Eliminating Heart Disease Naturally Thru Nitric Oxide Therapy

Archive for Cardiovascular Health – Page 4

CoQ10 Benefits Your Skin

Posted by Dan Hammer //

06/01/2019

New research is showing that CoQ10 benefits your skin. In one of my previous articles about CoQ10 I showed how this critical molecule helps with:

Heart Health
Brain Health
Metabolic Function
Kidney Function
Bone Health

Now I want to help you understand how CoQ10 benefits your skin. It all centers on what is called the mitochondrial theory of aging.

CoQ10 and Mitochondrial Theory of Aging

Within every cell are mitochondria. Mitochondria are the batteries or power generators. They convert the stored energy of the nutrients you consume into an energy form that your cells can use to perform their function.

This energy source is called adenosine triphosphate or ATP.

As we age our mitochondria are damaged. The three main causes are oxidative stress, toxins, and inflections. This damage then reduces the energy production of the mitochondria.

Our mitochondria become less efficient in processing our food resulting in less ATP. This results in less energy for the cell to carry out its normal functions. And here is where CoQ10 can help. Read More →

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Posted by Dan Hammer //

04/22/2019

Today we’re going to focus on the health benefits of olive oil. Specifically extra virgin olive oil. Not only is it a key component of the Mediterranean diet, it’s also recognized as a Biblical food. Here’s the Scriptural reference.

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.” Deuteronomy 8:7-8

Now what is key to our discussion on the health benefits of olive oil is that the version you want to consume is unrefined extra virgin olive oil. Back in Old Testament times of the Bible they did not have today’s manufacturing processes that can alter the olive oil by stripping it of the key nutrients you need.

These key nutrients are called polypenols. Here are the 3 key ones that researchers have identified in having the greatest health benefits:

Oleuropein
Tyrosol
Hydroxytyrosol

And new research in this area is showing that the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol makes up about 50% of the total polyphenol content of extra virgin olive oil.

In this article we’re going to focus on three main areas:

Cardiovascular Health
Alzheimer’s Disease
Bone Health

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Cardiovascular Health

The number one killer of men and women worldwide is still heart disease. Anything that you can do to improve your cardiovascular health helps to lower your risk for heart disease.

In 2017 the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study to focused on the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol found in extra virgin olive oil.

There were 1851 participants. Both men and women. And the average age was 67. Additionally, they had to have had either type II diabetes or at least three or more cardiovascular risk factors like:

Smoking

Hypertension

Dyslipidemia

Overweight/Obesity

Family History of Premature Cardiovascular Disease

These participants were put into one of three groups:

Group 1 – Consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil
Group 2 – Consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts
Group 3 – Consumed a low-fat diet and acted as the control group

The group that had the best outcome, as it relates to lowering the risk for cardiovascular disease, was Group 1 who consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil. Here were their results:

56% Reduced Risk of a cardiovascular event, which included heart attack, stroke, or death from a cardiovascular cause.

On average, 9.5 years longer life after the age of 65!

Now some would say that their diet made the difference. And I’m sure the Mediterranean diet was helpful. But the difference between adding nuts versus adding extra virgin olive oil was overwhelming:

56% Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Event and 9.5 Years Longer Life Span!

Now let’s look at the health benefits of olive oil as it applies to cognitive function.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Alzheimer’s Disease

The main cognitive health concern that gets most of the attention is Alzheimer’s Disease. Researchers have identified three main biomarkers associated with this disease. They are:

Beta-amyloid, which contribute to myloid plaque that interferes with cognitive function.
Tau Proteins, which also contributes to myloid plaque formation that interfere with cognitive function.
Synaptophysin, which is a protein marker for synaptic integrity helping to maintain cognitive function.

A Temple University study on mice, that were bred to be genetically prone to neurodegenerative changes similar to Alzheimer’s disease, show the potential for extra virgin olive oil to help protect brain health.

One group of mice were fed a standard diet. The other group were fed a standard diet plus extra virgin olive oil. After six months on their respective diets the following results were found:

The mice that consumed the extra virgin olive oil had a significant decrease in the destructive biomarkers of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. These same mice also had a significant increase in the beneficial biomarker called synaptophysin.

Not only did the extra virgin olive oil help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease issues, but it helped to initiate the brain cell’s ability to clear itself of cellular debris, which can interfere with normal brain function.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil – Bone Health

Hip fracture, especially in older adults, can be a significant health concern. In meta-analysis of several studies using just the Mediterranean diet, there was a 21% reduced risk of hip fractures.

