Supporting High Cholesterol and Triglycerides through Diet, and Lifestyle Changes for Heart Health

High cholesterol is often associated with an increased risk towards coronary artery disease, heart disease, and stroke.  The World Health Organization estimates that almost 20% of all strokes and over 50% of all heart attacks can be linked to high cholesterol, with these numbers rising every year.  There are also estimates that over 50% of all Americans have cholesterol levels above the suggested limit.

Conventional medicine recommends and incorporates the use of statin drugs in order to lower elevated cholesterol levels. For many people, it is difficult to lower their cholesterol through diet and exercise alone, and they resort to these medications.  Unfortunately, statin drugs are often accompanied by a variety of side effects that many patients wish to avoid.  Side effects of statin drug use typically include: headaches, muscle pains, diarrhea, fatigue, and weakness.  In rare occasions, more severe side effects include neurological degeneration, depression, weight gain, liver stress, and memory loss to name a few.

In 1953, Dr. Ancel Keys published a paper titled “Atherosclerosis, a Problem in Newer Public Health” where he hypothesized that there was a correlation between high dietary fat intake and death rates from cardiovascular disease based on the data he accumulated from seven countries. Keys's studies were later criticized for excluding data from any countries that did not support his theories. There was data available for 22 countries, and when the full picture was looked at, there was found to be no relationship between dietary fat consumption, high cholesterol levels and heart disease.

According to Harvard School of Public Health, in the 1960s, fats and oils supplied Americans with about 45 percent of their calories; about 13 percent of us were obese and under 1 percent had type 2 diabetes. Today, Americans take in less fat, getting about 33 percent of calories from fats and oils; yet 34 percent of us are obese and 8 percent have diabetes, most with type 2 diabetes.

Most people that experience high cholesterol, attempt to alter their diet by reducing their dietary fat consumption.  Research from both Dr. Keys poorly formed study and current research from Harvard indicate that the removal of dietary fats will not lower the elevated cholesterol levels. 

In most cases, high cholesterol is a result of elevated triglycerides that come from high glycemic diets.  Elevated triglyceride levels, rather than high cholesterol, have demonstrated a more consistent correlation between heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease.

Dietary sugars that are not used shortly after ingestion are converted to triglycerides inside of our body, and stored within the fat cells of our body.  Avoiding simple sugars, breads, pastas, sodas, and other sugary sources can decrease triglyceride levels, and in turn lower the total cholesterol levels.  When evaluating triglyceride levels on blood tests, the normally accepted reference range is a triglyceride levels is less than 150 mg/dL when fasting.  From a nutritional approach, a triglyceride level of 75-90 mg/dL when fasting will frequently demonstrate a substantial change in total cholesterol levels, without the use of statin drugs, or their side effects.

For additional information, visit www.HaydenInstitute.com or contact Dr. Chase Hayden

Breast Cancer Screening, Prevention, and Alternative Approaches in the Modern World

 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. It accounts for nearly 32 percent of all female cancers.  Based on rates from 2005 to 2007, the National Cancer Institute reports that 1 out of every 8 women born today will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast at some time during their lifetime. As a woman ages, her chances of developing breast cancer dramatically increase, with approximately 77 percent of the cases occurring in women over the age of 50. Caucasian, Hawaiian, and African American women have the greatest incidence of invasive breast cancer, and statistics show that these women are nearly four times higher than the lowest group including Korean, American Indian and Vietnamese women.

Breast cancers, as well as other cancers, develop at a cellular level over a period of many years or decades before the cancer is large enough to be identified using modern imaging techniques.  Research indicates that breast cancer can be affected by lifestyle changes even though genetic markers BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been implicated in three to five percent of breast cancers. 

Researchers suggest that increased abdominal body fat distributions, hormonal disruptors from our environment, and increased weight at the age of 30 are contributing factors to breast cancer.  These three factors have lead a change in the onset of menstruation from 16.5 years old in 1842 to 13 years in 1995 and to 11 or 12 years in the year 2003 which parallels an increase in breast cancer onset later in life.

Breast cancer rates show a strong correlation between the urinary ratio of 2-hydroxy (E1-Estrone +E2-Estradiol + E3-Estriol) to 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone. This noninvasive urine test identifies the 2/16 ratio that is used to estimate the risk of developing breast cancers later in life. Considerable evidence indicates that this ratio is relevant as a risk factor for estrogen-sensitive diseases such as breast and cervical cancers, osteoporosis, and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Simple steps can be taken to help prevent breast cancer.  First, evaluating the 2/16 urinary ratio indicates the developmental risk of breast cancer.  Second, a gentle exercise program during a woman’s adolescent and adult years can reduce the incidence of breast cancer by nearly 40% according to the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Third, eliminating estrogen hormone disruptors from both synthetic and natural sources will decrease the accumulation of estrogenic toxins that disrupt liver detoxification pathways.  Estrogenic hormone disruptors include plastics, dioxins, PCBs, DDT, and soy to name a few. Fourth, maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index will decrease abdominal fat distribution, which leads to increased estrogen activity. Fifth, consuming cruciferous vegetables daily have been shown to increase Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification pathways, and help to improve the 2/16 ratio which has been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer.

