Without adequate oxygen, our body fluids and blood can become dirty and toxic. Viruses, fungus, parasites, and unfriendly germs thrive in an environment that is low in oxygen, high in carbon dioxide, and high in acid or a low pH factor.

A Lack of Oxygen can cause:
v Circulation problems
v Memory loss
v Irrational behavior
v Irritability
v Poor Digestion
v Muscle aches & pains
v Lung problems
v Dizziness
v Depression
v Body weakness
v And the list goes on

The body needs Adequate Oxygen for:
v Energy
v Digestion
v Removing toxins
v Fueling the muscles
v Metabolizing fat & carbohydrates
v Maintaining a healthy immune system
v Removing viruses, parasites, and bacteria
v Keeping the heart pumping & healthy
v Helping the lungs to breathe
v And the list goes on

According to Dr. Otto Warburg, winner of the Nobel Prize for cancer research. “Cancer has only one prime cause. It is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body’s cells by an anaerobic cell respiration.” Otherwise, there is not enough oxygen at the cellular level.

In addition, an insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissues, is a major cause of our worst diseases, including heart disease.

So what can you do to increase the oxygen level to your cells and provide your body with the oxygen it needs for optimum health? Here are six suggestions:
1. Get more physical exercise
2. Eat dark-colored berries
3. Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables
4. Avoid trans fats
5. Take oxygen-enhancing products, such as Cellfood & other oxygen products.
6. Take food-based antioxidants, such as in wild blueberries.

The most common culprit in this deadly scenario is atherosclerosis — premature plaque build up, which clogs the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with vital oxygen and nutrients.

Seventy percent of heart attacks take place in coronary blood vessels that are not severely blocked enough to require balloon, stent, or bypass. These small, unstable plaques that are barely visible at angiography are often the culprit lesions where heart attacks occur.

For one-third of patients with atherosclerosis, death is their first symptom. Another third experience heart attack and almost half of those are dead in one month.

We now have the tests and drugs to abolish coronary heart disease in the first quarter of the 21st century. Lifestyle intervention with exercise, nutrition, weight control, smoking elimination, and stress management would likely reduce by more than 50 percent the expression of premature cardiovascular disease through control of risks such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and the sedentary life.

Fortunately, we are now living in an era blessed by the promulgation of incredible pharmacologic advances that allow us to actually ponder the extinction of atherosclerotic heart attack. Four drug classes now exist that if prescribed appropriately and aggressively could eliminate atherosclerosis. These four classes include: aspirin, statin, ACE and niacin. Here’s how they work:

1) Aspirin: The drug inhibits the platelets that form the clot that adheres to the unstable, fractured plaque, which could potentially block blood flow down the coronary artery and cause a heart attack. Research has consistently shown the benefits of aspirin therapy to generally reduce vascular events by about 20 percent for those suspected of having atherosclerosis (Physicians’ Health Study, 2003).

2) Statin: There are several of these plaque drugs on the market, which are often mistaken for cholesterol drugs. This distinction is important: 30 to 50 percent of patients with atherosclerotic plaque have relatively normal cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that even patients with normal cholesterol profiles have fewer cardiovascular events when taking a statin drug.

3) ACE Inhibitors: These medicines have traditionally been used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure. However, recent trials have shown them to be highly beneficial to those with coronary artery disease even if blood pressure is normal, reducing heart attack death by an additional 26 percent in the heart outcome prevention education. Therefore, the benefits of the ACE inhibitor seem to extend beyond the lowering of blood pressure. This should encourage us to clamor to receive such medication even if our blood pressure is normal.

4) Niacin: The vitamin niacin has long been known to benefit the heart. As early as 1975, the Coronary Drug Project showed that high doses of niacin contributed to a 27 percent reduction in coronary events when compared with placebo.

For prevention to work, each person must take control of their health and proactively take steps towards a healthier heart. A good place to start is by becoming a more informed and educated healthcare consumer. I encourage people to get all the information they can, by talking to their doctor, researching on the Internet, and reading.

