Eliminating Heart Disease Naturally Thru Nitric Oxide Therapy

Archive for Cardiovascular Health

Bergamot Extract Lowers Cholesterol

Posted by Dan Hammer //

12/08/2019

Today I want to introduce you to a natural way to address cholesterol concerns by highlighting how bergamot extract lowers cholesterol. And without side effects.

In most cases the medical community will recommend taking a statin drug to lower a person’s cholesterol. And while statin drugs are very effective in doing this, they can have some significant side effects such as:

Statins reduce CoQ10, which is needed for energy production in every cell, especially the heart. There is a direct link to an increase in congestive heart failure with the increase use of statins.
Statins reduce vitamin K2, which your body uses to regulate calcium levels in the vascular system. As vitamin K2 decreases the potential for vascular calcification increases.
Statins reduce ketone production, which can then accelerate the aging process.
Increased risk for cancer: Breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
Increased risk for diabetes.
Muscular issues like pain and muscle wasting.
Increased risk for cataracts.

In today’s medical world cholesterol has become the enemy. Yet healthy cholesterol levels are key to good health.

Why?

Because cholesterol is need for proper cell membrane integrity. In fact, without cholesterol you would just be a pool of living matter, instead of an upright thinking human being.

Cholesterol is also essential for your brain, which contains about 25 percent of the cholesterol in your body. It’s critical for synapse formation, i.e. the connections between your neurons, which allow you to think, learn new things, and form memories. So perhaps it’s not surprising that memory loss is widely reported in association with statin use. Read More →

To Stent Or Not To Stent

Posted by Dan Hammer //

11/22/2019

To stent or not to stent has recently become public news with the release of the ISCHEMIA study. This study has create headlines like this one from The Washington Post:

“Stents and bypass surgery are no more effective than drugs for stable heart disease, highly anticipated trial results show”

or this headline from CBS News:

“Medication and lifestyle changes could be as effective as surgery for heart disease, trail finds”

This newly released trial was led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Stanford University. They looked at over 5,000 patients who had heart blockages but were stable. And what they found can be summarized as follows:

Placing a stent in a patient with stable blockages could improve a patient’s quality of life by reducing their symptoms like chest pain.
But when compared to taking medications or implementing lifestyle changes, stenting didn’t lower their risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Needless to say this study has caused a significant reaction in the medical community. According to Harvard Medical School “about 600,000 people in the United States undergo an angioplasty to widen a narrowed coronary artery, nearly always with a tiny wire mesh tube (stent) left inside the artery to keep it open.”

This is not an inexpensive procedure.

To Stent or Not To Stent – The Numbers

The average cost for this procedure (angioplasty with the placement of a stent) is around $29,000.

This means that this medical procedure is a 17.4 billion dollar industry. It’s a major income stream for both interventional cardiologist and hospitals.

In response to the release of this study Elliot Antman, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital made the following statement:

“The ISCHEMIA trial shows that an early invasive approach does not protect patients against death or the overall chance of a heart attack, but does effectively relieve chest pain – the more chest pain a patient has, the more likely they are to benefit.”

Now before we demonize interventional cardiologist and hospitals it’s important to note the following key words that apply to this trial:

“. . .who had heart blockages but were stable.”

Stable heart blockages is the key piece of information.

Going back to the Harvard Medical School they estimate that approximately “two-thirds of these procedures are done in people experiencing a potentially life-threatening event – a heart attack or unstable angina, defined as severe, worsening chest pain during exertion or stress, or chest pain that happens at rest.”

One-third of 600,000 is 198,000 people who might find other alternatives like medications and lifestyle changes to be as effective as stenting in keeping themselves alive. That could be a 5.7 billion dollar savings per year.

To Sent or Not To Sent – What is Stable Heart Blockages

Most vascular blockages are due to a process called atherosclerosis. This usually starts with very low density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) being oxidized by free radicals. This creates inflammation and damage to the endothelium resulting in plaque formation. Over time this plaque continues to grow, which narrows the inside of the artery.

There is usually a fibrous cap to this plaque. This fibrous cap provides structure to the plaque.

