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.

Prevent Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes!

Cardiovascular Complications of DiabetesDiabetes has grown to epidemic proportions and so have the cardiovascular complications of diabetes. According to the most recent statistics (2011) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes. However, what makes this “America’s largest healthcare epidemic” is that 79 million Americans are in a pre-diabetic condition, where their blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 

This means that 35% of the American population is either in a pre-diabetic or diabetic condition and this is creating an enormous health challenge. Even just being pre-diabetic raises a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke. High blood sugar causes oxidative stress or damage to your endothelium resulting in the following cardiovascular complications of diabetes: 

  • Poor Circulation Leading to Lower-Limb Numbness and Amputations
  • Poor Kidney Function
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Increased Potential for Strokes and Heart Attacks  

Two Most Devastating Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes! 

While the cardiovascular complications of diabetes are staggering, there are two that pose the greatest risk to a person’s health and longevity. Statistics can change over time but these two have been pretty consistent. They are: 

  • 66% of Diabetics Have High Blood Pressure!
  • 66% of Diabetics Die From a Heart Attack or Stroke! 

Two-thirds of all diabetics are confronted with this daily reality. It is why Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast, a noted clinical expert in this area, made the following statement: 

Many people still think diabetes is a disease about sugar. It’s not the sugar! It’s the complications!” 

Dr. Prendergast is not discounting the need to control your blood sugar. That’s critically important. What he’s trying to get people and the medical profession to understand is that unregulated glucose (blood sugar) causes high levels of oxidative stress, which directly damages the endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. To prevent the cardiovascular complications of diabetes you must repair this damage, and any future damage, to the endothelium. 

How to Address Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes! 

To address the cardiovascular complications of diabetes you must put in place a program to repair and properly nourish your endothelium. This program is in addition to learning how to control your blood sugar levels. Both are equally important. Unfortunately little is done in the area of endothelial cell health.  

Why? Because most people have never heard of the endothelium and most physicians do not understand how to treat it. Briefly, your endothelium lines all of your cardiovascular system. It is only one-cell thick yet it regulates many of the functions of the cardiovascular system.   

This area is so important that the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how your endothelium converts the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. 

How Nitric Oxide Impacts Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes! 

Nitric oxide impacts cardiovascular complications of diabetes in two extremely specific ways. First, nitric oxide regulates the muscle tone of blood vessels to have a major impact on controlling blood pressure. In fact, nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator. It causes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to relax. This helps to reduce blood pressure by improving blood flow through the vascular system.  

Since 66 percent of all diabetics have high blood pressure, by improving their ability to properly produce nitric oxide you can aid them in better regulating their blood pressure. Because high blood pressure is the major cause of a stroke you will also help them to substantially reduce this risk. 

Second, nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from grouping together to form a clot. This helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes. According to Nobel Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, nitric oxide:  

. . . is produced by the body specifically to help keeps arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke and to maintain normal blood pressure by relaxing the arteries, thereby regulating the rate of blood flow and preventing coronaries. Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”  

This means that you can use proven and natural methods to address these two specific issues of cardiovascular complications of diabetes. Proper supplementation with therapeutic levels of the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline can have a profound effect on repairing and properly nourishing your endothelium for therapeutic increases in nitric oxide production. This would help millions of diabetics to reduce their risks for these cardiovascular complications of diabetes.  

Additional Resources to Help You Understand How to Address the Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes! 

To help you better understand how the endothelium impacts your cardiovascular health, please click here. 

To help you better understand how the endothelium controls blood pressure, please click here. 

To help you better understand how nourishing and repairing your endothelium will improve its ability to properly improve nitric oxide, and how this directly impacts many of the cardiovascular complications of diabetes, please click here. 

By directly putting into place a plan of action that will improve endothelial cell health and function, especially in the area of improved nitric oxide production, you can substantially reduce the risk for the two major cardiovascular complications of diabetes.  If you found this information helpful then please share this on Facebook and Twitter. 

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 the two greatest cardiovascular complications of diabetes. 

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 cardiovascular complications of diabetes 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.

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Part 2!

High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure

Learning how to properly repair and nourish your endothelium is foundational to helping you gain better control over your high blood pressure issues. The following statistics will help you understand why this is so critically important: 

  • 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!
  • 74% of Americans with congestive heart failure have high blood pressure!
  • 66% of Americans with diabetes have high blood pressure! 

As you can see, high blood pressure needs to be paid attention to. It is why it’s so critically important to repair and nourish your endothelium to help it properly product nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.  

