Food to Restore a Heart

reproduced from Aurametrix

We know that diet, exercise and low-stress life will keep the heart healthy. But sometimes things happen that are beyond our control.

Thanks to more coordinated, faster emergency response and improved treatment, heart attacks aren't as deadly as they used to be. But survivors still face a substantial risk of further cardiovascular events.

How to restore after a heart attack and prevent another one? What to do besides obvious things such as taking medications, reducing stress, calories, avoiding urban air pollution and getting rid of bad lifestyle habits like smoking?

Increase Cereal Fiber

Dietary fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels (as it inhibits cholesterol synthesis, increases the production of short-chain fatty acid and the rate of bile excretion), blood pressure, glucose absorption, improving insulin sensitivity, and increasing levels of antioxidants. A high-fiber diet, in general, was associated with a 31% reduction in dying from any cause and a 35% reduction in death from heart disease among over 4 thousand heart attack survivors from the Health Professionals Study and the Nurses’ Health Study.

More recent Harvard study went a step further analyzing the types of fiber consumed by thousands of men and women who survived a first myocardial infarction (MI). All participants of the study increased their average dietary fiber intake after MI, and the greater the increase, the lower was the risk of subsequent all cause and cardiovascular mortality. among cereal fiber, fruit fiber, and vegetable fiber,  only intake of cereal fiber was strongly inversely associated with lower all cause and cardiovascular mortality: pooled hazard ratio 0.73 (0.58 to 0.91) for all cause mortality, 0.72 (0.52 to 0.99) for cardiovascular mortality. In the general population, a 20-40% risk reduction in coronary heart disease has consistently been observed among those who consume fiber-rich whole grains regularly

An earlier study of over 31,000 California Seventh-day Adventists found a 44% reduced risk of nonfatal coronary heart disease and an 11% reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease for those who ate whole wheat bread compared with those who ate white bread.

One minor change in diet could, indeed, save a life.  

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Don't overdo it on the protein

Low carbohydrate plant diets might be beneficial in reducing blood pressure ​and reducing cholesterol.

Yet, Dr Shanshan Li and her Harvard colleagues did not find a health benefit for heart attack survivors from a low carbohydrate diet even if it was low in fat and came from plant sources.

Greater adherence to a low carbohydrate diet high in animal sources of fat and protein was associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality post-MI.

According to the Institute of Medicine. healthy individuals should get at least 10% of their daily calories, but not more than 35%, from protein. Heart attack survivors in the Harvard and the Nurses’ Health Study ate from 15% to 20% protein (65 to 40% carbohydrates) and the lowest intake of protein seemed to be the best. It also correlated with the lowest intake of fat. Associations between the animal-based low carbohydrate diets and mortality were diminished after additionally adjusting for saturated fat.

A few older studies suggested that low carbohydrate plant-based diet may slightly decrease coronary heart disease in women and heart-healthy individuals, but there might be different dietary benefits in those survived from a heart attack.   

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Plant diets are definitely good for restoring the hearts. A study by Cleveland clinic  found that a plant-based diet in conjunction with cholesterol-reducing medication reversed heart disease in 70% of patients over a 12-year period. Vegetable oils high in linoleic acid (afflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and cottonseed oil.), though, failed to reduce heart disease and overall mortality and seemed to be actually worse for heart health than eating butter.
Nuts - eaten several times a week in small amounts - shown a consistent 30% to 50% lower risk of myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, or cardiovascular disease, as seen from several of the largest cohort studies, including the Adventist Study, the Iowa Women’s Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study, and the Physicians’ Health Study.

The Stanford Coronary Risk Intervention Project followed 300 people with coronary artery disease for four years and found the best predictor of new coronary blockages was dietary fat intake. As fat intake rose, the number of coronary blockages rose. Those patients with the lowest intake of dietary fat (about 10% to 15%) had the greatest amount of improvement and plaque shrinkage.

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One day there could be probiotics for heart disease.

Research from Cleveland clinic proposes a new link between animal protein and coronary heart disease (CHD) that doesn’t involve cholesterol, but is mediated through "bad" for heart bacteria converting  trimethylamine to Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver. The researchers followed roughly 4,000 adults for three years. At the end of the study period, those with the highest levels of TMAO had a 2.5-fold increased risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

Firmicutes Ruminococci are some of those bad bacteria, while Bacteroidales S24-7, an abundant family from Bacteroidetes, are inversely associated with TMA and TMAO levels.

