A Smart Approach to Heart Health

Today is Valentine's Day , and thoughts go to love, hearts, and chocolate!! Last week on my regular blog I dedicated my post to my Dad, who I loved dearly (I was a true Daddy’s girl) and who passed away nearly 15 years ago from a heart attack. If I had only known then what I know now, we would have had many more years of hugs, jokes, and those supportive heart-to-heart talks.

Lumigrate is all about education and I learn something new everytime I open the forum and read. Yenta's and Beth's posts on emotional health [1] have helped me smile at myself- and begin to love myself, for we can only love others if we truly love ourselves. My gift to you, this Valentine's Day, is some information that can help either your own health, or the health of someone you love, like my wonderful father. USANA also continues to educate us on ways to stay healthier through a nutritional and lifestyle approach. They back up all this information with quality research- take a look at the latest from USANA [2] on heart health:

A collaborative study between USANA and Boston University shows that supplementing with grape-seed extract and vitamin C can help improve cardiovascular disease. For full details, visit USANA’s Science Poster [3] .
Recently, some studies have suggested prescribing statin drugs to patients, all in the name of “preventing” cardiovascular disease (CVD). Does anyone else think this preventive treatment is a little heart dumb?

To further support USANA’s philosophy of using nutritional supplements as part of a heart smart lifestyle, the amazing USANA scientists recently conducted a study in conjunction with a research team at the Boston University School of Medicine. The study showed that some key nutrients in dietary supplements can actually be beneficial for patients who already have a form of CVD.

Study Background
Oxidative stress appears to impact the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood through arteries and blood vessels. We all know cutting down blood flow is NOT a good thing. Over time, this impaired function has been shown to be a critical factor in the progression of CVD.

Grape-seed extract and vitamin C have both been widely shown to provide significant protection against oxidative stress, as well as to have positive effects on blood pressure. The USANA/BU team suspected that the powerful antioxidants could support healthy blood flow through supplementation of these two key nutrients together.

What They Did
Researchers gave study participants, who were already diagnosed with CVD, either a placebo or 450 mg of grape-seed extract and 1500 mg of vitamin C, divided into two daily doses of two tablets. Blood samples were taken four hours after receiving the first dose, then again four weeks after taking the same dosage every day.

The researchers measured plasma levels of vitamin C, epicatechin (bioflavonoids), and plasma antioxidant reserve (PAR)—a measure of the blood’s resistance to oxidative stress. They also measured blood flow using fingertip peripheral tonometry (PAT). PAT is especially useful in measuring changes in blood flow because it focuses on the peripheral arteries in the fingertip. Making up the majority of the blood vessels in our bodies, peripheral arteries are those that are farthest from the heart. They are miniscule when compared to the arteries coming directly from the heart, so any noticeable changes are significant. Those with CVD generally do not show a healthy blood flow response when measured using PAT.

What They Found
In the treatment group, vitamin C, epicatechin, and PAR increased to varying degrees at all three time points measured, meaning all the antioxidant levels were improved. PAT blood flow response also showed significant improvement following the 28-day treatment relative to the placebo group.

These results suggest that grape-seed extract and vitamin C, working together, improve vascular function in patients with CVD, even in those tiny peripheral arteries. The results of this study were so impressive that they were presented to American Heart Association.

Comments

Mon, 02/14/2011 - 8:45am

#1 [9]

Mardy Ross

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Top of the Totem Pole

Joined: Feb 16 2009

Posts: 2032

Is there a way to make this a gift in a romantic way? THANKS!

A little bouquet of Vitamin C and grape seed for instance? Or a red heart shaped box like chocolates come in? Or maybe it's sufficient to look into purchasing something for someone (or yourself) and having it shipped as a gift. (I'd imagine Robin can facilitate that if anyone's interested.)

Personally, I really appreciate this information, Robin. It's really wonderful that you get such inspiration from Lumigrate's Yenta and Beth Patterson -- I feel you give so much to us at Lumigrate with the quality of information you provide as well as the manner of your posts, so it's nice to know we're contributing back to you with content. And this is my first Valentine's Day in my 50 years without my dad and I appreciate in some ways the time we had to realize his life was coming to it's conclusion, so I kept my Valentines from him for the last many years. He always would put a little money in them. In recent years it was enough to go out to dinner with, as he was a generous guy. (Though once I found a bag of mail on the side of the road and called the police; when the officer came out to collect it, he said Valentine's is a day lots of mail theft occurs because of people sending a little money, unlike bigger holidays when checks are sent.)

As for cardiovascular and supplementation as you've described here, I know in the past I had quite a lot of issues going on related to my arteries and circulation. At one time it wasn't just the small ones, it was not working for me to get vitamin and mineral IVs seven years ago (that's how I jump-started my fibromyalgia recovery, Myers Cocktails but they're virtually impossible to get for most people due to lack of providers who do them.)

