TriVita Article on Loneliness and Heart Health

Can loneliness kill you? According to medical science, yes it can!

As humans, we need each other. Children die when they are deprived of human contact and even young adults have significantly higher blood pressure if they feel lonely. This high blood pressure can follow them into middle age where they are far more likely to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and diabetes.

Adults cope better – especially women – but the diseases of emotional famine disable many people. Conditions that have been linked to loneliness include:

• Chronic back pain
• Ulcers
• Migraine headaches

The good news is that many of these problems subside when a person feels connected to a community. Indeed, it is only in community that you can experience life in its robust diversity.

Loneliness and the heart
Emotional turmoil causes an inflammatory reaction in the circulatory system. The blood vessels stiffen and your heart has difficulty pumping blood. Blood pressure increases and the increase damages delicate organs, such as the lungs, kidneys, eyes, and especially the blood vessels themselves. That’s why heart attacks and strokes are so common among lonely people.

Interestingly, the illnesses suffered by lonely, bored, and emotionally starved people are the same as those experienced by people under great emotional stress, such as those engaged in active combat in war. Both extremes – too much stimulation and too little – trigger the “fight or flight” mechanism. This emergency/survival mechanism interferes with the enzymes that block inflammation. Inflammation is like a heavy burden on an over-taxed system: the weakest link is sure to break!

Many people in North America have weakened their hearts with high salt/high fat foods, a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and chronic stress. Loneliness adds a burden that is just too much for the human body to take – the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back – and a heart attack, stroke, or other crisis becomes inevitable. That’s the medical description for the impact of loneliness. How can we prevent this chain of events from killing us?

Women save humanity – again!
Interestingly, the amount of time spent alone does not determine the degree of loneliness. For instance, undergraduate students rated their loneliness and then reported on their social interactions and other habits throughout the school year. Those most lonely and those least lonely did not spend significantly more or less time in social contacts with others. The lonely students did, however, perceive that their social contact made demands of them that they simply could not meet.

The same report shed light on an interesting phenomenon: spending time talking with women – for both sexes – provided protection from feelings of loneliness. Many theories have been advanced to explain this but consensus from scientists appears elusive. Communication styles differ between men and women. Men seem to prefer transactional conversations while women typically exemplify negotiation, compromise, empathy, and forgiveness.

When feelings of loneliness are eliminated, high blood pressure is reduced. For instance, normal systolic blood pressure is about 120 mm/hg. Chronically lonely people typically experience an increase in blood pressure that may take them above 150 mm/hg (the “danger” zone is any systolic pressure above 140 mm/hg). Social integration yields a reduction in blood pressure of 10 to 30 mm/hg. As a comparison, achieving a weight loss of 25 pounds or more for the obese can reduce their blood pressure by 5 to 20 mm/hg and regular physical exercise reduces blood pressure by 4 to 9 mm/hg.

It is even as Robert McAfee Brown noted, “How does one keep from ‘growing old inside?’ Surely only in community.”

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 17, 2007

Manage Blood Pressure To Help Manage Your Health

Quick: What’s your blood pressure (BP)? If you have no idea, you might also be in the dark about some serious effects of unmanaged high blood pressure (HBP), also called hypertension. Grave conditions like heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure can be caused by HBP, so it’s important to know where you stand.

Just what is blood pressure? It’s the force of blood pushing against our artery walls as our heart pumps out blood. If this pressure is too high for too long, it can damage our arteries, over-work our heart and damage other major organs. What’s worse: HBP usually has no symptoms, so you might be unaware of the damage it’s doing.

Get to know your numbers
When a blood pressure measurement is taken, two things are measured: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. This is then expressed as a number, such as 120/70 (120 over 70). The first number, systolic, is the pressure when the heart is pumping blood; the second number, diastolic, is the pressure when the heart rests between beats.

This table from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute shows normal numbers for adults (18 and over), and which numbers put you at greater risk for health problems.

Categories for blood pressure levels in adults

CATEGORY	SYSTOLIC (top number)		DIASTOLIC (bottom number)
Normal	Less than 120	And	Less than 80
Prehypertension	120–139	Or	80–89
High blood pressure
Stage 1	140–159	Or	90–99
Stage 2	160 or higher	Or	100 or higher

Note: If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, HBP is defined as 130/80 or higher. HBP numbers also differ for children and teens.

Age does make a difference: blood pressure tends to rise as we get older, making it even more important to keep it under control. If you’re a male older than 45 or a female older than 55, your risk for HBP is higher. About one-third of U.S. adults have HBP.

