Tag: Heart Disease

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Angina

[amazon_link asins=’B005ITYMUW,1572240679,B006L6ME74,B00005AU9H,B078TWQRZZ,B01LIICCCQ,B078762F6Y,B00773Y0VS,B0006MWXRK’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’c09e97c0-018f-11e8-8e19-397dd8b822c5′]

Definition:  Angina pain develops when the muscles of the heart are not getting enough oxygen. This is usually caused by narrowing or blockages of the coronary arteries which deliver oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle (known as coronary artery disease). So angina is a sign of heart disease……….click & see

If the blockage of a coronary artery progresses and becomes complete, then the blood supply to part of the muscles of the heart is lost, causing a heart attack. Angina is a warning sign that the heart is at risk of a heart attack, and should be taken very seriously. One patient in every ten will go on to have a heart attack within a year of diagnosis of angina.

When your heart isn’t getting enough blood and oxygen, the crushing, squeezing pain of angina is typically the result. Usually the pain begins below the breastbone and radiates to the shoulder, arm, or jaw, increasing in intensity until it reaches a plateau and then diminishes. The attack can last up to 15 minutes.

Angina may be an occasional problem or may rapidly increase in severity and duration until a heart attack occurs.

Although conventional medications for angina may help relieve the intense chest pain of this heart disorder, they do very little to halt the physiological mechanisms behind it. Vitamins, minerals, and natural remedies may actually improve the condition — or at least keep it from.

Symptoms:…….

Symptoms include:

*Crushing or squeezing chest pain.
*Weakness.
*Sweating.
*Shortness of breath.
*Palpitations.
*Nausea.
*Light-headedness.

When to Call Your Doctor
If you have any of the above symptoms for the first time.
If there is any change in the normal pattern of your angina attacks — for example, if they increase in frequency, intensity, or duration, or if they are brought on by new activities.
If an angina attack lasts more than 15 minutes, which may be a heart attack — call for an ambulance immediately.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

Causes and risk factors:
Angina is common – about eight per cent of men and three per cent of women aged between 55 and 64 have experienced it, and it becomes more common with age.

It’s most commonly caused by narrowing of the arteries which carry oxygen to the heart muscle by a process called atherosclerosis (sometimes known as hardening of the arteries). This is a common condition where fatty deposits or plaques build up in the coronary arteries. Symptoms don’t usually develop until there is at least a 50 per cent blockage of the artery.

Most people in the developed world will have some atherosclerosis by the time they reach mid-life (and often much earlier), but some conditions can make it worse including:

•High cholesterol levels in the blood (especially if there is an inherited tendency to high cholesterol or a strong family history of heart disease).
•Cigarette smoking.
•Diabetes mellitus.
•High blood pressure.
Other conditions can also interfere with the blood supply to the heart muscle and lead to angina. These include:

•Abnormal heart rhythms (for example when the heart beats so fast that it isn’t pumping blood efficiently around the body).
•Heart valve disease.
•Inherited structural abnormalities of the coronary arteries.
•Severe anaemia (where the blood count is so low that it cannot carry much oxygen to the tissues).
Other important risk factors for angina include obesity, and raised levels of chemical in the blood called homocysteine, or other chemicals involved with clotting.

In another condition, known as Prinzmetal’s angina or coronary artery spasm, the coronary arteries aren’t permanently blocked but intermittently narrowed by spasm. This often develops in the early hours of the morning and may last up to 30 minutes. Those affected may also complain of palpitations and abnormal heart rhythms, or have similar conditions linked to spasm of the arteries such as migraine or Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Events which put extra strain on the heart can make angina worse, such as:

•Fever.
•Infection and serious illness.
•Emotional stress.
•An overactive thyroid gland.
•Sudden extreme exertion.
But angina can come on at rest, even when a person is lying down in bed.

Diagnosis and modern treatment :
There are many problems which can be confused with angina, especially simply indigestion or gastro-oesophageal reflux. There may be no visible signs of angina so it’s important that tests are done to establish the diagnosis, to ensure the affected person gets the right treatment.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is essential and may show typical changes but can be normal in angina. Blood tests can be done to check for causes such as anaemia and look for chemical enzymes (called Troponins) released from the heart if a heart attack has occurred. Other checks for cholesterol levels, blood fats, diabetes and thyroid disease may be done. In most areas of the UK these tests will be done at the local Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic.