To evaluate you 2/16 ratio, or to talk to Dr. Chase Hayden about the complementary and alternative approaches you can take to support your body nutritionally, please visit www.HaydenInstitute.com or contact our office.

Organic or Not? A Quick Reference Guide For Buying Produce

The “Dirty Dozen”

and the “Clean Fifteen”

A new report published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has provided a great “go to” list when it comes to choosing which produce to by organically, and which ones to buy conventionally. The group's annual "dirty dozen" list of fruits and vegetables is based off of the highest levels of ingestible pesticide residues.  The EWG uses compiled data from the USDA in order to publish these findings.

When purchasing your produce, fresh, raw, organic foods are always best, but not everyone is in a position to purchase food in this manner.  Please use the following list when purchasing fruits and vegetables if you do not already purchase 100% organic produce.

Dirty Dozen 2011

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard green

Clean Fifteen 2011

1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplants
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

The EWG claims that if consumers eat the five recommended servings of fruit and vegetables from the least contaminated list over five from the dirty dozen, they would reduce the amount of pesticides ingested by 92%.

Conventional, non-organic farmers use a variety of pesticides to protect their crops from insects, bacteria, rodents, molds, and fungi. These substances can end up in the food supply. Washing and peeling fruit and vegetables can lower pesticide residues, but these practices do not guarantee absolute removal.  When the USDA tests for pesticides, they wash and peel fruit the same way a typical consumer would and then evaluate the residue content.

For more information on ways to improve your health, and wellness, please visit our webpage: www.HaydenInstitute.com

Developing Leadership From Within

I was invited to speak at the Chick-Fli-A Leadercast in Cypress, TX on May 9, 2011.  The participants were able to hear from many people in regards to developing leadership qualities.  Dr. Aaron Chapa, and myself spoke together on "Developing Leadership from Within."  We emphasized the importance of balancing the chemical and electrical signals in our body that are creating symptoms that impair leadership development.  Frequently these symptoms include brain fog/memory loss, difficulty learning new skills, and low self esteem. For more information about Dr. Chase Hayden, please visit, www.HaydenInstitute.com

Eating For Success: Why What You Put In Your Mouth Affects What Comes Out

I was invited to speak at The Incredible Networking Event in Houston, TX.  Our topic was Eating For Success: Why What You Put In Your Mouth Affects What Comes Out.  The overall concept of the talk was discuss the effects of food in out body, and how dietary choices affect memory, brain fog, and other symptoms that could affect business decisions.  Feel free to let me know what you think!  For more information on our office, visit www.HaydenInstitute.com.

Fibromyalgia, Pain Relief, Improved Sleep, Shoulder Stiffness, Brain Fog and MORE! @ The Hayden Institute

 

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A Common Link Between Lyme's Disease, Autism, Celiac's Disease and Other Neuroimmune Disorders

Neuroimmunology is the study of how the immune system and nervous system relate to one another in the presentation of chronic conditions. Neuroimmune disorders are the eventual appearance and diagnosis of these conditions after they have created enough change to be spotted on a laboratory test such as blood analysis. Neuroimmune disorders are complex presentations that have three predisposing environmental factors.

1.) Infection (bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, etc)
2.) Toxic chemical/metal exposure (mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, chlorine, etc)
3.) Food Intolerance/Sensitivity (gluten, casein, peanuts, etc)

Infections have long been associated with illness and disease. Certain microbial organisms have been attributed to the cause of numerous diseases. For example, in Lyme's Disease, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi is the most common trigger in North America, while Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii are more common in Europe. Once the bacteria begin to thrive in the body, immune function decreases, neurologic changes occur, digestion becomes impaired, and fatigue and other symptoms become more prevalent. Many infectious organisms also open the doors for co-infections, and other opportunistic infections to further complicate the patient's presentation. If the infection is not addressed early enough, chronic burdens become debilitating to those that continue to have immune system flare ups. Lyme's Disease is known as "The Great Mimicker" as over 300 different neurological, immunological, and other chronic conditions have been misdiagnosed and mistreated when the true cause was a bacterial infection. Neurologic complications triggered from viruses include: encephalitis, polio, meningitis, encephalomyelitis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and more.

Toxic chemical and metal exposure also contributes to the chronic effects of Neuroimmune disorders. Xenobiotics are chemicals found in our bodies that are not normally produced or expected to be there. Xenobiotics can include naturally occurring substances or manmade products as well. Common examples include plastics, mercury, formaldehyde, and dioxins. A common debate in the autism world is the possible correlation between vaccinations and current autism trends. Before 1983, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended 10 different immunizations before the age of 6. By 2007, the CDC had increased the immunization schedule to include 36 different vaccines in the same time frame. In 1982, the estimated prevalence of autism was 1 in 10,000 children, and by 2007, the rate had increased to an estimated 1 in 150. Vaccines contain different xenobiotics, including lead, aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, antibiotics, and aborted fetal tissue.