“White coat hypertension”: truth or myth?
There is a real health syndrome called “white coat hypertension” that has to do with medical checkups. Some people’s blood pressure readings are high only when they visit their healthcare provider’s office because they’re nervous or anxious. In these cases, the person might be asked to monitor their blood pressure at home, or to wear a device for a short time that takes blood pressure every 30 minutes. If you’re familiar enough with your numbers to know that your first reading is high (you may have to ask), request another reading at the end of your visit.

Taking the pressure off
If you have HBP, your healthcare provider may recommend lifestyle changes to help keep it under control, including:

• Following a healthy eating plan
• Getting enough physical activity
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Managing and learning to cope with stress

As research continues into HBP, science is also discovering some “tasty” ways to help take the pressure off, including these fascinating findings:

• Steering clear of table salt? Don’t pass on the potassium or magnesium at the same time. A recent review in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that the numbers go down when we boost our intake of fruits and vegetables like squash, bananas, dates and spinach.
• Chocolate-lovers, rejoice: Yale University researchers have found more evidence that antioxidants in dark chocolate can help lower BP.

If you don’t know your blood pressure, February’s Heart Health Month is the perfect time to give your heart a “valentine”: find out and, if needed, take action.

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 2009 pg 14.

Lose Weight, Lighten Up… To Help Your Heart!

dropping excess fat is an important first step to reducing your heart disease risk

As you probably know, a big risk for heart disease is excessive weight. Not only does it increase the strain on the heart but it also contributes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. A high-fat diet combined with little or no exercise is a major factor in rising cholesterol levels and heart disease.

In the United States, approximately one-third of the adult population weighs 20% or more over their ideal weight.

Can losing weight lower your cholesterol levels?

Being overweight has been shown to increase total cholesterol levels. It can also cause your cholesterol levels to get out of balance, raising levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol that clogs blood vessels and lowering levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by raising blood pressure and straining the heart.

Do you weigh more than you should?

Most of us have done the simple “mirror test” – we simply look in the mirror and see if we are overweight. If you can pinch an inch at your waist, chances are you need to lose weight. Also, if you weigh 10 to 15 pounds more than you did when you were 20, you may need to drop some weight with the help of the Leanology® Weight Loss System and lifestyle changes.

What is your ideal weight?

Your ideal weight is determined by lean body mass (everything but fat) plus the amount of fat you need for good health. This ranges from 10%-18% of total body weight for men and 18%-25% of total body weight for women. A health professional can estimate your own percentage by measuring your body fat with a skinfold caliper.

How body shape impacts heart health

Recent research suggests that heart health can be affected as much by body shape as by weight. For example, people whose waists are nearly as large as or larger than their hips have a higher rate of heart disease.

To determine your waist-to-hip ratio, measure your waist just above the navel. Measure your hips at their widest. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. A waist-to-hip ratio greater than 0.8 for women and 0.95 for men indicates higher heart disease risk.

The different kinds of body fat – and their importance

Some of us carry excess weight in the hips and thighs while others carry it in the abdominal area. Several studies have indicated that excess fat in the abdominal area is more likely to cause health problems such as high cholesterol levels.

Since the measurement around your waistline reflects your level of abdominal fat, a waist measurement can provide a good clue to whether you have too much upper body fat. You may have too much abdominal fat if your waist measurement exceeds: • 40 inches for men • 35 inches for women

Fat around the heart may increase heart attack risk

A recent study from Wake Forest University indicates that having excess fat around the heart may also be a health risk. Even a thin person can have fat around the heart. Pericardial fat, or stores of fat around the heart, is known to cause higher secretion of inflammatory substances, which may accelerate the development of heart disease.

Weight control tips

• Eat more high-fiber foods, including fruits and grains.
• Use non-fat or low-fat dairy products.
• Eat only lean meats, fish, skinless poultry and low-fat vegetable proteins such as tofu.
• Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Keep serving sizes moderate and avoid second helpings.
• Get regular physical activity. Even a brisk walk is great exercise.
• Limit sugary desserts and soft drinks.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Celebrate your successes with non-food treats, such as a weekend getaway, a massage or a new look or hairstyle.

Since February is Heart Health Month, there’s never been a better time to get your weight and your health under control.

Source: TriVita VitaJournal February 2009 pg 12.

The Unexpected Benefits of Vitamin C

by Brazos Minshew, TriVita Chief Science Officer

A professor of mine once told me that newly graduated doctors have 100 cures for every disease. Experienced doctors often use one remedy for 100 diseases. It seems that this is proving to be quite true with our old friend, Vitamin C.

The Best Vitamin C
There are many types of Vitamin C. Some supplements contain diverse minerals while others contain related ingredients like bioflavonoids. There are good reasons for each of these additions. Yet, time has not proven the fancier forms to be superior to the natural, non-acidic form of Vitamin C (sodium-L-ascorbate).

