The Health Plus Letter
May 15 Vol. 6, No. 8
By Larry Trivieri, Jr. – founder & publisher
http://www.1healthyworld.com

You can read all back issues of The Health Plus Letter at http://www.1healthyworld.com/ezine.

Table Of Contents
New This Issue
Quote of the Day
Fast Fact
Peripheral Artery Disease: The Silent Killer
Fats That Can Help You Lose Weight
Self-Care Tips for Preventing and Reversing Tendonitis
Recommendations
Medical Freedom
Contact Information

New This Issue

Welcome to another issue of The Health Plus Letter. In this issue I’m alerting you to a silent killer – peripheral artery disease – which is far more common than most people realize. I’m also sharing information about healthy fats that can actually help you lose weight. And you’ll also find self-care tips for dealing with tendonitis.

As always, please continue to send me your comments and suggestions. And please spread the word about The Health Plus Letter by passing it along to your friends and inviting them to subscribe.

Quote Of The Day

“Everything you can imagine is real.”
-- Pablo Picasso

Fast Fact

The average adult lungs can hold nearly two gallons of air. Due to chronically shallow breathing patterns, however, most adults only inhale between two and three pints of pair per inhalation.

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Peripheral Artery Disease: The Silent Killer

When most people think of warning signs for heart disease and stroke, they usually don't think of their legs. However, the legs and pelvic area of your body can house a ticking time bomb when it comers to your health. The time bomb is known as peripheral artery disease, or PAD, and it can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke by as much as 200 percent.

What Is PAD?

Peripheral artery disease, which is often referred to as poor circulation in the legs, is the most common form peripheral vascular disease. This group of conditions involve disease that affect the blood vessels located outside of the heart and brain. PAD, itself, is very similar to coronary artery disease and carotid artery disease. Like those conditions, PAD develops as a result of fatty deposits build up in the inner linings of the artery walls. In this case, the arteries run along the legs and pelvic reason, but sometimes also in the arms, kidneys, and stomach. These blockages restrict blood circulation in these areas of the body.

In its early stages a common symptom of PAD is cramping or fatigue in the legs, hips, and/or buttocks while walking or climbing stairs. during or immediately after physical activity. Such cramping usually subsides shortly after such activities cease, but returns again as soon as activity is resumed. The medical term for this type of cramping is "intermittent claudication." Other symptoms of PAD, which usually don't occur until after PAD progresses and becomes more serious, include leg pain that doesn't go away even after physical activity stops, foot or toe wounds that don't heal or take a longer than normal time to do so, and a noticeable decrease in the temperature of the lower leg and foot compared to the temperature of the rest of the body.

People with PAD also often have fatty buildup in the arteries of the heart and brain, which is why most people with PAD have a higher risk of death from heart attack and stroke. Left untreated, PAD can also lead to gangrene and in some cases amputation of one or both legs.

Risk Factors for PAD

Despite its seriousness, many people are unaware of PAD. Even if they are aware of it, they often mistake the symptoms of PAD for something else. For example, they may dismiss leg pain as a normal sign of aging, or mistake it for arthritis or sciatica or simply the stiffness associated with growing older. People with diabetes can also confuse PAD pain with a neuropathy, a common diabetic symptom characterized by a burning or painful discomfort of the feet or thighs. Being able to recognize the risk factors for PAD is therefore an important step in minimizing the potential health problems PAD can cause.

The most common risk factor is aging, since the incidence of PAD starts to significantly increase at age 50 and above. If you fall into this age group, consider making PAD screening a part of your regular physical examination with your doctor. Other risk factors include physical inactivity, diabetes, being overweight or obese, having high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure, and cigarette smoking.

Getting Tested For PAD

If you have any of the risk factors discussed above, you should be tested for PAD as soon as possible. PAD testing is easy for your doctor to perform and usually begins with a physical examination in which your doctor will look for weak pulses in your legs. The [bold] ankle-brachial index (ABI) test [end bold] is also usually performed. This is a painless and inexpensive exam that compares the blood pressure in your feet to the blood pressure in your arms, allowing your doctor to determine how well your blood is flowing. Normally, the ankle pressure is at least 90 percent of the arm pressure, but with severe narrowing it may be less than 50 percent. If an ABI reveals an abnormal ratio between the blood pressure of the ankle and arm, you may need more testing. These can include:

Doppler and Ultrasound (Duplex) Imaging: a non-invasive method that visualizes the artery with sound waves and measures the blood flow in an artery to indicate the presence of a blockage.

