Need Help With A New Life Changing Diet.

[Fred Steeves]

My dad will be coming home from the hospital soon, and I can just imagine the crap medications he is going to be prescribed to take for the rest of his life, such as Coumadin and diaretics. My sister and I are going to be his main care givers getting him back on his feet at home, and we would really appreciate some advice on natural ways of helping the body to function properly.

Dad's big problem is congestive heart failure, his heart function is down at about 20%. This has in turn caused Pulmonary Edema, pneumonia, and blood clots both in a leg and in his chest. My sister already is fairly savvy on proper nutrition, doing much of her shopping at health food stores, but there's always more to know, especially and specifically for these problems. Also any recommendations of natural herbs, supplements, or whatever, would be greatly appreciated. http://nexus.2012info.ca/forum/images/smilies/newadditions/smile.gif

Thanks,
Fred

[Marianne]

Fred, all the best to you and your family.

Hawthorn berries are a natural heart tonic. They come in capsules (be sure it's a good brand, your sister might ask the health food store staff), ready-made teabags or plain to make your own herb tea. I have also seen a syrup made from hawthorn berries.

My preference for long term use, buy a pound of berries online (http://www.starwest-botanicals.com/ is a good one), get a teapot with an infuser - or use a plain mason canning jar, quart size. Make it and store it in the refrigerator to use that day and the next.

Here's info on making tea, and it also has a heart tea recipe. http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?31726-Herbal-Tea-Recipes

There are herbs that thin the blood, but if he takes these, you'd need to work carefully with medical people since he's on blood thinners. And be sure to get the okay for hawthorn. I've found most doctors (ones I've talked to for my mom) don't know a whole lot about herbal things, generally saying, 'it can't hurt'... well, sometimes it's quite important because herbs can have a physical effect, especially if used long term. The main thing is that, as herbs help the body recover normal function, medications will need to be adjusted, just be aware and have medical people monitor this. This is my opinion, not medical advice, and what I have found to be true for me.

Good nutrition and herbs can go a long way to restoring health, so take heart.

Best wishes.

[WhiteFeather]

All the best to your family Fred!!!
If I May
Garlic - Raw would be best...as they do sell a pill form as well.
Kombucha - GT makes a good bottled SCOBY, get it at any health food store.
Chlorella/Spirulina - Great Stuff, A Whole food Too.

[EsmaEverheart]

Bananas are a great way to replace Potassium that is lost with diaretics.

[Tony]

There is an awful lot to take in. At the moment I swear by Barry Groves (his site is called Second Opinion), I was introduced to him by Mike Lambert, David Icke's medical man.

Conclusion
Over the years the level of blood pressure considered 'normal' has been progressively lowered until now practically everyone is a potential patient. At the same time, the general population has been exhorted to undertake dietary changes which are unsupported by any coherent body of evidence. When the hoped for reductions are not achieved by salt restriction, these 'patients' are prescribed drugs which may be harmful. This is despite the undoubted fact that salt restriction has not been shown to be beneficial in terms either of morbidity or mortality: Most people who suffer strokes today have blood pressures that are well within normal.





Hypertension
The human heart is nothing more than a big pump. When it contracts, it forces blood through the arteries. At this point blood pressure is at a peak, known as systolic, the top number when you have a blood pressure test. Between heartbeats, the heart relaxes and pressure drops. Pressure measured at this time is called diastolic, the bottom number. These numbers are the pressure needed to raise a column of mercury to that height in millimetres (mm Hg). If blood volume increases or the blood vessels' walls don't expand enough, more pressure is needed to push blood around the circulatory system.

Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer. This consists of a rubber cuff with a tube running to a measuring device. The cuff is usually wrapped around the arm just above the elbow and a stethoscope or electronic sensor is placed over the brachial artery. The cuff is then inflated with air to such a pressure that the brachial artery is closed and no blood flows down the arm. Then the air is allowed to escape slowly from the cuff. When the pressure is just less than the pressure in the artery, a jet of blood will spurt through the artery and be detected by the sensor. This is the systolic measurement. As more air is allowed to escape, the pressure falls until the point at which the blood flow is continuous between heartbeats. This is detected by the sensor and recorded as the diastolic pressure. Blood pressure is expressed as the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure, e.g. 125 over 70 or 125/70.

Hypertension has been variously defined as a systolic pressure higher than: 100 + your age, then 100 + half your age (systolic), then a fixed figure: 160/100, then 140/90, and currently 120/90, numbers that have been steadily deceasing over the years. This has had the effect of turning more and more healthy people into patients: now, practically everybody is classified as a patient although the vast majority have no obvious medical symptoms to show for it. But it does help to sell drugs! (Sorry if I sound cynical, but a recent paper suggested that people with perfectly normal blood pressure readings were 'pre-hypertensive' thus making them into potential patients as well.)

This measurement, however, can be misleading, particularly among the elderly. As arteries become stiffer, usually with age, a greater pressure in the sphygmo­manometer is required to close them, giving the impression of a higher blood pressure than is, in fact, present. Blood pressure is also affected by your physical condition at the time it is measured. If you are working hard, your muscles use up more nutrients and oxygen, and produce more waste products. Blood, which carries all nutrients throughout the body and removes waste from muscles, must be pumped round faster. Under these conditions a raised blood pressure is quite normal. Similarly, when you rest, your blood pressure falls. Even asleep in bed, if you turn over there will be a change in blood pressure. There are also significant variations dependent upon where you are when your blood pressure is measured. When you are at home with your family, it will be at its lowest. With friends it will be higher, and when you are with strangers it will be higher still. Individual blood pressure variations measured in trials ranged from 133/86 to 154/92.[1] So blood pressure varies constantly.

Interarm blood pressure differences are common
If you have had your blood pressure measured in one arm, and your doctor said it was high, did he measure it in your other arm too? Or in your legs? A large difference between blood pressure measurements in different limbs is generally believed to indicate the possibility of disease involving the major arteries and their tributaries in the upper part of the body. For this reason measuring blood pressure at several sites is thought essential as a single measurement tells only part of the story.

In 1997 researchers at the State University of New York reported that large differences in blood pressure between the right and left arms are actually quite common.[2] Their study involved 610 patients who had their blood pressure measured in both arms either simultaneously or sequentially (right arm first followed immediately by the left arm). The researchers discovered that the mean systolic blood pressure difference was about 10 while the mean diastolic pressure difference was 8.5 and 6.7 for sequential and simultaneous measurements respectively. The researchers suggest that initial blood pressure measurements should be made in both arms while follow-up measurements should always be made in the same arm. They also suggest that the arm with the higher measurement should be used when monitoring hypertension. The researchers also found that patients with known coronary heart disease tended to have a greater interarm systolic pressure difference than did people with no heart disease (14.5 mm Hg compared to 10.4 mm Hg). They did, however, conclude that even a difference as large as 20 may not be indicative of a problem.

High blood pressure and heart disease
People with high blood pressure do seem to suffer a greater degree of heart disease, but it is quite obvious from the history of both those conditions that the forces responsible for each are different and independent of each other. The evidence from the United States of the pattern of the rise and fall of coronary heart disease, if plotted against the incidence of hypertension, shows that death rates from the latter decreased in log-linear fashion after 1950 while deaths from the former were still rising.[3]
Why blame salt?
As in other 'diseases of civilisation', hypertension is generally blamed on an item of food we eat: in this case, salt. In fact, salt was one of the first dietary items to be indicted by the 'healthy eating' faddists. You will see in The Cholesterol Myth how weak the argument against fat is; in the case against salt it is practically non-existent. Nevertheless, the argument is that salt increases blood pressure and that raised blood pressure causes stroke, brain haemorrhage and heart disease.

