Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health!

If you want to improve your overall health, and the health of your loved ones, then you need to understand the relationship between nitric oxide and cardiovascular health.  It’s absolutely critical because you could not live without nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.
You’ve most likely never been counseled by your physician about the importance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health.  Yet there is an overwhelming amount of research that validates the tremendous role nitric oxide plays in your body.  Here is just a sample of several prominent physicians and researchers with their comments about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health:

Dr. John Cooke – Director of Vascular Medicine at Stanford University and author of the book, The Cardiovascular Cure:

This book will introduce you to the magic that is inside your blood vessels.  It comes in the shape of a molecule, one of the simplest molecules found in nature. This molecule is nitric oxide, or NO, a substance so powerful that it can actually protect you from heart attack and stroke. Best of all, your body can make it on its own.  NO is your body’s own built-in, natural protection against heart disease.”

Dr. Louis J. Ignarro – 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and author of the book, NO More Heart Disease:

Though NO’s structure is simple, nitric oxide is now regarded as the most significant molecule in the body, absolutely crucial to your well-being. I am convinced that nitric oxide can age-proof your cardiovascular system, keeping it much fitter than your chronological age would indicate.”

Repairing the damage wrought by cardiovascular disease without risky and often ineffective surgery had long been considered impossible.  I was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for making that thinking obsolete. Now we know we can reverse cardiovascular impairment naturally – with the body’s internally manufactured ‘wonder drug,’ nitric oxide.”

Dr. Jonathan S. Stamler – Professor of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center:

It does everything, everywhere. You cannot name a major cellular response or physiological effect in which [nitric oxide] is not implicated today. It’s involved in complex behavioral changes in the brain, airway relaxation, beating of the heart, dilation of blood vessels, regulation of intestinal movement, function of blood cells, the immune system, even how fingers and arms move.”

Three of the most prominent doctors in America all talking about the importance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health.  How this amazing molecule plays such a significant role in your overall health.  The production of nitric oxide is a vital function of your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system.  In fact, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelial cells produce nitric oxide from the amino acid L-Arginine.  Since its discovery much has been learned about nitric oxide.  For example:

  • Nitric oxide regulates the muscle tone of blood vessels to have a major impact on controlling blood pressure.
  • Nitric oxide stops blood platelet cells from grouping together in a clot to help prevent blockages in the blood vessels.
  • Nitric oxide controls the action of almost every orifice from swallowing to defecation.
  • Nitric oxide helps the immune system fight viral, bacterial and parasitic infections as well as tumors.
  • Nitric oxide causes penile erections by dilating blood vessels to help in erectile dysfunction.
  • Nitric oxide transmits messages between nerve cells.
  • Nitric oxide seems to be associated with the process of learning, memory, sleeping, feeling pain, and maybe even depression.
  • Nitric oxide has been shown to be a mediator in inflammation and rheumatism.
  • Nitric oxide promotes vascular reparative mechanisms when injury occurs.  It is one of the keys to reversing atherosclerosis.

To help you understand the significance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health, let’s focus on two key cardiovascular issues.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – High Blood Pressure!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31.3 percent of the U.S. adult population has high blood pressure.  That represents almost one out of every three adults.  Add to this fact that another 25 percent of American adults have prehypertension – blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but not yet in the high blood pressure range – and you have over half the American adult population affected by this cardiovascular disease.

This represents a staggering cost in human life and a significant financial drain.  In 2006, high blood pressure was listed as the primary or contributing cause of death for 326,000 Americans.  The estimated cost in 2010 for health care services, medications, and missed days of work was $76.6 billion.

The typical treatment program for most people with high blood pressure can be a combination of diet, exercise, stress management techniques, and medication. For many who opt for the medication route, it’s estimated that 26 percent still do not have their hypertension under control. Since many medications also have some form of side effect it can be a frustrating journey trying to get your blood pressure under control.

Enhancing the body’s ability to produce nitric oxide is seldom considered yet Nobel Prize Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro makes the following statement regarding nitric oxide and cardiovascular health:

More effective than any other factor in the body, nitric oxide can dilate the smooth muscle of the blood vessels.  With this dilation, the vessels can relax and allow blood to flow easily through them – and quite possibly lower the blood pressure.”

Nitric oxide is the body’s most powerful vasodilator and causes the smooth muscle of the vascular wall to relax.  This regulates your blood pressure and the health of your endothelium controls this process.  Properly nourishing and repairing your endothelium so that it can properly produce nitric oxide is a natural way to help maintain normal blood pressure.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – Strokes and Heart Attacks!