Nitric oxide helps regulate blood pressure, keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to form clots, and repairs the endothelium to reverse and prevent plaque formations and calcification of the vascular walls. It’s why Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, one of the three 1998 Nobel Laureates in Medicine, had this to say about nitric oxide, 

Nitric oxide can prevent, even reverse, heart disease and stroke!” 

These two video will help you learn how to naturally repair your endothelium so that it can properly produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide can aid you in maintaining normal blood pressure without medication or with significantly less medication. 

These Key Nutrients Can Naturally Prevent High Blood Pressure! 

Proper nutrition is key to nourishing your endothelium and aid it in the proper production of nitric oxide. In Dr. Ignarro’s 2005 bestselling book, NO More Heart Disease!, he outlined six key nutrients. They are:  

  • L-arginine
  • L-citrulline
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Folic Acid
  • Alpha Lipoic Acid 

In addition to these six nutrients, the following video also examines 5 additional nutrients that can have an impact on endothelial cell health and function. Together these 11 nutrients can help you naturally reduce your high blood pressure concerns.  

Our third educational video will help you understand how several key nutrients can help you get a better handle on your high blood pressure issues:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 3 

How ProArgi-9 Plus Can Help Those With High Blood Pressure!

Most vascular researchers will tell you that your endothelium plays a vital role in determining your blood pressure. In our last video we looked at eleven different nutrients that can provide a natural pathway towards reducing high blood pressure. Specific nutrients that have been shown to help repair and nourish the endothelium and improve its ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system and your body’s most potent vasodilator.  

Many people try a piece meal approach by taking multiple supplements. Wouldn’t it be nice to have one supplement that incorporates most of the nutrients? This video discusses ProArgi-9 Plus which contains many of these nutrients and has been clinically proven to repair and nourish the endothelium for improved nitric oxide production.  

Our fourth video will help you understand how  ProArgi-9 Plus addresses high blood pressure:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 4

You Can Repair and Nourish Your Endothelium to Help Reduce the Risks for High Blood Pressure! 

Over the course of these four videos we’ve given you a lot of information about how your endothelium and nitric oxide play a critical role in high blood pressure. If you or a loved one are experiencing the challenges of high blood pressure, then please share this information with your physician. Together you can implement a natural approach to help repair this critical organ and enhance your body’s ability to create nitric oxide. Work with your physician to monitor your progress and make adjustments in medications. Over time you can reduce, maybe even eliminate, many of your high blood pressure prescriptions. 

If you found the above videos helpful, then please share this information on Twitter and Facebook so that others can benefit. 

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 about high blood pressure 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.

10 Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease!

Heart DiseaseFor the United States it is estimated that heart disease causes approximately 1.2 million heart attacks per year. More than 40 percent of those initial heart attacks will result in death. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease results in 17.5 million deaths worldwide. Heart disease is the single greatest cause of death in both the United States and the world accounting for over half of all deaths.

Given this stark reality it is important to clearly know your major risk factors. According to the American Heart Association, there are 10 leading risk factors for heart disease. They are:

  • Age – According to mortuary tables, more than 83% of the people who die from heart disease are 65 or older.
  • Race – If you are African Americans, Mexican American, American Indian, native Hawaiian or Asian American then your risk is higher than the Caucasian community.
  • Sex – Men have both a greater risk of heart attack and having it at an earlier age than women. However, after menopause a woman’s death rate increases but not to the level of men.
  • Family History – There is a close association for heart disease if your parents or close relatives have some form of heart disease. The real question is whether it is genetic or lifestyle.
  • Smoking – Your risk for developing heart disease is two to four times greater than those who do not smoke.
  • High Blood Pressure – One out of every three Americans have high blood pressure. Not only does it increase your risk for heart attacks and kidney failure but it is the number one risk factor for stroke.
  • High Cholesterol – As your blood cholesterol increases so does your risk for heart disease. 
  • Diabetes – This disease seriously increases your risk for heart disease since approximately 65% of people with diabetes die from some form of cardiovascular disease. 
  • Sedentary Lifestyle – The greater your inactivity the greater your risk. 
  • Overweight/Obesity – There is a direct correlation with excess body fat, especially fat around the midsection, and the increased risk for heart disease and stroke even if there are no additional risk factors.     

4 Risk Factors of Heart Disease You Have No Control Over!

Age, race, sex, and family history are considered to be risk factors that you have no control over. While you can’t change any of them, I believe you can limit their effects on heart disease. For example:

Age – There can be a significant difference between your chronological age and your biological age. You can take steps to slow down the aging process and even turn back the biological age clock. My website www.Aging-No-More.com provides practical and effective ways to age youthfully.

