later this remarkable 75-year-old gentleman rolled his bike off that train, and rode the two kilometers home, as he does every evening after work.
As it turns out, Denmark has, on average, the happiest people of any nation on the planet. They also have, next to Norway, the highest quality of life of any country, according to the Legatum Prosperity Index. Though I must say, you wouldn’t know it to walk or cycle past them on the streets. They tend to be community minded, but are a stoic people by nature. When the scientists look below the surface to discover what makes Danes so contented despite living in a cloudy, windswept Scandinavian country, with its 17 hours of darkness during winter months, they come up with some interesting findings.
The Danes are happy and prosperous because they live and work with people they trust and so they feel safe and secure. They believe that they all are equal and everyone’s opinion is heard. On average, they work just 37 hours each week, and they pay about 70 percent of their earnings in taxes, but they seem to be okay with it. They take on average six weeks of vacation a year. Wealth and status are not revered in Denmark as they are in America. It appeared to me that few people were living lavish and wealthy lifestyles, but almost everybody seemed to be comfortable.
They enjoy the simple things in life, like the companionship of their family and friends, good food, and plenty of free time, enjoying outdoor activities like bicycling leisurely through the remarkably clean air and bustling, organized streets of Copenhagen. According to one Dane, “A rich person is not necessarily one with a lot of money, but rather the person who has a lot to be grateful for. The more people and things for which you develop a fondness, the richer your life will be.”
They cultivate the art of living, and enjoy music, literature, food, and conversation and have cozy comfortable homes. They often belong to groups, clubs, associations, etc., and frequently volunteer. They tend to be fit and vigorous and enjoy being active out in nature. I came away from my short stay in Denmark thinking that we Americans could learn a thing or two from the Danes. Not that being happy is everything, but it does make life more meaningful, not to mention more fun.
Trying to Make a Difference One Life at a Time!
May is a 61-year-old woman who was out caring for her horses on her ranch one afternoon when she developed the sudden onset of headache, with weakness in her right arm and leg and loss of vision on the right side. She was taken to Saint Luke’s Hospital where she was treated by the neurology team for a blocked artery in her brain. They consulted us in cardiology for some abnormalities noted on her ECG.
Upon further evaluation, we found that May had suffered a heart attack in the past, and now had blockages in her heart that required we place two stents in her coronary arteries. By the time we sent her home from the hospital, she was understandably depressed. One day she thought she was a healthy, middle-aged, active woman, and a few days later she was dealing with residual problems from both a stroke and heart attack. I told her that if she kept on smoking, the cigarettes would probably kill her. She said she didn’t care. She wasn’t sure life was worth living anymore. I reminded her how much she loved her horses, and how her family seemed to care for her deeply. I promised her that things would get better if she would just take things one day at a time and do her best to follow the prescribed regimen of medications, exercise, diet and stay away from tobacco.
Six weeks later when she came in for an office visit, I barely recognized her. She was cheerful and vibrant, as she excitedly told me about how one of her mares recently delivered a beautiful little filly. May hadn’t smoked a single cigarette; she was eating only healthy food, and getting her daily exercise. She complained a bit about missing the cigarettes and greasy, junky fast food, but admitted that she was feeling and looking better than she had in years; even her numbness and vision were improved dramatically. As we were wrapping up the visit, I told her, “May, I am soooo proud of you.” She smiled at me with a tear in the corner of her eye and gave me an appreciative hug.
As she walked away, I was reminded of a story that I had heard a few years ago: A man was walking down a storm-ravaged section of beach the morning after a hurricane. He came across a young girl who was picking up starfish that were stranded high and dry on the sand and throwing them, one-by-one, back into the ocean. When the man asked what she was doing, she said he was saving the starfish. To which the man replied, “Young lady, there are untold numbers of stranded starfish dying along these shores, you throwing a few back into the sea isn’t going to make any difference.” The kid looked up at the man, paused for a moment and then looked back down; she bent over and picked up another starfish and threw it gently back into the water. Then the little girl turned to man and said, “Made a difference for that one.”
