Medical Journeys

Posts Tagged ‘health supplements’

Many people are interested in learning more about heart disease and dietary supplements in order to educate themselves on preventive strategies against heart disease. However, before we delve into some of the best heart health supplements, let’s highlight some important facts about this disease.

Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease is the general term for diseases or conditions that affects the heart (cardio) or the blood vessels (vascular). As such, there are many different types of heart diseases. However, coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease.

Coronary artery disease means narrowing of the coronary arteries. It is caused by a process called atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which is the gradual buildup of plague — deposits made up of cholesterol, other fats, and calcium. Eventually, diminished blood flow can “starve” the heart muscle and lead to angina (chest pain). A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. In fact, coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. each year.

Moreover, many studies indicate that individuals with high cholesterol levels are much more likely to develop atherosclerosis than people that maintain low cholesterol levels. As such, many high cholesterol level sufferers seek information about heart disease and dietary supplements. In addition, it has been found that high levels of the amino acid homocysteine may be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.

Indeed, hearing words like heart disease, heart attack, and stroke is scary and, as such, many people search for information in regards to heart disease and dietary supplements to promote heart health. However, we believe before you can make an informed decision about health disease and dietary supplements, it’s important to understand the risk factors associated with this condition, which is vital to your overall preventive strategies against heart disease. They include:

• High LDL “bad” cholesterol
• Low HDL “good” cholesterol
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Tobacco
• Lack of exercise
• Unhealthy nutrition
• Overweight/Obesity
• Heavy alcohol intake
• Stress
• Family history
• Age
• Men

Needless to say, the first step in preventing or reducing your chances for heart disease is committing to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, aside from age, gender, and heredity, you have a great deal of power in controlling each of the aforementioned risk factors of heart disease.

With that being said, let’s move on to heart disease and dietary supplements.

While it’s important to understand that no dietary or herbal supplement will counteract a poor diet or the lack of exercise, it can be powerful components when used along with a heart healthy diet and a health enhancing lifestyle. Now, in regards to your heart health strategy and/or strategies against heart disease, you may want to address it having three main goals in mind and then use a combination of diet, exercise, and dietary and/or herbal supplements that works best for you. We believe that heart disease prevention must be addressed from several different perspectives since the disease results from a number of related “risk factors” and not from a single cause.

The three main goals for heart health are:

1. Opening Blood Vessels
2. Strengthening the Heart Muscle
3. Controlling Free Radical Damage — Antioxidants

Supplements that Open Blood Vessels

Our research indicates that when it comes to heart disease and dietary supplements used for opening blood vessels, the following are some of the best and, as such, may be a part of your preventive strategies against heart disease.

Ginkgo biloba is well renowned for improving blood flow throughout the body, including the heart muscle. Ginkgo is also a powerhouse antioxidant and it appears to reduce blood stickiness, which lowers the risk of blood clots.

Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) that benefits heart health. Fish oil helps prevent platelets in the blood from clumping together, reducing the risk that blood clots will form. It has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, lower triglycerides (blood fats) levels, and improve blood flow. Indeed, fish oil omega 3′s are praised by many experts as being one of the best heart disease and dietary supplements, meaning it should be a part of your preventive strategies against heart disease.

Policosanol — Some studies have shown that policosanol can lower one’s bad cholesterol (LDL) by up to 20% and raise beneficial cholesterol (HDL) by 10%.

Guggulipid is prized for its ability to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels as well as high blood triglyceride levels. It has also shown to boost the levels of good cholesterol (HDL).

Vitamin B Complex, particularly vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid reduce levels of homocysteine.

Chromium is a mineral that plays a role in helping to manage cholesterol levels. In addition, it can help improve blood sugar control for diabetes sufferers.

Garlic is noted to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as slightly lower blood pressure. In addition, studies indicate that garlic can help reduce the likelihood of blood clots.

Other nutrients that help open blood vessels include: Niacin and Soy protein

Supplements that Strengthen the Heart Muscle

Our research indicates that when it comes to heart disease and dietary supplements to strengthen the heart muscle, the following are some of the best and, as such, may be a part of your preventive strategies against heart disease.