The primary pathway for Vitamin C transport into the bloodstream is through the sodium transport channel. Now, sodium has a really bad reputation because many of us put too much salt (sodium chloride) on our food. But, the fruits and vegetables we eat are naturally very high in sodium. Our blood is naturally high in sodium. In fact, the sodium content of our blood is about 32 times greater than the potassium level in our blood. It is comparable to the sodium content in sea water.

Dr. Libby’s Vital C has the best profile for absorption of this important nutrient.

New Uses For an Old Remedy
Three articles in medical literature recently caught my attention.

• Toxins
  The first one was a two-year-long discussion about the protective effects of Vitamin C against pesticides and other environmental toxins. This is important because we dump 2.5 million tons of pesticides into our biosphere every year (Environmental Medicine part 4, Dr. Walter Crinnon).The discussion of Vitamin C and pesticides was published in 2007 and 2008 in the journal Toxicology and Industrial Health. It clearly shows the protective effect of large amounts of Vitamin C against common environmental toxins.
• Cholesterol
  The second article appeared in the February 2008 edition of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. It demonstrated another benefit of Vitamin C in people with elevated cholesterol. You see, Vitamin C in the liver binds excess cholesterol and drains it through the bile ducts into the intestines. Fiber in the intestines soaks up the cholesterol and carries it out of the body. If our diet does not have enough fiber to eliminate the cholesterol we will likely reabsorb it. In fact, most of the cholesterol in our bloodstream has been excreted and reabsorbed numerous times.Vitamin C binds cholesterol and takes it out of the liver. Vitamin C also helps protect the lining of blood vessels – making them like Teflon to sticky LDL cholesterol. Instead of damaging the blood vessels, oxidized LDL slides off the walls of your arteries and is carried back to the liver by HDL cholesterol.
• Blood pressure
  The third article came from the October 2008 Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypertension. It clearly showed how large reservoirs of Vitamin C can help reduce high blood pressure. Antioxidants (especially Vitamin C) may reduce poisons in the tissues called aldehydes – think of the poison formaldehyde as a good example. Poisons drive up blood pressure; Vitamin C helps drive down poisons and can result in blood pressure reduction.

Conclusion
Health is built one habit at a time. The more we learn and live the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness, the healthier we become. Essential #4 tells us to eat nutritiously – including the proper use of supplements. Science is firmly behind using nutrients and nurturing to improve the quality of our lives.

Source: TriVita Weekly Wellness Report January 24, 2009.

Trivita’s 10 Secrets To A Healthy Heart

Like the Tin Man, your heart is one of your most valuable possessions. But, it’s not as simple as going to the Wizard of Oz and asking for a new one. You only have one heart, and it’s your job to make sure it lasts. These 10 helpful hints will help increase your chances of having a strong, healthy heart. 1.The American Heart Association (AHA) has reported that testing levels of an enzyme called GGT may predict the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. High levels of GGT indicate an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. The risk is even higher for people under 60. You should be able to request the test from your doctor, along with other critical heart markers such as CRP, LDL, and Homocysteine. 2. A healthy marriage reduces job-related stress, and lowers blood pressure, according to a recent report from the AHA. Keeping blood pressure low through emotional satisfaction, healthy diet, and exercise is critical in the healthy functioning of your heart. 3. Excessive body fat at a young age is an indicator of future cardiovascular problems. As a parent, grandparent, or caregiver for the young, be sure you are supporting children’s heart health by encouraging exercise and a healthy diet. 4. For adults, excessive body weight frequently leads to cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure. High blood pressure in turn increases an already risky situation for your heart. Consult your health care provider to find your best weight range, and keep your weight at that level to avoid complications from cardiovascular problems. 5. For obese or overweight men and women, the risk of heart attack and stroke was twice as high when high blood pressure was also a factor. 6. High cholesterol levels are never healthy, but the AHA has reported that men who keep themselves physically fit can cut their risk of cardiovascular-related death in half – even if they have high cholesterol. 7. Before visiting your health care provider, you may find it helpful to take a test online to calculate your risks for heart disease. The AHA offers a free quiz at www.americanheart.org/cld. 8. Men, in particular, have a well-deserved reputation for “toughing it out” whenever something hurts. When it comes to chest pain, there is no worse course of action. Particularly after age 40, all chest pains should be evaluated by your health care provider. If chest pain persists more than two minutes, or includes a feeling of heaviness in your chest, call 911 immediately. 9. Know all the signs of heart attack. Besides chest pain, symptoms can include: shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, cold sweats, and pain in the neck or arms. (Heart attacks start slowly with mild symptoms, leading to easy dismissal.) Never ignore the signs! 10. The amino acid homocysteine – which normally is an essential and good chemical in your body – can build up to harmful levels, and requires B-12, B-6 and folic acid to bring them back to safe levels. Eating whole foods such as citrus, tomatoes and other vegetables, and supplementing your diet with B vitamins is key to lowering homocysteine and protecting your heart. Source: VitaJournal January 2007 pg 11

