A-Z health management Articles

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in North America. While there are conventional treatments for this health concern, heart supporting supplements can help prevent heart disease by keeping your heart healthy. 

What is Heart Disease?

Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis occur when deposits build up on the inside of the arteries. This leads to a decrease in the flexibility and elasticity of the walls. Deposits can be made of calcium (arteriosclerosis) or fatty substances like cholesterol (atherosclerosis).

Pieces of these deposits cause problems in several ways. They narrow the paths that blood takes around your heart and surrounding vessels, causing the body to exert more effort to maintain circulation and adequate blood flow to tissues. This common and dangerous condition is called high blood pressure. If pieces break off, they will disrupt blood flow, potentially leading to clots or lodge into smaller blood vessels, blocking them entirely and causing a heart attack or stroke. Clots are also culprits of heart attacks and strokes.

How To Prevent Heart Disease: Conventional Treatments, Diet & Supplements

Lifestyle Factors

The most important factor in keeping your vascular system healthy is a healthy lifestyle. It plays a bigger role in heart health than family history, which is encouraging. Reduce heart disease risk through a proper diet, fighting obesity, quitting smoking and incorporating exercise into your life.

Conventional Treatments

Conventional treatment of high cholesterol with lipid-lowering drugs makes only small improvements to your chance of developing heart disease. Plus, these drugs have many side effects. The most troublesome is the increased risk of depression and suicide amongst medicated individuals.

The drugs also deplete vital nutrients for heart health, such as coenzyme Q10. Aspirin or other blood-thinning medication may also be prescribed to decrease the risk of developing blood clots.

Stomach ulcers and abnormal bleeding are side effects of some of these medications. These medications can interact with many natural products. Consult a health professional before starting any new therapy.

Diet & Supplements To Prevent Heart Disease

Dietary changes for heart health include maintaining adequate fibre intake and lowering the fat and cholesterol content of your foods. Drink lots of clear fluids and eat raw fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Include green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, vegetable protein like soybeans and unrefined oils like olive, flax, and sunflower in your daily diet. Foods to avoid are any junk foods, fried foods, processed foods, fast foods, white flour products, white sugar products, red meat, egg yolks, ice cream, salt, coffee, colas and other caffeine sources. Eliminate alcohol, tobacco and highly spiced foods.

Use diet, exercise, and supplements to maintain a healthy weight. Stress reduction techniques such as deep breathing, yoga or biofeedback will help to maintain a healthy stress level.

Candida albicans normally lives in the gastrointesintal and genital tracts. Candida infection occurs when the yeast overgrows or spreads. People with Candida overgrowth often experience fatigue and poor concentration. Yeast toxins enter the bloodstream through the intestinal lining. You can ask your practitioner to do a test for this toxin to make a diagnosis. You can also explore supplements and treatment options that diminish the risk of candida. 

What Are Common Symptoms of Candidiasis?

It is often difficult to diagnose Candida due to the wide variety of symptoms that are not consistent throughout all parts of the body. Candida can cause many different symptoms. Common symptoms include constipation, fatigue, rashes, tingling, burning, memory loss, athlete's foot, diarrhea, and headaches. Some people also experience PMS, prostatitis, diabetes, or hypothyroidism. Often, symptoms are conditional or situational, increasing with consumption of sugary or yeast-based foods, or intensifying in damp and mouldy areas. A candida infection of the intestinal tract (gastrointestinal candidiasis) can produce the same symptoms as Leaky Gut Syndrome and even co-exist with it. Candida skin infections cause white patches surrounded by red, irritated skin. Mucous membrane infections often appear the same way. Sometimes, these skin infections will produce discharge that is white and curd-like and smells yeasty.

What Are Candida Treatment Options?

Conventional treatment of Candida involves antifungal agents applied topically or taken orally. These medications take care of the current infection but do not address the root cause of why the infection occurred in the first place. Candida often returns, and eventually the strains become drug-resistant.

Dietary & Supplement Treatments

Dietary therapy depends upon the severity of the condition. It is aimed at starving out the yeast by removing its food source, sugar.

The most severe dietary restrictions involve a total elimination of all sugar, yeast and fungal products from the diet. This includes: fruit, aged cheese, alcohol, baked goods (including bread), chocolate, fermented foods, gluten containing grains, ham, honey and all sweeteners, nut butters, potatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, sprouts and vinegar.

