Testosterone and the Heart Part Two - Dach

Testosterone and the Heart Part Two by Jeffrey Dach MD

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Jeffrey Dach

In Part One, we discussed a 2010 study from Boston University in which testosterone was given to immobilized, elderly, obese male smokers.  The study was halted early because of poor outcome with increased heart attacks and “cardiac events”  in the testosterone treated group.

Second Study Shows  Poor Outcome in Testosterone Group

A second study from the University of Texas was just published in JAMA .(2)  This study was done on Veterans undergoing coronary angiography with documented coronary artery disease.  Some of these Veterans had low testosterone levels (below 300) .  These veterans were given testosterone treatment and followed.  At the end of three years of follow up, the untreated men had a  20%  incidence of stroke,  heart attack or death, while the testosterone treated group had a higher 26% incidence.  This is 20% untreated, vs. 26% treated.  Clearly, the testosterone did not miraculously reverse the atherosclerosis disease in this group of veterans.(2-6)

Benefits of Testosterone Clearly Documented in Medical Literature

As discussed in part one, decades of research studies have shown that low testosterone in men is a risk factor for early mortality from cardiovascular disease, and testosterone treatment reduces mortality, especially in the diabetic males. (7-10)

Testosterone Treatment Does Not Reverse Heart Disease

However, it is clear from these two studies that testosterone by itself is insufficient as a therapy to reverse coronary artery plaque in men who have diets and lifestyles which promote heart disease, and who already have significant underlying coronary artery disease.

Left Image logo courtesy of Track Your Plaque Blog.

Track Your Plaque Program

For our office patients who are interested in reversing coronary artery plaque, we use the William Davis MD Track Your Plaque Program. This is an excellent program which is well thought out.  See my article on this: Reversing Heart Disease.


I wonder what the outcome of these two studies would have been if the testosterone treated group had been started on the Track Your Plaque Program which monitors lipo-protein profile and the Calcium Score, and uses diet and lifestyle modification and supplements to reduce Calcium Score and increase LDL particle size.

There are many unanswered questions.  I also  wonder what the Vitamin D levels were, and what the thyroid levels were on these men,   How much trans fats were they consuming?  How much were they smoking and how much alcohol did they consume?  How much overweight were they?

Conclusion

One conclusion seems clear and that is testosterone by itself does not replace the Track Your Plaque Program of Diet, Lifestyle modification and Supplements to reverse heart disease.  As these two studies show, clinical outcomes for Testosterone Treatment may actually be worse for subgroups of men with severe coronary artery disease, especially when no changes are made to the diet and lifestyles that promote heart disease.

Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road, Suite 180/190
Davie, Florida 33314
954-792-4663www.jeffreydach.com
www.drdach.com
www.naturalmedicine101.com
www.truemedmd.com

Articles With Related Content:

Low Testosterone Diagnosis and Treatment
HCG in Males with Low Testosterone
Testosterone Benefits, PSA and Prostate Part One
Testosterone and PSA Part Two
Clomid for Men with Low Testosterone Part One
Low Testosterone From Pain Pills
Low Testosterone Associated with Increased Mortality
Testosterone Reduces Mortality
Testosterone Blockade Increases Mortality
Testosterone Found Beneficial For Diabetes

Links and References:
(1)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20592293
N Engl J Med. 2010 Jul 8;363(2):109-22. Epub 2010 Jun 30.
Adverse events associated with testosterone administration.
Basaria S, Coviello AD, Travison TG, Storer TW, Farwell WR, Jette AM, Eder R, Tennstedt S, Ulloor J, Zhang A, Choong K, Lakshman KM, Mazer NA, Miciek R, Krasnoff J, Elmi A, Knapp PE, Brooks B, Appleman E, Aggarwal S, Bhasin G, Hede-Brierley L, Bhatia A, Collins L, LeBrasseur N, Fiore LD, Bhasin S. Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
2) http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1764051  Association of Testosterone Therapy With Mortality, Myocardial Infarction, and Stroke in Men With Low Testosterone Levels  by Rebecca Vigen, MD, MSCS1; Colin I. O’Donnell, MS2,3; Anna E. Barón, PhD2,3; Gary K. Grunwald, PhD2,3; Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc2,3,4; Steven M. Bradley, MD, MPH2,3,4; Al Barqawi, MD3; Glenn Woning, MD3; Margaret E. Wierman, MD2,3; Mary E. Plomondon, PhD2,3,4; John S. Rumsfeld, MD, PhD2,3,4; P. Michael Ho, MD, PhD2,3,4  The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 2VA Eastern Colorado Health Care
JAMA. 2013;310(17):1829-1836.
3) http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/11/concerns-raised-about-testosterone-therapy/  Concerns Raised about Testosterone Therapy Study: testosterone replacement linked to heart risks By Steven Nissen, MD | 11/8/13 2:26 p.m.
4) Testosterone treatments linked with heart riskshttp://www.thetowntalk.com/viewart/20131112/LIFESTYLE/311130006/Testosterone-treatments-linked-heart-risks
5) http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303661404579180294201174958  Testosterone Therapy Tied to Heart Risks
Veterans With History of Heart Disease Had Higher Risk of Death, Heart Attack and Stroke, According
6) http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-heart-disease-testosterone-replacement-20131105,0,3592717.story  Testosterone medication may boost risk of heart attack, stroke, death
7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22496507  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jun;97(6):2050-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-2591. Epub 2012 Apr 11.  Testosterone treatment and mortality in men with low testosterone levels. Shores MM, Smith NL, Forsberg CW, Anawalt BD, Matsumoto AM.
Source  Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way, S-116PES, Seattle, Washington 98108, USA.
8) http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0025/ea0025p163.htm
Endocrine Abstracts (2011) 25 P163
Low testosterone predicts increased mortality and testosterone replacement therapy improves survival in men with type 2 diabetes
Vakkat Muraleedharan1,2, Hazel Marsh1 & Hugh Jones1,2
9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23999642
Eur J Endocrinol. 2013 Oct 21;169(6):725-33. doi: 10.1530/EJE-13-0321. Print 2013.
Testosterone deficiency is associated with increased risk of mortality and testosterone replacement improves survival in men with type 2 diabetes.
Muraleedharan V, Marsh H, Kapoor D, Channer KS, Jones TH.
Source  Robert Hague Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Barnsley Hospital NHSFT, Gawber Road, Barnsley S75 2EP, UK.
Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road, Suite 180/190
Davie, Florida 33314
954-792-4663
www.jeffreydach.com
www.drdach.com
www.naturalmedicine101.com
www.truemedmd.com
=====================================================================
Read the complete article here.

Large meta-analyses of statins

The following was posted on the Track Your Plaque forum on 9/14/2013

==================================================================
  Here are some highlights from here: http://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-statins-dont-save-lives-in-people-without-heart-disease backed up by studies. 