However, unstable plaque or vulnerable plaque has a thin fibrous cap usually formed from a collection of white blood cells and lipids like bad cholesterol. And if free radical damage is continuing to occur, then the resulting inflammation makes this cap even more vulnerable for a rupture.

This rupture can then form a blood clot, or release cellular debris, that can then lead to a blockage resulting in a heart attack or stroke. If you remember Tim Russert from Meet The Press, then his heart attack and death would be a good example of this process.

There are certain biomarkers that can help you and your physician determine the increased probability of plaque being unstable. They are:

c-Reactive Protein

Oxidized LDL

Both of these are due to inflammation. Oxidized LDL is usually due to free radical damage.

Which gives a strong clue to lifestyle changes that can address this. One lifestyle change would be to significantly increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, and herbal extracts that are powerful antioxidants.

As well as eliminating as many omega 6 fatty acids from your diet and replacing them with omega 3 fatty acids.

Sugar and highly processed foods also contribute to vascular inflammation.

These 3 lifestyle changes can significantly improve your health while reducing the potential for oxidized LDL and vascular inflammation. All of which can help to stabilize any plaque in the vascular system.

And as I’ve share multiple times in previous articles, nitric oxide therapy can help to vasodilate the vascular system for improved blood flow. This would then help those who are experiencing chest pain and angina.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Avocados Lower Bad Cholesterol

Posted by Dan Hammer //

11/08/2019

The recent headline about how avocados lower bad cholesterol caught my attention. And the reason why is that the key to vascular health is addressing inflammation.

Vascular inflammation typically leads to plaque formation. This can significantly increase your potential for a heart attack or stroke.

Anything you can do to prevent vascular inflammation can help to reduce your risk for strokes and heart attacks.

One of the key contributors to vascular inflammation is bad cholesterol, which the medical community labels as LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein.

But the real cause of vascular inflammation is not LDL but oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles.

By itself LDL does not damage the lining of your vascular system. What is call the endothelium.

Unfortunately, dietary choices create the environment for what are called free radicals. These are unstable molecules that are missing an electron in their outer orbit. To stabilize themselves they steal an electron from another molecule.

This process than creates another free radical, which continues this process until eventually damage is done to your cellular tissues. The result is inflammation.

In a recent 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the participants who ate one avocado per day, while following a moderate-fat diet, had an average 13.5 mg/dl drop in bad or LDL cholesterol.

Avocados Lower Bad Cholesterol

Penn State University just released information to support how avocados lower bad cholesterol. Read More →

Can Drinking Water Lower Your A1C

Posted by Dan Hammer //

11/01/2019

One of my clients prompted me to research this question: Can drinking water lower your A1C?

Now before I let you know what I found let’s set the stage by defining the term “A1C.”

Your A1C is determined by a blood test that provides an estimated average of what your blood sugar level has been over the past 2-3 months. In the medical community this term A1C is also referred to has Hemoglobin A1C, HbA1C, or glycated hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is the protein in your red blood cell that carries oxygen.

Glycated means that sugar in your blood stream has attached itself to the hemoglobin of your red blood cell.

This means that your A1C measures how much of your red blood cells have sugar attached to them. If your A1C test result is 7%, then 7% of your red blood cells have sugar attached to them.

And this score become a baseline measurement in helping to determine if you have diabetes, which is having too much sugar in your blood stream.

There are other blood tests and methods to determine if your blood sugar levels are too high. The following chart provides context to these measurements and methods and how they are reflected in determining if you have diabetes:

As you can see by the above chart you would want your A1C score to be as close to 5 as possible. Once you’re above 6 you’re considered to be prediabetic and 6.5 or higher diabetic.

Which now brings us back to my client’s question: Can Drinking Water Lower Your A1C? Read More →

Dangers of Belly Fat

Posted by Dan Hammer //

09/01/2019

Several new research studies now clearly show the dangers of belly fat. Belly fat is not the same as the subcutaneous fat that pads our thighs, buttocks, and upper arms. While this fat might be less than pleasant to look it, it doesn’t present any health issues.