Less severe cases restrict all of the above-mentioned products for a short period of time, and then allow some products back into the diet. Vegetables, fish and gluten free grains are the bulk of the diet. Fresh, live yogurt or other products containing live bacterial cultures can be added at a later time.

Am I At Risk for Developing Candida?

Candida can mimic many conditions. As a result, some practitioners may overdiagnose it or promote treatment as a cure-all. Be sure to discuss the potential of candidiasis with your healthcare provider to ensure that this is the root cause of your concerns. Of course, you can always go ahead with trying to treat it first to see if the treatment makes a difference for your symptoms if you prefer the do-it-yourself path. There are many risk factors for developing Candida overgrowth in the intestines. Some of the risks are common health concerns that create an environment in the body that allows yeast to grow out of control, while others are environmental factors. Here is a list of some (but not all) factors that can leave you predisposed to developing candidiasis:

• Low Thyroid The lower body temperature caused by hypothyroid creates a suitable environment for the yeast to proliferate.
• Diabetes or hypoglycemia,blood sugar fluctuations and cravings for sweet foods make sugar more available and can make it easier for the yeast to grow.
• Antibiotic Use: The use of antibiotics can kill off the natural, "good" bacteria that help to keep yeast in check.
• Stress: Extended stress can exhaust your adrenal glands, thus lowering your body temperature. Stress also reduces your immune system, thus preventing your body's natural response to infection.
• Menopause or PMS These conditions cause hormonal fluctuations that can kill off the natural bacteria in the body and boost the growth of yeast.
• Intestinal Toxicity Yeast can proliferate in a toxic colon with the accumulated waste matter.
• Low Immunity A healthy immune system usually controls Candida growth. A weakened immune system allows the yeast to multiply unchecked.
• Leaky Gut Small perforations in the intestinal lining can harbour yeast cells and provide them with a more direct source of nutrients.

Important Information: Die Off Reactions

When you initially go to kill off the yeast in your body, beware that you will likely feel pretty terrible for a few days. Each cell of Candida naturally produces toxins, and when a large number of the yeast cells suddenly die and burst, a massive amount of toxin can be released into the intestines, where they are easily absorbed. This can result in flu-like symptoms, similar to those experienced during a cleanse or detox. The symptoms will go away once the yeast is under control. They can be somewhat countered by drinking lots of filtered water and taking in lots of fibre.

Fluid balance plays a crucial role in how your body feels and functions. When your body's balance is disrupted, it can lead to discomfort, heaviness, and visible swelling that impacts overall well-being. Supporting your body's natural ability to regulate fluids is an important part of maintaining optimal health. Many people now use edema support strategies, including nutrition and supplements. These approaches promote circulation, reduce fluid retention, and restore balance.

Let's explore effective ways to help your body feel more comfortable. 

What is Edema?

Edema is excess fluid buildup in body tissues. It most often affects the legs, ankles, feet, hands, or face. This fluid accumulation can cause swelling, tightness, and a feeling of heaviness in the affected areas.

Edema occurs when fluid leaks from blood vessels into tissues or ciruclation slows. It may be temporary from sitting or diet. It can also involve kidney function and fluid balance issues.

How Can I Balance Water in My Body?

In order for you to function at your optimal level, the water content of your body should be about 70%. This makes the job of regulating your water balance extremely important. The kidneys assume most of this responsibility, aided by the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), also known as vasopressin. The pituitary gland releases vasopressin to reduce water loss through they kidneys. It signals the kidneys to retain water and maintain hydration and body function. Edema is more or less a symptom of a malfunction in this process. Once your body has enough water and the kidneys can begin excreting or flushing water normally, vasopressin should turn off. In edema, this regulation process may malfunction. The body retains excess water even when it no longer needs it.

What Are The Different Types of Edema?

Pitting vs Non-Pitting Edema

Pitting edema can be demonstrated by applying firm pressure to an area of edema. If this pressure causes an indentation that lasts for several seconds to minutes after the pressure is withdrawn, the edema is referred to as pitting. Non-pitting edema will not result in a persistent indentation following pressure. Understanding the difference between the two types of edema is important to our overall understanding of what is causing the problem and potential remedies to the problem. Pitting edema is most commonly bilateral, tender to the touch, and often harder to treat due to more serious causes. Some patients with hyperthyroidism may experience a type of pitting edema over the shins, known as pretibial myxedema. Non-pitting edema is more likely to be unilateral in nature and is commonly caused by impaired lymphatic drainage (lymphedema).

