Silent Assassin: Heart Attack Risk Factors

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Q. Glen,How do I know if I am at high risk for a heart attack? And if I feel alright how can I tell?



A.Here is a article I read that best explains it!


There's a killer on the loose. In fact, the most deadly, dangerous killer of our time. Quietly stalking his prey, waiting until his victim is weak and vulnerable, and then, striking without warning with heartbreaking efficiency.

More deadly than Gacy, Dahmer, Berkowitz, Bundy and the BTK killer combined -- heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States. Be afraid, be very afraid.
According to Dr. Curtis Mark Rimmerman, cardiologist, echocardiographer, medical director for Cleveland Clinic Westlake and author of Heart Attack: A Cleveland Clinic Guide, just because you don’t have any symptoms, doesn’t mean you’re not at risk for heart disease.
"Thirty to 40 percent of people with significant obstructive coronary artery disease -- plaque buildup on the inside of heart artery walls, which reduces blood flow -- have no symptoms at all until their first heart attack," explains Dr. Rimmerman.
So how can people protect themselves? By recognizing and managing the risk factors associated with heart disease, according to Dr. Rimmerman.

“The main way we gauge the likelihood of heart disease and heart attack is by taking an inventory of risk factors."

There are two types of risk factors that affect the heart and heart disease: modifiable risk factors, those that can be controlled by lifestyle and behavioral changes, and those that cannot, or nonmodifiable risk factors, says Dr. Rimmerman.
Nonmodifiable Risk Factors
Getting on in years: “Over 83 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men are to die from them within a few weeks,” Dr. Rimmerman writes.
Just being a man: Men have a greater risk of heart attacks than women, and they tend to have attacks earlier in life, according to Dr. Rimmerman.
Family tradition: “Genes are the No. 1 risk factor for coronary artery disease,” he explains. “Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves.



Higher heart disease risks are more common in African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans -- partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. “And most people with a strong family history of heart disease have one or more other risk factors," he said.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Smoking gun: “Smokers’ risk of developing coronary heart disease is two to four times greater than that of nonsmokers,” he said.
Dr. Rimmerman explains that smoking is a powerful independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death in those with coronary heart disease. It also greatly increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease in the first place.
“It’s never too late to stop smoking. Over time, depending on the age at which you quit, your cardiac risk begins to reach that of a nonsmoker.”
Obesity and overweight: “People who have excess body fat -- especially if most of it is at the waist -- are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, even if they have no other risk factors,” according to Dr. Rimmerman.
Excess weight increases the heart’s work; raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels; increases the likelihood of diabetes and lowers the levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
While losing weight is often very difficult, according to Dr. Rimmerman, “losing even as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.”
Diabetes: Even if blood sugar levels are controlled, diabetes increases the chances of heart disease and stroke, but if blood sugar is not controlled, the risks become even greater.
“About three-quarters of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease,” says Dr. Rimmerman. “If you have diabetes, it’s extremely important to work with your health-care provider to manage it and control any other risk factors you can.”
High blood cholesterol: “As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease,” Dr. Rimmerman says.
Combined with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure, the risk increases exponentially. Cholesterol can be affected by age, sex, heredity and diet.
High blood pressure: "High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer,” Rimmerman says. It also increases a person’s risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure -- and when teamed with other risk factors such as obesity, diabetes or smoking, it becomes a very risky combination for strokes and heart attacks.
Physical challenge: A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor that contributes to all other risk factors. Dr. Rimmerman recommends regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to help prevent heart and blood-vessel disease.



“Exercise can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people,” he says.
Now you’re armed with the knowledge necessary to recognize the risk factors of this silent slayer. You can learn more about the risks and controlling heart disease in Dr. Rimmerman's book Heart Attack: A Cleveland Clinic Guide. And to get your diet, weight and exercise back on track. Don’t be another victim.
Resource: Dr. Curtis Mark Rimmerman, Cardiologist.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

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Drinking, Smoking Up Early Alzheimer's

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Q. Glen, Does Drinking and Smoking have any effect on Memory?


A. Study Shows Cigarettes and Alcohol Lead to Earlier Development of Alzheimer's Disease

People who smoke a pack of cigarettes or more a day develop Alzheimer's disease years earlier than those who do not, and heavy drinking of alcohol increases the risk even more.