For centuries salt, or to give it its scientific name, sodium chloride (NaCl), has been regarded as one of the most important items of diet for health. Salt was so important that people were actually paid in salt (it is the origin of the word 'salary'), and it was used extensively as a valuable commodity for bartering. Then, suddenly, in the 20th Century it became a killer: indicted as a cause of hypertension and, thence, of stroke and of heart disease. The evidence on which this was based arose from poorly controlled cross-cultural studies carried out earlier in the century. At least in the debates on the desirability of fats and fibre, trials were carried out in an attempt to provide evidence to support the hypothe­ses, but no similar trials have been carried out in the case of salt. The salt hypothesis has no large-scale studies to back it up. The intervention studies that have been carried out are confined to small numbers of people with high blood pressure, and many of these have failed to show that lowering salt intake has any significant effect on blood pressure in those with hypertension. And no tests have been conducted on those whose blood pressure is normal to show that reducing salt intake will reduce the risk of their becoming hypertensive.

Salt is a naturally occurring chemical that is vital to the body. It is an essential constituent of secretions such as perspiration and tears, and it plays a major part in the regulation of fluids within the body. The reason why some people have permanently high blood pressure is not known but the mechanisms which regulate and stabilise blood pressure in the body are many and extremely complex. They are also very efficient: when people eat more salt than is required by the body, it is excreted in the urine and, if they eat less than the body needs, the kidneys conserve it.[4] Those living in the tropics, and particularly in desert conditions, know only too well the value of salt. Too little is a serious threat to health. Deaths from sunstroke and dehydration are not usually caused by the loss of water but by the loss of salt. Hypertension is rare in primitive cultures out of contact with civilisation, untouched by Western living stresses and eating little salt. When these people move into a Western situation their blood pressure tends to rise. Comparing cultures in an attempt to pin the cause of disease on just one difference are notoriously unreliable. If we look at individuals in any one country or culture, we find that salt plays not the slightest part in hypertension: those with the condition have not been shown to eat more salt than those without it. We also find that if hypertensives do reduce their salt intake, in some their blood pressure goes down but in others it goes up.

Studies on rats show that salt restriction is associated with an increased susceptibility to haemorrhage and kidney problems and the long-term effects of salt restriction on humans are unknown[5] — although it is known that there are problems with erection in men and fatigue with only moderate reductions of sodium.[6]

Clinical, placebo controlled studies using drugs on peo­ple with mild to moderate hypertension have shown no benefit in terms of total mortality: there being a similar number of deaths in the drug intervention groups as there was in the group taking the placebo.[7] But those taking the drugs, propranolol, a beta blocker, and bendrofluazide, a diuretic, also had to endure such side-effects as gout, diabetes and impotence.[8]

Diagnosis is harmful
Strangely, the placebo group also suffered similar side-effects, although to a lesser degree, and this points to another side-effect of this and similar interventions. It is recognised by most that diagnosis itself increases stress as it focuses the patient's mind on the possibility of not recover­ing and of having to be careful what he or she does; it adds uncertainty; and it adds reliance on others. It also sets the patient apart from the normal and healthy: When people who feel fine are told that they have a life-threatening disease, such as hypertension, it alters their whole attitude to life in ways which can have serious consequences affecting their psychological well-being, attitude to their work and marital and social relationships.[9] For example, those treated for hypertension were more likely to complain of more symptoms and were more depressed than untreated hypertensives; they were also more prone to absenteeism and they lost the ability to enjoy social and recreational activities.[10]

So a recent trend is particularly worrying: A friend of mine, an apparently healthy man aged 84, has normal blood pressure. When he tried to arrange insurance, for a holiday abroad in 2004, his insurance company asked for medical details, which were duly supplied by his doctor. They then refused to insure him because he was 'hypertensive'.

But he knew he wasn't. He contacted his doctor to clarify the situation.

It turned out that, although he did not have high blood pressure and unknown to him, his doctor had put him a blood-pressure lowering drug, a beta-blocker 'so that he doesn't become hypertensive'! Frankly, I am appalled. This is indicative of the sort of medical mindset we have today — to give someone drugs that they don't need.

Even today (2005), the long-term safety of low-salt diets has not been tested. Nevertheless, a number of committees recommended in the early 1980s that the general public should reduce its intake of dietary salt. In Britain the two most influential committees were, again, NACNE and COMA.

The bizarre reference
NACNE's report stated that a comparison between West­ern and primitive societies appeared to show that raised blood pressure was due to an excess consumption of salt. Its reference for this statement, one purporting to demonstrate the benefit of a reduction of salt, was Abstracts of the 18th annual conference of cardiovascular epidemiology 1978, in the Cardiovas­cular Disease Newsletter No. 28. The choice of such a reference is bizarre to say the least. Many thousands of papers have been published in the medical journals over the years, which failed to show any benefit from reducing salt intake. These are not mentioned. Perhaps the committee had too much difficulty finding one that would support their recommendations. NACNE's choice of so obscure a reference provoked a storm of complaints from leading scientists from Scotland, England, the USA, Sweden and New Zealand who wrote in The Lancet:[11]


'We are concerned with the way in which this important is­sue is currently being handled. The idea (or likelihood) that salt in the diet has some positive value is totally ignored. The usual sci­entific stan­dards for weighing evidence and giving advice which are now well established . . . seem to have been forgotten in an evangelical crusade to present a simplistic view of the evidence which will prove attractive to the media.
Professor Swales of Leicester University also pointed out:

'Such a citation would not even get into the bibliography of hypertension. The use of such a publication to support a major recommendation is not acceptable scientific practice. . . it is fairly apparent that an enormous superstructure is being built on extremely weak foundations.'[12]
COMA too, recommend that the dietary intake of salt should not be increased and that a reduction should be considered. They say: 'We believe that the intake of salt in the United Kingdom diet (approximately 7-10 g per day) is needlessly high'. But the reference they use as evidence in support of this recommendation states: 'but a mechanism whereby salt could lead to the development of essential hypertension has not been estab­lished.' and 'detailed investigations within a single commu­nity frequently fail to demonstrate such a relationship.'

Not that the lack of evidence has stopped the health educators from proclaiming the gospel, or the food industry from realising that here was yet another golden opportunity for them to increase their very profitable range of 'healthy' foodstuffs sold to an unsuspecting public, this time 'with no added salt'.

Reduce hypertension — but increase heart disease?
And with regard to heart disease, there is a confounding factor in that in Japan, where hypertensive diseases are much more common, studies have shown that an increased consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol have led to a reduction in hypertension. So, if the twin hypotheses that both dietary fat and high blood pressure can cause heart disease are correct, how can one be reduced without aggravating the other? There is also no truth that a high-fibre diet will help to combat high blood pressure.[13]

Where risk factors for both heart disease and hyperten­sion do seem to run in parallel is in birth weight. Low weight at birth and high placenta weight, particularly if the two go together, have been shown to be a common factor in fifty-year-old men with high blood pressure.[14] Similarly, the larger the head circumference in relation to body length, the higher was systolic blood pressure. The relation between diet towards the end of the first trimester of gestation and subsequent birth-weights was measured in 419 singleton pregnancies.[15] The mothers of low birth-weight babies were found to be consuming a diet significantly lower in some essential nutrients than mothers of larger babies. Among others, the associated nutrients were sodium and chloride. The authors of this study recommend that expectant mothers should increase salt intake.

But still the perceived wisdom is trotted out.

The first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) established baseline information during 1971-75 in a representative sample of 20,729 American adults aged twenty-five to seventy-five.[16] Of these, 11,348 underwent medical and nutritional examination.

They were rechecked on 30 June 1992. By then there had been 3,923 deaths, of which 1,970 were due to a cardiovascular disease. Comparing salt intakes, this study found that all-cause mortality was inversely related to salt intake. In other words, those who ate the most salt had the fewest deaths — from any cause. And the same was found for cardiovascular deaths. Dr Helen Whalley writing a feature in the Lancet, talks of the continuing debate on the supposed association between salt and hypertension. She points out that an analysis of the NHANES I survey shows that 'the heart attack fatality rate among those on low-sodium diets was 20% higher that those on normal diets.'[17] She goes on to report a study on the Salt Institute's website on the impact of long-term salt reduction. It found 'a four-fold increase in heart attacks among those on low-salt diets'.