Right now I'm not experiencing any symptoms that I'm aware of, but sometimes you get so used to your feet and fingers being a bit or a lot numb that an improvement might seem to me to be 'back to normal' and really it's just 'better'. At my age and with the things I know I have going on in my body, it likely would be benefical for me to get back to grape seed. I know I studied up on it and took it in the past, but this is news to me about the combination effect. Very neat it was presented to the AHA.

In my many conversations with people who have taken supplementation to heart (pun intended!) related to fibromyalgia, we try so many things and get rather fatigued with the costs and maybe get off onto something else and away from things which were helpful. So this was a good reminder for me. Thanks!

I'm also going to cut and paste and email this to someone I know who is not on facebook to see the prompts I post there, nor a regular checker at Lumigrate. It's the least I can do on Valentine's Day for someone I care about!

And also, my mother, who died of a brain anurysm at age 62, was found via the autopsy to have had a heart attack at least six months prior to her death. I/we recalled a Mothers Day she did NOT look good and had experienced an episode the night before where she actually felt like she was being 'possessed' inside, she said. She was visibly WAY off her baseline and I suggested she go to the doctor and she refused. An avid smoker, she knew you could counter the damage of cigarettes with high doses of vitamin C, but it upset her stomach unless she chewed it. So the only health care expenses she had, ironically, in her whole life were getting all her teeth capped. But the dentist was a neighbor so at least the money stayed in the neighborhood! Moral to the story: sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous! So thank you, Robin, as your vast knowledge and background with science leads you to writing invaluable information here. And your healthy perspecive about humor and spirituality, as you point out about your enjoyment of Lumigrate, is a wonderful example to us all.

Happy Valentines Day to you and all, so glad we had parents we learned so much from! ~~ Mardy

__________________

Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [10] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!

Tue, 02/15/2011 - 1:36am

#2 [14]

Beth Patterson

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Frequently

Joined: Dec 5 2010

Posts: 23

Re: A Smart Approach to Heart Health

Dear Robin--

This did my heart good! Thanks for the tip of the hat to the posts I have been making as well here on Lumigrate--much appreciated!

Are you familiar with Stephen Harrod Buhner's work on the heart as an organ of perception? Although I can't find a direct article on his website about his work, it might be of definite interest to you.

Secret Teachings Of Plants:
The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature
http://gaianstudies.org/Bookstore.html [15]

Thank you for this great info and processing, Robin!

__________________

I am a grandmother. I'm owned by a wolf/husky named Geronimo and we live in Central Oregon. I thrived in Western Colorado for 13 years--living in Hotchkiss and working for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado in the administrative offices in Grand Junction and helping to open the hospices in Montrose and Delta.

I have a MA in Religion, and 20 something years of hospice experience, 5 years in child advocacy and am now working with eldering.

I own a business called Finding Ground [16] and also host a multi-blogger site Virtual Teahouse. [17] Finding Ground provides spiritual companioning for those who are journeying through major life transitions. All I do is 'sit' and hold space. And show up. I do face to face sessions as well as long-distance via phone or skype sits.

Other than those facts, everything else is suspiciously, serendipitously, unscrupulously subjective.

Sun, 07/10/2011 - 12:58pm

#3 [18]

Mardy Ross

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Top of the Totem Pole

Joined: Feb 16 2009

Posts: 2032

Beth, Yenta talked in July 2010 of Reading Different Things!

Beth, thank you for your support of your colleague here at Lumigrate, and I appreciate the tip about the book. I have had the pleasure of meeting you in person now (as you know but those reading likely don't know), when you came through Grand Junction on a trip. You're definitely a wonderful reader of people and situations and from what I know of Robin, you're RIGHT ON about this book.

I was just reviewing and reposting something from July of 2010 that Yenta wrote about reading different things than a person normally reads from time to time (it's in a piece titled Traveler's Lament, from July of 2010 -- you'll find Yenta in the Forums in the big section about fibromyalgia, in a forum titled "It Can't Hurt! - Our Bubbie, Yenta...". Yenta initially started posting in the spirituality forum where Beth's posts typically are made, as she's a spirituality coach, but her focus and forte had to do initially with our similar medical condition that has to do with chronic pain/fibromyalgia, so that's where she's found her niche on Lumigrate.

It is so very beneficial when providers do just as you did, Beth, and 'cross pollinate' the information in the Forums, as people who might not normally know a spirituality coach exists in the world would find out about such things from starting out wanting to read about heart health. So again, THANK YOU, and I'm sure Robin appreciates as well. ~~ Mardy

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Mon, 08/08/2011 - 5:18pm

#4 [19]

Liz Kennedy RN MSN

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Minimal

Joined: Aug 8 2011

Posts: 2

Looking Forward to Commenting

Mardy let me know about this piece (printed and hand delivered it when we met earlier today) and I look forward to collaborating in the future on similar pieces for increasing patient education on this important topic.

Liz

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In 2011, after being a practicing nurse for 36 years, Liz founded CardioVascular Essentials, LLC. Through continuing education in formal and informal settings working with her self, family, patients and their families prompted her to integrate wellness and prevention into traditional health care delivery. Her background encompasses 28 years as a critical care nurse at the Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado. While in Denver, she earned a Masters of Science degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in 2003 with her husband Dr. Jim Kennedy, who is a dentist and specialist in the field of the cranial vault and is also a content contributor to Lumigrate. She can be reached by email at lkennedy@acsol.net [20] and by telephone at 970/270-7075 (private, confidential cellular).