Race – Certain population groups, like African Americans, have a much higher risk for heart disease than other groups. Part of this is lifestyle choices and part of this is genetics. Lifestyle choices can be changed and some genetic factors can be moderated to reduce your risk.

Sex – At one time men clearly dominated the area of heart disease. Not any more. Women have caught up with men. The rate of death for women from heart disease is 12 times that of breast cancer. So, is it gender or lifestyle that contributes to the risk of heart disease?

Family History – If your family history is because of genetics, then there is not much you can do except concentrate on the 6 key risk factors that you have control over. If your family history is because of lifestyle, then you have a tremendous opportunity to change this; which brings us to the rest of this article.

6 Major Risk Factors of Heart Disease That You Can Control!

I’ve ranked these 6 major risk factors for heart disease based on what I believe are the most important to address first. They are:

High Blood Pressure This is the most important area to gain control over. If you do not know what your current blood pressure reading is or if you have not had your blood pressure taken in the last 6 months, then get to a local pharmacist, health clinic, or qualified medical professional. Have them take your blood pressure. This will be your base line and will help to determine what your next step should be.

Your blood pressure will be given to you in two numbers such as 110/70 mm Hg. Your systolic number is the first and highest number. If this number is 140 or above then you have high blood pressure! Your diastolic number is the second and lowest number. If this number is 90 or above then you have high blood pressure! And, if both numbers are above 140/90 then you have high blood pressure. The higher above this threshold the greater your health risk.

High blood pressure will damage your heart and your endothelial cells. Your endothelial cells are critical to cardiovascular health. They also play a major role in controlling your blood pressure because they produce a molecule called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide regulates the muscle tone of your blood vessels. The article 7 Natural Steps to Take the Hyper out of Hypertension! will provide you with some simple but key natural adjustments to help you control your blood pressure.

Smoking – I debated whether to place this first or second on the list. Smoking is equal to or greater than high blood pressure. But monitoring and controlling your blood pressure is certainly a lot easier for a person than to stop smoking. For this reason alone I put high blood pressure as the first and most important risk to address. Next is smoking.

Most people equate smoking with cancer. While this association is true smoking is also the number one risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that 40% of all cardiovascular deaths are due to smoking.

The carcinogenic components in tobacco damage the endothelial cells that line the walls of your arteries. This affects your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide, which in turn affects your blood pressure. The carbon monoxide from the burned tobacco interferes with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. This increases your heart rate and can raise your systolic blood pressure. Smoking also constricts the blood vessels in your arms and legs. This increases the resistance to blood flow, which causes your diastolic blood pressure to increase.

I realize that this is a nasty habit that is extremely hard to break. Part of the process is having a motivation greater than the habit. If your very life isn’t motivation enough, then maybe for the men your sex life is! Your endothelial cells control your nitric oxide production. Your nitric oxide levels control an erection. No nitric oxide no sex! Every puff on your cigarette is destroying your endothelial cells, which lowers your nitric oxide level and reduces your chances of having good sex.

Overweight/Obesity – The health risks from being overweight and/or obese have now equaled, and some feel overtaken, the health risks from smoking. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 66% of adults age 20 years and over are overweight with 32% clinically obese. That means that 2 out of every 3 people you meet are going to be overweight with half of them being obese. With this dangerous rise in excess fat weight there has been a rise in high blood pressure and an epidemic increase in diabetes.

Because so many people have tried and failed at dieting, they see this category as hopeless. Diets are by their very nature restrictive and unproductive for long term weight loss. So stop trying to diet. Learn how to apply weight management techniques that can have a profound effect on your health and blood pressure. Most people are only 250 calories per day away from stopping their weight gain. That’s the difference between a can of regular soda versus a glass of water. Or, a large order of French fries versus a small order of French fries. The article The Secret to Weight Loss!” can help you in this area.

Diabetes – The greater your percent body fat, the more out of balance your hormonal level will be and the harder it will be for your body to stabilize its blood sugar levels. Most people who get a good handle on their weight and their dietary choices will see a drastic improvement in their blood sugar levels to help prevent type II diabetes. This is not to say that diabetes by itself is not a health risk that shouldn’t be addressed except through diet. What I am saying is that the majority of those with adult onset type II diabetes could prevent and/or reverse the process if they lost the fat and ate a diet that supported the health of their body rather than satisfying their cravings.

