Mormon Fasting may be Heart Healthy

As reported by the Associated Press...

"A recent study reports that Mormons have less heart disease — something doctors have long chalked up to their religion's ban on smoking. New research suggests that another of their "clean living" habits also may be helping their hearts: fasting for one day each month.

A study in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based, found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast.

People did not have to "get religion" to benefit: non-Mormons who regularly took breaks from food also were less likely to have clogged arteries, scientists found.

They concede that their study is far from proof that periodic fasting is good for anyone, but said the benefit they observed poses a theory that deserves further testing.

"It might suggest these are people who just control eating habits better," and that this discipline extends to other areas of their lives that improves their health, said Benjamin Horne, a heart disease researcher from Intermountain Medical Center and the
University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

He led the study and reported results at a recent American Heart Association conference. The research was partly funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Roughly 70 per cent of Utah residents are Mormons, whose religion advises abstaining from food on the first Sunday of each month, Horne said.

Lower incidence of heart disease

Researchers got the idea to study fasting after analyzing medical records of patients who had X-ray exams to check for blocked heart arteries between 1994 and 2002 in the Intermountain Health Collaborative Study, a health registry. Of these patients, 4,629 could be diagnosed as clearly having or lacking heart disease — an artery at least 70 per cent clogged.

Researchers saw a pattern: only 61 per cent of Mormons had heart disease compared to 66 per cent of non-Mormons. They thought tobacco use probably accounted for the difference. But after taking smoking into account, they still saw a lower rate of heart disease among Mormons and designed a survey to explore why.

It asked about Mormons' religious practices: monthly fasting; avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol; taking a weekly day of rest; going to church, and donating time or money to charity.

Among the 515 people surveyed, only fasting made a significant difference in heart risks: 59 per cent of periodic meal skippers were diagnosed with heart disease versus 67 per cent of the others. The difference persisted even when researchers took weight, age and conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol or blood pressure into account.

About eight per cent of those surveyed were not Mormons, and those who regularly fasted had lower rates of heart disease, too.

Body in calorie-burn mode

Horne speculated that when people take a break from food, it forces the body to dip into fat reserves to burn calories. It also keeps the body from being constantly exposed to sugar and having to make insulin to metabolize it.

When people develop diabetes, insulin-producing cells become less sensitive to cues from eating, so fasting may provide brief rests that resensitize these cells and make them work better, he said.

But Horne and other doctors cautioned that skipping meals is not advised for diabetics — it could cause dangerous swings in blood sugar.

Also for dieters, "the news is not as good as you might think" on fasting, said Dr. Raymond Gibbons of the Mayo Clinic, a former heart association president.

"Fasting resets the metabolic rate," slowing it down to adjust to less food and forcing the body to store calories as soon as people resume eating, Gibbons said."

Low Levels of Weekly Exercise Lower Blood Pressure

According to a recent article by ScienceDaily...

"Even low levels of weekly exercise drive down blood pressure and boost overall fitness, suggests a small study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

To stave off ill health, adults are currently recommended to indulge in 30 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise on at least five days of the week.

But few people meet these recommendations, with lack of time cited as the most common reason for failing to do so.

The study authors invited 106 healthy but sedentary civil servants between the ages of 40 and 60 to take part in an exercise programme for 12 weeks. Some 44 people were randomly assigned to 30 minutes of brisk walking on five days of the week. A further 42 were given the same programme, but for three days of the week. And the remainder were not asked to change their current lifestyle.

Pedometers were used to help participants monitor their walking and every participant recorded how long they walked for.

Blood pressure, blood cholesterol, weight, hip and waist girth, and overall fitness (functional capacity) were all measured at the start and finish of the 12 week study. Most people (89%) lasted the course.

There were no changes in any of the measures among the non-walkers. But systolic blood pressure and waist and hip girth fell significantly in both groups of walkers. Overall fitness also increased in the walkers.

Falls of a few mm in blood pressure and shrinkage of a few centimetres in hip and waist circumference are enough to make a difference to an individual's risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease, say the authors. Furthermore, the findings show that moderate intensity physical exercise below the recommended weekly levels still makes a difference to health, they add."

Adapted from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal.

Aircraft Noise Linked to High Blood Pressure

According to a recent Reuters Health article... "Living under an airport flight path may boost a person's high blood pressure risk by as much as 80%, according to Swedish researchers.