As physicians, sometimes we get frustrated that most of the people we advise to quit smoking, or improve their diet and lifestyle don’t seem to be able to make it happen. But, I can tell you that the hug from May was more rewarding to me than any monetary payment I could have ever received from her. In our line of work, we make a difference one person at a time. To me, like most doctors I know, the gratitude that we perceive from our patients is the most rewarding part of having the privilege of practicing medicine.
A Little Thing Can Make a Very Big Difference
For the first time in 80 years my mother Leatrice found herself living alone after her 15-year-old dog Gus died. Starting about then, we noticed that she seemed to be walking less, and didn’t have her usual spark. For a half a century she was the calm and gentle, caring spirit at the center of a whirlwind of a household. But now being by herself in her home left her feeling lonely and a little blue.
Despite my repeated pleas, Leatrice refused to consider adopting a new dog, insisting that she was too old to put up with all the inconveniences of a pet, especially the house training. So, I took matters into my own hands. With the help of my friends at Wayside Waifs, I found Henri—a frisky, six-pound, affectionate three-year-old Yorkie/Poodle mix who is the cutest little dog I have ever seen. I packed him in a little carrier, boarded a plane with my sister Kerry, and a few hours later the three of us arrived, without any advance warning, on my mother’s doorstep. Leatrice was outraged that I had so brazenly ignored her wishes. She told us how this animal would be, “a terrible inconvenience that is completely out of the question.” I apologized as I firmly explained that Henri’s ticket was for a one-way flight; he wasn’t there to visit—this was his new home.
Admittedly, the first few months were a bit rocky. It took Leatrice awhile to adjust to her new roomie; and sometimes I wasn’t sure Henri was going to win over his new best friend. Slowly but surely, however, the tenor of our daily phone conversations changed. At first it was non-stop complaints about accidents on the rug, night-time awakenings for bathroom breaks, having to go outside walking with him, sometimes in rain, or sleet, or snow. But as time passed, she began to express how endearing it was to have Henri curl up by her feet when she snuggled into her bed at night, and how he was enthusiastically wagging his tail whenever she returned home from an errand. Or how he would give her affectionate doggy kisses when she picked him up, and how at “happy hour,” Leatrice relaxed with one beer before dinner, while Henri sat on her lap and enjoyed a carrot or a little cheese.
When she discovered how much he loved to ride in the car, she brought him with her when she was out and about. Soon, Henri was welcome everywhere Leatrice went—the post office, the coffee shop, the grocery store, and the homes of her friends and neighbors. I spoke with her local physician, Dr. Tony Kotnick, who spontaneously remarked, “That little dog has been very good for your mother; I see the two of them out walking every day.”
Now every Sunday afternoon, Leatrice and Henri visit the nursing home in our little hometown of Grafton, N.D., where the two of them brighten up the day for many of the residents there. John, an 81-year-old man who has been unable to hear or speak since birth, may be Henri’s biggest fan, as I witnessed during one of their visits recently. Henri scampered into John’s room, spontaneously hopped up on the wheelchair and into his lap and excitedly licked his face. As he petted the little white dog, a tear rolled down John’s cheek. He looked up and smiled at Leatrice, and in that quiet scene, in the language of the heart, an unmistakable message of joy and gratitude came through loud and clear.
Leatrice is a very social person with a nurturing soul who needs a housemate with whom she can grace with her love and attention. Henri gets her out for a walk about four to six times a day. She has become friends with other dog walkers in the neighborhood, and the local kids love to run over and pet Henri when they see the two of them out walking. I must admit, it killed me when early on my mother would say things like, “My friends tell me that they can’t believe my son would be so inconsiderate as to burden me with a new dog at my age.” Although in the beginning both she and I had doubts that this little experiment would work out for the best, in fact it is has exceeded our hopes. The saga of Leatrice and Henri has confirmed my convictions that pets, especially dogs or cats, can provide unique and powerful benefits for both mental and physical health. From improved fitness and weight loss, to a happier mood, better sleep, and lower blood pressure, pet ownership has been scientifically proven to be one of the best things a person can do for his or her health and sense of well-being.
