Atherosclerosis is a Vitamin C Deficiency Disease

Every year half a million people die from coronary heart disease. In a recent CNN article discussing a new study based on the data from the Framingham study concludes: The study "reaffirms the notion that coronary heart disease is the 800-pound gorilla of disease in this country, now and for the foreseeable future," says cardiologist Dr. Stuart Seides. Heart attacks were virtually unknown before the turn of the century. Our diets, especially in "developed" countries have gone through dramatic changes in this period. There is a very real connection between this new disease and our new diets.

As we discuss in the Primer section, Vitamin C is required for tissue integrity. Tissues that are under constant stress are particularly vulnerable to degradation from C deficiency. This is certainly true of our arteries.

Shortly before his death at 93, Linus Pauling and Matthias Rath had completed work on the link between atherosclerosis and Vitamin C (please see the link in the side bar). They had concluded that chronic Vitamin C deficiency lead to a serious compromising of our arterial system. Our bodies respond to this situation with a healing process. Let me explain.

Imagine your arterial wall to be like a stone dam. This is a reasonable analogy since your cells are like the stones and the water being held by the dam is similar to the blood under pressure in our arteries. Now, if the cement between the rocks is inferior, leaks could occur. Likewise in our arteries, if the ground substance between our cells is inferior due to lack of the proper development of collagen and fibrils as a result of inadequate Vitamin C, the arterial wall may be susceptible to seepage.

When arteries are compromised, our systems produce a specialized, sticky form of low-density lipoprotein (yes, there is a link with cholesterol. Please read the side bar) called Lp(a) which attaches itself to the arterial wall to prevent blood seepage. This is consistent with where arterial plaque is found - where there are lesions and where there is particular stress (i.e. at branches, in arteries, not veins, due to the pressure and in coronary arteries due to the stress of the constant motion).

A study, Vitamin C Deficiency and Risk of Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack) was published in the March 1997 issue of the British Medical Journal. The Aceology Medical Review states this conclusion:

This study looked at the association between blood vitamin C concentration and risk of heart attack in 1605 men from eastern Finland who did not have evidence of coronary artery disease on exercise testing between 1984 and 1989.

Seventy of the men had a fatal or a non-fatal heart attack between 1984 and 1992. Among men with the vitamin C deficiency 13.2% had a heart attack compared to 3.8% in those who were not deficient in Vitamin C.

This study concludes that vitamin C deficiency may be a risk factor for coronary artery disease and heart attack.

The Stage is Set - One More Element is Required to Produce a Heart Attack

The vast majority of cardiac events (heart attacks) are caused by a thrombus (blood clot) that gets stuck in an already narrowed (occluded) coronary artery. Blood flow to that section of heart muscle is cut off and the starvation of oxygen is the heart attack. If the lack of oxygen (ischemia) lasts very long, cells will die, leaving permanent heart injury or very commonly, death.

Vitamin E (see, I can discuss other things besides C) is our body's natural anti-thrombin. It prevents the blood cells from aggregating, without the side affects of blood-thinning drugs (possibly blindness from macular degeneration).

Understanding that most heart attacks are a combination of both restricted blood vessels AND a blood clot, not getting a blood clot would seem a very good thing! If a blood clot gets lodged in a vessel in the brain, that's a stroke - also something to avoid.

In Richard Passwater's book Supernutrition for Healthy Hearts, he discusses his studies of 17,884 cases for evidence of alpha-tocopherol's (vitamin E) impact on heart disease. Of most interest is one subgroup, those that had taken 400 IU or more of tocopherol for ten years or more. There were 2508 people in this group. Government statistics would indicate that of these 836 would be expected to have heart disease. The actual number reported was four! That is less than 1/2 of 1% of statistical expectations. A December 6, 1998 article at About.com discusses

Vitamin E and Heart Disease.

Vitamin E also increases our cells ability to utilize oxygen. That is the primary reason it is used on burns. It allows more cells that were not killed, but are getting marginal nutrition due to circulatory damage in the area, to survive. This property of vitamin E also helps those with circulatory problems. This can include the minimization of angina (heart pain), cramps, and even have a positive effect on senility, which is very-much circulation related.

Good Nutrition

...To understand what good nutrition is...

What Is Homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood. Epidemiological studies have shown that too much homocysteine in the blood (plasma) is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

Other evidence suggests that homocysteine may have an effect on atherosclerosis by damaging the inner lining of arteries and promoting blood clots. However, a direct causal link hasn’t been established.

