Is Vitamin D the Key to a Woman's Heart?

When we study groups of women who have heart disease an interesting correlation is discovered: women with a greater bone density have less heart disease, while those who suffer from osteoporosis have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.  Although the relationship is not entirely clear, it is plausible that the same mechanism that causes calcium to be released from the bone may also cause it to be deposited on the blood vessel wall, causing atherosclerosis.  While many factors can influence bone loss, researchers think the culprit may be a lack of vitamin D.

Research presented at the American Heart Association's Asia Pacific Scientific Forum concluded that women over age 65 who took vitamin D had nearly one-third less risk of dying from heart disease than women who did not take the supplement.  Of the more than 9,700 women who participated, about 420 of whom experienced cardiovascular events, it was found that vitamin D intake correlated with a 31% reduction in risk compared to those who did not supplement.  The study did not find any protective benefit related to calcium intake.

This study, however, is not perfect in the way it was conducted.  Many of the participants may have been receiving their vitamin D in a multivitamin supplement., which may have offered a benefit unrelated to vitamin D.  While the jury is still out and more tests performed to help clear the air, we recommend consumption of a multivitamin each day.  We prefer that you choose supplements that are vegetarian based, without fillers, artificial colors, talc, and titanium dioxide.   Ask our doctors if you need a brand recommendation.

Just so you are aware, the American Heart Association does not advocate the use of vitamin or mineral supplements. They recommend that people obtain adequate nutrient intakes from a variety of foods.  Obviously, this is generally not our recommendation.  

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Aussie Study Puts Brakes On That 'New-Car Smell'  

Except for those of us who are chemically sensitive, the new-car smell is enticing, adding to the joy of the new purchase. But, as previously reported here, every new car owner should beware, because the evidence is mounting that its actually a noxious odor in disguise.

Most recently, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council conducted a study on that smell. The researchers report that many of the materials used to manufacture automobiles release noxious fumes that can be both irritating to the ears, eyes, nose, and throat, and also have farther-reaching health effects.  The most dangerous chemical released are the phthalates, used in the manufacturing of plastics.  Phthalates are chemically similar to estrogens and may contribute to breast cancer, kidney and liver damage.  Other health problems have been linked to phthalates, so avoidance is best.

Eventually, the levels of these harmful chemicals will dissipate in the car’s interior.  However, you can speed the process along by using an auto air filter, cracking the windows of the car for several months -- or buying a convertible. Have a great summer!

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In our country, we are fortunate to have access to basic nutrition.  Vitamins, minerals, and fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available to those who choose to eat healthfully.  Some other countries are not so fortunate, though, and a large percentage of their population suffers from malnutrition.  In addition, a combination of poor health care and close living quarters often causes people in less developed countries to suffer a higher incidence of infectious disease, such as tuberculosis (TB).

There may, however, be a very inexpensive way to hasten these people’s recovery from tuberculosis -- vitamin supplementation.  According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80 patients from Indonesia with newly diagnosed TB were randomized to receive either standard medicine by itself or supplemented by 5000 IUs of vitamin A and 15 mg of zinc sulfate.  Upon entry into the study it was discovered that over 60% of the participants were underweight and 30% of them deficient in either vitamin A or zinc.

Those patients fortunate enough to be given the vitamin A and zinc supplements took significantly less time for their tuberculosis to be successfully treated than did those who took medicine alone.  In fact, treatment success occurred on average of three weeks earlier in those given the additional nutrient supplements.  Furthermore, the chest x-ray findings of tuberculosis showed more rapid improvement in the vitamin group (as did quality of life scores) than did those of the group who did not receive the extra supplements.

While a three-week improvement in treatment time may not seem monumental in this country, in Indonesia, it could have substantial benefits in the direct economic costs of the medication. Also, if treatment is faster and more effective, fewer people will ultimately be diagnosed with new cases of tuberculosis.  Perhaps this will lead to the end of an epidemic.

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Damage to he heart and circulatory system isn’t the only harm that heavy metal toxicity, especially that of mercury, can do to the body. Mercury and aluminum have been known to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and ALS. But now that you’ve heard the bad news, here’s some good news: a process called infrared sauna detoxification can actually sweat out those heavy metals.

Infrared sauna detoxification offers myriad health benefits.  While the infrared causes you to sweat, the composition of chemicals found in the sweat is quite different from that produced by a steam bath, dry sauna, or exercise.  The sweat of people treated in an infrared sauna will not only contain water, but will also contain cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, heavy metals (such as mercury, aluminum, and arsenic), nicotine, sulfuric acid, ammonia, and other dangerous environmental poisons.  Normal sweat produced by other methods, including exercise, is made of mostly water and sodium chloride.

Infrared sauna detoxification has a large number of uses.  In addition to aiding in detoxification, infrared can help with skin disorders, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, weight loss and also many cardiovascular disorders.  Infrared detoxification helps to reduce blood pressure, increase peripheral circulation, and may help to control irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia) by balancing the autonomic nervous system.

Detoxification with the infrared sauna is also an important adjunctive therapy for heavy metal detoxification and may be used to further benefit those who are undergoing chelation therapy or DMPS chelation.

Infrared detoxification, in short,  is a safe and effective way to reduce your body’s toxic burden, increase circulation, and lose unwanted weight.  For more information, please contact our office at 856.424.8222. 

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We have been told over and over again that the consumption of fatty fish is "heart healthy," offering protection against heart attacks and strokes.  What if that consisted of frequent consumption of large predatory fish such as tuna and swordfish?

In an attempt to answer that question, researchers from Finland  followed a total of 2,005 men without heart disease between 42 and 60 years old.  They were divided into four groups based on the mercury content of their hair, and tracked for an average of 12 years.

The men who scored in the top 25 percent for hair mercury content had a 60 percent greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease – angina, stroke, or heart attack --  than  those in the lower mercury content groups. Those same men also had a 70 percent higher risk of heart disease alone. The results further showed that men who had high hair mercury levels had a 32 percent greater degree of thickness of the inner walls of their arteries, a measure of atherosclerosis, than men in the lower mercury groups. 

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaque in arteries and is the underlying process that causes cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown that increasing dietary levels of fish containing Omega-3 fatty acids benefits people with cardiovascular disease in addition to protecting against cancer.  While the Omega-3s are "heart healthy," the mercury contained in the larger fish can contribute to LDL (or "bad") cholesterol oxidation, producing blood-vessel damage.

It would therefore be advisable to consume smaller fatty fish instead of larger, older fish.  The size of a fish may correlate with mercury concentrations, as larger fish have been found to have higher levels of mercury than smaller fish since the bigger ones tend to bioaccumulate mercury and other poisons.  Also, if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease, it may be worthwhile to have your mercury levels checked.   Please consult your doctor to discuss the risks and benefits of this testing.

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