For my mother, Henri was just what “the doctor ordered.” It is amazing to me how sometimes the littlest thing, in this case, a tiny dog named Henri, can make such a big difference in someone’s life.
Rose’s Green Tea
My great-grandmother Rose Cartier grew up in Montreal, Canada. We called her Ma Mere (French for “my mother”), and her defining habit was to drink tea—green tea specifically. I can recall her playfully reading the tea leaves in the bottom of our cups to “tell our future.” Accumulating scientific evidence indicates Rose’s daily tea habit probably played a big role in why she was so healthy, happy and clever for 94 years.
People who drink four or more cups of green tea daily are 44 percent less likely to suffer from depression. Theanine may be the reason. Theanine, an amino acid present in green tea, is a unique compound that induces a mental state of “relaxed awareness.” Theanine is a stimulant that energizes you and increases alertness, while at the same time reducing anxiety. Stimulants such as coffee and other caffeinated beverages like Red Bull, especially in excess, can make you jittery and anxious. On the other hand, agents that reduce anxiety, like alcohol or Xanax, tend to lower your energy level and make you feel fatigued. So, if you are feeling like you need an energy boost that will also leave you relaxed and calm, green tea may be your answer.
Long-term generous consumption of tea has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. Studies suggest that green tea might play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration (the most common cause of blindness in adults), and several cancers including cancers of the mouth, lung, and prostate, and leukemia. Tea can aid digestion, strengthen bones, and improve the health of gums and teeth. Studies also indicate that frequent tea consumption is linked to better longevity. In one large study of 40,000 Japanese followed for 11 years, those who drank more green tea were less likely to die from all causes, and seemed to be especially protected from cardiovascular death.
A study focusing on Chinese people offered fascinating insight into how tea might improve longevity. Men who consumed three or more cups of tea daily were genetically younger than those who consumed less tea. In this study, the tea drinkers had significantly longer telomeres—the protective caps on the ends of DNA strands that keep them from unraveling. Enthusiastic tea drinkers’ telomeres showed substantially less wear and tear, translating into a genetic age about five years younger than the non-tea drinkers.
Drinking a lot of tea can be helpful if you are trying to lose weight. Besides being a tasty and healthy calorie-free drink, tea also cranks up your metabolism which burns off belly fat. Studies show that drinking at least three or four cups of tea, especially green tea, will help flatten your tummy—which is not only great for your figure, but also for your health. Excess belly fat is one of the biggest sources of chronic inflammation that predisposes to everything from diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, to heart attack and stroke.
The health benefits of tea may be due to the high levels of antioxidants and other plant chemicals. You will absorb more of these beneficial antioxidants from your tea if you add a slice or squeeze of lemon, let it steep for at least five minutes before drinking, and don’t use cream or milk in it . Tea, whether iced or hot, green or black, is naturally calorie free. Try to learn to enjoy your tea unsweetened; both sugar and artificial sweeteners make it a less healthy beverage. Your abdominal fat will really melt away if you substitute green tea for soda and other sweet drinks.
Bottom line: try to include tea in your daily routine. Green tea and white tea are probably best for health benefits; and if caffeine bothers you, drink the decaf version. Or, if you just can’t or won’t drink green tea regularly, consider taking a daily supplement in the form of a capsule of tea antioxidants. This has been shown to significantly lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and can help to trim excess belly fat.
I have been impressed that my patients, family and friends seem to feel better and be healthier when they add either green tea, or a tea supplement to their daily routine. As for me, I’m folliwng Ma Mere’s example and drinking at least four cups of green tea daily; and I love it as much as she did.
