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FEBRUARY 22: CHOLESTEROL LEVELS – AGE & HEREDITY?

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

Elevations of blood cholesterol and/or triglycerides can be due to genetic factors. These conditions are referred to as familial hypercholesterolemia, one of the most common inherited diseases as they affect about one in every 500 people. People affected with this condition will show high cholesterol readings early in life and have a family history of hypercholesterolemia. Taking steps to manage healthy cholesterol levels is exceedingly important in the case of familial hypercholesterolemia.

The basic problem in familial hypercholesterolemia is a defect in the receptor for LDL cholesterol (or ‘bad’ cholesterol) in the liver. Under normal situations the LDL receptor is responsible for removing cholesterol from the blood. When the LDL cholesterol is bound to the receptor, the liver cell takes up the LDL cholesterol and then signals the liver cell to stop making cholesterol. In familial hypercholesterolemia the defect in the LDL receptor results in the liver not receiving the message to stop making cholesterol.

Damage to the LDL receptor also occurs with normal aging and with several diseases such as diabetes, resulting in the rise of cholesterol levels as we get older or become diabetic. In addition, a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol decreases the number of LDL receptors, thereby reducing the feedback mechanism which tells the liver cells that no more cholesterol is needed.

Fortunately, lifestyle and dietary changes can have a tremendous impact on healthy cholesterol levels. For more information please see our other blogs on heart health!

-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

FEBRUARY 21: ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

29 Days to  a Healthier Heart

An Important Risk Factor
Excessive platelet aggregation (or platelet ‘stickiness’) is an important risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Once platelets aggregate, they release potent compounds which promote the formation of the atherosclerotic plaques. These atherosclerotic plaques can eventually block the coronary arteries to cause a heart attack or form a clot, which can lodge in the small arteries of the brain to cause a stroke.
The adhesiveness, or ‘stickiness’, of platelets is determined largely by the types of fats in the diet and the level of antioxidants in the blood. While saturated fats and cholesterol increase platelet aggregation, essential fatty acids (specifically, omega-3 fatty acids) have the opposite effect.

Good News
People who consume a diet rich in omega-3 oils from either fish or vegetable sources have a significantly reduced risk of developing heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids have the following effects on the body:

• Lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• Inhibit excessive platelet aggregation.
• Lower fibrinogen levels.
• Lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in freshwater fish oils, algae, mosses, ferns, linseed, rapeseed, flaxseed, hemp, canola oil, wheat, pumpkin, soy, and walnuts.

-Dr. Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

FEBRUARY 20: ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEART

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

You may have heard that moderate consumption of alcohol is beneficial for heart health. However, is this really true for everyone? And if so, what does ‘moderate consumption’ mean?

According to a meta-analysis done by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) into the relationship between alcohol consumption and heart disease, this relationship is ‘complicated’. Researcher Dr. Juergen Rehm states that “while a cardioprotective association between alcohol use and ischaemic heart disease exists, it cannot be assumed for all drinkers, even at low levels of intake”. In addition, it is important to remember that even when there may be a beneficial association between low levels of alcohol consumption and heart disease for some individuals, this does not negate the detrimental effect alcohol consumption can have on many other disease outcomes. For example, alcohol consumption is a risk factor for several cancers, with even one drink a day increasing the risk of breast cancer.  According to Dr. Rehm “with as little as one drink a day, the net effect on mortality is still beneficial. After this, the net risk increases with every drink.”

Despite the evidence that one drink a day MAY reduce heart disease risk, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada does NOT advocate drinking your way to a healthier heart, claiming that you are “better off eating a healthy diet, being physically active by doing moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for 150 minutes a week, and becoming smoke-free”.   They suggest that if you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start, and if you do, limit yourself to one or two standard drinks a day, to a weekly maximum of nine for women and 14 for men.*

One drink equals:

• 341 mL / 12 oz (1 bottle) of regular strength beer (5% alcohol).
• 142 mL / 5 oz wine (12% alcohol).
• 43 mL / 1 1/2 oz spirits (40% alcohol).

* These guidelines do not apply if you have liver disease; mental illness; are taking certain medications; have a personal or family history of drinking problems; have cancer; are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant; are breastfeeding; or are told not to drink for legal, medical or other reasons. If you are concerned about how drinking may affect your health, talk to your doctor.