In what is being lauded as a significant finding, research presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting this week in Chicago shows that smoking and drinking are among the most important preventable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

Researcher Ranjan Duara, MD, of the Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Fla., found that a combination of heavy drinking and heavy smoking leads to an earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease.
"It has been projected that a delay in the onset of the disease by 5 years would lead to a nearly 50% reduction in the total number of Alzheimer's cases," Duara says in a news release. "If we can reduce or eliminate heavy smoking and drinking, we could substantially delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease for people and reduce the number of people who have Alzheimer's at any point in time."
Duara's study involved 938 people aged 60 and older with possible or probable Alzheimer's. Family members provided information regarding the patients' alcohol consumption and cigarette usage.
Heavy smoking was defined as one or more packs of cigarettes a day; heavy drinking was defined as more than two drinks per day. The researchers also grouped participants according to whether they carried the apolipoprotein E-4 [ApoE-4] gene variant, which increases risk for Alzheimer's disease.
The study showed:

• Heavy drinkers developed the disease 4.8 years before those who did not drink as much.
• Alzheimer's developed 2.3 years earlier in heavy smokers than in those who were not heavy smokers.
• The gene variant reduced the age of onset by three years.
• People with all three risk factors developed Alzheimer's 8.5 years earlier than those who had no risk factors.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, incurable brain disease that leads to the loss of mental abilities that affect memory and learning. According to the Alzheimer's Association, about 5 million people in the U.S. live with the condition. However, there are concerns that the number will skyrocket in the near future as America's baby boomers reach their golden years.


Reference: Ranjan Duara, MD, Web MD


Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !



My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?
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Why Belly Fat Hurts the Heart

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Q. Glen, Can Belly fat be harmful to your Heart?


A. Belly Fat, Also Called Visceral Fat, Boosts Inflammation and Atherosclerosis, Say Scientists Studying Mice Belly fat tucked deep inside your waistline may be worse for your arteries than fat padding the rest of your body.
That's according to University of Michigan scientists studying the health risks of abdominal fat, also called visceral fat.
Here's what Miina Ohman, MD, PhD, and colleagues learned from their lab tests in mice:

• Belly fat appears to boost inflammation.
• Belly fat is linked to worse atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which makes heart attacks more likely.

In those tests, some mice got a transplant of visceral fat. Other mice got a transplant of subcutaneous fat (which sits directly under the skin, not deep in the belly) or no fat transplant.
The bottom line: Visceral fat brought the most inflammation and the worst atherosclerosis.
After visceral fat transplantation, mice developed less severe atherosclerosis if their chow was laced with the diabetes drug Actos for 10 weeks. But Actos didn't affect atherosclerosis in other mice, and the researchers aren't ready to recommend any drugs for visceral fat.
Don't disregard the study, published online in Circulation, just because the tests were done in mice. Other studies have linked belly fat to health risks in people.
Belly fat does budge, but it takes work. Researchers have found that exercise is a must to get rid of belly fat.
Reference: WebMD
Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health
Any questions?
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Dwayne Wynn

Good Morning: Facebook,Friends and Family: As I was running this morning and saw a hawk flying in the clouds, I thought of my brother, friend Dwayne Wynn so I a song by Elton John came to mind's eye and I came home and rewrote it as my personal dedication to my friend Dwayne Wynn out of respect for his spirit I hope you read and enjoy this rearrangement of " Daniel” “Dwayne Wynn” Thank you

Dwayne is dancing tonight on a stage

I can see that big afro from the front row in the west end

Oh and I can see Dwayne waving hi

God it looks like Dwayne, must be the clouds in my eyes



They say heaven is blissful though I've never been

Well Dwayne says it's the best place that he's ever danced in

Oh and he should know, because he's there right now

Lord I miss Dwayne, oh I miss him so much



Dwayne my brother you are older than me

Do you still feel the pain of that disease that did not heal

Your eyes have died but sole is still alive

Dwayne you're a star on the stage in the sky



Dwayne is Dancing tonight on a stage

I can see that big afro from the front row in the west end

Oh and I can see Dwayne waving hi

God it looks like Dwayne, must be the clouds in my eyes



Words by Elton John: rewritten by Glen Edward Mitchell in Dedication to the life and memory of Dwayne Wynn….

Do You Need C-Reactive Protein Testing?

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Q. What is C- Reactive Protein Testing? And do I need to be tested?