The following year a large meta-analysis was published in an attempt to resolve the controversy.[18] Fifty-eight trials published between 1966 and the end of 1997 were reviewed to estimate the effects of reduced sodium intake on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly as in recent years the debate has been extended by studies indicating that reducing sodium intake has adverse effects. They found that reducing salt intake did reduce blood pressure slightly, but that it increased LDL cholesterol, the so-called 'bad' cholesterol. They conclude that 'These results do not support a general recommendation to reduce sodium intake.'

And in May 2005, Dr Hillel W Cohen, assistant professor of epidemiology and population health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, presented the results of the latest study to an American Heart Association meeting in Washington, DC. In their study, Cohen's team collected data on 7,278 men and women who participated in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). During a follow-up of more than 13 years, the researchers looked for the number of deaths from heart disease and the number of deaths from any other cause.

According to Cohen, they found that the intake of less than 2,400 mg of sodium (6 grams of salt) a day was associated with a fifty percent higher risk of heart disease. And they found that as the intake of salt went down, mortality went up: For each 1,000-mg reduction in salt intake, the risk for cardiovascular mortality rose by one percent.

'We found that those who had an intake of salt that was less than the 2,400-mg recommendation had higher mortality,' Cohen said. 'That was true for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.'

This new research adds to others that upend long-standing advice to limit daily salt intake if you want to protect your heart. In fact, the new study suggests, the less salt you eat, the greater your risk of dying from heart disease.

The controversial findings, challenge U.S. Food and Drug Administration and American Heart Association recommendations that people consume no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of table salt) a day.

Dr Cohen told delegates: 'We believe these data do not support' the current guidelines. 'We are urging those who make these guidelines to go back to their data and look at additional data prior to making universal recommendations.'

Cohen believes that the amount of salt that's right for one person may not be right for another. 'It is likely that there are differences between individuals with regard to sodium intake,' he said. 'And it's clear that the data do not support the current recommendations.'

According to Cohen, some people cannot tolerate high levels of salt, while others can. 'From a biological standpoint, if one's kidneys are working reasonably well, sodium within the usual range of intakes shouldn't be a problem,' he said. Not surprisingly, the findings were challenged by at least one expert, who called them unreliable. Blood pressure drugs increase risk of heart attack

It is generally accepted practice to treat people with high blood pressure with antihypertensive drugs in order to prevent heart attacks (myocardial infarctions). This despite the fact that clinical trials and recent population studies have both raised serious questions about the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in reducing the incidence of heart attacks. Nevertheless, the prescription of antihypertensive drugs for the prevention of heart attacks continues and there is an increasing trend to prescribe them for people whose blood pressure is only just above normal. Now Swedish researchers report that treating elderly men who have a diastolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg with antihypertensive drugs increases their risk of having a heart attack by a factor of four.[19]

Conclusion so far
The case of salt and hypertension is a good illustration of the harm that ill-conceived and unsupported hypotheses can do. Yet, despite the vast amount of evidence that screening the population to identify people with high blood pressure, and vilifying salt, does more harm than good, it is being advocated more and more widely.

Is carbohydrate the culprit?
Despite the many studies which show that salt appears not to be the primary culprit, many still insist that it is. In these circumstances, could it be that another dietary item is confusing the issue?

Dr W L Bloom noticed that salt excretion was greater during fasting than when on a low-salt diet. This suggested either that food in general, or some constituent in food, might be involved in the regulation of salt excretion. In 1962 he conducted a study which showed that salt excretion in the urine dropped to low levels immediately after carbohydrate was eaten.[20] Fat and protein, as well as salt, on the other hand, increased the salt excretion of fasting. What Dr Bloom is suggesting is that salt is important in cases of hypertension, but that eating carbohydrates prevents the body from ridding itself of excess salt.

Obesity and alcohol may cause hypertension
A study of 1,031 subjects in Oakland, California, who developed hypertension over a six-year period was carried out to determine the possible effects of obesity, weight gain, alcohol usage, and salt consumption on the development of hypertension.[21] The results from this group were compared with the results from a matched group of 1031 subjects with normal blood pressure levels. Obesity and weight gain were shown to be clear precursors of hypertension. Excessive alcohol consumption also related to the development of hypertension, most significantly on a short-term basis. Once again the results concerning the effect of salt intake were inconclusive.

Dietary reducers of blood pressure
Fish oils reduce blood pressure. A daily consumption of fish oils (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) can significantly lower blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension. The benefit of the fish oils is comparable to that obtainable by sodium reduction and weight loss. A group of medical researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical School evaluated the results of seventeen clinical trials involving supplementation with fish oils for periods of three months or less.[22] They found that the consumption of three grams per day of fish oil (6-10 capsules) or more led to 'impressive reductions' of the order of 5.5 mm Hg systolic in the blood pressure of hypertensive individuals. However, twenty-eight percent of the participants in the trials reported side effects such as a fishy taste or belching.

Fish and fish oils help protect against the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is believed that fish oils exert their protective effect by lowering blood pressure and the levels of triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Fish oils are also believed to reduce platelet aggregation and to suppress the growth of smooth-muscle cells in the arterial walls. Many people with hypertension also suffer from diabetes and there has been concern that fish oil supplementation may aggravate problems with glucose intolerance. Researchers at the University of Tromso now report that fish oil supplementation lowers blood pressure significantly in people with hypertension and has no effect on glucose control even in people with mild diabetes.[23] The study involved seventy-eight obese volunteers with essential hypertension. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two equal-sized groups. The fish oil group received four fish oil capsules a day (containing a total of 3.4 grams of a mixture of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) for a period of sixteen weeks. The control group received four corn oil capsules a day. At the end of the test period the average (mean) systolic blood pressure had dropped by 4.4 mm Hg and the diastolic pressure by 3.2 mm Hg in the fish oil group. The average blood pressure in the control group did not change. The researchers also found that plasma triglyceride and VLDL levels in the fish oil group decreased significantly (by about nine percent) while they increased significantly (by about twelve per cent) in the control group. There were no changes in cholesterol levels in either group. Extensive tests (oral glucose tolerance, hyperglycemic and hyperinsulemic clamps) were done to evaluate the effect of fish oil supplementation on glucose control. No adverse effects were found. An editorial accompanying the research report concludes that fish or fish oil is useful in the prevention of vascular disease in diabetics. Patients with diabetes should eat fish two to three times a week or, as an alternative, supplement with two to three one gram capsules of fish oil per day.

But, again, not all studies agree. Dr D Kenny, writing in 1992 found that fish oil increased arterial pressure and also the incidence of stroke.[24]

Vitamin C lowers blood pressure. Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia have confirmed that people with a high vitamin C concentration in their blood have lower blood pressures than do people with little vitamin C.[25] They tested 168 healthy people, 56 of whom were taking supplements containing ascorbic acid. They found that both diastolic and systolic blood pressure were about 5 mm Hg lower in people having a high plasma level of vitamin C than in people having a low level. Blood levels of selenium, vitamin A and vitamin E were not found to affect blood pressure, but both obesity and smoking had a significant adverse effect.

Magnesium supplement lowers blood pressure. Dutch and Belgian researchers conducted a double-blind, controlled trial in order to determine if oral supplementation with magnesium is an effective way of lowering blood pressure in women suffering from mild to moderate hypertension.[26] Their experiment involved ninety-one women aged between thirty-five and seventy-seven who did not take anti- hypertensive medication. All the women had a systolic blood pressure between 140 and 185 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure between 90 and 105 mm Hg. The intervention group received 485 mg per day of magnesium aspartate-HCl. At the end of the six-month trial period the systolic blood pressure in the magnesium supplementation group had decreased by 2.7 mm Hg and the diastolic pressure by 3.4 mm Hg when compared to the placebo group. The researchers conclude that oral supplementation with magnesium aspartate-HCl may be effective in lowering blood pressure in people suffering from mild to moderate hypertension who are not taking anti-hypertensive drugs. Strangely, however, one of the early studies on salt on hypertension rated sea salt worse than table salt.[27] Unlike table salt, which is pure sodium chloride, sea salt also contains other chemicals, including magnesium.

