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.

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.

Fiber, Cholesterol, and Other Health Benefits!

Fiber SourcesIf you read my post http://no-more-heart-disease.com/fiber-and-cholesterol-reduction/Fiber and Cholesterol Reduction”[/intlink] you know how important fiber can be in helping to lower the “BAD” LDL cholesterol to prevent the cardiovascular disease atherosclerosis.    Fiber is also important in reducing the risk for certain types of cancer, helping control blood sugar for diabetics, reducing the risk for stroke, improving elimination, and can be a useful tool in weight management.  

Because fiber is so important to your general health and wellness I’ve put together a list of good sources of fiber.  Please use this fiber list as a general guide in helping you to find some foods and food groups that appeal to you and your taste buds.  For simplicity, I’ve grouped these items according to grams per serving.  

Serving sizes can vary and so can calories per serving so you will need to read the nutritional label.  This list is not complete but it will help you when you go to the market.   

2 to 4 grams of fiber per serving:

Almonds:  ¼ cup is 2.4 grams

Applesauce:  ½ cup is 2.7 grams

Apricots:  2 halves dried are 1.7 grams

Avocado:  ½ average sized is 2.8 grams

Banana:  1 medium is 3.0 grams

Boston Brown Bread:  2 slices are 4.0 grams

Broccoli:  1 cup cooked or raw is 3 grams

Brussel Sprouts:  1 cup is 4.0 grams

Cabbage:  1 cup cooked is 4.0 grams

Carrots:  1 cup cooked is 4 grams

Cauliflower:  1 cup cooked is 2.5 grams

Celery:  ½ cup raw is 4.0 grams

Coconut:  1 tablespoon dried is 3.4 grams

Corn:  1 cup cooked is 4 grams

Cornbread:  1 square (2 ½”) is 3.4 grams

Cornflakes Cereal:  1 cup is 3.5 grams

Cracked Wheat Bread:  2 slices are 3.6 grams

Cranberries:  ½ cup in sauce form is 4.0 grams

English Muffin (Whole Wheat):  1 whole muffin is 3.7 grams

Okra:  1 cup fresh or cooked is 3.2 grams

Orange:  1 large is 2.4 grams

Parsnip:  1 large cooked is 2.8 grams

Peach:  1 medium is 2.3 grams

Pear:  1 medium is 4.0 grams

Puffed Wheat Cereal:  1 cup is 3.3 grams

Pumpernickel Bread:  2 slices are 4.0 grams

Rice (White):  ½ cup before cooking is 2.0 grams

Strawberries:  1 cup is 3.0 grams

Turnip:  ½ cup cooked is 2.0 grams

Watermelon:  1 thick slice is 2.8 grams

Wheaties Cereal:  1 cup is 2.0 grams

Zucchini:  ½ cup raw or cooked is 3.0 grams

 

4.1 to 6 grams of fiber per serving:

Apple:  1 large raw is 4.5 grams

Artichokes:  1 large is 4.5 grams

Beets:  1 cup cooked is 5.0 grams

Blackberries:  ½ cup is 4.4 grams

Bran Flakes Cereal:  1 cup is 5.0 grams

Bran Flakes with Raisins Cereal:  1 cup is 6.0 grams

Bran Meal:  3 tablespoons are 6 grams

Dark Rye Bread:  2 slices are 5.8 grams

Flatout Wraps:  1 wrap has 5 grams of fiber or more

Green Beans (Snap):  1 cup is 4.2 grams

Idaho Baked Potato:  1 medium with skin is 5.0 grams

Macaroni (Whole Wheat):  1 cup cooked is 5.7 grams

Mashed Potato:  1 cup is 6.0 grams

Noodles (Whole Wheat Egg):  1 cup cooked is 5.7 grams

Raspberries:  ½ cup is 4.6 grams

Rice (Brown):  ½ cup before cooking is 5.5 grams

Sauerkraut (Canned):  1 cup is 4.6 grams

Seven-Grain Bread:  2 slices are 6.5 grams

Shredded Wheat (Spoon Sized):  1 cup is 4.4 grams

Spaghetti (Whole Wheat):  1 cup cooked is 5.6 grams

Sweet Potato:  1 medium is 5.5 grams

Whole Wheat Bread:  2 slices are 6.0 grams

Whole Wheat Raisin Bread:  2 slices are 6.5 grams

 

6.1 to 10 grams of fiber per serving:

Bran Chex Cereal:  1 cup is 7.5 grams

Buckwheat Groats (Kasha):  1 cup cooked is 9.6 grams

Cracklin’ Bran Cereal:  1 cup is 8 grams

Fruit N’ Fiber Cereal:  1 cup is 7 grams

Greens (Collards, Beet Greens, Kale, Turnip Greens):  1 cup cooked is 8.0 grams

High-Bran “Health” Bread:  2 slices are 7.0 grams

Lentils:  1 cup cooked is 6.4 grams

Nabisco 100% Bran Cereal:  1 cup is 8.0 grams

Peas (Green):  1 cup is 7 grams

Rutabaga (Yellow Turnip):  1 cup is 6.4 grams

Yams:  1 medium is 6.8 grams

 

10.1 and above grams of fiber per serving:

All Bran Cereal:  ½ cup is 10.4 grams

Baked Beans:  1 cup is 16 grams

Black Beans:  1 cup cooked is 14 grams

Bran Buds Cereal:  ½ cup is 10.4 grams

Chickpeas (Garbanzos):  1 cup cooked is 12 grams

Figs:  3 dried are 10.5 grams

Great Northern Beans:  1 cup is 16 grams

Kidney Beans:  1 cup cooked is 19.4 grams

Lima Beans:  1 cup canned or cooked is 11.6 grams

Navy Beans:  1 cup cooked is 18 grams

Oatmeal Cereal:  1 cup is 10.3 grams

Pinto Beans:  1 cup cooked is 18.8 grams

Spinach:  1 cup cooked is 14 grams

Split Peas:  1 cup cooked is 13.4 grams

White Beans:  1 cup canned or cooked is 16 grams 

This guide will give you a good start in finding foods that will help you increase your fiber intake. However, due to its complexity, laboratory technicians have not yet been able to ascertain the exact fiber content of many foods.  Because of this, you may find discrepancies from one source to another.  Add to the fact that there are varying sizes of fruits and vegetable, as well as growing conditions, and you can begin to understand why there might be some variations in the number of grams of fiber listed for different food items.    

Together we can work 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.

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.