More complex tests such as an ECG during exercise, echocardiogram or other sophisticated x-ray tests may be recommended. However, NICE has recently produced guidelines which direct which tests should be done based on a statistical calculation of how likely to patient is to have angina. For example, invasive coronary angiography (where a tube is inserted into the coronary arteries and dye injected to produce x-rays pictures of the coronary arteries) is usually offered when there is a greater than 61 per cent chance of coronary artery disease.

Treatment of angina includes:

•Lifestyle advice to manage risk factors, such as weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking and a healthy diet.
•Medical treatment, including a drug called glyceryl trinitrate or GTN which can be taken repeatedly as a tablet put under the tongue or as a spray, and medical advice on what to do if pain persists (ie. if there is a risk of a heart attack).
•Assessment and treatment for coronary artery disease, including a variety of drug treatments to help open the arteries or treatments such as aspirin and a statin type drug which help to reduce the risk of a heart attack. More invasive treatments to open up the coronary arteries may be recommended especially when there is severe blockage. These are known as coronary revascularisation. The main two types are either coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

How Supplements Can Help
The supplements listed in the chart can all be used together or alone. They can also complement your prescription angina medications; never stop your heart medication without first consulting your doctor, however.
The antioxidant effect of vitamins C and E can help prevent cell damage: Vitamin C aids in the repair of the arteries injured by plaque, and vitamin E blocks the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, the initial step in the formation of plaque. In addition, some people with heart disease have low levels of vitamin E as well as the mineral magnesium, which may inhibit spasms of the coronary arteries.

Amino acids can benefit the heart in several ways. Arginine plays a role in forming nitric oxide, which relaxes artery walls. One study found that taking this amino acid three times a day increased the amount of time individuals with angina could exercise at moderate intensity without having to stop because of chest pain. Carnitine, an amino acid-like substance, allows heart muscle cells to use energy more efficiently, and another amino acid, taurine, may temper heart rhythm abnormalities.

Like carnitine, the nutritional supplement coenzyme Q10 enhances the heart muscle, reducing its workload, and the herb hawthorn improves blood flow to the heart. Essential fatty acids may be effective in lowering triglyceride levels and keeping arteries flexible.

What Else You Can Do
Eat a low-fat, fiber-rich diet; use canola or olive oil instead of butter.
Don’t smoke and avoid smoky places.
Learn to relax. Meditation, t’ai chi, and yoga may reduce angina attacks.
Join a support group. Determine what brought you to this point in your life and what you can do to begin reversing the disease.

Supplement Recommendations
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Magnesium
Arginine
Carnitine
Taurine
Coenzyme Q10
Hawthorn
Essential Fatty Acids

Vitamin C
Dosage: 1,000 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Reduce dose if diarrhea develops.

Vitamin E
Dosage: 400 IU twice a day.
Comments: Check with your doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs.

Magnesium
Dosage: 200 mg twice a day.
Comments: Do not take if you have kidney disease.

Arginine
Dosage: 500 mg L-arginine 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.

Carnitine
Dosage: 500 mg L-carnitine 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.

Taurine
Dosage: 500 mg L-taurine 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.

Coenzyme Q10
Dosage: 100 mg twice a day.
Comments: For best absorption, take with food.

Hawthorn
Dosage: 100-150 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Standardized to contain at least 1.8% vitexin.

Essential Fatty Acids
Dosage: 1 tbsp. flaxseed oil a day; 2,000 mg fish oils 3 times a day.
Comments: Take fish oils if you don’t eat fish at least twice a week.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resource:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/heart/angina.shtml
http://www.gulfmd.com/cardiology/Facts_About_Angina.asp
http://indiahealthtour.com/treatments/health-check-screening/treadmill-test-india.html

Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Anemia

[amazon_link asins=’1581826923,B00GZ9H0L2,B005JICTWA,B002KPP06W,B017J1DW0M,B00H5NFM4O’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4f186b9c-d389-11e7-8954-4bb6ebcb27c4′]

Looking pale? Feeling weak and tired? There’s a quick blood test available to assess
whether anemia is to blame — and if so, whether it’s caused by iron-poor blood or something else. Your doctor is the best person to ask about whether certain supplements might be right for you.

Symptoms
Weakness, fatigue, dizziness, irritability, or mental confusion.
Paleness, especially of the gums and eyelids or under the nails.
Palpitations; shortness of breath.
Sores in the mouth or tongue; unusual bruising or bleeding.
Numbness and tingling of the feet or legs.
Nausea and diarrhea.

