Already registered?
Login here!
Conferences & Events
|
Chronic Fatigue, Cardiomyopathy & Oxidative Stress: New Thinking Opens New Approaches
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), one of the most vexing conditions for patients and doctors alike, reflects a state of oxygen toxicity, and management of oxidative stress appears to be a key to reversing the fatigue, pain, and neuropsychological complaints associated with this disorder, says Paul R. Cheney, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the clinical research of CFS.
Vol. 9, No. 3. Fall, 2008
Read More
Ribose Supplementation Improves Heart Surgery Outcomes
For the better part of 10 years, Dr. David Perkowski, a cardiac surgeon in Orange, CA, has been giving his patients D-ribose supplements prior to heart surgery. He has found it improves cardiac output by 35%-40%, even in very ill patients, greatly speeds recovery time, and reduces risk of death. So, why isn't ribose supplementation standard practice in cardiology?
Vol. 9, No. 2. Summer, 2008
Read More
Metabolic Cardiology: Solving the Heart's Energy Crisis
A new vanguard of "metabolic" cardiologists contends that cholesterol elevation has been overstated as a cause of heart disease, and that physicians should pay more attention to the heart muscle itself. A quartet of nutrients magnesium, co-enzyme Q10, L-carnitine, and D-ribose can profoundly improve the heart's pumping ability and reduce risk of death, even in very ill patients.
Vol. 9, No. 2. Summer, 2008
Read More
HPC Readers Boost TACT Trial Enrollment
Readers of Holistic Primary Care are giving a big boost to the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), a landmark NIH study to determine whether chelation therapy can prevent heart attacks. After reading about the ongoing trial in our Spring 2008 edition, 17 physician readers called the study's headquarters in Miami Beach, seeking to enroll their clinics as study sites.
Vol. 9, No. 2. Summer, 2008
Read More
NIH-Sponsored Chelation Trial Seeks Study Sites, Heart Disease Patients
Chelation therapy to prevent heart attacks has never been accepted by mainstream cardiologists, but it is popular none the less, and increasingly so in the wake of trials questioning the value of drug-eluting stents. The Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), a $30 million NIH-sponsored study, will hopefully provide definitive answers on whether chelation has a rightful place in heart disease prevention.
Vol. 9, No. 1. Spring, 2008
Read More
D, C and CVD: New Studies Correlate Deficiencies with Cardiovascular Risk
Two new studies provide fresh data showing that deficiencies in vitamin D and vitamin C are strongly associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. The big-and still unanswered question---is whether supplementing with these vitamins will reduce that risk.
Vol. 9, No. 1. Spring, 2008
Read More
Dark Chocolate: A Good Treat-ment For Hypertension; Soy Staves Off Bone Loss
A daily 6 gram dose of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate can induce small but clinically meaningful blood pressure reductions, and it's a lot more patient friendly than low-salt diets or antihypertensive drugs. Genistein, one of the key isoflavones from soy, actually increases bone mineral density in women at risk for osteoporosis.
Vol. 9, No. 1. Spring, 2008
Read More
"Bad Cholesterol:" Good Marketing, But Is It Good Medicine?
The cholesterol model of heart disease, which labels LDL as “bad” and HDL as “good,” has certainly helped drug companies sell a lot of statin medications. But has it really reduced the impact of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in this country? “Not really,” says Dr. Cleaves Bennett, one of the nation’s leading experts on hypertension, kidney disease and preventive medicine.
Vol. 8, No. 3. Fall, 2007
Read More
In the Thick of It: Blood Viscosity Emerges as Key Heart Risk Factor
Blood viscosity, the actual thickness of a person's blood, is emerging as an important risk factor for heart disease: thicker blood means higher risk. New technology will soon enable doctors to measure viscosity routinely. Best of all, an enzyme derived from the Japanese soy food called natto, can effectively lower blood viscosity with minimal risk of side effects.
Vol. 8, No. 1. Spring, 2007
Read More
Does C-reactive Protein Have a Place in the CVD Risk Pantheon?
One of the hottest debates in cardiology for the past few years centers on the question of whether C-reactive protein is a meaningful risk indicator for heart disease. It clearly correlates with a tendency toward inflammation, but is it truly causative? Dr. Traub contends that even if there's no direct causal relationship, an elevated CRP is telling you that something's wrong---something that warrants attention.
Vol. 8, No. 1. Spring, 2007
Read More
Seafood Safety Report Makes Big Splash
The issue of whether or not to eat fish has had a lot of people floundering in recent years. Many are concerned about mercury and other environmental toxins found in some fish. Two major reports, one from the Institute of Medicine, and another from researchers at Harvard insist that the health benefits of a fish-rich diet far outweigh the minimal risks. Enviro-groups contend that the reports are downplaying the pollution problem.
Vol. 7, No. 4. Winter, 2006
Read More
Rethinking Hyperlipidemia and Natural Treatment Options for Women at Risk
A recent metanalysis is challenging the notion that soy protein and soy isoflavones can improve women's cholesterol profiles. But the study did not account for the fact that some women convert soy isoflavones into equol, a powerful phytoestrogen, while others do not. In a separate study, German researchers found that policosanol, a sugar cane derived substance, had no meaningful effect on lipid profiles or cardiovascular risk.
Vol. 7, No. 3. Fall, 2006
Read More
Vitamin E Supplements Raise Blood Pressure in Hypertensive People with Type 2 Diabetes
An Australian study shows that vitamin E can actually raise blood pressure in hypertensive patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Though it is not clear whether this occurs in people without hypertension, the data suggest that diabetics need to be very careful with this antioxidant vitamin.
