Category Archives: Heart Health

Is Plant-Based Always Best?

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

September 18, 2017

Are plant-based omega-3 fatty acids the same as those that come from fish?
Here’s what flaxseed and Ahiflower® are missing
The best source of omega-3s on earth

One of the supplements I recommend everyone take… every single day… is omega-3 fatty acids. Your body doesn’t produce them on its own, and it can’t function without them. So these essential oils have to come from dietary sources.

But surprisingly, choosing an appropriate omega-3 supplement isn’t nearly as cut-and-dried as you might think.

Part of the confusion arises when plant-based products, like flaxseed oil, claim to provide omega-3 benefits. It sounds good in theory, especially if you’re a vegetarian. However, plant-based omega-3s are not interchangeable with those that come from fish oil. Continue reading →

The Statin Scam You Shouldn’t Fall For

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

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

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

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

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

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 →

The Saturated Fat Myth

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 →

3 Must-Have Heart Health Tests

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

August 26, 2016

High cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean heart disease
3 heart tests more important than cholesterol
Slash inflammation and protect your heart

For years, the words heart disease and cholesterol have become synonymous. You seldom heard someone use one term without immediately following it with the other.

This misconception – and the way the link is repeated over and over again – makes me extremely concerned about the health of your heart.

You see, high cholesterol is NOT heart disease. In fact, about 75% of all heart attack patients fall well within the recommended targets for LDL cholesterol. Continue reading →

Link Between Blood Sugar and Heart Disease

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

August 1, 2016

Heart problems could mean you have diabetes
Do you know your numbers?
Beat blood sugar problems to avoid heart attack

Did you know that if you suffer a stroke or heart attack, there’s a chance you might have undiagnosed diabetes or hyperglycemia that may have been a factor?The math is pretty simple when you think about it.

You see, diabetics have a two to four time higher chance of experiencing a major cardiovascular event than someone who doesn’t have the disease. Thus, it stands to reason that if you have a stroke or heart attack, there’s also a greater chance you’re diabetic or have blood glucose problems.

But does this “reverse-connection” theory hold water? Continue reading →