When to Call Your Doctor
If you have any symptoms of anemia — your doctor must find the underlying cause.
If you are pregnant (or are considering pregnancy) or menstruate heavily.
If you are following a treatment plan for anemia — regular checkups can determine if
supplements are working.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

What It Is
Anemia is a condition in which there is a shortage of red cells in the blood or a
deficiency of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying pigment) in these cells. When anemia occurs, the body doesn’t get enough oxygen, and weakness and fatigue result. Although symptoms may not appear — or may be very mild — for a long time, the condition can be life-threatening if it is left undiagnosed and untreated. Should you suspect you are anemic, it’s essential that you see your doctor promptly to ascertain the underlying cause. Treatment will vary, depending on the diagnosis.

What Causes It
Iron deficiency, the most common cause of anemia, usually results from a gradual, prolonged blood loss, which depletes the body’s iron stores. Without enough iron, hemoglobin levels fall. Menstruating women, particularly those with heavy periods, are prone to iron-deficiency anemia. However, men and women can develop iron deficiency from any condition that causes slow bleeding — including long-term hemorrhoids, rectal polyps, or ulcers; stomach or colon cancer; or prolonged use of aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen. Because so many foods are fortified with iron, iron-deficiency anemia can rarely be attributed to a lack of this mineral in the diet.

Less common is anemia that results from a deficiency of vitamin B12 (in which case it’s called pernicious anemia) or folic acid. Both nutrients are essential to red blood cell production. Alcoholics, smokers, people with certain digestive disorders, vegetarians, those over age 50, and pregnant or lactating women are the most likely to be at risk, either because of poor nutrition or an inability to absorb these nutrients properly. Other forms of anemia can be traced to chronic illnesses (for example, cancer, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis); hereditary disorders such as sickle-cell anemia; or exposure to toxic drugs, chemicals, or radiation.

How Supplements Can Help
Before taking supplements, you need to determine the underlying cause of your anemia. It’s especially important to see a doctor about iron-deficiency anemia, which may be caused by internal bleeding. If you’re advised to take supplements, have blood work every month to see if they are worthwhile.
If iron-deficiency anemia is diagnosed, the mineral iron combined with vitamin C may be of
value. A study involving 28 strict vegetarians found that 500 mg of vitamin C, taken after
lunch and dinner for two months, raised hemoglobin levels by 8% and blood iron levels by
17%. Vitamin C increases the body’s ability to absorb iron.
Take iron only under your doctor’s supervision, because too much can be dangerous.
Most postmenopausal women and men of all ages get plenty of iron in their diet and should not take a multivitamin and mineral supplement that contains it. A recent survey of elderly Americans found that more than 90% of them had too much iron in their diets –and that only 1% suffered from iron — deficiency anemia. Excess iron acts as an “oxidant,” generating harmful molecules called free radicals that can raise cholesterol and block arteries. Toomuch iron has been linked to heart disease.
Various herbs may also be useful. Yellow dock has modest amounts of iron, but it’s well
absorbed and can raise blood iron levels. Other iron-rich herbs include seaweed and dulse.
Taken as a tincture, juice, or tea, some herbs (dandelion, burdock, mint, and linden
flowers) may enhance the body’s ability to absorb iron from foods or supplements.

Vitamin C may be beneficial if you have anemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12 or
folic acid as well; it aids the body in absorbing these nutrients. Vitamin B12 and folic
acid should always be taken in tandem, and under a doctor’s supervision, because a high
intake of one can mask a deficiency of the other. Together they work to boost production of red blood cells. Once anemia is corrected and a problem with absorption has been ruled out as a cause, the amount of B12 and folic acid in your daily multivitamin may be sufficient to prevent a recurrence.

What Else You Can Do
Eat foods rich in iron (dried beans, liver, red meat, dried fruits, nuts, shellfish); in
folic acid (citrus fruits, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, liver, soybeans, wheat germ); and
in vitamin B12 (liver, shellfish, lamb, beef, cheese, fish, eggs).

Supplement Recommendations

Iron
Vitamin C
Vitamin B12/Folic Acid
Yellow Dock
Dandelion

Iron
Dosage: 30 mg 3 times a day with meals.
Comments: Your doctor may prescribe a higher dosage.

Vitamin C
Dosage: 500 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Take with meals to enhance iron absorption from foods.

Vitamin B12/Folic Acid
Dosage: 1,000 mcg B12 and 400 mcg folic acid in sublingual form twice a day for 1 month.
Comments: Always take B12 and folic acid together. If still anemic after oral B12
supplements, you may need B12 injections.