Plasma homocysteine levels are strongly influenced by diet, as well as by genetic factors. The dietary components with the greatest effects are folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12. Folic acid and other B vitamins help break down homocysteine in the body. Several studies have found that higher blood levels of B vitamins are related, at least partly, to lower concentrations of homocysteine. Other recent evidence shows that low blood levels of folic acid are linked with a higher risk of fatal coronary heart disease and stroke.

Several clinical trials are under way to test whether lowering homocysteine will reduce CHD risk. Recent data show that the institution of folate fortification of foods has reduced the average level of homocysteine in the U.S. population.

Recent findings suggest that laboratory testing for plasma homocysteine levels can improve the assessment of risk. It may be particularly useful in patients with a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease, but in whom the well-established risk factors (smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure) do not exist.

Although evidence for the benefit of lowering homocysteine levels is lacking, patients at high risk should be strongly advised to be sure to get enough folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 in their diet. Foods high in folic acid include green, leafy vegetables and grain products fortified with folic acid. But this is just one risk factor. A physician taking any type of nutritional approach to reducing risk should consider a person's overall risk factor profile and total diet.

Uric Acid / Purine ~ Gout

"Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are found in some foods and drinks, such as liver, anchovies, mackerel, dried beans and peas, beer, and wine.

Most uric acid dissolves in blood and travels to the kidneys, where it passes out in urine. If your body produces too much uric acid or doesn't remove enough if it, you can get sick. High levels of uric acid in the body is called hyperuricemia"

Intake of foods containing purines is directly linked to the body's production of uric acid. In most cases, the body is able to dispose of uric acid, regardless of how much is made. However, in some cases, uric acid cannot be properly processed, which can lead to a very painful condition called gout. A person who is suffering from gout should either eliminate or severely limit certain purine-rich foods in his diet because these foods produce too much uric acid.

Relationship

Purines are found in all plant and animal cells. When the cells die after they are consumed in foods the body metabolizes the purines, converting them to uric acid. In most cases, the uric acid is expelled from the body as waste. However, if a large quantity of purine-rich foods is consumed, the uric acid levels in the body rise. This can be a problem for certain people whose systems are not equipped to handle the increase in uric acid.

Gout

Gout attacks develop when high levels of uric acid are not properly controlled by the body. When uric acid remains the body, it crystallizes around the joints of the toes, ankles, fingers and wrists. These crystals lead to painful redness, stiffness and swelling that lasts for five to 10 days. Gout strikes without warning, but can sometimes by controlled by monitoring the intake of purine-rich foods.

High-Risk

Certain foods contain such a concentrated amount of purine that they are exceptionally high-risk for those with gout. This category of foods includes organ meats and certain fish and seafood, such as herring and mussels. It also includes mushrooms and yeast. Those who are concerned about having elevated uric acid levels should avoid these foods.

Moderate-Risk

Some foods pose a moderate uric-acid risk, but can still be consumed by those with gout. These items include turkey, anchovies, asparagus, bacon, liver, trout, goose, scallops, pheasant and mutton. Those with gout may choose to eat these items on a very limited basis, or just eliminate them altogether.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages contain a low-to-moderate amount of purines, but they can also affect the body's ability to process uric acid efficiently. Therefore, most doctors recommend that anyone who already has an increased risk for gout should not drink alcohol. Beers contain the highest level of purines, but all types of alcohol can bring on a gout attack.

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Gout (podagra or uric acid)

What is gout?

Gout, otherwise known as podagra or uric acid arthropathy is a rheumatic complaint, that usually attacks a single joint at a time.

The disease has a preference for the big toe of middle-aged men - it swells, turns red and becomes sore. The soreness is such that just walking through a room can cause severe pain.
It is more common in men than women by a factor of 10 to 1.

What is the cause of gout?

The disease is caused by the deposition of sodium urate (uric acid) crystals in the joints. Uric acid is a by-product of the body's metabolism.

Normally the uric acid is removed when urinating, but among patients with a predisposition for gout, the uric acid accumulates in the blood.

Among some of these patients, the concentration in the blood is so high that the uric acid 'overflows' and settles in the joints and possibly in the skin.

How do you get gout?

The are two kinds of gout.

Primary hyperuricaemia and gout

Hyperuricaemia means an increased level of uric acid in the blood. It is usually caused by an hereditary abnormality in the system that changes the nucleic acid into uric acid. In this case the body is incapable of excreting uric acid fast enough even during normal circumstances.

