Know Your Heart Health Numbers

This month marks American Heart Month and many people are familiar with the statistic that the number one killer in this country is heart disease including women.  The hallmark to preventing heart disease is of course good nutrition and regular exercise.  In case you aren't so perfect in this category or even sometimes just based on good 'ole genetics you may face increased risk of heart disease which typically starts as increased cholesterol.

The most common test for evaluation of cholesterol is a standard cholesterol panel which examines total cholesterol, HDL (high density lipoprotein), triglycerides (think of this as "sugary" cholesterol) and LDL (low density lipoprotein).  Most people think that this is enough in terms of getting the most information they can in regards to their cholesterol profile but to truly understand why this information is not enough you have to understand how cholesterol contributes to heart disease.

Think of cholesterol as glue in the vessels of your body.  Because of this "glue" your vessels don't exactly function in the same way that they should and it causes them to be stiffer and causes your heart to work harder.  Now it would be common sense to think that the bigger areas of "glue" would be riskier than the smaller more newer deposits  but that is not the case.  Often the newer smaller areas are more unstable therefore they are more likely to break off and flow through the bloodstream to areas you don't want them to causing problems like heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.  Make sense?

Now research has shown that there are different sizes of LDL and HDL particles and some are much more dangerous than others.  This is where sometimes standard cholesterol testing can not provide you with all of the information in terms of heart disease risk because it does not check on the size of the particles of your cholesterol.  Clearly heart disease risk is more that just the cholesterol number as according to the National Cholesterol Education Program half of people who have a heart attack have "normal" cholesterol levels.  

Standard cholesterol testing can leave some people with the picture that they are not at risk because of their normal results.  The National Cholesterol Education Program has previously introduced new risk factors that can only be identified with advanced lipoprotein testing.   This type of testing tests for the size of the LDL particles in addition to the quantity.   These types of tests are available at specialized labs and can sometimes be covered by insurance.

WHO NEEDS TO BE TESTED FOR LDL SIZE?

All patients can be considered for this test.  It may be especially useful for those who:

  • Have a family history of heart disease or diabetes

  • Have been diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes

  • Are already taking cholesterol lowering medications

  • Have been diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome

  • Are overweight

  • Have low HDL-the good cholesterol

  • Have high LDL-the bad cholesterol

  • Have high triglycerides

If you have not had this type of testing you may want to consider asking your doctor about this type of testing at your next doctor's appointment.  If your doctor does not provide this type of testing there are doctors who can provide online consultations to order this type of testing for you. 

There are also many offices and organizations that are offering free heart health screenings during this month. We are offering a free Know Your Numbers Heart Health Screening to bring more attention to heart health and wellness.

 If you like to learn about holistic ways to maintain your health, functional and integrative medicine then we encourage you to join our social media community and mailing list.

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Why Holistic?

Why Holistic?

In gynecology the traditional path for treatment for most common women's health conditions includes primarily 2 options: birth control and surgery.  Many traditional gynecologists favor these methods as they are easily studied and since we live in an evidence based society most doctors seek out evidence based protocols as the standard of care.  However these traditional treatment methods can actually be very limiting as they don't "regulate" hormonal production but "suppress" it and because they can paint with such a broad brush they often have side effects for many women.  It's like always driving a Hummer when a Fiat will do!

Soul Nurturing 101

I am a big believer in the healing and balancing effects that meditation has on the body's nervous system.  Many of us are completely unaware of the healing that can take place in the body by the simple act of decoupling the conscious mind for just a little bit everyday.  It has been my experience that different types of meditation work differently for certain people.  For example some people absolutely cannot stand guided meditations while other people would be lost in their own thoughts without the stable guiding hand of a meditation facilitator.  Different strokes for different folks definitely seems to apply when it comes to meditation which makes sense as we are all biochemically uniquely different in our own way.

In this issue of the Soul Nurturing 101 we will be examining the benefits of crystal bowl meditation.  This type of meditation is based on a principle referred to as sound healing or "vibrational medicine".  Resonant vibration, rhythms and tones can balance brain hemispheres, stress levels, and even tension in body.  Music and chanting have been used for thousands of years to heal and energize the body, mind and emotions. A sense of well-being and an increase in energy are often the result of crystal bowl sessions.  I can speak after experiencing several of these sessions in person that it truly is a healing experience that I now make part of my regular meditation routine.  I find that I am actually able to get to the meditative space quicker than any other type of practice.  

I have included a couple of examples of this type of meditation practice for you to enjoy along with a meditation aromatherapy diffusion recipe.  Introspective frankincense and elevating lemon contribute in this diffusion blend, specifically designed for meditation practice.  Check the directions with your particular diffuser for specific use and dilution recommendations to adjust your amount of oils accordingly.  Enjoy!

Frankincense & Lemon Meditation Diffusion

Ingredients

9 drops frankincense essential oil

9 drops lemon essential oil

Directions

1. Into diffuser measure essential oils

2. Operate diffuser according to directions

3. Refresh with additional oils whenever needed

 

Soul Nurturing 101

The issue of soul nurturing 101 has to deal with scenting your environment.  By utilizing the sense of smell , essential oils can shift emotions and moods.  In this way and many others essential oils are powerful agents that can contribute to a happy and balanced life.

Have you ever had a craving for fresh baked cookies?  Don't you just love the smell when they are cooking at home....so warm and comforting!  Bergamot and cinnamon leaf essential oils can create an aroma that's reminiscent of fresh baked cookies that you can whip out any time any where with this calming air freshener.  Supplies for this recipe are easy to find in your local Sprouts store!

Bergamot Cinnamon Room Mist

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces deionized water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

25 drops bergamot essential oil

7 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil

6 drops cardamom essential oil

2 ounce amber glass mist bottle  

Directions

1. Add vanilla extract and essential oils into mist bottle, then add water

2. Replace cap and shake well

3. To use, shake bottle and mist airspace

Check out our online dispensary of aromatherapy essential oils, carrier oils and diffusers