But belly fat is different. Sometimes called visceral fat, this is the fat that accumulates beneath the abdominal wall and around your abdominal organs. It is metabolically active. And it acts like an endocrine organ secreting hormones and other chemicals that are now clearly linked to a wide range of health issues.

One such “hormone” is retinol-binding protein 4 or RBP4, which contributes to insulin resistance that can lead to Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Belly fat also secretes these harmful substances:

Angiotensinogen – Which raises blood pressure.

Resistin – Which leads to high blood sugar levels.

Adiponectin – Which slows the metabolization of lipids and glucose.

Interleukin 6 – Which is associated with inflammation of arteries and heart attacks.

All contributing to a series of health issues called Metabolic Syndrome.

Currently, the adult obesity rate in America now exceeds 35% in seven states, 30% in 29 states, and 25% in 48 states. When you add overweight statistics to the mix, approximately 67% of America is now overweight or obese.

This means that for every 100 people you meet today, almost 70 of them will be either overweight or obese.

And if you want to know if you are a candidate for the dangers of belly fat, then get out a soft tape to measure your girth. The easiest way to measure this is find your belly button and take your measurement.

For women if your measurement is 35 inches or more, then you are carrying potentially dangerous belly fat. For men the measurement is 40 inches or more. Read More →

6 Key Ingredients That Optimize Nitric Oxide Production

Posted by Dan Hammer //

08/22/2019

There are 6 key ingredients that can help you optimize nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide is key to your vascular health as it helps you enjoy the following benefits:

Improved Blood Flow By Relaxing the Smooth Muscle of the Vascular Wall

Reduce Your Risk for Strokes and Heart Attacks by Keeping Blood Platelet Cells From Sticking Together

Helps to Initiate Repair Mechanisms to Heal Damage to Your Vascular System

All of these benefits are important to your cardiovascular health. Which means learning how to optimize nitric oxide production also helps you harness these benefits for improved health.

To help you learn which 6 ingredients are key to nitric oxide production, I’ve recorded a video that will walk you through this process. Enjoy!

And for those who prefer to read the information, I’ve summarized it below the video.

Endothelial Health Equals Cardiovascular Health!

Posted by Dan Hammer //

08/15/2019

When was the last time anyone ever asked you about your endothelial health?

NEVER!

It’s estimated that there are approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the adult body. These blood vessels include arteries, veins, and capillaries. They’re all protected by a microscopic inner lining of endothelial cells. What is commonly called the endothelium.

It’s important to note that these cells line the entire circulatory system. From the inside of your heart all the way down to your smallest capillary. When added up, the volume of these endothelial cells would cover the surface area of 4 to 8 tennis courts depending upon the size of the individual.

That’s amazing since the endothelium is only one cell thick and can’t be seen by the human eye.

Once discovered, the endothelium was classified as an inert membrane whose primary function was to keep the blood in the circulatory system and out of the body’s tissues and organs.

Research over the last 25 years has shown that your endothelium is an active, multi-functional tissue that plays a vital role in metabolic, immunologic, and cardiovascular health.

Or is your endothelium an organ? Read More →

Heart Health and Walnuts

Posted by Dan Hammer //

08/08/2019

Who would have thought there could be a connection between heart health and walnuts. Yet recent research shows that not only is there a strong connection between heart health and walnuts but that this connection also benefits the endothelium, which lines and regulates your cardiovascular system.

If you’ve been following my articles you know that I’m a firm believer in endothelial health and function for improved cardiovascular health. Now organizations like WebMD and Life Extension are highlighting the benefits of heart health and walnuts. Here are excerpts from recent publications from these two outstanding organizations.

What WebMD Says About Walnuts and Heart Health!

“Walnuts are the No. 1 nut for heart health, says a researcher who presented his findings Sunday at the American Chemical Society annual meeting. That’s because walnuts were found to have more antioxidants – and better-quality antioxidants – than other popular nuts tested, says Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.”

According to Dr. Vinson, “Twenty-eight grams of walnuts (an ounce) have more antioxidants than the sum of what the average person gets from fruits and vegetables.”

According to Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, “Studies show that walnuts improve cardiac risk factors and enhance blood flow.”