This lead to a new study that tested the use of the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil. The researchers wanted to see if olive oil would be even more effective in bone health. The results of this study showed an additional 51% lower risk of hip fracture.

Now here is the key to enjoying the health benefits of olive oil as it applies to cardiovascular health, Alzheimer’s disease, and bone health:

It Must Be Unrefined Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

Unfortunately, here in the United States it’s estimated that 80% of the extra virgin olive oil sold does not meet the legal standards to be called “extra virgin.”

This means you need to be proactive in making sure that the product you use is not mass produced and refined or altered with other pro-inflammatory oils like corn, safflower, and sunflower.

It might cost you more to buy, but the health benefits are worth the investment.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

Posted by Dan Hammer //

04/15/2019

This article is going to give an overview of the health benefits of pomegranate. This amazing fruit is recognized in the Bible as one of the Blessings the Promised Land would provide for the Israeli people as they entered into this land. Here’s the Scriptural context:

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.” Deuteronomy 8:7-8

As modern day science continues to study this fruit, their research is showing that the health benefits of pomegranate center on two primary health issues:

Cardiovascular Health
Cancer Prevention

Let’s look at each so that you can see why this amazing fruit should be part of your daily diet.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate – Cardiovascular Health

Your cardiovascular health centers on the function of a tissue that lines all of your cardiovascular system. That tissue is called the endothelium.

This is a one-cell thick layer that lines the inside of all of your blood vessels. Your capillaries are just extensions of this endothelium. In fact, it is the largest tissue in your body. Let me give you a point of reference:

If you took your endolhelium out of your body and laid it flat out, depending on the size of the adult individual, it would cover the surface area of 3 to 6 tennis courts.

And the healthier your endothelium, the healthier your capillary function for improved blood flow.

Damage to your endothelium increases your risk for all types of cardiovascular disease. There are 4 main factors that damage your endothelium:

High Blood Pressure
High Blood Sugar
LDL Cholesterol or more specifically oxidized LDL Cholesterol
Nicotine

The health benefits of pomegranate focus mainly on preventing oxidized LDL cholesterol, reversing plaque formations that result from oxidized LDL, and enhancing the ability of the eNOS enzymes of the endothelium to produce higher levels of nitric oxide to dilate your blood vessels for improved blood flow.

Most statin drugs work to lower cholesterol and do a good job in accomplishing this objective. The problem is they do not work effectively in reducing the cause of plaque, which is oxidized LDL cholesterol. Oxidized LDL cholesterol creates inflammation that then leads to the formation of plaque. As this plaque grows over time, the inside of your vascular system narrows.

This narrowing then increases your risk for a stroke or heart attack.

Your body has natural mechanism to protect you from this sequence. And this is where the health benefits of pomegranate extract show up:

Protect LDL molecules from being oxidized
Moderate the effects of inflammatory white blood cells and their role in plaque formation
Boost your natural antioxidant systems to protect your endothelium from free radical damage
Initiate vascular repair systems to help remove oxidized LDL from your arterial walls
Enhance eNOS enzymes for greater production of nitric oxide

Additionally, a 2014 study showed that the combination of pomegranate extract with the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin significantly lowered both oxidized LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

For more details on the health benefits of pomegranate on cardiovascular health please click here.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate – Cancer Prevention

New studies are expanding the health benefits of pomegranate to cancer prevention. Pomegranate contains these key compounds:

Punicalagin
Luteolin
Ellagitannins
Polyphenols

These compounds help to initiate multiple pathways in cancer prevention. Primarily because they inhibit inflammation. But it goes beyond this.

Research in the health benefits of pomegranate, as it applies to cancer cells, has shown the following:

Block cell cycle – pomegranate can help to shut off the cancer cell’s ability to divide by targeting specific cancer genes needed for cell replication. But doesn’t effect healthy cells.

Induce cell death – compounds in pomegranate directly cause programmed death of cancer cells.

Blocks blood vessel formation that feed cancer cells – blood vessels are needed to support cancer growth in tumors. Pomegranate selectively blocks the needed growth factors to help limit the formation of new blood vessels in a tumor.

Preventing the spread of cancer – pomegranate helps to inhibit multiple factors, which then helps to prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

Two specific cancers that have promising studies in helping to prevent them and their spread are prostate and breast cancer.

And there are ongoing studies on how pomegranate can help in the prevention of leukemia, bladder, brain, cervix, colon, liver, lung, skin, and thyroid cancers.

Plus, there are additional studies that show pomegranate aiding conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy. These ongoing studies seem to indicate that pomegranate enhances the cancer-killing effect of the drug while helping to protect normal cells.

