Vascular Health

On June 1, 2010, I was the guest speaker at a High School — one of the topics was cardiovascular health and healthy eating.  I told them I would write this blog in their honor.

I showed the class a picture of a pomegranate cut in half, and one of the boys said it looked like a heart.  I applauded him — that’s the “Signature of Plants”; it does look like a heart with vessels and blood cells.

The pomegranate has been clinically proven to help prevent cardiovascular disease.   Scientists have discovered an enzyme that blocks lipid peroxidation called PON-1.  Pomegranate has been shown to increase PON-1 levels and activity in the blood.

It has been studied for its benefits in increasing other enzymes that work as scavengers to cleanse the arteries; inhibiting inflammation; blocking carbohydrates in insulin resistance; protecting against aging skin, especially due to sun exposure; protection against cancer, especially in cases of estrogen-dependent breast cancer and modulating the immune system.

Pomegranate is also useful for menopausal & post-menopausal women because it helps to balance the hormones.   One of our customers claims she got unbelievable results using Life Extension’s Pomegranate.  Life Extension also makes Natural Estrogen with Pomegranate as well for women who need a stronger formula.

Life Extension has added pomegranate to their blueberry extract both high in ORAC – with cocoa, which contain polyphenols.  This blend helps protect all the cells in your body by helping fight free radicals, especially the heart.

Designs for Health makes a great product for cardio health called HTN with pomegranate in it.

Solaray Pomegranate  is another good product.

by:  Carol Lombardo

Nope, this isn’t about gasoline prices but, the fact that millions of Americans are running out of physical and emotional energy. Also, this isn’t directly referring to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but the growing number of people who suffer from being tired all of the time

Our active lives – balancing family, career, friends etc., poor diets, lack of rest and lack of proper supplementation have created an energy drain among most of us. We all end-up trying to burn the candle at both ends (some of us even burn the middle) and zap the strength and energy we need to maintain optimal health.

So what’s happening in the body to cause us to feel tired all of the time? The constant stress and our poor diets weaken our adrenal glands (responsible for the body’s ability to adapt to stress and fatigue-as well as many other functions in the body).  When these lifestyle choices continue over time, the body is unable to keep up with our demands and begins to suffer in many different ways. Fatigue is just the most obvious effect.

In order to help re-build your energy stores it’s essential to add more Greens to your diet. This includes fresh salads and even juicing.  In this case, a supplement like Kyo-Green or Green Vibrance could be great additions to your everyday diet. Greens act to purify the body and promote increases in energy and well-being. It is a win-win!

It can also be beneficial to try taking a look at a few key nutrients. Taking a closer look at each of these will better explain why they are so helpful in getting you back on the road to more energy.

Magnesium activates enzymes that contribute to energy production and helps regulate the levels of important nutrients like calcium, copper, zinc, potassium and Vitamin D. While you can get magnesium from foods like whole grains, nuts and leafy green vegetables, most of us need a supplement to reach the recommended daily value: 400 mg magnesium with 600 mg calcium. One of our most popular combos is: Solgar Calcium/Magnesium Citrate

Tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid and a building block for the mood-enhancing neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. Chronic stress can deplete your level of tyrosine and contribute to feelings of exhaustion. Tyrosine supplements should be taken in 500 mg doses 3 times a day, at least 30 minutes before meals.

You might consider: Kal’s L-Tyrosine 500mg

Melatonin known as the sleep hormone is naturally occurring in the body and can improve circadian rhythm and help you fall asleep faster. This improved rest will help the body to recharge your batteries so you can feel more energetic each morning. There are many great brands to choose from here: Melatonin

L-theanine is an amino acid found primarily in green and white tea. It helps produce a calming effect in the brain. It is thought that this is why green and white tea can cause a restful alertness (due to low levels of caffeine and L-theanine). L-theanine helps control mood which in-turn will aid the body in dealing with stress. You can find several brands here: L-theanine

B-Complex is the last part of this program. Since it’s best never take one B-vitamin by itself, you need to make sure you are getting the synergy provided by taking all of the B-vitamins. Also, other B-vitamins like Folic Acid, B-6 and B-12 will have a positive effect on your fight against fatigue.  Among our most popular brands is Solgar, but we have many more for you to choose from here: B-Complex

Folks worried about their heart health will be relieved to learn that a number of recent studies suggest that you already have a cheap yet very powerful weapon against heart attacks, strokes and other heart disease conditions. At a cost of less than $2 it sits, waiting, on your bathroom counter and is none other your humble toothbrush.

Researchers have found that people with Periodontal Disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from Coronary Artery Disease as those without Periodontal Disease. One study even found that the presence of common problems in the mouth, including gum disease (Gingivitis), cavities and missing teeth, were as good at predicting Heart Disease as cholesterol levels!