Writing in the December issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dr. Mats Rosenlund of the Department of Environmental Health in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues present their findings after comparing two groups of people living near or far from the Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

The researchers compared 266 people aged 19 to 80 who lived near the airport with 2,693 other Stockholm residents. All responded to a questionnaire that assessed a variety of lifestyle habits, such as diet, exercise and smoking, and if they had ever received a diagnosis of high blood pressure from a doctor.

Rosenlund and colleagues report that people exposed to average aircraft noise levels of 55 decibels or higher were 60% more likely to report having been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Those with exposures exceeding 72 decibels were 80% more likely to report a high blood pressure diagnosis.

Overall, 14% of people exposed to less noise had high blood pressure, compared with 20% of those who regularly faced noise levels of 55 decibels or higher.

The findings suggest that exposure to loud noise is associated with high blood pressure, which in turn suggests aircraft noise could increase heart disease risk, Rosenlund and colleagues report."

Chocolate Improves Blood Flow

Chocolate lovers, take heart: A Japanese study finds that flavonoid-rich dark chocolate can improve coronary blood flow.

The study looked at what's known as coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), an indicator of the ability of the coronary arteries to dilate and allow more blood flow in response to medications.

The two-week trial included 39 healthy adults, average age 29, who ate either 550 milligrams per day of dark chocolate versus white chocolate with no flavonoids.

The researchers used Doppler echocardiography to assess CFVR at the start and end of the study. They also measured the participants' blood pressure, blood lipids and two markers of oxidative stress.

Participants who ate dark chocolate showed significantly improved CFVR after two weeks, while those who ate white chocolate showed no change, the study found.

"Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate intake had acute effects in improving coronary function in healthy adults, as compared to non-flavonoid white chocolate, independent of changes in oxidative stress parameters, blood pressure and lipid profile," wrote the researchers from Chiba University.

However, they noted that difficulties in blinding (preventing participants from knowing which kind of chocolate they were eating) may have affected the results.

Even though you may think that this study might give you the green light to start chowing down on chocolate, be careful since too much chocolate can pack on the pounds and do more harm than help.

Whole Grain Breakfast Cereals May Lower Risk of Heart Failure For Men

A recent study in the October 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, reports men who consume a higher amount of whole grain breakfast cereals may have a reduced risk of heart failure.

"The lifetime risk of heart failure is estimated at 20 percent (one in five) for both men and women aged 40 years," according to background information in the article. Studies have suggested that the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) and mortality can be reduced with a diet rich in grain products.

According to the study's authors, "Our data demonstrate that a higher intake of whole grain breakfast cereals is associated with a lower risk of heart failure," the authors conclude. This association may be due to the beneficial effects of whole grains on heart failure risk factors such as hypertension, myocardial infarction [heart attack], diabetes mellitus and obesity. "If confirmed in other studies, a higher intake of whole grains along with other preventive measures could help lower the risk of heart failure."

If you want to learn how to pick the best healthy whole grain cereal, click here.

Halt the Salt

Salt -- also known as sodium chloride -- is key for regulating fluids in the body. But too much can cause high blood pressure. The average American consumes 3,353 milligrams of sodium every day -- more than twice what the Institute of Medicine says is adequate for healthy people and 1,000 milligrams more than the recommended maximum.

Salt added by home cooks or at the dinner table accounts for only about 10 percent of total sodium intake. Some 75 percent of the salt consumed in the United States is found in processed foods bought at a grocery store, vending machine, restaurant or fast-food franchise.

In a historic first,The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, an industry group, co-sponsored a conference to encourage food companies, restaurants, health professionals and government agencies to help Americans stay below the 2,300-milligram daily limit set by the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

According to CSPI's executive director, Michael F. Jacobson, "Reducing the amount of salt in processed foods and restaurant foods is perhaps the single most important thing we could do to reduce blood pressure and the incidence of heart attacks and strokes in this country and around the world," Jacobson says. "It's something that the food industry and government regulators are taking increasingly seriously."

Hypertension Drugs of Choice Carry Undesirable Side Effects

Dr. Gabe Mirkin reveals that...

"Several studies show that the drugs of choice to treat high blood pressure for most North Americans are calcium channel blockers and angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

The American Heart Association recommends beta blockers and diuretics as first-line treatment for people with high blood pressure. Beta blockers can cause impotence, tiredness at rest and during exercise, weight gain, and they increase risk for diabetes. Diuretics make you tired. Furthermore, a study from Sweden shows that beta blockers increase risk of strokes. There is no data to show they prevent heart attacks in healthy people.

