Absence of Coronary Disease – Can this be really true?

A heart made of paint on top of a white background.

We have a global epidemic of chronic lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease with roughly 20 million deaths each year from coronary events and stroke. In the US alone, there is a coronary event every 34 seconds and a coronary event related death every minute and a half despite being an industrialized nation with the most…

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Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity

A close up of the word obesity in red letters

Let us learn about obesity which has become a global epidemic. Obesity is defined by a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 kg/m2, and an overweight person has a BMI between 25-30 kg/m2. Please calculate your own BMI using your phone app calculator or on the internet. A different chart is used to calculate the…

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Yoga and Atrial fibrillation

A bar graph showing the number of episodes in each episode.

Atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat is a common heart ailment. It is highly prevalent both in the United States and worldwide. It afflicts 3 to 6 million individuals in the US and roughly 33 million globally (Circulation 2013, JACC 2014). Additionally, its prevalence increases with age (Framingham and Cardiovascular Health Study, Circulation 2001). It…

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Pranayama or the Breath of Life Exercises

A quote about food and health

Aside from postures, in this fun retreat you will be taught breathing exercises especially (Alternate nostril breathing or Anulom Vilom) and (Inhalation-Exhalation breathing or Kapal-Bhathi) which are extremely beneficial, restorative, relaxing, and rejuvenating. Alternate nostril breathing has a calming effect on the nervous system, facilitates bodily homeostasis and calms the mind and puts one in…

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Gut Microbe and Obesity, TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide) and Cardiometabolic Disease

A chart of the effects of different substances on blood flow.

TMAO has been associated with atherosclerosis, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Two new studies show, that TMAO from dietary choline (abundant in animal protein) is prothrombotic causing heart attacks and stroke and is also positively associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Hazen and colleagues from Cleveland Clinic (Circulation 2017), studied 18 healthy subjects…

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