Healthy Pleasures
Healthy Pleasures – Feel Good Without the Guilt
Mark Twain was dead wrong when he quipped: “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.” Turns out that staying healthy isn’t all about deprivation; many of life’s most exquisite pleasures are among the best things for your well-being and longevity. So you can stop feeling guilty about these habits—they will make your life not just more pleasant, but also longer and healthier.
Sleep: Get Your ZZZZZs
No controversy here—sleep might feel like an indulgent luxury, but seven to eight hours of deep restorative sleep on a nightly basis is one of the most important habits you can cultivate to ensure a long and vigorous life. Sleep costs nothing, has zero drawbacks, and besides feeling wonderfully rejuvenating, also boosts your energy, improves your memory and creativity, strengthens the immune system, improves your mood, and helps you to stay lean and fit.
On the other hand, sleep deprivation causes high blood pressure, high glucose and excess belly fat, not to mention a cranky and irritable disposition. A recent study of 500,000 people showed that those who routinely slept less than six hours nightly had a substantially increased risk for heart attack, stroke and diabetes. By the way, it’s normal to sleep for three or four hours deeply for the first half of the night, and then awaken for a period of time before you fall back to sleep for the second half of your night’s slumber. Don’t fret over this interlude; just lie quietly in your comfortable bed and let your mind wander. And rather than counting sheep, count your blessings.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, rather than resorting to prescription medications, which can be habit-forming and cause fatigue the next day, instead try taking aspirin, 81 mg, and/or melatonin, 3 mg, 15 to 30 minutes before bedtime. These are safe, effective and non-habit forming over-the-counter sleep aids.
Napping is another treat that turns out to be good for your heart and your attitude, so don’t feel guilty about a little mid-day snooze (but try to limit it to not more than about 30 minutes).
Play: Have Fun Getting Physical
We don’t stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing. Physical activity is super good for you; problem is, we tend to think of exercise as an unpleasant chore—a “workout” doesn’t connote fun. On the other hand, the more you can move your body with joy, or enthusiasm, or passion, the more vigorous and healthy, not to mention happy and youthful, you will be. So make it a point to inject some physical play into each day.
Hands down, your best choice for combining exercise and pleasure is sexual activity. Having sexual relations with your spouse or significant other releases powerful feel-good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins. These not only make you happy, but they also strengthen psychological bonds and promote intimacy. Feeling emotionally connected on an intimate level to another person provides powerful benefits to your mental and physical health.
Even just a kiss can make us feel more connected; a deep and soulful kiss is like saying, “I love you” without words. The experts say that even if you have been together a long time, kissing each other like you mean it, is important. Marilyn Anderson, author of Never Kiss a Frog, says, “Put your whole body into the kiss. Without words, your lips should say, ‘Baby, there’s more where that came from!’” Getting frisky on a regular basis has been shown to improve immunity and is linked to better cardiovascular health. Of course sexual activity in the wrong settings can cause all sorts of serious health problems and social predicaments so it is important to practice safe sex.
Dancing is another great option to move just for the fun of it. Dance classes, dancing with your partner, or even dancing alone with your iPod or whenever the spirit moves you (like I catch myself doing more these days), are fun and easy ways to get fit and happy without even trying.
When you were a kid you probably loved to play active games, often outside, not because it was good for you, but because fun is, well…fun. So find sports you can do with your friends and make it a priority to play as often as possible. Playing outdoors, even just walking with friends, is especially great for your health and well-being.
Vacation: A Luxury You Can’t Afford to Do Without
Chronic stress is much more than just emotional strain; accumulating evidence indicates that it’s harmful to nearly all of your organs, especially your heart and brain. An alarming 75 percent of all doctor visits are, at least in part, triggered by stress.
