Monday, June 2, 2008

What Diabetics should know about their heart!!!

The cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems in the human body. It is comprised of the heart, blood and blood vessels. Blood is being pumped out from the heart and is the one responsible in delivering oxygen and other nutrients to all the parts of the body. It also cleans up our body by picking up the waste products on its way back to the heart so our body can get rid of them.
So what has diabetes got to do with the cardiovascular system? Since blood is part of the cardiovascular system, and diabetes is a condition in which the level of glucose in the blood is higher than normal, hence Diabetes and cardiovascular system diseases are closely related to each other.Some examples of the commonly diagnosed cardiovascular disease are coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and other heart conditions.
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Risk Factors
Diabetes is now considered as a major risk factor in cardiovascular diseases. Other factors that contribute to the possibility of acquiring cardiovascular diseases in diabetic patients include hypertension, smoking and hyperlipidemia.
- Hypertension. Hypertension in diabetes is considered a major contributor to the increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Diabetic patients, especially those with Type 2, need to always have their blood pressure checked every visit to the doctor. Self-monitoring at home is also a must to maintain and control the rise of blood pressure. The American Diabetes Association recommends a target blood pressure of not more than 130/85 mm Hg to maintain a good level of blood pressure.
- Hyperglycemia. Intensive glycemic control may prove to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, although not directly. This can be more beneficial in controlling micro vascular complications, but still, assessing all risk factors and properly managing them is a big step in preventing occurrence of any cardiovascular diseases.
- Smoking. Smoking has been determined dangerous to our health. Studies show that smoking indeed increase risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients.
Prevention
As the old saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” There are many ways on how to prevent the increased possibility of cardiovascular events in diabetic patients. Several alterations or modifications to the risk factors can be done to still maintain healthy despite of diabetes.
The simplest step one can start with is to stop smoking. Diabetic or not, cessation of smoking will really prove beneficial to one’s overall health condition. Maintaining blood pressure to less than 130/85 or 130/80 mm Hg helps control the occurrence of hypertension. Having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 27 is also a must for diabetic patients to control their overall condition.
Some tests are also recommended to monitor and keep maintain key factors at a healthy level. These tests include annual urine test, retinal dilation examination, dental examinations, and biannual foot examination for sensation testing and measurement of pulses. Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases need proper attention and care. Regular visits to your health practitioner are recommended as they are the right people who know all about your condition. They keep all the records of their patients’ health history and can track improvements or otherwise. Proper medications and advice are also given by these professionals.
Diabetes is indeed a life-long condition that demands a lot of attention. There may be no hard and real cure for this disease, but it sure can be maintained and controlled by proper care and having thorough knowledge and understanding about the condition.

Posted by DrSri at 13:34:42 | Permalink | No Comments »

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Uses of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

          Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, which means that they are essential to human health but cannot be manufactured by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish and certain plant oils. It is important to maintain an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet as these two substances work together to promote health. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.

There are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by the body: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids more readily used by the body.Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of — or who have — cardiovascular disease due to its following actions:

  • decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death
  • decrease triglyceride levels
  • decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
  • lower blood pressure
     Uses of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
    Heart Disease:    Omega-3 Fatty Acids help in reducing risk factors for heart disease including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. There is also strong evidence that these substances can help prevent and treat atherosclerosis by inhibiting the development of plaque and blood clots, each of which tends to clog arteries.
    Prevention of Stroke:omega-3 fatty acid intake (primarily from fish), helps protect against stroke caused by plaque buildup and blood clots in the arteries that lead to the brain.
    Diabetes:People with diabetes tend to have high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can help lower triglycerides and raise HDL(Good Cholestrol), so people with diabetes may benefit from eating foods or taking supplements that contain DHA and EPA.
    Arthritis:Because of its potent anti-inflammatory properties,regular consumption of Omega-3 Fatty acids benefits people suffering from inflammatory disorders such as Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis.
    Osteoporosis:omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA helps in  increasing levels of calcium in the body, deposit calcium in the bones, and improve bone strength.
    Depression:The omega-3 fatty acids are important components of nerve cell membranes. They help nerve cells communicate with each other, which is an essential step in maintaining good mental health and keeping depression at bay.
    Burns:The omega-3 fatty acids have been used to reduce inflammation and promote wound healing in burn victims.
    Skin Disorders:Regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids has shown  significant improvement in patients suffering from skin disorders like psoriasis.
    Asthma:Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have shown to decrease inflammation and improve lung function in adults with asthma.
    Macular Degeneration:Regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids can retard the onset of  Macular Degeneration,a degenerative disease of eye.
    Sources of Omega-3 fatty acid :Fish oils and plant oils are the primary dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids. EPA and DHA are found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, and herring. ALA is found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, walnuts, and walnut oil.