Magnesium — This mineral plays a vital role in controlling muscle contraction and relaxation. It is also involved in regulating blood pressure (by relaxing blood vessels) and can help reduce the tendency of blood clotting.

Coenzyme Q10 is prized for its ability to strengthen the heart muscle and help prevent heart attacks and heart disease.

Hawthorn is a powerful heart tonic. It also strengthens the hearts pumping ability (muscle), helping the heart to beat more forcefully and efficiently.

Other possible heart muscle strengtheners include: L- Carnitine and Potassium

About Heart Disease and Dietary Supplements: Antioxidants

Antioxidants are believed to help prevent heart disease by fighting free radicals, substances that harm the body when left unchecked. These nutrients are on a constant search and destroy mission, fighting the continuous onslaught of free radicals. The following dietary supplements help fight free radicals and, as such, should be a part of your preventive strategies against heart disease.

Grape Seed Extract is a rich source of flavonoid compounds (oligomeric proanthocyanidins, or OPCs) that perform as potent antioxidants and powerful blood vessel strengtheners.

Green tea contains a particular group of potent antioxidants called polyphenols. Green tea also protects LDL cholesterol and blood vessel linings from oxidative damage.

Some other antioxidants noted to help with cardiovascular heart health include: Vitamins C and E, and Resveratrol

Precautions

Indeed, educating yourself about heart disease and dietary supplements is important. However, before you start any dietary supplement program for heart disease prevention or treatment, please make sure you discuss it with your physician.

Nutritional-Supplement-Educational-Centre’s Opinion

We believe that you should consider, if possible, taking a comprehensive health heart product formulated by someone that is qualified to create such a supplement. Here are a few reasons why…

1. It could be very dangerous to your health to mix and match supplements and nutrients on your own.
2. A formulated heart health product using carefully selected ingredients can enhance their therapeutic benefits, often much better than taking a single herb or nutrient on its own.
3. Ratios of nutrients have to be balanced perfectly in order for it to be optimally effective.

Bottom Line:

Although we have provided you with some of the best heart health supplements, there are highly sophisticated Nutraceutical companies that have designed comprehensive heart health products from lowering cholesterol levels to promoting artery and heart health. Therefore, it’s important to understand the how and why of what makes these comprehensive products useful — an important factor in making an informed choice about heart disease and dietary supplements.

Author: Cindy Amorin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

Health and wellness products will mean very different things to different people.

Wellness can be defined as ‘the pursuit of a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
For the benefit of this article, wellness products are being looked at in the context
of ‘over the counter drugs, health supplements and health remedies.

While for some people, wellness products might be viewed as an aid to recovery
from illness, for others it might be a means of further enhancing some
aspect of their current health. The variety of and uses for such products
are as numerous as are the the definitions of wellness products or wellness
programs, depending of course upon who is promoting them at any given time.

Whatever your reasons for pursuing alternative care health or health and wellness
products, a common goal is to achieve optimised health and well-being.

There are powerful media images hailing the benefits and safety of many over the
counter drugs, supplements and health and wellness products, every where you turn
these days. They have equally strong claims of being the one and only miracle cure
or solution for one ailment or another. How accurate are these claims though, and
what are the real costs to you in monetary and health risk terms?

Immediately after reading this article, go take a look and do a quick add-up of the
total cost of all the health and wellness products you currently have in stock. I’m
sure the figure will surprise you just as much as learning about the very real and
harmful side effects which can be caused by some of these drugs or supplements
that are supposed to be contributing to your overall state of wellness.

You may also be surprised to know that many of the ‘over the counter drugs you
buy on a regular basis, simply treat the symptoms and not the real health issue.
Needless to say, this approach of focusing on the symptom, side-steps
the crucial requirement of getting to the root cause of your condition or whatever
it is that ails you.

You’re most likely to pursue a wellness product either because you are becoming
wary of the adverse effects of chemically produced drugs or because you’re keen to
recover from ill-health and improve a specific health condition. In some instances it
might be that you just want to optimise your current state of good health.

