I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis And Am Worried About Heart Attack Risk...

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should be worried about risk from cardiovascular events. That includes both heart attacks and strokes.

Women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have high rates of non fatal heart attacks. This occurs even without traditional risk factors being present. (Solomon, et al. Circulation 2003; 107: 1303-1307). The same is probably true for men with RA as well.

In addition multiple studies have demonstrated the increased risk of stroke occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Presence of intimal plaque (atherosclerosis in the inner walls of the carotid arteries) has been used as a surrogate marker of arterial disease elsewhere.

The conclusions drawn from multiple studies are that RA is an extremely potent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. More aggressive goals for risk factor modification should be instituted.

It�s important to assess all risk factors in patients with RA. Control of hyperlipidemia and high blood pressure is mandatory. Dietary measures are primary. If dietary changes don�t work, then statin therapy maybe needed. These drugs lower LDL cholesterol (�bad� cholesterol) and reduce levels of C-reactive protein. If a patient has diabetes, tight control of blood sugar is extremely important.

Discontinuation of cigarette smoking and proper weight management are important.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients could reduce their cardiovascular risk by spending more time walking.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease but little is known about energy expenditure from lifestyle physical activity in RA patients.

A recent study compared energy expenditure from exercise and lifestyle activities between 122 RA patients and 122 healthy controls.

At the beginning of the study, RA patients spent fewer kilocalories per week walking, exercising and participating in sports than did controls, the authors report.

Similar percentages of RA patients and controls met their recommended thresholds for total weekly energy expenditure, but the percent of RA patients meeting the recommended threshold for walking (32%) was notably lower than controls (48%).

At follow-up an average of 14 months later, RA patients continued to expend fewer kilocalories per week overall and were less likely to meet the threshold for walking, compared with controls.

"This study provides evidence that despite the fact that walking is an excellent lifestyle activity and it is markedly underutilized in RA patients," the authors note. "Our study supports the development and implementation of interventions to foster walking as part of a program to address cardiovascular risk in RA patients." (Mancuso C, et al. Arthritis Rheum 2007; 57:672-678).

Aspirin therapy has been shown to be effective prophylaxis for men and some studies also indicate its potential effectiveness in women.

In the final analysis, it must be mentioned that the most potent weapon against the increase in cardiovascular mortality is tight control of the rheumatoid arthritis- getting the disease into remission. Fortunately, the advent of first, second, and third generation biologic medicines have made this a reality.
by: Nathan Wei

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Posted in: rheumatoid

Margarine: Low IQ and Heart Attacks

Margarine lowers the IQ of children. I know it sounds completely arrogant but it is true. According to researchers at the University of Auckland, children who ate margarine every day had significantly lower IQ scores by...

the age of three-and-a-half than those who did not (1). The saddest thing is that margarine is promoted to be a healthy alternative to butter which not true. Margarine is an artificial product that has been heavily processed and chemically refined. Due to these procedures it goes through it has acquired serious toxic and inflammatory properties. The vegetable oils used in most margarine are hydrogenated to make them solid. This turns the oil into highly unhealthy trans-fatty acids. These man-made fatty acids have been shown to raise �bad� cholesterol (LDL) and lower �good� cholesterol (HDL). They have also been linked to inflammation, one of the major causes of heart disease (2).

In another study, people were tracked for 20 years and the number of heart attacks was recorded and analysed (3). Data from the Framingham Study backed up this particular project. The results are in complete disagreement with everything we have been told so far. As margarine consumption increased, heart attacks went up. As butter consumption increased, heart attacks declined. During the second decade, the group eating the most margarine had 77% more heart attacks than the group eating none!

The Framingham Study is considered to be the research project backing up the conventional theories for heart disease and cholesterol for many decades now. After 40 years, the director of the Framingham Study admitted: "In Framingham, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person's serum cholesterol. . . we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active."

I guess that the point to take home from the above studies, is that things are not always the way they are presented by the media. It has become imperative to be very careful when we choose our sources of information concerning health issues.

References

1.Theodore, RF., Thompson, JMD., et al. Dietary patterns and intelligence in early and middle childhood, Intelligence. 2009; 37(5):506-513

2.C. Oomen, M. Ocke, et al, �Association between trans fatty acid intake and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease in the Zutphen Elderly Study: The Lancet, Volume 357, Issue 9258, Pages 746-751

3.�Margarine Intake and Subsequent Coronary Heart Disease in Men.� Matthew W. Gillman, L. Adrienne Cupples, et al. Epidemiology Vol. 8, No. 2 (Mar., 1997), pp. 144-149
by: Helen Davies

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Posted in: heart disease,jantung

How to Avoid Needing Dental Implants

Dental implants are an effective way dentists can restore missing teeth or teeth that are loose. The way the implants work is by implanting a titanium root into the gum and allowing it time to fuse with the bone in the mouth as if it were totally natural. This can take up to 6 months. Titanium is rarely rejected by the body which is why this material is used, and once it is solid a prosthetic tooth can be inserted or screwed into place. The tooth is created to match the others in the mouth making it very natural looking. No one who didn't know the tooth was artificial would be able to tell the difference.

This procedure is not the only way to fill in a gap in the mouth. You can also have removable dentures, however often people are not so keen to have these. It is also possible to have a fixed bridge, but because some of the enamel has to be worn away on the neighbouring teeth to have this done, it is also not as popular as dental implants. The trick with keeping all your teeth and having to avoid any type of surgery or implants is to look after your teeth properly. There is not too much you have to do, but like most things in life consistency is the key. This article provides the ways you need to look after your teeth in order to avoid having any serious work done, including dental implants.