When you have a blood clot that causes a blockage in the brain we call it a stroke and when that blockage occurs in the heart it’s called a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association’s website 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in the bloodstream.  This blood clot then lodges within an artery of the brain causing a blockage.  This blockage reduces the necessary blood flow to that section of the brain leading to damage or death to those brain cells.  The amount of damage determines the severity of the stroke.  This same scenario applies to your heart.  Add to this the following statistics:

  • 77% of Americans treated for a first stroke had high blood pressure!
  • 69% of Americans who experienced a first heart attack had high blood pressure!

As you can see the prevention of strokes and heart attacks really centers on addressing high blood pressure and reducing the potential for the formation of blood clots.  Your body does this naturally through nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Nitric oxide causes two very specific events or reactions to occur.

Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together. This helps to prevent blood clots from occurring in the vascular system, thereby reducing the risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator to relax the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control blood pressure. This improves blood flow and directly addresses the number one risk factor for strokes and heart attacks.  Additionally, your endothelium is a critical component in the regulation of your blood pressure by controlling the response of your vascular wall to the changing pressures within your cardiovascular system.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – Conclusion!

While there is much more that can be said about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health it is very evident that many of the cardiovascular issues facing the American population could be addressed through the proper production of nitric oxide.

Learning how to properly nourish, heal, and support your endothelium through proper nutritional supplementation, diet, and exercise would be a much more cost effective and life enhancing way then the current approach taken today.  As stated at the beginning of this article, nitric oxide is critical to your cardiovascular health.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicago area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Stroke Prevention Centers on Two Key Factors!

Stroke Prevention Centers on Two FactorsLearning how to address two key factors could make a big difference in stroke prevention. Since stroke is the number one cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States, addressing this issue of stroke prevention could be the difference between life or death and permanent disability or significant recovery. 

The health of your cardiovascular system is just as important to brain health as it is to heart health. If you have a blockage in one of the arteries of the heart we call it a heart attack. If that same blockage occurs in the brain it’s a stroke.  

In reviewing both the uncontrollable and controllable risk factors for a stroke, it’s quiet clear that the health of your endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide can play a critical role in stroke prevention. 

Why? 

Because the number one risk factor for a stroke is high blood pressure and the blockage that causes the stroke is many times related to a blood clot. 

Address These Two Risk Factors for Stroke Prevention! 

High blood pressure increases your stroke risk 4-6 times. It’s the number one risk factor for a stroke and you have the power to positively impact this area. Addressing this issue alone would make a major impact on stroke prevention. 

According to the American Heart Association’s website 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in the bloodstream. This blood clot then lodges within an artery of the brain causing a blockage. This blockage reduces the necessary blood flow to that section of the brain leading to damage or death to those brain cells. The amount of damage determines the severity of the stroke.  

As you can see by these two specific factors, stroke prevention really centers on addressing high blood pressure and reducing the potential for the formation of blood clots. Your body does this naturally through nitric oxide. 

Nitric Oxide is Key to Stroke Prevention! 

The 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium (which lines all of your cardiovascular system) produces a gas called nitric oxide from the amino acid L-arginine. Outside your body nitric oxide is considered an environmental pollutant. Inside your body nitric oxide is the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.  

A signaling molecule helps a specific event to occur. Without signaling molecules certain events cannot take place. Regarding your cardiovascular system, nitric oxide causes three very specific events or reactions to occur. They are: 

  1. Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together. This helps to prevent blood clots from occurring in the vascular system, thereby reducing the risk for strokes and heart attacks. 
  2. Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator to relax the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control blood pressure. This improves blood flow and directly addresses the number one risk factor for strokes. Additionally, your endothelium is a critical component in the regulation of your blood pressure by controlling the response of your vascular wall to the changing pressures within your cardiovascular system. 
  3. Nitric oxide, when at therapeutic levels in the bloodstream, can repair damage to the endothelium and seems to be associated with the body’s ability to reverse and eliminate plaque formations. Plaque formations, which typically result when the endothelium is damaged, cause the inside of your vascular system to narrow, which can lead to high blood pressure and the increased risk for blockages. 

Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Dr. Louis J. Ignarro refers to nitric oxide as “the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.” Learning how to naturally heal and nourish your endothelium to help it properly produce therapeutic levels of nitric oxide could be a huge factor in stroke prevention. 

Learn How to Nourish Your Endothelium for Stroke Prevention! 

The easiest and fastest way to nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production is to use a properly formulated nutritional supplement. Even Dr. Oz is now talking about the importance of nutritional supplementation for improved cardiovascular function. Unfortunately, Dr. Oz only talks about the amino acid L-Arginine and leaves out another critical amino acid, as well as the necessary quantities needed to achieve a therapeutic effect. 