Calcium combats high blood pressure. Researchers at the Oregon Health Sciences University published a major overview on the current knowledge concerning the effect of dietary minerals on high blood pressure.[28] They conclude that the effect of sodium intake on blood pressure is still not clear. It may be that only a subset of people with a genetic defect are sensitive to salt intake. The chloride ion in itself does not seem to increase blood pressure, but when combined with sodium it does cause hypertension in salt-sensitive individuals. A four-year study of 60,000 nurses concluded that women who have a calcium intake of 800 mg/day or more have a twenty-three per cent lower risk of developing high blood pressure than women with an intake of 400 mg/day or less. The benefits of calcium are even greater among pregnant women. Controlled trials have found that women who consume between 1500 and 2000 mg/day of calcium reduce their risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension by as much as fifty percent. It has also been shown that maternal calcium intake directly affects the infant's blood pressure. Women with a high calcium intake gave birth to babies with higher birth weights and lower blood pressures. This lower pressure persisted throughout at least the first five years of life.

Relaxation therapy controls high blood pressure. Hypertension is widespread in northern Taiwan. A recent survey found that 27.2 per cent of males and 13.6 per cent of females suffer from this condition.[29] A team of researchers from the National Taiwan University and the University of Hawaii now reports that relaxation techniques, frequent blood pressure measurements, and educational techniques are all effective in controlling hypertension. Their experiment involved 590 patients. The patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group to practise relaxation techniques at home, to have frequent, routine blood pressure measurements by health professionals, to read information packages about hypertension control; or to a control group who received no treatment. The relaxation techniques involved one-on-one instruction sessions, taped messages of progressive relaxation procedures, and encouragement to perform Buddhist meditation. At the end of the two-month test period the average drop in systolic pressure in the relaxation group was 11 mm Hg and the drop in diastolic pressure was 4.7 mm Hg greater than in the control group. The patients who participated in the frequent blood pressure measurement program also lowered their pressure significantly, as did the self-learning group. Almost fifty percent of the members of the relaxation and self-learning groups achieved a drop in systolic pressure of 10 mm Hg or more and a drop in diastolic pressure of 5 mm Hg or more as a result of the program.
Dairy products reduce hypertension
The risk of developing hypertension in African Americans is more than twice that of their white counterparts, and thus they are at dramatically increased risk of excessive mortality from cardiovascular disease.[30] This greater risk is evident in all age groups and both sexes. While overweight and sensitivity to dietary salt are often thought to contribute to this excessive risk, neither fully explains this relation:

In groups with comparable weights and body mass indexes, African Americans have higher mean blood pressure than whites.
Salt sensitivity is more prevalent in African Americans, but there is no evidence that salt intake is notably greater in this population.
Over a decade in the late 1980s, early 1990s, a credible body of evidence emerged supporting the concept that maintaining an adequate dietary mineral intake, specifically of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, protects against high blood pressure in humans. Observational and interventional studies in humans and extensive use of laboratory models showed that a significant portion of blood pressure variability in response to salt could be linked to the adequacy of the mineral content of the diet. In particular, a report published in 1998 provided valuable evidence that adequate dietary calcium intake was essential to optimal blood pressure regulation in humans. [31] This benefit on blood pressure of calcium and other minerals found in a diet rich in dairy products, was greatest when these foods are added to the diets of individuals whose dietary patterns were deficient.[32]

Analysis of the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES I] showed in 1994 for the first time that there were important, relevant dietary intake patterns that predicted blood pressure in Americans,[33] and confirmed an earlier observation that hypertension was associated with a diet poor in dairy products and the minerals calcium, potassium, and magnesium.[34] This analysis showed that the cardiovascular benefits of calcium and potassium were continuous across the age range from 18 to 75 years of age and were evident in both men and women as well as across racial groups. The benefits appeared to have a dose-response relation with a threshold at less than 600—700 mg of calcium per day. Below that, blood pressure and the risk of being hypertensive were greater.

These findings have been confirmed many times since. The evidence in clear food sources that contain dietary calcium rather than supplements are more efficacious.

But note that low calcium can be the result of a diet high in 'healthy' cereal fibre and also with lack of vitamin D.

Conclusion
Over the years the level of blood pressure considered 'normal' has been progressively lowered until now practically everyone is a potential patient. At the same time, the general population has been exhorted to undertake dietary changes which are unsupported by any coherent body of evidence. When the hoped for reductions are not achieved by salt restriction, these 'patients' are prescribed drugs which may be harmful. This is despite the undoubted fact that salt restriction has not been shown to be beneficial in terms either of morbidity or mortality: Most people who suffer strokes today have blood pressures that are well within normal.

Let me leave the last word to Michael Alderman, President of the American Society of Hypertension, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who wrote in 1997:[35]


'Public health recommendations must be based on proof of safety and benefit. Even if a low sodium diet could lower the blood pressure of most people (probably not true) and both the diet and the change in blood pressure could be sustained (not established), this alone would not justify a recommendation to reduce sodium intake.

'For such advice to be responsibly given there must be evidence that the change will improve and not impair health. While the advantage of a lower blood pressure, at any level, is well established, it is not true that every method to lower blood pressure would necessarily improve health. Some techniques to lower blood pressure, like giving short acting calcium antagonists, may not be safe.

'All interventions aimed at enhancing or extending life by manipulating a single mechanism inevitably produce a variety of effects, some of which may not be advantageous. Extrapolation from mechanistic thinking demands evidence that the sum total of all the effects of the intervention — and not just one, such as lowering blood pressure — will help and not harm; and particularly here since the target is the whole population.

'A low sodium intake produces many effects, not all of which are salutary. The integrated impact of these effects remains to be established. The scanty evidence directly linking sodium intake to morbidity and mortality is not encouraging.

'Unfortunately, we simply do not know whether a universal change in sodium consumption will cause benefit or harm. Insufficient evidence — for good or ill — is not a sturdy basis for making health policy. Gratuitous exhortation, reflecting the hopes of even the most well meaning authorities, is no substitute for data. Toward this end, a good start would be to collect and analyse further observational data linking sodium intake to subsequent morbid and fatal outcomes.'

'The important question that emerges from these papers is why the combined intellects of so many distinguished epidemiologists should maintain that the evidence incriminating salt in hypertension is so convincing when clearly it adds up to very little.'[36]

So, 'healthy' guidelines seem to leave much to be desired and, if followed, may actually place the population at increased risk.

Incidentally, only about five to ten percent of salt consumed occurs in natural foods such as meat. While more may be added during cooking or at the table, by far the greatest amount is found in processed foods. Foods normally thought of as being excessively salty (eg, potato crisps) usually contain much less salt than foods with 'hidden' salt. The worst ones seem to be the 'healthy' ones such as bread and canned vegetables and soups.

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Here he talks about how the calculations are all wrong. Natural fat is good for the body.

ahq9gSfDJFc

[Pam]

You need to be really careful to monitor the drugs that he is taking, particularly the blood thinners. Many physicians will actually prescribe more than one of these. The newer class of these blood thinners, and the priciest such as Plavix can be deadly when combined with aspirin or any other blood thinning agent so monitor any of these blood thinning drugs that are prescribed. If he is prescribed only coumadin at least it is monitored with weekly testing...

[Eram]

Hey Fred,

Just want to say:
All the best with this adventure. It will be though at times I presume, but an opportunity to be close to your dad and sister as well isn't it?

Take care!