Brush your teeth

This is a pretty obvious one, but still worth mentioning because sometimes people only brush their teeth in a half hearted way. Teeth should be brushed every morning and every evening. You shouldn't scrub away at them either, because this can wear away the enamel and the brush should be replaced every 3 months, maximum. When you are cleaning make sure you reach every single tooth in both the upper and lower part of the mouth. Repeatedly missing a tooth can stain it initially and create cavities too.

Use Mouthwash

Mouthwash is often used after you have cleaned your teeth for a final rinse. This is worthwhile, but it can also be a good idea to have an initial rinse too. Sometimes brushing can rub food into the tiny crevices of the teeth so having a very quick rinse to get rid of little bits of food that may be lurking can prevent it from getting mashed in. Just half a cap before and half a cup after in the morning and evening can ensure your teeth stay perfect for longer.

Avoid sugar

Unfortunately nothing rots teeth quicker than sugary food and drinks. Sugary drinks are the worst because they tend to be consumed throughout the day so your teeth never get a chance to recover from the onslaught. Eating a sugary chocolate bar all in one go is better for your teeth than slowly sipping away at a sugar filled drink. Try and avoid as much sugar as possible and be aware that even drinks like orange juice and other "healthy drinks" can be full of sugar too.

Don't Smoke

Smoking can cause your teeth damage because it can wear aware the bone and make the teeth become loose. This is often a cause of losing teeth in adults and can be why dental implants are needed. Ensuring good overall health by not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol and getting plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet can help you keep good, strong teeth for longer.

If you want to avoid having dental implants and tooth whitening later on in life then the advice above should be followed. It is always possible to improve your smile if you want to go one step further with professional teeth whitening - this will make them dazzle!

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Posted in: dental

Diet Programs And Meals - The Okinawa Diet

The Okinawa Diet was created by Makoto Suzuki. It is based on the nutritional habits of people who live in the Ryukyu Islands including the city of Okinawa in southern Japan. In the past these people had the longest life expectancy in the world. This is a long term or life long diet. You will eat 300 calories a day less than your caloric expenditure. Stop eating before you are full. 78% of your nourishment comes from vegetable sources. Privileged foods include rice, soy, and fish. Eat as little dairy products as possible. Here are some of the diet principles.

Eat about 80% of the food you feel you need. Eat low-calorie foods; these are foods that may contain the highest level of micronutrients. Eat seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Eat seven servings of legumes and grains daily. Eat two servings of soy daily. Eat algae; they include numerous minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Eat fish three times a day. Limit your consumption of animal products, replacing them with vegetable proteins. Drink very little alcohol but drink a small amount of red wine regularly. You should try to avoid sugar and salt such as in prepared foods. Drink a lot of water and tea.

The Okinawa Diet claims to reduce the risks of diabetes, excess cholesterol, cancer, and heart disease. It also claims to lower stress and fight against aging. This diet has the advantage of being easy to follow, unless you are a fan of salt or sugar. You may find yourself hungry.

Here are two sample menus:

Menu 1

Breakfast: A slice of carrot cake. A nectarine. Tea.

Lunch: A few sushi. Algae soup. Grated carrots. Tea.

Supper: Miso soup. A bowl of white rice. Cucumber salad. A banana. Tea.

Menu 2

Breakfast: A two-egg herb omelet. Two slices of bran bread. An apple. Tea.

Lunch: A lettuce, tomato, tofu, and endive sandwich on whole-grain bread. A bowl of rice. An orange. Tea.

Supper: Soy and carrot salad. A bowl of white rice. Curried lentils. A peach. Tea.

Some information in this article comes from a fascinating new book, La Bible des Regimes, written by Jenny de Jonquieres and published by Amerik Media. Her book describes over 80 diets and weight reduction programs. Each diet is presented with 5 menu plans, a detailed discussion of its advantages and disadvantages, and lots more. La Bible des Regimes is presently available only in French.

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Posted in: diet

10 Ways To Reduce Gastric and Heartburn During Pregnancy

My wife has gastric since her teenage days but nothing too serious that requires her to get constant medication. But as she get pregnant, her gastric problem came back and causing her to have this heartburn sensation in the chest and throat, everything to her now taste different and her tongue tasted bitter all the time, the increased amount of acid in her stomach caused her to be 'gassy' all the time. Well research shows that this situation normally happens to most of pregnant women (early pregnancy) and usually it will go away/reduced after the first Trimester. So, as a concerned husband, I did some research on how to reduce the feeling of discomfort caused by gastric and heartburn.

Tips:

1. Avoid food that can trigger acid build-up such as oily food, vinegar, some citrus fruits, chocolate, spicy foods, caffeinated products (Coffee, Tea, Cola), carbonated drinks, anything sourly.

2. Try to eat more regularly with smaller portions. As our wives become pregnant, the content of acid in their stomach increased and the process of food digestion also become slower thus the reason of lowering the volume of food and best if they munch their food as many times as possible before swallowing to help the food to processed faster reducing the acid buildup.

3. No ALCOHOL, Period!

4. Ask them to wear comfortable clothing that didn't restrict/pressing your stomach and waist.

5. Don't overstress them; this can also cause acid reflux to goes wild and your gastric and heartburn worst!

6. Drink yogurt based drinks or milk before sleep.

7. Try chewing gum after eating. Chewing gum stimulates your salivary glands, and saliva can help neutralize acid.

8. Avoid eating close to bedtime.

9. Drinking soymilk and barley also helps.

10. Medication: ALWAYS consult with your gynecologist on what medication that your spouse can take.

So there you go guys, I hoped the info I shared with you is beneficial and helpful in any way possible.
by: Jep Black

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Posted in: Gastric,pregnancy