Secondary hyperuricaemia and gout

Is caused by another disease or because of consumption of certain medicines (eg diuretic preparations, which increase the output of urine, and acetylsalicylic acid derivatives including aspirin). In these cases, the problem is that the body produces such large quantities of uric acid that the kidneys cannot keep up.

What are the signs of gout?

Prior to the onset of symptoms of gout, there is usually a latent period of several years in which the concentration of uric acid in the blood has gradually increased. This condition is called asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.

Some 95 per cent of the people with this condition never develop gout.

The first gout attack is often at night. Typically, the afflicted person wakes up in the middle of the night with extreme pain near the joint of the big toe (if the pain is in the knee it is called gonagra). The joint is swollen and may turn a shining purple.

Even the smallest stimuli produce severe pain, for instance a blanket on the toe. The first attack usually subsides after about a week.

About 10 per cent of sufferers will never again experience gout whereas others will experience more frequent and longer lasting attacks if they are not treated.

If it is not treated, repeated cases of gout over several years can produce permanent damage in the joint.

If no preventive treatment is undertaken, over time, sodium urate will collect under the skin. In this case the crystals are seen as small bumps near the joints or on the outer side of the ear called tophi.

Occasionally they rupture or ooze out yellowish chalky materials.

Who is at most risk?

Gout attacks are brought on by several factors including:

• overconsumption of alcohol, especially beer.
• some foods with a high content of protein and purines, such as liver, kidneys, sardines, and anchovies.
• being overweight.
• haemorrhages in the gastrointestinal canal.
• bodily trauma with extensive tissue destruction.
• major surgery.
• conditions in which there is a high rate of cell turnover, eg leukaemia, lymphoma, psoriasis.

Good advice

• Cut down on alcohol consumption.
• Avoid food that you know can cause attacks.
• Watch your weight.

The uric acid crystals can be secreted in the urinary system as calculi (stones). Therefore you have to drink plenty of water, preferably 10 to 12 glasses a day, in order to wash out the urinary system and prevent any stones from developing.

How does the doctor diagnose gout?

The diagnosis is usually made from the way the patient presents the symptoms, plus the clinical picture.

In order to rule out other rheumatic complaints, the doctor will usually take a blood sample to measure the concentration of uric acid. He may also undertake an X-ray examination and an examination of the synovial fluid (found within joints), where uric crystals will be visible by using special equipment.

Future prospects

About 60 per cent of the people who experience a gout attack will have a similar or more severe attack within the next year.

The disease can become complicated with calculi (stones) in the urinary system.
With modern treatment it has become much easier to relieve gout.

How is gout treated?

Treatment is concentrated on three areas:
during the actual attack the most important thing is to soothe the pain with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ordinary analgesics like paracetamol will not relieve the pain, and aspirin must not be used). Colchicine is used to relieve the pain in people who cannot take NSAIDs.
once the attack has passed, you are offered preventive treatment, usually with allopurinol (eg Zyloric), which will reduce the level of uric acid in the blood. The preventive treatment can - if it is used during an active attack of gout - actually aggravate an attack, because it causes a large quantity of uric acid to be released at the same time.

finally it is important to change your lifestyle, as described above.

The goals of the treatment are to remove the pain and the swelling, prevent further episodes, prevent and treat tophi and to stop the production of stones in the urinary system.

Dangers of Smoking

There are many dangers of smoking to the body, to the immediate family, to the society, to the environment and to the economy. More than 700 chemical additives are found in cigarettes. Some of them are classified as toxic and are not allowed in food.

Once lit, a cigarette reaches a temperature of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This high heat helps release thousands of chemical compounds, including:

• poisons like carbon monoxide
• poisons like hydrogen cyanide
• at least 43 carcinogens, and
• numerous mutagens.

All of these are drawn into the body when a smoker inhales.

Dangers Of Smoking With Nicotine

One of the main dangers of smoking is due to Nicotine. Nicotine is found naturally in tobacco. It has no odor and no color. It is, however, both physically and psychologically addictive, and it causes those who use it to want to smoke one cigarette after another.

Nicotine enters the body as tiny droplets resting on particles of tar in cigarette smoke. Inhaled into the lungs, the drug passes quickly into the bloodstream, reaching the brain within about 10 seconds. In another 5 to 10 seconds the nicotine has spread to all parts of the body.

The nicotine raises both the heart rate and blood pressure. The smoker quickly feels more alert and relaxed. In less than 30 minutes, however, about half of the nicotine has left the bloodstream, and the smoker starts feeling less alert, more edgy.