Yellow Dock
Dosage: 1,000 mg each morning.
Comments: Or take 1/2 tsp. tincture twice a day.

Dandelion
Dosage: 1 tsp. fresh juice or tincture with water twice a day.
Comments: Take with yellow dock to enhance iron absorption.

Source:Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Herbs & Plants

Guggul

[amazon_link asins=’B00B8Z296O,B01BKTABL2′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’a6c51a5b-150e-11e7-9557-657733d982ca’]

[amazon_link asins=’B00U3IIZ2O’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ca18d60a-150e-11e7-9d5d-bb808f11a3d8′]

[amazon_link asins=’B01HRCOCP2,B01HDFT21W’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f58a81e9-150e-11e7-93af-b70b20a42e4c’]

Botanical Name : Balsamodendron mukul
Family Name: Burseraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Genus: Commiphora
Species: C. wightii
vernacular Name: Sans Guggulu,Hind –Guggul ,Eng –Indian Bdellium tree
Common Name :Commiphora wightii,Guggal, Guggul or Mukul myrrh tree

Habitat:The guggul plant may be found from northern Africa to central Asia, but is most common in northern India. It prefers arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.

Description:It is a shrub or small tree, reaching a maximum height of 4 m, with thin papery bark. The branches are thorny. The leaves are simple or trifoliate, the leaflets ovate, 1–5 cm long, 0.5–2.5 cm broad, irregularly toothed. It is gynodioecious, with some plants bearing bisexual and male flowers, and others with female flowers. The individual flowers are red to pink, with four small petals.

click to see the pictures..>......(01).....(1).……...(2)………..(3).…...

Cultivation and uses
Guggul is sought for its gummy resin, which is harvested from the plant’s bark through the process of tapping. In India and Pakistan, guggul is cultivated commercially. The resin of the guggul plant, known as gum guggulu, has a fragrance similar to myrrh and is commonly used in incense and perfumes. It is the same product that was known in Hebrew, ancient Greek and Latin sources as bdellium.

Guggal has been a key component in ancient Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine, and now is widely used in modern medicine for treatment of heart ailments. But Guggal (Commiphora weghtii), as it is locally known, has become so scarce because of its overuse in its two habitats in India where its is found — Gujarat and Rajasthan that the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has enlisted it in its Red Data List of endangered species.

The extract, called gugulipid, guggulipid or guglipid, comes from the guggal or guggul tree and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Hindu medicine, for nearly 3,000 years in India

Guggulipid
Guggulipid, gugulipid or guglipid is the extract extracted from the sap or resin of Guggal tree also known as mukul myrrh tree (Commiphora mukul) it secretes a resinous material called gum guggul.

Guggul Dhoop
Guggul can be purchased in a loosely packed form called Dhoop, an incense from India, which is then burned over hot coals. This produces a fragrant dense smoke. The burning coals which produces the smoke is carried around in different rooms and held in all the corners of the room for a few seconds. This is said to drive away evil spirits as well as remove the evil eye from the home and its family members.

Guggul and gum guggulu are the names given to a yellowish resin produced by the stem of the plant. This resin has been used historically and is also the source of modern extracts of guggul.The greenish resin is harvested in the winter.

This resin has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine, which combined it with other plant products to cleanse and rejuvenate the body, especially the blood vessels and the joints. It was also used for sore throats and digestive complaints.
In Chinese medicine, guggul is known as mo yao and is used to activate blood flow, relieve pain, and speed recovery.

A resin from a related tree, C. myrrha, is the myrrh mentioned in the Bible as one of the gifts the wise men from the East brought to the infant Jesus.
Guggul (also spelled gugul, gugulu, or guggal) is now coming to attention in the United States because of its reputation for lowering cholesterol.
Ayurvedic practitioners probably didn’t even know what cholesterol was, much less care about lowering it. But it appears that the resin they used to cleanse blood vessels may indeed have benefit for Westerners with elevated blood lipids.

Active Ingredients
Guggul contains essential oils, myrcene, Z and E guggulsterones, alpha-camphorene, various other guggulsterones, and makulol.
The Z and E guggulsterones, extracted with ethyl acetate, are the constituents that appear to be responsible for lowering blood lipids.

