Category Archives: Heart Health

The Statin Scam You Shouldn’t Fall For

statin pros and cons, are statins a scam?, how to naturally lower LDL and cholesterol levels
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

June 19, 2017

  • Do you really need a statin drug?
  • Why cholesterol-lowering drugs are very scary medicine
  • My best tips to keep your cardiovascular system in top-notch condition

Yes, statin drugs really do decrease LDL cholesterol. But will they prevent a first time heart, stroke, or help you live longer?

To answer that question, let’s step backward in time.

Back in 2008 AstraZeneca, the company that makes the statin drug Crestor, published what they thought was a groundbreaking study. It was called the JUPITER trial. This stands for Justification for the Use of statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluation Rosuvastatin.

For the very first time, people without existing heart disease took the drug. And the results were reportedly so phenomenal that the study was stopped two years early. (After all, it would be dishonorable to deprive so many people of this miraculous drug!)

Well, the study findings were widely reported in terms of relative risk. And when you hear numbers like “a 44% relative risk reduction of a cardiovascular event or death”, it’s easy to get excited. Continue reading →

Two Numbers More Important than Cholesterol

blood test, HDL, LDL, cholesterol score, cholesterol numbers, more important than cholesterol, lipid profile test
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

June 2, 2017

  • Two very important numbers missing from the “Know Your Numbers” campaign
  • Forget cholesterol. This is much more important.
  • The #1 heart test everyone should get

These days, television commercials for pharmaceuticals have literally trained people to “know their numbers”. And in many ways, this is a good thing.

More than ever, patients come into my office and recite their average blood pressure readings, cholesterol levels and triglyceride count. This data often gives me a starting point when discussing their health concerns.

On the other hand, I find that the media attention on specific “numbers” tends to distract people from others that are much more accurate when it comes to your heart health. Continue reading →

3 Common Meds that can Trigger a Heart Attack

unexpected emergency room visit, what prevents heart attacks, what triggers heart attacks, medications to avoid, over-the-counter drugs that cause heart attacks
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

April 10, 2017

  • Certain medications could trigger unexpected heart attack
  • Tame your pain without risky NSAID drugs
  • How safe are antacids and allergy meds?

Your LDL cholesterol is perfect. You exercise and eat well. Your blood pressure is just as happy and laid-back as you are.

WHAM! Suddenly it happens!

Your heart starts beating erratically and you feel disoriented. Maybe you experience a sharp pain in your chest, shoulder or back. You might even have a headache that abruptly seems to explode inside your head and trickle down into your body.

The next thing you know you’re rushed into an emergency room at the nearest hospital.

Continue reading →

Shocker: If You’re Not Eating these Foods, You’re at Risk

Bad food, poor diet, effects of everyday bad eating on body and gut
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

April 7, 2017

  • If you’re not eating these foods, you’re at risk of early death
  • Your most powerful weapon against the Grim Reaper
  • Eat for your life!

Here’s some startling news for you: Nearly half of all deaths from heart disease, stroke and diabetes here in the U.S. are associated with poor eating habits.

But it’s not just because folks are eating too much bad food. In many cases, they just aren’t getting enough healthy foods in their diet. Continue reading →

Statins: The Biggest Fraud

lower LDL, lower cholesterol, protect heart, statin side effects, side effects of taking statin drugs, cons of statin medications
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

March 10, 2017

  • Big Pharma is perpetuating a fraud
  • The ugly side of statins
  • LDL isn’t a problem, but this is…

Big Pharma is constantly looking for new ways to rope you into taking statin drugs. And they actively discourage any reporting of negative side effects.

The only message they want you to hear is that these drugs will protect you from a heart attack and might save your life. There have even been reports of added benefits to taking statins.

For example, last month you may have seen headlines stating taking a statin might help ward off Alzheimer’s disease. In recent years there have also been some reports that these drugs can reduce the incidence of certain types of cancer.

Don’t fall for it.

Continue reading →

Finnish Secret Slashes Risk of Dementia

finnish sauna, benefits to sauna, heart health, how to improve cardiovasular system, cardiovascular health, what sauna is best?
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 24, 2017

  • Saunas slash risk of dementia by up to 66%
  • They’re good for your heart, too
  • Here’s how to get the most out of your sauna experience

If you live in the northern states the idea of a nice, steamy sauna probably sounds pretty good right around now.

But no matter where you live, enjoying a sauna on a regular basis may be just what you need for a healthy heart, lively brain and longer life.

The people over in Finland know all about the healing power of saunas. They enjoy them with striking regularity. As a matter of fact, the large majority of Finns take at least one sauna every week. Many take them even more frequently.

And the pay-off is huge. Continue reading →

An Aspirin a Day Won’t Keep the Doctor Away

heart health, side effects of aspirin, blood thinners
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

October 26, 2016

  • The low-down on low-dose aspirin
  • Aspirin doesn’t prevent or cure heart disease
  • 4 natural ways to improve blood flow

“Is baby aspirin good for my heart? Should I be taking it every day?”

These are some of the most common questions I hear from my patients. Everyone wants to protect their heart health, and taking low-dose aspirin sounds like an inexpensive way to do it.

After all, what harm could come from taking an over-the-counter pill intended for children?

Well, let’s talk about that. Continue reading →

The Saturated Fat Myth

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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

October 10, 2016

  • Debunking the saturated fat myth
  • It’s not the fat, it’s the sugar
  • Beat the health toll the American diet is taking on you

Eating saturated fats will kill you. They’ll clog your arteries, give you a heart attack and send you to an early death.

This is what you’ve been told for years. But is it true?

Well, this is a myth that’s been sold to the American public for more than 50 years. And a huge number of folks (including the medical professionals who we look to for advice) bought into it… hook, line and sinker.

However, it’s been anything but good for us. Continue reading →

Coffee: Medicine or Poison?

espresso, coffee, pros and cons of coffee, heart health and coffee
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

September 26, 2016

  • Is coffee really good for your heart?
  • Why some people should drink more coffee… and others shouldn’t
  • What to do if you’re a java-junkie

These days, most of the news about coffee is great. Some of the touted health benefits may even make coffee teetotalers want to turn into coffee connoisseurs.

One day you’ll read an article proclaiming coffee’s ability to cut your risk of diabetes, protect your heart or slash your chances of getting cancer. The next you’ll hear that it helps ward off dementia, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

If you’re a coffee drinker, this news makes you feel great… until one of those negative headlines come out saying that coffee consumption is linked to heart attacks, reduces insulin sensitivity and makes your bones weak.

These inconsistencies can leave your head spinning. Continue reading →

5 Warning Signs Your Arteries are Clogging

Arteriosclerosis, Atherosclerosis, what causes clogged arteries, heart health, heart disease causes, clogged arteries, what stops blow flow, what improves blood flow, poor circulation
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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

September 23, 2016

  • How do you know if your arteries are clogged?
  • Bad backs, creased earlobes and heart attacks
  • Time to get serious about taking care of your arteries

The only way you’ll ever know for sure if you have blocked arteries is if you undergo an angiogram. But the only time you’ll ever get one of these tests is if you fail a stress test or suffer a cardiovascular event.

So what if there were other ways to find out how clogged up your blood vessels are?

Over the years, I’ve found there are several advance warning signs that can occur when plaque builds up in your arteries.

For example, how is your back feeling? Is it stiff, tender and achy? Have you been told your discs are degenerating? Do you have a touch of spinal arthritis? Continue reading →