For more details on the health benefits of pomegranate on cancer prevention please click here.

Personally, I’ve been using pomegranate fruit extract for over 10 years. I use it to help me enjoy the benefits as it applies to cardiovascular health. It’s good to know that it’s also helping me with cancer prevention.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Health Benefits of Fiber

Posted by Dan Hammer //

04/08/2019

Earlier this year the health benefits of fiber became more than just a talking point when the results of the World Health Organization (WHO) released their study in The Lancet.

This study was a meta-analysis of 40 years’ worth of research on the health benefits of fiber. Specifically it was an attempt to determine the ideal amount of fiber you need to consume daily to prevent chronic disease and premature death.

The chronic diseases were:

Cardiovascular Disease

Cancer

Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Diabetes

This study included 185 observational studies that accounted for 135 million person-years as well as 58 clinical trials that recruited over 4600 people. And the result was this:

Daily Intake of 25 – 29 Grams of Fiber is Ideal

The researchers found the following statistical advantage to those who consumed this level of fiber on a daily basis:

15 – 30% less likely to die prematurely from any cause or a cardiovascular condition
16 – 24% lower incidence of coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer.

So how does this ideal daily intake of 25 -29 grams of fiber compare to the average American adult?

Well, here in America the average adult consumes 15 grams of fiber daily. This is about 40 to 48% less than the ideal about of fiber.

Professor Jim Mann, the lead author of the study, made this comment,

“Our findings provide convincing evidence for nutrition guidelines to focus on increasing dietary fiber and on replacing refined grains with whole grains. This reduces incidence risk and mortality from a broad range of important diseases.”

Health Benefits of Fiber – The Basics

Dietary fiber is found only in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, nuts, and legumes (dried beans, lentils and peas). Although there are several forms of fiber, they are usually classified into two groups:

Soluble fiber can dissolve in water to form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. This soluble fiber is beneficial in lowering the “BAD” cholesterol. Clinical studies have shown that diets containing 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day can lower LDL cholesterol by 18%. Sources of good soluble fiber include oats, peas, beans, apples, and citrus fruits. Typically one serving of any of these foods will provide about one to three grams of soluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water so it passes through the digestive tract relatively unchanged. This insoluble fiber helps to make your stools softer and bulkier and speeds elimination. Sources of insoluble fiber would include whole-grain foods, wheat bran, most vegetables and fruit with skin.

Typically, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as much fiber as raw ones. However, some types of refining processes may reduce the fiber content.

Current food labeling requires the amount of dietary fiber to be listed. It’s listed just below the “Total Carbohydrate” portion of the Nutrition Facts section of the product label. For a manufacturer to make fiber claims it must meet the following guidelines:

High Fiber: 5 grams or more per serving

Good Source of Fiber: 2.5 – 4.9 grams per serving

More or Added Fiber: At least 2.5 grams more per serving than the reference food

Health Benefits of Fiber – According to the Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic has a healthy amount of material as it regards the health benefits of fiber. Here is their list:

Normalizes Bowel Movements
Helps Maintain Bowel Health
Lowers Cholesterol Levels
Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels
Aids in Achieving Healthy Weight
Helps You Live Longer

They especially note that increasing your dietary fiber intake “is associated with a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and all cancers.”

Now if you want to take steps to increase your fiber intake, then I would suggest reading my blog post titled “Fiber Intake and Cholesterol Reduction Part 2” as it contains 3 simple steps to increasing your fiber intake.

Your goal is to make sure you’re consuming 25 – 29 grams of fiber each day. If you do, then you can enjoy the health benefits of fiber while decreasing your risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Health Benefits of Lipoic Acid!

Posted by Dan Hammer //

04/01/2019

I’ve written about the health benefits of lipoic acid in the past. But new research is showing how powerful this organic compound can be in multiple areas of your overall health and wellness.

Because of this I’ve decided to update my previous article with the current list of health benefits of lipoic acid.

Health Benefits of Lipoic Acid – Slowing Down the Aging Process

Sometimes referred to as alpha lipoic acid this vital “co-factor” for enzymatic reactions is critically important for optimizing energy conversion in your mitochondria.

Mitochondria are the energy factories of your cells. They play a huge role in the aging process. At least in theory.

First proposed in 1972 by Denman Harman, the mitochondrial theory on aging centers on accumulated damage to the DNA of mitochondria. This leads to increased free radical stress coupled with a decrease in cellular energy production.

