Inside Out
You are not doomed to your genetic fate
By Cory QuirinoPhilippine Daily Inquirer
(Part I)
Confusion rules the day if you read up on too many approaches to living the wellness lifestyle, especially if the topic is dieting. The result: information overload. There are no fast and easy answers. Regarding your wellness issues, here are answers to some of your questions.
Q: Heart disease runs in the family, and I fear the same fate as my father’s. What should I do?
While genetics plays a major role in your predisposition toward certain illnesses, positive lifestyle changes have the power to alter 50 percent of your outlook. So, fear not. You are not doomed to your genetic fate. Especially if you are taking charge of your health today.
To do:
1. See your cardiologist, nutritionist, fitness trainer.
2. Make immediate changes in your habits, especially if you have many bad ones, like drinking alcohol, smoking, not exercising and others.
We have all heard stories about people in their early 40s who are careful with their diets and exercise regularly yet suffer sudden heart attacks. Doctors have known that a healthy lifestyle can prevent heart disease. However, it has been discovered that a lack of certain nutrients can lead to heart problems.
There is the Nurses’ Health Study being conducted at Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. After following over 73,000 nurses, it was found that a diet rich in vitamin E reduced heart attack risk by 52 percent; vitamin C reduced risk of 43 percent and betacarotene reduced risk by 38 percent. These nutrients protect your arteries. The other nutrients are CoQ10 and selenium which nutrition-oriented doctors recommend. Garlic has been used for centuries to clean up the blood and the heart. Studies indicate that eating one clove of fresh garlic daily can significantly lower total cholesterol. If you develop indigestion, consider garlic oil capsules taken during meals.
Remember that heart disease including angina and electrical problems responsible for sudden cardiac death is caused by atherosclerosis. This is caused by cholesterol buildup along the walls of the coronary arteries and narrowing the passageway. This reduces blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of blood cells clumping together and getting stuck. When this happens, blood flow to the heart is cut off, triggering a heart attack.
Q: Last year, my mom took me to a doctor to check two lumps in my breast. I had just turned 18. After a mammogram, it was discovered that I had fibrocystic breasts and that I shouldn’t worry. How can I prevent this from happening again?
The term fibrocystic breast actually means lumpy breasts. This condition affects 70 percent of women during their child-bearing years. It is likely that once you reach menopause, cysts may disappear or shrink. The hormone, estrogen, stimulates milk glands in breasts and milk ducts that don’t drain.
Postmenopausal women can also develop cysts while undergoing hormone replacement therapy.
Have a regular breast exam. See your ob-gyn, and eat a healthy, balanced diet. Check if you have fungal or parasite infection which can cause cysts and small lumps. If you are experiencing swollen and tender breasts, expect relief when you use the following:
Evening primrose oil, a gamma-linolenic acid. Take 1,000 mg three times daily for three months.
Vitamin E and B6 counteract the swelling caused by estrogen. Natural sources: wheat germ, almonds, sunflower and safflower oil.
Vitamin A in the form of betacarotene natural source: orange, mango and other yellow fruits.
Iodine is being looked at as the wave of the future. But the content of your salt shaker isn’t likely to be of much help. Around 150 micrograms of iodine potassium iodide can help prevent fibrocystic breasts.
Meanwhile, you can also eat iodine-rich foods like seaweed and seafood.
Warning: The iodine in your medicine cabinet should not be ingested.
Affirm today: “I claim the miracle of life”
Love and light!
Reference: Healing with Vitamins, Prevention Magazine Health Books
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Tags: genetics , healthy lifestyle , heart attack , hypertension , Mind and Body , wellness
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