There is a lot that could be said in this section but let me summarize the basics on how to nourish your endothelium: 

  1. L-Arginine – This amino acid is critical because it is what your endothelium uses to create nitric oxide. However, you need to consume 4-6 grams of L-arginine at one time to be able to achieve a therapeutic increase in nitric oxide. 
  2. L-Citrulline – This amino acid is considered by vascular researchers to be just as importance as L-Arginine. You need to consume 200 to 1000 mg to have a therapeutic effect. The reason why L-Citrulline is so important is that it recycles L-Arginine to turbo charge the production of nitric oxide over a longer period of time. Additionally, L-Citrulline provides an alternative pathway for the production of nitric oxide when the enzyme arginase is present. Arginase destroys L-Arginine and some population groups such as African Americans have larger quantities of arginine in their bloodstream. This can negatively effect nitric oxide production if L-Citrulline is not part of their diet. 
  3. Various Antioxidants – Whenever your body produces energy through aerobic respiration free radicals are formed. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cellular damage. Free radicals will also negatively effect nitric oxide to limit its signaling and healing capacities. Antioxidants are molecules that can stabilize free radicals to prevent cellular damage and their negative effects on nitric oxide.  

It is estimated that 750,000 Americans will experience a stroke this year. Yet according to the National Stroke Association “… 80% of strokes are preventable!” While they list other methods for stroke prevention I hope this information will help you to see and understand the importance of a healthy endothelium and its ability to properly produce therapeutic levels of nitric oxide. This really is a viable way for stroke prevention as well as improved cardiovascular function. 

If you found this information helpful then please share this on Facebook and Twitter. You can also contact me directly if you have questions or need a recommendation for a high quality nutritional supplement that can help to properly nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production. 

Together we can work to save a million lives by helping to educate others about endothelial cell health and how therapeutic levels of nitric oxide can directly address two of the greatest risk factors for stroke prevention.

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about stroke prevention has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

11 Action Steps on How to Prevent a Stroke!

StrokeMany people look at a stroke as a brain problem.  In reality it’s a cardiovascular problem that can have deadly consequences.  For Americans, stroke is the number one cause of adult disability.  Thus, learning how to prevent a stroke will have a positive impact on decreasing its harmful effect on our community.

As pointed out in a previous article, it’s estimated that 750,000 Americans will experience a stroke this year.  Of this number, 160,000 will die.  The rest will forever have their lives changed in significant and profound ways.

For our African American friends, they are twice as likely to die from a stroke as Caucasians. The rate of having their first stroke is almost doubled.  One half of all African American women will die from either a stroke or heart disease.  For those with sickle cell anemia, 11% will have experienced a stroke by the age of 20.

All of this is pretty depressing until you understand that, according to the National Stroke Association,

“… 80% of strokes are preventable!”

Everyone is at risk for a stroke but everyone also has the power to reduce this risk.  This article will empower you with 11 action steps to help you learn how to prevent a stroke.  So, let’s get started.

Risk Factors For Stroke:  Uncontrollable vs. Controllable!

There are some uncontrollable risk factors for stroke like:  age, gender, race, family history and a previous stroke or TIA. Now, before we examine how to prevent a stroke, I would like to make some observations about two of these uncontrollable risk factors.

  • Age. Although you have no control over your chronological age, you do have the ability to reduce your biological age. One of my readers recently shared with me that he has been making some gradual changes in his eating and exercise habits.  These changes have resulted in him losing over 10 pounds.  He now has greater energy and stamina for his daily work activities as well as his recreational endeavors.  Even though his chronological age will keep moving forward, he has begun the process of improving his biological age.  Each person has the ability to make positive lifestyle changes that can significantly improve their overall health and wellness while reducing their risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.  The key is to concentrate on improving the health of your endothelial cells and their ability to produce nitric oxide.
  • Family History. If someone in your family has had a stroke, then you are at a higher risk for a stroke.  Part of this could be genetics.  Part of your family history could be lifestyle.  You have no control over the genetics but you certainly have control over your lifestyle. You have the power to change the eating, drinking, smoking, and lifestyle choices that contributed to your family member’s stroke.  The 11 action steps in this article will help you break this cycle.

Even though there are 5 uncontrollable risk factors, the good news is that there are 8 controllable risk factors that give you a high degree of control; control that can help you learn how to prevent a stroke!  They are:

  • Control High Blood Pressure.
  • Control Heart Disease especially Artial Fibrillation.
  • Stop Smoking.
  • Control Alcohol Consumption.
  • Control Your Cholesterol.
  • Control Your Diabetes.
  • Control Your Weight Through Diet, Exercise, and Nutrition.
  • Check for Other Circulatory Problems.

I talk about these 8 controllable risk factors in the article “African Americans and Stroke!” We will also take them up in the following 11 steps.

11 Steps That May Reduce Your Stroke Risk!

These 11 steps will help you learn how to prevent a stroke. Some of these steps will be pretty clear and easy to implement.  Others will require you to make a lifestyle choice.  It’s our daily choices that end up determining our overall health.