[heyokah]

Hi Fred,

Cayenne pepper is what I use in stead of blood thinners.


"Cayenne is most effective for heart and blood circulation problems, and for angina pectoris, palpitations, and cardiac arrhythmias. It's a miracle for congestive heart failure. It is a specific for anyone who has any type of circulatory problems, such as high or low blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, triglycerides and fats, even varicose veins."

From: http://www.whale.to/a/cayenne_pepper_q.html



"Pour some cayenne pepper in a glass of warm water and have patient drink it all down. He will come right out of his problem due to the cayenne enabling the body to normalize the blood circulation." --John Christopher, Master Herbalist

"Cayenne should be an herb which everyone has in the kitchen, the bathroom and in the trunk of your car...Because there is no other herb that moves the blood faster to the brain than cayenne.  ...It relieves the pain of angina pectoris by helping to get more blood to the heart muscle itself. And if a person has a heart attack, Cayenne is the surest first-aid remedy...I have had almost a hundred patients actually save their lives by using a tablespoon of Cayenne pepper in a glass of warm water and drinking it down fast."  Dr Richard Shulze, N.D., M.H.


NOTE
A tablespoon is far too much to start with .... And to end with as well I think. LOL
In emergencies I think a teaspoon will do just fine.

Every morning I take a glass of warm water with a little cayenne powder, some fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) and a teaspoon of honey on an empty stomach.
Start with just a veeery tiny amount of pepper and increase it little by little, as you have to get used to the 'sensation' LOL.

****

CAYENNE - HERBAL KING OF NATURAL HEALING


http://www.whale.to/w/cayenne.html

[Mike]

hey Fred,

-coenzyme q10
-carnitine
-magnesium
-ribose

Dr Stephen Sinatra, a metabolic cardiologist, discovered a way to heal heart failure and various other heart maladies using these nutrtional supplements. they work miracles. i know - i use them.

good luck Fred!

[Guest]

Red Yeast Rice is known to reduce cholesterol levels benefit the heart and circulatory system.

http://www.organicredyeastrice.com/

Research Studies

http://www.organicredyeastrice.com/research-links/

and a link for possible side effects: from the Better Health Store News Letter

http://www.thebetterhealthstore.com/newsletter/08-07-09_August_01.html



Love


Nora

[mahalall]

"All the best to your family Fred!!! If I May Garlic - Raw would be best.." Whitefeather,


Allicin is the major biologically active component of garlic. First reported by Cavallito and Bailey in 1944, allicin is the key ingredient responsible for the broad-spectrum of anti-bacterial activity in garlic. Research also showed that allicin is responsible for lipid-lowering, anti-blood coagulation, anti-hypertension, anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-microbial effects.

crushed and served on a fresh tomato, or with natto



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D
http://www.allicinfacts.com/allicin01.htm

[Sidney]

Hey Fred, Blessings to you and your sister for generously caring for your father!!! And many healing thoughts coming your dads way. I have one word of advise for him MAGNESIUM. Most of us have bodies that are begging for this mineral due to depleted soils and food. Here is some great info on it.

http://magnesiumforlife.com/medical-application/magnesium-%E2%80%93-the-ultimate-heart-medicine/

[Camilo]

Sorry not to be in a position of being able to offer some advise, but my hearth goes out to you father and all of you, with my best wishes for his prompt recovery. Blessings!

[Carmen]

Hi Fred

I'm thrilled to hear that your Dad pulled through. I would definitely look at the Paleo diet, the hunter gatherer way of eating. Grass fed animal protein, fruit, veg, raw dairy if possible. Everything as close to nature as possible. Don't avoid good fats. Non fat crap is just that, crap! Stay away from sugar. Honey is better. Grow a garden and eat from it. Study what the Hunzas eat, that is natural and they live amazingly long lives. You may have to introduce good tucker carefully though. If your dad is very habitual in what he eats he may resent what he is not used to. One way to get people eating greens for instance is to make it into a smoothy. Homemade smoothys are fantastic. Much better than bought ones. That's a good way to add lots of fruit to his diet also. Good luck with all that.

Lots of love and hugs

Carmen

[conk]

Fred, I would not post this if I had any doubt at all about the information. If it were me or anyone in my family I would immediately buy the heart remedy products sold by Standard Process. These nutrient supplements are the highest quality to be found, period. Join Dr. Bruce West's newsletter and he will personally instruct you on which products to buy and use. His record of treatment and success cannot be matched, especially for heart ailments.

http://www.healthalert.com/ Dr. West's web site.

P.S having looked back through this thread I find other very valid suggestions that I would follow as well. Better too much than not enough.

[GloriousPoetry]

Fred there's a company that sells products from the Amazon. Their treasure tea is loaded with herbs from the Amazon, powerful stuff to keep the body strong.
Look them up Amazon Company.

Wishing your father the best,
Gloria

[Nanoo Nanoo]

I would look at a suppliment of hydrogen peroxide taken orally. Typically 10 ml of 6% solution in 100ml filtered water. This can be done in the morning. This will help keep the blood rich in oxygen which is needed with a slow ticker.

Because he may have onset pulminary problems to ward off infection or of he gets a chest cough use 10ml hydrogen peroxide in 30 ml water and put the mouth over the glass and breathe in the vapour. This will help kill off any infection in the lungs.

He will need to keep up iodine so some real sea salt un processed say 5-6 grains diluted in the morning. This along with the hydrogen peroxide will boost his energy and help his body process all the awesome nutrients he will be getting.

Hydrogen peroxide is highly packed with oxygen and is quite harmelss in small doses. The doses i precribed above are quite small and he could handle double but its good to start small.

Oxygen enriching of the blood is done in some exclusive clinics in germany and swizerland. Oxygen is key to healthy body and healing internally.

He is a very lucky man for having such well equipped and caring people around him :-)

I wish you all the best, please give him a hug from me

Naniu

[Nanoo Nanoo]

"All the best to your family Fred!!! If I May Garlic - Raw would be best.." Whitefeather,


Allicin is the major biologically active component of garlic. First reported by Cavallito and Bailey in 1944, allicin is the key ingredient responsible for the broad-spectrum of anti-bacterial activity in garlic. Research also showed that allicin is responsible for lipid-lowering, anti-blood coagulation, anti-hypertension, anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-microbial effects.

crushed and served on a fresh tomato, or with natto



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D
http://www.allicinfacts.com/allicin01.htm

Garlick is very strong and useful. Small doses would be recommended at first. Garlick also slowes motor and neural function so just be aware it may make him seem sluggish. :-)

N

[Ba-ba-Ra]

Besides all of the above, which are wonderful suggestions, I would like to add exercise. Even if Dad is bedridden he can lift his arms or wiggle his toes. Any time you can move your arms above your heart, it helps.

Lack of movement, creates many problems. Good luck to you.

[genevieve]

Fred--

Drink plenty of plain WATER. It's critical to survival:

"When there is insufficient water at the cellular level, every bodily function suffers; the body must operate from a level of crisis management. Most diseases result from crisis management and can now be traced to dehydration" (Dancing with Water, M.J. Pangman and M. Evans). (See: dancingwithwater.com. See also Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj.)

Filter your water. Get a water filter (such as ProPur) that filters out a lot more chemicals than just fluoride and chlorine. Also get a water filter for the shower or bathtub that filters our more than just fluoride and chlorine (such as Crystal Quest, available on Amazon and Vitacost).

Add a touch of SEA SALT, which has beneficial trace minerals in it. Regular table salt (e.g., Morton's) has been processed in such a way that it has little or nothing beneficial, and it actually hardens arteries.

Add positive intentions to the water you drink (as in Dr. Masaru Emoto's work).

Test for body pH. If the acid/alkaline balance is off, all the cells in the body are expending energy to compensate.

Eat COCONUT OIL or real butter, not margarine. (See video: The Oiling of America)

I recommend Swansons Vitamins for online shopping for vitamins, coconut oil, and lots of things.