A. The CRP test is one of the new markers for heart disease risk. CRP is a blood test that reflects inflammation within the body. Researchers have become convinced over the last decade that the body's arteries are not just tubes that carry blood — they are living "systems," and atherosclerosis is the result of the process of damage and repair to the linings of the arteries. This process produces inflammation just as surely as a scrape causes redness on the surface of your skin — and a CRP rise as well.

For the last decade, the drumbeat has been building. New tests have come along that supposedly will improve our ability to estimate a person's risk of a heart attack. Right now, you are supposed to know your cholesterol numbers and your blood pressure. Do you also need to know your C-reactive protein (CRP)?


Why do we need CRP testing when we already have several types of cholesterol to worry about? Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are in fact wonderful tests, but the painful truth is that about half of heart attacks occur in people with normal lipid profiles. Some cardiology experts are increasingly hopeful that CRP will improve our ability to figure out who has the highest risk of heart disease among people whose cholesterol data seem just fine.

Assessing risk

Several studies have shown that, among people with normal cholesterol numbers, the people with increased CRP levels have a several-fold higher risk of heart problems. Not only that, at least one study found that treatment of people with normal LDL cholesterol and high CRP levels led to a reduction in their risk of heart attacks. On the other hand, statins (extremely effective cholesterol-lowering drugs) did not do anything for patients with normal LDL and low CRP levels.
Based on information available so far, it sounds like a good strategy would be:

1. Get screened for cholesterol levels.
2. If your levels are high, get treated.
3. If your cholesterol levels are normal, consider a CRP test.
4. If your CRP level is low, relax.
5. If your CRP level is high, consider a statin, especially if you have other traditional risk factors for heart disease.

If this becomes the standard of care, it will mean that about three-fourths of adult Americans will be taking a statin — so the public health and economic consequences are huge. So huge, that most experts hedge when asked if everyone should get their CRP measured today.
As safe as statins are, they still occasionally have side effects. While CRP testing may help some people decide about the need for a lifetime of statin therapy, we still do not know if a person with an isolated high CRP without any other risk factors should take these drugs.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.

Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

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The Truth about Carbohydrates

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Q. Glen, Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Low Carbs, High Carbs ! Whats is The Real Deal?


A. Not all Carbs are Created Equal, It’s true. A carbohydrate-rich diet can inflate appetite and girth. Low-carb diets do promote short-term weight loss, but are accompanied by some severe dangers. So what should you do? The truth is, you can have your carbs and eat them too—you just have to know how to choose them.

Here is the Truth about Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are the body's ideal fuel for most functions. They supply the body with the energy needed for the muscles, brain and central nervous system. In fact, the human brain depends exclusively on carbohydrates for its energy.
• Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, beans, dairy products, foods made from grain products, and sweeteners such as sugar, honey, molasses, and corn syrup.
• The body converts digestible (non-fiber) carbohydrates into glucose, which our cells use as fuel. Some carbs (simple) break down quickly into glucose while others (complex) are slowly broken down and enter the bloodstream more gradually.
• During digestion, all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose before they can enter the bloodstream where insulin helps the glucose enter the body’s cells. Some glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles for future use, like fueling a workout. If there is extra glucose, the body will store it as fat.

All carbohydrates are not created equal.There are basically three types of carbohydrates:

1. Simple carbohydrates are composed of 1 or 2 sugar units that are broken down and digested quickly.
   
   Recent research has shown that certain simple carbohydrates foods can cause extreme surges in blood sugar levels, which also increases insulin release. This can elevate appetite and the risk of excess fat storage.
2. Complex carbohydrates (also referred to as starch) are made up of many sugar units and are found in both natural (brown rice) and refined (white bread) form. They are structurally more complex and take longer to be broken down and digested.
   
   Complex carbohydrate foods have been shown to enter the blood stream gradually and trigger only a moderate rise in insulin levels, which stabilizes appetite and results in fewer carbohydrates that are stored as fat. Unrefined or ‘whole grain’ carbohydrates found in products like brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bran cereals are digested slowly. They contain vitamins, minerals and fiber which promote health. Fiber and nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and beans which are carbohydrates also have many important functions for the body and are important for good health.
3. Indigestible carbohydrates are also called fiber. The body is unable to breakdown fiber into small enough units for absorption. It is therefore not an energy source for the body but does promote health in many other ways.

Simple carbs, complex carbs, and fiber are found in many foods. Some provide important nutrients that promote health while others simply provide calories that promote girth.