And here is the last tip from Dr. Oz  - a sample diet he claims could reverse your heart disease in 28 days:
Breakfast

• Oatmeal with dried cranberries
• 4oz. of natural vegetable or fruit juice

Eating oatmeal is a great non-fat way to get your complex carbohydrates.
Morning Snack

• Non-fat granola bar
• Banana
• One cup of tea; green tea, without milk or sugar, is ideal

Lunch

• Stir-fried veggies with low-sodium teriyaki sauce and brown rice
• Green salad with edamame, chickpeas, beans and fat-free raspberry dressing, and one whole wheat roll

A lunch like this provides plenty of protein, from non-animal sources.
Dinner

• Tacos: black beans, brown rice, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cheese and salsa; corn tortillas

These tacos are low in fat and high in protein.
Night Snack

• Hummus with assorted dipping vegetables

REFERENCES

Li S, Flint A, Pai JK, Forman JP, Hu FB, Willett WC, Rexrode KM, Mukamal KJ, & Rimm EB (2014). Low carbohydrate diet from plant or animal sources and mortality among myocardial infarction survivors. Journal of the American Heart Association, 3 (5) PMID: 25246449

Li S, Flint A, Pai JK, Forman JP, Hu FB, Willett WC, Rexrode KM, Mukamal KJ, & Rimm EB (2014). Dietary fiber intake and mortality among survivors of myocardial infarction: prospective cohort study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 348 PMID: 24782515

Flight I, Clifton P. Cereal grains and legumes in the prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke: a review of the literature. Eur J Clin Nutr2006;60:1145-59.

Rimm EB, Ascherio A, Giovannucci E, Spiegelman D, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Vegetable, fruit, and cereal fiber intake and risk of coronary heart disease among men. JAMA1996;275:447-51.

Smith SC et al. AHA/ACC Guidelines for Secondary Prevention for Patients With Coronary and Other Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Circulation. Vol. 113:2363-2372.

Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, Manson JE, Albert CM, Rexrode K, Hu FB. Lowcarbohydrate-

diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease in women.

N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1991–2002.

Fung TT, van Dam RM, Hankinson SE, Stampfer M, Willett WC, Hu FB. Lowcarbohydrate

diets and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: two cohort

studies. Ann Intern Med. 2010;153:289–298.

Gustenhoff P et al. Effect of fish oil on heart rate variability in survivors of myocardial infarction: a double blind randomised controlled trial. Br Med J 1996;312:677-8.

Read Beyond Food Labels but Don't Always Trust

Food label literacy is very important for healthier lifestyles. The FDA-required Nutrition Facts is a list of calories, fat, carbohydrates, sodium and other nutrients available in one serving. It also includes a jumble of percentages, ingredients and a lot of other data confusing most consumers.

Image via Wikipedia

Read beyond the large print. While a package of Nutri-Grain Bars says, 'naturally flavored,' it also says 'artificially flavored.' 7-Up says they only use 'all-natural' flavor, when they actually use filtered water and sweeten it with high-fructose corn syrup.
Organic All Vegetable Shortening makes nutrient content claims such as "cholesterol free," "less saturated fat than butter," and "good source of … monounsaturated fat," but does not meet the legal requirements to make these claims. Organic, natural and low-fat products aren't always the healthiest choices either.
Look at the serving size and keep in mind recommended daily values for your health group. The average adult consumes 2,775 calories per day, according to the most recent USDA statistics, which is nearly 40% above the recommended amount.
Keep in mind that some of calculated calories are up to 20% higher than actual number. "Lower in calories" selections at many restaurants are not really a diet type, some of side dishes have even more calories than in the entree.

While it is very important to read all information given on the packages and be able to interpret the labels, sometimes it is more important to trust your instincts. The F.D.A. looks into ingredients to calculate calories missing food components added during preparation, allows manufacturers to print claims such as 'zero grams trans fat' on their packages, when their products contain less than half a gram of trans fat per serving. zero grams of fat, salt and sugar eventually add up.

See also:

Read Beyond Food Labels and Don't Always Trust what you Read Lisa Lillien explains why you can’t always trust food labels Related articles by Zemanta Eating your Way to a Healthier You (slideshare.net) NutritionData.com (dropthescale.blogspot.com) 7 Healthy Foods that Really Aren't (sheerbalance.com) Reading Food Labels (itakeoffthemask.com) NYT: FDA weighs update to serving sizes (msnbc.msn.com) The FDA Wants YOU! Help Improve Nutrition Labeling (fooducate.com)

Brain Food

Mirrored from Aurametrix

Can food improve brain function, cognition, memory and emotions?