For more information on how to lower your risk when drinking, see: Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (www. http://www.heartandstroke.com)

Michael Roerecke and Jürgen Rehm. The cardioprotective association of average alcohol consumption and ischaemic heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction 107: doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03780.x. For Immediate release – Monday January 30, 2012, CAMH

-Katie Weststrate, RHN, RYT, MScCH, ND

FEBRUARY 19: KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

A heart attack occurs when the blood supply feeding the heart is slowed or stopped. This can occur because of a blockage, when a buildup of plaque causes narrowing of the blood vessels feeding the heart (coronary arteries) as occurs with atherosclerosis. More than 90% of heart attacks are caused by atherosclerosis.  Blood supply to the heart muscle may also be effected when a coronary artery temporarily spasms or contracts.  The amount of damage to the heart depends on the length of time the blood supply has been occluded.

Heart attacks aren’t always fatal.  Learn the signs of a heart attack so you can react quickly to help save someone’s life!

Jaw pain is more often noted in women having a heart attack, while men more frequently report pain down the left arm. No signs or symptoms are unanimous however!  Any combination of these symptoms could mean this person is experiencing angina (non-fatal chest pain) or having a heart attack.

If you, or someone you know is experiencing any of these signs, you should:

• CALL 9-1-1
• Stop all activity and sit or lie down, in whatever position is most comfortable.
• If you take nitroglycerin, take your normal dosage.
• If you are experiencing chest pain, chew and swallow one adult 325 mg tablet or two 80 mg tablets of ASA (acetylsalicylic acid), commonly referred to as Aspirin^®.  Other pain medications such as Tylenol or Advil will NOT work in the same way!
• Rest comfortably and wait for an ambulance or emergency medical personnel to arrive.

Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

-Katie Weststrate, RHN, RYT, MScCH, ND

FEBRUARY 18: BOOST YOUR NIACIN (VITAMIN B3)

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

The lipid-lowering activity of niacin was first described in the 1950s. It is now known that niacin does much more than lower total cholesterol. Specifically, niacin has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and fibrinogen levels, while simultaneously raising HDL cholesterol levels.

The famed Coronary Drug Project demonstrated that niacin was the only lipid-lowering agent to actually reduce overall mortality. Its effects are long-lasting, as demonstrated in a 15-year follow-up study which showed that the long-term death rate for patients treated with niacin was still 11% lower than the group receiving a placebo, even though the treatment had been discontinued in most patients many years earlier. In contrast, patients treated with certain drugs actually experienced an increased mortality.

What about the side effects?
The side effects of niacin are well known. The most common and bothersome side-effect is the skin flushing that typically occurs 20-30 minutes after the niacin is taken. Taking niacin with meals helps to reduce this side effect. After several weeks at a consistent dose, most patients no longer flush.

Other occasional side effects of niacin include gastric irritation, nausea, and liver damage. The safest form of niacin at present is inositol hexanicinate or inositol nicotinate. This form of niacin has long been used in Europe to lower cholesterol levels and also to improve blood flow. It is much better tolerated than standard niacin, in terms of both flushing and more importantly long-term side effects.

-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

Link to the Coronary Drug Project: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2044644

FEBRUARY 17: STOP SMOKING NOW!

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

According to a report from the Surgeon General: “Cigarette smoking should be considered the most important risk factor for coronary heart disease”. Statistical evidence reveals a three to fivefold increase in the risk of coronary artery disease in smokers as compared with non-smokers. The more cigarettes smoked and the longer the period of years a person has smoked, the greater the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Overall, the average smoker dies 7-8 years sooner than the non-smoker.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals, of which more than 50 substances have been identified as carcinogens. These chemicals are extremely damaging to the cardiovascular system. Specifically, these chemicals are carried in the bloodstream on LDL cholesterol where they either damage the lining of the arteries directly or they damage the LDL molecule which then damages the arteries. Smoking also promotes platelet aggregation and elevated fibrinogen levels, two other important risk factors for both heart disease and strokes.

However, evidence shows that those who have quit smoking have only half the risk of those who continue to smoke regardless of how long they had smoked. Smoking cessation also reduces mortality after coronary bypass surgery, reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with peripheral vascular disease, and decreases mortality in patients who have suffered a heart attack. So quit smoking! We can help.