The amount of xenobiotic exposure has stimulated numerous debates, research experiments, and court battles in regards to the safety of these products in our bodies. Whether or not vaccines cause autism is still for debate, yet xenobiotic exposure certainly contributes to the neuroimmune presentation that many patients experience. From pesticides, herbicides, vaccines, plastics, aerosol vapors, mercury fillings, and the hundreds of other sources of toxic chemicals and metals, a person that experiences neuroimmune disorders will often show improvement through the removal of the toxic substances.

Food intolerance's or sensitivities are very different from food allergies. A food allergy creates a potentially life threatening experience where a person has symptoms of anaphylaxis or death. Food allergies stimulate an IgE immune reaction. Common foods that create an IgE reaction include shellfish, and peanuts. Food intolerance's or sensitivities can create other symptoms such as headaches, bowel disturbances, inflammation, seizures, and more, but are not considered life threatening. Food intolerance's start an inflammatory response that involves the IgA, IgG, or IgM portions of the immune system. Common food sensitivities include gluten containing grains, dairy products, tomatoes, soy, and corn. Many people are familiar with someone who is "lactose intolerant." Lactose intolerance usually leads to symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, weight loss, nausea, headaches, etc. and it is estimated that 30 million Americans over the age of 20 experience this condition. Gluten intolerance's can vary from mild symptoms such as lactose intolerance, or can be severe enough to create autoimmune activity such in persons with Celiac's Disease. In both presentations, poorly digested gluten molecules stimulate IgA, IgM, and IgG immune responses which induce inflammation, and symptoms from consuming this substance. "Gluten" is a protein found in all grains, but the immune response is triggered from the gluten proteins of wheat, barley, and rye that contain the "gliadin" and "glutenin" molecules as well. Screening tests that include blood, saliva, stool, and intestinal biopsy are used to find food sensitivities. Once the sensitivity is identified, removing the dietary trigger is an important step in helping a person experiencing neuroimmune disorders.

Chronic conditions often frustrate doctors and patients alike due to the complexity of the patient's symptoms, and the wide range of patient complaints. Addressing the factors that contribute to the neuroimmune disorders are essential for helping a patient increase their level of wellness. Whether the patient is experiencing Lyme's Disease, autism, lupus, Celiac's Disease, or any other chronic or autoimmune illness, proper testing should be used to identify the presence of any infection, toxic burdens, and food sensitivities.

To find out more about how you can receive the tests needed for your specific presentation, contact Dr. Chase Hayden at The Hayden Institute.

Wheat: Why You Should Avoid This Common Food

Wheat: The Staff  Shaft of Life 

Wheat, bread and pasta are often referred to as “The Staff of Life.”  In reality, wheat is one of the unhealthiest foods that we use as a staple in the Western diet, next to sugar.  We all know that sugar has a high glycemic index; it rots our teeth, suppresses our immune system, and contributes significantly to ill health and disease.  Can wheat products really be as bad a table sugar?  The facts are clear, and wheat is negatively affecting your health.

Wheat has been attributed to many symptoms and is a common cause to intestinal problems, allergies, asthma, thyroid imbalance, neurologic dysfunction, infertility, cancer, skin problems, inflammation, balance disorders, and increasing cardiovascular risk to name a few.  Weight gain, and obesity are the most common side effects of consuming wheat based products.

Wheat negatively affects our health from 3 main avenues.

• It contains the protein gluten
• It is a high glycemic food
• It has little nutritional value

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye grains, and is highly allergenic.  For many people, gluten containing foods are provided as their first food.  This triggers various inflammatory processes that affect the digestive tract, and often lead to symptoms affecting the bowels, and absorption of nutrients and even epilepsy.  The medical journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences (February 2000;45:403-406), illustrated the importance of screening for gluten intolerance in patients with autoimmune thyroid due to the complications arising from this harmful protein.

High glycemic foods contribute to chronic disease, insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk, diabetes, weight gain, and other conditions. Wheat has a higher glycemic index than regular table sugar.  With that in mind, eating a piece of bread is not too distant from eating a couple spoons of table sugar.  Wheat affects the glycemic content of the many foods where it is placed.  From bread, pasta, bagels, muffins, and the other packaged foods that contain wheat flour, it is easy to see how we are over indulging in a sugar filled diet.  High glycemic foods are one of the main contributors to atherosclerosis, and has been identified in Egyptian mummies from 1981 BC (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009) which consumed a predominantly wheat based diet. 

The manufacturing process of wheat today is very different than the wheat harvesting methods of old.  When the Egyptians were growing, and eating wheat, they were at least benefiting from the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals of the wheat kernel.  In today’s manufacturing practices, wheat is fumigated, refined, processed, and enriched in order to allow for a longer shelf life, and to meet the demands of the FDA. These artificial nutrients are chemically derived, and deficient in the naturally occurring minerals and co-factors needed for the proper utilization of the nutrients found in wheat.

Diet modification is instrumental in improving quality of life, and reducing the symptoms that are experienced as health declines.  Through eliminating inflammatory foods such as wheat from the diet, it is common to see a reduction of pain, weight loss, improved cholesterol, and other health related benefits.