Common Causes of Edema

Edema can often be a treatable and harmless problem, as it is common to experience mild swelling even simply for sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time. Travelling on an airplane for long distances can cause edema as well as hot weather and sweating. What we eat and consume can also play a role in edema; a high salt intake can lead to excess water retention (more on this below). For women, edema can be a common symptom of the menstrual cycle and usually clears up following the beginning of menstruation. Late pregnancy can also bring about edema. Certain medications may also be responsible for excess fluid retention.

Underlying Conditions That Can Cause Edema

Individuals with heart, kidney and often liver pathologies (or with a family history of these problems) are most often at risk for more serious causes of fluid retention. In these individuals, edema could be a sign of increased blood pressure (also increasing risk of stroke), reduced cardiac output (in the case of congestive heart failure), impaired kidney function (as can be seen in kidney disease), or loss of important proteins, like albumin, in the urine (which can be caused by diseases of either the liver or kidney). In these individuals, prolonged edema causes blood circulation to decrease. This reduced circulation can also lead to pain, affecting muscles and joints. Varicose veins and thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the veins) are also common causes of edema, caused by a deficient venous return of blood due to venous insufficiency or obstruction. Compression stockings, which support the healthy flow of venous blood back to the heart, can be quite useful in treating cases of venous insufficiency.

Natural Edema Support

Dietary and Lifestyle Factors Affecting Edema

There are some very simple dietary and lifestyle suggestions that can promote healthy elimination of excess water. Although this may seem backward, one of the most important things you can do is to increase your water intake, both through food and drink. Water encourages regular diuresis (an increase in the production and expulsion of urine). Foods high in water include celery, melons, grapes, carrots, and spinach, or other green leafy vegetables. 

Similarly, try to limit your intake of sodium in the diet. High sodium can lead to excess water retention. Watch for canned or prepared and processed foods, as these are often high in sodium. 

Refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and refined sugars (baked goods, fruit juices, pop), as well as alcohol, can also lead to water retention. 

Lastly, exercise! Movement of any sort that increases heart rate helps to support the movement of fluid from the extremities back to the heart, thereby reducing edema in the extremities.

Nutraceuticals For the Relief of Edema

CoQ10 is so important to the cardiovascular system in general, including in the case of congestive heart failure. CoQ10 supplies the heart cells with oxygen for overall improved function. L-Arginine is a very effective way to naturally lower blood pressure. It helps to dilate blood vessels, optimizing blood flow both to and from the heart. Taurine can also be quite helpful in treating edema due to cardiovascular deficiencies. In terms of healthy liver function, N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC), milk thistle and curcumin are all potent antioxidants with an affinity for the liver, helping to detoxify and in some cases even regenerate liver cells. Horse chestnut is a well-known remedy for chronic venous insufficiency, helping to support the integrity of the vein walls. Herbal diuretics, such as Bearberry (Uva Ursi), Dandelion, Juniper and parsley have also been used to treat and prevent fluid retention leading to edema.

Supporting overall wellness and immune resilience is essential when navigating complex health challenges. Alongside medical care, many people look for ways to strengthen their body and immune response, maintain energy, and improve quality of life through nutriton and lifestyle strategies. As a result, HIV support has become an important focus in natural health, with growing interest in supplements and holistic approaches that complement conventional treatment. 

In this article, we'll explore practical ways to support your body and promote long-term well-being. 

How Does HIV Effect The Body?

HIV attacks the immune system, specifically CD4+ cells, which help fight infection. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS develops when an HIV positive person acquires life-threatening infection called an immunodeficiency illness.

What Is HIV?

It is important to understand that HIV does not always become AIDS. In fact, with new medications and more research supporting natural methods of balancing and strengthening the immune system, AIDS is a much less common outcome of HIV infection than it was 30 years ago. Chronic HIV infection describes individuals who live with HIV while maintaining relatively good health for many years. There are still others who argue that, although HIV may be present due to an extremely compromised immune system, HIV and AIDS do not have a proven cause-and-effect relationship. As much as we think we know, there seems to be much more to learn about these complicated diseases.

How is HIV Transmitted?