Other studies have recommended different combinations and the combination with the fewest side effects includes a calcium channel blocker and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Long-acting calcium channel blockers relax blood vessels, while angiotensin II receptor antagonists block a blood vessel-constricting hormone released by the kidneys (4).

Many people can control high blood pressure with diet and other lifestyle changes if they are sufficiently motivated. If you suffer from high blood pressure, go on my modified DASH diet and start an exercise program to help you lose weight. If that doesn't reduce your blood pressure to normal, I think that the drugs of choice are angiotensin II receptor antagonists. If your blood pressure is still high, add a calcium channel blocker.

BETA BLOCKERS include: Betapace, Blocadren, Brevibloc, Cartrol, Inderal, Kerlone, Levatol, Lopressor, Sectral, Tenormin, Toprol, Zebeta.
ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS: Atacand, Avapro, Cozaar, Diovan.
CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS: Adalat, Calan, Cardizem, Covera, Dilacor, DynaCirc, Isoptin, Nimotop Norvasc, Plendil, Procardia, Sular, Tiazac, Vascor, Verelan
ALPHA BLOCKERS: Cardura, Dibenzyline, Hytrin, Minipres.

1) DA Edelman, RA Paul. Does combination therapy with a calcium channel blocker and an ace inhibitor have additive effects on blood pressure reduction? International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2000, Vol 54, Iss 2, pp 105-109.

2) NEJM, March 30, 2000.

3) Lancet, October 29, 2005.

4) JAMA, 2000;283:1967-1975."

Breathing Technique can Lower Blood Pressure

There are a number of nonpharmacologic therapies that can lower blood pressure. Weight loss, stress reduction, salt restriction, regular exercise, biofeedback and even regular meditation have been shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure.

Specific breathing techniques also may reduce high blood pressure. Many of these breathing techniques have been used in meditation as well as martial art training for thousands of years. These breathing techniques were believed to increase lung capacity, enhance cardiac and circulatory function, reduce stress and promote an overall relaxed state of being.

In recent research from Brazil, published in the Archives of Brazilian Cardiology, participants with essential hypertension were able to significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by practicing specific breathing techniques daily for a month. These breathing exercises focused on breathing more slowly and deeply.

In this study, blood pressure dropped from an average of 135/99 to 124/81. In addition, total lung capacity also increased. This was the first study to show that practicing breathing exercises, over time, can reduce high blood pressure.

Zona Health will be offering a breathing and meditation program (along with nutrition, fitness and Zona Training) in it’s soon to be published book (The Zona Method) later this year.

Joe "Cool" Montana's Next Big Game

Joe Montana had a Hall of Fame career throwing touchdown passes, eluding defenders, leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories and posting some impressive statistics in the process.

But after retirement, the quarterback known as "Joe Cool" for his calm demeanor under pressure on the field had to face another kind of pressure off of it: hypertension.

The former quarterback learned about five years ago that he himself has the medical condition, which can lead to heart disease.

He has joined forces with noted cardiologist James Rippe, M.D. to educate the public about high blood pressure. Click here to see a recent interview.

Chronic Anger May Contribute to High Blood Pressure

A recent study in the Annals of Family Medicine shows that getting angry on a regular basis may shorten the path to heart disease in men with prehypertension (blood pressure above normal but less than the high blood pressure range).

Data came from 2,334 U.S. adults aged 48-67. They were followed for four to eight years during the 1990s.

Compared with less angry men, chronically angry men with prehypertension were moderately more likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease during the study.

The same wasn't true of women, perhaps because few women developed heart disease during the study, note Marty Player, MD, colleagues. For men and women alike, long-term psychological stress was linked to heart disease. The results didn't change when the researchers factored in participants' age, sex, race, smoking status, and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

The take away message is if you find you get angry often, you need to find ways to eliminate or control it better.

Watching TV May Help Improve Blood Pressure

A new study by researchers at the University of Southern California suggests that some TV may be good for you.

According to researchers found that a storyline on the primetime NBC network drama ER that dealt with teen obesity, hypertension and healthy eating habits had a positive impact on the attitudes and behaviors of viewers, particularly among men.

The study, published in the Sept. 14 Journal of Health Communication and now available online, offered researchers a rare opportunity to evaluate the impact of health messages in entertainment, says Thomas W. Valente, Ph.D., associate professor of preventive medicine and member of the Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Research (IPR) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

“This study demonstrates the importance of interventions and programs targeted at a population level,” says Valente. “We have so many public heath issues to deal with, we can’t restrict ourselves to any one strategy. We have to do everything and anything we can to help people improve their health.”