Vol. 7, No. 3. Fall, 2006
Read More
Melatonin: Circadian Cycle Regulator Has Role in Treatment of Cancer, Hypertension
Most people think of melatonin as a sleep aid and jet lag remedy, owing to its ability to regulate circadian rhythms. But this compound has many other benefits, including regulation of blood pressure and slowing the growth of several types of cancer.
Vol. 7, No. 3. Fall, 2006
Read More
Managing Blood Pressure with C12-Peptide
A bioactive peptide found in cow's milk has ACE-inhibitory effects, and holds promise as a natural therapy for lowering blood pressure in people with early-stage hypertension.
Vol. 7, No. 1. Spring, 2006
Read More
Making Waves: Turning Biorhythms Through Cyclic Exercise
Vascular surgery pioneer and world-class athlete, Irving Dardik, MD, has spent the last 30 years re-thinking everything we know about exercise and cardiovascular health. Award-winning science writer Roger Lewin explores Dr. Dardik's "SuperWave" theory, positing that human health depends on re-synching our physiology to the natural rhythms of life.
Vol. 7, No. 1. Spring, 2006
Read More
High-Dose Vitamin D Shows Anti-Inflammatory Effects in CHF
Vitamin D deficiency correlates strongly with many heart disease risk factors. A new study from Germany shows that vitamin D supplementation produces beneficial anti-inflammatory changes in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).
Vol. 7, No. 2. Summer, 2006
Read More
Obesity: WAT's Up With That?
White Adipose Tissue (WAT), the raw material of love handles, secretes a wide range of signaling substances that can radically change metabolism. Dr. Jay Udani reviews the new science emerging on this topic, and explains why it becomes progressively more difficult for obese people to lose weight, even when they try very hard.
Vol. 7, No. 2. Summer, 2006
Read More
Elevated ADMA Predicts Cardiovascular Risk
Elevated levels of asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) is emerging as a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease, one for which physicians should routinely test. Fortunately, the problem can be reversed by supplementation with L-arginine.
Vol. 6, No. 3. Fall, 2005
Read More
To Lower CRP, Look to Multivitamins and Lifestyle Change
A good multivitamin and some modest lifestyle changes can markedly reduce C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that correlates strongly with risk of heart attacks, according to a study by physicians at Dallas’ Cooper Clinic.
Vol. 6, No. 1. Spring, 2005
Read More
Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein Link Depression & Heart Disease
There is strong evidence that depressed people have greater risk of heart disease and worse outcomes from heart attacks. Ever wonder how a "psychological" disorder like depression can have such direct physical effects? Interleukin-6, an inflammatory signaling molecule, is pointing to some interesting answers.
Vol. 5, No. 4. Winter, 2004
Read More
Vascular Inflammation: The Other Half of the Heart Disease Equation
Conventional medicine is nearly obsessive about cholesterol and other lipids, but chronic inflammation plays just as big a role in the development of heart disease. A number of natural products and non-pharmacologic interventions can help reduce chronic inflammation and improve heart health.
Vol. 5, No. 4. Winter, 2004
Read More
Heart Rate Variability and Emotional Shifting: Powerful Tools for Reducing Cardiovascular Risk
Heart rate variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat change in heart rate, can tell you a lot about your cardiovascular health. People with smooth, coherent, high-amplitude HRV patterns have much lower risk than those with jagged, incoherent, low amplitude patterns. HRV monitoring is inexpensive, and best of all, people can learn how to shift HRV from unhealthy to healthy patterns with a few simple meditation exercises.
Vol. 5, No. 4. Winter, 2004
Read More
Simple Exercises for Shifting HRV
There are many different techniques and exercises for reducing stress and shifting heart rate variability from jagged, low amplitude, high-risk patterns to coherent, healthful, high-amplitude forms. Here are two specific techniques from the HeartMath program.
Vol. 5, No. 4. Winter, 2004
Read More
Making Change: Mindfulness, Relationship Building are Keys to Lifestyle Modification
A recent study showed that dietary changes can have as profound an effect on cardiovascular risk as statin drug therapy. But making diet and lifestyle changes can be very difficult for many at-risk people. Holistic Primary Care's physician readers share their experiences and recommendations for helping people shift to healthier lifestyles.
Vol. 4, No. 4. Winter, 2003
Read More
White House Pushes for Fish Oil Recommendation
The White House Office of Management and Budget called on the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a recommendation promoting greater consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. The request is part of a broader Federal effort to address the massive public health crisis of heart disease and obesity.
Vol. 4, No. 4. Winter, 2003
Read More
Omega-3 Blood Testing Will Help Guide Supplementation Strategy
Low blood omega-3 fatty acid levels are a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with the same predictive value as elevated cholesterol or homocysteine levels. Blood omega-3 levels are easily measured by assessing the fatty acid content of red blood cell membranes. New methods for making this assessment are now available.
Vol. 4, No. 4. Winter, 2003
Read More
The Shopping Challenge
Nothing helps patients understand the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices like a trip to a health food store.
Vol. 4, No. 2. April, 2003
Read More
Helping Patients Take the Path Out of Cardiosvascular Pathology
When working with patients at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, help them identify their own obstacles on the path to better health. Risk factors happen in a context, and it is important to understand what motivates unhealthy lifestyle patterns.
Vol. 4, No. 2. April, 2003
Read More
|