High blood pressure, irregular heart rates, heart attacks, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disorders, gum disease, and even sudden cardiac arrest are among the countless health problems that are linked to emotional stress. Even obesity has been shown to occur more often in employees who report being stressed at work than in those who do not feel job-related strain. Cortisol, a stress hormone, may be one of the culprits; it stimulates cravings for high-carb junk food and predisposes to increased deposits of belly fat. Too much stress also tends to make us lethargic and depressed, and thus more likely to spend our free time sprawled out on a couch staring mindlessly at a television, for instance.
Although regular vacations may seem like an unnecessary extravagance, the scientific evidence suggests that they not only make us happier, but also reduce risks for illness, and may even improve life expectancy. One study of 12,000 men at high risk for heart disease, found that compared to those who didn’t vacation regularly, those who took vacations at least once yearly were 32 percent less likely to die from all causes, and 39 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. “Vacays,” as my son Jimmy calls them, are great for rejuvenating us and recharging our enthusiasm. Especially during stressful times it is important to take a break from work and get away with loved ones or friends to a relaxing and fun spot. Personally, I find that even just making plans for a vacation, and anticipating a fun and adventurous trip, makes me feel enthused and happy. Ideally you should take several vacations throughout the year so you always have something to be looking forward to.
Sure, kick back and get plenty of rest, but also include vigorous exercise in your vacations plans. Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals that make us happy, energized and relaxed. Fit is the new fun, and daily exercise is a sure-fire strategy to make you feel more attractive, self-confident, joyful, smarter and more stress-proof.
Spend Time with Your Friends
Over the past decade a whole new field of science has emerged focusing on the benefits of strong social ties and a positive attitude. Friendships are good for your health, especially if you spend time with well-adjusted, generally happy people who have your best interests in mind. But attitudes are contagious; so try to gravitate to people who have a positive outlook on life. An important study confirmed that having a sunny outlook and seeing the glass as half-full may help you live a longer and healthier life. This study, published in February 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, evaluated the psychological and physical health of nearly 3,000 heart patients and found that those with an optimistic outlook were about 30 percent more likely to be alive after 15 years than their pessimistic counterparts. In essence, optimism is as powerful as the best drugs we have for improving the long-term health and survival of cardiac patients. So try to look at the bright side.
Speaking of attitudes that promote well-being and longevity, gratitude confers powerful benefits to our mental and physical health. Individuals who feel grateful report more energy and optimism, better relationships and happier moods, with lower risks for alcoholism and depression. A grateful heart is linked with higher wages, better sleep and fitness, and stronger immunity. I spoke with a friend whose wife is dying of cancer, and as distraught as he was, he said, “Sometimes when I am alone, I just want to scream and cry about how unfair this is, but then I remind myself just to be grateful that such a warm and loving person came into in my life, even if it wasn’t for long enough time.” I was inspired by his courage and strength and it reminded me to not take all my blessings for granted.
Enjoy Some High-Fat Foods
Although various “experts” have been scolding us for decades about eating fatty foods, they were wrong. Even today it is common to hear advice to follow a low-fat diet. The truth is that some high-fat foods are among the healthiest things you can eat. Plus full-fat foods taste better, and help to keep you full longer. Avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, naturally oily fish like salmon and sea bass, and nuts are all high in fat—the healthy kinds. Unlike the nasty saturated fats present in greasy hamburger and other fatty meats, as well as in high-fat dairy, the good fats will lower risk of heart attack and stroke, and are good for your brain and joints. Some diets, including the Flat Belly Diet, focus on eating a modest amount of foods containing healthy fat with each meal. You should try to eat about 30 percent of your daily calories from healthy fats. By the way, dark chocolate can be healthy if it is very high (at least 65 percent) in cocoa and cocoa solids, but even then you should limit it to about six to 10 grams per day, which is one Hershey’s Kiss, for example.