Computed Tomographic Angiography: a non-invasive test that can show the arteries in your abdomen, pelvis and legs. This test is particularly useful in patients with pacemakers or stents.

Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA): a non-invasive test that gives information similar to that of a CT without using X-rays. Angiography can also be used, but it's usually reserved for use in conjunction with treatment. During this test a contrast agent is injected into the artery and X-rays are taken that show arteries in the legs and reveal any blockages that may be present.

Preventing and Treating PAD

In most cases, PAD can be prevented by a combination of a healthy diet and regular physical exercise. A healthy diet is one that is rich in a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, poultry, and lean meats, as well as whole grains and other complex carbohydrates (eaten sparingly), and low on unhealthy fats, sugars, artificial sweeteners and other food additives and preservatives, and soft drinks, alcoholic and caffeine beverages.

Even more than healthy eating, regular exercise is essential for both preventing and helping to reverse PAD. If you are diagnosed with PAD, your doctor may recommend a program of supervised exercise training for you. You may have to begin slowly, but simple walking regimens, leg exercises and treadmill exercise programs three times a week usually can usually produce significant health benefits in as little as four to eight weeks. Note, however, that an exercise program for PAD needs to take into account the fact that walking causes pain. Such a program should alternate exercise and rest in intervals to build up the amount of time you can walk before the pain sets in. Ideally, this type of exercise program should be undertaken in a rehabilitation center on a treadmill and monitored. If it isn't possible to go to a rehabilitation center, ask your healthcare professional to help you plan a program that's best suited to your individual needs.

If you smoke, it is absolutely essential that you stop. If need be, seek professional assistance to help you quit. Otherwise you are simply asking for trouble.

Certain nutritional supplements can also help to prevent and reverse PAD, especially those that act as natural anti-inflammatory agents, since inflammation is one of the primary causes of the arterial damage associated with PAD. Useful nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, magnesium, and fish oil capsules, which are rich in essential fatty acids that help to prevent and neutralize inflammation in the body.

Depending on the severity of PAD conditions, medications may also be needed, such as anti-cholesterol drugs and drugs that act as anti-platelets, meaning that they help protect against unhealthy blood clots. Other drugs may also be prescribed to improve your ability to exercise for longer periods without pain.

In some cases, PAD can cause blockages in the arteries that are so severe that they may require angioplasty or surgery. Your doctor can inform you about these procedures should they be necessary.

Now that you understand the dangers of PAD, take action to keep it at bay and work with your doctor to monitor your process. Doing so might literally save your life.

Fats That Can Help You Lose Weight

For many years we’ve all been told that a low-fat diet is an important element of a successful weight-loss plan. As it turns out, however, this isn’t necessarily so. The most current research shows that when it comes to weight loss, and good health in general, what’s most important is the type of fats that we consume.

Although there are many types of fats, they basically fall into three categories: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated. According to most health researchers, the first two categories of fats, especially when they are consumed in high amounts, are not healthy. Saturated fats have been linked to heart disease and elevated cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats have been shown in animal studies to potentially cause cancer. When consumed regularly, fats in both of these categories can also cause unhealthy weight gain and obesity, as well as various other health problems. (A fourth class of fats, known as trans-fats, are the unhealthiest of all fats and should be avoided altogether.)

For this reason, most health professionals today recommend the use of monounsaturated fats. One of the most common and healthiest sources of monounsaturated fats is olive oil.

Long-term studies of people whose primary source of fat intake is olive oil have shown that they tend to be healthier than people whose diets consist primarily of saturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Healthy as monounsaturated fats are, however, there is another class of fats that have physicians and researchers excited because the significant health benefits they provide, including weight loss!

These fats, which are derived from plants, are known as medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT oils. MCTs were first isolated in the early 1950s by Dr. Vigen K. Babayan, a Director of Research of the Nutrition/Metabolism Lab at Harvard Medical School. Today, there are literally hundreds of published scientific studies that attest to the health properties of MCTs.