How can that be? Some studies point to the culprit in the, ‘bad gums = heart disease’ connection as an inflammatory process. They explain that plaque build-up at the gum-line, produces inflammation which sets-off a cascade of events producing inflammation in the arteries of the heart.

Oral bacteria may provoke inflammation, which may increase levels of white blood cells and C-Reactive Protein, or CRP, Will said. C-Reactive Protein is an inflammatory marker found in the blood that has been linked to Heart Disease.  A form of this protein called, ‘Highly Sensitive CRP (or hs-CRP) is considered a good predictor of recurrent heart attacks. The hs-CRP is also associated with lower survival rates, according to the American Heart Association.  Consumer Reports cites a recent study that found periodontal therapy actually reduced patients’ levels of CRP.

Yet most recent studies point to bacteria rather than CRP as the connection between Heart Disease and Gum Disease. Researchers at Howard University did a retrospective look at 11 studies that examined the connection between Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease.

Results point to a strong correlation between subjects’ levels of systemic bacteria, the presence of Periodontal Disease and the development of Heart Disease.  “They found that individuals with Periodontal Disease whose biomarkers showed increased bacterial exposure, were more likely to develop coronary heart disease or atherogenesis;” which is the formation of artery-blocking plaque, according to study results published by the American Academy of Periodontology.

Periodontitis has been linked in multiple studies not only to heart disease, but also Diabetes complications, pneumonia, stroke and even premature births.

The milder form of gum disease is gingivitis and, with proper treatment, it usually can be reversed with improved oral care and mouth rinses. The more aggressive form is periodontitis, according to the American Academy of Periodontology.  When the gums become red and inflamed due to poor oral hygiene or a disease in the body affecting soft tissue, “the spillover of bacteria gets into the bloodstream,” said Gayle Will, deputy health editor of Consumer Reports.

Another study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York looked at people with no known Heart Disease, and the levels of bacteria in their mouth. They found people with higher blood levels of certain oral bacteria were more likely to have clogged carotid arteries in the neck, which can cause strokes.  Yet the lead author of that study, Dr. Moise Desvarieux, said the results could lead to the old “which-came-first, the-chicken-or-the-egg” question. It is difficult to know for certain whether one caused the other and further research is needed.

Still, he suggests, even if severe gum disease doesn’t cause Heart Disease, it could be just as important to know if Gum Disease is a precursor to heart disease. That’s because Heart Disease is difficult to diagnose before patients are symptomatic — and sometimes by then, significant damage is already done.

Why not begin to make changes to safe-guard your heart health today?  You can easily start by establishing a routine of flossing and brushingafter each meal, followed by a refreshing natural mouth rinse. This is especially important as a bedtime habit.  A lot can happen to your mouth in eight hours — especially when you’re sleeping and bacterium are gathering on your teeth.

So start your new routine today!

Best Health,

-Jeanne Ricks, CHC, AADP

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Has the novelty of having the kids home from school worn-off – for both you AND the kids?! Yep, it’s that time of year again – the younger half of the household is more restless than usual and getting the blues, while the adults try to downplay their relief!  Back-to-School!!

So let’s start with the wake-up.  If you don’t own a trumpet but, would still like to get the kids out of bed quickly – Take at least a week to slowly shift your kids’ sleep schedule back to meet their needs: At least 10 hours of sleep for six to eleven year olds and at least 9 hours of sleep for ages twelve and above.

To avoid having your carefully prepared bag lunch find its way immediately into the trash when out of your eyeshot – Make Lunch a Team Effort- When it comes to creating healthy, yet desirable school lunches, the trick is to involve the kids in planning and preparing new lunch ideas. Offer them 2 or 3 healthy options each day. When your child chooses one, ‘team-up’ to make and pack the lunch. Whether it’s spreading on condiments, rolling up tortillas or filling baggies; the effort will give kids a sense of pride when sitting down for a healthy lunch! Together come-up with a collection of favorite sandwiches and offer-up a fresh variety each day of the week. When children become bored of their school lunch favorites, often most of their lunch ends up in the trash instead of their tummies.

Be creative when using basic sandwich staples. Think chicken and corn, ham and avocado, cheese and carrots or cream cheese and jam. While there is no way to ensure that your child is not trading away their food, you are preventing them from buying school lunches which consist of mostly processed food.

TIP 1 – Crunchy nuts make great snacks for older kids.

TIP 2 – Avocado is the perfect substitution for mayo on a sandwich.

TIP 3 – Pack meals in small portions as children tend to snack on several items at once.

And then there’s always the sneaky method of tricking your kids into eating healthier meals.  Let’s Play Hide n’ Seek with Veggies! Preschool children consumed nearly twice as many vegetables and 11% fewer calories over the course of a day when researchers at Penn State added pureed vegetables to the children’s favorite foods.