Click here to read the complete WebMD article entitled “Walnut May be Top Nut for Heart Health”

What Life Extension Says About Heart Health and Walnuts!

In the August issue of Life Extension, William Faloon discusses the health impact of walnuts in his editorial entitled “FDA Says Walnuts Are Illegal Drugs!” Specific to walnuts and heart health, William Faloon had this to say:

“The March 4, 1993, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine published the first clinical study showing significant reductions in dangerous LDL and improvement in the lipoprotein profile in response to moderate consumption of walnuts. Later studies revealed that walnuts improve endothelial function in ways that are independent of cholesterol reduction.

One study published by the American Heart Association journal Circulation on April 6, 2004, showed a 64% improvement in a measurement of endothelial function when walnuts were substituted for other fats in a Mediterranean diet.

As most Life Extension members are aware, the underlying cause of atherosclerosis is progressive endothelial dysfunction. Walnuts contain a variety of nutrients including arginine, polyphenols, and omega-3s that support the inner arterial lining and guard against abnormal platelet aggregation. These favorable biological effects explain why walnut consumption confers protection against coronary artery disease.

The US National Library of Medicine database contains no fewer than 35 peer-reviewed published papers supporting a claim that ingesting walnuts improves vascular health and may reduce heart attack risk.”

For the complete editorial by William Faloon from the August 2011 issue of Life Extension please click here.

Walnuts – An Ideal Snack!

Given the above information it makes sense to use walnuts as a heart healthy snack. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture an ounce of walnuts contains 185 calories, 4 grams of protein, nearly 2 grams of fiber, and 18 grams of “heart-healthy” fat.

The most popular snack in America is potato chips. According to the Fat Secret website one ounce of potato chips contains 155 calories, 1.86 grams of protein, 1.2 grams of fiber, and 10.6 grams of fat.

Comparing the two snacks, walnuts are going to give you twice as much protein, almost twice as much fiber, and healthy fats that benefit cardiovascular health. Plus the extra protein and fiber will help to hold your appetite over a longer period of time. This will result in better energy and less hunger going into your next meal.

I also want to thank Life Extension for confirming what I’ve been talking about for a very long period of time.

According to William Faloon of Life Extension, “the underlying cause of atherosclerosis is progressive endothelial dysfunction.”

Atherosclerosis is the development of plaque formations in the interior of the vascular system leading to a narrowing of the vascular pathway. This can reduce blood flow and increase the potential for blood clots to form. It’s one of the major contributing factors for cardiovascular disease.

Implementing a nutrition program that nourishes and supports a healthy endothelium is critically important to your overall health and wellness. Your nutritional program needs to increase your endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

As the saying goes “an apple a day will keep the doctor away”. Well, maybe “an ounce of walnuts a day will keep the cardiovascular surgeon away!” Don’t minimize the value of walnuts and heart health. They could help reduce your risk for the number one killer of men and women worldwide, which is cardiovascular disease.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Healthy Life Expectancy – Do You Want to Add 12 to 14 Years to Your Life?

Posted by Dan Hammer //

07/15/2019

Do you know what your healthy life expectancy is? Do you know you can actually estimate this?

Today I’m going to help you answer these two questions.

Research clearly shows there are 5 keys to your life expectancy. These 5 keys are listed below.

They have the potential to add 12 to 14 years to your life!

However, before you look at these 5 keys I’d like to encourage you to use an online tool for estimating the potential years you have left. It’s called the Healthy Life Expectancy Calculator. It was developed by the Goldenson Center at the University of Connecticut.

This calculator will take you less than 1 minute to complete, and will give you some valuable feedback on what you can do to increase your life expectancy.

Click Here for the Healthy Life Expectancy Calculator.

My Healthy Life Expectancy Results Using This Calculator

I used this tool to see what my life expectancy is. Here are my results: Read More →

6 Key Health Benefits of Blueberries

Posted by Dan Hammer //

07/08/2019

The health benefits of blueberries are numerous but for this article we are going to concentrate on just six of them.

Blueberries are native to North America. With approximately 30 different species, blueberries have become an important and plentiful tool for preventing free radical damage, one of the leading causes of aging and degenerative diseases.