Unlike other fats, MCTs are not easily stored as fat by the human body. This makes them ideal for use by people who have problems digesting and metabolizing ordinary fats. In addition, since MCTs are stored as fat in the body they can be used immediately by the body to produce energy. In fact, research shows that MCTs are a powerful food source of energy in the body, able to provide more than double the amount of energy that the body receives from glucose, its primary energy source. In addition, unused MCTs circulate in the bloodstream, where they can quickly be called upon by the body for its future energy needs. Because of the boost in energy that MCTs provide, many world-class athletes today use MCT oils to enhance their performance.

When it comes to weight loss, MCTs can be helpful in a variety of ways. First, research has shown that consuming MCTs helps to stimulate the body’s ability to covert fat into body heat, a process known as thermogenesis. The more efficiently that the body is able to initiate the thermogenesis process, the easier it is for it to shed excess fat stored in cells and tissues. In addition to stimulating thermogenesis, research shows that MCTs can also help to reduce the amount of fat already stored in body cells in other ways, even when a person’s consumption of calories remains the same. Finally, researchers have also found that people who supplement with MCT oils often are able to reduce their overall food intake without feeling deprived. This helps to prevent overeating and makes losing weight easier to achieve.

But weight loss and energy gain aren’t the only health benefits that MCTs can provide. Other studies have repeatedly shown that, unlike other types of fats and oils, MCTs don’t cause cholesterol levels to rise. In addition, MCTs can also help to improve the ratio between HDL (“good”) cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, meaning that it offer cardiovascular benefits. Other studies have shown that MCT oil has an anti-bacterial effect. Animal studies suggest that MCTs may even be able to reduce the incidence of breast tumors.

Since MCT oil is listed in the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) for Non-Prescription Drugs, it may be available from your local pharmacy without a prescription. However, most pharmacies do not keep it stock. Fortunately, due to increasing awareness of the health benefits that MCTs can provide, MCT oils and supplements can be found at most health food stores across the country.

There are two ways to gain the benefits of MCT oils. You can take MCT supplements, slowly increasing your daily intake to 100 to 150 grams a day. Or you can use MCT oil as a substitute for butter, other oils, and salad dressings. Note, however, that MCT oil is generally not suitable for frying since it decomposes at a lower temperature than most fats. MCT oils also should not be heated above 375 degrees F.

Caution: When beginning to use MCT oil, start with a small quantity and gradually increase your dose to no more than 150 gram a day. Some individuals who abruptly switch from conventional fats to relatively large MCT may experience temporary symptoms of digestive upset and diarrhea. This is usually caused by the anti-bacterial actions of MCTs as they kill off intestinal bacteria. These problems usually go away within a few days once the body becomes accustomed to MCT supplementation.

Finally, if you suffer from a serious medical condition, be sure to consult with your physician before using MCTs or any other type of health supplement.

Unabashed Plug

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Self-Care Tips for Preventing and Reversing Tendonitis

Tendonitis is a condition in which the tendon, a fibrous chord that attaches a muscle to a bone or a muscle to another muscle, develops inflammation. Inflammation can occur to the tendon itself or to the lining of the tendon called the tendonous sheath, although usually the inflammation occurs in both areas simultaneously.

Symptoms

Tendons are usually very painful and tender to the touch, and pain also occurs as a result of movement of the involved joint. Often the joint motion becomes restricted because of the pain and the abnormal changes to the tendons themselves that affect movement. The pain can become very severe depending on the degree of inflammation, and can radiate to the joints above and below affected joint. In addition, the inflamed tendons can have a “creaking” quality due to “friction rubs” from the inflammation itself, and may become swollen. Bone enlargement around the affected tendon can also occur.

Types

There are two types of tendonitis: inflammation of the tendons themselves, and inflammation of the tendonous sheath that lines the tendons.

Causes

Tendonitis can be caused by decreased circulation to the tendons due to repeated or chronic trauma. The most common cause of tendonitis is repeated or extreme trauma in the form of excessive exercise and/or strain. Certain diseases can also cause tendonitisi, such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders, gout, Reiter’s syndrome (an inflammatory syndrome), excessively high blood cholesterol levels, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Self-Care

Treatment of tendonitis needs to include immobilization of the affected area, compresses with cold or heat, oral and topical pain relievers, and therapeutic exercise, which should increase as joint becomes better and is able to tolerate increased movement.