In their study, published July 25, 2011 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers served vegetable-enhanced entrées to 39 children between the ages of 3 and 6 on three separate days. “We incorporated several vegetables into the dishes, including broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes and squash,” said Maureen Spill, a post-doctoral fellow in nutritional sciences and the study’s lead author. “We were pleased to find that the children found the vegetable-enhanced versions to be equally acceptable to the standard recipes.”

According to Spill, the children ate the same amount of food regardless of the vegetable content of the meal. AND they found similar results when they served vegetable-enhanced meals to adults.

OK, even so – you’re not always sure that they’re getting enough balanced nutrition – we’ve got some amazing supplements – specially formulated just for kids!

Like: All-1’s Childrens Formula Vitamins & Minerals Powder which is a whole food powder and allows for better absorption.  It’s Hypoallergenic with no colorings, flavorings or sweeteners and contains not only a complete vitamin profile but important chelated minerals and amino acids too!

Or: Flora’s Kinder Love Childrens Multivitamin this formula provides Calcium, Herbal Extracts, B Vitamins and Vitamin C, A, and E making it an ideal multi-vitamin supplement to help maintain all-round health and vitality in children whose diet may be deficient in some of the nutrients they need.

And how about:  NutriBalance Children’s Formula which is intended to provide easily assimilated nutrition to support proper mental functioning and gastrointestinal health. It’s loaded with a balance of essential vitamins and minerals – but, it also contains probiotics to assist with digestion and has no yeast, wheat, corn, sugar or dairy products.

Best Health!

-Jeanne Ricks, CHC, AADP

A simple drink that can keep skin healthy, erase sun damage AND reverse the signs of aging!

While there’s no shortage of products on the market that help you look younger, you can also drink nutritious Green Drinks that have scientifically documented anti-aging benefits.

It’s true: Consuming Green Drinks on a regular basis can repair damage, prevent premature aging and keep your skin taut and wrinkle-free. Green Drinks like Vibrant Health’s Green Vibranceare a specially formulated mega-concentration of grasses, green vegetables and natural fibers. They are some of the lowest-calorie, lowest-sugar and most nutrient rich foods on the planet! The power of the nutrients in deep green leafy vegetables to heal and rejuvenate a body is unmatched by any combination of synthetic medicines or supplements.Green Drinks have been credited with everything from cures for cancer to super weight loss enhancers.

How?

Green Drinks infuse your body with easily absorbed vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids,chlorophyll, micro-nutrients and antioxidants in a way that is extremely easy for your body to immediately absorb and put to use. Being highly alkaline which will reduce any physicalacidosis, they also help to boost your body’s energy levels and remove toxins from yourlymph system while encouraging new cell growth.

What’s in them?

Spirulina an amazing blue-green algae, is just one ingredient commonly found in high quality Green Drinks.  According to New York University Langone Medical Center, Spirulina is high in B Vitamins, carotenoids and essential minerals and is loaded with protein. Your skin consists primarily of proteins collagen and elastin, which break down as we age. Spirulina is one of the richest sources of protein and selenium is essential for protein synthesis, states the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Several factors contribute to aging, such as inflammation, sun exposure and free-radical oxidation that damages cells and tissues. There is even some evidence that Spirulina may help fibromyalgia and there are even reports that it aids in weight loss.

At House of Nutrition we carry an assortment of high quality Green Drinks which are as refreshing as they are nutritious:

Here are a couple of Green Drinks that you can carry with you anywhere!

Nature’s Plus Source of Life Green Lightning Energy Drink (20Pkts)

Allergy Research’s ProgreensStickpack(15 packs)

Mix these with your favorite juices!

Kyolic’sKyo-Green Drink Powder

Crystal Star’s Energy Green Renewal Drink Mix

Or try a flavored Green Drink:

Garden Greens SpiruGreens Drink Vanilla

Garden Greens SpiruGreens Drink Chocolate

       You can easily pack-in a lot of nutrition with Green Drinks, but you won’t be getting any of the natural fiber, and the sugars in them will go directly into your bloodstream – so carefully check the label to make sure that you choose one with minimal amounts of sugar. Green Drinks are an extremely beneficial addition to a healthy lifestyle – although it’s not a substitute for a balanced diet. So eat well and Drink Green!

Best Health

-J. Ricks

Pycnogenol, from the pine bark, is a powerful bioflavanoid antioxidant  & 20X (twenty times) stronger than vitamin C.  It is very beneficial in improving connective tissues (skin), eyes, heart, vascular and immune system. It’s compared to grape seed which is another beneficial antioxidant known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC’s), I suggest 50 mg. to 100 mg. a day without any known harmful side effects. 

Pycnogenol has the ability to cross the blood brain barrier, which means it not only improves blood circulation in the brain but it also improves nourishment and cell removal of waste from our brain.  This, therefore, is why it may help prevent dementia.  For more information read Life Extension’s research.

