Dr. Lee, the Healthy Professor

How to Keep Your Heart Healthy – for Life

Written by Dr. L. Lee Coyne | Views 19551

Nine in 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high levels of stress, and diabetes.


How to Avoid Heart Attacks

Like it or not, you may be a statistic, either now or later. Nine in 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high levels of stress, and diabetes.1 And don't take these findings lightly. There are an estimated 70,000 heart attacks2 and 50,000 strokes3 in Canada each year, and heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in this country.4 But you can do something to protect your hardest-working organ and help it operate at its highest efficiency. Support your heart with regular exercise, a proper diet, stress management, a smoke-free lifestyle, and scientifically supported Shaklee products, such as:

  • OmegaGuard® is an excellent source of seven ultra-pure, pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 fatty acids, including beneficial eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), derived only from fish and known to maintain and support cardiovascular health. Research shows that omega-3s also help retain normal blood pressure and triglyceride levels. If you're like most North Americans, you're probably not eating two servings of fish per week, which means you might be missing out on some very important benefits of omega-3s. OmegaGuard features a proprietary multistep molecular distillation process that purifies and concentrates the natural omega-3s while removing harmful compounds, such as mercury and lead, found in many types of fish.
  • CoQHeart™ supports energy production in the heart, which requires a significant amount of nutrients to function properly, and provides Q-Trol™, a natural proprietary blend of the antioxidants coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and resveratrol. Together, these two clinically tested ingredients provide potent support for optimal heart health. CoQHeart also promotes and protects healthy arteries against the oxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
  • Cholesterol Reduction Complex is a unique formulation that helps lower blood total and LDL cholesterol levels and maintains healthy cholesterol levels. It contains a powerful blend of natural plant compounds called sterols and stanols, which help decrease the level of cholesterol in the body because they have a structure similar to cholesterol and, therefore, compete for absorption. Only Cholesterol Reduction Complex delivers 2000 mg of sterols and stanols daily, as recommended by Health Canada and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
  • Garlic Complex, Flax Seed Oil, CarotoMax™, Vita-Lea®, and Shaklee Vitalizer™ also contain proven heart-healthy nutrients.

References

1. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2009). Tracking Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada, 2009. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/2009/cvd-avc/pdf/cvd-avs-2009-eng.pdf
2. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. www.heartandstroke.com.
3. Hakim AM, Silver F, Hodgson C. Organized stroke care: A new era in stroke prevention and treatment. Canadian Medical Association Journal 1998;159(6 SUPPL):S1.
4. Statistics Canada 2008. www.statscan.gc.ca.
 

Give Your Liver the TLC It Deserves

Did you know that the liver is the largest internal and most metabolically complex organ in the human body? This remarkable, resilient organ performs more than 500 different functions – including fighting off infection, neutralizing toxins, manufacturing proteins and hormones, controlling blood sugar, and helping clot blood – so you can see why it's so important to keep it healthy.

You make decisions every day that affect the health of your liver. Your choices of food items, household products, and daily activities can have positive or negative effects on your liver.

Eat well. A healthy, well-balanced diet can help keep your liver functioning at peak levels. On the other hand, an unhealthy diet can lead to obesity – a leading cause of fatty liver disease, now the most common form of liver disease in Canada.*

Practice smart supplementation. To complement a sensible diet, Shaklee has created supplements with ingredients proven to support the body's normal ability to maintain and regenerate healthy liver cells. Our Lecithin softgels – provide pure vegetable-source lecithin, a natural compound that supports healthy liver function. And DTX® Complex features milk thistle extract standardized to 80% silymarin, a natural bioflavonoid complex that exerts powerful protective effects within the liver.

If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. Never have more than one to two drinks at a time, and never drink on a daily basis. Women process alcohol slower than men and, therefore, tend to be more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage.

Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps keep your body – and, especially, your liver – strong and better able to defend itself against viruses, diseases, and pollutants.

Maintain a healthy home. Since the liver has to detoxify everything you breathe in, exposure to airborne chemicals can damage your liver. Be sure to use Get Clean®, Shaklee's line of non-toxic household clearing products, to help keep you, your family, and your home healthy.

Always wash your hands after using the bathroom. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that can be spread when people don’t wash their hands properly after going to the bathroom – then touch something they – or you! – eat.

Consider immunization if traveling. If you're planning a trip, be sure to get immunized against hepatitis A and B. Hepatitis A can be contracted through contaminated food and water, while hepatitis B is spread through direct contact with blood or body fluids. You can be at risk of contracting these serious liver diseases here in Canada and abroad.

By keeping your liver healthy, you may actually help reduce your risk of developing not only liver disease but also other health conditions including diabetes and heart disease.*

References

*Canadian Liver Foundation. www.liver.ca 

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