Also, high blood sugar levels cause oxidative stress or damage to the endothelial cells. This results in most of the complications associated with diabetes. I’m preparing a series of videos to help you understand this area. Learning how to properly repair and nourish your endothelial cells to improve their ability to produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your cardiovascular system – is key to preventing heart disease for diabetics.

High Cholesterol – There are two main types of cholesterol that you and your doctor should be concerned about. Your total cholesterol reading is a composite of these two. They are high density cholesterol or HDL and low density cholesterol or LDL. Of the total cholesterol reading the LDL will be the higher amount. Unfortunately your LDL is what also harms your cardiovascular system. Your goal is to lower your bad cholesterol which is your LDL and raise the level of your good cholesterol which is your HDL.

Your LDL cholesterol damages the intercellular junctions between the endothelial cells allowing deposits to build up. This causes the smooth and flexible lining of your blood vessels to become rough and hard leading to the disease commonly called arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis. As this process continues over time, the deposits or plaques become larger which narrows the interior of the blood vessel making it harder for blood to pass through. This increases resistance to blood flow, which can cause your blood pressure to increase.

The narrowing of your blood vessels also causes blood turbulence that can lead to the formation of blood clots. These blood clots, if large enough or if they pass through too narrow of an opening, can eventually lodge themselves in a blood vessel causing a blockage. When this happens in the heart we call it a heart attack. When it happens in the brain it is called a stroke.

A simple, but profound method to control your cholesterol is to make sure you consume an adequate amount of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, dry beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Soluble fiber not only lowers LDL cholesterol but also raises HDL cholesterol. One study examined this relationship between soluble fiber and the risk of heart disease. This study included 9,632 men and women over a 19 year period. It showed that consuming dry beans four times or more per week, compared with less than once a week, lowered the risk of heart disease by 22 percent.

Sedentary Lifestyle – You were designed to move and exercise. Properly applied exercise will strengthen your heart muscle, increase the diameter of the coronary arteries and improve your lung function. As the heart muscle is strengthened it usually improves the efficiency of its contraction. This results in a greater volume of blood being pushed out of the heart to improve blood flow.

Exercise can also improve capillary function and help to build additional capillary beds. This decreases resistance to blood flow to help lower your diastolic blood pressure. Most studies show that at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity done 3 to 5 days per week can have a positive effect on your cardiovascular health. If you are not currently exercising then please check with a qualified health professional before starting your exercise program.

Conclusion About Your Risk Factors For Heart Disease!

Your ability to reduce your risk factors for heart disease is a lot greater than what you may have previously thought. In today’s world of pharmaceutical advertising people get the general impression that they need to see their doctor for the right kind of pill to solve their health issue. This is not to say that medication doesn’t have an important application to your overall health. However, your food and lifestyle choices have more to do with your health and the quality of your life than any other factor. It is why your lifestyle choices can have such a profound effect on restoring your health and helping you reduce your risk factors for heart disease.

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 about the 10 major risks factors for heart disease 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.

Can Heart Attacks Be Prevented?

Heart AttackWhen I wrote the title for this post I immediately thought of my father who passed away in 1987 of a massive heart attack. He died while on a fishing trip in Minnesota. He was sitting in the cabin with his friends eating his favorite snack. Popcorn loaded with butter. He died at the young age of 67.

Like his father who died of a heart attack and his mom who died of a heart attack, he followed their pathway. Was it genetics and heredity that caused this event? Or, was it lifestyle and food choices? Most likely a combination of both with a greater emphasis on food choices.

Just like in 1987, as it is today, heart attacks and cardiovascular disease are still the number one killer of all people. So, the question is still the same:

Can a Heart Attack Be Prevented?

While the question remains the same the outcome can be significantly different!

Eleven years after my father’s death from a heart attack the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers for their remarkable discovery of how the endothelial cells, which line all of your cardiovascular system, create nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system and it has a huge impact on cardiovascular health.

One of those researchers who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine is Dr. Louis J. Ignarro. In his 2005 National Bestseller entitled NO More Heart Disease, Dr. Ignarro made the following statement:

NO – as it is known by chemists – is produced by the body specifically to help keep arteries and veins free of the plaque that causes stroke and to maintain normal blood pressure by relaxing the arteries, thereby regulating the rate of blood flow and preventing coronaries. Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”

Even before Dr. Ignarro’s Nobel Prize there was an event taking place that has significantly moved the discoveries made in the lab to practical clinical results in humans.