An analysis by Dr. David Newman in 2010 which drew on large meta-analyses of statins found that among those with pre-existing heart disease that took statins for 5 years (1):

96% saw no benefit at all

1.2% (1 in 83) had their lifespan extended (were saved from a fatal heart attack)

2.6% (1 in 39) were helped by preventing a repeat heart attack

0.8% (1 in 125) were helped by preventing a stroke

0.6% (1 in 167) were harmed by developing diabetes

10% (1 in 10) were harmed by muscle damage  A heart attack or stroke can have a significant negative impact on quality of life, so any intervention that can decrease the risk of such an event should be given serious consideration. But even in the population for which statins are most effective—those with pre-existing heart disease—83 people have to be treated to extend one life, and 39 people have to be treated to prevent a repeat heart attack.

Primary prevention (those without pre-existing heart disease)Statins do reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in people without pre-existing heart disease. However, this effect is more modest than most people assume. Dr. Newman also analyzed the effect of statins given to people with no known heart disease for 5 years (5):

98% saw no benefit at all

1.6% (1 in 60) were helped by preventing a heart attack

0.4% (1 in 268) were helped by preventing a stroke

1.5% (1 in 67) were harmed by developing diabetes

10% (1 in 10) were harmed by muscle damageThese statistics present a more sobering view on the efficacy of statins in people without pre-existing heart disease. They suggest that you’d need to treat 60 people for 5 years to prevent a single heart attack, or 268 people for 5 years to prevent a single stroke. These somewhat unimpressive benefits must also be weighed against the downsides of therapy, such as side effects and cost. During that hypothetical 5 year period, 1 in 67 patients would have developed diabetes and 1 in 10 patients would have developed muscle damage (which can be permanent in some cases, as we’ll see later in this section).

To summarize:

The only population that statins extend life in are men under 80 years of age with pre-existing heart disease.

In men under 80 without pre-existing heart disease, men over 80 with or without heart disease, and women of any age with or without heart disease, statins have not been shown to extend lifespan.

Statins do reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in all populations. A heart attack or stroke can have a significant, negative impact on quality of life—particularly in the elderly—so this benefit should not be discounted.

However, the reductions in cardiovascular events are often more modest than most assume; 60 people with high cholesterol but no heart disease would need to be treated for 5 years to prevent a single heart attack, and 268 people would need to be treated for 5 years to prevent a single stroke.

Statins have been shown to cause a number of side effects, such as muscle pain and cognitive problems, and they are probably more common than currently estimated due to under-reporting.

My intention here is not to suggest that statins have no place in the treatment of heart disease, but rather to give you the objective information you need to decide (along with your doctor) whether they are appropriate for you. The decision whether to take them should be based on whether you have pre-existing heart disease, what your overall risk of a heart attack is, how healthy your diet and lifestyle is, what other treatments you’ve already tried, and your own risk tolerance and worldview. It’s clear that statins reduce heart disease as well as the risk of death in those that have already had a heart attack, so if you’re in this group and you’ve already tried diet and lifestyle interventions without much impact on your lipid or inflammatory markers, you are more likely to benefit.
===========================================================
Read the whole thing here if you are a member.

Are statins and omega-3s incompatible? - Davis

Are statins and omega-3s incompatible?
Posted on June 18, 2013 by Dr. Davis

French researcher, Dr. Michel de Lorgeril, has been in the forefront of thinking and research into nutritional issues, including the Mediterranean Diet, the French Paradox, and the role of fat intake in cardiovascular health. In a recent review entitled Recent findings on the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids and statins, and their interactions: do statins inhibit omega-3?, he explores the question of whether statin drugs are, in effect, incompatible with omega-3 fatty acids.

Dr. Lorgeril makes several arguments:

1) Earlier studies, such as GISSI-Prevenzione, demonstrated reduction in cardiovascular events with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, consistent with the biological and physiological benefits observed in animals, experimental preparations, and epidemiologic observations in free-living populations.

 2) More recent studies (and meta-analyses) examining the effects of omega-3 fatty acids have failed to demonstrate cardiovascular benefit showing, at most, non-significant trends towards benefit.

He points out that the more recent studies were conducted post-GISSI and after agencies like the American Heart Association’s advised people to consume more fish, which prompted broad increases in omega-3 intake. The populations studied therefore had increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids at the start of the studies, verified by higher levels of omega-3 RBC levels in participants.

In addition, he raises the provocative idea that the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids appear to be confined to those not taking statin agents, as suggested, for instance, in the Alpha Omega Trial. He speculates that the potential for statins to ablate the benefits of omega-3s (and vice versa) might be based on several phenomena:

 –Statins increase arachidonic acid content of cell membranes, a potentially inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid that competes with omega-3 fatty acids. (Insulin provocation and greater linoleic acid/omega-6 oils do likewise.)

–Statins induce impaired mitochondrial function, while omega-3s improve mitochondrial function. (Impaired mitochondrial function is evidenced, for instance, by reduced coenzyme Q10 levels, with partial relief from muscle weakness and discomfort by supplementing coenzyme Q10.)

–Statins commonly provoke muscle weakness and discomfort which can, in turn, lead to reduced levels of physical activity and increased resistance to insulin. (Thus the recently reported increases in diabetes with statin drug use.)

Are the physiologic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, present and necessary for health, at odds with the non-physiologic effects of statin drugs?

I fear we don’t have sufficient data to come to firm conclusions yet, but my perception is that the case against statins is building. Yes, they have benefits in specific subsets of people (none in others), but the notion that everybody needs a statin drug is, I believe, not only dead wrong, but may have effects that are distinctly negative. And I believe that the arguments in favor of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, EPA and DHA (and perhaps DPA), make better sense.

 - See more at: http://blog.trackyourplaque.com/2013/06/are-statins-and-omega-3s-incompatible.html

DHA: the crucial omega-3 - Davis

DHA: the crucial omega-3  

Of the two omega-3 fatty acids that are best explored, EPA and DHA, it is likely DHA that exerts the most blood pressure- and heart rate-reducing effects. Here are the data of Mori et al in which 4000 mg of olive oil, purified EPA only, or purified DHA only were administered over 6 weeks:


□ indicates baseline SBP; ▪, postintervention SBP; ○, baseline DBP; •, postintervention DBP; ⋄, baseline HR; and ♦, postintervention HR.

In this group of 56 overweight men with normal starting blood pressures, only DHA reduced systolic BP by 5.8 mmHg, diastolic by 3.3 mmHg.

While each omega-3 fatty acid has important effects, it may be DHA that has an outsized benefit. So how can you get more DHA? Well, this observation from Schuchardt et al is important:

DHA in the triglyceride and phospholipid forms are 3-fold better absorbed, as compared to the ethyl ester form (compared by area-under-the-curve). In other words, fish oil that has been reconstituted to the naturally-occurring triglyceride form (i.e., the form found in fresh fish) provides 3-fold greater blood levels of DHA than the more common ethyl ester form found in most capsules. (The phospholipid form of DHA found in krill is also well-absorbed, but occurs in such small quantities that it is not a practical means of obtaining omega-3 fatty acids, putting aside the astaxanthin issue.)