Posted by DrSri at 11:11:17 | Permalink | No Comments »

Friday, October 19, 2007

Coenzyme Q10 and its uses in treating Heart Diseases

          Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10) or ubiquinone is essentially a vitamin or vitamin-like substance.Vitamins are defined as organic compounds essential in minute amounts for normal body function acting as coenzymes or precursors to coenzymes. They are present naturally in foods and sometimes are also synthesized in the body. CoQ10 likewise is found in small amounts in a wide variety of foods and is synthesized in all tissues. Coenzyme Q10 is the coenzyme for at least three mitochondrial enzymes (complexes I, II and III) as well as enzymes in other parts of the cell.
Use of Coenzyme Q10 in treating Heart Disease:
          CoQ10 is known to be highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to the high energy requirements of this cell type.Congestive heart failure has been strongly correlated with significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10 . The severity of heart failure correlates with the severity of CoQ10 deficiency. This deficiency of CoQ10 appears to be a major treatable factor in the progression of heart failure.On administration of Coenzyme Q10,Heart function,showed a gradual and sustained improvement with a gradual and sustained improvement in patients’ symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, and palpitations. 
         The most recent work in heart failure examined the effect of CoQ10 on diastolic dysfunction, one of the earliest identifiable signs of myocardial failure that is often found in mitral valve prolapse, hypertensive heart disease and certain fatigue syndromes.Diastolic function has a larger cellular energy requirement than the systolic contraction and, therefore, the process of diastolic relaxation is more highly energy dependent and thus more highly dependent on CoQ10.In simplier terms, it takes more energy to fill the heart than to empty it.
           It is important to note that in all of the above clinical trials, CoQ10 was used in addition to traditional medical treatments, not to their exclusion.Hence it can only be used as adjuvant and not sole treatment for Heart Diseases.
Posted by DrSri at 15:26:44 | Permalink | No Comments »

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

KEEPING YOUR HEART HEALTHY!

Heart is the most important organ of our body,stopping of which means DEATH. Here are few tips to keep Heart Healthy:

*Avoid smoking,since smoking is highly injurious to Heart.

*Engage in regular exercise to maintain your Cardiovascular fitness.

*Reduce weight since excessive weight can put more load on your Heart.

*Keep your Blood Pressure and Blood sugar under control, since both Hypertension and Diabetes damage your Heart.

*Reduce intake of salt since excessive intake of salts leads to hypertension and also creates deposits along the inner lining of the arteries leading to Coronary Artery Disease.

*Avoid Fatty foods high in Saturated fats since they cause high LDL levels(bad cholesterol). This LDL causes plaque build up in arteries leading to Artherosclerosis and subsequent Heart damage. Foods high in Trans Fat (Hydrogenated vegetable oil) like sweets, biscuits, pastries, etc shud be avoided.

*Alcohol taken in moderate quantities have shown cardioprotective benefits. Wine consumed in moderation has shown to improve HDL levels(good cholesterol). Excessive alcohol consumption leads to Hypertension, Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy, besides so many other health problems.

*Daily consumption of good sources of Minerals like Potassium, Magnesium and calcium like broccoli, dark leafy vegetables, Bananas,Orange juice, Potatoes, whole grains, Almonds, Peanuts, Raisins, Tomatoes, Dairy products is useful since Deficiency of these three minerals has been linked to Hypertension. Magnesium is also required for regulation of Heartbeat and proper functioning of Cardiac muscles. One can also take Multimineral supplements to provide these.

*Taking a daily pill containing Homocystiene lowering vitamins like B vitamins and Folic Acid also helps in preventing heart disease. Antioxidants like Vitamin A,C,E,Selenium, Beta-Carotene and other Carotenoids, Flavanoids also help in preventing early onset of Heart disease.

*Daily consumption of plenty of dietary Fiber is also helpful since it helps in controlling Diabetes and Hypertension. Wheatgrass taken as juice or in powdered form also helps since it also helps in combating Diabetes and Hypertension.

*Garlic taken in raw form or in pill form helps in lowering Blood pressure and also makes the blood thinner, improves blood circulation and reduces Total cholestrol. Ginseng also lowers LDL and Triglycerides

*Omega 3 Fatty Acids are probably known supplements for your Heart. They Help in clearing the clogged Arteries and also keep the Arteries and other blood vessels strong and flexible. Fishes like Mackerel, Sardines, Tuna, Salmon, etc are good sources of Omega-3, one can also get it in supplement form. Another supplement, Co-Enzyme Q 10 is also useful for Heart.

*Aspirin or acetylsalicylic Acid taken on every alternate days has also shown to help prevent Heart Disease.

*Stess is another factor that can adversely affect heart. Practising of Yoga, meditation and Pranayama is very useful in combating stess. Pranayama also strenghtens cardiovascular system, besides improving Blood circulation and lowering Blood pressure.

*Ayurvedic Medicines like Prabhakar Ras, Arjunarista, Jawahar Mohra and Brihatvatchintamani are useful in Heart Disease.

Modern Medicines like Statins, Nicotinic Acid significantly lower Blood Cholestrol level thus helping those suffering from Heart Disease associated with Hyperlipidemea. Also many Licensed Herbal Medicines are available in India which have shown excellent Cardioprotective results.

*Kitchen Remedy for Strengthening Heart-1)Take equal proportions of Dry Ginger and Fenugreek Seeds and grind them together into powder-take 1 teaspoon of this powder every morning on empty stomach. 2)Mix Ginger and Betel and Tulsi(Holy Basil) leaf juice and take one Teaspoon daily.

*Finally Mental Peace and Happiness goes a long way in keeping your Heart healthy.

Posted by DrSri at 09:30:56 | Permalink | No Comments »