While some health and wellness products can be an effective measure toward
improving your health, you should note that long-term use of certain over the counter
drugs and some supplements can cause you more harm than good, with the long-
term implications far outweighing any short-term benefits. You may well find that
you are paying far too high a price on the basis of a mere quick fix promise.

For thousands of years, people in lands far and wide have used natural homemade
remedies to manage their health conditions and wellness needs, without manufactured
health and wellness products, that can be detrimental to health. They have purely relied
upon attaining or maintaining health by plants or by other natural means.
It could be argued that with the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods,
many forms of this natural means to health and wellness have declined. In fact, even
by todays standards, there are many so-called under-developed countries where
inhabitants’ rely on nothing more than homemade health and wellness products,
gained via natural methods of plants or plant-based extracts.

While conventional medicine relies on scientifically backed research to substantiate
effectiveness and safety. In contrast, similar cannot be said about some alternative
medicines or health and wellness products. There is no such requirement but their
promotion as regard effectiveness are deemed sufficient in themselves as support
for therapeutic or wellness claims.

Herbal remedies in general are harmless, however, certain claims being made by
some health and wellness products promoters, (under the banner of being
‘natural’)) can insinuate their health and fitness products being the
exclusive answer to your health condition or wellness questions, thus putting you
at great risk. Secondly, how open are they being about what’s really inside? You
should always consult your physician over any health concerns, as well as discussing
with him/her your intention or choice of alternative means for treatment with any
health and wellness product or remedy.

Multi-billion-dollar industries have long weald their power by way of
lobbying to gain exemption from FDA regulation. This has been exactly the
case, according to the Skeptical Inquirer, who, on commenting on
the ‘dietary supplement industry back in 1994, states – “Since then, these
products have flooded the market, subject only to the scruples of their
manufacturers”.

The above point is an important one to note in that, while health and wellness
products manufacturers may list ingredients and quantities being used in
specific health and wellness products, there has been no real pressure on them to
do so, or to do so accurately. Furthermore, neither has there been any
watchdog body to ensure they are penalised for this failing.

So, what are the alternatives open to you? Increasingly, more and more people
are turning to do-it-yourself health and wellness homemade herbal remedies.
The distinct difference being that in making your own health and wellness products,
you are in the driving seat. Not only do you have a full awareness of exactly
what the ingredients are and the true quantities, but with the appropriate level of
guidance from a reputable practitioner, you’re more conversant with any health
implications, if any.

With the right know-how, you too can draw on the old-fashioned yet effective
sources to greatly improve your health. For instance, using naturally prepared
herbs, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements, essential oils and flower
essences to create real healing solutions that deal with particular health
conditions rather than just the symptoms.

It is in the interest of a health and wellness product manufacturers to promote their
products as being the only option open to you. They don’t want you to know about
the abundant natural resources and health-giving potent attributes of herbs and home
remedies which have been used effectively for thousands of years. You see, these
remedies cannot be patented because you can make them yourself and at a
fraction of the cost.

Whether your goal is to overcome illness, drugs intolerance, allergies or just to
optimise your already good health, with a little know-how, you can start making
your own health and wellness products and remedies, using nothing more than the
readily available natural resources in your home and garden. Not only will you
save your hard earned cash, you also alleviate the risk of serious or harmful
additives and side effects.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can treat numerous common ailments without the harsh side effects, using nothing but natural herbs, vitamins
and nutrients you prepare yourself at home? For instance, did you know that
placing yogurt on your face help to bring water from the deeper layers
of your skin to the surface, moisturizing your skin for the rest of the day and hiding
wrinkles?

Here are just a few more of the many quick and effective remedies you can learn
to make:

1. Natural laxatives

2. Beauty recipes

3. Skin care and cleansing preparations such as acne treatment

3. Herbal shampoos as well as how to treat hair loss

5. Dermatitis

6. Menstrual Pain and PMS Symptoms

Author: Olga Graham
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger