Last week the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) published new updated guidelines in the journal Circulation for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals [1]. Their goals aim to "prevent cardiovascular (CV) diseases, improve the management of people who have these diseases through professional education and research, and develop guidelines, standards and policies that promote optimal patient care and cardiovascular health".
To accomplish these commendable goals, AHA/ACC targets better management of blood cholesterol levels, overweight and obesity in adults, and provides information on lifestyle modifications [2]. They also provide extensive guidelines on the use of cholesterol-lowering medications, mainly the statins [1].
After reading through the updated guidelines it is clear to me that the state of cardiovascular health, as it stands currently in the United States today, will remain dismal at best. The chance of heart disease and strokes being displaced as the number one and number four leading causes of death in the U.S. [3] are slim to none. Here's why...
Like many individuals, my day starts with an eagerly awaited trip to the kitchen after a quick hop in the shower. By this time, the alarm clock haze has finally worn off long enough to realize the neurotic taste buds in my mouth are going crazy. They need their morning bowl of cinnamon oatmeal with mixed berries or else! In the past, I'd always follow breakfast with a handful of vitamins and some fish oil supplements before heading out the door. I was off to fill prescriptions and make the world a healthier place! As a pharmacist, I dispense pills and educate others on all the benefits they have to offer, including a few over-the-counter supplements. Fish oil is one of these supplements. In school I learned that pills equal health. Pharmacists dispense pills. Therefore, pharmacists dispense health. Since I am the expert on pills, I deem it my responsibility to keep up with the scientific literature behind all of these pills as best I can. After all, medicine is a constantly changing environment and if you snooze you lose (and so do your patients). Today I present you with the evidence behind fish oil supplements, known widely for benefiting cardiovascular health and many other chronic diseases, or so they say.
Eggs have long been part of the traditional American diet especially when it comes to a hearty breakfast. Gym junkies also swear by eggs, highlighting the egg whites as a perfect low-fat, low-calorie source of protein. Others say eggs are an essential food for good health citing the fact they are an excellent source of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins (specifically choline), and two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) which are important for healthy vision. Along with these health claims proponents also often say you should limit egg consumption. The Mayo Clinic states to consume no more than 4 eggs per week to avoid increasing cholesterol levels.
So are eggs really the perfect food? Are there any downsides to eating eggs? Should you eat eggs or not eat eggs? What does the science say about eating eggs?
Eggs - The Evidence vs. What They "Say"
Egg advocates often highlight a few vitamins and antioxidants contained in the egg to help boost the case of them being a health food. The cholesterol and fat content is usually downplayed as a source of concern when it comes to egg's overall effect on health by these same proponents. I believe it's important to look at the actual evidence when contemplating whether or not to eat eggs before making your decision. Relying on hearsay is of little benefit when it comes to your individual health.
Below is a look at the evidence (not funded by the egg industry) on egg consumption and health:
For every ailment in today's world there is a pill. A solution in the form of a capsule or tablet or liquid with a concoction of chemicals inside designed to "cure" our misfortunes. Big Pharma has made their mark. As a pharmacist who's been in the medical field for over 10 years, I actually find this quite concerning given the pharmaceutical companys' primary motives for financial growth with little to no regard for patient safety and outcomes. The television commercials say it all. Drug companies are here to market, profit, and prosper off of sick people. You're of no value to them if you're in good health. This might be all well and good if the end goal was truly a nation, or a world, full of vibrant, healthy people who occasionally needed the help of Big Pharma to get back on their feet. But it's not. We live in an era where pill popping is the norm and weight issues and chronic diseases reign supreme. A quick look at the numbers confirms what we already know.
In 2011, a total of 4.02 billion prescriptions were dispensed at a grand total of $319.9 billion [1,2]. In case you were wondering, this amounts to approximately 12.9 prescriptions for every man, women, and child living in the U.S. at a cost of roughly $1,026.68 per year per person. Most of this isn't hitting our pocket books, not directly anyway. Insurance companies pay for the majority of the costs. In 2011, the average copay for 75% of all prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. was $10 or less thanks to the increasing availability of generic medications and prescription drug coverage [1]. I could write an entire book on the statistics behind the legalized drug world, but I'll stop for now. If you care to look into the subject any further you can read the IMS Institute for Health Informatics report here.
Recently the 2013 Super Bowl featured a Got Milk? commercial with celebrity Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson promoting milk for it's protein content. This 30 second commercial was sponsored by MilkPEP (Milk Processor Education Program). MilkPEP is conglomerate of several dairy industry processors with one goal in mind - to promote the sales of more milk and dairy. At an average cost of $3.7-$3.8 million for a 30 second Super Bowl commercial these dairy companies spent a fortune branding their product as something that's good for you. Unfortunately, millions of consumers will believe this marketing ploy. However, a quick look at the medical and scientific literature on milk products (and dairy in general) uncovers some dark secrets about these over glamorized and falsely advertised products. Here's 5 big reasons you may want to put the milk carton down for good.
Heart attacks are the #1 killer of both men and women. According to the American Heart Association, one of every six deaths in the United States is a result of a heart attack.
The symptoms of women having a heart attack can be different than the symptoms men experience. The classic tightening in the chest, shortness of breath, and a feeling of discomfort in arms, back, jaw or stomach can be what men typically experience when having a heart attack.
When you hear the words "vegan" or "vegetarian", you may think of trendy people who disavow T-bone steaks and leather jackets and are ardent supporters of PETA. You may think of activists who throw red paint on people wearing fur. You may even think of yoga-practicing, granola-crunching hippies flashing peace signs. But what you might not realize is that a plant-based diet has many health advantages, and can benefit anyone regardless of age, gender or personal philosophy.
The Cure
A plant-based diet can reduce the risk of developing a number of diseases and serious conditions. Loma Linda University found that vegetarians are 36 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by a large waist circumference and high cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. This condition can drastically affect your life, making you less able to perform your daily activities. If not treated properly, these illnesses can lead to physical incapacitation to the point where you rely on wheelchairs and wheelchair accessible vans to stay mobile.
A vegetable-rich diet can lower your risk of obesity and certain types of cancer, as well as your cholesterol and blood pressure. This is because a plant-based diet includes more nutrients the body needs like vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, as well as fewer of the elements that should be limited like cholesterol and saturated fat. Additionally, vegetarians tend to eat fewer calories and keep a healthy weight.
Dr. Don Wagner invited me to join him on his radio show once again! He's such a pleasure to work with and I'm always grateful to get the opportunity to do his show. This time we breakdown the topic of vitamin D and its role in maintaining excellent health.
As you may or may not know I'm one of the few pharmacists in the field of conventional medicine who's not a fan of pills whether they're obtained via the prescription pad or from buying them over-the-counter. I believe America has a pill obsession and it's only making our health worse. Instead I focus on educating others on the benefits of plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine which is why they call me the Plant-Based Pharmacist.
With that being said vitamin D is one of the few supplements/medications I feel everyone should seriously consider taking but only if their levels are low. Dr. Don and I do our very best to get to the bottom of this topic in the segment below as we provide some key insights into the world of vitamin D as it pertains to achieving a state of optimal health. I hope you find the show enjoyable and helpful!
If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our dailyFacebookandTwitterposts! Also, don't forget to sign up for Our Free Online Mailing Listto get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!
We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com.
Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!
There's a frightening trend sweeping the nation: allowing those on food assistance and food stamp programs to buy processed, prepackaged foods, including at fast food restaurants, as an alternative to using that assistance only at grocery stores. Despite the efforts of some states to restrict the types of junk food allowed to be purchased with food stamp or food assistance cards, more states are adopting the policy of letting recipients buy some of the unhealthiest foods on the market. However, for some these foods are simply the most economically viable option.
The Reality of the Situation
Unfortunately, fast food is often cheaper than high-quality or organic food. Because the budgets of families that receive food stamps must be counted out to the penny, a $5 meal at a fast food restaurant may seem like the only option when healthy and nutritious food from a grocery store may cost two or three times as much. With such limited income, the choice becomes less a matter of eating something healthy instead of a fast food hamburger and more an issue of simply trying to get the most food for the least amount of money.
We are all looking for ways to reduce the risk of disease and also reverse diseases we have such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heartburn, type II diabetes, gall bladder disease, overweight, heart disease, arthritis, gall bladder disease, and some cancers. Rightly so, more people are looking to the food they eat to improve their health.
This is evident when looking at the top book sales on amazon.com. Of the top 15 best selling books on health, five are books that show step by step how to improve health by improving eating habits. The #5 best seller is Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, the Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Nutrition-Based Cure,# 7 is Food, Inc., #10 Forks Over Knives, the Plant-Based Way to Health, #12 is Eat to Live: the Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast & Sustained Weight Loss, and #15 is The China Study.
Did you know eating soluble fiber found in some grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans can carry cholesterol out of the intestine along with waste and reduces your cholesterol by a few points? Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, tomatoes, and berries are protective against some cancers. And this is just a sample of how the right foods protect our health. Foods are not a substitute for working with our physician, but they play an important role in preventing and reversing these Western diseases.
If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our dailyFacebookandTwitterposts! Also, don't forget to sign up for Our Free Online Mailing Listto get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!
We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com.
Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!
CNN featured a special on preventing and reversing heart disease. Dr. Sanjay Gupta features former President Bill Clinton in his program seen below as they share President Clinton's new plant-based lifestyle and the heart attack proof diet he used to reverse his heart disease. And President Clinton did this after quadruple bypass surgery!
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn is also featured. He's one of the foremost leading experts on the topic of heart disease and nutrition and he's also featured in this special. Dr. Esselstyn has reversed hundreds of cases of heart disease, including the most severe cases, with a plant-based diet. His book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease has revolutionized the way we look at treating cardiovascular disease in this country. It's by far the most effective, safest, and least costly way to approach this deadly disease and provides answers that conventional medicine can't even touch with drugs and surgery.
Sit back, relax, and watch this life changing special and make yourself heart attack proof!
If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our dailyFacebookandTwitterposts! Also, don't forget to sign up for Our Free Online Mailing Listto get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!
We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com.
Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!
I'm sure that short, little tune takes you back to your playground days like it does me. I remember growing up and having a few laughs over one of nature's most smelly culprits. As goofy and childlike as the song may be it has a lot of truth beneath the verses within it.
Beans are part of the legume family which also include lentils, peas, soy, and peanuts. While beans may be the butt of many flatulent jokes they have some incredible health benefits and should be included in one's diet if you're looking to lose weight and feel great.
There are several documentaries produced that will capture your curiosity and attention for an hour or two on a lazy, summer day but their message is usually long forgotten by the time you hit your pillow that night. Forks Over Knives defies this status quo as it leaves you thinking twice about everything you've ever grown up on and makes you question your future choices regarding the foods that you eat as it brings to light the outspoken lessons of how nutritional excellence is the key to a healthier nation and a better quality of life for all.
Forks Over Knives is the brilliant work of two legendary pioneers in our modern day healthcare system. One American biochemist, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, has over 50 years of distinguished work in the field of nutrition and health and one American surgeon, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, has worked tirelessly for decades at the world famous Cleveland Clinic to rid his patients of heart disease. These two men have teamed up to share their life long experiences in the fields of health and nutrition to educate the world on how to prevent and reverse chronic diseases with a plant-based diet.
We've all seen the hype surrounding the Atkins diet. It's everywhere you look - in magazines, on supermarket shelves, in television ads, and possibly even in your healthcare provider's office. It's so popular that maybe you've even tried it or at least been thinking of trying it.
So how exactly does a low-carb, high-fat, high-protein diet work? And does eating all the bacon, steak, and eggs that you could possibly dream of really bode well for your overall health both in the short term and in the long run? Let's find out as we take a peek inside these low-carb diets and really get to the bottom of the science behind the bacon grease.
We've all heard about it and it dominates many conversations between doctors and their patients. Heart disease is on every one's mind and is also the number one killer worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO reported that just under one third of all deaths globally are due to cardiovascular disease. That's definitely not a laughing matter and something we should all take seriously.
To put this in perspective let's take a look at some data from the CDC. They reported in 2008 that the leading cause of death in the United States was from cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and strokes). This probably isn't much of a surprise to you. But what is a surprise is that cardiovascular disease kills more than 6 times the number of people than accidents do, more than 10 times the number of people than diabetes does, and more than 42 times than the number of people murdered each year in the U.S. Heart disease is literally the most notorious serial killer mankind has ever known.
So is there any good news about all this? The answer is YES but you'll be hard pressed to find it in our modern culture and it's not going to be advertised on a huge billboard that's flashing before your eyes. Most doctors and heart specialists immediately reach for the prescription pad or talk about a fancy new procedure or surgery that can be done. However, a bucketful of pills and even open heart surgery has never been proven to completely reverse this devastating disease. That doesn't mean it can't be done AND done in a much more effective and safer way. How do you do this you ask?
You're about to find out as I introduce you to the works of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Reversal Program at the highly respected and famed Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Esselstyn is a medical doctor (MD) and surgeon who became frustrated by seeing his patients come back again and again with the same problems. So he set out to find a better way and decided to take on the behemoth of cardiovascular disease. What he found is that by putting his patients on a low fat, plant-based diet he was able to completely reverse their cases of heart disease.
If you have cardiovascular disease or know of someone who does then I would encourage you to take the time to watch the following one hour presentation by Dr. Esselstyn and also the short clip from Professor Peter Lewis who reversed his heart disease by following Dr. Esselstyn's advice. One hour could literally change your life and give you back control of your own health and destiny so that you can enjoy life to the fullest. With that being said sit back, relax, and enjoy the presentation.
Do you have any personal experience with tackling heart disease with a plant-based diet?
Have you ever seen any other methods that have the same success rate?
What kind of things do you think could help bring heart disease down on the list of leading causes of death?
If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our dailyFacebookandTwitterposts! Also, don't forget to sign up for Our Free Online Mailing Listto get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!
We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com.
Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!
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