Because of its high ORAC value and nutritional density, I use frozen blueberries as one of my ingredients in my morning protein shake.

Here is a brief overview of the health benefits of blueberries:

Improves heart health

Provides cancer protection

Helps prevent damage to collagen

Improves cognitive function

Protects against macular degeneration and cataracts

Improves elimination

That’s an impressive list of health benefits all designed to keep you young and healthy as you age.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Because of the high antioxidant properties of blueberries they are quickly becoming the North American version of the Brazilian Acai berry. Researchers at Tufts University recently analyzed 60 different fruits and vegetables. Blueberries rated the highest in their capacity to prevent free radical damage.

Blueberries belong to the heath family that includes the cranberry and bilberry, so some of the health benefits of blueberries are also found in these fruits.

Heart Health

There is a great deal of talk about the protective benefits of wine for cardiovascular health. A recent study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry compared white wine, red wine and blueberry wine for their ability to deliver the cardio-protective benefits of anthocyanins, a powerful class of antioxidants. Using a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) as their testing sample, white wine delivered .47 mmol of this free radical absorbing antioxidant. Red wine delivered 2.04 mmol. And blueberry wine (made from high bush blueberries) delivered 2.42 mmol.

This would make sense since the darker the pigmentation of the fruit the greater its antioxidant capacity.

Cancer Protection

Blueberries seem to provide protection against both colon and ovarian cancer. In laboratory studies published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the phenolic compounds extracted from blueberries were able to inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation. As well as induce apoptosis or programmed cell death.

The famous Nurses Health Study, which followed 66,940 women, revealed that those who have a diet rich in the flavoinoid kaempferol had a 40% reduction in the risk for ovarian cancer. Blueberries, non herbal tea, onions, curly kale, leeks, broccoli and spinach are all good sources of kaempferol.

Prevent Collagen Damage

Blueberries are ideal in helping to prevent damage to your collagen. Collagen is your body’s main protein making up 25 – 35% of your total protein content. It is the main component of fascia, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone and skin. It strengthens blood vessels and is present in the eye.

The powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins help to neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues. Because the blue-red pigments of blueberries are rich in anthocyanins they help provide protection against cataracts, varicose veins, arteriosclerosis, premature aging of the skin, heart disease, and cancer.

Cognitive Function

Researchers have found that blueberries help to protect the brain of aging animals from oxidative stress. This significantly improves both their learning capacity and motor skills. Although animal studies do not always correlate with humans, at least you can share you blueberries with your favorite pet and one of you will remember were you left your keys.

Eye Health

A study of 110,000 men and women, published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower the risk of macular degeneration by 36% when compared to those who consumed less than 1.5 servings of fruit per day. Bilberry, the British cousin to the blueberry, has long been shown to improve nighttime visual acuity.

Improves Elimination

The health benefits of blueberries also extend to elimination. Blueberries are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The insoluble fiber will add bulk to the stools. The soluble fiber will absorb bile helping the body to naturally lower its cholesterol levels.

Blueberries contain tannins which act as astringents in the digestive system to reduce inflammation. Blueberries also contain the same compounds found in cranberries. These compounds help to prevent or eliminate urinary tract infections by reducing the ability of E. coli to adhere to the mucosal lining of the urethra and bladder.

Conclusion for the Health Benefits of Blueberries

As you can see blueberries have tremendous health benefits. They are rich in vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene. They are an excellent source of potassium, manganese, and magnesium. They are high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. And they provide a wide variation of protective antioxidants to help prevent degenerative diseases.

The only negative to blueberries is that they are a source of oxalates. Oxalates should not be eaten in high concentration as they can crystallize to cause kidney and gallbladder problems. However, with a high ORAC value, a small amount can be consumed on a daily basis to provide you with the antioxidants needed to protect you from free radical damage.

One final note regarding the anthocyanins found in blueberries. According to a study from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, anthocyanins from berries are almost undetectable in canned foods, bread, cereals and baby foods because of how they are processed. This means that if you want to enjoy all the health benefits of blueberries, then fresh and frozen berries are best.