The Physical Component of the Wellness Wheel

Let's talk about Heart Health today...

Heart disease is still our nation's number one disease killer - in spite of decades of low cholesterol diets - in spite of an abundance of drugs and surgical procedures. Atherosclerosis has reached epidemic proportions.

From The National Post, October 25, 2006

"North America is in the midst of a heart failure epidemic that will only get worse because of ageing Baby Boomers and more people surviving heart attacks with damaged hearts. This is what 3500 delegates were told at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress held in Vancouver this week.

Dr. Malcolm Arnold, a London, Ont., cardiologist who heads a national task force on newly released diagnosis and treatment guidelines, said in an interview that an estimated 400,000 Canadians have heart failure and about 25% of them go to the hospital each year with abnormal heart function symptoms. These range from lightheadedness, breathlessness and fatigue, to swollen legs and feet.

Heart failure is the most common diagnosis in people over age 65, and hospitalizations (13 days, on average) because of it are projected to double in the next 20 years. Heart failure is said to be the only type of serious heart disease that has steadily increased over the fast five to ten years.

To help stem the increase in hospitalizations, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society is asking family doctors to bone up on their heart failure knowledge so they don't waste any time getting patients diagnosed and treated while they wait the weeks to months it takes to get a patient an appointment with a heart specialist."

One of my favorite quotes:
"Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness..." by a British Earl who lived until 1893 (I can give you more specifics, if you care to ask!).

I would go one step further and say that we need to make time for healthy living and eating, and physical activity NOW.

I've been reading a book by David Rowland, PhD, the founder of the Edison Institute of Nutrition and former publisher of Health Naturally Magazine. He writes that the human body was very cleverly designed to be self-repairing and that we live in a body that has incredible, innate healing wisdom.

I've been impressed by the concept of restoring heart health by natural means. Dr Rowland's program can reverse atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, arterial blockages) without surgery.

Here I give you Dr. Rowland's suggestions for the Nutritional Bypass program that consists of:

1. Reducing one's exposure to harmful factors,
2. Increasing one's intake of those foods that have a protective effect, and
3. Taking specific supplements that can help the body remove arterial plaque.

These are Dr. Rowland's guidelines:

• Stop smoking.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat fish twice weekly.
• Increase dietary fibre by consuming 100% whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds or legumes at each meal. Use fresh, raw fruit for snacks.
• Drink at least 8 large glasses of purified water daily.
• Reduce intake of polyunsaturated oils. Use butter, olive oil or peanut oil.
• Restrict consumption of concentrated sugars of all kinds (sucrose, glucose, fructose, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, molasses, etc).
• Eliminate caffeine. Use herbal teas, coffee substitutes, pure water, fruit juices or decaffeinated beverages.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.
• Avoid processed meats.
• Reduce exposure to radiation, x-rays, exhaust fumes and other suspect inhalant chemicals.
• Strengthen the immune system by taking specific supplements, which give the body the raw materials it needs to heal itself.

Don't wait until heart disease finds you in the doctor's office. I recommend you implement the first 11 points by systematically changing your dietary and activity habits.

For the 12th point, I recommend you consider a supplement I discovered almost ten years ago, produced by a company near San Diego, CA called Body Wise International:

Cardio Wise is a superior formula with targeted nutrients that have been shown to support cardiac health. It has a unique balance of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals to maintain heart health. It contains an expert blend of modern science and traditional botanicals to support heart health.

The nutrients in Cardio Wise were specially selected for their known benefits in supporting heart health. The formula is rich in important B vitamins - niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B12, known to be integral to heart health functioning.

Cardio Wise is an excellent source of antioxidants that are known to support heart health: vitamin C, vitamin E, and Pycnogenol (R) are all excellent sources of antioxidants.

Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, work together. A number of them have special properties and may be taken in supplement form. Cardio Wise contains Taurine, L-Cysteine and Carnitine, amino acids that are known for their heart-supporting properties.

Hawthorn berries and garlic are traditional herbs that have been shown to support healthy heart functioning.

The product contains no yeast, no egg, no gluten, no dairy, no artificial coloring, no flavoring, and no preservatives. I can supply you with their 17-point manufacturing criteria, which comes with every product. Free shipping is available anywhere in North America.

Remember, you own your body. You can take control of it. You can direct the course of your own health without having to trust blindly in anyone else to do it for you. You have the ability to prevent and reverse serious health problems, to improve the quality, and perhaps even the length of your life, as so many others have done already. The choice is yours.

For more information on this and other health-promoting ideas and products, please e-mail me at getyourbodyback@hotmail.com and I will respond within 24 hours. And don't forget about the Executive Challenge. We've had lots of inquiries and the respondents will be contacted in the next few weeks to see if they meet the criteria to become one of the 15 case studies for our book. To express your interest in The Challenge, which will begin with the preparation phase on December 1st, e-mail me at executivechallenge@hotmail.com.

I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...Billie