Wed, 09/07/2011 - 3:56pm

#5 [21]

Robin Thomas

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Top of the Totem Pole

Joined: Aug 21 2010

Posts: 94

Re: Looking Forward to Commenting

Nice to meet you, Liz. Yes, I'm looking forward to connecting with you, too.

Robin

__________________

Robin started contributing to Lumigrate in August 2010. "Meet Robin Thomas", a topic in our biographies/vitae forum is at http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/meet-robin-thomas [4] to read all about her journey, which was greatly influenced by the need to help solve her youngest son's significant health challenges. For those who want just the overview here: After working over 22 years in medical research at the University of North Carolina on chronic inflammatory diseases she switched her focus to preventive health in 2004 when she was introduced to USANA Health Sciences. Robin is passionate about helping others improve their health, have more energy, manage their weight, and improve their skin.

I love meeting new friends !

LIKE me on Facebook [5] Connect on LinkedIn [6]

Follow me on Twitter [7] Learn more at my BLOG [8]

"I dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health."

-Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences

Thu, 02/14/2013 - 6:15am

#6 [22]

Mardy Ross

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Top of the Totem Pole

Joined: Feb 16 2009

Posts: 2032

The Debate/Various Opinions about VitD, from KevinMD

Adding Info from KevinMD by PalMD re: VitD and Heart Disease

I encourage people who do not get KevinMD's e-newsletter and special email blasts to consider signing up. I was seeing the 'backlash' recently which is in response to the 'frontlash' awareness overall about vitamin D -- there are just so many media reports that get people confused about 'to do or not, or how much?'.

So I was wanting to present something from that 'front', the controversy, at Lumigrate's forums. Lumigrate intends to streamline the education process for people by finding valid sources to provide information in our 'progressive' "functional medicine" focus which come at things in an integrative, "mind/body/spirit / functional" approach to health and wellness, or resuming to it from illness.

I'm going to provide the link here, and then the portion of this blog that was about cardiovascular and vitamin D, which is the last portion. I encourage all reading this to follow the link and read the entire piece for the base information; it's very good. www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/09/screen-healthy-patients-vitamin.html [23]

This was written by one of KevinMDs regular bloggers "PalMD" (as you'll see at the very bottom).

Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! ~~ Mardy

Below: the core information at the link/above from blogger PalMD at KevinMD

Heart disease is one of our three biggest killers (along with cancer and stroke). One of the better prospective studies done on vitamin D and heart disease followed subjects over time, measuring vitamin D levels and following them to see who developed a first incidence of heart attack. They found that those with low vitamin D levels who also had high blood pressure (a well-recognized risk factor for heart disease) were more likely to develop a first heart attack than hypertensive patients with higher vitamin D levels.

These data are intriguing, but because low vitamin D levels and heart disease are both very common, and because this was not an interventional study, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions, other than more research is probably warranted.

Other studies of the effects of low vitamin D are more problematic. Vitamin D has been convincingly correlated with all-cause mortality, with certain cancers, and with multiple sclerosis. But causation is very difficult to attribute in these cases. Vitamin D deficiency is common in people with poor diets (including obese people) and in people who are relatively inactive. These are independent risk factors for mortality, heart disease, and some cancers. And while some cellular mechanisms have been discovered that may lend plausibility to a vitamin D hypothesis, there are as of yet no convincing data that allow us to draw conclusions about vitamin D and these diseases.

Low vitamin D levels are quite common, and it is nearly impossible to attain adequate levels with diet alone. We know that vitamin D is necessary to prevent rickets, and that, combined with calcium, it is needed to prevent osteoporosis. We do know that sun exposure will ensure an adequate level of vitamin D and because of a clever regulatory mechanism, will never result in excess vitamin D. But we do not know what a “safe” level of sun exposure is. We know that the relationship between sun exposure, photoaging of the skin, and skin cancers is dose-dependent, but we don’t know where to place the fulcrum in balancing the need for vitamin D and the risk of cancer.

Supplementation is effective in raising vitamin D levels, but we do not yet know what an “optimum” level of vitamin D is, and we don’t know what the long-term effects of supplementation may be. Other fat soluble vitamins have been found to actually increase the risk of cancer if supplemented too aggressively.

The vitamin D story is fascinating, and despite over a century of study, it is still playing out. While we can draw some pretty safe conclusions about the prevention and treatment of some common bone diseases, it is too early to form any useful conclusions about other diseases such as cancer, influenza, or multiple sclerosis. Given our limited knowledge, recommendations on screening and treatment for vitamin D deficiency in reasonably healthy people are neither clear nor final. We have a set of plausible and interesting hypotheses to work with, and now we need some randomized controlled trials to give us data we can really use.

PalMD is an internal medicine physician who blogs at White Coat Underground [24].

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