Another avenue for education is healthcare seminars. Houston is going to be hosting Cardeo, a consumer education event, Feb. 12 to15, 2004. This Medical Conference & Consumer Expo will bring together an estimated 20,000 healthcare professionals, patients, insurers, vendors and the general public to discuss the complete eradication of heart disease, which is an extremely achievable goal. The event will move the community towards true prevention.

I know, I know, you feel fine but so do most people before they have a heart attack. Unfortunately, most people find out they have heart disease the day they are admitted in to hospital, and they are the lucky ones!

Ladies, don’t think this is just something for men to worry about (as it has been in the past). Women, as well as men, are more likely to die of heart disease than of any type of cancer.

This is because of our modern lifestyle. We are working longer hours, so we eat fast food, and there’s no time for exercise. To make matters worse, machines are taking the ‘work’ out of work. We are less active and it’s killing us!

So what are the risk factors for heart disease?

Firstly, there are two types of risk factors: those that can be changed, and those that can’t be changed. It’s important to know that you only need to have 3 of these to be at risk. Each extra risk factor that you have increases your chance of having a heart attack substantially.

Risk factors that can’t be changed:

Heredity: You are at greater risk if your parents, grandparents, brothers, or sisters, have heart disease.

Gender: Men are at greater risk than women, though the risk for women increases after menopause.

Age: As you increase in age, so do your chances of having a heart attack. Once you reach 40 you should have regular check-ups.

Risk factors that can be changed:

Smoking: A smoker is twice as likely than a non-smoker to have a heart attack. It not only places extra strain on the heart and lungs but also makes blood cholesterol stickier, making it easier to block arteries.

High Blood Cholesterol: Cholesterol is produced naturally by the body and is essential to our health. The problem comes when we consume too much in our diet.

High Blood Pressure: Just like with high cholesterol there are no early symptoms. The first most people learn they have this is when it’s at a dangerous level.

Physical Inactivity: If you are inactive, you are more likely to have a heart attack. Even a 10 minute walk each day can make all the difference.

Obesity: If you are obese, you are placing your heart under a great deal of strain even at rest.

I might be at risk, what should I do?

If you think you could be at risk, the first thing you should do is visit your doctor. Secondly, you need to modify your lifestyle. Exercise for at least 10 minutes per day (30 minutes is better but anything is better than nothing!). You also need to eat foods that are low in fat. If you smoke you need to give up.

You can’t change some risk factors, like your age or family history. But you can change others, like high cholesterol. That’s good news.

Here’s more good news: The American Heart Association offers a free program called The Cholesterol Low Down that can help you learn about your risk for heart disease. The program urges you to do three things to help protect your heart:

1) Visit your doctor.

Even if you feel healthy, see your doctor regularly. Make an appointment to talk about heart disease risk.

2) Know your cholesterol numbers.

High cholesterol is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease. If you are over 20 years old, you need to know your cholesterol numbers.

3) Know your other risk factors for heart disease.

Many things can put you at risk for heart disease. Your risk is much higher when you have more than one risk factor. High cholesterol is one risk factor you should know; others are listed below. Make it a priority to take control of the ones you can change.

* Cigarette smoking

* Family history of heart disease

* Diet high in fatty foods (like cheese and creams)

* Age

* High blood pressure

* Diabetes

* Excess weight

* High triglycerides

* Too much alcohol (more than one drink each day for women, and more than two drinks each day for men)

Actress Valerie Harper (“Rhoda”) recently learned that she has high cholesterol, which, along with a family history of heart disease, increases her risk. Harper is working with her doctor to lower her cholesterol through diet, exercise and medication.

Join The Cholesterol Low Down TODAY

Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) or visit americanheart.org/cld.

As a member, you’ll get:

* A checklist of questions to ask your doctor

* An online risk calculator to determine your 10-year risk for heart disease

* A brochure and newsletters to answer your questions about cholesterol and heart disease

* A health book with tips for heart-smart living

* A cookbook of heart-healthy recipes