HIV, now much better understood than it was in the 80's, is transmitted when enough HIV from the blood of an HIV positive individual gets into an HIV negative individual. This CANNOT happen through casual contact, such as shaking hands, sneezing or touching a doorknob or toilet seat. HIV is only transmitted when there is an exchange of bodily fluids with a high concentration of the virus. Basically, this can only happen via 5 different methods: blood, semen, vaginal fluid, anal fluid and breast milk. Infection can occur during sexual intercourse, during childbirth, breastfeeding and through the use of needles (ie, sharing needles) or needlestick injuries.

Mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, genitals, and anus help defend the body against germs. Mucous membranes are not the perfect barrier, however, and again, similar to skin, small breaks and thinning in these membranes can create entry points into the inside of our bodies for viruses and germs to get in. Other sexually transmitted infections, including herpes, gonorrhea, and syphilis, can increase HIV transmission risk.

Testing For HIV

Doctors diagnose HIV with a blood test that detects HIV antibodies. There is a window of time where, even if you have HIV, the test will return negative depending on the length of time that has passed since transmission. Testing too early can prodcue a false-negative result before the body develops detecable antibodies. Speak with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your test results. Consider a second blood test to help confirm the accuracy of the results.

HIV's Impact On The Immune System 

CD4+ cells are among the most important white blood cells in the immune system. Different white blood cells perform specialized tasks that protect the body. They identify and destroy invading germs and infected cells. They also help prevent infections from spreading throughout the body.

CD4+ count and viral load are key measures for monitoring HIV. Early on infection, the body can replace lost CD4+ cells. As HIV replicates, CD4+ levels decline and immunity weakens. Doctors use CD+ counts to assess immune strength. Normal levels range from 500 to 1500 cells/mm3, but results can fluctuate and may require repeat testing. Levels between 200 and 500 indicate immune weakening. A CD4+ count of 200 or less signals severe supression and higher infection risk. These infections include PCP, CMV, MAC, and toxoplasmosis. Doctors classify these as AIDS-defining illnesses that support an AIDS diagnosis.

Viral load is a measure of how much HIV is in your blood. It measures the number of copies of HIV in a millilitre of blood. With this test, it is most helpful to look at a trend over time. If patients remain unmedicated and do not use supportive therapies or healthy lifestyle measures, viral load typically rises. The virus continues to replicate over time. For medicated individuals, this test is a measure of how responsive the virus is to the treatment, and should show a general trend of decline. Don't be discouraged if your results come back 'undetectable'. This is a good thing, actually, what every treatment strives for. A viral load less than 50 copies per mL will not show up on the test and will show a result of undetectable. This means the virus is making significantly fewer copies.

Symptoms of HIV

There are a number of side effects associated with the HIV virus itself, as well as with most HIV medications. Herbs, vitamins, nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies can do wonders to decrease these side effects safely and effectively. Nutrition itself is also vitally important to ensure you are getting the nutrients and caloric intake you need to stay strong and maintain energy. Some of the more common side effects include digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Metabolic disorders are common, including fat redistribution, cardiovascular problems, and insulin resistance/diabetes. HIV and its treatments may contribute to bone weakness, liver dysfunction, and skin or muscle problems. Some people find the mental and emotional side effects most challenging. Speak with your doctor or healthcare professional if symptoms develop. Seek help whenever you need support.

HIV Support Options

It is important to know that there are different genotypes of HIV. The specific genotype will indicate which drugs the virus is sensitive to and which ones it is resistant to. If anti-HIV medications do not lower viral load, your doctor may order a genotype test. If viral load rebounds after an initial response, your doctor may also recommend changing medications.

HIV treatment choices are personal and depend on the severity of the infection. Learn about treatment options and potential side effects. Discuss all options with your healthcare provider. People with severe symptoms, low CD4_ counts, or pregnancy often require treatment. Doctors may recommend more aggressive therapy in these situation. Five major drug classes support HIV: entry inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) combines medications from these classes to help control HIV effectively.