Blessings to you and your family, Fred.

Peace Love Joy & Harmony,
Genevieve

[Spiral]

Well, as usual on here theres a ton of great advice !

If you/your dad chooses to try some thing like cayenne pepper, you can buy empty capsules on the internet so its easier to take, I got 1000 for 17 UK pounds, I use them for wild oregano oil , cayenne & tumeric, much easier to take!

Also for the magnesium, look for "transdermal magnesium", this is cheapest as "magnesium flakes" a kind of salt, you dissolve it in water, I soak a cloth in it & leave it on my skin for an hour or so, you only take up what you need & can't "OD" on it, its also better to take it like this as Mg can badly effect the digestive system.

[Kimberley]

All the best to you Fred and your father and your family.

I noticed this thread yesterday and did not have anything to suggest... well today I have spent the day reading this thread started 2 1/2 years ago

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?1793-Taking-the-piss-Your-own-best-medicine...

All the best!

added:

This man Dr David Jubb's web site will give you alot of great information also.

http://jubbslongevityeurope.com

[Hervé]

Two major threads to get acquainted with:

Liver detox (from av1) (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?6528-Liver-detox--from-av1-)

The gut of most disease... NOT what you think! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?43548-The-gut-of-most-disease...-NOT-what-you-think-)

[Fred Steeves]

Wow, just got home a little bit ago, and I am amazed at how much so many of ya'll know. Thank you so much for all the recommendations! I have already sent this link to my sister, and it looks like it's homework time for us both. Dad's going to be in the hospital for another week, and then likely rehab for another week or whatever, and then home. So, we do have some time to not have to do the ultra cram course, which actually works out well, being that our poor little brains are scattered all over the place these days.(LOL)

We will be going over these recommendations with a fine toothed comb, and thanks again!

Fred

[enfoldedblue]

Hi Fred,

Lot's of fantastic advice in this thread. I would just like to add olive leaf extract....I am a huge fan. It has many many health benefits, especially in regards to the heart. Here is some info:

Oleuropein

Oleuropein is the plant chemical that is obtained from olive leaves and commonly available in a dietary supplements as olive leaf extracts. Olive leaves have been used in traditional remedies across Europe and Mediterranean regions for many centuries in the form of herbal teas, powder and extracts. Olive leaf extracts have been studied by medical community for the heart protective effects of oleuropein.

Some studies supporting the positive effects of oleuropein on heart health are discussed below:

A study was designed to observe the lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities of native compounds from olive leaves among rats fed on a cholesterol rich diet for a period of 16 weeks. The results showed that there was significant reduction in the total cholesterol, triglyceride and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels along with decrease in oxidative damage. (3)

Another study conducted in 2008 showed that olive leaf polyphenols inhibited in vitro platelet activation in healthy, non-smoking males suggesting that the phenolic compounds of olive leaves could be the cause for reduced incidence of heart disease in the Mediterranean diet. The results showed decreased platelet aggregation at increased concentration of oleuropein. Although the researchers recommended further studies, the result of the study clearly suggested the positive effect of oleuropein in lowering high blood lipid levels (4).

A research report from the Institute of Pharmacological sciences, University of Milan, Italy states that several studies have demonstrated the powerful antioxidant effect of the compound oleuropein both in vitro and in vivo. The report also states that the heart protective benefits of the Mediterranean diet that is predominant in olive oil is partially due to the presence of the phenolic compound oleuropein (5).

Growing number of research studies indicate olive leaf extracts may benefit as a complimentary therapy for heart patients to improve healthy cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. Before consuming olive leaf extract dietary supplements it is important to seek a doctor's advice to understand the possibility of drug interaction and other side effects. It is also important to remember that to achieve healthy cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure it is imperative to follow a healthy lifestyle and dietary choices along with olive leaf extract supplements.

References

1. http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/prevention_control/en/index.html

2. http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/information-for-professionals/data-and-statistics/Pages/default.aspx

3. Jemai H,et.al; Lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects of hydroxytyrosol and its triacetylated derivative recovered from olive tree leaves in cholesterol-fed rats; J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Apr 23;56(8):2630-6. Epub 2008 Apr 2.

4. Singh I, et.l; The effects of polyphenols in olive leaves on platelet function; Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 Feb;18(2):127-32. Epub 2007 Mar 7.

5. Visioli F, Galli C; Antiatherogenic components of olive oil; Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2001 Jan;3(1):64-67.

Taken from the following website:

http://www.rochway.com.au/blog/olive-leaf-extract-for-heart-health/


Sounds like your dad is in good hands. He's a lucky guy to have such caring and aware children.

Take care, c

[Hip Hipnotist]

Hello, Fred.

And perhaps last, but certainly not least -- I speak from experience.

December 21, 2010, I suffered a massive heart attack. 40% chance of survival. Quad bypass and all the trimmings.

Almost two years later ( Yes, December 21, 2012 -- interesting date, huh? ) Off all meds ( there were so many I lost count ) and the healthiest I've ever been in my almost 63 years. What did I do? Simple.

Went vegan. No, not vegetarian -- vegan. There is a difference. Even Bill Clinton got this right. ;-)

Basically no crap. 'Crap' meaning just about everything contained in the typical american diet.

No doctor that I had contact with ( there were many ) would help with getting off meds. Can't blame them, that's all they know.

So I did some research ( like you ) and just changed my diet and my heart health, along with the rest of me, changed almost over night.

The suppliments I take: Hawthorn Berry, CoQ10, Red Yeast Rice ( for cholesterol ) D-3 ( 2000 iu ) Vit C and a partridge in a pear tree.

All vitals ( below ) normal. But that's a good thing.

The cardiologist now says, "Keep doing what your doing." And I say, "Thanks loads, doc."

Your dad sounds like he's got more going on than I did but cutting out ALL 'crap' from my diet got me to where I am ( nearly dead to vibrantly healthy ) in less than two years. And as the saying goes, "If I can do it anyone can!"

I wish you all well!!

[BrianEn]

I sent ya a short pm with my skype on it. I'm living what your dad is going through, and can only tell you what I do.

[sandy]

Hi Fred,

I believe he has the most important healing agent of all>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOVE ;)

How utterly fantastic that you and your sister will be there for him and nurture and nourish him in the days to come. I would think that your Dad is going to live a very happy and productive life for many years to come as he is cherished and loved by you, your sister and family. All seniors should be so blessed :kiss:

[Fred Ryan]

What does your dad say about all this? What does he want to do?

[Fred Steeves]

What does your dad say about all this? What does he want to do?

Hi Fred, that's an easy one. Nothing is going to be forced on him, but he will be presented with a viable alternative to a steady diet of pharmaceuticals for the rest of his days. Either way, I may just use this as an overdue excuse to make a change in what goes in my own body. Like dad said, "I must be back here for a reason". Well, I believe that to be true, and maybe that's one of them.

Cheers,
Fred

[sleepy]

xxxxx xxxxxxx

[Eram]

What does your dad say about all this? What does he want to do?

Hi Fred, that's an easy one. Nothing is going to be forced on him, but he will be presented with a viable alternative to a steady diet of pharmaceuticals for the rest of his days. Either way, I may just use this as an overdue excuse to make a change in what goes in my own body. Like dad said, "I must be back here for a reason". Well, I believe that to be true, and maybe that's one of them.

Cheers,
Fred

Hi Fred,

In that case I can highly recommend the liver flush (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?6528-Liver-detox--from-av1-&p=584829#post584829). :party:
There's nothing like it to change the body back to youth.

yeah, I know that Amzer Zo mentioned it too, but this can't be said enough imo.

I don't know if your father is fit enough to do this, so I would be careful there.

