After my late husband died of a heart attack, at 50 years old, and after meeting the man I love, and am now happily married to, to find out that he was on heart medication for high blood pressure, I knew I needed to learn some things that would enable me to help him stay alive for a long time to come.
Have you ever heard of the phrase that goes; "When the student is ready the teacher shall appear"? Well, in this case the teacher showed up in the form of an old friend who introduced me to USANA Health Sciences back in 2002. I am so grateful for all I have learned since then and continue to learn. Below is a sample of some of the important work that USANA is doing in the area of heart health.
I share this in the middle of National Heart Month, and as Valentine's Day approaches, in the hopes of helping people become more aware of taking control of their health. Heart disease is the number one killer across the world. Every day 2,500 people die, in the US alone, of some form of heart disease. 38% of all women who die, die of heart disease, it is 25% for men.
There is good news! 80% - 90% of all heart disease can be prevented. It is a lifestyle disease, not something you catch. Making some simple changes in your lifestyle can give you huge rewards of excellent health.
Why would you want to avoid heart disease? Is it to spend more time with your loved ones? Your grandkids? Your loving spouse? To be around to finish a project you are passionate about? To watch your great grandkids grow up? What is it about life that is so worth living for? For me it is to spend as much valuable time as I can with my dear husband, make a difference in the world, be with family and friends and travel the world.
Here's the article that was published by USANA Health Sciences last week:
"A Smart Approach to Heart Health
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| Image from Human Anatomy & Physiology, fifth edition. |
A collaborative study between USANA and Boston University shows that supplementing with grape-seed extract and vitamin C can help improve cardiovascular disease. For full details, visit USANA’s Science Posters page.
Recently, some studies have suggested prescribing statin drugs to patients, all in the name of “preventing” cardiovascular disease (CVD). Does anyone else think this preventive treatment is a little heart dumb?
To further support USANA’s philosophy of using nutritional supplements as part of a heart smart lifestyle, the amazing USANA scientists recently conducted a study in conjunction with a research team at the Boston University School of Medicine. The study showed that some key nutrients in dietary supplements can actually be beneficial for patients who already have a form of CVD.
Study Background
Oxidative stress appears to impact the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood through arteries and blood vessels. We all know cutting down blood flow is NOT a good thing. Over time, this impaired function has been shown to be a critical factor in the progression of CVD.
Grape-seed extract and vitamin C have both been widely shown to provide significant protection against oxidative stress, as well as to have positive effects on blood pressure. The USANA/BU team suspected that the powerful antioxidants could support healthy blood flow through supplementation of these two key nutrients together.
What They Did
Researchers gave study participants, who were already diagnosed with CVD, either a placebo or 450 mg of grape-seed extract and 1500 mg of vitamin C, divided into two daily doses of two tablets. Blood samples were taken four hours after receiving the first dose, then again four weeks after taking the same dosage every day.
The researchers measured plasma levels of vitamin C, epicatechin (bioflavonoids), and plasma antioxidant reserve (PAR)—a measure of the blood’s resistance to oxidative stress. They also measured blood flow using fingertip peripheral tonometry (PAT). PAT is especially useful in measuring changes in blood flow because it focuses on the peripheral arteries in the fingertip. Making up the majority of the blood vessels in our bodies, peripheral arteries are those that are farthest from the heart. They are miniscule when compared to the arteries coming directly from the heart, so any noticeable changes are significant. Those with CVD generally do not show a healthy blood flow response when measured using PAT.
What They Found
In the treatment group, vitamin C, epicatechin, and PAR increased to varying degrees at all three time points measured, meaning all the antioxidant levels were improved. PAT blood flow response also showed significant improvement following the 28-day treatment relative to the placebo group.
These results suggest that grape-seed extract and vitamin C, working together, improve vascular function in patients with CVD, even in those tiny peripheral arteries. The results of this study were so impressive that they were presented to American Heart Association.
Now, you can share these exciting results with your friends and family, as well.
For more information, including graphs that illustrate the results of the study, please visit theScience Posters section of USANAtoday. Go to “Prospecting” and select “Tools” from the drop-down menu. There you can find either large-format posters or a new 8.5X11, multiple-page format of “Grape Seed Extract Plus Vitamin C Improves Markers of Vascular Health” available for download.
Now, don’t you feel heart smart?"
The two antioxidants referred to, grape seed-extract and vitamin C, are in USANA's exclusive new Profavanol C100. It is part of USANA Health Sciences new HYBRID technology that was introduced in the Summer of 2010. This is really exciting news to share because as a Go Red for Women Ambassador, with the American Heart Association, I am meeting so many people that tell me they feel they are on a path to heart disease. It is difficult sometimes to show them how they can prevent it by making positive lifestyle changes. Every bit of information helps.
With gratitude to USANA Health Sciences,
Dyann