You bet. And the secret is.. eat healthily. There are nutrients that increase and diminish (alcohol, junk sugars) brain power. There are also drugs that can harm brain and lower IQ - if taken by us or our mothers during our prenatal development (Methamphetamine, Valproate).
Sales of foods believed to improve brain function (salmon, tuna, blueberries, avocados, nuts and seeds) soar when it's school exams' time, mostly because of parents trying to make their children more intelligent (more details in articles published in 2008 and 2005)

Many new brain foods appeared in 2008 and 2009. Nestle USA has just launched a fortified juice drink for children under 5 specifically targeting brain development. Juicy Juice Brain Development is fortified with omega-3 DHA (16mg per serving) that “acts as a building block for brain development during a child's first two years of life.” Adults are offered brain drinks too, like BrainToniq - however, according to one of reviews on Amazon.com, "you drink it, it tastes good, it's crisp and not too sweet, but you don't suddenly get smarter or feel the need to do calculus for giggles." There are many more soft drinks and omega milks on the market marketed as focus, concentration and memory drinks.

There are many more soft drinks and omega milks on the market marketed as focus, concentration and memory drinks.

Newly described influences of dietary factors on neuronal function and synaptic plasticity have revealed some of the vital mechanisms that are responsible for the action of diet on brain health and mental function. Nutrients in food can promote mental fitness. Hormones in our gut and proteins that modulate metabolism of food can influence cognitive ability. Food can be linked to depression, alertness, hyperactivity, lethargy. What then should we eat?

Sugar, Caffeine and Flavonoids

Glucose fuels the mitochondrial furnaces responsible for your brain power. Glucose is the only fuel normally used by brain cells. Neurons, brain cells that communicate with each other, can't store glucose, so they depend on the bloodstream to deliver a constant supply of this precious fuel. Your brain cells need two times more energy than the other cells in your body because they're always in a state of metabolic activity. Even during sleep, neurons are still at w

Image via Wikipedia

ork repairing and rebuilding their worn out structural components.

Most demanding of a neuron's energy are the bioelectric signals responsible for communication throughout the nervous system. This nerve transmission consumes one-half of all the brain's energy (nearly 10% of the whole body's energy).

Caffeine makes neurons more active. It also stimulates the brain to release another chemical called dopamine that stimulates adjacent neurons to fire.

"High caffeine users", drinking more than tseven cups of instant coffee per day or three cups of brewed, are more likely to hallucinate and hear voices than low caffeine users.

Caffeine and sugar enhance alertness and offer a short-term boost to memory, thinking processes, and mental ability. Complex carbohydrates are like time-release capsules of sugar. Simple carbohydrates are more like an injection of sugar. AN overdose of any carbs could shut our brains down though, making us sleepy.

Dark chocolate also contains natural stimulants like caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration, up to an ounce per day will provide the benefit without excess calories, fat, or sugar.

Flavonoids are found not only in dark chocolate, but also cocoa, green tea, Ginko biloba tree, citrus fruits, and wine. Ginko biloba extracts have been shown to reduce memory impairment in mice.

Refined "table" sugar creates strong fluctuations in blood-sugar levels, which results in a whole host of health problems, including cardiovascular and cholesterol issues. Stick with a more natural sweetener such as honey, cane sugar, or agave. High fructose corn syrup also may be worse for you than sugar.

Omega-3 fatty acids

The most widely available source of EPA and DHA is cold water oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. Other sources include Flaxseed oil, Chia, Kiwifruit, Perilla, Lingonberry, Camelina, Purslane, Black Raspberry, Butternuts, Walnuts, (much less in Pecans & Hazelnuts ), Eggs, grass-fed beef, Milk and cheese from grass-fed cows, microalgae and brown algae, Acai palm fruit, also strawberries and broccoli.

Fatty acids comprise membranes in our cells. Important nutritionally-essential n?3 fatty acids

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

are: ?-linolenic acideicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), all of which are polyunsaturated. Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA (a long chain omega-3 essential fatty acid), is the most abundant in the brain. We need to eat DHA foods as human bodies do not produce enough DHA. (ALA),

Preliminary results suggest that the group of children who received omega-3 fatty acids showed some level of improvement in school performance compared to the group of children who received a placebo. DHA – consumed through breastfeeding or fortified infant formulas – is said to support mental, visual and motor skills development.

Fatty acids could also act as mood stabilizer. The prevalence of major depression was fund to increase with decreased consumption of omega-3.

B vitamins: Folic acid, B6, B12 and other supplements

Leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, lettuces, dried beans and peas, fortified cerealsunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of folate.

People who take more folic acid have less risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease. More research is needed to determine whether folate is indeed responsible for the risk reduction.

The brain-boosting power of supplements like vitamins B, C, E, beta-carotene, and magnesium are promising, but inconclusive.

Antioxidant foods and good fats

Eating foods that are antioxidants can help improve focus, problem-solving, and memory

The brain is highly susceptible to oxidative damage. This is why antioxidant food has become popular for their positive effects on brain function.