Diet: Avoidance of the members of the nightshade family of plants (white potato, tomato, eggplant, all peppers except black, and tobacco); if restricted for a long time, over years, this may be effective. Assessment and treatment of food allergies is imperative, as inflammation may be aggravated by food allergies in many people.

Flower Essences: Rescue Remedy Cream® applied topically over the affected areas can soothe pain and speed healing.

Herbs: Combine equal parts of the tinctures of willow bark, cramp bark, and prickly ash and take one teaspoon of this mixture three times a day.

Homeopathy: Useful homeopathic remedies include Aconite, Thuja, Ruta grav., Belladonna, and Apis mel.

Hydrotherapy: Apply alternating hot and cold packs to the affected area one to three times daily Epsom salt baths can also be helpful.

Nutritional Supplementation: Useful nutrients for tendonitis include vitamin B complex, vitamin B6, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, vitamin E, bromelain, essential fatty acids, cod liver oil, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and D-phenylalanine.

Topical Treatment: Massage the affected areas with a mixture of salt and vinegar, then wrap with several layers of gauze or muslin soaked with this mixture.

Professional Care

If your symptoms persist despite the above measures, seek the help of a qualified health professional. The following professional care therapies have all been shown to be useful for treatingtendonitis: Acupressure, Acupuncture, Bodywork, Biofeedback Training, Chiropractic, Craniosacral Therapy, Detoxification Therapy, Energy Medicine (Light Beam Generator, Ondamed, TENS), Magnetic Field Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Neural Therapy, Osteopathy, Oxygen Therapy (Hyperbaric oxygen therapy), Prolotherapy and Yoga.

Note: The information above was adapted from Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide, 2^nd Edition, co-authored and edited by Larry Trivieri, Jr. (Celestial Arts, 2002).

Unabashed Plug

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Recommendations

Books
The American Holistic Medical Association Guide to Holistic Health by Larry Trivieri, Jr. Even though I am the author of this book, I still believe that it provides the best information about the most common therapies employed by holistic physicians. It is also the only book ever to be officially endorsed by the American Holistic Health Association, one of the oldest and most reputable organizations of its kind.

Jumpstart Your Metabolism by Pam Grout. This book is an excellent primer on the importance of proper breathing and how deep breathing exercises can dramatically improve your metabolism. I’ve been experimenting with the various breathing exercises Grout provides and they really work.

Websites
http://tinyurl.com/5sq48y - The Health Minister of Canada wants to treat food and nutritional supplement products like pharmaceutical products and legislation is pending that would allow him to do so. All in the name of public safety, of course. Meanwhile, one of the bill’s opponents says, "[T]he requirements to get market authorization [for natural products] will be so onerous, [as will] the restrictions on being able to have these products in the marketplace, that these products are just going to be illegal in the marketplace or will be removed from the marketplace." Is he right? Time will tell.

http://www.healthtruthrevealed.com - This site has a number of interesting health articles. I recommend Hiding The truth About Cancer. I don’t agree with its owners’ “end times” fundamentalist mindset, however.

Medical Freedom

Please contact and support the following organizations dedicated to protecting our health freedoms.

Citizens for Health - http://www.citizens.org

Alliance for Natural Health – http://www.alliance-natural-health.org (The leading organization fighting to preserve health f/r/e/edom in England and the EU.)

Institute for Health Freedom – http://www.ForHealthF/r/e/edom.org

International Advocates for Health Freedom (IAHF) – http://www.iahf.com

And to learn how corrupt and extensive Big Pharma’s monopoly is, visit http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/online/research/index.html the website for the Campaign Against Fraudulent Medical Research. In particular, read their in-depth report The Pharmaceutical Drug Racket that you will find there.

That’s all for this week.

Health and Blessings!

Larry Trivieri, Jr.

Contact Information: Due to the inordinate amount of spam this email account receives, I no longer use it to receive emails. To contact me, visit www.1healthyworld.com/contactus

Disclaimer: The Health Plus Letter is a weekly eZine published by Larry Trivieri, Jr. and Library of Health, LLC (dba www.1healthyworld.com) 3 Greenwood Court, Utica, NY 13501. It is made available without charge for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care. If you are experiencing a health problem, seek prompt medical attention.

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Legal Notice: The information in this eZine may be freely and widely disseminated so long as full attribution is made as follows: The Health Plus Letter, May 15, 2008, Vol. 6, No. 8. Copyright © 2008 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.

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