Cardiovascular Health
When antihypertensive drugs lose efficacy, rule out interactions with dietary supplements
Anticipating possible interactions between drugs and dietary supplements is a challenging area of integrative practice. When we think about interactions, we tend to envision risks associated with amplification of drug levels or adverse effects. However, some interactions reduce drug efficacy. Of these, pharmacokinetic interactions are the hardest to predict andRead
How a High-Fat Diet Promotes Atherosclerosis
A study in the Journal of Lipid Research finds that phospholipids found in high-fat, high-cholesterol diets promote atherosclerosis via gut bacteria interactions with the immune system.
Compound Isolated From Astragalus May Improve Outcomes For Heart Attack Patients
According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal GeroScience, an isolated compound from astragalus, an herb used in Chinese medicine to support immunity, may also reduce inflammation after a heart attack.
High Blood Pressure in Your 30s May Mean Dementia in Your 70s
A study published in JAMA Network Open finds that young people with high blood pressure tend to have worse brain health when they grow older.
The Treatment Protocol I Used to Lower My BP: A Personal Case Report by Robert Lamberton, BSc, FNTP
Recently I decided to check my blood pressure which I had not done for a while. My BP has always been pretty good throughout my life: Typically systolic would be 115 to 120 over diastolic of 70 to 80. I was shocked to find that my systolic reading was betweenRead
Losing Weight Can Promote Heart Health Even if Some Weight Is Regained
It’s no secret that excess weight is a killer. Overweight and obese people are at increased risk for high cholesterol and high blood pressure, two factors that increase risk of cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Globally, excess weight contributed to 2.4 million deaths inRead
Celiacs Have an Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
People who have celiac disease may face higher odds of developing cardiovascular disease — even though they often lack the “traditional” risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, high body mass index, and high cholesterol, according to a study in BMJ Medicine. Although mixed, some research has linked celiacRead
Micronutrients That Do and Don’t Help Your Heart
Researchers have pinpointed specific antioxidant supplements that offer heart-protective benefits, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Healthy diets are rich in antioxidants like amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C, but exactly how beneficial these micronutrients are for cardiovascular health hasRead
Not Everyone Benefits From High HDL
A National Institutes of Health-supported study found that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, known as “good cholesterol,” may not be as effective as scientists once believed in predicting cardiovascular disease risk among adults of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. The research, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,Read
Iron Fuels Chronic Heart Failure
A multi-institution study published in Nature Communications reveals that iron drives fatty tissue formation in the heart and leads to chronic heart failure in roughly 50 percent of heart attack survivors. While survival after a heart attack is possible for most, too many survivors have long-term complications such as heartRead