So if the superior health effects of DHA are desired in a form that is absorbed, the ideal way to do this is either to eat fish or to supplement fish oil in the triglyceride, not ethyl ester, form. The most common and popular forms of fish oil sold are ethyl esters, including Sam’s Club Triple-Strength, Costco, Nature Made, Nature’s Bounty, as well as prescription Lovaza. (That’s right: prescription fish oil, from this and several other perspectives, is an inferior product.)

What sources of triglyceride fish oil with greater DHA content/absorption are available to us? My favorites are, in this order:

Ascenta NutraSea
CEO and founder, Marc St. Onge, is a friend. Having visited his production facility in Nova Scotia, I was impressed with the meticulous methods of preparation. At every step of the way, every effort was made to limit any potential oxidation, including packaging in a vacuum environment. The Ascenta line of triglyceride fish oils are also richer in DHA content. Their NutraSea High DHA liquid, for instance, contains 500 mg EPA and 1000 mg DHA per teaspoon, a 1:2 EPA:DHA ratio, rather than the more typical 3:2 EPA:DHA ratio of ethyl ester forms.

Pharmax (now Seroyal) also has a fine product with a 1.4:1 EPA:DHA ratio.

Nordic Naturals has a fine liquid triglyceride product, though it is 2:1 EPA:DHA.

By Dr. William Davis
=================================================================
Read the complete article here.

Heart disease, coronary calcification and preventative cardiology - IHDA

Please review this linked site for some super info and the latest on heart disease, coronary calcification and preventative cardiology.

http://ihda.ie/see-more/

I was especially interested in the presentation of Dr William Davis whose Track Your Plaque program I follow. Please listen to all of these speakers if you are concerned about this important topic.

Irish Heart Disease Awareness -

Dr William Davis was interviewed on the Dr Oz show

Cardiologist, Track Your Plaque founder and Wheat Belly author Dr William Davis was interviewed on the Dr Oz show tagged 'Are You Addicted to Wheat' on Monday Dec 3 2012. The complete show can be seen in three parts here.

http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/are-you-addicted-wheat

Results of my second serial CAC Scan just in.

I have been working hard on slowing plaque growth for several years but mostly in the last year and a half because I had my first viable CAC scan to provide a measuring point baseline for reference.

Other comments on the report follow.

• IMPRESSION: Stable exam compared to Sept 15, 2011

• PATIENT: 69 year old man with no cardiac symptoms but a past history of cardiovascular disease resulting in 6 MI events over a 17 year period. His current stress level is low. He has a history of prior cardiac procedures including CABG (1x), Angiography and Coronary Stent (3x). He has a family history of stroke and heart disease in a first or second degree relative.

• YOUR AGATSTON CALCIUM SCORE IS: 1072.3

• Your current EBT heart was compared to your most recent prior scan and the progression of calcified plaque is less than 15% annually. This is a very good result and is consistent with a low risk for coronary event over the next few years.

Encouraging but no resting on my laurels. The 22% annualized plaque growth in the RCA is a matter of concern reminding me that further improvement is necessary so adjustments may have to be made in my diet etc.


Prior Scan was Sept 15, 2011
Current Scan Oct 5, 2012
My assessment is that it looks pretty good except for % change on LMCA and the RCA
That line below the chart that ends with 4% is good.
Have consult with doctor tomorrow (10/15/2012). Stay tuned for a more qualified analysis.




Note my treatment plan which seems to be paying off is that of the Track Your Plaque Program. It primarily consists of diet and supplements with minimal drug intervention (especially 'no statins' which I do not tolerate). It includes advanced lipid analysis then treating atherogenic ones such as Lp(a) and apo B or LDL particle number and particle size.

Book Review: Don’t Die Early - Rocky Angelucci (Naughton reviewed)

Sep062012

Book Review: Don’t Die Early

Posted by Tom Naughton

Lying on the gurney in the emergency room, I shielded my eyes from the glaring overhead lights and tried to remember exactly when my heart went wacko. I remember being anxious and out of sorts all evening. Looking back, I realized that during dinner my chest felt fluttery and strange inside, and I recall snapping at my wife, Laura, over nothing as I left the kitchen to go upstairs.

By the time I reached the top of the stairs, I knew something was very wrong— I could barely breathe and when I placed my fingers to the side of my neck, my pulse felt very unusual. Not the rhythmic beating I would have expected, but more like an indistinct, squishy fluttering. Walking into our spare bedroom, I retrieved the pulse meter from the shelf next to the treadmill. I slipped the meter on my finger and looked at the readout. The effort seemed exhausting. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I called for Laura. When she arrived a moment later, I handed her the pulse meter.

The display read 195 beats per minute and I knew my life had just changed forever. The old carefree way of taking care of my body that had worked fine in my youth and young adulthood wasn’t working anymore. I now had to become a conscious advocate of my own health.

That’s the opening from Don’t Die Early, an educational and very well-written book by Rocky Angelucci – who did nearly die early. Finding yourself lying on a gurney should certainly put a scare into you, but unfortunately many people respond to that scare by following their well-meaning doctor’s orders … you know, cut back on the eggs and saturated fats, eat your hearthealthywholegrains, etc.

Rocky didn’t go that route, partly (and I’m delighted to say this) because of Fat Head. As he explained in an email some months ago:

I have been a fan of yours since discovering a snippet of Fat Head on YouTube the evening I returned home from the hospital following a life-changing episode of atrial fibrillation. I was only 45 years old at the time, but had just been rudely awakened by the realization that the carefree lifestyle of my youth had become increasingly harmful. Fat Head’s discussion of insulin resistance and fat storage resonated very well with my pre-med college days studying life sciences and my experiences with the Zone diet and the hormonal implications of foods. Fat Head also catalyzed my growing displeasure at a procedure-driven medical system and gave substance to my vague feeling that politics, not science, has infiltrated medical care.

Because my underlying cardiac problem ultimately turned out to be an alarming plaque burden, my research quickly lead me to Dr. William Davis’ Track Your Plaque forum, where I have been a very active member for the past two years. I became so impressed with Dr. Davis that he has been my cardiologist for the past year. His warmth and prevention-minded attitude makes the journey from Dallas to Wisconsin entirely worthwhile. Thanks to my radical lifestyle changes, most of them flying in the face of conventional wisdom, I’m fortunate to be one of the TYP members who has shown dramatic plaque reversal, recently showing a 24% six-month decrease immediately following a horrific 83% increase the year before.

If I had heart disease, there’s no one in the world I’d rather have treating me than Dr. Davis. Rocky’s in good hands.

His email continued:
Emboldened by a background as a technical writer in the fields of software, nanotechnology, and medical devices, I’ve spent the past year writing a book on preventive health that captures what I’ve learned and applied to my own condition.

I read the book before it was published and again last week, and it’s excellent. When I consider recommending a book (publishers send me books I don’t recommend, by the way), I ask myself two questions: 1) Is the information useful to people who want to lose weight or become healthier? 2) Does it pass my “Aunt Martha” test … that is, could your Aunt Martha read it and understand it?
The answer to both questions in this case is an enthusiastic yes. Rocky has a gift for taking the science of nutrition and health and explaining it clearly, and it’s obvious from the many topics he covers and how well he covers them that he jumped into that science head-first. I learned more from this book than I thought I would, which is always a pleasure.