Life Extension has added pycnogenol to their Male Libido product because it enhances the effect of arginine increasing nitric oxide production.

Mega Food’s makes Cardio Strength with both OPC’s as well as other important antioxidants.  Country Life’s BioChem Pycnogenol  is another good choice.

For skin care I recommend Derma E’s Pycnogenol  Moisturizing Gel, Derma E’s Age-Defying Night Creme &/or Clear Vein Cream .

Carol Lombardo

Many people ask me if they can take a supplement to get rid of existing varicose veins and/or broken blood vessels.  I can’t guarantee that they will disappear but I will say that in most cases products like Vein-Gard capsules &/or Vein-Gard cream by Natural Care may help to prevent further damage. 

Also, try to elevate your legs up when you’re able.  If you’re on your legs for long periods, you might want to wear support hose.  It’s important to exercise your legs, as well. 

Another good product is Solaray Centiella Asiatica – this is the standarized form of Gotu Kola from Madagascar.  One of our customers tells me she has noticed that her veins became lighter and less cramping.  Also, her circulation has improved as well as her memory.  Gotu Kola is excellent for connective tissue disease, i.e., scleroderma, lupus, arthritis w/spondylitis and vascular disorders.  In the middle east it has been used for many other health problems.

Another product that helps with varicosities and/or spider veins is A. Vogel’s Venaforce, which is soothing horse chestnut leg gel.  I love this product, especially after a long day on my legs. 

Customers have told me they have seen some improvement and they have less discomfort.    Also the cream helps with swollen legs and ankles as well.

C. Lombardo

It’s important to seek the help of a doctor if you suspect a clot in your leg, which may be indicative of thrombi.  This could lead to stroke, heart attack and or pulmonary embolism.  Usually a patient is put on heparin when hospital and when home given coumadin (Warfarin).

Natural blood thinners, like nattokinase, help inhibit blood clotting in arteries.  Jarrow Formula’s NattoMax contains 2000 fibrinolytic units per capsule.   Many customers are on coumadin (rat poisoning).  I don’t go against doctors, but I recommend that they discuss with their doctors the alternatives.  Many doctors recommend fish oils along with other supplements.   Never take Ginkgo Bilboa (natural blood thinner/antioxidant) when taking warfarin.  Also, check out all the herbs and supplements that are contraindicated when on blood thinners.

Also, check out the natural benefits of Wheat Germ.  It’s loaded with B vitamins and other natural nutrients & helps to inhibit the formation of  blood clots.

Check out Ray Sahelian or Dr. Stephen Sinatra’s sites on the aforementioned for more information.

Several customers have come to me, confused, with regard to reading the blood levels (HDL, LDL, Triclycerides) in confusion.  Keep in mind diet is a key factor.  However, genetics do play a role as well.  You’re HDL (High Density Lipids) are your good lipids and they should be 60 or above ideally.  LDL (Low Density Lipids) should be 120 and under according to most Chem Panels.  If you’re HDL is 80 and your LDL is 160, I wouldn’t be to alarmed because it’s a 2 to 1 ratio.  Some people have high LDL’s genetically and live to be 100 years.  Triclycerides should be under 120 or 100, again depending on labs.

Be concerned with inflammation markers.  Have your Doctor check your Homocysteine levels and CRP (C Reactive Protein).   This is not part of the standard Chem Panel, so you must be insistent with your Doctor.   These proteins in the blood are indicative of inflammation and can be dangerous and can cause coronary artery disease.  Doctors and myself recommend taking B 12, B 6 with folic acid @ 800 mcg. — make sure it’s natural folate (not pteroylmonlutamic acid) and not the oxidized synthethic form.

Exercising lightly every day is imperative for good health, especially heart health.  As we all know exercise helps keep the blood flowing and, therefore, helps with circulation.   With a healthy diet , walking can help lower LDL and raise HDL.

Also, watch foods with hidden hydrogenated fats/oils, especially in so-called health bars.  Don’t be fooled some companies list hydrogenated fats as fractioned oils — it’s the same thing.  ALSO,  We must be concerned with blocking your arteries.

Another cause of blocked arteries (atherosclerosis) is a build of minerals, especially calcium.  This is why when supplementing with calcium, make sure you buy a balanced formula, including K2, D3, magnesium, manganese to avoid calcifications &/or hardening of arteries.  Read my blog on bone density (dated 2-4-09).

Hopefully, the aforementioned measures will help prevent people from having to get surgery.

Use cold-pressed organic oils with organic apple cider vinegar on your salads not process already made dressings.  Eat your fruits, especially important for the natural fiber, don’t drink too much juice.   Juicing fruits as well as carrots have been shown to increase triclyceride levels.

I recommend trying one of the following products:

• Mega Food’s Cardio Strength
• Solgar Cardiac Support
• Jarrow Ubiquinol CoQ10