Is Daily Aspirin Right for You?

by Dr. Stephen Sinatra 

Early in my career when I was running through hospital halls, coat tails flying behind me, headed to help someone in cardiac arrest—I pondered whether daily aspirin could prevent these types of calamities. It was the 1980s and there wasn’t a hard-working doctor who didn’t worry about having their own heart attack. Knowing that aspirin had the power to thin the blood, many doctors began adding a daily aspirin to their regimen.

Later on, once the efficacy was confirmed, it was decided an 81 mg baby aspirin could replace the hefty 325 mg adult dose. Bayer, the largest producer of aspirin, jumped at the chance to promote its pain reliever as the “wonder drug” in heart attack prevention, even in healthy individuals. Doctors began prescribing it to virtually every patient they had.

Daily Aspirin Increases Bleeding Events

Now, a new meta-analysis of 9 placebo-controlled trials challenges that practice. This month, the Archives of Internal Medicine published data collected from 100,000 people over six years showing that we have to treat 120 people with a daily aspirin to prevent just one nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI).

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The researchers did report that total cardiovascular events decreased by 10 percent.  But at the same time there was a 30 percent increased risk for “trivial bleeding events.”  Because it took treating just 73 people to trigger that bleeding event, we must think twice about our overzealous use of aspirin.

The Bottom Line on Daily Aspirin 

* I don’t recommend an aspirin for primary heart attack prevention. While a daily aspirin prevents clot formation, the final step that triggers a heart attack, it doesn’t change atherosclerotic plaque which is the underlying cause of heart disease.

A far better way to prevent a heart attack is by keeping plaque from forming and building up in the first place.  That means back to basics: a healthy diet, exercise, weight reduction, nutritional support with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, blood pressure lowering, stress reduction
and so on.

* But taking a daily aspirin for secondary heart attack prevention—if you’ve already had a heart attack or have a history of cardiovascular disease—is just plain good medicine. I regularly advocate aspirin for those who have known heart disease, such as a history of angina, heart attack, angioplasty or stent procedures, or coronary artery bypass surgery. In these cases, I recommend taking one baby aspirin daily.

But even if you have all the characteristics I just mentioned that would make you a perfect candidate for a daily preventative aspirin regimen, it won’t do you a lick of good if you’re part of the population known as “aspirin-resistant.” Fortunately, there’s a test to determine if an aspirin a day will work for you.

Ingredients That Improve Bone-Joint Health

Bone and joint health is one of the most common areas of health that people deal with on a daily basis. The numbers back it up:

• The CDC reports that 30 percent of Americans experience some type of joint pain each month. That number increases depending on who’s doing the reporting.
• One in five people suffer from chronic pain and the same amount, according to the CDC, have been diagnosed with arthritis by their doctor.
• By 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans ages 18 years or older are projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

These statistics have led to a surge in the bone & joint health industry, as experts predict that the sale of bone and joint supplements will exceed $9 billion globally by 2017. This booming market has led researchers to identify the top ingredients for bone and joint health – not from a marketing perspective, but to let the public know what actually works to help improve your bone and joint health.

Outside of calcium and vitamin D – long proven to benefit your bones – there are a multitude of ingredients and products claiming to improve your bone and joint health. So what works? Recently, the experts weighed in, and here’s what they found:

Vitamin K: The correlation of vitamin K to cardiovascular and bone health directly focuses on supporting proper calcium utilization. Known as the calcium paradox, it simply means getting calcium in the right place: into the structure of the bone structures instead of the artery walls). One particular form of vitamin K – vitamin K2 – promotes the synthesis of proteins involved with calcium utilization, thereby supporting bone retention and arterial health.

Magnesium: According to researchers, up to 80 percent of people do not get enough magnesium. This can have a lasting effect on bone & joint health, as magnesium is a critical component of the mineralized part of bone and supports the normal metabolism of potassium and calcium in adults. Magnesium – the fourth most abundant mineral in the body – also supports more than 300 enzyme systems, including nerve function, adaptation to stress, metabolism and more.

Glucosamine: Naturally produced by the body and a key component of cartilage, glucosamine is concentrated in joint cartilage, and has been scientifically proven to support healthy joint function and promote the normal production of synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints and regenerates cartilage.

Omega 3s: We’ve written about the benefits omega 3 fatty acids have on inflammation before, and the bone and joint health industry is catching up. The American Heart Association has recommended omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the risk of inflammation not just to improve your heart health, but your overall health, as well.