Study Confirms The Value Of Adaptogen 10 Plus

Our research team discovered that it helps raise nitric oxide levels – essential for good health
By Dr. Nathan S. Bryan

Nitric oxide or NO is one of the most important molecules in our body. Like a policeman directing traffic in a busy intersection, nitric oxide directs the communication between the busiest cells in the body: brain cells, blood cells, immune system cells and cells from every body system where communication is critical. Nitric oxide is so important that no organ in your body could function without it. In fact, a Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three scientists in 1998 responsible for discovering its actions. It keeps our blood pressure normal, helps us think clearly, helps our body fight off infections, and even prevents the development of blood clots and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Many of the “diseases of aging” are no more than a deficiency of nitric oxide.

Recently, my team tested Adaptogen 10 Plus for nitric oxide activity. This study helps confirm the incredible value of Adaptogen 10 Plus. We discovered that it contains natural NO metabolites that help to restore normal nitric oxide biochemistry within our body. This important benefit is in addition to its high antioxidant capacity and adaptive stress molecules.

As we age, our body gradually loses its ability to produce nitric oxide. Stress, pollution and a nutrient-deficient diet also reduce our nitric oxide reserves. A healthy diet, sleep, exercise and the rest of the 10 Essentials (see pg. 2) contribute to nitric oxide activity – and to good health!

As a professor of medicine, I supervise cardiovascular research in the heart health field. My field of specialty is nitric oxide: how to get it and how to keep it. The people in our research center suffer from a host of nitric oxide-related disorders including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease – the list seems endless.

In every case I see that the higher we can raise the nitric oxide levels, the better the patient responds. Restoring nitric oxide production has become one of the main strategies at treating and protecting against many diseases.

It makes sense that Adaptogen 10 Plus would activate a high amount of nitric oxide because research has revealed that most high-antioxidant foods nourish NO. TriVita’s Adaptogen 10 Plus helps us combat stress, a nitric oxide killer.

The amount of NO in Adaptogen 10 Plus has been shown to help protect against vascular inflammation, reduce injury from a heart attack or stroke and restore NO homeostasis (a sense of balance) in animal models. This unique blend of antioxidants and nitric oxide metabolites is essential for brain and heart health. Combining a regimen of Adaptogen 10 Plus with the 10 Essentials will help ensure optimal health.

Source: VitaJournal December 2008 pg 20.

DOES STRESS top your holiday list?

Nobody’s holiday wish list includes stress, but there it is, right at the top. It thrives on planning and shopping, get-togethers and gift-giving (and guessing), houseguests and house decorating. And all this, on top of our daily “to-do” lists for job, family and home. What’s more, we’re “supposed” to also be upbeat and joyful. Even when our nerves are jingle-jangling more than a sackful of sleigh bells, there’s pressure everywhere to be merry and bright. Stress can just take all the “happy” out of holidays – if we let it. There are proven ways to squelch stress. A good start: recognizing the causes of stress at this time of year. What’s stretching you too thin this season? Experts tell us that there are three main issues that often lead to holiday stress or depression: 1. Money If you feel strapped for cash most of the time, you probably feel worse this time of year. Between gifts and travel, food and entertainment, it’s easy to put even more strain on finances. 2. Relationships With family and other loved ones around, old tensions and resentments can flare. (See article on Forgiveness, page 18). On the other hand, being without someone close at the holidays can tend to make us feel sad or lonely. 3. Health The holiday frenzy can boost stress, which disturbs sleep and harms our health. And, the temptations of the season can steal into our exercise time while we’re eating and drinking too much. This is why it’s smart to keep (or start) taking Adaptogen 10 at this time of year. Their stress-fighting nutrients help you feel calm while they protect your health. The unwanted power of stress: How it can hurt our health Stress all by itself is not a bad thing. In fact, we need a certain amount of stress to be alive and to function. But when we get overloaded with pressure and tension, day after day, our bodies and our health can pay a high price. Doctors and researchers have found that there are strong connections between stress and these medical conditions: • Heart disease • High blood pressure • High cholesterol. We also know that too much stress, over a long period, can lead to these dangers (which can put us at risk for serious disease): • Overeating • Drinking too much alcohol • Smoking • Lack of exercise • Sleep problems • Weight gain. The good news! There are many proven techniques to help us handle stress in general, and holiday stress in particular. So when Yuletide fun seems like just another frenzied chore, relax. Take a deep breath (just like the Number One guideline on TriVita’s 10 Essentials). And remember why we celebrate this season in the first place.

Source: VitaJournal December 2007 pg 4