Novel Risk Factors By: Samuel J. Stagg III, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in the United States. We have already discussed the factors that are well known as causatives in vascular disease, but now we will look at what we call “the novel risk factors.” These are the ones that have come …
Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease (Part 1)
By: Samuel J. Stagg III, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P. Approximately one out of two of us will die of heart disease or stroke. Finding out which factors cause these diseases is crucial to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of our most serious health risk.1 In the early 1960s, the initial results from the Framingham Heart Study2gave us an initial glimpse into the …
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS (OMEGA-3 FA) AND HEALTH (1 of 2)
Part 1 by: Samuel “Jody” Stagg, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P. What are Omega-3 FA?1 What’s the big deal about Omega-3 FA, in particular fish oil? Omega-3 FA are carboxyl acids derived from outside food sources important in human metabolism and physiology. They are essential for normal growth in children and are crucial in multiple metabolic pathways. They are important to …
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS (OMEGA-3 FA) AND HEALTH (2 of 2)
Part 2 By: Samuel (Jody) Stagg, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P. In Part 1 of my discussion on Omega-3 FA, I discussed the essential nature of Omega-3 FA and that they require an outside food source because they can’t be synthesized by the human body. They are critical in human metabolism and physiology. They are key for normal growth in children and …
Burning the Candle at Both Ends: Why You’ve Got High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
In today’s fast-paced and nonstop world, people everywhere tend to think less and less of the importance of taking care of themselves. After all, we’ve only got one life that needs to be lived to it’s fullest. However, while that may sound like a good idea, the reality is, failing to be concerned about the life you’re living can often …
7 Fruits That Help Lower Blood Pressure
Don’t we all at some point in time give into the temptations of a sweet delicacy or a tasty meal in which we already know is not good for us? It is unfortunate that doing so may negatively affect our bodies, making the impact difficult to defeat. Learning which fruits may help satisfy that sweet tooth while lowering high blood …
Niacin – the B Vitamin – Can Too Much Hurt?
By: Dr. John Wigneswaran MD What is Niacin? Niacin (also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid) is an organic compound and one of the 20 to 80 essential human nutrients that your body needs. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 20mg. Doses higher than that can be harmful (read below), with some supplements and prescription products containing 250mg …
Breastfeeding: Fighting Heart Disease for Mom and Baby
Breast milk is well known to be one of the best sources of nutrition for baby. Now, recent studies are showing that mom’s milk can also be an excellent option for fighting heart disease in both mom and baby. One of the leading causes of heart disease is a high amount of fat or cholesterol in the blood. This fat …