Heart Disease Expert Dr. William Davis shares Heart Disease management news and commentary at MyHeartCentral.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435 http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435 http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/94323/grazing-cows Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:53:00 -0500 Dr. William Davis Many people "graze" throughout the day, eating many small meals spaced every couple of hours or nibbling continuously throughout the day. They reason that grazing pre-empts the drop in insulin and blood sugar that occurs during longer periods of time between meals that can trigger greater appetite. They argue that grazing leads to lower calorie intake and perhaps weight loss.   But there are fundamental flaws in the notion of grazing,... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/94323/grazing-cows http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/92407/fish-bleeding Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:05:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have conclusively been shown to reduce risk for heart attack and stroke. They also have the capacity to "thin the blood."   What this means is that omega-3s slightly block the activation of blood platelets and inhibit their "clumping," two basic steps in clot formation. Omega-3s also inhibit production of arachidonic acid and thromboxane that trigger blood vessel constriction and inflammation. The blood... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/92407/fish-bleeding http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/91499/younger-years Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:52:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis George tells me he's 21 years old. But he looks 70 to me.   George has gray thinning hair, he stoops forward rather than standing erect, the flesh on his upper arms hang loosely, he's got wrinkles on his hands and face, brown spots on the back of his hands and arms.   "I don't believe you.  I think you're 70 years old." "Prove it," he says. Minus any formal identification like a driver's license, how do I prove that... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/91499/younger-years http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/90881/omega-3-acids Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:41:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis So you take a few fish oil capsules every day. You try to eat fish once or twice a week. But is that enough to take full advantage of the heart health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids? Is it enough to maximally reduce risk for heart attack and other cardiovascular events?   If you take fish oil capsules, what is the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids? How well are they absorbed? How effectively are the omega-3 fatty acids you absorb... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/90881/omega-3-acids http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/88671/cranberries Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:06:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Cranberries will soon be bursting on the scene, fresh from the fall harvest.   Cranberries have a rich history of uses for health. Cranberry poultices to heal wounds were used during American colonial days. Sailors carried cranberries on long voyages to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).   More recently, cranberries have been recognized to have the unique property of blocking adhesion of bacteria invading human tissue. This can... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/88671/cranberries http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/87178/lp Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:33:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Let me tell you about Laura.       Laura is a slender, active 43-year old mother of two. Laura was concerned about her risk for heart disease, given her Dad's heart attack and bypass surgery at age 48, her brother's heart attack and two stents at age 42.   Laura has never smoked, has normal blood pressure (106/72), normal blood sugar, exercises regularly, and feels fine.   Is Laura at risk for heart... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/87178/lp http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/85924/metabolic Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:56:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Metabolic syndrome - you might know it as pre-diabetes - is that increasingly common collection of low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. 1 in 4 Americans now have it.     Metabolic syndrome might be better called "metabolic turmoil," since there's a boiling pot of metabolic disruptions at work, such as increased inflammation (higher c-reactive protein and others), glycation (abnormal... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/85924/metabolic http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/85069/vitamin Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:11:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Susie is a petite 5 ft 3 inch woman who weighs 102 lbs. Her starting 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 42 ng/ml in summer.   Claire, on the other hands, struggles with her weight. Also at 5 ft 3 inches but weighing 221 lbs, Claire's starting vitamin D level was 23 ng/ml, also during the summer - severe deficiency.   I ask patients to supplement with vitamin D at a dose sufficient to increase 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels to 60-70... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/85069/vitamin http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/84218/calcium-means Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:58:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis Why are we advised to take calcium supplements?   Men and women are advised to take calcium because it has been shown to reduce blood pressure a small amount (2-3 mmHg). Women, in particular, can stall the deterioration of bone strength (demineralization) by taking calcium supplements, 1200-1300 mg per day, and eating calcium-rich foods like dairy products.   Is that all true?   It is true insofar as we remain vitamin D... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/84218/calcium-means http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/83162/eat-organic Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:46:00 -0400 Dr. William Davis   Organic produce is grown without synthetic agents. Such farming practices generally yield less per acre compared to farming that makes use of high-tech fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. Organic vegetables and fruits are more costly to produce, thereby costing more at the fruit and vegetable stand or at the supermarket. One obvious advantage of organically-grown vegetables and fruits: no exposure to chemicals used in conventional... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/83162/eat-organic