As the title indicates, Don’t Die Early isn’t about weight loss. It’s about how to live to a ripe old age and remain healthy along the way. Weight loss is covered in a section about dietary fallacies, but Rocky’s goals for the reader are the same goals he set for himself: 1) understand the true causes of heart disease, diabetes and inflammation; 2) learn how to reliably measure and track the instigators or markers of those diseases, such as LDL particle size and A1C; and 3) take specific actions to reverse disease or prevent it from developing in the first place.

That’s what Rocky did, and was rewarded with excellent results:
In the first six months after embracing a preventive lifestyle, I accomplished the following:

• Lowered my body fat percentage from 20% to 11%
• Lowered my inflammatory markers by as much as 75% (you’ll learn about inflammation later)
• Reduced my triglycerides by more than 90% (this happened in the first 30 days)
• Improved every measurable aspect of my cholesterol
• Improved my fasting glucose by 25%
• Improved my muscle tone and stamina
• Lowered my blood pressure from an average of 145/90 to an average of 115/70
• Reduced my resting heart rate by more than 13 points

As impressive as these results might appear, I’m not revealing them so that you’ll invite me to your next party. They are to show you what is very attainable for anyone who makes the proper lifestyle changes.

The book is divided into two parts. Part One, titled The Major Players, provides in-depth explanations of heart disease, diabetes and inflammation. The message Rocky pounds home in these chapters is that it’s important not only to understand what these diseases actually are and what causes them, but to know specifically what to measure so you can tell if you’re developing them. Sadly (but not surprisingly), the tests your doctor orders often add up to too little, too late:

Imagine having the following conversation with your child’s teacher:

You: How is my daughter doing in school this semester? Is she learning the required material?

Teacher: Based upon her age, and what we infer her socioeconomic status to be, as well as her assertions that she does homework on a regular basis, we believe she has a very high likelihood of having mastered this semester’s materials acceptably.

You: Excuse me? What does this mean? Have you tested her on the material?

Teacher: No, we compared her socioeconomic status, apparent nutritional health, and her testimony that she does her homework regularly to a statistical model we have and there’s a strong correlation between your daughter’s parameters and students who mastered the coursework. Oh, and we measured the callouses on her writing fingers and they indicate that she’s likely doing quite a bit of writing, which our statistical model shows increases by 22% her chances of having mastered the material. Overall, we feel very confident that she has mastered this semester’s material.

You: I don’t understand why you’re comparing her to a statistical model instead of testing her. Do you ever plan on testing her?

Teacher: Only if she shows clear signs of having failed to master the material would we test her. As long as her parameters correlate acceptably to the statistical models of a successful population, we will assume that she is mastering the material.

Does this sound like a school you would like your child to attend? Does estimating your child’s performance by comparing indirect parameters to a statistical model sound like an ideal way to gauge her mastery of the subject matter? It certainly doesn’t to me.

Yet this is how our medical culture typically measures the risk of coronary artery disease during routine preventive exams.

That’s why Rocky didn’t know he was developing plaque in his arteries. He quotes Dr. William Davis, who says that the traditional methods of identifying people at risk for heart disease miss 90 percent of the people who eventually have a heart attack. If you want to know if you’re developing plaque, you should (surprise!) measure plaque.

The standard test for measuring diabetes often misses those who are developing it as well:
Many of the clinical guidelines in use today encourage a physician to use fasting glucose as the sole indicator of one’s diabetic health. Seeing a fasting glucose level within the laboratory “normal” range, both patient and physician are satisfied that the patient is at low risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Now that you know more about how diabetes progresses, you can see that gauging the risk of Type 2 diabetes solely on fasting glucose is terribly ineffective. An abnormal fasting glucose is typically the last commonly used indicator to show the presence of diabetes. In fact, by the time your fasting glucose is no longer in the normal range, you are already diabetic.

Throughout these chapters, Rocky explains which health markers you should be actually measuring and which specific tests you can request from your doctor or order online and perform at home.
Fat Head fans will be familiar with much of material on heart disease and diabetes, including how much of the standard advice from so-called experts is wrong. But even though I’ve read quite a bit on those topics, I kept coming across information in Don’t Die Early that was either new to me or struck me as particularly well-explained. Here are a couple of sample bits:

Perhaps the biggest problem with insulin being a growth hormone is that not all of the tissues in the body become desensitized to increasing levels of insulin at the same rate. As a person becomes more and more insulin-resistant, cells that are much less affected continue to respond to the ever-increasing levels of insulin, growing and multiplying more rapidly as insulin levels increase. What cells exhibit this behavior? The endothelial cells that form the lining of your arteries, for one. As these arterial cells multiply more rapidly, the lining of an insulin-resistant person’s arteries thicken and grow inward, hastening coronary artery disease. This is one of the reasons why so many diabetics die from heart disease.
…
A typical cell membrane is composed of a lipid bilayer, which is just what it sounds like: two layers of fatty acid molecules, sandwiched together to give cell membranes their much-needed strength. This bilayer also forms an effective barrier to foreign substances, through the use of embedded receptors that are designed to transfer only specific things into and out of the cell. The impermeable lipid layers and their receptors serve as gatekeepers to help ensure the health of a cell by transferring only what the cell needs, in the right amounts, into the cell and removing unwanted substances from within the cell. Virtually anything that the cell consumes or produces is transported this way, ensuring that only the proper substances ever reach the interior of the cell.

As with most structures of the body, the cell’s lipid bilayer needs to be constantly maintained, which the body does by constantly replenishing the crucial fatty acids that comprise the cell membranes. What happens if a person eats a trivial amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and an abundance of unhealthy omega-6 fatty acid? Simple, the body does its best with what you give it and will use the omega-6 fatty acids instead.

What this means is that in addition to their role in promoting inflammatory chemical messengers, omega-6 fatty acids become incorporated into virtually every cell in your body.

Part two of the book, Lifestyle Changes, includes chapters on dietary truths and fallacies, setting goals, and taking action. Again, the chapter on diet covers ground that’s largely familiar for Fat Heads (Gary Taubes and Dr. William Davis are quoted several times), but it’s well written and worth the read.

In the final two chapters, Rocky urges the reader to do enough testing to establish several baseline measurements (blood sugar, fasting insulin, vitamin D concentration, LDL particle size, etc.), set specific and attainable goals for improving those markers, then work to meet them. If you’ve ever wondered what your fasting insulin level or vitamin D concentration should be (ideally, anyway) this chapter will tell you. Rocky also gives advice on how to improve your odds of meeting each goal. For example, to achieve optimum triglyceride levels:

In summary, the best approach to reducing one’s triglycerides is

• Eliminate grains, replacing them with vegetables, nuts, and berries.
• Minimize carbohydrates (especially fructose), eating them in sufficient moderation so as to never cause unfavorable glucose levels.
• Consider supplementing your diet with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil.
• Speak to your physician about supplementing with niacin to help optimize your triglycerides.
• All of the above steps will very effectively control your fasting triglycerides. To really take it to the next level, buy a Cardio-Chek triglyceride meter to measure your body’s response to different types of meals to identify exactly how sensitive your body is to specific types and quantities of fats. If you perform a small series of these carefully controlled tests, you’ll have infinitely more clarity on how to optimize your diet for the best possible postprandial triglyceride production (this will be especially valuable in determining whether saturated fat is good for you and at what level).