So he or she reaches for another cigarette to get a new “hit” of nicotine. Over time, the smoker starts needing more cigarettes throughout the day to satisfy the craving.

Dangers Of Smoking With Tar

There are other dangers of smoking as well. The tar from tobacco smoke starts to accumulate on the bronchial tubes leading to the lungs. The hot smoke burns the tiny hairlike projections (called cilia) that trap harmful particles before they enter the lungs.

Carbon Monoxide

One more of the dangers of smoking are Carbon monoxide. Smoking also increases the level of carbon monoxide in the lungs. This poisonous gas is quickly absorbed into the blood, reducing its capacity to carry oxygen.

As a result,

• the smoker has to exert more physical effort to attain a given task than does a nonsmoker.
• The heart in particular must work harder, particularly during rigorous exercise.
• Increased levels of carbon monoxide in the blood can impair vision, perception of time, and coordination.

Diseases

Smoking is the one of the main cause of death every year. Smoking cause number of smoke related diseases such as

• lung cancer (Smoking and Lung Cancer),
• respiratory problems and
• heart ailments

and these dangers of smoking are increasing yearly.

Certain breathing disabilities are also the dangers of smoking. It could also result in a decreased capability to enjoy physical capabilities because of the ailment or side effects like breathing problems. Smoking leads to reduction in life expectancy.

Over the years a smoker will be more likely to develop respiratory ailments:

• thickening of the arteries,
• blood clots,

cancer of the:

• lung,
• cervix,
• larynx,
• mouth,
• esophagus,
• bladder,
• pancreas and kidney, and
• emphysema,

as well as exhibit symptoms such as:

• reduced stamina,
• poor athletic performance,
• wheezing,
• coughing,
• dizziness, and
• nausea.

In time, a smoker suffers:

• increased resistance to the flow of air into the lungs and
• reduced lung capacity.

Besides these serious problems, prolonged tobacco use leads to:

• stained teeth and fingers and
• bad breath.

Even a smoker’s clothes and living quarters tend to smell of tobacco.

Smoking Is A Costly Affair

Smoking is a costly affair. An ordinary smoker invites enormous cost to maintain this unhealthy lifestyle and the costs do not affect exclusively to him. The most apparent cost of smoking is the daily, weekly and monthly expenditure of an ordinary smoker.
The average cost of pack of Cigarettes is $4.00. Imagine a smoker burning a pack per day, $4.00 per day. Annually the money spent on smoking would be around $1500. This money could have spent on some thing good like a decent out-of-town vacation.

Medical Expenditure

Medical expenditures will also have to be addressed as most, if not all, smoke related diseases require treatment, services and medication. Health care services do not always come free.
At the same time, due to illness the smoker has to refrain from work and forced to retire to the hospital be. This leads to reduce in income level and there after, instead of bringing in more money to the household, the money had to be taken out.

Secondhand Smoking

Another one of the dangers of the smoking is that smoking not only diminishes the health of the smokers but also diminishes the health of the non smokers around him through secondhand smoking

Facial Charm

Bad breath brought about by smoking would require gum or mints to overcome the odor. The smoker may also opt for breath fresheners, which are even more expensive. Cigarette components stain the teeth.

Having yellow teeth means extra charge from the dentist aside from the usual cleaning. Smokers were also found to have darkened gums. Smoking could also effect the wrinkling of the skin earlier than the usual.

Other Dangers Of Smoking

• Smoking gives a higher risk of starting a fire. Many fires had been discovered to originate from a cigarette left lit.
• It also leads to air pollution due to the constant release of carbon monoxide in the proximate vicinity.
• Presently, the insurance companies are charging more premium for smokers.
• Smokers who die early do not get to enjoy the fruits of their pensions. This means less social security benefits.
• Cigarette smoking also affects the overall aesthetics of the person.
• Smoking also leads to breakups with their loved ones.
• Smoke makes clothes dirty and the resulting in increase in money spent on dry cleaning.
• The smoke can also result in bad smell in the skin and hair (Bad Breath and Smoking).

Smoking also has emotional costs. The dependence to smoking when one gets addicted can be very restricting. There is also the pressure to quit smoking as the smoker realizes the harmful effects to himself and to his or her family

Nitric Oxide: The New Hero of Human Biology

Definition of Nitric oxide

Nitric oxide: A compound that is toxic but which, paradoxically, plays a number of important roles in the body, including the following:
It acts as a vasodilator (blood vessel relaxant).
It therefore controls blood flow to tissues.
It regulates the binding and release of oxygen to hemoglobin.
It thereby controls the supply of oxygen to mitochondria (cell powerhouses that generate energy).
It kills parasitic organisms, virus-infected cells, and tumor cells (by inactivating respiratory chain enzymes in their mitochondria).
It stimulates the production of new mitochondria.