[DoubleHelix]

One thing to take note of when taking supplements and/or vitamins is, whether or not they're naturally occurring. You'll find that an excess of over 90% of supplements in the U.S market today are synthetically produced in laboratories. The problem being with synthetics is that they're actually highly toxic to the body, therefore it has to exert energy attempting to rid itself of such harmful waste. If it carries the Naturally Occurring Standard (NOS), you know you're on the right track. :)

For more information on the topic, I would highly recommend Brian Clement's: Supplements Exposed: The Truth They Don't Want You to Know About Vitamins, Minerals, and Their Effects on Your Health.

[BrianEn]

Hi Fred,

I believe he has the most important healing agent of all>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOVE ;)

How utterly fantastic that you and your sister will be there for him and nurture and nourish him in the days to come. I would think that your Dad is going to live a very happy and productive life for many years to come as he is cherished and loved by you, your sister and family. All seniors should be so blessed :kiss:


All the help I've gotten since all has been the greatest help. It's removed much of the stress would've had. The trouble is when I start feeling like a burden to those helping me. I know that isn't true, but sometimes I feel that way.

[nomadguy]

A really easy thing to add to a diet that helps the blood and with inflammation is Tumeric.
Add Tumeric to at least one meal a day to assist with blood flow and to help ease the inflammation in veins and capillaries, nerve endings. Also it is a tasty herb.
Some folks prefer to use larger doses of this root-herb, mainly in a capsuled powder as a supplement.

People have already mentioned cayenne this can be a great directive. It get things moving.
I like to use a pinch of natural sea salt from the Himalaya with these two for trace nutrients.

I also like to use Blue-green algae (http://www.klamathbluegreen.com/) for plasma reinforcement for the blood and also for cell health. This can be crushed into a power and drank. It is not very nasty. Or taken as a capsule or hard pill. IT is live-food essentially and does a lot for the immune system as well.

Another tip I can offer is to make a serious effort to only drink spring water. If you can find a source use glass bottles if at all possible. The chemicals added to water systems these days cause all sorts of problems.
I like to point out what Dr. Masuro Emoto had to say about the quality of water's structure. I firmly believe that anyone who drinks water that is "living water" will see a great benefit.

One more
Wheat, eliminate this from the diet.

Next
Limit meat intake, Over-consumption of meat tissue causes for an imbalance in the sleep cycle as well as stressing out your bodies organs.
We also have a huge issue about the quality of the meat these days. Free range lean meats are better. I avoid all cow and pork is not on the menu.

GMO = organ disease
nuff said about that.

Organic produce is best if you know how it is grown, so find a farm you can talk to or a good source for this that is the most-trust worthy. I don't trust corporate organic. ~ too many disconnects when it comes to operational oversight. From the farm to the plate is a longer trip and with more steps than that of a organic savvy "local farmer". So when I can I support local organic farmers whom know what they are doing.
It is increasingly possible that To grow your own means health, so if that is possible do what you can. Sometimes starting with a small herb garden is a great way into this development. Getting in touch with nature has it's own benefits as well.

Sugar
Sugar is one of the main reasons our immune system gets into trouble, this is my personal and strong opinion, however I am not alone. There are others out there with far more knowledge on the subject that seem to agree. When you go into this rise and crash metabolic cycle you become a huge target for all types of disease. dis-ease. I do not mean implicitly virus-bacteria-fungi infection, I am also adding the avenue of allergenic reaction. IF you body is busy trying to figure out a substance it doesn't understand you are too busy to stop the usual bad bacti-fungi-viruses (pathogens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen)) that are always and that your body can handle in normal circumstances.

I also firmly believe that if you cut out sugar and wheat(gluten) form the diet your health will improve.
(agave, honey and stevia are OK they have a low glycemic index (www.glycemicindex.com))

I know I am saying quite a lot here.
And so I must state that I am not a doctor. But I can say that I have been guided by smart people, some professionals and I have direct personal experience with assisting someone whom is in their 60s back to health.
We made all sorts of efforts and exercise was a main factor.
The heart needs to be able to circulate with ease. And the entire body circulation adds to the recipe of health.
Getting the arms and limbs moving on a regular basis was a key factor to the healing success that I witnessed.

On a psychological level this is all very stressful on the psyche.
I had heard of a recently recent study where people had a good result from using what I call time capsule therapy, or rather: the music from a person's youth or era of their fancy mixed with some of the popular settings, paintings, books, memorabilia. In the study they setup a whole room tuned to some 80 year old folks hayday. Happiness went up and so did their general well-being.

[nearing]

Please do yourself and him a favor and buy yourself the book called The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND.

I cannot tell you how very very important magnesium would be for him (heart and vascular system) and he is no doubt deficient.

[Pam]

There are a lot of great idea's that have been given here. The other side of the coin is that of quality of life. I don't know how long your dad has to live but eating is probably one of his last great enjoyments in life. Drastically changing his diet may be something that takes away from his enjoyment unless he wishes to do so. When you are old and very ill there is a great loss of independence and being allowed to have some control over things is important. Wishing you the best.

[MK777]

Dear Fred,

I know how you feel, so my love goes to you in support of your dad's speedy recovery.

May I suggest that you and your sister look up dr. Schulze (www.herbdoc.com). I found out about his herbs once my father-in-law's prostate cancer started to grow rapidly. After my father-in-law incorporated some of his herbal tinctures, teas and suggestions his cancer actually stagnated!! Now, while researching and reading about the Schulze treatment I came across a lot of testimonials where people were completely healed of all kinds of ailments just by changing a few simple things. In support of my father-in-law, my entire family switched to organic food and what a difference that has made.

I hope you find the diet that resonates with your father.

Best Wishes
MK

[Gardener]

Nearing----->
Please do yourself and him a favor and buy yourself the book called The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND.

I cannot tell you how very very important magnesium would be for him (heart and vascular system) and he is no doubt deficient.

We are all very depleted in this mineral, and the above book makes awesome reading, recommended.

[Hervé]

Along with magnesium deficiency, there is another mineral most human in the western world are also depleted with to the benefits of all AMAs/BMAs/etc laughing all the way to big pharma bank:

Check this other very important thread:

Got Potassium? Maybe that is why you don't have glowing health! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?28983-Got-Potassium-Maybe-that-is-why-you-don-t-have-glowing-health-)



Modern agriculture is making us very ill. How many people have arthritis pain and increased blood pressure because we are starving? Instead of taking medicine, why not add potassium to your diet?


Originally From http://joevialls.altermedia.info/potassium.html [which has since been removed from the internet]

POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY SCAM KILLS AND MAIMS MILLIONS
Deliberately restricting your potassium intake makes you very ill, and thus vulnerable to hundreds of highly profitable medical "cures"
Copyright Joe Vialls, 30 January 2004

The title immediately suggests to the reader that a giant pharmaceutical atrocity has been inflicted on the poor natives of some far off third-world country, by a predictably greedy drug multinational, but this is simply not the case. By far the largest number of deaths and permanent crippling disabilities from potassium deficiency occur in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several other western nations. How this horrific state of affairs came into being and was perpetuated thereafter, is a very long and frequently confusing story, meaning that we must start at the very beginning if we are to have any real chance of understanding the lethal implications.

[...]

... the information might be of use to someone out there who either already has cardio-vascular problems, or is seriously interested in avoiding cardio-vascular problems at any time in the future.

For more than 25 years I suffered from 'essential hypertension', in other words high blood pressure that the medical fraternity cannot explain. During that period about eight different medical doctors gave me a staggering variety of 'patent medicines', none of which produced a steady reduction of blood pressure, though on two notable occasions the medicines caused 'bad reactions' which dropped my blood pressure so low and so suddenly, that my wife could barely get a reading. At no time during this 25-year period did any of the medical doctors suggest that it might be a good idea to measure my serum electrolyte levels, in order to check for potassium deficiency. As you might expect, this entire sequence put me off the medical profession in a very big way.

Towards the end of 2003 I started getting the classic signs of 'angina', which, over the next six weeks, rapidly progressed into 'unstable angina', a textbook case involving an accelerating or "crescendo" pattern of chest and back pain that lasted longer than ordinary 'angina'. This was accompanied by acute breathlessness, especially after even moderate exertion or a small carbohydrate meal.