Near the very end of the book, there’s a section I’m sure many of you will relate to … the sub-chapter heading is Prepare To Be An Outcast. Here’s chunk of that section:

You may find yourself biting your tongue every time you see a friend, colleague, or loved one wolf down a low-fat, grain-based meal, laden with vegetable oil, as they complain about having acid reflux or autoimmune disorders.

You may see friends and loved ones struggle with weight problems while they eat low-fat foods that constantly elevate their blood glucose level, ensuring that they live life as the “walking starving,” trying unsuccessfully to lose weight.

Even your more health-conscious friends may not appreciate your one-upping them on matters of health and nutrition. Responding to their enthusiasm for fish oil with “Yes, but do you track your daily intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and have you ever checked your Omega-3 Index?” will make you sound like a know-it-all.

It’s painful to realize that some people just don’t want to hear that there’s a better future available to them if they just abandon the current thinking on what’s healthy and what’s not. Many refuse to believe that they could ever get bad advice from a physician or from a “trusted” source like the USDA, the American Dietetic Association, or the American Diabetes Association. In such cases, you may just need to silently watch them continue on their path.

Sadly, that’s true. But for people who are open to trying a new path to health, Don’t Die Early is an excellent guidebook.
==============================================================
Read the full article here.

It's the Calcium Score Stupid! - HeartHawk

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

JUPITER to Earth: It's the Calcium Score Stupid!

Well, well, well! A funny thing happened on the way to the "statin forum." Astra-Zeneca, in a bald-faced attempt to broaden the market for its statin product Crestor, ended up proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that heart scans and calcium scoring is the most powerful predictor of heart attacks in asymptomatic people.

A post hoc analysis of the MESA study population using JUPITER criteria revealed at 25-fold increase in risk for persons having a positive calcium score. These two studies were fairly large so it was adequately powered to deliver results with a high degree of confidence.

For years docs like Bill Davis and Bill Blanchet have been screaming this from the hilltops and it something every Track Your Plaque practitioner knows. If you have a positive calcium score you have coronary artery disease and your risk of a heart attack skyrockets. Fortunately, it also gives you often decades of warning so you can actually DO something about it. Coupled with technologies like advanced lipoprotein you can find the root causes and correct them.

So, "thank you" Atra-Zeneca. I know you did it for the money - but what the heck - you might end up having helped save some lives in spite of it!

Now darn it, go out talk to your doc about getting that heart scan if you have any doubts about having the seeds of heart disease in your arteries.

Looking out for your health,
---


Who is HeartHawk?
I am a numbers guy, an engineer, MBA, and for the real numbers geeks, a Six Sigma Black Belt (statistics on steroids). I am also a heart disease sufferer. It took my mother, her brother, and their father. One minute they were alive and symptom free, the next they were dead. No good-byes, just gone. So, I became a heart health activist and resolved that I will die some other way. This blog is about my journey to save myself and others, unearthing advances and atrocities, separating hope from hype, and delivering the unvarnished truth about curing heart disease, both good and bad. So, hold on tight. I promise you a hell of a ride!

=============================================
Read HeartHawk's blog here.

Triglycerides: Mother of Meddlesome Particles - Davis

Triglycerides: Mother of Meddlesome Particles



Triglycerides are a crucial risk factor for coronary plaque growth, even at levels previously thought to be normal. Dr. Davis discusses why and how this oft-neglected factor can be harnessed to strengthen your program.

While the world obsesses over cholesterol, a potent stimulator of plaque growth is frequently ignored—triglycerides. A subject of controversy in past, the data are now clear: triglycerides spawn unwanted lipoprotein particles that trigger plaque growth. Track Your Plaque members are advised that control of triglycerides is essential to everyone’s plaque control program.

Triglyceride control is crucial if you are interested in gaining control over coronary plaque. Triglycerides should be brought under control at the start of your program. If you are experiencing plaque growth (increasing heart scan scores), seriously reining in triglycerides should be considered.

How important are triglycerides?

 

For years, the relationship between coronary heart disease and triglycerides remained muddled by the confounding effects of low HDL. In other words, increased triglycerides tend to occur alongside low HDL. This caused many to dismiss the importance of triglycerides. To make matters even murkier, high triglycerides in some situations generated high risk for heart disease, while in others it appeared unrelated to heart disease, even when markedly elevated (in the thousands!).

Thanks to the evolving science of lipoproteins, the issues are crystallizing. One important fact has emerged: triglycerides are a critical risk factor for coronary plaque growth, even at levels previously thought to be normal. Yes, high triglycerides frequently occur with low HDL, but they also behave independently. High triglycerides are a common cause of heart disease, even in people with low or normal cholesterol values. It is crucial that you (and your doctor) pay close attention to triglycerides if you are to succeed in controlling your plaque. We urge Members to make triglyceride control a priority in their program.

 

Where do triglycerides come from?

 

The liver produces a particle called “very low-density lipoprotein”, or VLDL, packed full of triglycerides. The higher your triglycerides, the more VLDL you will have. Sometimes triglycerides are increased due to genetic factors. More commonly, triglycerides are high due to excess weight, indulging in processed carbohydrates, and resistance to insulin (metabolic syndrome).

VLDL is like that bad kid on the block you want your kids to avoid. VLDL particles in the blood come into contact with LDL and HDL particles and they’re never quite the same. When a LDL or HDL particle meet VLDL, the triglycerides of VLDL are passed on. The result: LDL and HDL become bloated with triglycerides. Triglyceride-loaded LDL and HDL are a ready target for a set of enzymes in the blood and liver that reconfigure these particles into smaller versions, small LDL and small HDL. Recall that both small LDL and HDL are highly undesirable particles that stimulate plaque growth.

Although “official” (ATP-III) guidelines suggest that triglycerides over 150 mg are undesirable, we regard any value over 60 mg as high. An ideal level for an intensive Track Your Plaque approach is <45 font="font" mg.="mg.">

 

How will I know if I have this pattern?

 

On a conventional cholesterol panel, increased triglycerides and low HDL are tip-offs that excess VLDL are available to contribute to coronary plaque growth. At what triglyceride level does this cascade begin to take effect and create this collection of particles? Levels of 45 mg/dl or greater. In the Track Your Plaque program, we aim for zero plaque growth or reduction, and so we target triglyceride levels of 60 mg/dl or less.

You’ll notice that low HDL and increased triglycerides are also patterns that characterize the metabolic syndrome. In our experience, over 50% of adults show at least some of the characteristics of the metabolic syndrome. In our society of inactive, sedentary lifestyles and packaged, processed foods, metabolic syndrome is rampant. That means increased triglycerides from VLDL are also running rampant. The result: a 3 to 7-fold increase in risk for heart attack. Eliminating the metabolic syndrome is another battle we need to fight to conquer plaque. (See Shutting Off the Metabolic Syndrome.)