Massage Therapy
Getting a rubdown not only feels good, it also reduces stress and lowers blood pressure. People who are touched regularly, especially in a gentle and affectionate manner, tend to be healthier and happier. Human touch can confer powerful healing and soothing effects on a person, particularly when they are feeling stressed. If you don’t have the time or the money to spend at the spa, consider getting in the habit of using healing touch therapy with your significant other. Studies show that women, after being massaged at least two times weekly by their partners, reported feeling less depression, anxiety, and anger; not surprisingly, their partners reported better moods too.
Your Morning Buzz: Coffee and Tea
No morning regrets—coffee and tea (hold the cream and sugar) are among the healthiest beverages you can drink. Both coffee and tea are loaded with disease-fighting, anti-aging anti-oxidants and they are essentially calorie free. Drinking four cups of coffee per day reduces risk of diabetes, and neuro-degenerative diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Tea, especially green tea, is turning out to be an amazingly beneficial drink for preventing everything from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, to reducing risks for brain diseases and some cancers. They rev up your metabolism and help you to exercise harder and longer. Be careful about getting too much caffeine, and avoid caffeinated versions of coffee or tea after about mid-afternoon.
Sun Bathing
As a kid growing up near the Canadian border, I remember feeling a euphoric “natural high” when the warming rays of sun would make their reappearance in mid-March. At the end of a long, cold and dark winter I would go out in my shorts and T-shirt, even when the temperatures were still in the 40s, look up at the sun, close my eyes and bask in the wonderful goodness of those golden rays. It was like scratching an intense itch. In fact this need for the sun is a powerful instinct that compels us to soak up the sunlight when it’s available to ensure that we get our vitamin D levels back into the normal healthy ranges. Sunlight in the non-winter months will stimulate your skin to produce large amounts of vitamin D, which is perhaps the most important vitamin of all. Keeping your vitamin D levels up may help to prevent cancers, heart disease, infections, and diabetes, to name just a few of its many health benefits. To be sure, too much sun can cause premature aging of the skin and skin cancers, so you have to be very modest about unprotected sun exposure—10 to 20 minutes daily, after which you should put on sunscreen. Make sure to take a daily supplement of vitamin D also; most people need at least 2,000 I.U. per day.
A Glass of Wine with Dinner
Raise a glass to toast the health benefits of your nightly wine habit, as long as you keep it to one if you are a woman and up to two per day for a man. Alcohol in small daily quantities reduces heart disease and diabetes as well as exercise or the best of our medications. The devil is in the dosing—at quantities greater than two drinks per day, the risks for a host of adverse health effects rise in proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed. In fact, excess alcohol is the number three leading cause of premature death. But if you can be consistent and disciplined about drinking just one or two per day, ideally a dry red wine, it can be a habit that brings you health and happiness. It’s not for nothing that it’s called “Happy Hour;” just make sure that you don’t turn it into a heavy-drinking “Unhappy Evening.”
The Ambassador of
Core Fitness: Corey Scott Corey has in-depth knowledge on how to treat any obstacle you will face, and he has used his insights again and again to help people just like you. If you face a challenge, Corey knows how to beat it.
Corey grew up on a ranch not far from where he lives now. He has a stake in his community and is passionate in his desire to take on its weaknesses. Corey understands our lifestyle, values and sensibilities and is working to improve the quality
of life for his community, one body at at time.
What is the Cardio Wellness Program?
It’s a program specially designed for you and you alone to reduce your risk of getting heart disease. We individualize your care to meet your specific needs and risk factors.
The Goal?
To prevent the onset of heart disease or stop its progression.
What many people don’t know is that heart disease is preventable. Studies prove that by addressing your risk factors you can significantly decrease the chance of having serious cardiac problems.
How does it work?
The Cardio Wellness Program is a three step process:
Step 1: The Assessment
Step 2: The Plan
Step 3: The Follow-Up
Where Can I Get It?
The Cardio Wellness program is offered at each of our Cardiovascular Consultants locations and is covered by most insurance programs.