Let me introduce you to Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast or Dr. Joe as he prefers to call himself. Dr. Joe is a leading endocrinologist from Palo Alto, CA and a nationally acclaimed expert on L-arginine therapy. L-arginine is the amino acid your endothelial cells use to create nitric oxide, the master signaling molecule of your cardiovascular system.

Since 1991, Dr. Joe has been personally using L-arginine and recommending it to his patients. Through his close personal association with Dr. John Cooke at the Stanford School of Medicine’s Cardiovascular Research Center, Dr. Joe has been able to incorporate cutting edge vascular research done in the lab into actual patient care. True clinical application that has benefited thousands of his patients and tens of thousands of people around the world.

Dr. Joe’s clinical application of proper L-arginine therapy has benefited over 7,000 of his own patients resulting in less than 1% patient hospital admissions in 17 years. This is a phenomenal record especially then you realize that 80% of his patients are diabetics who typically have hospital admissions for cardiovascular issues. Because of this remarkable record the American Diabetes Association awarded Dr. Joe the Father of the Year Award in 2008.

Dr. Joe is the product formulator of ProArgi-9 Plus and it causes me to ask the question:

Would My Dad’s Heart Attack Have Been Prevented If He Had Access to ProArgi-9 Plus?

From all the clinical research I’ve seen and the people I’ve been able to help, I believe he would have greatly benefited from this product. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about ProArgi-9 Plus. I truly believe in this product and its ability to improve the cardiovascular health of every person.

To help you better understand how unique and powerful ProArgi-9 Plus is, I’ve created a webinar for you. Here is the link:

http://www.screencast.com/t/ZWY2MmYwOT

(Please note that the webinar presentation is 30 minutes long. Once you click on the arrow to start it, please give it 10-15 seconds to load. The remaining time is used to answer questions from those attending.)

Now you can understand why I believe so strongly in ProArgi-9 Plus. It is a remarkable product that has huge potential to benefit people. Especially those who have cardiovascular health issues.

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 heart attack 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.

Is No More Heart Disease Possible?

Heart disease accounts for approximately 35% of all deaths.  It is estimated by the American Heart Association that 80 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease.  DoctorsIn researching and writing more than 100 articles for my Aging No More website, one very important theme keeps reoccurring. If you take the necessary steps to improve the health of your cardiovascular system, which includes your heart and circulatory system, you can:

Positively affect most of the health of your other organs and take significant steps to slow down the aging process!

So, the question remains – Is No More Heart Disease Possible?

Well, before I answer that question let’s look at two significant health issues and two remarkable health professionals:

Stroke – According to the National Stroke Association, “. . . 80 percent of strokes are preventable!” For the most part the only difference between a stroke and a heart attack is location. A stroke occurs in the brain where as a heart attack occurs in the heart. Wouldn’t it make sense that 80 percent of heart attacks are preventable?

Cancer – According to the 517 page World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Expert Report, “5 to 10% of cancers result directly from inheriting genes associated with cancer.” This means that nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors account for the remaining 90 to 95% of cancers. Wouldn’t it make sense that nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors would also play a significant role in heart disease?

Dr. Louis Ignarro – In 1998 Dr. Ignarro shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine with two other scientists for the discovery of Nitric Oxide and how it is the master signaling molecule for the cardiovascular system. In 2008, the American Heart Association selected Dr. Ignarro as a 2008 Distinguished Scientist. Dr. Ignarro firmly believes that the proper use of Nitric Oxide (NO) can significantly improve the health of most cells and make a major impact on reducing the risk of heart disease.

Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast – Dr. Joe (as he prefers to call himself) is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism and has a very large patient population at the Endocrine Metabolic Medical Center in Palo Alto California. Dr. Joe is a pioneer in the potential of L-Arginine (the precursor for NO) to dramatically affect cardiovascular health. Of Dr. Joe’s large high-risk, patient population, over the last 17 years less than 1% have experienced a stroke or heart attack if they have followed his L-Arginine protocol.

Now back to our question: Is No More Heart Disease Possible?

No, but given the above information we can make a significant impact in making heart disease a very small problem rather than the number one killer that it currently is.  We spend millions of dollars every year on finding a cure when the most important cure is staring us in the face. It is prevention!

This website is designed to help equip you with useful and practical knowledge that, in conjunction with your physician, will empower you to reduce your risk and help to eliminate heart disease.

Until next time, join me in working to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this blog is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contain in this blogging website 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.