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-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

FEBRUARY 16: GET YOUR CHOLESTEROL IN CHECK

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that elevated cholesterol levels greatly increase the risk of death due to heart disease.

The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that elevated cholesterol levels greatly increase the risk of death due to heart disease. It is currently recommended that the total blood cholesterol level be less than 5.18 mmol/L. In addition, it is recommended that the LDL cholesterol be less than 2.0 mmol/L (in high-risk patients), HDL cholesterol be greater than 1.5 mmol/L, and triglyceride levels less than 1.7 mmol/L.

Cholesterol is transported in the blood by lipoproteins. Though LDL is often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’ and HDL as ‘good cholesterol’, they aren’t actually forms of cholesterol at all but lipoproteins. Since LDL is responsible for transporting fats (primarily triglycerides and cholesterol) from the liver to cells in the body for storage, while HDL is responsible for returning fats to the liver to be broken down, elevations of LDL are associated with an increased risk for developing atherosclerosis or ‘hardening of the arteries’. In contrast, elevations of HDL are associated with a low risk of heart disease.

The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and the ratio of LDL to HDL are referred to as the cardiac risk factor ratios because they reflect whether cholesterol is being deposited into tissues or broken down and excreted by the liver.

Stay tuned for more information on maintaining healthy cholesterol levels!

-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

FEBRUARY 15: INCREASE YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

The initial step in the development of atherosclerosis (also called ‘hardening of the arteries’) is a weakening of the protective layer of the internal lining of the artery. Compounds called GAGs (glycosaminoglycans) form this protective lining, defending the artery from damage as well as promoting its repair. When the GAGs are weak, the internal cells of the artery are exposed to damage by free radicals.

Antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenes, flavonoids, etc) inhibit free radicals and their damaging effects. This is why increased consumption of antioxidants is essential for the prevention of heart disease. By inhibiting free radicals, antioxidants decrease the chance that the artery will be exposed to damage thereby bringing the initial step in the formation of atherosclerosis to a halt.

The best way to increase the antioxidants in your body is to increase the fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Is has long been proven that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease.
Here are some examples of foods which contain a high concentration of antioxidants:

• blueberries
• cranberries
• red beans
• pinto beans
• artichokes
• blackberries
• prunes
• raspberries
• strawberries
• apples
• cherries

Please note that antioxidant levels in organic foods are reported to be 30% higher compared to conventional food grown under the same conditions.

-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND

FEBRUARY 14: GIVE A HUG FOR YOUR HEART

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

Studies show that human contact through hugs lowers blood pressure and reduces stress, which cuts the risk of heart disease. Hugs have also been shown to improve overall mood, increase nerve activity, and a host of other beneficial effects. Positive physical touch has an immediate anti-stress effect, slowing breathing and heart rate.

The Science of Hugs
A University of North Carolina study showed that hugs increased levels of the hormone oxytocin and reduced blood pressure. Each time we hug, we increase the level of oxytocin in the blood. This hormone triggers a “caring” or “bonding” response in both men and women (oxytocin is most well known for stimulating contractions of the uterus during labor and the release of milk during breast-feeding).

Several animal studies lend support to this idea; for example, oxytocin levels rise and blood pressure falls in rats when their bellies are stroked.

A daily dose of oxytocin from hugging can help protect us from heart disease. So start this Valentine’s Day off right with a few heart-healthy hugs!

FEBRUARY 13: GET YOUR VITAMIN C

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

Dozens of observational and clinical studies have shown that vitamin C levels correspond to total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Vitamin C lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease in the following regards:

• Acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C has been shown to be extremely effective in preventing LDL cholesterol from being oxidized even in smokers.
• Strengthening the collagen structures of the arteries.
• Lowering total cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Raising HDL cholesterol levels.
• Inhibiting platelet aggregation.

It is interesting to note that atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is not prevalent in species that make their own Vitamin C. Humans, however, must obtain vitamin C from their diet.

The following foods are high in vitamin C (in order of decreasing concentration):
Red & green to chili peppers
Guavas, Bell peppers
Thyme & parsley
Dark leafy greens
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts
Kiwi fruits
Papayas
Oranges & clementines
Strawberries

-Dr Karen Hack, BHSc, ND