One ingredient the experts failed to mention that has been shown to help the body’s inflammatory response is Pycnogenol. Research has shown that Pycnogenol – a water-soluble, flavonoid complex extracted from the bark of the French Maritime Pine tree – may inhibit the activation of NF-kappa B and AP-1, both of which are proinflammatory mediators. In addition, studies have shown the ability of Pycnogenol to cross-link collagen fibers and strengthen connective tissue proteins.

The Benefits of Berries

 By Ryan Saba

Berries have been shown to be some of the healthiest foods on the planet.  Low in calories, high in fiber, and containing vitamins and mineral your body needs to function optimally, berries are nutritional powerhouses.

Extremely powerful antioxidants, berries protect your body from inflammation.  With their high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values – a method of measuring antioxidant capacities – berries help to prevent negative effects on the body by turning off inflammation signals, making them a vital part of our diet. These little power foods may be simple but they have been shown to poses a variety of amazing benefit from protecting the heart all the way to enhancing vision. Try Isotonix Maximum ORAC 

Heart Protection
One of the primary benefits of berries is their ability to improve heart health and blood flow throughout the body.  One way this is done is by reducing the buildup of harmful plaque on blood vessel walls, which reduces the risk of arteries hardening.  By keeping arteries clean and avoiding the buildup of plaque, the heart can work more efficiently, reducing the potential of heart attacks and other heart disease related conditions. 

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Below is Dr. Steven Lamm a practicing internist, faculty member at New York University School of Medicine, and the Director of Men's Health for NYU Medical Center discussing Pycnogenol and its amazing benefits in Isotonix OPC-3

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Also, incorporation of berries into your diet has been shown to reduce oxidation of LDL – or “bad” – cholesterol. Oxidation, the process by which cells and tissue break down, is a key factor in heart disease because oxidized LDL can inflame arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks. Reducing the oxidation levels of LDL cholesterol not only improves overall heart function, but also reduces long term risks of heart disease. Learn more about an exclusive isotonic form of Pycnogenol in (OPC-3)

Powerful Antioxidants
Even though taste is often what we like most about berries, their color is what makes them so good for us.  The rich blues, deep purples and bright reds are a result of a group of phytochemicals called flavonoids. These pigments help to counter cell damage in our bodies caused by free radicals.  Over time, free radicals contribute to disease and are one of the primary factors in the aging process.

Antioxidant compounds protect our bodies from the oxidative damage that is caused by everything from poor diet, environmental toxins and even vigorous exercise.  By neutralizing free radicals, flavonoids may help to reduce the risk of cancer and aid in memory and other brain functions that begin to decline as we age.

Vision Enhancement
Various forms of berries contain lutein, a carotenoid important for healthy vision. Reduced eye function and the degeneration of vision are some of the most common problems associated with aging.  With the ability to protect against glaucoma and cataract progression, berries have been show to promote overall eye health. Berries have also been shown to enhance vision, especially at night, by supporting the regeneration of rhodopsin in the eyes.  This process helps the eyes to adjust better during periods of darkness and also reduces the permeability of the fine blood vessel walls throughout the eye. Berries have also been shown to protect against retinopathy, a condition the leads to impaired vision and blindness due to blood accumulation in the retina.

Sometimes the simplest things offer the best benefits.  Berries are some of the most powerful (and delicious) disease-fighting foods available. Introducing them into your diet – ideally two or three types each day – can improve various areas of health and overall well being.

Chronic Inflammation at the Heart of America’s Deadliest Diseases

Chronic Inflammation at the Heart of America’s Deadliest Diseases

Author: willllamas 

New science has linked diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s,
stroke, and cancer to one condition: chronic inflammation. Chronic
inflammation is a condition brought about by obesity and from a diet high
in fatty foods.  This condition can
attack the immune system and clear the way for harmful bacteria to enter the
body.

“You need to have inflammation when you have a wound
and the immune system goes in to heal it. Yet we don’t want too much
inflammation in our system causing damage to
our arteries” and other harm, says Wendy Weber, a program director at
the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the
National Institutes of Health.

Chronic inflammation can be caused a few different ways. One
recent discovery showed that fat cells were not solely acting as storage for
excess weight. “Instead, fat cells act like small factories to churn out
molecules known as cytokines, which set inflammation in motion,” says Peter
Libby, chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital in Boston.

Besides body weight issues, a diet rich in high-fat foods is
another common cause of chronic inflammation.