The fact that the medical profession did not know the cause of 'angina' infuriated me, because everything on the planet is caused by something else. My basic knowledge of chemistry indicated that I might be suffering from a sodium overdose, so although in extreme pain and at times barely conscious, I managed to hook up to the Internet and do a few basic Google searches. The only sodium overdoses I could find were those caused by various synthetic drugs, so I reversed my search pattern and tried "potassium deficiency" instead. It was then that I discovered my medical 'angina' symptoms precisely matched those exhibited by a person suffering from an acute potassium deficiency. This information came as no great surprise. On the face of it, I had uncovered the underlying cause of medical 'angina', the latter credited with the sale of more than a billion dollars worth of synthetic 'patent medicines' every year. The problem was knowing what to do next.

[...]

[nomadguy]

A great source of Potassium is dried fruit. I dry some of the yearly pears and peaches from our trees for this. And since I began doing so I get sick less. In fact I have not been sick at all since I started. Santos Bonacci brought up this point recently in an interview, Potassium being a pillar of health. You can listen to that interview here > http://www.redicecreations.com/radio/2012/09/RIR-120909.php

[The23rdman]

This is my first post here so firstly a big hello to everyone. :)

You have received some excellent, if conflicting at times, advice in this thread from some very knowledgeable people. I would like to add that one needs to be careful suggesting liver flushes and the like as they are not easy on the system and if done incorrectly can lead to some really nasty side-effects. I wouldn't suggest them at all for someone in this vulnerable a condition, because they are like a mini surgery on the body. I've seen more people left with compromised digestive systems from liver flushing than I care to note - myself included.

Instead I would suggest introducing some nutrient rich foods such as home-made chicken stocks and meat broths, home-made saurekraut and beet kvass. These will give your father tons of nutrition for little outlay in digestive energy. If he can handle it (and I'd go slowly) then some fresh home-made juices with a good mix of sweet veg and green ones. Small amounts to begin with.

I agree that water is KEY as is (as noted by before) quality wet sea salt (Davina is a good UK product) but if you make sauerkraut he'll get enough from this.

Small portions of high quality grass-fed beef (I've some great resources) with large portions of veggies make a wonderful meal.

As for introducing herbs, vitamins and minerals, I'd be wary as you'll find so much conflicting advice as to how to does and unless you know what you're doing you'll likely not have things in balance. This is why I recommend nutrient rich foods for now.

Give him a tsp of good quality Cod Liver Oil a day (Weston Price Foundation has GREAT resources) as it'll be a balanced source with Vit A.

After that it is down to rest and quality of life. I firmly believe the biggest factor in heart conditions is unhappiness. Heartmath institute is a great resource on understanding the link. Make his heart sing with love and joy and it'll heal, or even if it doesn't it'll make the rest of his life better.

When researching, I'll add, the most important tool you need is discernment. Don't be taken in by arguments of authority - your own intuition will guide you.

Love and blessings,

Dean

[Equipoise]

hey Fred,

-coenzyme q10
-carnitine
-magnesium
-ribose

Dr Stephen Sinatra, a metabolic cardiologist, discovered a way to heal heart failure and various other heart maladies using these nutrtional supplements. they work miracles. i know - i use them.

good luck Fred!

Here's an interview of Dr Sinatra, by Joseph Mercola MD. They discuss the blood thinner, Coumadin, the supplements mentioned above, AND the benefits of EARTHING or GROUNDING. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=11PC8AFrh5w&NR=1

More about grounding http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OclGGH0EKhc&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PLE77D86EDD038C63A

All the replies have great suggestions.

Another way to increase nutritional value of food is fermented or cultured vegetables/foods:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/01/gut-bacteria-on-fat-absorption.aspx?e_cid=20121001_DNL_art_1
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/24/tumors-exploit-gut-flora.aspx?e_cid=20121024_DNL_art_1

AND THEY ARE EASY & CHEAP TO MAKE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qjzlS0U4h0
A recipe I just recently tried, with variations, and like http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=JjzjyK2B4c0&NR=1
My mixture included cauliflower, broccoli, sliced carrots, kale, tumeric, pepper, red pepper & sea salt. The vegetables were purchased from frozen food section, already chopped, so prep time was neglibible. I usually add fermented vegetables to a salad. The liquid/brine makes a tasty dressing.

[edina]

This is my first post here so firstly a big hello to everyone. :)

You have received some excellent, if conflicting at times, advice in this thread from some very knowledgeable people. I would like to add that one needs to be careful suggesting liver flushes and the like as they are not easy on the system and if done incorrectly can lead to some really nasty side-effects. I wouldn't suggest them at all for someone in this vulnerable a condition, because they are like a mini surgery on the body. I've seen more people left with compromised digestive systems from liver flushing than I care to note - myself included.

Instead I would suggest introducing some nutrient rich foods such as home-made chicken stocks and meat broths, home-made saurekraut and beet kvass. These will give your father tons of nutrition for little outlay in digestive energy. If he can handle it (and I'd go slowly) then some fresh home-made juices with a good mix of sweet veg and green ones. Small amounts to begin with.

I agree that water is KEY as is (as noted by before) quality wet sea salt (Davina is a good UK product) but if you make sauerkraut he'll get enough from this.

Small portions of high quality grass-fed beef (I've some great resources) with large portions of veggies make a wonderful meal.

As for introducing herbs, vitamins and minerals, I'd be wary as you'll find so much conflicting advice as to how to does and unless you know what you're doing you'll likely not have things in balance. This is why I recommend nutrient rich foods for now.

Give him a tsp of good quality Cod Liver Oil a day (Weston Price Foundation has GREAT resources) as it'll be a balanced source with Vit A.

After that it is down to rest and quality of life. I firmly believe the biggest factor in heart conditions is unhappiness. Heartmath institute is a great resource on understanding the link. Make his heart sing with love and joy and it'll heal, or even if it doesn't it'll make the rest of his life better.

When researching, I'll add, the most important tool you need is discernment. Don't be taken in by arguments of authority - your own intuition will guide you.

Love and blessings,

Dean

excellent first post and welcome to Avalon :)

here's a video of Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FNourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats%2Fdp%2F0967089735&ei=x67XULieN4KlqgHC3YDICg&usg=AFQjCNFA9hhZoO_38pMQWoDODleUIzxrog&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM), presenting the research done by Weston A Price (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.westonaprice.org%2F&ei=7a7XUNCkEI2uqAGW1YGgDg&usg=AFQjCNF-DvgMmUYOrppEwXXw52sLG75YmQ&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM), the photos she shows presents a compelling case for how the modern diet has been affecting the DNA/genetic expression of our full genetic potential, demonstrating how this modern diet changes the ways our genes express, thereby making us more vulnerable to a wide range of problems in the first, and second generations...

7ixsBn_lfXE

This video provides another way to look at the heart, Frank Chester (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CEIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fheartisticscience.org%2F&ei=Xq_XUIOABdT_rAGV5YG4Aw&usg=AFQjCNE0F_GnX6vnxicTYklZJsqVVRwipw&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM) lectures about his discovery of the chesterhedron to heart specialists , ect... by looking at the underlying structure of the heart he has been able to discover that the heart is not a pump as we have thought, but rather it uses suction to move the blood .... fascinating presentation... he mentions something in here about the Steiner papers on Four Organs and also that he was able to heal himself of a heart murmur... so another direction to consider

jexT5VUyZ7U

Also, congestive heart conditions run in my family too, I'm showing early indicators of this condition, I've been looking at ProArgi9 for my own condition, here's a link to some reference information that discusses this particular product, and a non-invasive way to check on this condition.... very enlightening...

http://www.argi9health.com/cardio/reference-home.html

http://www.argi9health.com/cardio/video.htm#health