Medicinal Uses:

1.High triglycerides. 2.Acne vulgaris. 3.Atherosclerosis.4.High cholesterol.5.Osteroarthrities.6.Obesity.
Animal studies suggest that guggulsterones can increase the liver’s ability to bind “bad” LDL cholesterol, thus taking it out of circulation. Animals given guggul extract and a high-fat, plaque-producing diet had lower blood fats and developed less atherosclerosis than animals given the diet alone.

In some of this research, a combination of guggul and garlic worked better than guggul by itself.

In humans, three months of guggul treatment resulted in lower levels of total cholesterol (average 24 percent) and serum triglycerides (average 23 percent reduction) in the majority of patients.

A double-blind trial comparing guggul to the cholesterol-lowering drug clofibrate found that the two treatments were very similar in their ability to lower total cholesterol (11 percent by gugulipid, 10 percent by clofibrate) and triglycerides (17 percent by gugulipid, 22 percent by clofibrate).
HDL (“good”) cholesterol was also altered by gugulipid, increasing in 60 percent of patients, while clofibrate did not have any effect on HDL. Raising HDL and lowering total cholesterol improves the ratio of these blood fats.
Two other placebo-controlled trials in India confirm that guggul can lower total cholesterol and raise HDL.
Guggulsterones are reported to stimulate the thyroid, which might tend to have a beneficial effect on cholesterol for people with underactive thyroid glands.

Guggul also protects the heart: In animals challenged with drugs that damage heart tissue, cardiac enzymes did not change significantly when the experimental animals were pretreated with guggul.
Guggul has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in rats.
Some reports suggest that it helps keep platelets from clumping together to start a blood clot, that it can help break up blood clots (fibrinolytic activity), and that it is an antioxidant.

Dose
The normal dose is one 500-mg tablet, standardized to 25 mg guggulsterones, three times daily.
Measurable changes should be apparent within four weeks for people who will benefit.

Special Precautions
The biggest difficulty in using guggul is said to be finding a reliable standardized product. Quality is quite variable.
Because guggul is reported to stimulate the thyroid, it makes sense to monitor thyroid hormones in people using guggul for long-term treatment.
People with liver problems should use guggul only under the supervision of a physician willing to monitor liver enzymes.
Guggul may not be appropriate for people with chronic diarrhea.

As per Ayurveda:It is vishada, tikta and ushnaveerya; aggravates pitta; sara, kashaya, katu, katu-vipaka, ruksha and (highly) laghu; useful in the union of fracture; aphrodisiac, sukshma; corrects hoarseness; rejuvinating; gastric stimulant, picchila, invigorating; pacifies vitiated kapha and vata; beneficial in the treatment of ulcer, adenitis, obesity, polyuria, urinary calculii, gout, fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, septic ulcer, oedema, piles, scrofula and worms.

Part Used: Gum

Therapeutic Uses:

Gum: alterative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic. antispasmodic, anti suppurative, aperient, aphrodisiac, appetizing, astringent. carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, ecbolic, emmenagogue, expectorant; useful in amenorrhoea, anaemia, endometritis, .’ leucorrhoea,. manorrhagia, nervous diseases, rheumatism, scrofulous affections and skin diseases,

Particularly applied in indolent ulcer and bad wounds; specially recommended in the treatment of lipid and urinary disorders, obesity, in marasmus of children and in rheumatoid arthritis;

Inhalation of the fumes of burnt guggul beneficial in chronic bronchitis, acute and chronic nasal catarrh, laryngitis and tuberculosis.

Guggulipid, the ethylacetate extract of the gum, has recently been established, as an effective hypolipidaemic as well as an anti-inflammatory agent in certain types of hypercholesterolaemia.
Adverse Effects
Some people in the clinical trials reported mild digestive upset.
There are no other reports of side effects, although increased thyroid gland activity could presumably lead to complications such as nervousness, weakness, palpitations, or eye problems.

Possible Interactions
No drug interactions have been reported.
In theory, guggul might counteract thyroid-suppressing drugs or increase the effect of thyroid hormones such as Synthroid or Levoxyl. Monitoring of thyroid function is prudent.
No interactions with cholesterol-lowering drugs have been observed, but they might be possible. People who use guggul together with cholesterol medications should be monitored carefully by their physician.

You may click to learn more about Guggul

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/herb_library/guggul.asp

http://www.kroger.com/hn/Herb/Guggul.htm#Botany)

http://www.ayurvedakalamandiram.com/herbs.htm#eranda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commiphora_wightii

Related articles by Zemanta

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
css.php