February Is Heart Month: Expert Answers To Your Health And Wellness Questions

 

Loose The Gluten, Loose The Weight and Protect Your Heart Too

BY: Kim Redburn: Integrative Medicine and Allergy Nurse Health Educator

When we eat a double cheeseburger and fries, we all know this is not good for our heart or our waistline. So when we eat a whole grain sub and “hold the mayo,” how can that possibly be bad for us? Most of us struggling with weight are actually health conscious. We have tried fat free diets with little results. This “Heart Healthy” diet is filled with wheat and gluten. Maybe it’s time to go gluten free.

Are we experiencing a “gluten gain”?

An increased waistline can be a visible sign of a wheat/gluten filled diet. Recommendations over the past 10 to 20 years to reduce fat and cholesterol and increase the amount of whole grains in our diet may have led to weight gain and increased gluten sensitivity in those predisposed to the condition. Gluten grains (wheat, oat, barley, rye and kamut) trigger insulin production and the storage of abdominal fat. This fat can create an inflammatory condition throughout our body causing symptoms such as skin rash, fatigue, digestive problems, muscle and joint pain. Other areas of our body have fat stores producing a special protein, adiponectin, which protects us from heart disease and hypertension. If we have too much abdominal fat, we loose the ability to produce this protein and are at an increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Finding good tasting gluten free food is now easier than ever. So lose the gluten, lose the weight and feel great inside and out.

Visit Kim on the web at www.FoodAllergyConsults.com or contact her at kim@foodallergyconsults.com, 989-928-2521

 

Control Is Key: How To Protect Yourself and Your Heart

BY: Dr. Tom Sladic DC, CNS

More than half the people who are hospitalized with heart attacks have perfectly normal cholesterol levels. I have researched this topic extensively. Why? I had a heart attack at the age of 38 and have found that there is a lot more to heart disease than fat and cholesterol.

Here is short list of some new school of thought; Inflammation damages the arteries and cholesterol repairs the damage. Controlling inflammation is the key. Find out where it is coming from.

Take a look at these tests; LDL particle size, Hs-CRP, Fibrinogen, ferritin, lp(a,) Homocysteine, Hemoglobin A1c, Insulin Sugar is a far greater dietary contributor to heart disease than fat. Limit processed carbs. When people started eating fat free they started eating more grains and sugar. Processed carbs and sugar raise triglycerides. From your blood test, divide your Triglycerides by your HDL. The number should be close to two. The higher the ratio the greater chance of developing heart disease. Far better predictor than cholesterol alone.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is necessary for the production of ATP(energy fuel) the heart muscle requires fuel as it is the most metabolically active muscle in the body. Statins shut down the body’s ability to produce CoQ10. Supplementation is a must if you are on a statin and a good idea if you are not.

Omega 3 fatty acids, you want to know specifically how much EPA and DHA you are getting. Try to get 1gram daily of combined EPA and DHA. There is hard-core evidence that fish oil helps.

This is a short list; contact me at 248-926-0455 if you are interested in more information or talk to your doctor before you start any supplementation.

 

Matters Of The Heart: Ask Anytime Fitness

BY: Christine Wiergena, Owner of Anytime Fitness in Milford 

New government statistics are out – the major cause of death, bigger than all forms of cancer combined, is heart disease. So, just take care of your heart, right?  Easier said than done…

In a national survey of healthy adults, only two percent of Americans met the American Heart Association recommendations for keeping your heart healthy. Here are the six recommendations. How many do you follow?

1. Don’t smoke
2. Be physically active. At a minimum walk 30 minutes a day. (Pay us a visit if you need help getting started – we would love to help!)
3. Get an annual physical exam and make sure your blood pressure is in a normal range (whether on its own or with medical treatment)
4. Keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels normal. Get these tested annually and treat as needed
5. Try to achieve a healthy weight. This means having a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)
6. Eat a healthy diet containing 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2-3 servings of whole grain-based foods, a couple of servings of low-fat dairy, and 6-8 ounces of low-fat meats

By following as many as of these as you can, you’ll reduce your chances of developing heart disease and dying prematurely. Start today by adopting one or two of these recommendations. Need help adding fitness to your busy lifestyle?  We’d love to help. Call us at 248-685-8373 or visit us at 141 S. Milford Road. Anytime Fitness – The Club for Busy People.

About the author: Christine Wierenga is the owner of Anytime Fitness in Milford. To submit a question for future articles, please contact the author at christinew@anytimefitness.com