Researchers have been working to delay mitochondrial aging through a variety of nutrients. One of those nutrients is lipoic acid and the following health benefits of lipoic acid have been noted:

Lipoic acid helps to optimize mitochondria function and reverses cell aging.
Lipoic acid may help to prevent cardiovascular disease, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetic complications.
Lipoic acid protects against nerve and brain cell damage.

Health Benefits of Lipoic Acid – Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Inflammation

One of the recent discoveries shows how lipoic acid enhances the effects of insulin. This benefits glucose metabolism by lowering blood sugar levels. Thus helping diabetics better control their blood glucose levels.

Lowered blood glucose levels have two potential benefits on cardiovascular health.

First, when you reduce blood glucose levels you reduce the potential for oxidative stress or damage to the endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system.

Second, it reduces the potential for the pathological cross-linking of glucose and protein to form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). These AGEs have been shown to accelerate many of the aging processes, especially those associated with cardiovascular disease.

A meta-analysis of 18 studies showed that lipoic acid can have a profound anti-inflammatory benefit. Specifically, it is associated with a reduction in C-reactive protein. This is an important bio-marker associated with vascular inflammation.

Additionally two other inflammatory markers were reduced: tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6. Both are produced by excessive fat tissue. And they contribute to chronic inflammation that has been associated with obesity.

Lipoic acid’s ability to suppress inflammatory cell-signaling molecules helps to protect the endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, from plaque formations.

It’s these plaque formations that lead to the disease process known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis results in the narrowing of the vascular opening, which leads to an increased risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Research also shows how lipoic acid lowers total cholesterol and LDL or bad cholesterol. Both of these actions help to reduce the size and number of potential atherosclerotic plaque formations.

Additionally, lipoic acid enhances the effectiveness of endothelial nitric oxide synthase or eNOS. That’s a long word for the enzyme that the endothelium uses to create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent strokes and heart attacks. Nitric oxide also relaxes the smooth muscle of the vascular wall to keep your blood pressure in a normal range. Thus, nitric oxide is the body’s natural pathway for the prevention of high blood pressure.

When you add it all up, lipoic acid’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering capabilities make it an ideal nutritional supplement to help protect the endothelium while enhancing the endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide.

All of this results in helping to improve blood flow while reducing the risk for multiple health issues.

Health Benefits of Lipoic Acid – Neuropathy and Cognitive Function

Neuropathy is damage to nerves and can be a significant health issue for those with diabetes. In multiple human studies, several of the health benefits of lipoic acid have centered on improving the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

It does this by helping to increase the velocity of nerve impulses in peripheral nerves. In some studies nerve-signal velocities for both motor and sensory nerves were increased in 30 days.

This then had a positive effect in reducing the symptoms associated with neuropathy like muscle weakness, numbness, and pain.

In both human and lab studies the use of lipoic acid has helped to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by helping to suppress inflammation and by preventing free radical damage.

Health Benefits of Lipoic Acid – How to Supplement Your Diet

The consumption of lipoic acid can occur naturally if we choose the right types of food.

If you’re looking for animal sources rich in lipoic acid then you need to choose those organs that are high in metabolic activity such as the heart, liver, and kidney. I don’t know about you but I’ve never eaten any of these sources and I don’t ever want to. If you’re not into organ consumption, then steak would be another good option but the leaner the cut the better.

Another alternative is to choose plant-based sources like spinach, broccoli, garden peas, brussels sprouts, and rice bran. These are better food sources since they also help you with other antioxidant properties, which can make a big difference in the aging process.

If you choose to use supplementation to obtain additional lipoic acid then make sure you use the “Right” form of lipoic acid. Lipoic acid comes in what are termed “mirror image” forms labeled “R” and “S.” Only the “R” form is produced and used by the body. However, inexpensive chemical manufacturing will produce equal amounts of “R” and “S” lipoic acid, which is then packaged as either “R/S Lipoic Acid” or “Alpha Lipoic Acid.”

Product manufacturers now have newer precision techniques that allow for the pure “R” lipoic acid to be produced. This has a much higher potency and provides twice the active ingredient as you would find in alpha lipoic acid.

If you decide to supplement then make sure that you choose a manufacturer that provides you with only the active “R” molecule. This will allow you to use a lower dose and get better results.

There is no set dosage for this nutrient. Most of the clinical studies used 600 mg. And most of the research in this area would suggest that 300 – 600 mg is both safe and sufficient.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

An Aspirin a Day – Not Any More!

Posted by Dan Hammer //

03/22/2019

An aspirin a day has now become a big controversy in the medical and pharmaceutical industry. What has been preached in TV ads, and at doctor offices, has been thrown out the window.