The storyline depicted an African-American teen who is diagnosed with hypertension during a visit to the emergency room and is advised to eat more fruits and vegetables and to get more exercise. The story aired over three episodes from April 29 to May 13, 2004.

Results showed that ER viewers were 65 percent more likely to report a positive change in their behavior after watching the episodes. The results also suggested that the storyline had modest impacts on knowledge, attitudes and practices, Valente notes. Those who watched ER also had a five percent higher rate of knowledge about nutrition than those who did not. Researchers accounted for a number of factors, including age, sex, ethnicity, income and education.

Based on your previous post on the impact posture may have on blood pressure, if you are watching a TV program with a positive health message....sit up straight!

Bad Posture Could Raise your Blood Pressure

According to an article in the New Scientist there is research that shows that poor posture may be responsible for raising your blood pressure...

"A link between the muscles in the neck, blood pressure and heart rate has long been suspected. Now Jim Deuchars and colleagues at the University of Leeds, UK, have found a direct neural connection between these neck muscles and a part of the brainstem - called the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) - which plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure.

Deuchars's team was using mice to investigate how the brain responds to a variety of stimulatory and inhibitory proteins. They noticed that a group of brain cells connected to the neck muscles kept firing in response to both types of proteins, suggesting the cells played a very active role in the brain.

"The cells lit up time and time again, so we looked at what they were doing," says team member Ian Edwards. It turned out that these cells are also connected to the NTS (The Journal of Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0638-07.2007).

Edwards says the finding could explain why blood pressure and heart rate sometimes change when the neck muscles are injured - through whiplash, for example. Similarly, it is possible that hours spent hunched over a computer may raise blood pressure. "The pathway exists for bad posture to really have an effect," Edwards says."

Coffee and Hypertension

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition describes the link between drinking coffee and the diagnosis of high blood pressure. In this study from Finland , 24,000 without hypertension were assessed over a 13-year period. During this time 2500 of them started antihypertensive treatment. The likelihood of being prescribed a blood pressure-lowering drug was increased in low-to-moderate coffee drinkers (two to seven 100 mL cups a day), but there was no increased likelihood in those drinking about one cup a day, or those drinking more than 8 cups a day.

The results indicate that more than one "cup of joe" a day may be a factor in the development of hypertension.

Lower your Blood Pressure with Foods, Supplements and Herbs

According to an article by Dr. Maxine Barish-Wreden and Dr. Kay Judge, there are some smart foods, supplements and herbs that can help you lower your blood pressure naturally.

Here the list of common supplements and herbs that can lower your blood pressure:

• Fish oil (EPA/DHA) has been shown in several small studies to modestly lower blood pressure; doses used were 3-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day (also good for your heart and triglyceride levels).
  
  
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This plant-based precursor to EPA/DHA is found in flaxseed, canola and soybean oils, walnuts, green leafy veggies and chocolate (yes!). Higher dietary levels of ALA are associated with lower blood pressure.
  
  
• Protein and fiber. One small study in Australia showed that soy protein and soluble fiber (psyllium) together produced a significant drop in blood pressure.
  
  
• Extra-virgin olive oil may help to reduce blood pressure.
  
  
• Calcium supplements may lower blood pressure in some people; 500 mg three times daily with meals is an average dose.
  
  
• Garlic. Several small studies have shown that the dried garlic product Kwai can modestly lower blood pressure.
  
  
• Coenzyme Q10, 60-100 mg twice daily, has been shown to lower blood pressure.
  
  
• The polyphenols in chocolate (especially dark chocolate) can also help to lower blood pressure; just watch out for the calories.

Sleep-Deprived Women at Risk of Developing High Blood Pressure

If you are a woman that is not getting enough sleep you are are at greater risk than men for developing high blood pressure or hypertension.

"A study, published in the journal Hypertension, revealed women who slept five hours or less were twice as likely to suffer from hypertension as women who slept seven hours or more a night. There was no difference between those men sleeping less than five hours and those sleeping seven hours or more.

The research team analyzed data from a study of volunteers from 20 civil service departments based in London. The sample included 6,592 participants -- more than 4,000 men and more than 1,500 women.

Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The Warwick team defined hypertension as blood pressure equal to or higher than 140/90 mm Hg -- or if the subject made regular use of blood pressure medications."

If you are a woman, make sure you are getting at least 5 hours of sleep per night.