Antioxidants are found in a variety of food: Alpha lipoic is found in spinach, broccoli and potatoes; Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables; Curcumin is found in the curry spice; Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit and several plants and vegetables. Berries are well known for their antioxidant capacity but it is not clear which of their many components has an effect on cognition. Add Avocados and Whole Grains.

Every organ in the body depends on blood flow, especially the heart and brain. Eating whole grains and fruits like avocados can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and enhance blood flow, offering a simple, tasty way to Olive oil. This miracle elixir has been shown to break up clots in capillaries and generally help with blood flow. Consider replacing your other vegetable oil with a good quality olive oil. Whole grains, like popcorn and whole wheat, also contribute dietary fiber and vitamin E, while avocados have monounsaturated fat that contributes to healthy blood flow. Blueberries are super nutritious, shown to help protect the brain from oxidative stress, significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills, at least in laboratory animals. They may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Gut Health and the brain

What we eat can affect brain function. It has also been shown that gut hormones themselves can directly influence brain function. Several digestive hormones such as leptin (which sends signals to the brain to reduce appetite), ghrelin (which acts as an appetite stimulant) or insulin (which is secreted by the anticipation of meals and during digestion) have been found to enhance memory formation through their action on the hippocampus, crucial for spatial learning and memory formation. Ghrelin, for example, promotes the formation of new synapse during learning. Insulin interact directly with cells in the hippocampus.

Proteins

Thinking is a biochemical process, reactions includie chemicals called neurotransmitters carrying messages from neuron to neuron.

Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids found in protein foods e.g., meat, fish and cheese. 3-4ounces of protein will help you to feel energized, more alert and more assertive.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is involved with voluntary movement of muscles, behavioural inhibition, drinking and memory. It's reduced in people with Alzeimer's memory loss. It is found in egg yolks, peanuts, wheat germ, liver, meat, fish, milk, cheese and vegetables (especially broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower)

Dopamine generally excites and is involved in movement, attention and learning but is also inhibitory. Schizophrenia is associated with excess dopamine. It is present in all proteins (meat, milk products, fish, beans, nuts, soy products).

Serotonin (or 5-HT is involved in arousal and sleep, mood, appetite and sensitivity. It is also part of the brain's reward system producing feelings of pleasure. Serotonin rich foods are carbohydrate based e.g., pasta, starchy vegetables, potatoes, cereals, breaads.

Prenatal Exposure

Children whose mothers took methamphetamine during pregnancy have brain abnormalities that may explain the developmental problems they often experience

Women who need antiseizure medication during pregnancy should avoid valproate, according to a study showing significantly lower cognitive function in 3-year-olds exposed to the drug in utero. Fetal exposure to valproate was associated with significantly lower IQ at age 3 compared with exposure to lamotrigine, phenytoin, and carbamazepine, Kimford Meador, M.D., of Emory University in Atlanta, and colleagues reported in the April 16 2009 New England Journal of Medicine

Children exposed in utero to lamotrigine had a mean IQ of 101. The mean IQ was 99 for children exposed to phenytoin, 98 for those exposed to carbamazepine, and 92 for the valproate group.

The mean IQ for children exposed in utero to valproate was significantly lower compared with lamotrigine ( P =0.009), phenytoin ( P =0.04), and carbamazepine ( P =0.04).

The differences could not be explained by variation in baseline characteristics, the authors said.

Only the dose of valproate correlated significantly with IQ ( P =0.005). Children whose mothers received more than the median dose of valproate had a mean IQ of 87 compared with 97 in children whose mothers received lower doses of valproate. IQ did not vary by dose for any of the other antiseizure medications.

REFERENCES

Brain Food by Steve Gilman: increasebrainpower.com

Can food improve brain health? by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains

Beat Depression with Brain Food while Eating Junk Food. By Karen Vieira.

Secret To Higher IQ Revealed In Brain Images by Technology Review (fatty tissue that insulates neural wires is largely inherited.)

Prenatal meth exposure may harm baby's brain By Julie Steenhuysen, Reuters, April 15, 2009

Fetal Exposure to Valproate Linked to Lower IQ By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today,April 15, 2009. Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Science and Medicine - High blood sugar diminishes brain power in diabetics Feb 11, 2009

Brain Power: 100 Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy and Fit May 29, 2008

Brain Food by TheThinkingBusiness

Fish may be brain food for teenage boys by Reuters Health, March 16, 2009 Teenage boys who regularly eat fish may be doing their brains some good, a new study suggests.

Cannabinoids and appetite: food craving and food pleasure.

Kirkham TC., Int Rev Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;21(2):163-71. PMID: 19367510