• Sugar, syrup, candy, honey, jams, jelly, molasses, and soft drinks contain simple carbohydrates and little if any nutrients.
• Fruits contain primarily simple carbohydrate but also valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water.
• Vegetables contain varying amounts of simple and complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water.
• Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils and soybeans contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein.
• Milk products contain simple carbohydrates along with protein, calcium and other nutrients.
• Grain products contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. The amounts vary depending on the type of grain used and the amount of processing. Selecting whole grain options whenever possible is recommended.

What You Should Know About Low-Carbohydrate DietsFollowing an extremely low-carbohydrate diet is disastrous, dangerous, and above all—boring! Carbohydrates are NOT the enemy. Including the appropriate amounts and types of carbohydrate-rich foods in your diet is essential for long-term health and weight loss/maintenance.

The Body’s Immediate Reaction to Very Low Carbohydrate DietsWhen there is a severe deficit of carbohydrates, the body has several immediate reactions:

• With no glucose available for energy, the body starts using protein from food for energy. Therefore this protein is no longer available for more important functions, such as making new cells, tissues, enzymes, hormones, and antibodies and the regulation of fluid balance.
• When carbohydrates are lacking, the body cannot burn fat in the correct way. Normally carbs combine with fat fragments to be used as energy. When carbs are not available, there is an incomplete breakdown of fat that produces a by-product called ketones. These ketones accumulate in the blood and in the urine causing ketosis, which is an abnormal state. Ketosis does cause a decrease in appetite because it's one of the body's protection mechanisms. It's an advantage to someone in a famine (which the body thinks it's experiencing) to lack an appetite because the search for food would be a waste of time and additional energy.
• Due to the lack of energy and the accumulation of ketones, low-carb diets are often accompanied by nausea, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, bad breath, and dehydration.
• Because of dehydration and a lack of fiber, constipation can result.
• Exercise and fitness performance is reduced on a low-carb diet. Do not be surprised if your energy level is so low that you cannot make it through your normal workout routine.

The Long-Term Effects of Low Carbohydrate Diets
When you severely restrict carbohydrates, your consumption of protein and fat increases, which has several long-term effects:

• The risk of many cancers increases when fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and beans are eliminated from the diet.
• Protein foods are also high in purines, which are broken down into uric acid. Elevated levels of uric acid in the blood may lead to needle-like uric acid crystals in joints, causing gout.
• Kidney stones are more likely to form on high protein, ketosis-producing diets.
• Over time, high protein diets can cause a loss of calcium and lead to osteoporosis.
• The risk of heart disease is greatly increased on a low-carb diet that is high in protein, cholesterol, fat, and saturated fat. A temporary reduction in cholesterol levels may be experienced, but this is common with any weight loss.

The Million Dollar QuestionHow do you include carbohydrates in you diet in a safe, effective, and controlled way? The “Please KISS Me” (Please Keep It So Simple for Me) plan for carbohydrate control is a wonderful tool that only contains 3 simple rules:

RULE 1: Include the following in your diet:

• Fruits: 2-4 servings daily
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings daily
• Whole grain breads, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal, and brown rice: 6-11 servings daily
• Legumes, beans and peas: 1-2 servings daily
• Low-fat and non-fat dairy products: 3 servings daily

RULE 2: Limit the following to less than 2 servings daily:

• Fruit Juice
• Refined and processed white flour products (bread, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal)
• White rice
• French fries
• Fried vegetables

RULE 3: Eliminate the following from your diet or eat only on occasion:

• Sugary desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, candies
• Doughnuts and pastries
• Chips, cola and carbonated beverages
• Sugar, honey, syrup, jam, jelly, molasses

That’s it! A simple, effective carbohydrate-controlling plan that, when combined with your Eat 4 Life Nutritional Plan, allows you to reap the countless benefits of complex carbohydrates and fiber while enhancing your health and maintaining a healthy weight. The long term result will be a healthy you!

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?
Ask Glen!

Eating Breakfast Boosts Weight Loss Efforts

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Q. Glen, Should I skip Breakfast , While trying to lose weight?


A. If you're skipping breakfast in an effort to slim down, you might want to rethink your weight loss strategy. A growing body of scientific evidence supports the notion that folks who routinely eat breakfast tend to be thinner -- and healthier -- than those who don't.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, skipping meals seems to promote weight gain, rather than weight loss. Breakfast skippers are more likely to give in to midmorning munching or extra-large lunches.