What can be done to combat inflammation? First and foremost,
maintaining a healthy body weight is a must. Losing excess weight and fat cells
will counter cytokine production and keep down inflammation. On top of that, a
specialized diet limiting fat consumption can help. However, no diet alone can
completely stop inflammation. “If you weigh 300 pounds and eat healthy,
the weight will still counter any beneficial foods you are eating,” says Dr.
Cannon, a professor of medicine at Harvard University.

The American Heart Association also recommends consuming
omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, and omega-6 fatty acids found in nuts and
vegetable oils to reduce the risk of inflammation. Supplementation is also
recommended if you are not getting the proper amounts.

Living Well with Flavonoids

Natural Products Foundation – NPF Science Update: Flavonoids

NPF Science Update: Flavonoids

Posted Thursday, September 8, 2011

The NPF Science Update brings you news about scientific advances in the field of natural products. The Science Update features contributions from scientists, academics, doctors, healthcare professionals, industry veterans and other experts. To sign up to receive the monthly Science Update via email, please click here: NPF Science Update. OPC-3  Living Well with Flavonoids Nature, Inflammation and Osteoarthritis Botanical products have been used for medicinal purposes by human civilizations over the course of thousands of years. Not surprisingly, many of the pharmaceuticals used today are derived in part from natural substances. Flavonoids are an excellent example of a safe and effective botanical compound that has natural biological activity in physiologic processes. Isotonix OPC-3 Super Antioxidant In general, flavonoids are found in colored fruits, vegetables and spices as well as cocoa, teas and even red wine. When your parents said, “Eat your vegetables,” they really meant, “Eat your flavonoids, because they have health benefits!” Lycopene, resveratrol, baicalin, catechin, curcumin, and quercetin are examples of flavonoid ingredients with therapeutic effects which can be found OTC in dietary supplement products and by prescription in medical food products. Flavonoids have been known for decades to promote anti-inflammatory activity, and flavonoid molecules have recently entered osteoarthritis clinical trials with successful results. Why look at flavonoids in osteoarthritis studies? There are multiple underlying causes and contributing factors to osteoarthritis including trauma, repetitive motion, inflammation, obesity, genetic predisposition and diet. Recently, with a substantial increase in our understanding of the problem, the roles of nutrition and lifestyle have become important focal points for osteoarthritis concerns. Many scientific studies have shown that anti-inflammatory micronutrients like flavonoids help the body naturally manage inflammation and oxidation, two important factors in osteoarthritis. There are literally thousands of papers in scientific literature related to flavonoids. The goal of a nutritional, metabolic therapy for osteoarthritis is to manage inflammation and oxidation. Botanical flavonoid molecules have been shown to manage osteoarthritis as suggested by modulating the production of inflammatory oxidized lipids, while reducing and controlling induced inflammatory molecules. Unfortunately, by eating large amounts of processed food, too much red meat and few colored fruits and vegetables, we usually don’t get a high enough intake of the nutrients we need to nutritionally manage the chronic progression of osteoarthritis over time. So, make sure to eat plenty of colored fruits and vegetables, and consider dietary products that contain concentrated and purified flavonoids to either maintain joint health or to help to nutritionally manage the metabolic processes of osteoarthritis. Natural resources taken under the care of your physician may be very effective in helping osteoarthritis. Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by Natural Products Foundation staff) from materials provided by J.D. Weir, President and CEO of Primus Pharmaceuticals and Secretary of the NPF Board of Directors. For more information, please click here: The Role of Flavonoids in Osteoarthritis, or on any of the Healthnotes links below: Healthnotes: Flavonoids Healthnotes: Osteoarthritis Healthnotes: Curcumin Healthnotes: Lycopene Healthnotes: Quercetin Healthnotes: Resveratrol

Isotonix OPC-3® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine and pine bark extracts, and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be powerful antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. nutraMetrix Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of

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Pycnogenol® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid.*
Isotonic, which means “same pressure,” bears the same chemical resemblance of the body’s blood, plasma and tears. All fluids in the body have a certain concentration, referred to as osmotic pressure. The body’s common osmotic pressure, which is isotonic, allows a consistent maintenance of body tissues. In order for a substance to be absorbed and used in the body’s metabolism, it must be transported in an isotonic state.
Isotonix® dietary supplements are delivered in an isotonic solution. This means that the body has less work to do to in obtaining maximum absorption. The isotonic state of the suspension allows nutrients to pass directly into the small intestine and be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. With Isotonix products, little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient while delivering maximum results.