Twenty minutes on a treadmill will certainly help you fit into that one-size-too-small dress. But new research suggests that exercise may also help increase the production of nitric oxide, a substance that does a variety of important jobs in the body, perhaps none more valuable than to help prevent heart disease.
"Nitric oxide does a variety of jobs," explains Dr. Jason Allen of Duke University. "It tends to be antiatherogenic, which means that it helps prevent your arteries from becoming clogged. From start to finish, this is a 40-year process which depends on lifestyle." That is, it's a function of what you eat, how you exercise, and the stresses you are under.
Allen and colleagues have been studying the production of nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme that is responsible for producing nitric oxide. They have found that exercise increases production of the enzyme, which then increases the chances that the nitric oxide levels in the blood will increase and protect the artery lining.
The Duke researchers' first report, which was released in November 2003, found that exercise especially helped those people who were labeled "at-risk" for heart disease. In blood samples taken after exercise, they had an "almost doubling of the brachial artery reactivity," said Allen. This means that while exercise is beneficial for everyone, those with more risk factors may get extra benefit from exercise.

Amino Acid L-Arginine: Food Sources, Health Benefits and Side Effects

What is l-arginine?

Arginine is one of the 20 amino acids that constitute protein. It exists as L-arginine and D-arginine form. However, the L-arginine is the more compatible form to our body. Because L-arginine can be synthesized in our body, it is called non-essential amino acid. The exception is newborn infants are unable to produce L-arginine and therefore their only source for it is food.
Health Benefits of L-arginine

L-arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide and other metabolites, a component of collagen, enzymes and hormones (eg. vasopressin), ejaculate (seminal fluid and sperm), skin and connective tissues. L-arginine plays important roles in the synthesis of various protein molecules (eg. creatine and insulin). It may have antioxidant property and reduces accumualtion of compounds such as ammonia and plasma lactate, byproducts of physical exercise. It inhibits platelet aggregation and can also decrease blood pressure.

L-arginine is converted to nitric oxide which aids in the relaxation of blood vessels. The effect is better blood circulation in the body and especially in the extremities (eg. genitalia). For this reason L-arginine helps in stimulating and maintaining erection (at least in males). Men with erectile dysfunction may benefit from intake of L-arginine rich foods or l-arginine supplement. L-arginine is a major component of ejaculate (seminal fluid and sperm) and there fore it is important for maintaining healthy ejaculate volume.

Other L-arginine benefits include maintainance of nitrogen balance, removal of excess ammonia, liver detoxification, reduction of alcohol toxicity effects, wound healing, and treatment of sterility in men.

L-arginine Side effects

L-arginine undermines the effect of lysine in suppression of viral infection. Therefore, for a person infected with viruses (eg. person with herpes), it is recommended to reduce L-arginine supplement dosage or not to eat foods high in L-arginine. Pregnant and lactating women are advised to be cautious with their arginine intake and dosage. Other side effects of L-arginine (when taken in high dosage and for long term) are thickening and coarsening of skin.
According to some human studies, arginine-HCL consumed at high doses (> 9 g/d) has been associated with nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, and diarrhea.

Arginine Deficiency

Deficiency of arginine could result delay in sexual maturity, impairment of the production of insulin, glucose tolerance, and liver lipid metabolism.

Food Sources of L-arginine

L-arginine is found in high content in protein rich foods such as peanuts, walnuts, brazilnuts, cocunut, animal products (milk and milk products, pork, beef, chicken, turkey), seafoods, cereals (oats and wheat), and chocolate. Legumes such as soybean and chickpea are also rich natural sources of L-arginine.

L-arginine related articles:

List of foods high in arginine content L-arginine, nitric oxide and erection (erectile dysfunction) Eating watermelon increases arginine level

Herbs and sexuality:Yohimbe: health benefits and side effectsGinseng: health benefits and side effectsGinkgo Biloba: health benefits and side effectsL-arginine, nitric oxide and erection (erectile dysfunction)

Erectile dysfunction related articles: What is erectile dysfunction? How does erection occur? What are the causes of erectile dysfunction? What are the treatments for erectile dysfunction?