Either way, they typically consume far more calories than they would if they had eaten breakfast in the first place. The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that when dieters ate breakfast, they lost significantly more weight than those who routinely missed the morning meal.

The study, led by David Schlundt, Ph.D., at Vanderbilt University, included 52 moderately obese women. The women were asked to follow a calorie-restricted diet and were assigned randomly to one of two groups.

The women in both groups consumed an equal number of calories each day, but those in one group ate breakfast, while the other did not. Women assigned to the breakfast-eating group lost an average of 19.6 pounds in three months, while those assigned to the breakfast-skipping group lost an average of 13.6 pounds.

The results of the Vanderbilt study suggest that eating breakfast promotes weight loss in several ways. The women in the breakfast-eating group ate less at lunch and dinner, and they were less likely to engage in mindless snacking.

According to Dr. Schlundt, "When you eat breakfast, you're not as hungry later in the day. It's hard to stay on your diet and make wise food choices when you're feeling ravenous."

The breakfast eaters also had a lower intake of dietary fat when compared with the women who bypassed breakfast. Schlundt attributed the reduced fat intake to the wide variety of low-fat breakfast foods available.

"A lot of low-fat foods are commonly eaten at the morning meal, including oatmeal, cereal and fruit," he said. "Most of the foods that Americans eat at lunch and dinner have a much higher fat content."

Although the women in the study assigned to the breakfast group were given sample menus, Schlundt noted that the subjects were ultimately responsible for deciding what they would eat for breakfast.

"We told them to try to eat just enough to avoid getting hungry before lunchtime," he said. "We didn't tell them what to eat, but we did ask them to stay away from foods that were high in calories and fat."

Staying away from foods rich in fat and calories means that the "traditional" breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes is off-limits.

"Unless you're a serious athlete or you do some type of strenuous manual labor, you don't need a big, heavy meal," said Schlundt. "You just need to eat something light and nutritious to start your day off right."

For some folks, getting out of bed each morning is a challenge in itself, without the added hassle of worrying about what to eat. The good news is that preparing breakfast doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming; it can be as quick and easy as splashing a little milk over some cold cereal.

Whole-grain cereals are an excellent choice. Like most varieties of cereal, they're low in fat and they're fortified with the entire alphabet of vitamins and minerals. But unlike highly refined cereals, whole-grain products are naturally high in fiber, an ingredient known to facilitate weight loss.

Fiber-rich foods provide substantial bulk, filling your stomach and satisfying your hunger. Because they take longer to digest than low-fiber foods, they keep you feeling fuller longer and help you avoid nibbling throughout the day.

Cereals made of bran and shredded wheat are rich in roughage, providing 5 grams of fiber or more per serving. Cereals made of rice puffs or cornflakes typically offer only 1 gram of fiber or less per serving.

Pouring low-fat or skim milk on your breakfast cereal gives you an added weight loss benefit. Regular consumption of calcium-rich dairy products, including milk, has been shown to accelerate the loss of body fat, especially from the abdomen.

Schlundt believes that the morning meal can be a very important part of any weight loss program.

"It takes a little extra time and effort to work breakfast into your day," he said, "but it's definitely worth it."



Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?


Ask Glen!

BE ACCOUNTABLE!!!

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Q. Glen, I want to lose wait but people , places and other factors keep getting in my way! What do you think?


A. It's far too easy to blame other people for your weight problem. Maybe your spouse is critical and it drives you to eat. Perhaps obesity runs in your genes. We can all come up with a million reasons as to why we're overweight. However, playing the blame game won't accomplish anything. Be accountable for your situation and take responsibility. Nobody is force feeding you that second slice of pizza. Start taking the measures that are going to ensure that you lose weight and stop pointing fingers.

The only person who can determine the fate of your weight-loss efforts is you

Glen's Bottom Line: Be Accountable! (To thyne own self be true )

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An Informative Guide: To Mental, Physical, Health, Exercise, Proper Nutrition for Men & Women. And living a Long and Healthy Life Style

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician!

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."

Yours in good health.
Any questions? Ask Glen!

http://www.fitnessbuilders4life.com/

Glen Edward Mitchell

AMA Certified Nutrition Specialist
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

678-294-5196

mailto:AskGlen@aim.com