 

How can triglycerides be reduced?

 

Our triglyceride target of 60 mg or less dramatically reduces triglyceride availability. Without triglycerides, LDL and HDL can’t be processed into undesirable small particles. Among the strategies we use to reach our triglyceride target of 60 mg or less:

• Fish oil—The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are our number one choice for substantially reducing triglycerides. Fish oil, 4000 mg per day, is a good starting dose (providing 1200 mg EPA+DHA); higher doses should be discussed with your physician, though we commonly use 6000–10,000 mg per day without ill-effect. Flaxseed oil, while beneficial for health, does not correct lipoprotein patterns. Consider a concentrated fish oil preparation (e.g., Omacor™, a prescription preparation, or “pharmaceutical grade” preparations from the health food store) if you and your doctor decide a high dose is necessary.
• Weight loss to ideal weight or ideal BMI (25). If achieved with a reduction in processed carbohydrates, the effect will be especially significant. Exercise will compound the benefits of weight loss, triggering an even larger drop in triglycerides.
• Reduction in processed carbohydrates—especially snacks; wheat-flour containing foods like breads, pasta, pretzels, chips, bagels, and breakfast cereals; white and brown rice; white potatoes. The reduction of high- and moderate-glycemic index foods is the factor that reduces triglycerides. High triglycerides are therefore a pattern that develops when someone follows a low-fat diet. For this reason, we do not advocate low-fat diets like the Ornish program. Reducing your exposure to wheat-containing snacks and processed foods is an especially useful and easy-to-remember strategy that dramatically reduces triglycerides.
• Elimination of high-fructose corn syrup—This ubiquitous sweetener is found in everything from beer to bread. High-fructose corn syrup causes triglycerides to skyrocket 30% or more.
• Niacin in doses of 500–1500 mg is an effective method of reducing triglycerides. Niacin also raises HDL, increases large HDL, reduces the number of small LDL particles, reduces VLDL, and modestly reduces total LDL. The preferred forms are over-the-counter Slo-Niacin® and prescription Niaspan®, the safest and best tolerated. Immediate-release niacin (just called niacin or nicotinic acid on the label) can also be taken safely, provided it is taken no more frequently than twice per day. Total daily doses of >500 mg should only be taken under medical supervision. Avoid nicotinamide and “no-flush niacin” (inositol hexaniacinate), neither of which have any effect whatsoever.
• Green tea—The catechins (flavonoids) in green tea can reduce triglycerides by 20%. Approximately 600–700 mg of green tea catechins are required for this effect, the equivalent of 6–12 servings of brewed tea. (Tea varies widely in catechin content.) Nutritional supplements are also available that provide green tea catechins at this dose. The weight loss accelerating effect of green tea may add to its triglyceride-reducing power.
• The thiazolidinediones (Actos®, or pioglitazone, and Avandia®, or rosiglitazone), usually prescribed for pre-diabetes or diabetes, can reduce triglycerides by 30%; Actos may be more effective than Avandia in this regard. However, these agents are accompanied by weight gain.
• The fibrate class of prescription drugs (fenofibrate, or Tricor®, and gemfibrozil®, or Lopid) reduce triglycerides 30–40%, i.e., almost as effectively as fish oil.

The evil influences of VLDL and triglycerides are therefore erased from your risk profile by achieving the Track Your Plaque target of triglycerides 60 mg/dl or less. One or more of these strategies are usually required to bring your triglycerides to target. 

        William Davis, MD


Selected references:

Packard CJ. Understanding coronary heart disease as a consequence of defective regulation of apolipoprotein B metabolism. Curr Opin Lipidol 1999; 10:237–244.

Otvos J. Measurement of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Clin Cardiol 1999;22 (Suppl II) II-21–II-27.

Grundy SM. Hypertriglyceridemia, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Cardiol 1998;81(4A):18B–25B.

Zilversmit DB. Atherogenic nature of triglycerides, postprandial lipidemia, and triglyceride-rich remnant lipoproteins. Clin Chem 1995;41(1):153–158.

I Wish I Had Lipoprotein(a)!

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Dr. Davis

 

Why would I say such a thing? Well, a number of reasons. People with lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), are, with only occasional exceptions:

–Very intelligent. I know many people with this genetic pattern with IQs of 130, 140, even 160+.

–Good at math–This is true more for the male expression of the pattern, only occasionally female. It means that men with Lp(a) gravitate towards careers in math, accounting, financial analysis, physics, and engineering.

–Athletic–Many are marathon runners, triathletes, long-distance bicyclists, and other endurance athletes. I tell my patients that, if they want to meet other people with Lp(a), go to a triathlon.

–Poor at hydrating. People with Lp(a) have a defective thirst mechanism and often go for many hours without drinking water. This is why many Lp(a) people experience the pain of kidney stones: Prolonged and repeated dehydration causes crystals to form in the kidneys, leading to stone formation over time.

–Tolerant to dehydration–Related to the previous item, people with Lp(a) can go for extended periods without even thinking about water.

–Tolerant to periods of food deprivation or starvation–More so than other people, those with Lp(a) are uncommonly tolerant to days without food, as would occur in a wild setting.

In short, people with Lp(a) are intelligent, athletic, with many other favorable characteristics that provide a survival advantage . . . in a primitive world.

So when did Lp(a) become a problem? When an individual with Lp(a) is exposed to carbohydrates, especially those from grains. When an evolutionarily-advantaged Lp(a) individual is exposed to carbohydrates, more than other people they develop:

–Excess quantities of small LDL particles–Recall that Lp(a) is a two-part molecule. One part: an apo(a) made by the liver. 2nd part: an LDL particle. When the LDL particle within the Lp(a) molecule is small, its overall behavior is worse or more atherogenic (plaque-causing).

–Hyperglycemia/hyperinsulinemia–which then leads to diabetes. Unlike non-Lp(a) people, these phenomena can develop with far less visceral fat. A Lp(a) male, for instance, standing 5 ft 10 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, can have as much insulin resistance/hyperglycemia as a non-Lp(a) male of similar height weighing 50+ pounds more.

Key to gaining control over Lp(a) is strict carbohydrate limitation. Another way to look at this is to say that Lp(a) people do best with unlimited fat and protein intake.
==================================================================
Read the complete article here.

Dr Davis was interviewed by Wellness Mama  recently. The full interview can be seen here. I have shown only the part that specifically addresses heart disease.
======================================================================

2. How is wheat consumption linked to heart health?

Wheat consumption causes heart disease. It’s not cholesterol, it’s not saturated fat that’s behind the number one killer of Americans; it’s wheat.

The nutrition community has been guilty of following a flawed sequence of logic: If something bad for you (white processed flour) is replaced by something less bad (whole grains) and there is an apparent health benefit, then a whole bunch of the less bad thing is good for you. Let’s apply that to another situation: If something bad for you—unfiltered Camel cigarettes—are replaced by something less bad—filtered Salem Cigarettes—then the conclusion would be to smoke a lot of Salems. The next logical question should have been: What is the health consequence of complete removal? Only then can you observe the effect of whole grains vs. no grains . . . and, from what I witness every day, you see complete transformations in health.

