Basic Health Info

The research is abundant now showing that what is being called silent inflammation is what is responsible for a multitude of the chronic conditions people are experiencing from arthritis to depression.

Most of us are aware of the kind of inflammation we experience when we sprain an ankle for instance. We get swelling, reddness and heat at the area of injury. This is the body’s way of dealing with and ultimately beginning the repair for the acute incident that just happened. At the same time there are powerful chemicals called cytokines that are release at the area that signal the brain that we have inflammation some where and these chemicals tell us we feel bad.

Scientists now understand that just like the inflammation that occurs with an acute injury, many of us have silent inflammation going on in our bodies every day that we can not feel or see.

According to Dwight Lundell M.D. some of the signs that you may have some silent inflammation going on in your body are:

• being overweight
• waist over 40 inches
• high blood pressure meds
• high cholesterol meds
• craving carbohydrates
• fatigue
• poor dental hygiene
• aches and pains
• elevated CRP in the blood

It is important to understand the significance of silent inflammation because it is the culprit for causing many of our chronic ailments. A partial list of the things that silent inflammation can cause are:

• strokes
• elevated blood pressure
• Alzheimers
• arthritis
• depression
• cancer
• heart disease

So if we know what signs to look for and we definitely want to avoid the list of problems that it can cause, we must next look at the things we are doing that are contributing or causing this problem. In his book, The Cure for Heart Disease, Dr Lundell explains three things that we now know are contributing to this silent or chronic inflammation.

1. Consuming excess simple carbohydrates – this is all of our processed foods and sugary beverages and it is the resulting high blood sugar that is the problem here.
2. Over use of vegetable oils – which causes on excess of Omega 6 oils in our system causing oxidative stress. (Our ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 used to be 1:1 – now it is 1:6. Omega 6 oils are high pro – inflammatory agents.
3. Deficiency of fish oil in the diet – from which we get Omega 3 oils and is natures safest and most effective anti-inflammatory agent.

Knowing this we can control the amount of inflammation going on in our bodies. Dr. Lundell’s recommendations are:

• Consume adequate amounts of Omega 3′s (both EPA and DHA)
• Take antioxidants – to reduce the oxidative stress from free radicals
• Get plenty of exercise – because exercise produces many anti-inflammatory cytocines
• Reduce our weight – because fat cells store so many toxins and when overloaded pour out inflammatory chemicals
• Avoid vegetable oils
• Get plenty of plant polyphenols

Heart or cardiac arrhythmias are not as uncommon as one might expect.  Seems like I am hearing more and more people suffering from the problem.  There are of course different kinds of arrhythmias and also different causes.

Other things that it may be called are:  Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Arrhythmia, Irregular Heartbeat, Sick Sinus Syndrome, Supra ventricular Premature Beats, and Ventricular Premature Beats.

Cardiac arrhythmia is a term that denotes a disturbance of the heart rhythm.  People often describe it as feeling like the heart “skips a beat”.

Although an irregular heartbeat is often harmless, it should be treated with care.  However, according to research or other evidence, there are some self-care steps that may be helpful:

• Cut the caffeine.  Some have been able to reduce the frequency of some arrhythmia’s by cutting back on coffee and other caffeinated products like tea and soda.

• Add some magnesium.  Always under a health care providers supervision, take daily supplements containing 350 to 400 mg of magnesium for fewer episodes.  Many people are low or deficient in this mineral.

• Also check out potassium.  Ask your doctor if 1,000 mg a day of this essential mineral may help treat your arrhythmia.  If you are taking a diuretic (water pill) or certain other B/P medications you may be losing potassium.

• Make sure you are taking enough pure, chemical free  fish oil for there heart- healthy omega -3 fatty acids effects.  There a differing opinions on the amounts from 2.5 grams to 7 grams daily.  There is a blood test to determine where your levels are and should be checked periodically.  This test is called the AA:EPA ratio and is relatively new, thus may be difficult to get done.  I have added the links for a few ways to check into this below.

• Visit a health care professional knowledgeable in cardiology to get a thorough evaluation, and for supervision when using natural substances to treat cardiac arrhythmia.  There are many good ones out there, but if you find someone who won’t consider trying natural approaches first (unless you have something life threatening) you may want to keep looking.

• Copper, selenium and vitamin D are also very good for the heart.  Remember that you must have Vitamin D available to utilize selenium.

The symptoms for cardiac arrhythmia differ and often there are none.  However, people may experience lightheadedness, anxiety, dizziness, fainting, unusual awareness of the heartbeat, and sensations of fluttering or pounding in the chest.

Cardiac arrhythmias can range in severity from entirely benign to immediately life-threatening. If arrhythmia is suspected, a doctor should be consulted for confirmation. In addition, the use of natural substances for arrhythmia should always be supervised by a doctor.

WHERE CAN THE AA: EPA TEST BE DONE?

United States Go to yourfuturehealth.com

United States Go to metametrix.com

Canada Go to nutrasource diagnostics inc

Australia Go to www.pathlabim.com.au

New Zealand Go to www.healthy.co.nz

Other countries

Enter AA: EPA ratio (or test) into an Internet search box and the name of your country. You can use the search box at the bottom of this page.

You may find it difficult to get the AA: EPA ratio test done in your country. If so use the TG: HDL test, explained below, as a guide to your current and futureeicosanoid and insulin levels.

Disclaimer:  This information is meant for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace a doctors care, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition.   Seek medical attention if you are having any kind of cardiac problem and consult with them about the natural remedies suggested here.