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Red Yeast Rice & Cholesterol
My brother Kevin is typical of many people. When he takes a statin to lower his high cholesterol, his muscles ache and he feels generally unwell. Over the past two decades, he has tried taking various statins on at least a dozen different occasions. Each time he tries one, the medication does a marvelous job of getting his cholesterol down to a much healthier level, but after a few weeks he begins to feel soreness in his muscles and joints.
I suggest to him that maybe it’s all in his head, and he tells me, “No James, it’s actually all in my neck—aching pain and stiffness, every time you insist I take one of those prescription statins.” But Kevin’s cholesterol level, when he’s off a statin, runs about 240, despite following a healthy diet and lifestyle. And to make matters worse, a few years ago we discovered a moderate amount of plaque in his coronary arteries on a screening Cardioscan. So it really is critically important that we get his cholesterol down, way down, to less than 160 ideally.
Thankfully, we now have safe and natural over-the-counter (OTC) options for people like Kevin who can’t or won’t take a statin, and for others with high cholesterol, but who are at lower risk and thus may not need the potency of a prescription drug. The most effective OTC option for lowering cholesterol is Red Yeast Rice, a product of a fungus (monascus purpureus) grown on rice. The first documentation of the use of Red Yeast Rice was in China during the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D., where it was recommended for a variety of ailments such as poor blood circulation and indigestion. Red Yeast Rice contains natural compounds called monacolins, which are quite effective at inhibiting cholesterol production by the liver. In the late 1970s, scientists isolated monacolin-K, also known as lovastatin, from a fungus. This was concentrated and purified and in 1987 lovastatin was approved and marketed as the first statin—the largest selling class of prescription drugs today. Because Red Yeast Rice contains a much lower concentration of monacolins compared to prescription statins, they tend to be much easier to tolerate with fewer side effects.
Studies from Dr. David Becker and others show that Red Yeast Rice can lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol about 20 percent by itself, or up to 40 percent (or as good as simvastatin) when it is combined with high-dose omega-3, another safe, effective and natural OTC supplement. Even more encouraging are studies from China showing that Red Yeast Rice, like statins, may reduce heart attacks and cardiac deaths. The largest of these studies, the China Coronary Secondary Prevention Study, randomized 5,000 people who had suffered a heart attack to Red Yeast Rice or a placebo (inactive look-alike) pill. After four and one-half years the people on the Red Yeast Rice suffered 45 percent fewer heart attacks and 33 percent fewer deaths compared to the group on the placebo. The Red Yeast Rice therapy was safe and well tolerated in this large study.
However, there is a dark side to Red Yeast Rice. Nearly all of it is produced in China, frequently in facilities that would not meet FDA standards for safety or purity. Sometimes Red Yeast Rice of Chinese origin can contain Citrinin, a dangerous chemical that is toxic to kidneys. And other times it can be laced with a pharmaceutical-strength statin, and thus the unsuspecting consumer might actually be taking a highly potent statin despite buying OTC Red Yeast Rice.
The solution is to use a Red Yeast Rice product that is safe, effective and produced under highly regulated conditions. Look for red yeast that is grown and produced in the U.S. The manufacturer should test each batch to be sure that the monacolin content is in the safe and effective range and it is free of any toxins. The standard dose of Red Yeast Rice is two to four capsules per day (1,200 to 2,400 mg per day). You can expect that this will lower your bad LDL cholesterol by 15 to 20 percent. I have had several patients in whom Red Yeast Rice dropped their bad cholesterol from 130 down to 100 or less.
If you want to get the benefits of cholesterol lowering, you have to stick with the therapy for the long-term, years to even decades. In order to do that, whatever therapy you take can’t make you feel miserable. If you are someone who needs a lower cholesterol, but can’t tolerate the statins, or someone without heart disease who doesn’t want to resort to prescription medicines, try Red Yeast Rice in combination with omega -3, and make it a priority to eat right and exercise each day. This is a strategy for impressive cholesterol numbers and a healthy heart today and for decades to come.