Consumption of wheat, due to its unique carbohydrate, amylopectin A, triggers formation of small, dense LDL particles more than any other common food. Small, dense LDL particles are the number one cause for heart disease in the U.S. The majority of adults now have an abundance of small LDL particles because they’ve been told to cut their fat and “eat plenty of healthy whole grains.” This situation of excessive small LDL particles can appear on a conventional cholesterol panel as higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, along with low HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides that often leads to statin drugs. When more sophisticated lipoprotein testing is obtained, then the explosion of small LDL particles becomes obvious.

Compound this with the increased appetite triggered by the gliadin protein in wheat that acts as an appetite-stimulant, and you gain weight. The weight gained is usually in the abdomen, in the deep visceral fat that triggers inflammation, what I call a “wheat belly.” Wheat belly visceral fat is a hotbed of inflammation, sending out inflammatory signals into the bloodstream and results in higher blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides, all adding up to increased risk for heart disease.
Say goodbye to wheat and small LDL particles plummet, followed by weight loss from the wheat belly visceral fat. Inflammation subsides, blood sugar drops, blood pressure drops. In short, elimination of wheat is among the most powerful means of reducing risk for heart disease.

Wheat: opiate of the masses?

Wheat: opiate of the masses?

Last week I was aboard a cruise liner in the Caribbean. I had a lot of fun but was primarily there to participate in a kinda conference organised by low-carb advocate Jimmy Moore. I was privileged to share the stage with some very lovely and inspiration speakers, among them the US cardiologist Dr William (Bill) Davis. I was looking forward to meeting Bill because I’d had a skype conversation with him some months ago, and was impressed by his warmth, humour and humanity. In person, Bill did not disappoint, and he also gave what I thought was a fascinating presentation about the perils of one of the modern-day diet’s most ubiquitous components – wheat.

Bill is the author of the highly acclaimed and readable book Wheat Belly, which systemically makes a strong case for the elimination of this grain from our diets. His lecture on the low-carb cruise’ focused on this aspect of his work, and focused on what I took to be three key areas:

1. wheat’s content of the readily-digested starch amylopectin A, which is highly disruptive to blood sugar levels.

2. The lectin (toxin) in wheat known as ‘wheat germ agglutinin’ which can cause inflammation in the gut and elsewhere.

3. Gliadin – a component of gluten in wheat which has, among other things, drug-like effects.

It’s this last issue I’m going to focus on in this blog post.

In his lecture, Bill drew our attention to the fact that gliadin may not be fully digested in the gut, and give rise to small protein molecules known as ‘polypeptides’. These can sometimes penetrate the gut to gain access to the bloodstream, after which they also have capacity to make their way across the ‘blood-brain-barrier’. Once there, gliadin polypeptides can bind to opiate receptors in the brain. Opiates include chemicals like morphine, heroin and opium.

The body can generate chemicals which bind to opiate receptors which are termed ‘endorphins’. However, when a substance comes from outside the body, it is termed an ‘exorphin’. Gluten-derived exorphins can induce a feeling of mild euphoria. This might explain why tucking into bread, or a bowl of pasta, or some biscuits can seemingly be so intensely pleasurable for some. It might also explain why some struggle with leaving wheat alone.

One of the main reasons Bill highlighted the opiate effects of gluten is because it appears, to all intents and purposes, to be an appetite stimulate. Of course you’d expect anything that is somewhat addictive to drive us to consume more of it. And as Bill pointed out, there does seem to be some scientific evidence for this.

To understand the nature of this research, we need to understand the effects of the drug naloxone. This drug binds to opiate receptors, knocking off anything else that may be bound there. As a result, naloxone reverses the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine, and quickly too.
So, what happens when normal wheat-consuming people are treated with naloxone? In one study, individuals were given access to a free food and their intakes measured over two meals approximately 5 hours apart [1]. On another occasion the experiment was repeated after naloxone had been administered to the study subjects. On this occasion, they consumed about 400 calories less.

In another study, ‘binge-eaters’ were given access to a free buffet with and without nalaoxone [2]. With naloxone on board, individuals ate 28 per cent less in the way of wheat-based foods such as crackers, pretzels and bread sticks.

My experience in practice tells me that the ability of wheat (and other gluten-containing foods such as barley and rye) to have addictive qualities varies quite a lot between individuals. It does seem to be a real phenomenon, though, and there’s no doubt in my mind that eliminating or dramatically reducing wheat consumption usually leads to a significant improvement in wellbeing, energy levels, mental function (and usually weight loss) in the majority of people.

Starchy foods, especially ‘healthy wholegrains’ are often vigorously promoted to those looking to eat a nutritious diet. Wheat has a reputation as the staff of life. In reality, though, it’s often the stuff of nightmares.

References:
1. Cohen MR, et al. Naloxone reduces food intake in humans. Psychosom Med. 1985;47(2):132-8.
2. Drewnowski A, et al. Naloxone, an opiate blocker, reduces the consumption of sweet high-fat foods in obese and lean female binge eaters. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995;61(6):1206-12.
=========================================================================================================
Read the full article here.

Massaging the truth

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Dr. Davis

Massage therapist, Jonathan Sugai, posted this interesting comment on Amazon:

I first learned about Wheat Belly back in September 2011 in Northern California. My friend Seamus was eating some chili out of a can while we were waiting for our class at a seminar to start. I asked him why he was doing that and he said, “You gotta read this book called Wheat Belly!”

After he explained what the book was about, how quickly and dramatically his situation improved (his digestion turned around very quickly!), it made total sense why he was eating chili out of a can even though we had plenty of food served (most of it had some form of wheat in it!).

I immediately downloaded the book off Amazon and finished reading it on my way back home to Hawaii and my view on food had totally shifted. Life would never be the same again!

I knew eating bread would contribute to weight gain, however learning about all the OTHER information about the hybridization, the Gliadin, and all the blood sugar, inflammation, digestive, and neurological effects, OMG!!!

I am a massage therapist and part of a family business and now it is clear why we have so many people coming in with so many aches, pains, & injuries from seemingly routine activities. It is clear to me that consuming a diet with wheat triggers inflammation and creates all sorts of systemic problems and their bodies are no longer able to tolerate typical activities.

I realize why I’m seeing more clients not responding to our techniques that used to work well. The techniques are great, however the clients that are coming in are unhealthier than ever with rampant inflammation, pre-diabetic / diabetic, high cholesterol, nervous systems interfered with by gliadin, overweight, etc. etc. etc.

All of our clients who have made the transition to wheat free have lost weight, have more energy, and most of the joint pains and stiffness have gone away and their massage treatments are enjoyable again and we aren’t putting out fires anymore!

It is our responsibility to share and let everyone know in order to create change. Our friends & family will continue to see their health degrade if they continue on this path.

Until reading his comment, it hadn’t occurred to me that massage therapists could provide some very interesting observations on wheat elimination. I find it fascinating that, once his clients said goodbye to wheat, they responded better to his efforts.

Any other massage therapists out there that would like to weigh in?

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/03/massaging-the-truth/

The followers of the Track Your Plaque program enjoy virtual elimination of risk.

Why are heart attacks still happening?

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Dr. William Davis

I’m a cardiologist. I see patients with heart disease in the form of coronary artery disease every day.
These are people who have undergone bypass surgery, received one or more stents or undergone other forms of angioplasty, have survived heart attacks or sudden cardiac death, or have high heart scan scores. In short, I see patients every day who are at high-risk for heart attack and death from heart disease.

But I see virtually no heart attacks. And nobody is dying from heart disease. (I’m referring to the people who follow the strategies I advocate, not the guy who thinks that smoking a pack of cigarettes a day is still okay, or the woman who thinks the diet is unnecessary because she’s slender.)
Two high-profile deaths from heart attacks occurred this week:

Davy Jones–The iconic singer from the 1960s pop group, the Monkees, suffered sudden cardiac death after a large heart attack, just hours after experiencing chest pain.

Andrew Breitbart–The conservative blogger and controversy-generating media personality suffered what was believed to be sudden cardiac death while walking.

It’s a darn shame and it shouldn’t happen. The tools to identify the potential for heart attack are available, inexpensive, and simple. The strategies to reduce, even eliminate, risk are likewise available, inexpensive, and cultivate overall health.

The followers of the Track Your Plaque program who
1) get a heart scan that yields a coronary calcium score (for long-term tracking purposes)
2) identify the causes such as small LDL particles, lipoprotein(a), vitamin D deficiency, and thyroid dysfunction
3) correct the causes
enjoy virtual elimination of risk.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.trackyourplaque.com/blog/2012/03/why-are-heart-attacks-still-happening.html

The Wheat Belly Diet

The cardiologist-created Wheat Belly Diet is built on the premise that wheat, not sweets, is making you fat. Here's how a wheat-free diet may help you lose weight.

By Beth W. Orenstein          Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Forget your beer belly — William Davis, MD, a preventive cardiologist in Milwaukee, Wisc., says your wheat belly is the real health hazard. Davis’ prescription for a whittled middle is simple: Cut all wheat from your diet. Better yet, Davis argues in his book, Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health, that eating wheat-free will both prevent and reverse health problems such as acne, cataracts, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.

The Wheat Belly Diet suggests we get back to eating more like our ancestors who existed solely on foods found in nature, not those grown for production or manufactured for sale. In that way, the diet is similar to another popular diet, the Paleo or hunter-gatherer diet, says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, a Boston nutritionist, author of Nutrition & You: Core Concepts for Good Health, and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Here’s how to find out if going wheat-free is right for you.

The Wheat Belly Diet: What Is It?

Your menu choices on this eating plan include natural foods such as eggs, nuts, vegetables, fish, poultry, and other meats. You can use herbs and spices freely and healthy oils, such as olive and walnut, liberally. Eat fruit occasionally — just one or two pieces a week — because the naturally occurring fructose in fruit is a simple carbohydrate. As part of this diet, you’re required to eliminate all fast food, processed snacks, and junk foods, and drink lots of water.

The Wheat Belly Diet is in fact gluten-free, but Davis doesn’t advocate eating packaged gluten-free foods. His reasoning: These products often simply substitute brown rice, potato starch, rice starch, tapioca starch, or cornstarch for wheat flour, and those substitutes can raise your blood sugar or glucose higher than wheat.

The Wheat Belly Diet: How Does It Work?

Cut wheat from your diet, and you’ll eat about 400 fewer calories a day than you normally would, Davis says. This calorie deficit alone is almost enough to add up to a pound of weight loss per week. “Anything that is going to cut calories is going to work because losing weight is a numbers game,” Blake says. “Eat fewer calories than you burn, and you’ll lose weight. Likewise, eat more than you burn, and you’ll gain weight.”Another reason the diet works, Davis says, is that wheat contains a unique protein, gliadin, which stimulates your appetite— so when you eat wheat, your body just wants more wheat. Eliminate wheat and your appetite diminishes on its own. Wheat also causes blood sugar spikes, and elevated blood-sugar levels can cause your body to store calories as fat. Lower your blood sugar by eliminating wheat, and it can contribute to weight loss.

The Wheat Belly Diet: Sample Menu

Breakfast: Plain yogurt with berries and almonds
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with salsa, 1/2 cup brown rice, steamed vegetables sprinkled with extra-virgin olive oil
Dinner: Baked eggplant topped with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, mixed green salad spritzed with extra-virgin olive oil
Snacks: Black-bean dip and raw vegetables

The Wheat Belly Diet: Pros

• If you adhere strictly to the diet, you will lose weight. Over three to six months, you can lose 25 to 30 pounds depending on your age, gender, and physical activity, Davis says.
• The diet is simple. There’s no need to count calories, limit portions, or calculate fat grams. All you have to do is eliminate foods that contain wheat.
• The diet is rich in vegetables, which are full of vitamins and fiber. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce the inflammation that can cause conditions from acne to arthritis.

The Wheat Belly Diet: Cons

• The diet is restrictive, and it may be hard to maintain for the long-term, especially if foods such as bread, cookies, and pasta are among your favorites. “Losing weight doesn’t have to be this challenging,” Blake says. “Do you really need to go to this extreme?”
• Wheat is in a huge number of packaged foods. You have to read food labels carefully because it can be hidden in everything from chewing gum to granola as an emulsifier or leavening agent.
• When you remove all wheat from your diet, if you “cheat” and eat a slice of whole-wheat toast or half a bagel, the wheat could cause digestive problems, such as stomach cramps and gas.
• You could be missing out on some important nutrients. “Whenever you limit whole types of foods, you have to make sure you’re eating healthfully,” Blake says. “This isn’t a well-balanced diet. You should sit down with a registered dietitian to be sure you’re meeting all your nutrient needs if you choose this diet.”
• Although you can lose weight with this diet, it will be lost from all over your body, not just your “wheat belly” or love handles, Blake says. Weight loss doesn’t work that way — you don’t lose from a specific area.

The Wheat Belly Diet: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects

The foods you can eat on the Wheat Belly Diet are healthy, and you should lose weight rapidly if you stick to the plan. Weight loss can affect more than just your appearance: Study after study has shown it can boost heart health, reduce pain, improve your energy levels, and more. For example, someone who is prediabetic and loses just 15 pounds can reduce the risk for diabetes over three years by 58 percent, Blake says.

Because the diet is so new, not much is known about the long-term effects, Blake says, but serious health consequences are not anticipated. Overall, Blake remains skeptical.

“There’s nothing wrong with wheat,” she says.“It isn’t wheat that’s causing you to gain weight; it’s the calories you’re eating. Just eat more fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced diet, and you can cut calories and lose weight while still occasionally eating foods that contain wheat.”

Last Updated: 02/23/2012

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-wheat-belly-diet.aspx

Share 13

Email