Natural HIV Support Options

In terms of diet and nutrition, it truly is the foundation for any natural-based therapy. Certain vitamins and minerals are essential to immune system function. Many individuals who are HIV positive or diagnosed with AIDS have been found to be deficient in vitamins A, B6, B12, folate, selenium and zinc. Eating a diet high in whole foods, vegetables and fruits, fresh and organic, whenever possible, is a great way to ensure adequate intake of many essential vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants. Avoid processed foods and refined carbohydrates as much as possible. Focus on omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish/fish oils and some plant oils. Ensure you are getting a minimum of 15 % of your caloric needs from protein; this will help to prevent weight loss and maintain energy levels. Try to eliminate sugar, caffeine and alcohol, which can all act to depress the immune system.

Natural health professionals recommend the following supplements are used to support immune function in HIV-positive individuals. These supplements may also help manage common side effects associated with HIV or its treatment.

Important Information

Both HIV negative AND HIV positive individuals can be infected with HIV, meaning that HIV positive individuals need to practice safe sex, not only for the safety of their partner, but for their own safety, as well. These individuals can be re-infected, which can further damage their immune system or create a 'super virus' that is resistant to many of the current HIV medications.

Metabolic syndrome is a medical condition commonly known as "Syndrome X". It is made up of a group of combined conditions (known as a syndrome), which create an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, fatty liver, and unhealthy cell growth. Metabolic syndrome is becoming more and more prevalent in North America, and although the risk varies by ethnic background, it ranges from 11 and 41%, with an average of around 25% of the population. That means that approximately 1/4 of North Americans are currently suffering from metabolic syndrome.

Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome

The two most important risk factors for metabolic syndrome are central obesity and insulin resistance (pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes). Other risk factors include: increased age, hormonal imbalances, lack of exercise, and genetic predisposition. Smoking can also increase the negative effects associated with this condition.

Central Obesity

The term "central obesity" means carrying extra weight around your upper body, particularly in the abdomen. People with central obesity are often called "apple-shaped". One of the signs required for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is a waist circumference greater than or equal to 102cm (40in) in men, and 88cm (35in) in women, although the exact numbers vary by ethnic origin.

Insulin Resistance

This condition involves the body's tissues being unable to properly respond to insulin. It is often the predisposing condition that leads to type II diabetes. Because blood sugar levels remain high, while not enough sugar is able to enter the body's cells, this leaves the person feeling tired and hungry despite having just eaten. Also, blood fat levels rise as the body tries another means of feeding its starving cells.

Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome can manifest in a number of different ways, but the most common symptoms include some combination of: high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, elevated triglycerides, and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. Actual diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires at least 3 of the following signs:

Nutritional Information

Because most of these signs require measurements from your doctor, the easiest ones to check by yourself are blood pressure and waist circumference. If these measurements are high, it is a good idea to see your healthcare practitioner for further screening. If you are still unsure, there are a number of symptoms that can reveal these underlying problems. Insulin resistance causes high blood sugar and creates symptoms of increased hunger, thirst, and urination. Cardiovascular symptoms accompanying high blood pressure and unbalanced blood fats can be: dizziness, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

Treatment & Lifestyle Changes For Metabolic Syndrome

Although some of the predisposing factors of metabolic syndrome are genetic and beyond our control, most are easily altered by diet and lifestyle changes. Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential to help reduce the risk of Syndrome X. Again, the fastest and most effective way to lose weight is through diet and exercise.

Exercise

It is extremely important to exercise for at least 30 minutes every single day. This can simply involve walking for 10 minutes, three times a day, or it can be bicycling, swimming, or working out at the gym. Whatever activity you can easily incorporate into your routine, start doing! Trying a few different activities can help alleviate boredom and ensure you stick to your new lifestyle choice. Exercise is the most powerful means of promoting weight loss and also directly helps regulate blood sugar and blood fats. For more information on weight loss, please click here.

Diet

Changing your diet to reduce the overall caloric intake is a huge step in a healthy direction. Eating fewer processed foods and reducing the amount of unhealthy fats in your diet can go a long way to bringing your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels into the normal range. Fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients and healthy fibre that also help to lower cholesterol. The changes that you make don't have to be huge; every little thing that you do for your health counts towards making your life better. Long-lasting change most often happens one small step at a time.

Supplements

There are a number of supplements that can help with blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity. For more information on blood sugar regulation and supplements that can help, please click here. To help prevent the development of metabolic syndrome, it is also important to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Helping to balance blood fats and cholesterol is also extremely important. One particular supplement has been shown to benefit a number of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, and that's inositol. Different forms of inositol have been shown to help regulate hormones, reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis, and maintain insulin sensitivity.