Step 1 – Go See A Qualified Physician. If you do not know what your blood pressure reading is, what your cholesterol level is, or where your blood sugar level is at, then you must get these benchmarks measured as soon as possible.  These are the big three in learning how to prevent a stroke. Also, have your physician check your heart and circulatory system especially the carotid arteries.

Step 2 – Make Sure Your Blood Pressure is under 120/80. Anything over 120/80 is of concern and anything over 140/90 is a red flag to take action. It’s the #1 risk factor for a stroke because high blood pressure increases your stroke risk 4-6 times.  This makes learning how to control your blood pressure a critical factor in learning how to prevent a stroke.

Step 3 – Make Sure Your Cholesterol Level is under 200. Anything over 200 is of concern and anything over 240 is a red flag to take action.

Step 4 – Make Sure You Are Not A Diabetic. Diabetes is not something to play around with.  Not only does it increase your risk for stroke but it also affects so many other organs in your body.  Most of the damage is due to oxidative stress on the endothelial cells and the resulting poor blood flow to the organs.

Step 5 – Control Your Weight. If you’re overweight by 30 pounds or more, then you need to make some positive changes in your eating patterns.  I’m not talking about going on a diet.  Diets don’t work! Most people have dieted their way to their current overweight condition.  The article “The Secret to Weight Loss! can assist you in implementing some simple keys; keys that can make a major impact on your weight and overall health.  Additionally, by controlling your weight you can also help lower your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol level, and better control your blood sugar.

Step 6 – Increase Your Fiber Intake! At best the typical American is only getting 50% of the needed fiber in their diet.  Proper fiber intake may reduce 3 of the risks for stroke:  cholesterol, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. This step is so important that I have prepared a special article entitled, “Fiber and Cholesterol Reduction!” There is also a guide entitled, “Fiber, Cholesterol and Other Heath Benefits!” This guide identifies foods that will add more fiber to your diet.  This is an important step in learning how to prevent stroke.

Step 7 – Increase Your Water Intake. Proper water intake is fundamental to good health and proper weight management.  Use this simple rule of thumb.   You need 8 ounce of water for every 15 pounds of body weight. Coke, coffee, and other doctored beverages don’t count.  Only pure water!

Step 8 – Stop Smoking! You know this is a nasty habit.  Not only does smoking affect your lungs but it also affects your heart, pulmonary arteries, liver and several other systems.  Once you stop smoking, your risk from this activity will drop significantly within two years.

If you’re a woman over 30 who smokes and takes high-estrogen birth-control pills your risk for a stroke is 22 times more likely than the average non-smoker!

Step 9 – Learn STR. Smile, Talk, Raise could save your life and the life of a loved one!  I’ve designed a special “Stroke Warning Sign – The STR Poster!” that you can download and print off. Share it with family, friends, and neighbors.  Ask your barber, hair stylist, and local merchant to display it in a prominent place for as many as possible to see.  Please help educate our entire community. Together our quick response could be the difference between life or death, permanent disability or significant recovery.

Step 10 – Utilize Integrative L-arginine / L-citrulline Supplementation. Your endothelial cells line all of your cardiovascular system.  They have a total surface volume equal to approximately 4 tennis courts.  They also have a tremendous influence over the health of the cardiovascular system.  Unfortunately, your endothelial cells are damaged by oxidative stresses caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and high blood sugar levels.  This damage reduces their ability to properly produce nitric oxide which is critical to cardiovascular health.

By using a proven L-arginine / L-citrulline supplement you can help prevent and reverse this oxidative stress to the endothelial cells.  You can also improve their ability to produce nitric oxide which is the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system.  This is extremely important for the African American community.

Genetic research has uncovered a significant genetic variance that directly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in many people of African descent.  African Americans produce too much of an enzyme called arginase.  In the bloodstream, arginase destroys the amino acid L-Arginine so that it’s no longer available for the production of nitric oxide. This can lead to weakened or damaged blood vessels and significantly increase the risk for heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke.

I recommend ProArgi-9 Plus since it has been clinical shown to improve the cardiovascular system and help to heal and reverse the damage to the endothelial cells allowing them to properly produce nitric oxide.

Step 11 – Control Your Alcohol Consumption. For most, moderate drinking doesn’t affect their risk for stroke.  “Moderate” drinking means limiting your alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day.  By definition, a “moderate” drink is 1.5 oz. of hard liquor, 4 oz. of wine, or 12 oz. of beer.  However, drinking more than 2 drinks per day may increase your stroke risk by 50%.

Conclusion

I hope these 11 Steps will be a direct benefit in helping you learn how to prevent a stroke. I’ve given you some very specific steps.  These steps can start you on the path towards reducing your risk for stroke while improving your overall health and wellness.  As you continue to read articles and gain information, you will be learning how to make other positive changes in your life.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.
The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contained in this article about stroke has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.