At least for a large segment of the population.

This controversy around an aspirin a day has created the following headlines. From Yahoo Health News we get:

“Don’t take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks and strokes: Doctors reverse recommendation”

Now if you didn’t read the article you would think this applies to all people. And that aspirin can’t prevent heart attacks and strokes.

The following headline from USA Today is more accurate to the newly published study:

“Low-dose aspirin has no effect, causes harm in some older people, study says”

Sounds a bit like Yoda from Star Wars talking about this new study.

Well before we talk about the study, I want you to understand that this controversy is not new. In fact, I created a YouTube video on this topic 6 years ago. And my opening statement is,

“There is a new medical controversy about the use of aspirin for the prevention of heart disease especially in the area of preventing heart attacks and strokes.”

I’ve placed this video below. As you can see by the title “Aspirin vs Nitric Oxide for the Prevention of Blood Clots”, there is a natural ingredient that your body produces that keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together.

Learning how to optimize your nitric oxide levels can help you naturally reduce your risk for heart attacks and strokes.

As Aspirin a Day – Current Study

Let’s get back to the current controversy about an aspirin a day and what this new study actually says. The title for this study is:

Effect of Aspirin on Disability-free Survival in the Healthy Elderly

There were over 19,000 people in this study with a median age of 74 years old. They were randomly assigned to receive either an aspirin or a placebo.

The study showed that the rate of death, dementia, or persistent physical disability was almost identical for both groups. For the aspirin groups it was 21.5 per 1000 people and 21.2 per 1000 people for the placebo group.

And compliance was not the issue. In the final year of this study the participation percentage was close to being identical. 62.1% for the aspirin group and 64.1% for the placebo group.

And here is the stated conclusions taken directly from this study about an aspirin a day:

CONCLUSIONS

Aspirin use in healthy elderly persons did not prolong disability-free survival over a period of 5 years but led to a higher rate of major hemorrhage than placebo.

As you can see from these conclusions, the authors of this study do not believe an aspirin provides any benefit to older adults in lowering their risk for disease. And that the use of aspirin increased the probability of experiencing major hemorrhaging.

Which is want the video I produced 6 years ago was all about.

Now there have been additional articles written to help people adopt lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk for heart attacks and strokes. Here’s one just posted on March 19, 2019 with the following headline:

Aspirin is out. Here’s how healthy older adults can prevent heart attacks, strokes without pills

And the 4 lifestyle changes the author recommended were:

Eat these foods (mainly plant based nutrition)
Regularly exercise
Keep a healthy weight
Don’t smoke

And while all of these recommendations are good, this author and the medical profession still do not list nitric oxide therapy as a valid way to help keep blood platelet cells from sticking together to naturally reduce your risk for a stroke or heart attack.

I’m a firm believer that nitric oxide naturally does what aspirin tries to do. But without the negative side effects. So watch the video above. This way you can make your own decision on what you should do to help lower your risk.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Naturally Eliminate Heart Arrhythmia

Posted by Dan Hammer //

03/15/2019

The title for today’s blog post came from a client whose husband was able to naturally eliminate heart arrhythmia through a combination of taurine with l-arginine.

My client sent me a link to the PubMed article. You can click here to read it for yourself.

The title for this 2006 published study is “Elimination of cardiac arrhythmias using oral taurine with l-arginine with case histories: Hypothesis for nitric oxide stabilization of the sinus node.”

It’s a long title but has some excellent information on how to naturally eliminate heart arrhythmia.

In fact I found the abstract of this study to be fascinating for it looked at the nutrient deficiencies in the following cardiac arrhythmias:

Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs)
Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
Atrial Fibrillation
Sinus Pauses

And here were their findings:

Finding #1 – The use of 10 – 20 grams of taurine per day reduced PACs by 50% and prevented all PVCs but did not prevent pauses.

Finding #2 – When 4-6 gram of L-arginine were added this immediately eliminated all the remaining pauses and PACs. And with continued treatment maintained normal cardiac rhythm.

I’ve many clients who have experienced remarkable improvements with heart arrhythmia through the use of nitric oxide therapy. But not all have benefited.

So let’s look at this a little deeper to understand how this combination of taurine and L-arginine help.

Naturally Eliminate Heart Arrhythmia – The Basics

The word arrhythmia is used by the medical community to describe a disturbance in the normal rhythm of the heart. Some arrhythmias are mild and temporary. Others can be life threatening.

The most common arrhythmia is called atrial fibrillation. This effects the upper chambers of the heart and can effect the filling of your heart ventricles, which are the lower chambers of the heart. Usually the concern of atrial fibrillation is the potential for blood to pool in the upper chambers of the heart, which increases your risk for a blood clot. A blood clot that can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

A common, but minor rhythm disorder, is a PVC or premature ventricular contraction. This is when your ventricles or lower heart chambers contract prematurely. PVCs have more of an effect on your body since the lower chambers push out blood to either your lungs or body.

This is especially dangerous when these PVCs become rapid and uncontrolled because it interferes with your blood flow and can lead to death.

Both types of arrhythmias are primarily the result of a disturbance or interference in the electrical conduction of the heart.

Naturally Eliminate Heart Arrhythmia – The Taurine Effect

Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is extremely beneficial to your brain, eyes, heart, and muscles. And while your body can produce taurine, sometimes you’ll need to supplement to help address specific health needs.

As related to the normal rhythm of your heart, taurine helps to regulate potassium, calcium, and sodium levels in your blood and tissues. It also helps to protect you from free radical damage. And specific to your heart, it helps to regulate the excitability of the myocardium.

Taurine also helps to restore energy.

Specific to arrhythmias it seems to dampen the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and epinephrine release.

Naturally Eliminate Heart Arrhythmia – The L-arginine Effect

L-arginine is a key amino acid needed for all people no matter their age or sex. L-arginine helps to fuel 7 different metabolic pathways that are essential to good health. If you’re interested is these 7 different pathways, then please watch the video below titled “The Truth about L-Arginine!”

As it applies to heart arrhythmia, l-arginine is converted by eNOS enzymes, which line your vascular system, into nitric oxide. This process seems to restore sinus rhythm because it helps to restore the ntric oxide needed for stabilization of the sinus node.

Naturally Eliminate Heart Arrhythmia – Final Thoughts

In doing research for this article I also came across two other ingredients that have good supporting literature as it applies to heart arrhythmia.

One is magnesium. I recently did a blog post on this key mineral and how it can significantly improve your overall health. Specific to your cardiovascular system it:

Helps lover blood pressure
Reduces the risk for a stroke
And facilitates the electrical circuitry of the heart

The other ingredient is the amino acid L-carnitine. This amino acid helps to prevent PVCs. And works in tandem with CoQ10 to produce the needed energy for a normal heart contraction.

If you experience any heart arrhythmias, then you need to see your physician. But if your arrhythmia is mild, and your doctor is open to giving you some time before any type of medical intervention, then try a combination of oral taurine and L-arginine as outlined in the study above.

Hopefully your outcome will be the same. Were the arrhythmia disappears and normal heart rhythm returns.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

What is Broken Heart Syndrome

Posted by Dan Hammer //

02/22/2019

Today I received an email with the subject line Broken Heart Syndrome. Because I know the sender I opened it.

And read it.

The topic was interesting enough that I thought I would make my final post for the month of February on this health issue. Especially since February is officially heart health month in the United States.

Now before we talk about broken heart syndrome, what might be a good example?

My friend used the example of Debbie Reynolds dying the next day after her daughter Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia for all eternity) had died the previous day from cardiac arrest. Many attributed the passing of Debbie Reynolds to a broken heart. However, the exact cause was a stroke followed by her death.

What is Broken Heart Syndrome?

So I was curious to know if this broken heart syndrome is a real medical event. Both the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association recognize it as a valid medical condition that can lead to death.

Like everything in the medical community it has a term. In fact it can go by several terms:

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Apical Ballooning Syndrome
Stress Cardiomyopathy

The conditions of a broken heart syndrome can mimic that of a heart attack. This would include chest pain and shortness of breath. Sometimes disruptions in your heartbeat. Maybe even low blood pressure.

And although the exact cause is not completely clear, it’s thought to be a result of a surge in stress hormones. Especially adrenaline.

This would make sense since the broken heart syndrome is usually tied to an emotional response. Here are some potential triggers for this health issue (as taken from the Mayo Clinic):

News of an unexpected death of a loved one
A frightening medical diagnosis
Domestic abuse
Losing – or even winning – a lot of money
Strong arguments
A surprise party (I’ve a comment about this below)
Having to perform publicly
Job loss
Divorce
Physical stressors, such as an asthma attack, a car accident or major surgery

Now regarding the “surprise party” trigger. I’ll always remember the day my Dad turned 60. That was back when I was in college. My mom had planned a surprise party for my dad. She had gotten him out of the house. And while they were gone everyone came to the party.

We parked our cars a couple of blocks away and there were about 30 people at the party. The lights in the house were off. When the lookout person saw my mom and dad pull into the driveway everyone went quiet.

My Dad opened the door and let my Mom come in. Then he entered and turned on the lights. Everyone shouted “Surprise!!!” My father was shocked and immediately grabbed his chest. I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Well he recovered from the shock and had a great time with family and friends.

But it was most likely a warning sign that nobody picked up on because 8 years later he died of a massive heart attack.

His chest pain was most likely due to a surge in adrenaline, which effected an already partially block artery in his heart.

Risk Factors for Broken Heart Syndrome

I also found it interesting that there are several known risk factors for this medically recognized concern:

Sex – Women are more susceptible to this then men.
Age – Broken heart syndrome occurs most often in people over the age of 50.
A History of Neurological Conditions – People with a head injury or seizure disorder have a greater risk.
A Previous or Current Psychiatric Disorder – Those with anxiety or depression issues have a higher risk for this issue.

And as far as any type of prevention for this issue, there was no real suggestions from either the Mayo Clinic or the American Heart Association.

Except to say that if you experiencing any of the symptoms, then call 911 and let the medical community help you sort it out.

A blood test can help your doctor determine if there has been any heart damage. An EKG will also help your doctor determine if you’re having a heart attack or just experiencing broken heart syndrome.

The good news is that your recovery is quick. Usually within days or weeks. And the probability of you having a second event like this are extremely low.

Take the time to make good food and lifestyle choices so that you can optimize your overall health and wellness. And reduce your risk for any type of cardiovascular event.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Reduce the Risk for Heart Attack With Nitric Oxide Therapy

Posted by Dan Hammer //

02/15/2019

Do you want to reduce the risk for heart attack? And do it naturally? With Nobel Prize winning science?

Well the obvious answer to the first question is “Yes!”

And hopefully you answered “Yes” to the other two questions.

In this article I’ll help you understand how nitric oxide therapy can be a natural and effective way to reduce the risk for heart attack.

In 1998 the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to 3 American researcher who discovered how the lining of your cardiovascular system (what is called the endothelium) converts the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Without it you would be dead. It’s that important to your overall health.

Specifically, nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to improve circulation.

And when the Nobel Prize was awarded in 1998, this set off an explosion of research in this area. There are now more than 100,000 peer-reviewed clinical studies in the area of nitric oxide.

One of the emerging benefits is how nitric oxide can reduce the risk for heart attack.

Reduce The Risk For Heart Attack – Nitric Oxide Therapy

Now to help you understand how nitric oxide therapy can be a natural way to reduce the risk for heart attack it’s important to understand some key statistics.

First, there are about 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes that occur each year in the United States.

And according to the American Heart Association, if you survive your heart attack, then approximately 26% of women and 19% of men will die within one year.

And the most common day of the week for a heart attack is on a Monday. And the most common time for a heart attack is during the morning hours between 4 am to 10 am when your blood platelets are stickier.

Well one of the benefits of nitric oxide is that it keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together. This benefit naturally reduces both your risk for heart attack as well as your risk for a stroke.

And when I Googled the question “What is the number one cause of heart attacks?” I got the following answer:

“Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of heart attacks. CHD is a condition in which the coronary arteries (the major blood vessels that supply the heart with blood) get clogged up with deposits of cholesterol. These deposits are called plaques.”

This process is called atherosclerosis. It narrows the inside of your artery to reduce blood blow and significantly increase your risk for a heart attack. It also causes a drastic reduction in nitric oxide production.

Yet when you nourish this lining of your cardiovascular system, what is called the endothelium, with the right ingredients you can increase nitric oxide production.

This nitric oxide then relaxes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to dilate the blood vessel for improved blood flow.

This then reduces your risk of a blood clot getting stuck in this narrowed area.

In my research for this article I also found some current and encouraging studies in this area on how nitric oxide can naturally reduce the risk for heart attack.

Reduce The Risk For Heart Attack – Current Studies

Here’s one from ScienceDaily that was published in the year 2018.

The title of the article is “Heart disease severity may depend on nitric oxide levels.” I’ve highlighted two lines in the summary.

First, “Researchers showed that nitric oxide may help commonly used heart drugs maximize their benefits while improving heart function.”

This means nitric oxide not only benefits your heart function but helps your medication work more effectively.

Equally important is the second line which states, “In turn, the study found nitric oxide deficiencies could underlie heart failure while tilting drug effects toward more harmful pathways and side effects.”

This means the lack of nitric oxide production could set you up for heart failure and increase your probability of side effects from your medications.

I also found this statement made by Dr. Jonathan Stamler, one of the lead authors of this study, to be an eye opener:

“Our work shows that the main receptors in the heart that respond to drugs don’t work without nitric oxide.”

To further echo this I found an article from PubMed titled “Nitric oxide and myocardial function in heart failure: friend or foe?”

Here’s a direct statement from the lead authors of this study:

“Many diverse and often contradictory effects of NO or NO donors on myocardial function have been reported which, until relatively recently, have been difficult to make sense of. However, there is now an emerging consensus that NO generally acts to fine tune and optimise cardiac pump function.”

And finally I want to leave you with this quote from WebMD as it regards nitric oxide and heart function:

“In the body, the amino acid arginine changes into nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide is a powerful neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and also improves circulation.

Some evidence shows that arginine may help improve blood flow in the arteries of the heart. That may improve symptoms of clogged arteries, chest pain or angina, and coronary artery disease. “

As you can see nitric oxide can help to significantly reduce the risk for heart attack. And if you are on any type of heart medication, then nitric oxide can help that medication work more effectively.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer

Key Supplements For Heart Health

Posted by Dan Hammer //

02/08/2019

One of the primary focuses for the month of February is cardiovascular health. Today I want to share with you key supplements for heart health.

Now you can do a Google search using the term supplements for heart health and you’ll find numerous articles.

For example WebMD recommends 6 different supplements.

And Better Nutrition recommends 9 different supplements.

And while the 6 from WebMD are good and the 9 supplements for heart health from Better Nutrition are good, there are 3 that are key.

Two of these 3 always make everyone’s list. One is seldom listed but equally important.

I’ve written about each of these in the past. For for this blog post I thought I’d pulled them all together for a quick review. If you would like more knowledge about each, I’ve linked them to my specific article about that supplement.

Here are my recommendations regarding supplements for heart health. I’ve listed them based on importance.

Supplements for Heart Health – CoQ10

CoQ10 is critical to the energy supply of the heart.

CoQ10 is a critical component in the process of converting stored energy in your food into energy compounds your cells can use to do the work they are designed to do.

Without CoQ10 your cellular energy systems will fail and your cells will not function properly.

And here is why I place this supplement as they most important for hearth health.

As the pharmaceutical industry has observed, the use of statins (which interfere with CoQ10 production in the liver) leads to an increase in congestive heart failure.

This means anyone taking a statin drug needs to take a CoQ10 supplement.

Additionally, CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant to help protect your cells and cell membranes from harmful free radicals. This protects your cells from oxidative stress that causes inflammation, which then contributes to cellular dysfunction and most diseases.

Supplments for Heart Health – Omega 3s

Inflammation is the root cause of most cardiovascular health concerns.

Omega 3 oils like Coconut Oil, Avocados, Grass-fed Butter, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Fish rich in Omega-3s actually help to turn off inflammation.

Due to food choices, most Americans eat a diet that has a 20:1 ration of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, which creates an environments for chronic inflammation. This chronic inflammation then increases a person’s risk for all types of diseases.

Especially heart disease.

This increased risk was pointed out in research conducted at Harvard University were they showed that omega-3 fatty acid deficiency ranked as the sixth highest killer of Americans. Actually claiming approximately 96,000 people per year.

If you want to reverse this deficiency, then you need to consume a diet rich in omega-3 and significantly reduce your intake of omega-6 oils.

Supplements for Heart Health – Vitamin D3

As the body of scientific research continues to grow, the number of health benefits from vitamin D3 also grows. Here is a brief summary of some of these vitamin D3 benefits as it applies to your cardiovascular system:

Helps to Maintain Calcium Balance in the Bloodstream – Vitally important to cardiovascular health is the proper maintenance of your blood calcium levels. This helps to prevent calcification of the vascular wall, which leads to arteriosclerosis. Additionally, your endothelial cells, which line all of your cardiovascular system, need calcium to be able to convert the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

Helps in Blood Pressure Regulation – Recent studies have shown that vitamin D3 may decrease the risk for high blood pressure. This would make sense since proper blood calcium levels are needed to initiate the production of nitric oxide from L-arginine. Since nitric oxide is the body’s most powerful vasodilator, it is used to relax the vascular wall to help control blood pressure.

Additionally, vitamin D3 inhibits the enzyme renin, which is released by the kidneys. This enzyme acts to increase blood pressure. By inhibiting this enzyme, vitamin D3 helps to maintain normal blood pressures.

High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for strokes and heart attacks so this supplement is a good choice to help maintain a normal blood pressure.

That is my list of the key supplements for heart health. Certainly others can be added but these three are my recommendations.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan